Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi [Review]

Title: Shatter Me
Author(s): Tahereh Mafi
Edition: Audio, 9 hours 13 minutes/8 parts
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication Date: November 15, 2011
Source: Overdrive
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Summary

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I'm more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

I have been sleeping on this series, and it's only thanks to my book club that I have gotten to enjoy this book.  With the new book in the series, Restore Me, coming out in March, we thought re-reading (or in my case, simply reading) the series would be fun.  I am so glad this was suggested because I really loved Shatter Me!

Shatter Me starts out with a punch:

I've been locked up for 264 days. (pg. 1)

Just from that one line alone I want to know more.  Juliette is isolated, scared, and alone but she is never broken.  Even going through all the hardships and abuse she has endured, she always believes in the innate good in the world.  And that is what really make this story so interesting.  

We meet Juliette after she has been locked up in a psych ward for the above mentioned 264 days.  And Juliette is not all there mentally.  She doesn't trust herself and writes her thoughts down in a stolen notebook that she hides from the guards.  Mafi does an excellent job of showing us how unstable Juliette is and how much she doesn't trust herself through the internal monologue of Juliette's mind and of the writings in her notebook.

An especially effective device that Mafi uses to illustrate this is "scratching" out certain lines of text, showing a thought or feeling that Juliette has that she feels is too confusing or too vulnerable or too true.  An example:

(taken from Shatter Me Amazon preview, pg 1)

At first, when I was listening to the audiobook, this part was weird to hear because they use a pencil scratching noise to denote these, but after a few times it didn't bother me at all.  It was actually very cool that they did that, so the listener could get the impact of Juliette's thoughts.

This is an effective part of Mafi's writing, but the most beautiful part is the lyrical language.  Juliette has been isolated or locked up her entire life.  This lends to a large imagination developing.  This imagination is reflected in the way Juliette describes the world, other people, and herself.  Beautiful, sometimes whimsical, and sometimes frantic, each line of description shows the reader exactly what and how Juliette is feeling.  A wonderful example of this is:

Raindrops are my only reminder that clouds have a heartbeat.  That I have one too. (pg. 5)

Absolutely gorgeous language and sentiment such as that is liberally used throughout the book.  

Don't get me wrong, there were some things that irked me a little, like how frustrating it was when Juliette wouldn't defend herself or speak up, but overall the plot and characters won me over in a big way.  And what's great is you can see the progression of Juliette through the book, and how she starts to blossom with just a little bit of kindness thrown her way.  She is really one of my favorite heroines.

A beautiful beginning to a beautiful series (I have now read all three books), if you've been sleeping on Shatter Me like I was, stop!!  Go grab your very own copy from your local bookstore, or borrow a copy from your local library (or be on the lookout for a special giveaway I'll be hosting very soon!)

Final Rating

Extras

Book Trailer

Other Books by Tahereh Mafi

The Shatter Me Series

Coming out 03/2018

Novellas

Furthermore and Whichwood 

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Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova [Review]

Title: Labyrinth Lost
Author(s): Zoraida Córdova
Edition: ARC, 336 pgs
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: September 6, 2016
Source: Recieved from ALA for review
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can't trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland...

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

If you are wanting an exhilarating, dark, female-driven, family-centric, magical journey, then stop because Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova is the book you've been looking for.

I have been needing a darker type of magic story for a while.  One that explores that earthier side of magic, with rituals and spells powered through parts of the real world, not just a wave of a wand.  Labyrinth Lost delivers that need and adds so much more.

I love the main character, Alex (Alejandra).  Zoraida has crafted a character that is still relatable even when being from a family of witches.  She doesn't want the power that she possesses because it scares her.  I think that we can all relate to that sort of fear in a way; we all have something to be afraid of, whether it is intrinsic or extrinsic.  She is struggling to be a part of this family who's very being is determined by their power when she is constantly fighting her own, and fighting it so drastically that she tries to spell it away.  I feel this can be used as a metaphor for how teen girls feel about themselves for the most part, at least I know that's how my friends and I felt.

But while Alex finds herself at odds with her family, there is nothing but love from all sides.  Her mother and sisters all love Alex, and she them.  But not only is her immediate family important, Alex has such a rich history, which is reflected it in the Latinx culture that plays such an integral part of the book.  Alex's ancestors span back centuries, and they all play a part in her family's history.  And all these people are definitively brujas, casting cantos, not spells.  This is an aspect of the book I absolutely adore; more representation of Latinx culture is needed within YA speculative fiction, and Labyrinth Lost is such an amazing addition to that genre. 

Then of course, not only are we shown the brujas of Brooklyn, but through Alex's banishing canto, she transports her entire family (and her ancestors too) into Los Lagos, a type of purgatory for brujas.  The elaborate layers of Los Lagos again mix many elements from Latinx culture, but also from other myths and stories, creating a rich, terrifying, oil painting of a world that Alex must trek through to save her family.

Luckily she is not alone on this journey, and again the amazing hand of  Zoraida crafts some complex supporting cast that you love to love and love to hate (but never really for long).  The voice of each character is distinct from one another, and each person, or creature, you meet adds something to the overall world of Los Lagos and the bruja culture, making the book one you'll want to explore again.

It's at all times a journey of discovery and family, but with such twists that it keeps you on your toes while reading.  Never a dull moment, Labyrinth Lost is a fantastical ride, leaving you aching on the other side to be a bruja yourself (I for one have been practicing my Resting Witch Face).  One of my top books of 2016, I can't recommend this one enough!  Out on September 6, 2016, you won't want to miss it!

Final Rating

Book Cover: 4/5 
Book Title: 5/5
Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Ending: 9/10

Overall: 48/50: A+

Extras

Other Books by Zoraida

The Vicious Deep Trilogy

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Visual Inspiration - Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

Pictures/Art/Photographs all help me see the books I'm reading.  Often, while I'm online, I stumble upon images that remind me of the book.  These visuals add layers to the stories, and can be used to offer hints to the plot.  So I've decided to put out "Visual Inspirations" in order to spark readers' interests in those books that I love.  Please feel free to join in; hopefully you'll get some new books to read in the process!

If you're a horror nut, or just like to scare yourself, then this book is definitely for you! So without further ado, I give you inspiration this week from:

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Oh, what could all of this mean!?

If you like magic, danger, and a strong leading lady, then Labyrinth Lost is the book you've been looking for!  Full of heart, danger, and the unknown, you are sure to yearn to become a bruja as soon as you crack open the pages!

If you liked this, keep an eye out for more posts and check out my other Visual Inspirations!

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Waiting on Wednesday (96)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming/recent releases that we seriously can’t wait to read

Here's my pick for the week, THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING:

Labyrinth Lost

by Zoraida Córdova

Publication Date: September 6, 2016

Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

I fall to my knees. Shattered glass, melted candles and the outline of scorched feathers are all that surround me. Every single person who was in my house – my entire family — is gone.

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange markings on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…

Beautiful Creatures meets Daughter of Smoke and Bone with an infusion of Latin American tradition in this highly original fantasy adventure.

(Summary from Goodreads)

Love this BOOK, love this COVER, love this AUTHOR!  Zoraida's first series, The Vicious Deep, was great, and I think Labyrinth Lost is better!  Such a rich world and a super empowering family story containing so many strong women!  It is definitely a part of the kick-ass girls club of books!  10 out of 10 would recommend!!!

I am also a part of the Resting Witch Face Squad (RWFSquad); we're the Street Team, bringing you Labyrinth Lost realness!  so make sure to check my social media for any tweets/posts about fun happenings about the book!  

What book are you waiting for?

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Back to School Book Blast [Giveaway]!

I always love this time of the year because it is back to school for most of the U.S!

Back to school as a kid was always my favorite time of year because I got new clothes, new supplies, and best of all, new books!  My parents always let me get two new books to start the year off, and I've kept the habit (nowadays the limit is definitely more than two!).

So as I have some extra copies of some of my favorite books that I got from ALA, I figured I'd share the tradition with all of you in honor of a happy start of the beginning of the new school year.

Now, you don't have to still be in school to enter!  I have been fully done with my Masters for 2 years now, and I still love me some school.  So if you're young, old, graduated, or just starting off, check out the seven books I have in store for one lucky winner to set them up just right for the new school year!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms & Conditions

Open only to US residents!

No entries outside of US! 

Must be 13 years old to enter. 

ONE winner will win ALL 7 books

Winner must have a mailing address within the US.

NO P.O. Boxes.

Prize will be mailed out by blog owner.

Eli to the nth claims no responsibility for lost prizes.

Winner will be contacted by email. 

Winner has 48 hours to respond with mailing address.

Mailing address will be deleted upon delivery of box.

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BLOG TOUR -- WAX BY GINA DAMICO [Review + Giveaway]

Title: Wax
Author(s): Gina Damico
Edition: Hardcover, eBook, 368 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: August 2, 2016
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - iBooks - Book Depository

Tour Schedule

Week One:

7/25/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

7/26/2016- Eli to the nth- Review (ME!)

7/27/2016- BookHounds YA- Guest Post

7/28/2016- Lisa Loves Literature- Review

7/29/2016- The Cover Contessa- Interview

Week Two:

8/1/2016- Here's to Happy Endings- Review

8/2/2016- Ohana Reads- Guest Post

8/3/2016- A Dream Within A Dream- Review

8/4/2016- YA Book Madness- Interview

8/5/2016- A Gingerly Review- Review

The Summary

Paraffin, Vermont, is known the world over as home to the Grosholtz Candle Factory. But behind the sunny retail space bursting with overwhelming scents and homemade fudge, seventeen-year-old Poppy Palladino discovers something dark and unsettling: a back room filled with dozens of startlingly life-like wax sculptures, crafted by one very strange old lady. Poppy hightails it home, only to be shocked when one of the figures—a teenage boy who doesn’t seem to know what he is—jumps naked and screaming out of the trunk of her car. She tries to return him to the candle factory, but before she can, a fire destroys the mysterious workshop—and the old woman is nowhere to be seen.

With the help of the wax boy, who answers to the name Dud, Poppy resolves to find out who was behind the fire. But in the course of her investigation, she discovers that things in Paraffin aren’t always as they seem, that the Grosholtz Candle Factory isn’t as pure as its reputation—and that some of the townspeople she’s known her entire life may not be as human as they once were. In fact, they’re starting to look a little . . . waxy. Can Poppy and Dud extinguish the evil that's taking hold of their town before it’s too late?

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

If you're looking for a laugh-out-loud, twisty, crazy, murdery romp, well by golly, look no further!  Wax by Gina Damico delivers all of the above and more.  A weird contemporary/supernatural story, Wax is sure to have you guessing until the last wick burns out!

The thing that Damico does the best, and I mean the absolute best, is take a really strange premise and make it actually plausible.  The characters are so dynamic, the setting is so detailed, and the series of events happen in such a natural way, you find yourself thinking, "This could've really happened!".  This is the trend through all of her books, but I think that Wax really exemplifies this.

Poppy is an excellent protagonist.  She's funny, smart, a little bossy, and really cares about her town.  A good candidate for a hero.  Plus her cast of weirdos, also known as the Giddy Committee (her school's Drama club), lend a helping hand by being their true weirdo selves.  There's a whole thing with a flamethrower that had me crying I was laughing so hard.  Poppy, even in the midst of her seemingly unending crap storm of a year, has a sense of optimism--which may just be a coping mechanism, but hey we all gotta get through life somehow.  Of course to off-set this beaming optimism, is Poppy's partner-in-crime, Jill, who is just over the line of too snarky and I absolutely adore her.

There are so many shenanigans during this book, and plot twists I didn't see coming.  Super fun, going a mile a minute at all times, I was very sad when it was all over.  I don't dare give away plot points because half the fun of Damico's books is going "Holy sh*t!  Did that just happen?".  And trust me, there are a ton of those.  But I will say, if you hear the insult gutbag, you'll be instantly on guard!  

Uproariously fun, Wax by Gina Damico is one of those books you don't want to miss!  If you want a chance to win your own copy, check out the giveaway below!  And be sure to pick up Wax when it comes out, August 2, 2016!  You want to miss this one!

Final Rating

About the Author

Gina Damico is the author of Croak, Scorch, and Rogue, the grim-reapers-gone-wild books of the Croak trilogy. She has also dabbled as a tour guide, transcriptionist, theater house manager, scenic artist, movie extra, office troll, retail monkey, yarn hawker and breadmonger. A native of Syracuse, New York, she now lives outside Boston with her husband, two cats, and one dog, and while she has never visited hell in person, she has spent countless waking hours at the Albany Regional Bus Terminal, which is pretty darn close. Visit her website at www.ginadami.co.

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