Posts By: Amy

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Blog Tour: Review – We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen

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I received this book for free from Random House Children's Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Blog Tour: Review – We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin NielsenWe Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen
Published by Wendy Lamb Books on May 12th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, YA
Source: Random House Children's Books
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three-half-stars

Thirteen-year-old Stewart is academically brilliant but socially clueless.
Fourteen-year-old Ashley is the undisputed “It” girl in her class, but her grades stink.

Their worlds are about to collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. Stewart is trying to be 89.9 percent happy about it, but Ashley is 110 percent horrified. She already has to hide the real reason her dad moved out; “Spewart” could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder.

They are complete opposites. And yet, they have one thing in common: they—like everyone else—are made of molecules.

When I received the email for the blog tour for this book, upon reading about the book was very excited to read it. Of course I had to be part of this blog tour! The book was really great and I am so happy that I said yes to this. It was a quick read with a lot of important topics. It is told from both Stewart and Ashley’s POV’s. Stewart is a really smart kid. Or as he likes to say, gifted. He felt that his life was pretty great with his just him, his mom, and his dad. Then, his mom dies and things get tough. They learn to cope though and eventually start to move forward. Especially his dad who is dating someone and they are moving in with them. Now Stewart has to leave the only home he has ever known and move in with his dad’s girlfriend and daughter. Being the good kid he is, he looks on the bright side and is excited. Ashley, not so much. She is a bit of a brat, but she has her reasons. She is going through losing a parent too, but in a different way. Her dad is still alive, and actually living in the guest house behind their home. Her parents divorced because her father revealed that he is gay. Now Ashley is hurt and questioning everything. She feels lied to and betrayed. She is also afraid that her friends will find out.

Stewart although super smart is not good at social interactions and the correct ways to behave. He is super friendly, and doesn’t understand the social ladder. He just wants to be liked and to try to make it through a normal school. He thinks his mom would be proud of him. He doesn’t understand that Ashley is embarrassed of him and she doesn’t want to get along with him. I really liked Stewart. He is clueless about a lot of things, but he is such a great kid with a huge heart. He wants to step out of his comfort zone and try to be normal, but he doesn’t quite know exactly how.

Ashley is the popular girl. The mean girl. The one who everyone wants to be and is waiting for her to slip up to take her place as the queen bee. She has a group of friends that she isn’t really the greatest to, but she’s at the top of the social ladder and intends to stay there. She is also really hurting inside. She is angry at her father and doesn’t want to try to listen to him or understand him. She feels like her whole life has been a lie. She’s afraid that if anyone finds out that her father is gay that it will destroy her social status. She hates that Stewart and his dad live with them now. But I didn’t hate her. I felt sorry for her. Yes, she’s a jerk a lot of the time, but Stewart slowly starts making her see things clearer. He stands up for her when she is in a tough spot, and is there for her when she needs someone. She really grows up by the end of the book and she becomes a great person. I loved watching the change in her.

Now the title of the book is a mouthful, but it fits the book so well. It makes a lot of sense when you read it and I think it was a clever and perfect title for this book. I loved how the characters were so different, but also so alike in the way that they feel. They both have lost someone they love whether they are still living or not, and have to find a way to except things the way they are. They also both go through some crappy things at school and find a common enemy. But they are good kids and they do the right things. They do finally bond as a family and it’s really a sweet story. I think it’s good for people of all ages and had a really great message. I was glad to have read this book and I hope others discover it as well.

three-half-stars

3.5 Hot Espressos

Review: The Detour by S.A Bodeen

Posted by on 10/20/2015 • 6 Comments

I don’t even know where to start with this one. I find that if I don’t like a book, I always have more to say about it. This is one of those. It was super predictable for one. For two, the main character is awful and I was actually hoping that bad things would happen to her. (That is so awful, I know. But I know it’s not real and I would never wish harm on anyone in real life.) And third, I couldn’t help but keep thinking of Misery by Stephen King and how this was a total failed attempt at trying to make a variation of that type of story. That sounds harsh, but this book drove me crazy. Some might enjoy it, but it didn’t have many…

Audiobook Review: The Last Ever After (The School for Good and Evil #3) by Soman Chainani

Posted by on 10/08/2015 • 4 Comments

I am going to try to do this review with no spoilers for the previous books, but seeing as it’s the third and final book, no promises. You have been warned to continue at your own risk. I have to say that this series in general was fantastic and I was so excited for this last book. It totally lived up to my expectations! I have listened to the whole series on audio and it’s one of the best audiobook series. The narrator, Polly Lee, is the perfect voice for the story. She makes it very easy to tell between the characters, and brings a fantastic story to life. This book was full of all the build up off all the things that came before and all the new dangers…

Review: A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano

Posted by on 10/01/2015 • 2 Comments

This book was all sorts of fun to read. The characters were interesting and so was their story. What I love the most about middle grade books is that even if there is a bit of child romance, that is not the focus. Instead, the focus is more on what is happening or a building friendship. Initially I was thinking, “Oh boy, another ghost story.” but although it does have ghosts, it didn’t wear on me or feel like every other ghost book out there. There was a bit of creepiness to the story, and a lot of thrills. This is a great story for younger ones leading into Halloween season or anytime.

Pram is a very smart little girl who lives with her aunts. Her mother died when…

Review: Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Review: Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Posted by on 09/30/2015 • 8 Comments

When I went to BEA, there seemed to be quite a bit of buzz about this book. Since I am a big fan of contemporary and issue books, I knew I had to have this. I am so glad that I got this one too. It was seriously good. I was intrigued by the characters illness and how she lived her life. A lot about her actual illness was left out, but it was good enough that I didn’t feel there was lack of information. I mean, this book is really about her wanting to have a real life. As real and normal as it possibly can be with her condition anyways. There were a few little issues here and there, like her having to have books go through a…

Audiobook Review: Paperweight by Meg Haston

Audiobook Review: Paperweight by Meg Haston

Posted by on 09/25/2015 • 5 Comments

I really enjoyed this book as much as you can enjoy something about such a topic. I listened to this on audio and at first I was having a hard time getting into it, but the longer I listened, the more the narrator really did fit with the story. She voiced Stevie so well, that I was able to really feel for her and get that emotional impact from the book. Although this book appears to be about a girl with an eating disorder, it was really so much more. This is one of those rare instances when I really don’t like the MC, at least at for most of the book, but it actually made me like the book more.

Stevie is sent away to a treatment center for…

Review: PIXU by  Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon (Illustrations), Becky Cloonan (Illustrations)

Review: PIXU by Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon (Illustrations), Becky Cloonan (Illustrations)

Posted by on 09/23/2015 • 1 Comment

I don’t read a lot of Graphic Novels, but I do enjoy them once in a while. I have come across a lot of really great ones, but unfortunately this was not one of them. The artwork was beautiful, and the story was creepy and disturbing, but it left a lot to be desired. I understand that with this type of novel, you are a bit limited, though there is no reason that it couldn’t have been a more fully developed story. Others I have read are plenty well rounded. Anyways, this is a great creepy novel for going into Halloween season. It was a short and quick read. Be forewarned though, there is much adult content in this. Not just in the blood and gore, but the subject matter…

Review: The Sleepwalker Tonic (Nightmares! #2) by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Review: The Sleepwalker Tonic (Nightmares! #2) by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Posted by on 09/14/2015 • 1 Comment

I really enjoyed the first book, so I was eager to get to this one right away. Just when Charlie is finally happy with his family and life, things start to get weird again. Him and his brother Jack have sealed the portal to the nightmare realm, but now he has discovered that Jack has been visiting, and with the odd stuff happening in the waking world his little brother may become the one they blame. Things aren’t going so well with Charlotte’s business either, and they may lose their house.The purple mansion with the portal that they must protect. Charlie starts to discover that the weird events, and the pending doom of Charlotte’s store are connected. Now it’s up to him and Jack to save the nightmare world again,…