book review: the balcony


The Balcony by Jane Delury
Little, Brown and Company, 256 pp.
Published March 27, 2018



DISCLAIMER: I received a free physical ARC of this book as a giveaway prize from Little, Brown and Company hosted on Goodreads.

A century-spanning portrait of the inhabitants of a French village, revealing the deception, despair, love, and longing beneath the calm surface of ordinary lives.

What if our homes could tell the stories of others who lived there before us? Set in a small village near Paris, The Balcony follows the inhabitants of a single estate-including a manor and a servants' cottage-over the course of several generations, from the Belle Époque to the present day, introducing us to a fascinating cast of characters. A young American au pair develops a crush on her brilliant employer. An ex-courtesan shocks the servants, a Jewish couple in hiding from the Gestapo attract the curiosity of the neighbors, and a housewife begins an affair while renovating her downstairs. Rich and poor, young and old, powerful and persecuted, all of these people are seeking something: meaning, love, a new beginning, or merely survival.

Throughout, cross-generational connections and troubled legacies haunt the same spaces, so that the rose garden, the forest pond, and the balcony off the manor's third floor bedroom become silent witnesses to a century of human drama.

blog tour: ace of shades + q&a with amanda foody

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
Harlequin Teen, 400 pp.
Published April 10, 2018



Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…
and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

And she’ll need to play.

AMAZON  |  B&N  |  KOBO  |  THE BOOK DEPOSITORY  |  iBOOKS  |  INDIEBOUND

state of the arc #3


State of the ARC is a monthly meme hosted by Avalinah's Books. It's a way to track your reading progress and see how fellow book bloggers are doing as well.

The rules for State of the ARC are quite simple; I couldn't put them any better than Evelina already has:
  • Mention that you’re linking up with State of the ARC @ AvalinahsBooks, which is a fun way to share our ARC progress, challenges, wins, woes and mishaps.
  • Include the link to this post, or the current State of the ARC post. You can use my State of the ARC image too.
  • Don’t forget to visit all the other people in the link-up and comment.
  • And most importantly – have fun!

down the tbr hole #13


As my Goodreads to-read shelf creeps closer to 500 books, I've been eyeing it with a growing feeling of apprehension. It would take forever to get through so many...and that's not counting all of the new books I hear about along the way. Thankfully I discovered Lost In A Story's series (by way of Boston Book Reader) at the beginning of the year and it sounds like a great way to trim down my TBR.

The guidelines, per Lost In A Story, are simple:
  • Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
  • Order on ascending date added
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
I'll be going through 10 books every week, meaning it should take me almost the whole year to reach the end! If you'd like to do this yourself, be sure to visit Lost In A Story's original post and let her (and me!) know you'll be joining in the fun.

book review: my dear hamilton

My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
William Morrow, 672 pp.
Published April 3, 2018

DISCLAIMER: I received a free physical ARC of this book from William Morrow in exchange for my honest review.

A general’s daughter…

Coming of age on the perilous frontier of revolutionary New York, Elizabeth Schuyler champions the fight for independence. And when she meets Alexander Hamilton, Washington’s penniless but passionate aide-de-camp, she’s captivated by the young officer’s charisma and brilliance. They fall in love, despite Hamilton’s bastard birth and the uncertainties of war.

A founding father’s wife...

But the union they create—in their marriage and the new nation—is far from perfect. From glittering inaugural balls to bloody street riots, the Hamiltons are at the center of it all—including the political treachery of America’s first sex scandal, which forces Eliza to struggle through heartbreak and betrayal to find forgiveness.

The last surviving light of the Revolution…

When a duel destroys Eliza’s hard-won peace, the grieving widow fights her husband’s enemies to preserve Alexander’s legacy. But long-buried secrets threaten everything Eliza believes about her marriage and her own legacy. Questioning her tireless devotion to the man and country that have broken her heart, she’s left with one last battle—to understand the flawed man she married and imperfect union he could never have created without her…

sunday post #11


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It's a chance to recap posts from the past week and tease upcoming content, as well as share new books, reading challenge progress, and anything else you've come across in the last seven days.

Thankfully my birthday week came and went as quietly as I hoped it would. A couple of friends were insistent on doing something, so we had a nice little lunch yesterday and caught up. Other than cake after dinner with my parents on the day of, this was pretty much a week like any other! A lot of rain is headed our way this coming week; thankfully it isn't expected until later today or tonight, because I'll be outdoors most of the day, but I adore grey, cloudy weather! However odd it may sound I'm always happier and more content on rainy days—plus it's the perfect backdrop for reading. While I hope the weather doesn't cause any serious problems in the city, I'm selfishly looking forward to a few April showers before the sun and heat of a Texas summer settle in for good.

book review: the butterfly garden


The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison
Thomas & Mercer, 286 pp.
Published June 1, 2016


Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden.

In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener; a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.

When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.

As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding…

between daemons: literary lions & lambs


Between Daemons is a discussion post series dealing in bookish and filmish topics. Inspired by the spiritual companions from the His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman, I chose that specific title to encourage comments and conversations grounded in the personal thoughts, feelings, and opinions you may not have the chance to share very often. While disagreement is welcome, disrespect is not. As always, please be polite to your fellow commenters!

This month I have to start off with a massive Thank you! to Nicole @ FeedYourFictionAddiction: without her amazing list of discussion post ideas, I don't know if I would have found the inspiration for a March post! If you ever find yourself in a similar case of blogger's block, be sure to stop by and look over all the topics she's compiled. Whether you want a seasonal or month-specific prompt, or just something more general, you're bound to find a little inspiration!

Her themed topic for March captured my attention as soon as I read it, so I see no reason to tinker with an already-great idea. Inspired by the notion that March "comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb", I'm going to list some of my favorite lions and lambs in the books that I've read. This isn't a literal challenge, though—you won't find Aslan anywhere on my list! Instead, "lions" are strong characters with big, bold personalities while "lambs" are those who stand out for their calm, peaceful demeanor. There's a lot to love at both ends of the spectrum, so let's get started!

down the tbr hole #12


As my Goodreads to-read shelf creeps closer to 500 books, I've been eyeing it with a growing feeling of apprehension. It would take forever to get through so many...and that's not counting all of the new books I hear about along the way. Thankfully I discovered Lost In A Story's series (by way of Boston Book Reader) at the beginning of the year and it sounds like a great way to trim down my TBR.

The guidelines, per Lost In A Story, are simple:
  • Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
  • Order on ascending date added
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
I'll be going through 10 books every week, meaning it should take me almost the whole year to reach the end! If you'd like to do this yourself, be sure to visit Lost In A Story's original post and let her (and me!) know you'll be joining in the fun.

book review: ready player one


Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Broadway Books, 386 pp.
Published August 16, 2011



DISCLAIMER: I received a free finished copy of this book from Broadway Books via Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines--puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.

But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win--and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

sunday post #10


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It's a chance to recap posts from the past week and tease upcoming content, as well as share new books, reading challenge progress, and anything else you've come across in the last seven days.

Another quiet week, thank goodness! Because several of you asked: Sunken Garden was amazing! It incorporated video screens, synthesized, and pop music throughout the one-act opera; about halfway through, you put on 3-D glasses for a projection of the "garden" that took up the entire backdrop. Walking out, I heard a lot of traditional opera patrons put off by how modern it was, which I can understand. Personally, I love seeing composers take these kinds of risks in such an established art form. The story could have done with a little polishing, but overall I was delighted to see the American premiere of something new and genre-busting!

I did get to see both of my older brothers yesterday; even though we all live in the same metropolitan area, it's hard to coordinate all of our personal commitments and responsibilities on a regular basis. It was nice to get out of the house and catch up for a few hours. This coming Thursday is my birthday which is both exciting (yay cake!) and a little tedious. I prefer a simple night in, rather than a raucous celebration at some bar, which I have to remind my friends of every year. They mean well wanting to go out and party, but I always feel a little guilty that my preferences don't match up to their expectations. The cake part is well worth it though!

film review: love, simon


Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) lives the perfect, upper middle class suburban life. He has two loving parents and a good relationship with his younger sister. On his sixteenth birthday he got a car, which he now uses to carpool with his three best friends to their senior year of high school. An enviable life, weighed down by the secret Simon has held close for four years: he’s gay. Not a single friend, family member, or stranger knows the truth. Until the day an anonymous poster confesses on a school gossip blog that he too is in the closet.

Nick Robinson as Simon and Katherine Langford as Leah in Love, Simon

Overwhelmed, Simon creates a dummy e-mail account of his own and reaches out. Going by the pseudonym “Jacques”, he and the other boy (“Blue”) start sharing more about their lives. Simon quickly becomes enamored, engaging for the first time in a relationship where he doesn’t feel the need to lie or skirt around the truth of his sexuality. He compulsively checks the anonymous account, even in the school library where it’s discovered by the resident loudmouth, Martin (Logan Miller).

book review: seven pillars of wisdom


Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence
Anchor, 784 pp.
Published 1922



"There are no lessons for the world, no disclosures to shock peoples. It is filled with trivial things, partly that no one mistake for history the bones from which some day a man may make history."

More than seventy years ago, T.E. Lawrence—universally known as Lawrence of Arabia—wrote these self-effacing words in the introductory chapter to his monumental epic, Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Not even a man as hopeful for immorality as he could have predicted how enduring a place in twentieth-century English literature his extraordinary memoir would claim.

Lawrence tells the story of his role in the Arab revolt against the Turks, a minor, diversionary theater of war for the British immersed in World War I, but a profoundly meaningful struggle for the Arabs. He draws amazingly evocative portraits of the principal players, and it is doubtful if anyone else writing in English has ever described the vast and beautiful Arabian terrain with such power of detail and subtle shading. Not only a consummate military history, but also a colorful saga and a lyrical exploration of the mind of a great man, Seven Pillars of Wisdom has become an indisputable classic.

What has lent the book its lasting fascination is Lawrence's passionate account of the Arab people and of the Arab nation struggling to be born. The parallels to be drawn with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East are undeniable. Whether this masterpiece is read as a thrilling military history, a timeless adventure story, or prescient narrative, Seven Pillars of Wisdom is destine to enthrall generations to come.

down the tbr hole #11


As my Goodreads to-read shelf creeps closer to 500 books, I've been eyeing it with a growing feeling of apprehension. It would take forever to get through so many...and that's not counting all of the new books I hear about along the way. Thankfully I discovered Lost In A Story's series (by way of Boston Book Reader) at the beginning of the year and it sounds like a great way to trim down my TBR.

The guidelines, per Lost In A Story, are simple:
  • Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
  • Order on ascending date added
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
I'll be going through 10 books every week, meaning it should take me almost the whole year to reach the end! If you'd like to do this yourself, be sure to visit Lost In A Story's original post and let her (and me!) know you'll be joining in the fun.

book review: children of blood and bone


Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, 448 pp.
Published March 6, 2018


Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

sunday post #9


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It's a chance to recap posts from the past week and tease upcoming content, as well as share new books, reading challenge progress, and anything else you've come across in the last seven days.

It's a busy weekend for me this time around! Last night I went to another fundraising event, this time for a summer sleepaway camp geared towards children with diabetes. One of my friends from high school organized every charitable aspect of the party and I'm so proud to see her hard work pay off! (I'm also happy that the season for these events is winding down, if only because these parties can trail off into the early morning hours when all I want is a nap!)

Today is also the day I get to see Sunken Garden, the 3-D opera I mentioned a few weeks ago. I've been looking forward to this production for a year and I can't believe it's finally here. If I love it as much as I hope to, then I may even get a ticket for one of the last performances before it closes.

Otherwise the upcoming week is looking calm and quiet—just perfect for catching up on the ever-growing stack of books and movies :)

book review: to kill a kingdom



To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Feiwel and Friends, 384 pp.
Published March 6, 2018


Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

book review: the strange bird


The Strange Bird by Jeff VanderMeer
MCD/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 128 pp.
Published February 27, 2018


DISCLAIMER: I received a free finished copy of this book from Farrar, Straus and Giroux in exchange for my honest review.
The Strange Bird is a new kind of creature, built in a laboratory--she is part bird, part human, part many other things. But now the lab in which she was created is under siege and the scientists have turned on their animal creations. Flying through tunnels, dodging bullets, and changing her colors and patterning to avoid capture, the Strange Bird manages to escape.

But she cannot just soar in peace above the earth. The sky itself is full of wildlife that rejects her as one of their own, and also full of technology--satellites and drones and other detritus of the human civilization below that has all but destroyed itself. And the farther she flies, the deeper she finds herself in the orbit of the Company, a collapsed biotech firm that has populated the world with experiments both failed and successful that have outlived the corporation itself: a pack of networked foxes, a giant predatory bear. But of the many creatures she encounters with whom she bears some kind of kinship, it is the humans--all of them now simply scrambling to survive--who are the most insidious, who still see her as simply something to possess, to capture, to trade, to exploit. Never to understand, never to welcome home.

With The Strange Bird, Jeff VanderMeer has done more than add another layer, a new chapter, to his celebrated novel Borne. He has created a whole new perspective on the world inhabited by Rachel and Wick, the Magician, Mord, and Borne--a view from above, of course, but also a view from deep inside the mind of a new kind of creature who will fight and suffer and live for the tenuous future of this world.

dust motes: february 2018


Dust Motes is a monthly post featuring mini-reviews of new film releases, as well as new-to-me movies, that I've watched over the past month.

This month I watched a total of 16 new and new-to-me movies and TV series; this brings my total for the year to 38 new watches. Although I saw fewer movies in February, I read more books in exchange. This has always been a give-and-take relationship for me: some months I want to make progress on my Netflix queue, others I stick closer to my bookshelves. Unfortunately, that means I missed a couple of theatrical releases that came and went in the blink of an eye—Hostiles and The Death Cure were particularly disappointing to miss on the big screen.

FEBRUARY 2018 VIEWING HABITS

Overall I was happy with what I picked out in February, although I'd like to shift the balance a little more in favor of what I want to watch rather than screeners. This may have more to do with my reading-over-watching mood the last few weeks, so I'm sure it will adjust over time!

down the tbr hole #10


As my Goodreads to-read shelf creeps closer to 500 books, I've been eyeing it with a growing feeling of apprehension. It would take forever to get through so many...and that's not counting all of the new books I hear about along the way. Thankfully I discovered Lost In A Story's series (by way of Boston Book Reader) at the beginning of the year and it sounds like a great way to trim down my TBR.

The guidelines, per Lost In A Story, are simple:
  • Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
  • Order on ascending date added
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
I'll be going through 10 books every week, meaning it should take me almost the whole year to reach the end! If you'd like to do this yourself, be sure to visit Lost In A Story's original post and let her (and me!) know you'll be joining in the fun.

book review: the wicked deep


The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Simon Pulse, 320 pp.
Published March 6, 2018



DISCLAIMER: I received a free physical ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster in exchange for my honest review.
Summary (via Goodreads): Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

sunday post #8


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer. It's a chance to recap posts from the past week and tease upcoming content, as well as share new books, reading challenge progress, and anything else you've come across in the last seven days.

Another quiet week, which I appreciated after a busy weekend! I also have very little scheduled for this week, although I was assigned to review Love, Simon and that screening is on Tuesday. I've only recently heard about the movie and the book it's based on, so I'm going in with practically no expectations or prior knowledge, except that there are high hopes it will get the representation of the original novel right. I don't know if that will help or hurt my ability to write a good review, but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing a movie that's generated so much buzz.

This week I have a whopping three book reviews scheduled, with a total of nine spread throughout the rest of the month. Being relatively new to the book blogging community, I'm still discovering what kind of content I want to produce and how often I want to post it. So I'm curious: do you like when bloggers post book reviews more frequently? My goal at the end of last year was to write a review for every book I read in 2018, which means I'll have at least one per week; I've also seen discussions in the community about how reviews seem to be the least popular kind of post! I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on writing and posting reviews down in the comments :)

film review: red sparrow


Spies lead sexy and dangerous lives, a mainstay Hollywood conceit that Red Sparrow makes sure you won’t forget. After an injury forces prima ballerina Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) to seek help from her politically connected uncle, a distasteful favor escalates into bloodshed she wasn’t meant to witness. Uncle Vanya (Matthias Schoenaerts) gives her a choice: die to protect the secret or enroll at State School #4, otherwise known as “Sparrow School”, and train as an intelligence agent. Fearing for the care of her ailing mother, Dominika chooses the latter.

Jennifer Lawrence as Dominika Egorova in Red Sparrow

Sparrows must hone more than their wits; the Matron (Charlotte Rampling) instructs them in the finer points of seduction and results to sexual humiliation when necessary to make a point. After the discomforting nature of their education is made abundantly clear, Dominika receives her first assignment. Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton), a CIA operative in Moscow, has resurfaced in Budapest after fleeing the country to protect an asset known only as “Marble”. She must get close to Nash and secure the name of his source in the Russian government, by any means necessary.

book review: new boy


New Boy by Tracy Chevalier
Hogarth Press, 224 pp.
Published May 16, 2017



DISCLAIMER: I received a free finished copy of this book from Hogarth Press via Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.
Summary (via Goodreads): Arriving at his fifth school in as many years, diplomat's son Osei Kokote knows he needs an ally if he is to survive his first day - so he's lucky to hit it off with Dee, the most popular girl in school. But one student can't stand to witness this budding relationship: Ian decides to destroy the friendship between the black boy and the golden girl. By the end of the day, the school and its key players - teachers and pupils alike - will never be the same again.

The tragedy of Othello is transposed to a 1970s suburban Washington schoolyard, where kids fall in and out of love with each other before lunchtime, and practice a casual racism picked up from their parents and teachers. Peeking over the shoulders of four 11 year olds - Osei, Dee, Ian, and his reluctant 'girlfriend' Mimi - Tracy Chevalier's powerful drama of friends torn apart by jealousy, bullying and betrayal will leave you reeling.
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