Mini Reviews!

 

So, I’ve been super busy this July (1 camp + 2 vacations) and have some books that I’ve read during this month that I want to do some sort of review type thing and I figured this would be a great way to do that!

So, without further ado…I present the July Mini Reviews---posted in August!

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

5/5 Stars

The Start of Me and You was a perfect long car ride read. Chock full of well fleshed out characters and a stimulating plot, it was a sweet and delightful read. Paige is such a relatable character-not exactly the tragedy she’s experienced, but more like the personality itself. It reminds me of some of my friends. Her character growth is phenomenal and beautiful. Much like the teenage experience. The plot was exciting and continuously moving. Plus, the romance was adorable. I absolutely loved it. Basically, The Start of Me and You was the exact cutesy, contemporary read I was waiting for.

 

 

 

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

4/5 Stars

Like, The Start of Me and You, The Wrong Side of Right was a great contemporary read. I loved the political drama that was intertwined with Kate’s personal journey to finding herself. Kate also had a compelling transformation throughout the book; She began out being a whiny, weak, self-absorbed teen girl, but by the end she stands up for herself and is less whiny. One of the stand-outs of this book was the politics. I haven’t read (that I recall at this moment haha) any YA novel that addresses politics in this way. I liked how it portrayed her father and how that constantly changed as Kate grew and acknowledged the truth. The one thing I could do without was the end, particularly concerning the romance. Without giving anything away, I will say that the resolution felt unrealistic and the author’s way of appeasing the readers (if that makes any sense?). The final thing (I can’t say in fear of spoilers) felt so out of character and cheesy. Overall, an enticing and adorable read.

 

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

3.5/5 Stars

Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by this Dessen novel. I really liked the plot and eventual character development, but I *really* hated how Sydney was soo whiny. The dynamic between Mac and Sydney and the friendships she has with the rest of the Chathams are compelling and interesting. The relationships were definitely a major plus in the book. The undertone of hope in the face of overwhelming despair is beautiful and inspiring. Overall, I enjoyed Saint Anything, but was really irked by Sydney.

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Genre: Sci-Fy, Fantasy

Source: Library

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Aza Ray is drowning in thin air. Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name. Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia. Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—and as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war is coming. Magonia and Earth are on the cusp of a reckoning. And in Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

Gripping. Powerful

Magonia was a thrilling read. It’s unique to a majority of what I’ve ever seen come out of the sci-fy and fantasy genres.

Aza is a stunning character. She struggles a lot with her identity and who she is once she enters Magonia. This is incredibly accurate to what real people experience and go through as they grow up. The sheer character development earns Magonia at least 3.5 Stars by itself.

"I don't think of the sky as any kind of heaven item. I think of it as a bunch of gases and faraway echoes of things that used to be on fire"-Maria Dahvana Headley

The idea of Magonia, the fantastical and magical element to the story, is, to simply put it, stellar. Headley weaves and intertwines magic in such a way that it entraps you. I’m blown away by the simplistic and artful way that Headley introduces and explains the legend of Magonia and the true identity of Aza.

Headley’s writing style was what elevated this book to one of my favorites.

It was amazing! There are no words that I could use that would convey a fraction of the *beauty* of her writing and how much I LOVED it. This writing style is one of my favorites of all.time.

"I can't imagine a universe in which I try to unlove her"-Maria Dahvana Headley

However, I found the romance to be lackluster and also the relationship between Aza and a certain person (spoiler-free!). The relationships felt like they lacked background and concrete evidence to support the relationships. The romance was meh. I really just didn’t sense a chemistry between the two. I was yearning for a solid friendship, but received a subpar romance instead.

Despite a few blips, Magonia is truly a gem in the fantasy and magical realism genres. Headley is a master at writing beautifully and artfully.