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I'll Give You the Sun
I'll Give You the Sun
Jandy Nelson | 2015 | Children
10
8.2 (13 Ratings)
Book Rating
Read the original review: https://bookmarkedreading.wordpress.com/2015/10/08/book-review-ill-give-you-the-sun/

(Self-portrait: Book Remakes Girl)

Oh my Clark Gable. I'll Give You the Sun is simply amazing. It's a piece or artwork in itself, a definite new favourite of mine.

Alternating between twins Noah and Jude, I'll Give You the Sun is two alternating stories that twist together in ways so unexpected and so perfect that you'll undoubtedly want to read to the end without putting the book down. The Invisible Museum of Noah, aged 13 to 14, and The History of Luck, 16-year-old's Jude's story, are amazing on their own, but then they start to fit together so tremendously, and every little thing makes so much sense... I can't describe how amazing I found this book.

Jude and Noah were close; Noah was always painting, inside his head and out, and Jude was out being a badass daredevil, and building her flying women in the sand. But a horrific accident involving their mother sends them both tumbling, and the relationship between them is ruined.

But although all hope seems lost, the now-boycotting Jude finds the answer in such an unexpected way and suddenly everything falls back into place.

And Noah, after having his heart ripped out by his own actions, has to decide between telling the truth about his mother or keeping her secrets hidden beneath lies.

I love the style and layout of this book. The cover alone is wonderful, but the pages themselves are all so unique and interesting, I loved it at soon as I turned to the first page. It's not too busy or intricate, just simple little doodles and such giving each page a bit of character. And every cover I've seen is nice and minimalistic too. (If you want to look the book up and see the over editions and covers you can look at it on Goodreads.)

A story of family struggles, individual troubles, love and heartbreak, I'll Give You the Sun is simply beautiful. I'm dying to read it again, even after finishing it just ten minutes ago! A full 5 stars for this gorgeous book.
  
Fix Up (Patch Up #2)
Fix Up (Patch Up #2)
Stephanie Witter | 2014 | Contemporary, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really can't put into words how much I love this book! I thought book 1, Patch Up, was brilliant and the second could never top that. I was wrong, so wrong. This is an emotionally packed wallop of a book that once you pick it up, you won't be able to put down.

Skye is recovering from her ordeal and has agreed to see a psychologist. It turns out though that her psychologist is a lot younger than she was expecting although he was chosen specifically by the practice as they thought it might help Skye more. She feels uncomfortable telling anyone how young he is so keeps it to herself. She does start to recover but as with anything, it is one step forward and two back.

As she recovers, Duke is slowly coming apart. He needs his own recovery from what happened to Skye and things in his past. He is trying to give her space, which he also needs, but at the same time wants her more than anything. I personally thought that Duke should have gone for counselling too but maybe he did and I missed it with my tears!

How these two work it through, hurting each other in the process, had me in tears on more than one occasion. I honestly didn't think they would get a HEA which about killed me as I really wanted them to. The heartbreak that comes through every word will punch you in the chest. Seriously, if you want a fluffy romance, read a Disney book. This is the real stuff - heartache, terror, jealousy, insecurity - it's all here and it takes you every step of the way.

This is a perfect duet and one that I will be keeping and re-reading! I really can't recommend this highly enough. Book 3, Change Up, is on my wishlist and I'm hoping Santa will take a hint!
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

July 23, 2016
  
Fire (The Knights of Av'lor #3)
Fire (The Knights of Av'lor #3)
Sam Rook | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fire (The Knights of Av'lor #3) by Sam Rook
Fire is the outstanding final instalment in The Knights of Av'lor series. Kate has just returned to Av'lor and has been betrayed by Garrent. He has ensnared her daughter with a necklace that controls her, and taken her to Earth. There, he tells the rest of the Knights that Av'lor has fallen, and because he has destroyed the gate, they have no way of knowing the truth or returning home. The rest of the story is how Kate, Lan, and the rest try to find a way back to Earth, to find Rachel, to stop Garrent, and hopefully return peace to their lives.

My word, I could gush about this book/series for hours!!! There is so much I could write, but I've stopped myself because I don't want to ruin it for anyone else. This #Fantasy series has a bit of everything for me - love, wit, danger, sorrow, heartbreak - it's all here. The author pulls you into their world and makes you feel. You feel their sorrow, their desperation, their determination. And when it seems like everything is about to fall down around their ears, you feel their pain. It's simply amazing.

Books one and two both ended with a cliffhanger that had me gasping. This one doesn't, but I sort of wish it had. Don't get me wrong, I hate series when they end abruptly and you are left hanging. You don't get that with this book, but it also feels completely wrapped up, and I don't know if I'm ready to let go of this world and its characters yet.

I would just like to add that I re-read Hope before I read Gate. And this time I re-read both of them before I started Fire. I wasn't bored with the re-reads, I didn't skip parts. I was as enthralled and intrigued as I was the first time I read them. I really can't recommend these books highly enough. They are excellently written, with no editing or grammatical errors that spoilt my reading flow. If you want a fantasy that will take you to worlds beyond your own, then I can definitely recommend this series.

* Verified Purchase ~ November 2017 *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Six long years ago, Captain Reynolds Macy sailed away from his bride, looking forward to the day when he would return to Nantucket Island with a ship’s hold full of whale oil. But when that momentous day finally arrives, Ren soon discovers that everything has changed in his absence. Everything. “Is nothing on this island as it appears to be?” he whispers in despair. Unlike most islanders, bold and spirited Daphne Coffin doesn’t defer to Ren as an authoritative whalemaster, but sees through his aloofness to the aching heart beneath. She encourages him to return to his Quaker roots and “mind the Light,” finding solace in God and community. As Ren becomes the man she believes him to be–honorable, wise, faithful–she finds herself falling in love with him. But how can she, when her heart is spoken for? Tristram Macy is Ren’s business partner, cousin, and best friend–and Daphne’s fiancé. Love always comes at a cost, but when is the price too high? Suzanne Woods Fisher welcomes readers back to the Quaker community on Nantucket Island for this riveting love story, full of unexpected moments.



My Thoughts: This is the sequel to Phoebe's Light, we are introduced to her great grandaughter's Jane and Daphne. We are taken back to the Island of Nantucket where whaling is the mainstay of life. That means years, yes years that wives are away from their husbands, and life continues on without them. This novel is full of history, and Suzanne Woods Fisher has done an excellent job of research on the Quaker's and the Nantucket way of life.


In this novel, we are introduced to the Quaker religion and the ways of the people or "friends". It is a wonderful read, full of mystery, love, heartbreak, and turns of events. Suzanne Woods Fisher brings up themes of slavery, hypocrisy, and forgiveness.


The characters are entertaining, easy to love (or hate), she draws the reader in and writes an enjoyable storyline that keeps the reader on their toes. Full of history, the reader learns as they read along. I did enjoy reading Great Mary's journals and learning about the past history of the family and the island of Nantucket. In the end, we are left to ponder what "Minding the Light" means to us.


The reader will learn much from this book, and think about the issues that were covered in this story. This book comes highly recommended.
  
Invincible Summer
Invincible Summer
Alice Adams | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sylvie, Eva, Lucien, and Benedict have been close friends since university. Upon graduation in 1997, they embark into a new world of possibilities - jobs, love, heartbreak, and more. Eva has always carried a torch for Lucien, Sylvie's slightly rough older brother, but during a summer holiday after graduation, she almost wonders if there isn't a spark between her and Benedict. Benedict feels that same spark-- in fact he's been pining for his friend for most of their college days. But the moment passes, and Eva goes on to her high-powered job in finance and Benedict to his life in the world of physics. Sylvie, meanwhile, discovers that life isn't so easy now that she's out of university and trying to realize her dreams of becoming an artist. As for Lucien, he's still a playboy, whose career as a club promoter seems successful, but is there more to his success than meets the eye? Over the years, the four friends will drift in and out of each others' lives and experience the ups and downs of life.

I am not usually a fan of these sorts of novels-- those that span over several years or even decades, chronicling the adventures of oft self-centered adults. But Adams' novel surprised me. While in many ways, nothing much happens; in other cases, everything happens: life. Each chapter lets us hear from the characters in a different month and year of their lives. We hear mostly from Eva's point of view, but also Benedict, Lucien, and Sylvie. In this way, we are bystanders to all of their highs and lows of the friends' lives. It doesn't sound exciting, really, but Adams has a lovely way with words and she somehow draws you into their lives. You get to know each, including their strengths, fears, and foibles.

I found the book oddly captivating and basically read it over the span of 24 hours. In some ways, you probably know some of the outcome, but along the way, the characters experience and endure many unexpected life events. This wasn't the type of book I'd like to read all the time, but I found it well-written, intriguing, and a worthy read. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this novel from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for publication on 5/28/16.