Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!

First and foremost: this is not a redemption story for Snow. I know that was a lot of people's fears going into this book, and it most definitely is not that. He does some pretty terrible things in this book, just like in the original trilogy.

The history in this novel is probably my favorite part. At this point, the Hunger Games are a far cry from the spectacle that they've become in Katniss's time. The tributes are basically treated like prisoners (but not lavish prisoners like Katniss and the others). They're starved, kept in cages, basically treated like animals. However, there are moments where we see some of the elements we're familiar with start to creep in: gifts to the tributes in the arena, mentors, and television interviews.

While you could read this book before reading The Hunger Games, there are a lot of connections and references to the original books that you'd miss. As someone who is familiar with The Hunger Games, I can't say whether or not some of the events would be difficult to follow. But there were parts that felt more rewarding because there were referencing things that happened in the original books. Honestly, I wouldn't mind more historical Panem books like this. Give me a story about Haymitch, please!

Snow is a terrible person. We saw this again and again in the original books, and we see it here too. Yes, his family is struggling after the war, not being able to find food and almost getting kicked out of their apartment (side note: there's a main character in this book that we also see in Mockingjay who is a part of Snow's family). It's clear from his actions that Snow will do absolutely anything to restore his family's name. Which means that some of these actions are difficult to read.

His narrative voice also wasn't my favorite thing. One of my favorite things about The Hunger Games is Katniss's snarky commentary. Her voice adds something to the story. For me, Snow's voice felt flat a lot of the time, almost like he was trying to stay polished and proper. It fit his character, it just wasn't something that I could connect to. There's also a bit of a romance, which felt out of place for me in terms of his character. From what we know about him, it just didn't feel like it fit with the story.

I think I'll be sticking to my original rating for this book. It's cleverly written with a lot of Easter eggs for those that are familiar with the original books. Though it's dark and Snow is a bit difficult to swallow, I'm happy with how this book contributes to the original universe. It's an interesting look at motivations and how some power structures get put into place. Division! Division is key in making Panem the way that it is. I think there will be division on this book as more people read it, but I'm happy with the way it turned out.
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I *think* I'm going to leave this at 4 stars. Snow's point of view is...not fun to read at times, but I thoroughly appreciate all the history of Panem we get in here. Stay tuned for a full review tomorrow!

Definitely add this to the spooky books you should read during Halloween season. Emily Lloyd-Jones has an interesting take on zombies, calling them the bone houses. Not only were the characters kick ass, bit the book itself is action packed. You won't be able to put it down until the very end.

I don't know what direction I expected this to go in, but it wasn't that.

The second half of the Front Line story following reporters during Marvel's Civil War event. I enjoy the way that the story unfolds in that we learn information behind the Civil War. We also get to see a little of the aftermath, which helps in giving context. However, there were still parts that lagged for me, meaning it wasn't my absolute favorite. But there are some great panels included thorughout!

A fun, light-hearted rom-com that is the perfect book to ring in the summer season with. Julia is just trying to figure out what to change in order to make herself happy, even as she's a bridesmaid for one of her best friends--and one of the brides just happens to be her ex-girlfriend. An interesting look into love, fame, and the way friendships can evolve.

Review originally posted at between-the-shelves.com!

Thanks to Simon Pulse for sending me a copy of this to review! Honestly, this is just the book I needed at the moment. Originally slated for a June release, the date is now pushed back to July due to Covid-19. That might be the perfect timing for this book, anyway! Everyone is probably going to need a pick-me-up about mid summer.

As everyone knows, I love a good enemies to lovers story. Rowan and Neil are the quintessential high school rivals. Always trying to one up the other one. The chemistry between them is right there on the first page as the two get ready for the end of high school. As the two learn more about each other through the scavenger hunt, I was dying for them to realize they’re perfect for each other. They missed out on so many good years of friendship and romance!

In addition to the romance, there are a lot of great discussions in this book as well. Rowan wants to be a romance writer, something she’s a bit ashamed of. Her parents are authors who both view the genre as frivolous. There’s a lot of good arguments about the genre within the book that made me think. Rowan and Neil are also both Jewish, something they connect strongly over. Finding each other makes them both feel a little less alone.

Adorable romance, great discussions, and an epic scavenger hunt mean that this is a book you’ll want to lookout for this summer. I guarantee you’ll fall in love with the characters the same way they fall for each other. Plus, they get to run around a pretty awesome city. What isn’t to love? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Jenn Bennett, and Morgan Matson.
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Really 4.5 stars. Enemies to lovers: check. Cute city adventures: check. Nerdy pop culture references: check. This book officially has my heart! More in a full review to come later this week.

Seveneves is an exploration of what happens when the end of the world is coming, and how humanity scrambles to save some of the population. There were parts that seemed a little optimistic (there would definitely be more conflict at the end of the world), but we don't get a lot of that because most of the book takes place on space.

At the beginning, this book is fairly slow moving, but once the action picks up, it doesn't let go. We also get a myriad of strong female characters leading the end of the world--female astronauts, at that!

The last third of the book left something to be desired, though I can't put my finger on what. Overall, it will definitely make for an interesting book club discussion!

I actually really enjoyed how this book wrapped up. Eadlyn really grows in this book and there are some great conversations that happen in here. Whole the ending still felt a little abrupt to me (like the original trilogy), I was satisfied with where it left off.