Review: Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

Author: April Genevieve Tucholke
Publisher: Dial Books
Number of Pages: 247
Goodreads l Amazon

Synopsis:

"Every story needs a hero.Every story needs a villain.Every story needs a secret.
Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.
What really happened?Someone knows.Someone is lying. "

This book seriously lost me within the first few pages. I really didn't like anything about this book except for Midnight. Everything else was just weird and not in a good way. 

The plot would have been fine except during the last 50 pages of the book everything just went downhill. And because the book isn't that long everything felt very rushed, but it also didn't because I was so bored that everything just dragged on. I don't know if that makes any sense, but overall I didn't like the ending.

The worst thing about this book were the characters. Midnight was fine; I didn't agree with a lot of his decisions and he seemed a little stupid but it fit the overall mood of the book so it was fine. But Wink and Poppy were the absolute WORST. You weren't really supposed to like Poppy, so I think the author got what she wanted but I couldn't figure her out. I kind of understood why she was horrible but not really and overall I was just kind of confused. But at least she wasn't as bad as Wink. 

I'm pretty sure the author wanted the reader to like and relate to Wink but I didn't get that at all. She was the absolute worst because she kept persuading Midnight to do stupid things, and I feel like the author wanted these actions to seem like Midnight and Wink were bringing justice to the world, but they weren't. They were being stupid and horrible human beings. This is so hard to explain without spoilers, but to sum it up I just hated Wink. A lot.

Overall, I would not recommend this book. I read this a while ago, and I think my feelings against it just kind of escalated so this may seem a little dramatic but I was feeling it.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Stacking the Shelves #31

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! Visit Tynga's Reviews to learn more about this weekly meme.

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What books have you bought recently?

Review: The Unscripted Joss Byrd by Lygia Day Peñaflor

Author: Lygia Day Peñaflor
Publisher: Roaring Books
Number of Pages: 211
Goodreads I Amazon

Synopsis:

"Hollywood critics agree. Joss Byrd is "fiercely emotional," a young actress with "complete conviction," and a "powerhouse." 
Joss Byrd is America's most celebrated young actress, but on the set of her latest project, a gritty indie film called The Locals, Joss's life is far from glamorous. While struggling with her mother's expectations, a crush on her movie brother, and a secret that could end her career, Joss must pull off a performance worthy of a star. When her renowned, charismatic director demands more than she is ready to deliver, Joss must go off-script to stay true to herself."

This was a beautiful story that shows the reality of acting in Hollywood at a young age. The internal struggle that Joss was going through with her mother, her feelings toward her costars, and her education brought to light the reality of the life of a young actress. The author did an amazing job of displaying the glamour of the job at the start through flashbacks that drastically contradicted the life three movies later.

Peñaflor did an amazing job writing a realistic perspective of an aspiring young actress, and she also did a great job progressing the characters. Throughout the story you see Joss experience things that an average teenager would: having a crush, arguing with her parents and struggling with school. But the difference between having these experiences while being an actress is drastic and almost frightening. The largest difference was that Joss and her mother were trying to hide her dyslexia when that would never happen to an average junior high student. These differences display the reality of a young actress, and I thought that this book did that beautifully. I did think that there were a few parts that the book lost momentum and I lost interest but it was able to keep me reading until the end.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick, contemporary book to end their summer.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

Waiting on Wednesday #59: The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #2
Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books
Release Date: October 4, 2016
Goodreads I Amazon

Synopsis:

"Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon--the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer's return is the gods' worst enemy, Loki--and the price he wants is very high."

I love all Rick Riordan books, and I can't wait for his next book.  This series doesn't seem like it is going to be as good as the Percy Jackson series, but I'm learning a lot from it and I can't wait.

Waiting on Wednesday #58: Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Author: Danielle Paige
Publisher: Bloomsburg USA Children's
Number of Pages: 384
Release Date: September 20, 2016

Synopsis:

"Seventeen-year-old Snow has spent the majority of her life within the walls of the Whittaker Institute, a high security mental hospital in upstate New York. Deep down, she knows she's not crazy and doesn't belong there. When she meets a mysterious, handsome new orderly and dreams about a strange twisted tree she realizes she must escape and figure out who she really is.
Using her trusting friend Bale as a distraction, Snow breaks free and races into the nearby woods. Suddenly, everything isn't what it seems, the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur, and she finds herself in icy Algid--her true home--with witches, thieves, and a strangely alluring boy named Kai, none of whom she's sure she can trust. As secret after secret is revealed, Snow discovers that she is on the run from a royal lineage she's destined to inherit, a father more powerful and ruthless than she could have imagined, and choices of the heart that could change the fate of everything...including Snow's return to the world she once knew.
This breathtaking first volume begins the story of how Snow becomes a villain, a queen, and ultimately a hero."

I loved Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige, so I can't wait for this new series. I'm a sucker for a good fairytale retelling, so I'm ready to read this now!

September Update

Hey guys! So, I know we haven't posted anything in ages, but we are back! And we are going to be posting about 3-4 times a week!

We have been on vacation for the past few weeks and we have been working on preparing for school. Harman has just started university, and she is loving it so far. Harleen has just begun her senior year of high school which is both exciting and stressful, but we're pushing through!

We will be uploading more reviews, top ten Tuesdays  discussions, and other exciting posts as the year progresses, so stay tuned. We are epically behind on reviews so expect a lot of those. We'd love to hear what posts you guys like the best, and what reviews interested you!

So, that it for this post but there will be a new post tomorrow, so look out for that! If you're starting school I hope you have a great year and good luck. If you're not starting school I hope you have a fantastic year as well!