Review: Ayiti, by Roxane Gay

Ayiti
by Roxane Gay

Edition: 2018
Publisher: Grove Atlantic / Grove Press

Summary:

Roxane Gay is an award-winning literary voice praised for her fearless and vivid prose, and her debut collection Ayiti exemplifies the raw talent that made her “one of the voices of our age” (National Post, Canada).

Clever and haunting by turns, Ayiti explores the Haitian diaspora experience. A married couple seeking boat passage to America prepares to leave their homeland. A mother takes a foreign soldier into her home as a boarder, and into her bed. And a woman conceives a daughter on the bank of a river while fleeing a horrific massacre, a daughter who later moves to America for a new life but is perpetually haunted by the mysterious scent of blood. Wise, fanciful, and daring,Ayiti is the book that put Roxane Gay on the map and now, with two previously uncollected stories, confirms her singular vision.

Rating: 2/5

Review: 
I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.
Roxane Gay is most known for her feminist books. Even knowing something about her works, I've never had the curiosity to read them until this story collection came up.
Nowadays, the refugees' problem is an highlight of our challenges and we can't escape them. The dysfunction between the realities and the approaches from everybody, from the welcomers (and sometimes, less welcomers) to the outsiders need to be explored and analysed, otherwise we will not find bases for compromise and the obstacles will not disappear.
Starting with that in mind, I wanted to learn more about the Haitian diaspora.
I was hoping to enjoy this book in the whole, but it felt a bit disappointing.
By reading the synopsis we can perceive this is not going to be a happy book. But I do believe, with all their constraint, that not everybody is unhappy and lives in difficulty, at least more than anybody else. Of course there are communities that are developed in a bubble and live by and for themselves, even living abroad. Even so, there are others than can find the balance to live in peace and feel fulfilment in every aspects of their lives.
The majority of the stories transmit pain, incomprehension of the characters came to a determined point in life and don't show any hope.
Focusing in the writing style, Roxanne Gay speech brings fluidity and pleasure, but at times there was something missing in order to glue the narratives.
I didn't was as much impressed as wanted to my abashment. Maybe in the future Roxanne and I will meet again.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usualy find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: An Almost Perfect Christmas, by Nina Stibbe

 
An Almost Perfect Christmas
by Nina Stibbe

Edition: 2017
Pages: 234
Publisher: Penguin Books UK

Summary:
"My mother is not a foodie. But for as long as I can remember, once a year, she becomes possessed of a profound and desperate need to serve up a perfect roast turkey. Faced with a walk into the village though, she might think 'oh, f*** it' and decide to get a frozen one from Bejams on the 23rd and leave it to defrost in the downstairs toilet for not quite 48 hours."

From perennially dry turkeys to Christmas pudding fires, from the round robin code of conduct to the risks and rewards of re-gifting, An Almost Perfect Christmas is an ode to the joy and insanity of the most wonderful time of the year.

Rating: 3/5

Review: 
I will start this review by saying that I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

Who doesn't like a good Christmas book? I try to read a different one every year around holiday's time. This year I've choose "An Almost Perfect Christmas" by Nina Stibbe because I was in the mood for a stress relief and non fiction book. 

Nina brings the reader different and funny stories from her Christmas memories and reminds us why this time of year can bring such a love/hate relationship to everybody. Because of course we love the blings, the charity spirit and the willingness to make all around us happy and complete. But we also can't forget the screaming, the last minute changes, the skipping ingredients after the shops' have closed and all the plans and preparation which most of the times doesn't have any other function that never being followed. Her mother and the story about the Christmas Turkey is a perfect example of that!

With different approaches and intentions, some of Nina stories were hilarious, others were insightful, some created empathy and others the desperation and empathy of having been there before. Nevertheless it's a great book to relax around this time and a good reminder of what's missing in our lives or in our Christmas preparation list. 

I must say I've enjoyed some of the chronicles more than others, as you probably imagined. It's not difficult to imagine why, since we all have our own personal stories. Searching through these pages, I found some moments I could identify with and I laughed with the author because of them. In the end, who never had a big drama around Christmas gifting in their families (Nina's family is way better imagining thematic and justifications for shifting the gifting rules!).

It's a light read we all can appreciate on these busy moments we are going through, but don't deceive yourself. Nina's life it's not perfect and she doesn't have any problem showing it. I guess the nostalgia takes also part on these amazing Christmas cocktails and, of course, it couldn't be missing here. 

If you are looking for some reading suggestions, try this not so perfect Christmas, as they all should be.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usualy find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: No Time to Spare by Ursula K Le Guin

No Time to Spare
by Ursula K Le Guin
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Released on: 5th December 2017

Synopsis:

Ursula K. Le Guin has taken readers to imaginary worlds for decades. Now she’s in the last great frontier of life, old age, and exploring new literary territory: the blog, a forum where her voice—sharp, witty, as compassionate as it is critical—shines. No Time to Spare collects the best of Ursula’s blog, presenting perfectly crystallized dispatches on what matters to her now, her concerns with this world, and her wonder at it.   

On the absurdity of denying your age, she says, “If I’m ninety and believe I’m forty-five, I’m headed for a very bad time trying to get out of the bathtub.” On cultural perceptions of fantasy: “The direction of escape is toward freedom. So what is ‘escapism’ an accusation of?” On her new cat: “He still won’t sit on a lap…I don’t know if he ever will. He just doesn’t accept the lap hypothesis.” On breakfast: “Eating an egg from the shell takes not only practice, but resolution, even courage, possibly willingness to commit crime.” And on all that is unknown, all that we discover as we muddle through life: “How rich we are in knowledge, and in all that lies around us yet to learn. Billionaires, all of us.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review:

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ursula K. Le Guin has been one of my favourite authors since I first read "The Earthsea Cycle" when I was a teenager. After finishing Earthsea I proceeded to tackle the rest of her works and found myself shifting my point of view on main things. I like the way she tackles humanity without apologies and shows us things as they are and as they could be.
"No Time to Spare" is a collection of essay's that the author made on her online blog.  As Le Guin states in the introduction she realised by reading Saramago's blog that she could have a space where she could express her views on ageing, belief and literature without necessarily having to interact with her readers. (However I find that Le Guin always interacts with me in a way or another as I keeping learning to see things through different eyes!)
I like the way Le Guin writes and tackles these issues with sincerity and honesty. I enjoyed her essays on ageing the most as I think it's something that's not often spoken about or when it is, it's always with a silver lighting which is the opposite of what Le Guin does. This is not to say that Le Guin doesn't take a positive approach but that she as a very "things are what they are" approach to it. On one of her essays she talks about people being the "age they fell" and not "the age they are" and she made me laugh when she stated “If I’m ninety and believe I’m forty-five, I’m headed for a very bad time trying to get out of the bathtub." I suppose I enjoy these essays as they give me a better understanding of my grandmothers and their ageing process, and how, no matter how young they feel, their bodies won't conform to it.
I enjoyed immensely these essays and would recommend them to anyone, even if you have never read Le Guin before as I think they are a beautiful insight into the author's mind.

 Cat

Known bookaholic with a bit of a book hoarding issue. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. She has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts!). She now lives in the UK and can often be found anywhere books are sold.

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Review: The Woman who Breathed Two Worlds

The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds
by Selina Siak Chin Yoke

Edition: 2017
Pages: 474
Publisher: AmazonCrossing

Summary: Facing challenges in an increasingly colonial world, Chye Hoon, a rebellious young girl, must learn to embrace her mixed Malayan-Chinese identity as a Nyonya—and her destiny as a cook, rather than following her first dream of attending school like her brother.

Amidst the smells of chillies and garlic frying, Chye Hoon begins to appreciate the richness of her traditions, eventually marrying Wong Peng Choon, a Chinese man. Together, they have ten children. At last, she can pass on the stories she has heard—magical tales of men from the sea—and her warrior’s courage, along with her wonderful kueh (cakes).

But the cultural shift towards the West has begun. Chye Hoon finds herself afraid of losing the heritage she so prizes as her children move more and more into the modernising Western world.

Rating: 4/5

Review: I will start by saying that I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

I've started a new project which will continue during the following years, involving reading one book from each country of the world. Because of the "World Book Tour", I've started looking for more diverse books and different authors. Since then, I noticed a growing interest on books about Asia or with Asian characters. Therefore, and since I love historic books, it isn't surprising that Selina's book got my attention when I saw it on NetGalley. The idea of confrontation between the past and the future, the traditions and the new, especially on a colonised world in the middle on a change making process completely grabbed my attention. Besides, knowing it was narrated by a woman from a traditional Malayan family, where the feminine was seen as the pillar of the home-hold, made me even more curious.
This isn't a fast paced book. I admit I had to read it only during the day and specially on my daily commutes because I needed some attention to keep up with the story. But it's beautifully written and if you love History and family sagas please don't give up in the beginning.
Chye Hoon is our narrator and heroin and this story just exists because she made it happen through her thoughts about the world and what it brought to her and her family. It's a story about the daily life on XX Century Malaya so you can expect many details about common actions and need and how they influenced the life of this little woman.You will also be able to follow her during all her life, so it's was almost like reading a biography instead of a fiction work. To that I will credit the inspiration the author got from her grandmother's life, who was the great inspiration to this book's creation. With that said, sometimes I could see that the author really took real facts from her family to make the story go forward. But because of that, since some were casualties of a regular life, they didn't cause much impact as she wanted.
What I enjoyed the most here was the perception of the same time period in the other part of the world. Like World War I for example, and how the Malayans felt and saw this warlike conflict from the distance. It was also interesting to scrutinise the other aspects of life and social manners through the thoughts of Chye Hoon and look for other facts and references to help interpreting the various situations that happened to her family and friends.
Like all family sagas, it had sweet and sour moments and was quite interesting for me to see who a rebellious girl turned out so conservation and connected to her roots and origins. I'm not sure if I will continue with the story - if the next book happens to get launched - but I can assure you I enjoyed to discovered this family and all their connections.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usually find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: The Man Who loved Libraries - The Story of Andrew Carnegie

The Man Who Libraries - The Story of Andrew Carnagie
by  Andrew Larsen, Katty Maurey (illustrator)

Edition: 2017

Publisher: Owlkids Books

Summary: When he was a child in the 1840s, Andrew Carnegie and his family immigrated to America in search of a new beginning. His working-class Scottish family arrived at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Carnegie worked hard, in factories and telegraphy. He invested in railroads, eventually becoming the richest man in the world during his time.
Carnegie believed strongly in sharing his wealth, and one of the ways he did this was by funding the construction of over 2,500 public libraries around the world. His philanthropy completely revolutionized public libraries, which weren't widespread at the time

Rating: 4/5

Review: 
I will start by saying that I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

Being a bookworm, there isn't any possibility of not liking libraries. In fact, I love them and frequent my local ones quite frequently. That's why I wanted to discover more about Andrew Carnagie and how his life was related with these community places.

 It was a strong surprise (but a quite pleasant one) to discover how his vision could create means to develop such important projects to improve the access of books to everybody.

I didn't know Andrew Carnagie before reading this small book so just the story by itself was amazing. But let's not forget this book was written to be read by children and to children. It was quite evident the language was simple (and adequate) as well as catchy to get the attention of the target group.

The illustrations were sweet but effective and very engaging. I finished this little book in 30 minutes and felt satisfied, it was a good instrument to introduce the libraries as a place to enjoy to the children, not only as a personal experience, but as a place to grow and develop new skills with family and friends.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usually find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: Letters to a Young Muslim, by Omar Saif Ghobash

Letters to a Young Muslim
by Omar Saif Ghobash

Edition: 2017
Pages: 272
Publisher: PICADOR

Summary: From the Ambassador of the UAE to Russia comes a bold and intimate exploration of what it means to be a Muslim in the twenty-first century.

In a series of personal letters to his sons, Omar Saif Ghobash offers a short and highly readable manifesto that tackles our current global crisis with the training of an experienced diplomat and the personal responsibility of a father. Today’s young Muslims will be tomorrow’s leaders, and yet too many are vulnerable to extremist propaganda that seems omnipresent in our technological age. The burning question, Ghobash argues, is how moderate Muslims can unite to find a voice that is true to Islam while actively and productively engaging in the modern world. What does it mean to be a good Muslim?

What is the concept of a good life? And is it acceptable to stand up and openly condemn those who take the Islamic faith and twist it to suit their own misguided political agendas? In taking a hard look at these seemingly simple questions, Ghobash encourages his sons to face issues others insist are not relevant, not applicable, or may even be Islamophobic. These letters serve as a clear-eyed inspiration for the next generation of Muslims to understand how to be faithful to their religion and still navigate through the complexities of today’s world. They also reveal an intimate glimpse into a world many are unfamiliar with and offer to provide an understanding of the everyday struggles Muslims face around the globe.

Rating: 4/5

Review: 
I will start by saying that I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

"Letters to a Young Muslim" was one of the many books I wished for at Netgalley. Of course I was really excited when my wish was granted by PICADOR and they sent me an online ARC of this book. 

We are facing difficult times, always threatened by our own fears, by the challenges of tomorrow and also by our beliefs and moral values. It is impossible not to hear the fear of some social groups in the news, as well as misconceptions about Islamism, migrants and terrorists, as if all of them fit in one whole box and are all the same (which we are pretty aware it's not truth). Because of that, I'm with the group that defends the need to bring to the light modern and moderate voices, to discuss this subjects with open minds and that are willing to reflect altogether about this issues that can contaminate or save our future world.
For what it's written on this book, Mr. Omar Saif Ghobash is as much needed as courageous for  being so outspoken about many subjects. I truly believe this book probably will not be well received near the conservative sections of Islam and considering his position and profession,  I am amazed by what he did and profoundly touched.
However, his book isn't preaching anybody, neither the reader or the receptor of his message. This is exactly what it aims to be. A collection of letters that hopefully will help his eldest son to grow up as a stir young man, with his own values and beliefs well developed, but structured upon reflection and introspection. I found the organization of the book very interesting and structured, with chapters that went from role models, the analysis of the violence and its repercussions on nowadays, the need of dialogue between the west and western world, the temptations of any faith (but specially the Islamic faith) when facing other realities and ways of living, the need of learning further knowledge and the importance of comparing it with their own beliefs in order to create better and educated versions of themselves, always facing the dichotomies of the world and finding the better answers to deal with them.
What I also liked here was a honest and transparent analysis of the world, without running away from further analysis and even some conscience and logic criticism when facing the dogmas of his own religion. They naturally had some influence and dictate his existence as a religious person but this logical constructions are also fundamental and adapted to the reality of XXI century.
It's a book for reflection, and I indicate it to everybody: the moderate voices, the more controversial ones, the doubtful and  the minds which are lost and in need of some seeds to wake up to the reality we face today. We need more active voices defending the civilization as a system that will work better with communication, friendly approaches to the unknown, and always with the aim to grow peacefully and for all.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usually find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: The Sun is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon

The Sun is Also a Star
by Nicola Yoon

Edition: 2016
Pages: 384
Publisher: Penguin Random House UK Children's

Summary: Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

Rating: 3/5

Review: 
I will start by saying that I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

A mixed junction of fate, love, desires and teenage dreams!

Wow. I haven't read much lately and due to many factors I find myself leaning on young adult books to overcome this reading slump with lighter reads. Which is kind of odd and even a bit funny, since I almost stopped reading young adult books a long time because I can't find myself enjoying them as much as I did in the past. Nevertheless, I'm still keen of a good story and "The Sun is Also a Star" had all the right ingredients to get my attention. Starting by the author's nationality.
Ever since I started thinking and preparing the project of the World Book Tour (now in partnership with my friends Cata and Jojo ) I started to look out not only for books representing diverse public segments but also different authors, with different experiences and a wider spectrum of analysis. And this book had it all: a Jamaican author, Jamaican characters, Korean characters, and a bit of youthful, confrontation between a magical fate and logic and some scents of the historical paths that brought two different branches of immigration to the United States of America.
It's also a test to life in general, calling the readers to decide where is the line that divides a predisposed destiny and the cadence of small happenings which, in the end, transform who we are and what are our next steps.
Firstly I considered a bit annoying all the parallel stories to which I couldn't find a reason for them to appear constantly, since they interrupted the main plot quite often and line of the story I was designing on my mind. Therefore, I understood near the end their purpose and I could even understand the little magic created from them. It's amazing to conceal how small moments and differences can change someone's life! Nevertheless, they weren't my favourite part of the story for sure.
Natasha and Daniel couldn't be more different from each other. That's why it's so lovely to find them in love, surpassing the inconveniences of family's expectations, emotional baggage, a timeline they can't avoid and their personal insights about how life should be or shouldn't be lived.
 It's a love story, but it's also a bit more than that, fruitfully resulting from the dimensions created by their family stories. In the middle of all the unbelievable situations and actions during that 24 hours, that elements added new memories and moments for both of them to cherish. This book also adds a dimension of real life, when discussing that being a teenage is not always so easy as it seams, since many of the major decisions responsible for defining our future are taken so early.
Because of that, I felt there was a realm of reality claiming to make the readers think about what they are expecting to build on their paths (or what they did in the past) and what it means at the present moment. It's also a lucky charm against blue days, because I doubt that someone isn't going to fall for Daniel, he has that spirituous and free mind we all would like to keep on us (even just a little) every time we see ourselves on the mirror, besides he is a dearest and it's impossible not to smile at his blind faith in the world.
Finally, I enjoyed the last chapter, it felt realistic and honest and as sincere as it could get. Until the author decided to add that small plot twist at the very last. Even if I still understand why she did it, I find it a bit pushed. I just hope her choice was done due the need to create a more enjoyable ending for her readers and not because she thought her readers couldn't handle a bit of factual happenings and life in general. Because every young person conscious about the world knows life isn't perfect and many times isn't fair either. But it always teach us something and leave marks to never be forgotten. If not by memory, at least by heart.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usually find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: Here We Are, by Kelly Jensen

Here We Are
by Kelly Jensen

Edition: 2017
Pages: 240
Publisher: Perseus Books Group, Running Press

Summary: Let’s get the feminist party started!

Here We Are is a scrapbook-style teen guide to understanding what it really means to be a feminist. It’s packed with essays, lists, poems, comics, and illustrations from a diverse range of voices, including TV, film, and pop-culture celebrities and public figures such as ballet dancer Michaela DePrince and her sister Mia, politician Wendy Davis, as well as popular YA authors like Nova Ren Suma, Malinda Lo, Brandy Colbert, Courtney Summers, and many more. Altogether, the book features more than forty-four pieces, with an eight-page insert of full-color illustrations.

Here We Are is a response to lively discussions about the true meaning of feminism on social media and across popular culture and is an invitation to one of the most important, life-changing, and exciting parties around.

Rating: 3/5

Review: 
I will start this review by saying that I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

I will start by saying that I will not take any part in discussions about feminism here but as usual you are more than welcome to share your thoughts in the comments box if you want to. However I must say there isn't a better time to publish a book about this subject than nowadays. The truth is western society has been changing its paradigms since the middle of XX century and of course it reflects on how we face today's challenges when discussing gender equality. Girls and young ladies are being feed wirh many versions of what feminism is (or should be) today but sometimes the people and institutions feeding them forget the subject's core and what we should be talking about. Feminism is, for all the purposes, no matter how you represent or think about the movement, the search of equal rights to men and women. This is also how I see it and how my own vision reflected on this book.

Here We Are is a collection of essays from different sources to discuss what is feminism. Its target group are young people (even if there is a particular focus mainly on girls - which, from my perspective, mixes the message from the beginning) and it considers all the subjects and concerns about teenagers and youth development nowadays. 

I enjoyed the visual art and the structure created in order to make it specially appealing for young people who generally don't read non-fiction. I also appreciated the presence of essays written by men, even if the book was quite unbalanced and gave you more female writers. However one of the aims of this book is also to make girls around the world to know their inner voices matters, that what they think is valid and important and that they have a place in this world. Due to that I can understand the final decision to engage them by this strategy. Other gripping aspect was the presence of pop culture elements to help the readers see how much this subject is underlined in their lives, in so many different spheres we can't imagine it. So having lists of movies, song lyrics or TV shows (I don't want to lie but I have the idea I also saw one of these) which represent good feminist examples, showing they don't need to become different people or very engaged activists to stand up for themselves and protect their rights, is also something very enlightening.

I found very intelligent the divided structure to the various aspects, making it easier to dive in when different doubts arise. Even so, the last few essays lacked the cohesive structured presented on the first ones and seamed to be put together just to fill an empty space.  

As much I understand the need to create space and encourage the girls (and boys) to stand up for themselves, to have ideas, to discuss them and to look for better, equal and fair futures, I found that many essays focused on emancipation - which is one of the many pillars of the feminism but not the only one (which caused me some itchy feelings when reading the book) - stepping aside from other aspects. 

Another positive remark is the approach to the different stages of feminism in History and I think the descriptions will make young readers better prepared to deal with the challenges associated with the concept and the label itself. 

I would be lying if I didn't told you I have also learned a few things during this reading, like the concept of intersectionality feminism which - for me -  before reading this book and getting closer to the subject wasn't really a matter of discussion (not because it didn't matter but because I faced all the challenges presented to women on the same big package). I was forced to admit to myself that's because I don't fit in any other labels that pull someone to the middle of a big judgmental and fierce bowl of thoughts. 

Finally, I'm not American neither do care much about public personalities but I understand the importance of role models and therefore, having essays written by people who these teenagers are aspiring to turn alike in the future was important as it's a hint of hope and encouragement to become better citizens and more prepared to deal with their future challenges.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usualy find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: Pretending to Be Erica by Michelle Painchaud

Pretending to Be Erica
by Michelle Painchaud
Edição/reimpressão: 2015
Páginas: 272
Editor: Viking Books for Young Readers
Resumo:

We Were Liars meets Heist Society in a riveting debut!

Seventeen-year-old Violet’s entire life has revolved around one thing: becoming Erica Silverman, an heiress kidnapped at age five and never seen again.

Violet’s father, the best con man in Las Vegas, has a plan, chilling in its very specific precision. Violet shares a blood type with Erica; soon, thanks to surgery and blackmail, she has the same face, body, and DNA. She knows every detail of the Silvermans’ lives, as well as the PTSD she will have to fake around them. And then, when the time is right, she “reappears”—Erica Silverman, brought home by some kind of miracle. 

But she is also Violet, and she has a job: Stay long enough to steal the Silverman Painting, an Old Master legendary in the Vegas crime world. Walking a razor’s edge, calculating every decision, not sure sometimes who she is or what she is doing it for, Violet is an unforgettable heroine, and Pretending to be Erica is a killer debut.

Rating: 3.5/5

Review:

I will start by confessing that it was the comparison with Heist Society that drew me to this book, that and the fact that I like a good con books. (It's not by change that Leverage is one of my favorite TV shows ever!)

I read a lot of bad reviews about this book but I have to say that I enjoyed it and loved the way that the author keep Erica "present" throughout the book. I do understand why some people were disappointed as this isn't much of a con book as it could be but I think it was an interesting dive into the mind of a young con artist and what goes through a person's mind when she has to pretend to be someone she is not to everyone else; and how though that can be when you encounter people you truly connect with, people you never though you would ever meet. 

I loved the way the author kept giving you insights about how Violet was struggling with being Erica even though she had been trained her whole life to do so. After all Violet had been trained with very little and almost completely off the grid, so she had a very basic phone and almost no access to the internet or social media. So she is discovering herself as teenager not only as Violet but also as Erica.

Violet is a very interesting character and her relationships are also interesting as she tries to keep Erica group of friends but also finds a group of friends of her own.

For me this was a very interesting and sometimes intense book and the ending was unexpected and made the book linger which is always a plus. If the con bit had been better it would have reached easily the 4 star mark.

You can get a copy of this book here..

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue

Kissing the Witch 
by Emma Donoghue
Edição/reimpressão: 2013
Páginas: 288
Editor: Picador
Resumo:

Thirteen tales are unspun from the deeply familiar, and woven anew into a collection of fairy tales that wind back through time. Emma Donoghue reveals heroines young and old in unexpected alliances - sometimes treacherous, sometimes erotic, but always courageous. Told with luminous voices that shimmer with sensuality and truth, these age-old characters shed their antiquated cloaks to travel a seductive new landscape, radiantly transformed. Cinderella forsakes the handsome prince and runs off with the fairy godmother; Beauty discovers the Beast behind the mask is not so very different from the face she sees in the mirror; Snow White is awakened from slumber by the bittersweet fruit of an unnamed desire.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review:

As soon as I heard about this book I knew I had to get it! As you know I love fairytales and I love reading new takes on then, unfortunately most dark twists on fairytales tend to involve a lot of sex which is really not what I am looking for, however Emma Donoghue crafts an amazing chain of tales that are familiar and yet new.

The stories are linked because as each one finish one of the characters (usually the love interest) will then go on to tell their own backstory which then links to another story. This keeps the book flowing and better still gives you a new perspective on these late showing characters as suddenly they aren't just part of the main characters tale but have a tale of their own.

I really liked the way the tales linked together and the stories picked were both known and unknown specially the last one which I think is an original as I don't recall ever reading a fairytale remotely similar to it (this was also one of my favorites!).

I loved the way Emma Donoghue writes and will keep myself in the loop of her future fairytale related books, as I tend to do with authors I love. Emma Donoghue is mostly known for her book Room that was recently turned into a movie.

Kissing the Witch is also a LGBT friendly book and we get a lot of lady love (which is really not surprising I mean it's in the title).
This is a book I would recommend for fairytale lovers without a second though. I give it 4 stars in GoodReads but it's a 4.5 stars book at heart!

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: The Art of Living Other People´s Lives: Stories, Confessions and Memorable Mistakes, by Greg Dybec

The Art of Living Other People's Lives: Stories, Confessions and Memorable Mistakes
by Greg Dybec

Edition: 2017
Pages: 234
Publisher: Perseus Books Group, Running Press

Summary: Elite Daily managing editor Greg Dybec worries about rent, sex, love, family, and—the most millennial topic of them all—a desire to leave a legacy. In The Art of Living Other People’s Lives, Greg delivers a funny, brash, and insightful collection of twenty never-before-published stories on becoming a pick-up artist to get over an ex-girlfriend, late-night adventures with his Uber driver, having a Twitter-induced panic attack, picking up a gig writing about men’s underwear, and more.

Greg’s writing is all at once candid, honest, and unapologetic, and his hilariously neurotic and self-analytical journey will strike a chord with anyone struggling to balance their IRL selves with their virtual ones.

Rating: 3/5

Review: 
I will start this review by saying that I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

I don't read essays quite often so I can't consider myself an expert and give a proper opinion on that subject. Despite that, I think a good essay collection should give us interesting and thoughtful subjects as well as a good dose of humor and daily basis moments in order to stand the author and the reader at the same level as human beings struggling to find their pace and their place on the world. 

Reading this collection by Greg Dybec was a complete blast to me. I usually don't consider myself a millennial on a proper sense, not because I refuse what defines this new generation but because sometimes I'm a bit outside of the general trends and don't embrace all the foundations of it. However, Greg Dybec brought a new perspective about it, since I think he is much more a typical millennial (no judgments here, just simple observations) and his approach to many subjects made me reflect and think that even if he has a different life from my own, we have the same struggles, doubts, fulfillment thoughts, and expectations and fears. And like many others of our generation, we want jobs that serve us not only to get payments but to make us more capable and with a purpose, we want to travel, to meet new people, to have different hobbies (and time to take them all), we want to be citizens of the world, informed, free and responsible for our future. On that though, it doesn't matter if I live in Europe and he at the United States of America. In our different, we try to reach the exact same spots. Following this first observations I was taken to reflect much more about me and my connection with people from my own age. 

The book is organized in a careful balance between enlighten texts and comical statements that make it very easy going and tasteful to almost every reader. 

I enjoyed the majority of the texts, either because they thought me something about myself or because they were very entertaining. Therefore, if I had to choose some favorites, I would mark the trip to Italy (and all the identity questionings or the reflections of the foreigners in our own livings) and the Uber evaluations (and our need to be recognized but also liked by others). But I couldn't also forget the laughs caused by a devilish small mouse or some crazy job interview, but also the sweet memories originated by amazing grandparents or the efforts of a mother who try to keep connected with their suns . 

In the end, it's a very easy book to read that many youngsters between their 20's and 30's can relate to. Give it a try!

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usualy find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

Serafina and the Black Cloak
de Robert Beatty
Edição/reimpressão: 2015
Páginas: 293
Editor:  Disney•Hyperion
Resumo:

"Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul."

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate. There’s plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate’s maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity . . . before all of the children vanish one by one.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Review:

I would like to start this review by saying that I got a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,

Serafina and the Black Cloak was one of the most anticipated Disney titles from last year. it was everywhere in the Disney Books media and it promised adventure and mystery so it obviously got my attention. In May of this year I applied to read the book as it was hitting the shelves in the UK and I was lucky enough to get a copy. I read Serafina quite swiftly as it is a book that pulls you in quite easily and keeps you hooked to try and find out more.

Dear Serafina lives in the basement of a great mansion and has been told that she can never be seen. In itself this is quite curious because it makes you wonder what is so wrong with Serafina or with her being in the mansion that her existence has to be a secret. However as we get to know Serafina it starts to become obvious that there's something different about her, not only physical but also about the way she thinks and acts.

The book takes us through the house and we get a gist of the life in the manor (a bit Downton Abbey style, but funnily enough Biltmore actually exists and the author used the house because they grew up near it), specially the life of Braeden Vanderbilt, nephew of the Biltmore’s owners as he is more or less Serafina's age and she finds that interesting as he is the one with more potential to be her friend.

The mystery of the cloak keeps the readers interested and it was a very bold move of the author to make sure it made an appearance on the first few pages. The reader is pulled into the action as soon as the story starts and then we taken through the house and it's inhabitants from Serafina's point of view as she has to unravel who is the owner of the cloak.

I have to admit that it was easy to me to find that part out but I do realize the book is for younger readers who might not be so quick to guess. However I was taken by surprise about Serafina's backstory which ends up opening way for book 2 in the series, Serafina and the twisted staff.

All in all a fund adventure and an interesting world that I am curious to go back to.

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford

Time Travelling with a Hamster
by Ross Welford
Edition: 2016
Pages: 335
Editor: HarperCollins Publishers UK
Summary:
“My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty nine and again four years later when he was twelve. The first time had nothing to do with me. The second time definitely did, but I would never even have been there if it hadn’t been for his ‘time machine’…”
When Al Chaudhury discovers his late dad’s time machine, he finds that going back to the 1980s requires daring and imagination. It also requires lies, theft, burglary, and setting his school on fire. All without losing his pet hamster, Alan Shearer…

Rating: 5/5

Review:
I received an ARC copy from NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

Hands down one of the best book of 2016! It's funny, it's witty and it's heartbreaking and heart warming at the same.
Even though I got very weird looks out of people when they asked me what I was reading I have to admit that the title captured people's attention and imagination and when they asked about the premises their interest grew.
Our hero Al Chaudlhury grandfather is Indian and his grandmother is white British, this accounts for an interesting background story and a mix of traditions and customs. This also makes him a POC hero which is always needed in YA/Children's books, Al is also funny and has his heart up his sleeve. He is living with his mother and stepfather after his father died at 39. However in a twist of fate Al is given an amazing opportunity when he discovers that his father invented a time traveling machine. Of course no adventure is complete without a loyal sidekick, which in Al's case is his hamster Alan Shearer.
Traveling through time has its pro and cons as Al rapidly discovers and the following is a mix of adventures and misadventures as Al finds his father and tries to save him from an untimely death. I really enjoyed the way Ross Welford presented the time traveling issue and specially human relationships. Sometimes authors keep things simple or make their characters a bit hollow, however in this case I could really connect with Al and I could understand his pain and suffering. As he time travels and interacts with his father it's really heart warming to see them bond with one another.
Al is also very protective of animals and this is an aspect of his personality that comes up multiple times and it's a great message to send out to young readers. There also theme like bullying and family and doing what's right even if it's not what you want to do.
As in every time traveling tale there as twists and dead ends and Al has a very complex adventure layered out in front of him. I wish I could say more but I am afraid I would reveal the plot.
It stands as one of the best books of the year and I easily give it 5 stars.

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: The Boy Most Likely To, by Huntley Fitzpatrick

 
The Boy Most Likely To
by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Edition: 2016
Pages: 446

Publisher: Egmont Publishing

Summary: Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To find the liquor cabinet blindfolded, need a liver transplant, and drive his car into a house..

Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To... well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.

For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard.

Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this novel is for readers of The Spectacular Now, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Paper Towns.

Rating: 4/5

Review: 
I will start this review by saying that I received an online copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange of a honest review. 

"My Life Next Door" was my last read of 2015. At that time, I thought one of strongest points of this book was the Garrett's family and only when I rediscovered them in "The Boy Most Likely" did I understood how much I missed them. The sweetness of George, the crazy ideas of Harry and Duff, the continuous amorous crisis of Andy and all the good values and strength of Jase, with some fun show ups from Joel. And Patsy, that child can certainly make one smile, even the ones who are not her Hon!
 Of course I didn't forget Alice but I will get to her later. For now, let's just say I admire the construction of this beautiful family and how this second book of them made me fall in love like I never was in the first book. Sometimes, there are books like this, that light up the previous ones and make them better in general.
As for the main couple, Tim was one of the characters I enjoyed in the first book. I was never interested in reading "The Boy Most Likely To" because of the way the book was presented. But then I met Tim at MLND and I got hooked on him. There was so much more about him than what we first saw and I loved him because of that, of what others saw on him that made him more interesting and engaging. And when it gets to Alice....I would say she was the quirky girl everybody was curious about but that was very slippy and didn't allow us to meet her well. I wasn't wrong and this book proves it right.
I enjoyed the two point of view dynamic, but I would like to see it more evidently. I'm not sure if its because I read it on ebook version but there wasn't anything that could easy help the reader distinguish Alice and Tim apart from each other before getting into the chapters. I would expect either a exchange of fonts or at least their names on the top. But it's a small detail that can be corrected on next editions.
About the story itself, the connection between Alice and Tim were well developed and I enjoyed their connection, not in five seconds but with steps and a delightful evolution. I didn't think there was any need to create Tim's main plot after all he already had so much going on that it could have been used to create a beautiful story of self-development and finding of his true self without more noise. As for Alice, I liked to see her relationship with her family but it still felt like she had much less voice than it was expected. We saw a lot of her with her family, dealing with problems but never had a proper access to her thoughts.
Also, although we had moments with either their families, they were mostly alone or at least that was the feeling I got. On the first book, we had other strong presences, like Grace or even Tim (that was what made me fell in love with him, like I already told you) and here it was somehow mostly focused in the two of them. It wasn't bad, but I would prefer to have of that side and take off the other plot I referred moments ago.
In the end, what I really enjoy in Huntley Fitzpactrick's books is that these aren't the typical YA. It's not exactly about the romance (even if this one had much more than the other focused there) but about values, family, support, friendship, growing up and development, sacrifice and generosity. It's about lives and what we have to do to make them better. It's about being an human being and the better we can. With many valuable messages, this book tries to add something more to the YA genre and deserves to be read!

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usualy find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: Grayling's Song by Karen Cushman

Grayling's Song
by Karen Cushman
Edition: 2016
Pages: 224
Editor: Clarion Books
Summary:

It's time for Grayling to be a hero. Her mother, a “wise woman”—a sort of witch—has been turned into a tree by evil forces. Tangles and toadstools! Lacking confidence after years of being called “Feeble Wits” by her mother, Grayling heads off dubiously into the wilds in search of help, where she finds a weather witch, an aromatic enchantress, a cheese soothsayer, a slyly foolish apprentice, and a shape-shifting mouse named Pook! 

Rating: 5/5

Review:
I received an ARC copy from NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

There’s something about Karen Cushman’s writing and the way she weaves magic into her stories that I can't quite describe. I am not new to Cushman's books I started with Catherine, called Birdy a couple of years ago and followed it with all the other books I could get my hands on. If you pay attention you can always spot Cushman’s writing by the way she weaves ordinary things into fantastic adventures and I enjoy the way she gives voice to young apprentices throughout history in the most amazing tales.

In Cushman’s books there are no heroes and villains per se only people who try to do the best with what they have and in doing so, Cushman creates characters that are easy to relate to and to enjoy.

Grayling's Song is Cushman’s latest book and up to now one of my favourites by this author and if I am honest probably in general as well. Wise women are characters that I always like to see in fiction, better yet when we see a wise woman come into herself. Like most books by Cushman this a coming of age tale where our protagonist leaves her childhood home behind to find her place in world. This in essence also gives Cushman’s books a feeling of fairy tales since her characters leave the warmth of home in search of fortune.

Grayling has been at her mother's beck and call all her life and believes that she is useless and only an extra pair of hands to her mother. So when a mysterious force strikes her mother down she has to step up and try to save her. Harmed with her wits and what's left of her mother's potions Grayling goes on in search of answers even though she doesn't know exactly what are the questions.

Beautifully written and with funny characters Grayling's Song provides an interesting view into the wise woman's journey and how our biggest fears can be our biggest friends or worst enemies depending on how we choose to face/embrace them. All in all a book that I would recommend.

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and weekend writer. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: The Scarlet Letter - Manga Classics Edition

The Scarlet Letter
original story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, story adaptation by Crystal S. Chan and art by SunNeko Lee

Edition: 2015
Pages: 308

Publisher: Udon Entertainment

Summary: Experience CLASSIC tales in MANGA format!

Nathaniel Hawthorne's powerful tale of forbidden love, shame and revenge comes to life in Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. When Hester Prynne bears an illegitimate child she is introduced to the ugliness, complexity, and ultimately the strength of the human spirit. Though set in a Puritan community during the Colonial American period, the moral dilemmas of personal responsibility and consuming emotions of guilt, anger, loyalty and revenge are timeless.

This manga retelling of Hawthorn’s classic American novel is faithfully adapted by Crystal S. Chan and features stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee which will give old and new readers alike a fresh insight into this tragic saga of Puritan America.

Available in both hardcover and paperback formats.

Advance Praise
"In small, Puritan Boston, a woman holding her baby girl walks onto a scaffold. She is Hester Prynne. Her child is Pearl, but no one knows the father. When asked by the minister Arthur Dimmesdale to reveal the fellow sinner, Hester refuses. As time passes, Hester moves to a thatched cottage outside the town. She is forced to deal with terrible prejudice, even though everyone buys her embroideries. Her husband, who she thought had died at sea, returned on the day of her trial and now seeks the father of Pearl. He, Arthur, Hester, and Pearl all struggle to lesser or greater degrees as moral conundrums are presented to them.There is a great sense of drama conveyed by the illustrations. They are masterfully crafted to portray the emotions invoked by the situations Hester and other characters are in." - San Francisco Book Review

Rating: 2,5/5

Review: 
I will start this review by saying that I received an online copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange of a honest review.

"The Scarlet Letter" was my second read book from Manga Classics. I started by reading "Les Miserábles" and I got interested in Udon Entertainment works. Contrary to what happened with my first read I didn't know the story of the classic by Nathaniel Hawthorne, only the premises. And I think this is a good introduction to classics that somehow can be a little scary, either because of their plots or because we are trying to figure if we have any interest on reading the original one.
With that being said, I also have to point out that this books have a particularity that I think is an amazing add: in the end you can find a short description of the adaptation process to manga, with some detailed information about each character and even better, some sketches of the first tries to get the characters right.
Algo, since we are talking about manga, maybe the isn't a biggest point to people who are used to read it, even if in a digital access the book is read back to forward in order to give the same experience as the paper books.
About the story itself, I think the two artists were able to get the main setups of the original book and work through it. Of course we can't consider the possibility of having all the details and singularities of the books transformed into graphic storytelling, but even so the story is well told and has the among of necessary details to create a structured and continued plot.
Speaking about the content, I'm afraid I didn't enjoyed this story quite much. I was aware of the tangles between characters and about the synopsis and it was appealing to me but the constrictions and absolute references to religion were a little bit to much for me. I would enjoy to see more explored the social models in other aspects in a way it would complement the book's mainframe. And that's also because the characters didn't exist much besides that story alignment and I wanted some profundity and a better connection of elements.
But that's not Crystal S. Chan and SunNeko Lee's fault since they followed quite well the original plot to create this story.
I could not finish this review without talking about something extremely important in mangas: the art itself! And this one is well done, with singular features and amazing expressive characters.  If you are wanting to dive in some classic novels and don't know where to start, maybe this collection is a good way to introduce you to the concept and in the future, look for the original romances!

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usualy find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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Review: Not If I See You First, by Eric Lindstrom

Not If I See You First
by Eric Lindstrom

Edition: 2016
Pages: 416

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Summary: The Rules: Don't deceive me. Ever. Especially using my blindness. Especially in public.
Don't help me unless I ask. Otherwise you're just getting in my way or bothering me. Don't be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I'm just like you only smarter.

Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.

When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there's only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened--both with Scott, and her dad--the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.

Rating: 3,5/5

Review: 
I will start this review by saying that I received an online copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange of a honest review.

A couple of years ago, one of my favorite TV Shows was Switched at Birth. One of the biggest attractions of the series was the fact that one of the girls was deaf. All the small implications that it had (or not) in her life were explored and we had the chance to put ourselves in her shoes and to try to look at all the struggles she had to do to deal with non deaf colleagues at school, or how to communicate with the new members of her family who were not prepared for the difference when they met her.
Why am I telling you all of this? I am not going to lie and for sure, my interest in Not If I See You First relied on Parker being blind. I thought it would be a very interesting experience to face the world by her perspective on a book told in the first person. Nowadays it's becoming more difficult to surprise the readers on YA, which is not a bad thing unless you are willing to read something completely different from what you have read until now. Eric Lindstrom was able to make me think about small aspects of the interaction between someone who is blind and someone who isn't. Regardless that aspect, I wasn't focused on her refusing people to help her or in the discomfort they felt in result. I found myself thinking about other small things from daily life that unless we are facing something like this we would never think about. Like: would you  switch off a light in a room where a blind person would be (probably not, you would think it was rude)? And how difficult would be for a blind person to keep up with all the regular classes (and how do they learn how to calculate functions resulting from graphs)? I believe that the majority of us are sensitive people who applaud and look for more inclusive initiatives and narratives. That we are really willing to not create the difference when it appears, but also not ignoring it when is needed in order to create a better justice for all. But in the end our good actions or our tentatives of making fluid sometimes doesn't work as we wanted to.
In this book we will learn a little bit from all of this approaches that can out ourselves thinking on what would we do. I believe there is much more to be explored but we can't forget that this is an YA. In a high school. Which means we couldn't not have a romance and some friends present there.
Parker doesn't stop to be a teenager, what only means that she is sometimes selfish and self centered, that she create dramas where they could be easily resolved, but also that she is a caring and lovely girl, who is afraid of suffering, who looks for barriers to defend herself from the world and who is, sometimes, really hurt.
On Not If I See You First you will also find out that sometimes we don't need bigger enemies than ourselves. This book was about the ability of forgiveness - for others and for us, about being in love (with life, with friends and with our special person) and about surviving, under different and traumatic circumstances.
The writing style is extremely easy to keep up and it gives us some pleasure moments when reading it. On a final note, I just wished the writer didn't pushed the romance so much. As for me, the last 20 pages were easily cut out because it started to be a little pushed and it took out the good register from the rest of the book. I still enjoyed the result from it but it could have been conducted in a different way.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usualy find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.

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