Sam and Ilsa's Last Hurrah by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

Sam and Ilsa's Last Hurrah by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
Release Date - April 10,  2018
Publisher Website - Penguin Random House Canada

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 224 pages
My Rating - 3.5/5
**borrowed from a friend**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

The New York Times Bestselling duo behind Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily return with twins out to throw the party of a lifetime--or at least the best party of high school!

Siblings Sam and Ilsa Kehlmann have spent most of their high school years throwing parties for their friends--and now they've prepared their final blowout, just before graduation.

The rules are simple: each twin gets to invite three guests, and the other twin doesn't know who's coming until the partiers show up at the door. With Sam and Ilsa, the sibling revelry is always tempered with a large dose of sibling rivalry, and tonight is no exception.

One night. One apartment. Eight people. What could possibly go wrong? Oh, we all know the answer is plenty. But plenty also goes right, as well...in rather surprising ways.

David Levithan and Rachel Cohn are known for cute, almost rom-com like reads. I enjoyed the previous books they released, and was excited to see that they had a new one coming out. Sam and Ilsa's Last Hurrah feels a little more serious than their previous works, while still filled with the charm they are known for.

This novel offers up a whimsical dinner party that is filled with an eclectic, larger than life, cast of characters. The characters are a vibrant contrast to the deeper, more serious elements that the novel eventually introduces. There is a lot of heft to this novel that I wasn't expecting and I wish some of these topics had been fleshed out a little more as there was a lot of interesting elements at play within the plot the authors constructed.

Sam is the perfect twin, or that is how everyone sees him He's hiding a lot from those he loves (or at least thinks he is). He's someone who falls in love with pretty boys, and uses cooking as a way to distract himself from some of the things he is dealing with. He struggles with the future, and what he wants from it in a way that is pretty relatable. Who isn't nervous or scared about leaving home for the first time? It is a turbulent time, and filled with unknowns and that is reflected in Sam perfectly.

Ilsa is the twin that is always in trouble. She feels that everyone likes Sam more than her (and admits that she would like him more too if she were someone else). She also thinks she is hiding things from those she loves, and is struggling with letting go. There are many similarities with what Ilsa and Sam are going through, even if they wouldn't admit it to themselves. Ilsa also undergoes a discovery about herself at this party. Ilsa discovering her bisexuality was one of my favourite elements of the novel. It's done in a way that felt realistic. She isn't sure what it means, but she knows she is attracted to Li and wants to see where it goes. It's sweet and filled with promise without being instalove.

The romance between Sam and Johan is sort of a bittersweet one. It's filled with promise and potential but also with a heavy dose of reality. Both of the romances within this novel are pretty realistic in that neither is promising forever. All of these characters are starting off on different journeys. College, and other things, are taking them in various directions. I appreciated that this book didn't try to make these some grand romances. The hint of a possibility and the hope for something more is enough in a case like this, along with the reality that the future could hold endless other possibilities for them.

This novel is really about Sam and Ilsa at its core. It's about the complex dynamics that exist between siblings. It's about the pain and excitement of growing up and growing apart. It's about the fear of starting out on your own and making something that is just yours when you're so used to be part of a set. This dinner part is a goodbye in more ways than one and those emotional beats are perhaps the strongest elements of this novel.

My only real complaint is that the fast, almost frenzied pace, of this novel doesn't really allow for the more serious parts of the novel to breathe. The impact isn't felt as deeply as it could have and that just feels like a missed opportunity. There is a lot to unpack here and I am not sure it got the time to do it.

Fans of David Levithan and Rachel Cohn's other works will find much to love within these pages. Readers who are new to their work will discover a whimsical dinner party that is actually about so much more than you expect when first opening the novel. It's a perfect read for those wanting something quick and enjoyable. 

Waiting On Wednesday .... What If It's Us

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

This week's pick is What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Here is the Goodreads synopsis 

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?

Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.

Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.

But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?

What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?

What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?

But what if it is?

I adore books by both Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera. I was thrilled when it was announced that they were working on a book together. I was even more thrilled when I read the synopsis and discovered it sounds like it'll be a cute read.

The ending of this novel is a source of much speculation among fans. Becky is known for her cute, more rom-com style endings, while Adam is known for having more heartbreaking closings for his novels. Fans are not sure what to expect with this one which only makes the desire to read it that much stronger.

The wait for this is going to be a long one as it doesn't come out until this autumn. We can always re-read Becky and Adam's previous books in the meantime.

Expected release date - October 9, 2018

Love And Other Words by Christina Lauren

Love And Other Words by Christina Lauren
Release Date - April 10,  2018
Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  432 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Love, loss, friendship, and the betrayals of the past all collide in this first women’s fiction novel from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Autoboyography, Dating You / Hating You).

The story of the heart can never be unwritten.

Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother...only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.

Christina Lauren is known for reads that are as addictive as they are sexy. Love And Other Words is something a little bit different. There's a shift from something fun and sexy to something a little more emotional. This novel proves that this duo is capable of shifting expectations and writing something outside of the niche they have created and doing that incredibly well.

The mystery of what drove Macy and Elliot apart is what drives the novel. I could not turn the pages fast enough because I was driven to know what had caused their falling out. The reveal is slow to unravel, but satisfying in a lot of ways. There is a lot of heartbreak within this novel, but there is also a lot of hope. If offers the possibility of making amends and having a second chance which is something I think everyone can relate to. We've all had things we wish we could do over, and mistakes that we wish to atone for.

I could have easily read an entire book of teen Macy and Elliot falling in love. This book handles the dual timeline perfectly. I felt that I really got to know who these characters are and became invested in them because I could feel the history of their relationship. It was years of backstory that wasn't just told to you but rather allowed to unfold over the course of the novel. It makes the history tangible in a way that makes the stakes of the present so much higher and makes this book feel that much more special.

There is an emotional heft to this novel that, while not missing from their previous books, is more weighted than anything they have written before. This novel pulls at your heartstrings in a way that I just wasn't expecting going in. This really is a beautiful love story at its core with some characters that you cannot help but root for at its centre.

No review of this novel would be complete without a mention of the secondary characters. Elliot's family is just as loveable as he is. Macy's father is a steady rock for his grieving daughter. I appreciated how much we got to know his character even with him not being a main character. The older Macy has a wonderfully supportive best friend that pushes her when she needs it most. These characters help flesh out not just the two main characters, but the world they inhabit and are created with some extra care that makes them more than window dressing.

I highly recommend this book if the 'second chance at romance' trope is a particular favourite of yours. It captures that delicious agony of wanting two characters to make it work with the thrill of watching them fall in love all over again. This may be a little different than what Christina Lauren fans are expecting, but a journey that is incredibly satisfying all the same.

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

I have a few fun things to share wtih you this week! I am getting so excited for fall 2018 book releases! It's going to be a great reading year!

BOOKS

Cover of What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera (goodreads)

I have been waiting for a cover of this book pretty much from the moment it was announced. I was hoping for something cute and fitting of the synopsis and the cover does not disappoint. Entertainment Weekly recently revealed the cover and it is perfect!

There is lots of speculation as to whether this will have a rom-com style ending that Becky is known for, or the more heartbreaking ending that Adam is known for. I am excited to discover that when this book is released. 

OTHER

True Crime Podcast Enamel Pins (link) (link)

Most people who visit this blog are aware of my true crime obsession, and my love of My Favorite Murder. It's pretty much my favourite podcast and I love this adorable pin!

 
I have been wanting to start collecting more of these enamel pins and this is one I have to add to my collection.

Also high up on my list of pins to collect? This amazing one for the Disgraceland podcast!

 

These would both look amazing with my Bucky and Steve enamel pin I have up in my work cubicle!

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris

My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel
Authors - by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris
Release Date - April 3,  2018
Publisher Website - Penguin Random House

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  352 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

This scandalous chooseable-path romance novel demands you determine your own romantic adventure-and satisfy all your earthly desires along the way!

Endless scenarios of high romance, deep desire, and quivering...comedy await your tender caress in this chooseable path romance novel. You are the plucky but penniless heroine in the center of 19th-century society, the courtship season has begun, and your future is at hand...

  *  Will you flip forward fetchingly to find love with the bantering baronet, Sir Benedict Granville?
  *  Or turn the page to true love with the hardworking, handsome, horse-loving highlander, Captain Angus McTaggart?
  *  Or perhaps you will chase through the chapters a good man gone mad, bad, and scandalous to know, in the arousing form of Lord Garraway Craven?
  *  Or read recklessly on to take to the continent as the "traveling companion" of the spirited and adventuresome Lady Evangeline?
  *  ...or yet another intriguing fate?

Whether it's forlorn orphans and fearsome werewolves, mistaken identities and swashbuckling swordfights, or long-lost lovers and pilfered Egyptian artifacts, every delightful twist and turn of the romance genre unfolds at your behest! Prepare to open your heart, open your mind, and open-this book.

I loved reading Choose Your Own Adventure books as a child. There was something about the ability to make choices that impacted the story that was very appealing to me. I used to devour any I could get my hands. As you can imagine I jumped at the chance to review a romance version of this when I was offered the opportunity to read My Lady's Choosing.

This is a hard book to review because part of the appeal of this novel is discovering the plot as you go along. It's not really about the plot or writing anyway. It is about the enjoyment that comes out of the reader getting to steer the direction of the story being told. This novel takes it queues from some classic romances story (like Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights for example) but a quick browse through the book shows plenty of other inspiration as well. There are so many different story paths you can embark upon and they range in genre. There seem to be paranormal, standard romantic fare, adventure, and so much more. It is the sheer number of choices that make this novel work for the style it is written in. It allows the reader can pick it up multiple times and experience something new.

The inclusion of a possible female love interest was something I noticed while reading the synopsis. It means those looking for that representation have the opportunity to find that within this novel. I have not read down that path as of yet, so I cannot speak to the story arcs that include it, but feel it is important to mention it exists as a choice that can be made during the coarse of reading this novel.

I have read two different possible paths in order to a fuller experience. They are quick reads, for the most part, and offer plenty of opportunity for the reader to make choices. I noticed that this offers up a more 'tongue-in-cheek' tone to the stories, and that the stories are written in a more humourous way. There is plenty of sexual innuendo and some comical (and sometimes steamy) sex scenes. This is meant to be a book you have fun reading and that is evident in nearly every choice that went into writing this novel. It's the perfect book to pair with some wine as you and your friends take turns make decisions during a Girl's Night. 

If you've ever found yourself wanting to make the decisions for the heroine in that romance novel you are reading then I highly recommend picking up My Lady's Choosing. It's a fun, often funny, twist on the romance novel and one you'll want to share with your friends. 

Waiting On Wednesday .... Any Man

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

This week's pick is Any Man by Amber Tamblyn

Here is the Goodreads synopsis 

In her blazingly original and unforgettable debut novel Any Man, Amber Tamblyn brings to startling life a specter of sexual violence in the shadowy form of Maude, a female serial rapist who preys on men.

In this electric and provocative debut novel, Tamblyn blends genres of poetry, prose, and elements of suspense to give shape to the shocking narratives of victims of sexual violence, mapping the destructive ways in which our society perpetuates rape culture.

A violent serial rapist is on the loose, who goes by the name Maude. She hunts for men at bars, online, at home— the place doesn’t matter, neither does the man. Her victims then must live the aftermath of their assault in the form of doubt from the police, feelings of shame alienation from their friends and family and the haunting of a horrible woman who becomes the phantom on which society projects its greatest fears, fascinations and even misogyny. All the while the police are without leads and the media hound the victims, publicly dissecting the details of their attack.

What is extraordinary is how as years pass these men learn to heal, by banding together and finding a space to raise their voices. Told in alternating viewpoints signature to each voice and experience of the victim, these pages crackle with emotion, ranging from horror to breathtaking empathy.

As bold as it is timely, Any Man paints a searing portrait of survival and is a tribute to those who have lived through the nightmare of sexual assault.

I was immediately excited about this book the second Amber Tamblyn announced it. I have been a fan of her acting work for years, and am intrigued to see what her writing style is like.

The book's timely premise ensures it'll be talked about as the release date nears. I am intrigued about looking at rape and rape culture through the lense of male victims. It provides a worthy discussion starting premise that I predict will be perfect for book clubs.

Amber Tamblyn's involvement with the #MeToo movement also instills confidence that she will handle this subject matter with the utmost care. I know that she'll be respectful of the victims and that makes me more willing to take a chance on this novel.

Expected release date - June 26, 2018

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman
Release Date - March 27,  2018
Publisher Website - Penguin Random House

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  304 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

A powerful story of empathy and friendship from the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of If I Stay.

Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans to run away from everyone he has ever loved, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City with a backpack, a desperate plan, and nothing left to lose. When a fateful accident draws these three strangers together, their secrets start to unravel as they begin to understand that the way out of their own loss might just lie in help­ing the others out of theirs.

An emotionally cathartic story of losing love, finding love, and discovering the person you are meant to be, I Have Lost My Way is best­selling author Gayle Forman at her finest. 

I Have Lost My Way is essentially three stories being woven into one. It's the story of three people who are each lost in their own way. It's the story of their paths interconnecting and the impact that has on each of their individual stories. It's also the story of finding help, hope, and strength in unlikely places.

Freya, Harun, and Nathaniel are all so different from each other. Their stories, at first, seem like they would have little in common. Feyra is a singer who fears she may have permanently lost her voice. Harun feels he may have lost the man he loves. Nathaniel is both literally and figuratively lost. Their stories interconnect after a chance encounter that is beautifully written and orchestrated. It's the jumping off point of the story, and it felt like a lot of care was taken to get their meeting exactly right. It sets the tone for the rest of the story and does so perfectly.

This story takes place during the coarse of one day. This means that it is quickly paced read and that everything is contained in a way that felt unique to me. There isn't time for things to linger. The characters are reacting in the moment and that makes the story feel all the more real. This is a character driven story and that means that the plot is more emotion based, so this tight time frame worked for the story incredibly well. It also spotlights Gayle's writing because she is able to pack all those emotions into such a contained story.

There are three different points of view that are being juggled. This means that the reader is switching back and forth from the various perspectives. It also means that each of the stories unravels at just the right pace. There is enough mystery in each to hold your interest, and you get the pieces to the puzzle at exactly the right time. It may take some getting used to, especially as flashbacks are introduced into each of the stories being told, but once you're pulled into the story it becomes compelling and impossible to put down.

All of the stories focus on family in some way. Freya's relationship with her sister is a driving force for her story arc, but her entire family is just as important to who her character is. Harun is struggling with the weight of keeping secrets from his family and what that means for his future. Nathaniel, who has the most mysterious and  slow to unravel story arc, has a complicated relationship with his father that is heart of his story. These stories are handled in the adept way that Gayle Forman is known for. These relationships are messy and complicated and that makes them feel all the more authentic. Family really is a huge part of what makes someone who they are and I appreciated it being such a large focus in this novel.

The heartbreak of different kinds of loss is what drives this novel. Instead of allowing the reader, or the characters, to sit in that heartbreak, this novel instead shines a light on the strength that is gained from human connections. There is a strength to be found in helping others, and allowing others to help you. There is a hope that resides in these actions that helps lift you. The kindness people show each other, as cliche as it sounds, can go a long way.  There is something cathartic in knowing that you're not alone, and that someone sees you. Each of these characters is struggling with being alone. They are afraid that revealing things about themselves will leave them untethered and change the way those they love see them. The loneliness each of these characters feel is palpable, as is the relief in finding others who understand.

I Have Lost My Way is an intricately woven story that is filled with everything a Gayle Forman fan could hope for. It hits all the emotional notes you want it to, and leaves you feeling hopeful at the end. It's poignant in a way that so many of Gayle's books are. If you're a fan of Gayle Forman's previous books, or just of contemporary young adult novels in general, I highly recommend picking this one up.

** Side note - just mentioning a potential trigger warning for this novel. There are some suicidal elements in the story that I wasn't expecting, and think others should be aware of **