JM’s August – September 2017 Book Haul

Hi, you guys! JM here. It’s that time of the month again when I try to share with everyone all the books that I got for the past month! August was a fairly mild book buying month for me mainly because I opted to buy myself a new phone. It’s been 7 years since I bought one, and I thought it was just fitting since I also celebrated my 1-year working anniversary last July. Anyway, you guys, I’m extremely pleased to introduce to you my new buddy, Mateo!

Hi y’all! So today, after years of having fun with my previous phone, I got myself a new one! And I’m naming him Mateo. Say hello! 👋🏼 pic.twitter.com/tzZyo3J2vp

— JM @ BFR 📚 (@JMCabraal) September 1, 2017

Why name him Mateo, you ask? Well, it just so happens that I cannot move on from Adam Silvera’s latest book, They Both Die At The End (my review’s already up if you want to check it out), and I loved one of his characters who was named Mateo.

Mateo and I will be working together closely to bring you more content here on Arctic Books as well as on my own blog, Book Freak Revelations, and I can’t wait to share with you guys all the output we’ll be able to produce, so stay tuned!

But enough about that! Let’s move on to the actual book haul!

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Gray Wolf Island Blog Tour (Review + Giveaway!)

I’m so thrilled to be on the blog tour for GRAY WOLF ISLAND. Here’s a bit about the book!

Gray Wolf Island by Tracey Neithercott
Series: n/a

Genre: YA Mystery

Publication: October 10th 2017 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Length: 336 pages

Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

Right before Sadie died, she begged her sister, Ruby, to do the one thing she could never do herself: Find the treasure on Gray Wolf Island.

With just a mysterious treasure map as a guide, Ruby reluctantly allows some friends to join her on the hunt, each of whom is touched by magic: a boy allegedly born to a virgin, a girl who never sleeps, a boy who can foresee his own death, and a boy with deep ties to the island. Each of them is also keeping a secret—something they’ll have to reveal in order to reach the treasure.

As the secrets come to light, Ruby will have to decide: Can she make peace with her friends’ troubled pasts and continue to trust them? Can she forgive herself for doing the unspeakable? Deep in the wilderness of Gray Wolf Island, Ruby’s choices will determine if they make it out with the treasure—or merely with their lives.

From debut author Tracey Neithercott comes a darkly compelling tale of profound friendship, adventure, and finding the strength to tell the truth.

Things I’m Seeing Without You Blog Tour (Q&A + Giveaway)

Things I’m Seeing Without You by Peter Bognanni
Series: n/a

Genre: YA Contemporary

Publication: October 3rd 2017 by Dial Books
Length: 336 pages

Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Tess Fowler has just dropped out of high school. She can barely function after learning of Jonah’s death. Jonah, the boy she’d traded banter with over texts and heartfelt e-mails.

Jonah, the first boy she’d told she loved and the first boy to say it back.

Jonah, the boy whose suicide she never saw coming.

Tess continues to write to Jonah, as a way of processing her grief and confusion. But for now she finds solace in perhaps the unlikeliest of ways: by helping her father with his new alternative funeral business, where his biggest client is . . . a prized racehorse?

As Tess’s involvement in her father’s business grows, both find comfort in the clients they serve and in each other. But love, loss, and life are so much more complicated than Tess ever thought. Especially after she receives a message that turns her life upside down.

Review: Devils & Thieves by Jennifer Rush

Devils & Thieves by Jennifer Rush

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Publication: October 3rd 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Series: Devils & Thieves #1

Length: 336 pages

Format: ARC from publisher (Thank you!)

Goodreads

Eighteen-year-old Jemmie Carmichael has grown up surrounded by magic in the quiet town of Hawthorne, New York. In her world, magic users are called “kindled,” and Jemmie would count herself among them if only she could cast a simple spell without completely falling apart. It doesn’t help that she was also recently snubbed by Crowe, the dangerous and enigmatic leader of the Black Devils kindled motorcycle gang and the unofficial head of their turf.

When the entire kindled community rolls into Hawthorne for an annual festival, a rumour begins spreading that someone is practising forbidden magic. Then people start to go missing. With threats closing in from every side, no one can be trusted. Jemmie and Crowe will have to put aside their tumultuous history to find their loved ones, and the only thing that might save them is the very flaw that keeps Jemmie from fully harnessing her magic. For all her years of feeling useless, Jemmie may just be the most powerful kindled of all.

Review: Mean Girls by Micol Ostow

Mean Girls by Micol Ostow
Genre: YA Contemporary, Film Novelization
Publication: September 12, 2017 from Scholastic Inc.
Series: None. Standalone.
Length: 304 pages
Format: eARC from publisher
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Amazon || Book Depository

You know the story–or do you?

Cady Heron grew up homeschooled in Africa with scientist parents as her teachers, monkeys as her classmates and the African plains as her playground. But when her family moves to the suburbs of Illinois, she finds herself a stranger in a strange land: high school.

With no prior research to guide her, Cady’s forced to figure out North Shore High all on her own. Suddenly she finds herself sucked into Girl World as a new member of the social elite dubbed “The Plastics.” Cady discovers that unlike the wild, Girl World doesn’t have any rules–especially when you maybe, possibly, okay definitely, have a giant crush on their ruthless leader’s ex-boyfriend. Turns out, life in high school might be even more brutal than a showdown on the Savannah.

Based on the screenplay by Tina Fey, this retelling of the cult classic film includes tons of extra, never-before-seen bonus content.

Warcross Blog Tour (Moodboards + Giveaway!)

I’m beyond thrilled to be on the blog tour for WARCROSS. Marie Lu is one of my absolute favorite authors, and I’ve read all of her books, all of which warranted 5 stars. Here’s a bit more information about WARCROSS, Marie’s newest book!

Warcross by Marie Lu
Series: Warcross #1

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Publication: September 12th 2017 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Length: 416 pages

Format: ARC

Goodreads

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu—when a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths.

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

Review: The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun David Hutchinson

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun David Hutchinson

Genre: YA Contemporary, LGBT

Publication: January 20th 2015 by Simon Pulse

Series: n/a

Length: 297 pages

Format: Hardcover

Andrew Brawley was supposed to die that night. His parents did, and so did his sister, but he survived.

Now he lives in the hospital. He serves food in the cafeteria, he hangs out with the nurses, and he sleeps in a forgotten supply closet. Drew blends in to near invisibility, hiding from his past, his guilt, and those who are trying to find him.

Then one night Rusty is wheeled into the ER, burned on half his body by hateful classmates. His agony calls out to Drew like a beacon, pulling them both together through all their pain and grief. In Rusty, Drew sees hope, happiness, and a future for both of them. A future outside the hospital, and away from their pasts.

But Drew knows that life is never that simple. Death roams the hospital, searching for Drew, and now Rusty. Drew lost his family, but he refuses to lose Rusty, too, so he’s determined to make things right. He’s determined to bargain, and to settle his debts once and for all.

But Death is not easily placated, and Drew’s life will have to get worse before there is any chance for things to get better.

Review: The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller

The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller

Genre: YA Contemporary, LGBT

Publication: July 11th 2017 by HarperTeen

Series: n/a

Length: 384 pages

Format: Hardcover

Matt hasn’t eaten in days.

His stomach stabs and twists inside, pleading for a meal. But Matt won’t give in. The hunger clears his mind, keeps him sharp—and he needs to be as sharp as possible if he’s going to find out just how Tariq and his band of high school bullies drove his sister, Maya, away.

Matt’s hardworking mom keeps the kitchen crammed with food, but Matt can resist the siren call of casseroles and cookies because he has discovered something: the less he eats the more he seems to have . . . powers. The ability to see things he shouldn’t be able to see. The knack of tuning in to thoughts right out of people’s heads. Maybe even the authority to bend time and space.

So what is lunch, really, compared to the secrets of the universe?

Matt decides to infiltrate Tariq’s life, then use his powers to uncover what happened to Maya. All he needs to do is keep the hunger and longing at bay. No problem. But Matt doesn’t realize there are many kinds of hunger… and he isn’t in control of all of them.

Fall 2017 Fashion Trends | Men + Woman

Hey Bookworms!

I don’t know about you guys, but I love fashion just as much I like books. Am I though only one? Even though I classify myself as a fashion terrorist, A.K.A. I suck at matching colors; fashion has always been a big part of my life.

I would say my personal style is defintiely neutral colors like black, white, grey, navy etc. I love me some skinny jeans, cropped pants, big knitted sweaters and hoodies. What about you guys?

I thought it would be fun to show you guys what’s trending in the fashion world this Fall of 2017, so let’s begin:

Jane, Unlimited Blog Tour (Review + Giveaway!)

I’m so trilled to be on the blog tour for JANE, UNLIMITED! This was actually my first Kristin Cashore novel, and I’m excited to share with you my thoughts on it. Check out some information about the novel:

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore
Series: n/a

Genre: YA Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Publication: September 19th 2017 by Kathy Dawson Books
Length: 464 pages

Goodreads

Jane has lived an ordinary life, raised by her aunt Magnolia—an adjunct professor and deep sea photographer. Jane counted on Magnolia to make the world feel expansive and to turn life into an adventure. But Aunt Magnolia was lost a few months ago in Antarctica on one of her expeditions.

Now, with no direction, a year out of high school, and obsessed with making umbrellas that look like her own dreams (but mostly just mourning her aunt), she is easily swept away by Kiran Thrash—a glamorous, capricious acquaintance who shows up and asks Jane to accompany her to a gala at her family’s island mansion called Tu Reviens.

Jane remembers her aunt telling her: “If anyone ever invites to you to Tu Reviens, promise me that you’ll go.” With nothing but a trunkful of umbrella parts to her name, Jane ventures out to the Thrash estate. Then her story takes a turn, or rather, five turns. What Jane doesn’t know is that Tu Reviens will offer her choices that can ultimately determine the course of her untethered life. But at Tu Reviens, every choice comes with a reward, or a price.