Well Developed Characters, But A Lacking Plot // REVIEW: The Fates' Divide by Veronica Roth

Title: The Fates' Divide
Author: Veronica Roth
Publication Date: April 10th 2018
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 2/2 of the Carve the Mark Duology
I Got A Copy Through: HarperCollins India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: In the second book of the Carve the Mark duology, globally bestselling Divergent author Veronica Roth reveals how Cyra and Akos fulfil their fates.
The Fates Divide is a richly imagined tale of hope and resilience told in four stunning perspectives.
The lives of Cyra Noavek and Akos Kereseth are ruled by their fates, spoken by the oracles at their births. The fates, once determined, are inescapable.
Akos is in love with Cyra, in spite of his fate: he will die in service to Cyra’s family. And when Cyra’s father, Lazmet Noavek – a soulless tyrant, thought to be dead – reclaims the Shotet throne, Akos believes his end is closer than ever.
As Lazmet ignites a barbaric war, Cyra and Akos are desperate to stop him at any cost. For Cyra, that could mean taking the life of the man who may – or may not – be her father.
For Akos, it could mean giving his own. In a stunning twist, the two will discover how fate defines their lives in ways most unexpected.

READ MY REVIEW OF BOOK 1, Carve The Mark, here

It took me a week to read this book, which, for me, is quite a long time.

In all honestly, it’s not that I didn’t enjoy it. It was dark and delved deeper into war, fate, love, family and blood that I ever imagined it would, and definitely better ‘Carve the Mark’ in many aspects. It was a good book, basically, but for the three problems I had with it:

1)      THERE WAS SO MUCH FILLER. Travelling to new planets and getting SO caught up in the life there, that their mission, whatever it was, seemed forgotten. Basically, filler, and a lot of places I didn’t care about.

2)      I JUST WASN’T INVESTED? I cared about Cisi, Akos, Cyra, Isae and the rest, but I didn’t care ENOUGH to sit at the edge of my seat and wonder if they would survive.

3)      WHERE WAS THE PLOT, REALLY? I struggled with this concept so much, because there was SO MUCH description about medicine making and Ogran lifeforms (a planet in the galaxy) but the actual WAR SCENES and the CONCLUSION were so rushed that I was left… stranded? Wondering WHAT HAPPENED because The Fates’ Divide totally glossed over the most important parts of all. *SIGHS EXASPERATEDLY*

There were a lot of things I LIKED about the book as well, including:

1)      THE DIFFERENTIATING VIEWPOINTS: I absolutely loved that this book was told from five different viewpoints – Cyra and Akos, from book one and also Isae Benesit, Cisi and Eijeh Kereseth. It really showed you what was happening from different corners of the galaxy and I loved, especially, the three new POVs.

2)      EIJEH KERESETH: I LOVED HOW Veronica Roth wrote this boy (no spoilers, don’t worry), especially after everything he endured at the hands of the Noavek family in book one, and I really looked forward to his viewpoints.

3)      ISAE BENESIT: We knew (or I remember) almost nothing of Isae Benesit from Carve the Mark, but I loved her story, as we saw her navigating political alliances and the Assembly of the nine planets. I loved learning about her through both her and Cisi’s points of view.

And that’s it, I guess. I thought The Fates’ Divide was better than Carve the Mark, but I’m not the BIGGEST fan of the series as a whole. (Even though I rated the book higher - I'm just a tougher critic from a year and a half ago)

I definitely felt it could’ve been better in terms of plot, especially at the important parts and that there was LESS FILLER.

3 stars. *waves goodbye* 

Veronica Roth is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Carve the Mark and the Divergent Series (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, and Four: A Divergent Collection). Her short stories and essays have appeared in Summer Days and Summer Nights, Shards and Ashes, and the upcoming Three Sides of a Heart. The Divergent Series was developed into three major motion pictures.

Veronica grew up outside of Chicago and graduated from Northwestern University. She now lives in Chicago proper with her husband and dog and writes full-time.

Sign up for Veronica's newsletter to hear news, writing thoughts, book recommendations, etc.

Have you read either of Veronica Roth's series'? Which one do you like better?

Have you read the Carve the Mark duology? What do you think of it?

I'd absolutely love to hear from you!

 

Eloquent, Real, Beautiful, Tragic // ARC Review: A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bathena

Title: A Girl Like That
Author: Tanaz Bathena
Publication Date: February 27th 2018
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux Books (Macmillan)
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Macmillan INTL (Thank You!)
Buy Links: Amazon US || Amazon IN || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: A timeless exploration of high-stakes romance, self-discovery, and the lengths we go to love and be loved. 
Sixteen-year-old Zarin Wadia is many things: a bright and vivacious student, an orphan, a risk taker. She’s also the kind of girl that parents warn their kids to stay away from: a troublemaker whose many romances are the subject of endless gossip at school.  You don't want to get involved with a girl like that, they say. So how is it that eighteen-year-old Porus Dumasia has only ever had eyes for her? And how did Zarin and Porus end up dead in a car together, crashed on the side of a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia? When the religious police arrive on the scene, everything everyone thought they knew about Zarin is questioned. And as her story is pieced together, told through multiple perspectives, it becomes clear that she was far more than just a girl like that. 
This beautifully written debut novel from Tanaz Bhathena reveals a rich and wonderful new world to readers. It tackles complicated issues of race, identity, class, and religion, and paints a portrait of teenage ambition, angst, and alienation that feels both inventive and universal.

I first met Tanaz Bathena on Instagram, when she followed by #bookstagram account and upon discovering her profile, I read the Publisher’s Weekly announcement for her debut novel and I KNEW that it was something I NEEDED TO READ.

I read this book over the course of a week, and it was poignant and beautiful and it really hit home for me on multiple levels and easily one of the BEST books I read this year.

Let’s break it down:

WRITING:

Told through multiple points of view, A Girl Like That eloquently portrays the lives of teenagers living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with honest, unflinching prose that will haunt you long after you’ve put it down. Even though this was only Tanaz Bathena’s debut novel, I felt everything she wanted me to feel – the fear, the sense of inequality, the sadness, the anger and the joy – and it was experience like no other.

IDEA:

I’ve been RANTING on Twitter to anyone who will hear me about how much I NEEDED to read this book before I actually got my hands on it all because it SOUNDED SO BRILLIANT. Like, honestly, just read that synopsis and tell me you’re not intrigued.

PLOT:

The structure of the plot was unconventional, to say the least. And by that I mean that not only was this book not told in a chronological manner, but throughout its varying viewpoints, we learn stories from the past and present of each of the main characters; stories that shaped them, and it’s done in such a beautiful manner. A Girl Like That slowly constructs and deconstructs its diverse cast of characters in a heart breaking manner that will leave you SPELLBOUND.

I loved that this had so many points of view – Zarin, Porus, Farhan and Mishal, because it really pieced every heart breaking part of this story together.

CHARACTERS:

I absolutely loved Zarin and Porus. I loved Zarin’s need to be someone more and her need to break the shackles keeping her down with her rebellious streak. I wanted to reach in and hug her for the things life had put her through and I absolutely loved that Porus was there with her for it all.

Porus was a GEM of a human being. With rantings on true love and loyalty so fierce, I loved how Zarin and Porus worked together and how right they were for each other at the moment.

All the girls in this book, in one way or another were fighting for independence, fighting for individuality and also just to be equal in a society that does everything to push them down and everybody’s story was beautiful in its own way.

CONCLUSION:

This book was BETTER than I expected it would be, and I expected a LOT from it.

A poignant, heart breaking, diverse book on love, life and death; a harsh look into society in the Middle East and the beautiful, broken lives of girls living there.

Tanaz Bhathena was born in Mumbai and raised in Riyadh, Jeddah and Toronto. Her short stories have appeared in various journals, including Blackbird, Witness and Room Magazine. A Girl Like That is her first novel. Find Tanaz on Instagram

Have you heard of // read this book? WHAT DID YOU THINK OF IT?
What are some of your favourite Diverse book?
I'd love to hear your recommendations.

A Beautiful, Magical, Hard-Hitting Debut // ARC Review: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Title: Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1)
Author: Tomi Adeyemi
Publication Date: March 6th 2018
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 1/3 in the Legacy of Orisha Trilogy
I Got A Copy Through: Pan Macmillan India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. 
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. 
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

 

I’m staring at the blinking cursor, unable to understand HOW to start talking about this MARVEL of a book, because I finished it a week ago and I’m STILL unable to collect my thoughts?

Reviewing books you love REALLY is the hardest. I find it hard to fit into five hundred something words EVERYTHING that a 600 something page book made me feel, but let’s try anyways.

Children of Blood and Bone is a GROUND BREAKING magical book that makes you feel grief, oppression, love, family and most of all, magic. It has all the right elements, realistic characters that you root for from page one, a GORGEOUS cover and basically the epic black protagonist book we’ve all been looking for.

MY THOUGHTS:

1.       I took this book on a photography trip with me, up North, and through the most hectic week of my life, all I could think about was going back to the bus/ room and reading more of this BEAUTY.

2.       I am OBSSESSED with books that are obsessed with magic and Children of Blood and Bone had it ALL. Magical artefacts, different kinds of power, the repercussions of using magic, the beauty within magic and the fight to bring magic back. I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

 

3.       Tomi Adeyemi’s characters are STUNNING, but especially Zelie. I fell for this broken, magical, headstrong girl instantly and reading about the world through her eyes, and experiencing her grief was breath taking and I loved every second of it. Her hate, her hope and her need for change was so raw, and she clawed her way into my heart. I also ADORED Roen, and I hope he has a much bigger role to play in books to come.

4.       I also LOVED Inan, the prince and Tzain, Zelie’s brother. I was a little disappointed that Tzain didn’t get a viewpoint in the book, because he was such an important character. Inan, however, HOLY WOW. His character development and his thought process and responsibilities were so well written that I craved more from this tortured Prince.

5.       Amari was definitely my least favourite character among the four. While I liked her growth, I simply failed to connect with her.

6.       THE PLOT AND WORLD BUILDING IS INSANE, AND DEFINITELY #1 NYT BESTSELLER WORTHY. There was always something happening, always another plot twists or characters surprising you and it kept me on the edge of my seat!

7.       My favourite part of this book, however, was the parallel that Tomi Adeyemi drew to the Black Lives Matter movement in her fantasy world. Just like Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give, I felt everything – the pain, the oppression, the need for justice, fairness and compassion. It was a beautifully written book.

A stunning, beautiful, hard-hitting, magical debut novel, with badass women that will remind you of Black Panther, set in the fantasy world of your dreams. 4.5 stars. 

Tomi Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American writer and creative writing coach based in San Diego, California. Her debut novel, CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE, comes out March 6th, 2018 and the movie is currently in development at Fox with the producers of Twilight and The Maze Runner attached. 

After graduating Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature, she received a fellowship that allowed her to study West African mythology and culture in Salvador, Brazil. When she’s not working on her novels or watching Scandal, she can be found blogging and teaching creative writing to her 3,500 subscribers at tomiadeyemi.com. Her website has been named one of the 101 best websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.

HAVE YOU READ THIS MARVEL OF A BOOK YET? What do you think of it?
Tomi compares her debut to Marvel's Black Panther. Which is your favourite Marvel movie?
Are you excited for Avengers: Infinity War?

ARC Review: Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier

Title: Isle of Blood and Stone
Author: Makiia Lucier
Publication Date: April 10th 2018
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 1 on 2 of a Duology
I Got A Copy Through: HMH Teen (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon US || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Ulises asked, "How can I look at these maps, see this riddle, and do nothing? They are my brothers."
Elias reached across the table and flicked aside two shells with a fingertip. The map curled into itself. "It's bound to be a goose chase. You know that?"
"Or a treasure hunt," Ulises countered, "and you've always been good at those."
Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar's oldest friend. Soon he will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, an expedition past the Strait of Cain and into uncharted waters. Nothing stands in his way...until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light, threatening all he holds dear.
The people of St. John del Mar have never recovered from the loss of their boy princes, kidnapped eighteen years ago, both presumed dead. But when two maps surface, each bearing the same hidden riddle, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias's father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king's beautiful cousin by his side-whether he wants her there or not-Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. He will have to use his wits and guard his back. Because some truths are better left buried...and an unknown enemy stalks his every turn.

It’s been a while since I read anything an adventure/ mystery type of book that didn’t focus so much on a rebellion but more on a quest and a riddle, which is also why I was so excited about this book going in!

In all honesty, it took me forever to connect with all of the characters. On top of the main characters and the plot, there were also so many secondary characters, and LOCATIONS and well, it took me a while to connect and care about this world.

As soon as I did, however, Isle of Blood and Stone suddenly became a whole lot better. There was one clue after another coming to light, a fearless girl and hints of romance, actual political problems and betrayals and murder and I really liked it.

Let’s break it down:

IDEA:

I’ve never actually read a book about a cartographer, especially one set in a fantasy world, and I was SO INTRIGUED by the idea behind it all. I’ve loved books about solving clues and cases since I first read Nancy Drew and I was really looking forward to this book.

PLOT:

Like I said, it was a little difficult to connect with the world, despite the fact that I was excited to read the book. I find this happening so much more often with fantasy novels these days (Am I reading too much? Is there such a thing?) but after sticking to the book, I did manage to come out on the other side.

I really liked the plot structure, and all the secondary characters. I loved how Elias uncovered the conspiracy that started a war eighteen years ago, the map-making elements and the personal growth every character went through. I especially loved mundane things that built up the world in the book – small, political things that made everything so much more real.

CHARACTERS:

While I liked the characters (specifically Lady Mercedes and Lady Reyna) I didn’t fall in love with them. I liked their stories, and felt happy at their ending and liked the way they were grown, that essential spark was just missing.

I definitely liked Elias’ curious mind and kind soul, and his relationship with Lady Mercedes was adorable.

WRITING:

I don’t know if it was the characters or the writing, but while I find no real fault with this book, it lacked something that kept me from falling head over heels in love with it.

I, in a nutshell, liked this book fine but I didn’t love it, and I don’t know why.

CONCLUSION:

It was a different book, with amazing world building and ended up being a great one time read. It’s just not the kind of thing I loved so much to pick up again.

Makiia is the author of historical fiction and historical fantasy for young adults. She grew up on the Pacific Island of Guam (not too far from the equator), and has degrees in journalism and library science from the University of Oregon and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Her debut novel, A Death-Struck Year, was called a "powerful and disturbing reading experience" by Publishers Weekly. It was a finalist for Germany's top book prize for children, the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, as well as Japan's Sakura Medal, and was named an ABC Best Books for Children Selection by the American Booksellers Association.

Her second novel, Isle of Blood and Stone, will be available in Spring 2018.

What are some of your favourite adventure novels?
I feel like we don't see NEARLY enough of the genre and I'd love to hear your recommendations!

 

BLOG TOUR: The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Review + My Musical Journey

Hello Book Humans, and welcome to my stop on the International Blog Tour for Ashley Woodfolk's brilliant debut novel, The Beauty That Remains. A huge thank you to PRH International for putting this tour together, and for inviting me to be a part of it. 

The Beauty That Remains is a beautiful portrayal of how music can heal. It's told through three different teenagers, with numerous secondary characters and I absolutely loved it. 

Since the book focuses on music, apart from my review, I'll also be talking about my musical journey so do read until the end!

~**~

Title: The Beauty That Remains
Author: Ashley Woodfolk
Publication Date: March 6th 2018
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: PRH International (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon US || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Music brought Autumn, Shay, and Logan together. Death wants to tear them apart.
Autumn always knew exactly who she was—a talented artist and a loyal friend. Shay was defined by two things: her bond with her twin sister, Sasha, and her love of music. And Logan always turned to writing love songs when his love life was a little less than perfect.
But when tragedy strikes each of them, somehow music is no longer enough. Now Logan can’t stop watching vlogs of his dead ex-boyfriend. Shay is a music blogger struggling to keep it together. And Autumn sends messages that she knows can never be answered.
Despite the odds, one band's music will reunite them and prove that after grief, beauty thrives in the people left behind.

“If someone asked now, “What does love look like?” I’d tell them it was the lies in your eyes.

Books centred on tragedies usually fall in one of three categories for me – either the fall completely flat, or they leave me curled up in under my blanket sobbing my eyes out or they devastate me, and still leave me with hope.

The Beauty That Remains definitely left me in the last category. Ashley Woodfolk’s deep and haunting debut novel reminded me of Adam Silvera’s writing, along with one of my favourite elements in books (that we rarely see) – music – and I fell in love with it.

MY THOUGHTS:

1.       I love way this book was told. We had three narrators, and some incredibly developed secondary characters, each of whom were experiencing the devastating loss of a friend, ex or sister and it was their journey to reaching some kind of acceptance, through music.

 

2.       I struggled to keep up with all the characters in the beginning of this book. All of them were equally important from each narrator, to the person they each lost, to their support systems, but THERE WERE TOO MANY PEOPLE thrown at me in the beginning.

3.       Ashley Woodfolk’s writing was spectacular.  It was slow paced, but really dove into the unbearable grief each teenager felt. It was heart-breaking, poignant and I am A HUGE FAN.

4.       The cast was diverse and inclusive and I LOVED IT. Just off the top of my head, we had Asian rep, Hispanic rep and Gay rep and it dealt with depression, coping mechanisms, therapy and panic attacks with such finesse.

5.        I honestly connected with Logan and Bram’s story right from the get go, and I was desperately craving more.

6.       The only reason this book isn’t receiving a five star rating from me was that there was no definitive ending. I understand that you never truly finish grieving, but this book felt unfinished in a way I can’t fully explain.

A spectacularly written book on loss that will make you feel. 4 stars.

I first laid my hands on a grand piano when I was nine years old. I had seen my older sister practicing for years before that, and I was so excited to meet her teacher and play a real piano. It took me four years of grueling practice under that yeacher before she thought I was ready for an actual graded examination - the Trinity College of London Examination. 

Before I move on, I should inform you that I was not a natural at playing the piano. I struggled to find any sort of rhythm, make my fingers move across the keys and jump from one octave to another without staring down at each key and, just in general, understanding the beat of a song. 

It took years of practice before I had an understanding of how putting together music worked, which was when I took up my Grade One Trinity Examination. I went on until Grade Five (there are 8 grades) 

I worked on each piece for months on a row, purely because Trinity prescribed pieces from Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin. It was grueling work, learning part of a piece, playing it again and again until it became muscle memory to you, until a point where you weren't reading the notes of looking at the keys, but listening to the music you were creating and knowing what came next to make the melody.

It's hard to describe what music means to me. It's not something I can't live without, but working on a piece from a famous composer part by part and bringing it to life in a flurry of music in a cold examination room that smells suspiciously of maple syrup and makes you think God, I am HUNGRY, is honestly something I can't believe I did. 

Music, or learning an instrument like the Piano and it helps you understand that there are things more than yourself and your life. It's about re-creating art and melody and putting some life into black marks in a paper. 

Because of my ten years of piano lessons, I LOVE books that have music in them. The Beauty That Remains was a beautiful book on grief and music and I can't recommend it enough!

Ashley Woodfolk graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in English and her life-long love of books led her straight to the publishing industry. She's a member of the CBC Diversity Committee and markets books for children and teens. In her abundance of "spare" time, she writes contemporary YA. Indie movies, beer, books, and burgers are a few of her favorite things. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and pit bull puppy, Winnie. THE BEAUTY THAT REMAINS is her debut novel.

Have you ever played a musical instrument? Which one?

What are some of the best books you've read that handle grief?

What are you currently reading? 

I'd absolutely love to hear from you!

 

BLOG TOUR: I Stop Somewhere by T.E.Carter - Review, Favourite Quotes & Giveaway

Hi everybody! Welcome to my stop on the I Stop Somewhere Blog our hosted by the Fantastic Flying Book Club. I started reading this book only a little while ago and it sucked me in SO MUCH that I finished it in a matter of hours. It was intense, heartbreaking and I loved the book. 

Scroll down to read my review, favourite quotes and also, don't forget to enter the giveaway!

~**~

Title: I Stop Somewhere
Author: T.E.Carter
Publication Date: February 27th 2018
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: eARC from Feiwel & Friends and the FFBC
Buy Links: Amazon US || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description:Ellie Frias disappeared long before she vanished.
Tormented throughout middle school, Ellie begins her freshman year with a new look: she doesn't need to be popular; she just needs to blend in with the wallpaper.
But when the unthinkable happens, Ellie finds herself trapped after a brutal assault. She wasn't the first victim, and now she watches it happen again and again. She tries to hold on to her happier memories in order to get past the cold days, waiting for someone to find her.
The problem is, no one searches for a girl they never noticed in the first place.

 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Rape, Sexual Assault, Abuse, Physical Abuse

I find it hardest to talk about books that talk about sexual assault.

I’m female, and just with being female I live in a dangerous world where I must dress right, sit right, talk right, be demure, be assertive, be kind, be everything, really. I can’t go to parties without at least two other girls, I can’t walk on the road from when the sun begins to set and I can’t wear clothes that are an inch too short. It’s a terrifying way to grow up, being overly aware of your body and your surroundings at all times.

Sexual Assault terrifies me as well. It’s the most primal kind of violation one human being can inflict upon another and the #MeToo movement broke my heart, just seeing the number of women that have face that kind of violation, and we are looking only at the minority that did speak out.

While it’s hard to talk about books like I Stop Somewhere, The Nowhere Girls and Asking for It, they are SUCH IMPORTANT BOOKS for girls everywhere and I am automatically drawn to them.

MY THOUGHTS ON I Stop Somewhere:

1.       This book was intensely addicting. It terrified me, and yet it had me hooked. I was SO hooked that it took me just a handful of hours to read the ENTIRE thing and then I was left desperate for more.

2.       THIS. BOOK. BROKE. MY. HEART. I Stop Somewhere revolves around fifteen year old Ellie Friars and the first boy she loved, who turned out to be every girl’s deepest fears wrapped with a perfect bow. Ellie was the kind of girl who blended in. She kept to herself, didn’t have any kind of social media or friends and so when a beautiful boy notices her, she can’t help but all for him. You know the story from there. It’s so fucking unfortunate, but you, a human in this dangerous world, already know how this goes.

3.       Despite knowing where this book was taking me, THIS WAS RIDICULIOUSLY HARD TO GET THROUGH. I’m not talking about the book, but the subject manner. It was HARD, reading this emotionally turbulent, deeply intimate book on rape, survival, togetherness and what it means to be a girl.

4.       One of my favourite parts in the novel was when all of the victims came together, just for each other, just to talk about what was done to them and find solace in other girls who were assaulted as well.

This is one of the shortest reviews I’ve written recently, or feels like it because I haven’t gotten out nearly enough about what needs to be said on the issues this book handles. Nothing I can say says it all better than what I Stop Somewhere does, but I will warn you that it is a hard book to get through.

It’s one of those books you need to read.

It’s one of those books every girl out there needs to read.

Pick it up for your friends, daughters, nieces, sisters and also, for yourself. All of us girls need to be reading books like this. 

TE Carter was born in New England and has lived in New England for pretty much her entire life. Throughout her career, she’s done a lot of things, although her passion has always been writing. When she’s not writing, she can generally be found reading classic literature, playing Xbox, organizing her comic collection, or binge watching baking competitions. She continues to live in New England with her husband and their two cats.

1 hardcover copy of I STOP SOMEWHERE by T.E. Carter (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway