The Bookish Life of Nina Hill – Abbi Waxman

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Received: Penguin Random House Canada
Published: July 2019
Publisher: Berkley
Recommended Age: 14+
Genres & Themes: Adult, Fiction, Romance, Family Drama, Friendship Dynamics, Books about Books

---

REVIEW:

This book, to me, was perfection. Beautiful story, astoundingly-relatable and charming characters that I could not get enough of, lovely fairytale-esque atmosphere and elegant writing style. Sometimes authors just mention that a character is a bookworm, hoping that the reader instantly connects, but instead of simply telling us about Nina Hill’s whole life revolving around books, she actually proved it to us, thus making her ten times more real and worth befriending to me.

A Ladder to the Sky – John Boyne

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: PRH Canada
Published: 2018
Publisher: Hogarth Press
Recommended Age: 14+
Genres & Themes: Adult, Literary Fiction, LGBTQIA+, Historical Fiction, Books about Books, Writing, Family, Success

---

REVIEW:

I have never before genuinely despised an antihero. Antiheroes are hella fun. By that I mean that I love to root for them because they’re often unpredictable, unconventional and unusual and they don’t care to play the role of the good guy. They live by their own rules and that can be really entertaining to witness.

A Child of Books – Oliver Jeffers

A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers

My rating: 6 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Published: September 6th, 2016
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Genres & Themes: Picture Book, Books about Books, Friendship, Imagination

---

BLURB:

A little girl sails her raft across a sea of words, arriving at the house of a small boy. She invites him to go away with her on an adventure into the world of stories… where, with only a little imaginaton, anything at all can happen.

Little Red Reading Hood

Little Red Reading Hood by Lucy Rowland

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Received: Raincoast Books
Publication Date: January 25th, 2018
Publisher: Macmillan
Genres & Themes: Picture Books, Fairytale Retelling, Books about Books, Magic

---

BLURB:

Little Red Reading Hood LOVES reading books and making up stories of her own. When she meets a cunning wolf while on her way to the library, he convinces her to stray from the path and read for a little while. But hasn’t she read this in a story before? Perhaps it’s time she came up with a new ending . . .

The Silver Cage – Anonymous

The Silver Cage by Anonymous

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Received: Bought
First Published: January 2018
Publisher: Self-Published
Recommended Age: 16+
Pacing: Normal
Genres & Themes: Adult, M/M Romance, Dark, Faith, Self-Harm, Sexual Identity

---

BLURB:

A bitter, mysterious author. A young and naive journalist. A tragic past, a dark secret, and an unforgettable tale of passion and love.

WARNING: The Silver Cage is intended for mature readers; it contains graphic sensuality and strong themes including suicide, sexual identity, and self-harm.

Anonymous is a pseudonymous international bestseller. The Silver Cord, a companion novel to The Silver Cage, will be released in the first half of 2018.

The Reader – Traci Chee

The Reader by Traci Chee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: September 13th 2016
Publisher: Putnam
Point of View: 3rd Person & Alternative
Recommended Age: 12+
Pacing: Slow
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Magic, Pirates, Books about Books

---

BLURB:

Sefia knows what it means to survive. After her father is brutally murdered, she flees into the wilderness with her aunt Nin, who teaches her to hunt, track, and steal. But when Nin is kidnapped, leaving Sefia completely alone, none of her survival skills can help her discover where Nin’s been taken, or if she’s even alive. The only clue to both her aunt’s disappearance and her father’s murder is the odd rectangular object her father left behind, an object she comes to realize is a book—a marvelous item unheard of in her otherwise illiterate society. With the help of this book, and the aid of a mysterious stranger with dark secrets of his own, Sefia sets out to rescue her aunt and find out what really happened the day her father was killed—and punish the people responsible.

Review: Paper and Fire (The Great Library, #2) by Rachel Caine

Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Received: NetGalley
Publication Date: July 5th 2016
Publisher: NAL
Point of View: 3rd Person
Recommended Age: 13+
Genres &  Themes: Young Adult, Fantasy, Steampunk, Books about Books

BLURB:

In Ink and Bone, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine introduced a world where knowledge is power, and power corrupts absolutely. Now, she continues the story of those who dare to defy the Great Library—and rewrite history…

With an iron fist, The Great Library controls the knowledge of the world, ruthlessly stamping out all rebellion, forbidding the personal ownership of books in the name of the greater good.

Jess Brightwell has survived his introduction to the sinister, seductive world of the Library, but serving in its army is nothing like he envisioned. His life and the lives of those he cares for have been altered forever. His best friend is lost, and Morgan, the girl he loves, is locked away in the Iron Tower and doomed to a life apart.

Embarking on a mission to save one of their own, Jess and his band of allies make one wrong move and suddenly find themselves hunted by the Library’s deadly automata and forced to flee Alexandria, all the way to London.

But Jess’s home isn’t safe anymore. The Welsh army is coming, London is burning, and soon, Jess must choose between his friends, his family, or the Library willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in the search for ultimate control…

DNF Review: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Received: Bought
Publication Date: November 10th 2015
Publisher: Atria Books
Point of View: 1st Person & Alternative
Recommended Age: 14+
Genres &  Themes: New Adult, Contemporary, Cheesy Romance, Books about Books, Soulmates, Dreams and Hopes

BLURB:

Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

Review: Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Bought
Publication Date: July 7th 2015
Publisher: NAL
Point of View: 3rd Person
Recommended Age: 13+
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy, Books About Books

BLURB:

In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…