Thursday, October 17, 2019

In a Nutshell Reviews: YA Edition


In a Nutshell Reviews are my version of mini-reviews, because sometimes, you just want the highlights.

Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters
Emily Roberson
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Rating:  4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Sixteen-year-old Ariadne’s whole life is curated and shared with the world. Her royal family’s entertainment empire is beloved by the tabloids, all over social media, and the hottest thing on television. The biggest moneymaker? The Labyrinth Contest, a TV extravaganza in which Ariadne leads fourteen teens into a maze to kill a monster. To win means endless glory; to lose means death. In ten seasons, no one has ever won.

When the gorgeous, mysterious Theseus arrives at the competition and asks Ariadne to help him to victory, she doesn’t expect to fall for him. He might be acting interested in her just to boost ratings. Their chemistry is undeniable, though, and she can help him survive. If he wins, the contest would end for good. But if she helps him, she doesn’t just endanger her family’s empire―the monster would have to die. And for Ariadne, his life might be the only one worth saving.

Ariadne’s every move is watched by the public and predestined by the gods, so how can she find a way to forge her own destiny and save the people she loves?
As penance for the murder of King Minos' eldest son, 14 of Athen's best and beautiful citizens must be sent to compete in the reality show, The Labyrinth Contest, where they would run the maze and attempt to conquer the Minotaur. After, 10 seasons, and lagging ratings, the newly claimed Athenian prince, Theseus, wanted to face the Minotaur in an effort to save his people, but he couldn't do it without the help of the Cretan princess, Ariadne. Would the princess choose her family, or would she choose love?
  • Pro: It amazed me how well this fairly savage tale fit into the reality show world. This story from so long ago fit perfectly with our contemporary idea of reality shows. 
  • Pro: I was impressed with how many elements of the original myth were woven into this tale. Though some things were reshaped, they were very recognizable, and I appreciate the way Roberson was able to make something simultaneously fresh and familiar. 
  • Pro: Ariadne was my kind of girl. She was smart and sarcastic. She preferred comfy clothes to dressing up, and virtual reality games to parties. I found her very likable and relatable, and found her easy to root for. 
  • Pro: This book was really fun to read. I enjoyed all the reality show level drama, and found the cast of colorful characters highly entertaining. 
  • Pro: I did enjoy the romance, and wish there had been more, because these two were great together. 
  • Pro: What an interesting juxtaposition - someone living the reality show life, which is highly curated, and someone seeking their independence. I know I was rooting for this princess to make her own way.
Overall: A fun and fresh twist on a the story of the Minotaur, which preserved all the important elements of the original.

** ARC received in exchange for an honest review.


I'll Meet You There
Heather Demetrios
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Henry Holt
Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
If Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing separating Skylar from art school is three months of summer…until Skylar’s mother loses her job, and Skylar realizes her dreams may be slipping out of reach.

Josh had a different escape route: the Marines. But after losing his leg in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be.

What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and, soon, something deeper.

Compelling and ultimately hopeful, this is a powerful examination of love, loss, and resilience.
Skylar and her friend, Chris, had a plan. They were going to conquer high school, remain celibate, and earn their ticket out of Creek View. The time had finally arrived, and it looked like their plan had succeeded. Sky was awarded a full scholarship to San Francisco College, and was on her way in just a few short months. But as the date approached, her mother was unraveling, and the return of Josh had her dealing with some complicated feelings. Would Skylar still be able to achieve her dreams?
  • Pro: Sky was someone worthy of my admiration. She did not have it easy. I really appreciated how hard she was willing to work to make sure both she and her mother had some sort of security. Her combination of tenacity, strength, and generosity made her a phenomenal character, and one that was easy to care about.  
  • Pro: The bulk of the book was told from Sky's point of view, but WOW! Those few pages we got from Josh, here and there, were so telling and heart wrenching, but they also showed how he was slowly, but surely, coming to terms with some of the overwhelming emotions he was dealing with upon returning to civilian life. 
  • Pro: Demetrios did an incredible job capturing the struggles Josh was battling. Between his nightmares, PTSD, survivor's guilt, uncertainty about his future, feelings of uselessness, loss of his "family", and the physical pain - he was dealing with a lot. Though this was not a full list of the types of obstacles soldiers face when (if) they come home, it was a hard and important look at some of the issues they are faced with. 
  • Pro: Life in a small town was perfectly drawn. At first, all we saw were the bad parts, but as summer wore on, Sky changed and so did her relationship with Creek View, and we got to see that there are some good aspects to small town life, many of which shaped who Sky was, flaws and all. 
  • Pro: How cool is collage art? I was so enthralled with every description of Sky's work. I found it utterly fascinating, and it made me want to run out to get some paper and glue. 
  • Pro: There was a lot of focus on all various relationships throughout this story, and I found myself thinking of how lucky Sky was to have this many beautiful people in her life. Dylan, Chris, Josh, Marge, and even her mom. Each gave so much to Sky and inspired her to want more, to be more. 
Overall: An emotionally charged story of the value of human connection, perseverance in the face of change, and not compromising your dreams.


Do you have a favorite myth?
Let us know in the comments!

33 comments:

  1. Oh looks like some cool reads! I love the title of the first one :)

    Lotte | www.lottelauv.blogspot.co.uk

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  2. I enjoyed I'll Meet You There, too, but it's been forever! Glad you enjoyed both of these.

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    1. I am so late to the party, but I am glad I finally read that book. Now I know what everyone is raving about.

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  3. Love your review of I’ll Meet You There, Sam! I am so, so glad you enjoyed it! (My heart would have broken, otherwise.) Skye’s circumstances were determined to drag her down even as she struggled to break free. I really felt for her. It was Josh’s story that was like a gut punch, though. His experiences and the marks the left on him (physical and emotional) made such a huge impact on me. I see the aftermath of combat firsthand and Demetrios did an amazing job of showcasing it.

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    1. Yes, to everything you said, but I really appreciated the way Demetrios talked about how we can disagree with the act of war, but still respect the people, who fight in those wars. She showed the positive and negative side of being in the armed forces, and those complexities were illustrated so well via Josh.

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  4. Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters is calling to me! I love books based in mythology. Honestly, the only thing that makes me hesitate is the god awful cover... And I know it shouldn't! But my brain doesn't want to compute that the story can be good despite the cover being so bad. *bangs head on table*

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    1. I originally passed over Lifestyles because of the cover as well, but I saw a bunch of great reviews, and I am glad I gave it a try. I really enjoyed it.

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  5. I'm so happy you loved I'll Meet You There - it's been one of my favorite contemporaries since I read it. I adored the characters, especially Sky, but loved how Demetrios wasn't afraid to shine line on their negative qualities/deeds - e.g. the way Sky was hurting one of her best friends with the way she talked about people who stay in small towns. And, like you said, the relationships were truly well-written, complex and special, and I loved reading about them. :)

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    1. But, I liked the way Sky started to see things differently too. Her relationship with her hometown did soften a bit, and it was good to see her appreciate that it was something that shaped her.

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  6. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Pardon me to sound so ..orgasmic Sam but as I am always recommending I'll meet You There of course I am extatic right now ;-)

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    1. I. Need. To. Stop. Laughing. You always make me smile, but I totally understand how exciting it is to see someone agree with you about how awesome a favorite book is, and I'll Meet You There was rather wonderful.

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  7. It sounds like I'll Meet You There is just as good as I have heard. I really need to get that book off of my shelves. I would probably enjoy both of these.

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    1. It really was a great book. Demetrios wrote some very complex characters and I appreciated the journey they took together.

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  8. I enjoy reading mythology and Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters sounds really good with this kind of twist in the story. I've been interested in the minotaur's story ever since I read bits and pieces about it in Madeline Miller's Circe.

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    1. I have seen a lot of good buzz for Circe, but honestly, I don't normally pick up books like this. I kept seeing people talking about how "fun" this book was, and that's my siren's call. I love a fun book, and this one definitely delivered along with all that delicious drama we expect from reality TV

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  9. These both looks like incredible reads Sam but Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters especially, it sounds like a book I'd fall in love with. Ariadne sounds like a character I can get on board with, who doesn't prefer sitting around in their comfiest clothing and getting online rather than you know, meeting people. Looking forward to grabbing a copy! Brilliant reviews Sam, really enjoyed them.

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    1. Ariadne was definitely relatable, except for when she had to lead people to their deaths, but you know, you can't sit home reading every night. I remember telling my daughter bits and pieces of about this book as I read it, and that mythology lover in her was curious. I feel like a YA reader with an affection for myths could really enjoy this retelling.

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  10. Ahhhh I'm so, so so happy you enjoyed I'll meet You There! It's one of my favorite reads, so emotional and so wonderful. So happy you liked it :)
    Lovely reviews!

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    1. It was well executed, and I was really pleased with the paths the author gave to both Josh and Sky. I would love a follow up novella though, because I would love to know how those two made out.

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  11. Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters is on my list, I'm glad you enjoyed it

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    1. I am glad I gave it a chance, because I thought it was a great take on a classic myth

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  12. I'd finally got around to reading I'll Meet You There last year after having it on my tbr list for the longest time; I should've read it sooner because it was by far one of the best YA books I'd ever read, I loved Skylar and Josh!

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    1. Right! For years, I wanted to read it, but I didn't have the book. Then, I won a book of choice, picked it, and just had no time. I am glad I made the effort, because like you, I adored Sky and Josh.

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  13. Oh yay, I am glad that you liked Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters, I am hoping to get to that one soon! Also SOOOO happy that you liked I'll Meet You There! It's such an all-time fave of mine!! Great reviews!

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    1. I now feel like I am part of the club, because I understand why everyone loves I'll Meet You There so much.

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  14. I am so glad you enjoyed I'll Meet You There because that book is one I love so much. I didn't expect to and kind of thought I'd regret buying a physical copy of it and I ended up totally adoring it. You're kind of making me want to reread now. And the description of the collage art in the book is so good it just makes me want to get creative in someway when I read.

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    1. The collage art parts definitely had me missing my arts and crafts days, but also had me in a state of wonderment, because of the imagery conjured by the great descriptions. I knew I would like the book, but it definitely touched me and affected me in a bigger way than I anticipated.

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  15. I'll Meet You There sounds like my kind of read so I definitely need to check that one out based on your review. The first book sounds really interesting too, not to mention unique. I hadn't heard of that one before but you have me curious.

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    1. Lifestyles is definitely under the radar, but I am glad I took a chance on it. It's a bit different from my norm, but still had enough elements I love for me to embrace the story. Very fun retelling.

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  16. Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters is one that was on my wishlist as soon as I heard about it. One of my pleasures is reality tv series kind of books, and it is kind of a guilty pleasure for me because they tend to be overdramatic. But I love it! And I also really like love anything Greek mythology retelling. I am sold! And I'll Meet You There was another one already on my wishlist. I am so happy you loved it too :)

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    1. I think you would enjoy Lifestyles then, because the author does a good job incorporating the ins and outs of reality TV, while still keeping in line with the original myth.

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