Review: Ask Me How I Got Here by Christine Heppermann

Title: Ask Me How I Got Here

Author: Christine Heppermann

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Release Date: May 3rd, 2016

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4/5

Addie has always known what she was running toward. In cross-country, in life, in love. Until she and her boyfriend—her sensitive, good-guy boyfriend—are careless one night and she ends up pregnant. Addie makes the difficult choice to have an abortion. And after that—even though she knows it was the right decision for her—nothing is the same anymore. She doesn’t want anyone besides her parents and her boyfriend to know what happened; she doesn’t want to run cross-country; she can’t bring herself to be excited about anything. Until she reconnects with Juliana, a former teammate who’s going through her own dark places.

Once again, Christine Heppermann writes with an unflinching honesty and a deep sensitivity about the complexities of being a teenager, being a woman. Her free-verse poems are moving, provocative, and often full of wry humor and a sharp wit. Like Laurie Halse Anderson and Ellen Hopkins, Christine Heppermann is a voice to turn to for the truth of difficult subjects. Ask Me How I Got Here is a literary exploration of sexuality, religion, and self-discovery.

Verse novels are always a hit-or-miss for me. They can either completely immerse me in the story, or leave me feeling jarred and disjointed. For me, using verse in a novel needs to have purpose and be impacting. The words need to flow easily, lest they become choppy and distorted. Christine Heppermann's Ask Me How I Got Here is everything I hope for in a verse novel. It is touching, poignant, and moving, a must read for any young girl navigating this messy thing called life.

As most verse novels are for me, Ask Me How I Got Here was a very quick read. I flew through this story, barely glancing away from the page until I was done. There were a couple of poems that were real gems. Even though a part of the overall narrative, they stood out on their own. The writing work for me in so many ways. It was lyrical and powerful. I could feel the words seeping into my heart. It's one of those books I can see myself going back to, reading over again to feel the weight of those words.

As for the characters, Addie was really the focal point. None of the side characters I really connected with and that's okay. It wasn't their story. I appreciated how supportive Nick was of Addie, as well as how supportive her parents were. None of them knew exactly how to handle the situation, but they tried as best they could to be there for her. But, it wasn't always what Addie needed. Ask Me How I Got Here was her story, her journey, a snapshot into this moment in time and how it changed many aspects of her life. 

I appreciated how sex-positive the novel was. And how it wasn't a tragedy. Addie's abortion was something that affected her life, but didn't derail it. She was able to move forward from it, which I think is such an important thing to show in YA. She struggled to find her place in her religion, her relationships, and her future. Addie's journey is something I think many young women can relate to and a really important narrative. There is so much to unpack in this slender book. You need to read to read it for yourself to feel how impacting it is.

From a completely aesthetic point of view, this book is the whole package. The font on the cover is eye-catching and the color scheme is gorgeous. I love how representative of the book it is. Honestly, I keep staring at it! Combine that with the incredible story on the pages, I think Ask Me How I Got Here is definitely worth the buy.

A slim novel that delivers quite the punch, Ask Me How I Got Here is a powerful look at one young girl's journey through new relationships and choosing a life for herself. It wasn't a easy, light read but an important, thoughtful one I think every young woman can appreciate. I know I did. Heppermann is an author I will be keeping my eye on.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Harper Collins | Christine Heppermann 

Where I've Been and Why I'll Be Gone a Bit Longer

HELLO BLOG FRIENDS!

I hope some of you are still here after my accidental months-long hiatus. Here is a quick post about what's been happening in my life and why (unfortunately!) this blog is going to be quiet for the rest of the month.

SO WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

In school.

Endless, painful school.

This semester was way more intense than I expected and with homework, actual paid work, and my volunteer work I barely had time to sleep let alone blog. As soon as exams finished I hopped on plane and took a trip to the East Coast of Canada to visit some friends. I just got back on Sunday and have already worked and gone to another book event. Everything SHOULD be calmed down now and I was really pumped to get back to some blogging.

Except. Well.

My laptop screen is broken. As I'm typing this my entire screen is pink and giving me a bit of a headache. I'll be sending it off for repairs tomorrow which means I'll be laptop-less for almost all of May. And, so, this  blog will remain silent for the rest of the month as well. Hopefully once I get my computer back I'll have lots of reviews and discussion posts up! For now, I'll be lurking around Twitter as usual and working on my BRAND NEW BOOKSTAGRAM ACCOUNT. I'm still new and learning but hey, if you want to give it a follow I would heart you forever and ever.

So, that's what's up with me! I'll hopefully see you guys again end of May/early June!

Until then, happy reading!!

- Ciara

Books, Be My Valentine! (You're Invited!)

Hi, friends!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day (or as I like to call it, Day-Before-Half-Priced-Chocolate Day!) and the folks over at Simon & Schuster Canada want you to spend it with your true love: books!

What better way to spend Valentine's Day then snuggling in a blanket around a cozy fire with your favourite book? (And, of course, dreaming about all the chocolate you'll buy tomorrow). Although I'll be working during much of the day, I plan on carving out a few hours to do what I love most: read.

So how can you join? Read a book on Valentine's Day and tweet about it with the hashtag #ValentinesDay2016! You can also join the Facebook Event which is filled with book recommendations, quotes, and lots of Valentine's goodness!

What will you be reading on Valentine's Day?

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Release Date: September, 1st 2015

Source: ARC Received from Publisher in Exchange for an Honest Review
  My Rating: 4/5

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. (Summary from Goodreads)

I have this really weird tendency to put off reading books I know I'm going to love. It's like I'm prepping myself to fall in love with them. It's the reason I haven't read some of my most anticipated books and the reason it took me forever to pick up Everything, Everything. I wish I had picked it up sooner though, because this book was just wonderful.

I definitely haven't read anything like this book before. Maddie's stark, colourless world was so jarring. Even though I knew the basic plot, for some reason I didn't expect how intense it would be. Maddie's harsh reality never seemed to deter her, and it was so interesting getting to read about her life.

Sometimes, I really questioned Maddie's choices. I was so worried for her and didn't understand why she was taking these risks. But, I reminded myself to take a step back. Because there is no way I could ever understand. I couldn't imagine living my life inside the same four walls everyday, never venturing outside or meeting new people. It made perfect sense that Maddie would be willing to take risks after living that way for so long. I loved watching her grow, and ached thinking off all the things she was missing out on. But I was also so blown away by the incredible person she was. Optimistic and caring, smart and hopeful, Maddie was everything I could have hoped for in a protagonist.

And then there was Ollie. What a thoughtful, loving, sweetheart. There was so much going on with him, and I enjoyed getting to know him. I loved watching their relationship develop online, watching them share and learn and grow together the only way they could.  Ollie didn't always agree with Maddie's choices, but he always let her make them.  The fact that he supported her and her right to live her own life, to make her own decisions was so incredibly important. Honestly, it made me so happy I wanted to hug the book.

I wish I had savored this book just a little bit more. I have a tendency to rush through books with short chapters and/or pictures etc. and don't take enough time to read every word on the page. Near the end though, I told myself to slow down and soak up every last word. And they were beautiful, inspiring words. This book reminded me how precious life is, and encouraged me to really live it. It made me want to run outside and experience the world. It reminded me how much their is to life, and how colorful and beautiful it can be. That's really what I love about books like Everything, Everything. They offer a glimpse into a world outside your own and fill you with inspiration.

The only reason this isn't a five star book for me is that I'm still unsure about the ending. I don't talk about spoilers on the blog, so I'll just say it was both exactly what I expected and nothing at all like I expected. Take that however you like!

Everything, Everything was just as wonderful as everyone said it was. I really think this is a book I will read again and again. It was beautifully written, wonderfully crafted, and filled to the brim with life. Read this book. You won't regret it.

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Nicola Yoon's Website 

Review: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

Title: The Impostor Queen

Series: The Impostor Queen (#1)

Author: Sarah Fine

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Release Date: January 5th 2016

Source: ARC Received from Publisher in Exchange for an Honest Review

My Rating: 4/5

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed. (Summary from Goodreads)

I'm not a big fantasy reader, I should say that up front. I'm usually drawn to contemporary books or more urban fantasy settings. But, when I read the description for The Impostor Queen, it really stood out for me. The hero of this story, the future queen, is an impostor? She's not really the 'chosen one'? Definitely not something you read everyday. Even with the unique concept, I kept expecting this book to fall into a typical fantasy plot line but it never did. It surpassed all my expectations and reminded me just how rich and wonderful high fantasy books can be.  

The pacing of the novel was a little back and forth. It started off slow, then really picked up and then slowed back down again. But, I didn't mind. I was invested in this story and was happy to be tugged along at whatever pace it went. I know this might be an issue for some people but seriously, it's worth the back and forth. This book is just so interesting. As I don't like to talk about any spoilers on the blog, I won't go into details about the plot. But I will say that I loved it. The magic and mystery, the folklore and fantasy all tied together into this intricate plot line that had me entranced. 

As I said earlier, I don't read high fantasy very often and I forgot just how long it takes me to read. It has nothing to do with the book itself, but the world-building as a whole always takes my brain so long to digest. But, once I was immersed in this world I didn't want to leave it. I kept thinking about the plot and the characters and couldn't wait to dive back in. I named this blog after those reads that keep you up past midnight, and this was definitely one of them. I kept telling myself "just one more chapter!" until I looked at the clock and realized I should have been in bed hours ago. 

It took me a little while to warm up to Elli, I won't lie. Although I adored how inquisitive and curious she was, I wasn't really sure what to make of her. She was so sheltered at first and it was intriguing to watch her grow into this powerful woman. She was determined and strong, always wanting her earn her place and fit herself into this new world. By the end of the novel, I wanted to reach in and give her a high-five. She was just such a great character.

Then, there's Oskar. Strong, quiet, courageous Oskar. I knew as soon as he appeared on the page I was going to love him. There are so many incredible things about Oskar, and about his relationship with both Elli and his family. But, the biggest reason I adored Oskar is because of his belief in Elli. He supported her, trusted her, and encouraged her. He believed in her even when she doubted herself. And THAT is something I love to see in a relationship. Seriously, I cannot wait to see where Oskar and Elli go in the next installment!

The other character I'll touch on is Sig. I found Sig to be such a fascinating character. I never knew what he was going to do, or whose side he was truly on. He was charismatic, but also villainous and I was glued to the page whenever he was on it. Characters who straddle the line between good and bad are always my favourites. And, as much as the things Sig did made me angry, he was definitely a stand out character to me.

I'm going to be anxiously awaiting the sequel to this one. Seriously, I would like to have the book in my hands as soon as humanly possible because I'm not ready to be out of this world. It's been a long time that I was THIS excited about a series and I really hope we get more soon. Check out The Impostor Queen! It's a fantasy not to be missed!

- Ciara (at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Sarah Fine's Website