The Bookish Island: June 2018

6/28/2018

Sister Eve, Private Eye by Lynne Hinton | Book Review #110

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Sister Eve, Private Eye by Lynne Hinton

Are there spoilers?

No.

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Title: Sister Eve, Private Eye

Author: Lynne Hinton

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Pages: 336

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Published: 2014

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Christian Fiction

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Date Read: June 21, 2018

Rating: ★★★1/2

Sister Eve knows God moves in mysterious ways. And Eve adores a good mystery. Especially a murder.
Two decades into her calling at a New Mexico monastery, Sister Evangeline Divine breaks her daily routine when a police officer appears, carrying a message from her father. Sister Eve is no stranger to the law, having grown up with a police captain turned private detective. She's seen her fair share of crime--and knows a thing or two about solving mysteries.
But when Captain Jackson Divine needs her to return home and help him recover from surgery, Sister Eve finds herself taking on his latest case.
A Hollywood director has disappeared, and the sultry starlet he's been running around with isn't talking. When the missing man turns up dead, Captain Divine's case escalates into a full-blown murder case, and Sister Eve's crime-solving instincts kick in with an almost God-given grace.
Soon Sister Eve finds herself soul-searching every step of the way: How can she choose between the vocation in her heart and the job in her blood?

The Rating:

My Review:

I loved the concept of a nun struggling between her vocation as a nun and taking care of, and working alongside her father who she barely knows.

The case was interesting. It had Hollywood producers, actresses, directors, and scriptwriters as suspects and victims. With the setting of Madrid as the place where they would film their movies, it had a nice connection.

It was actually a good mystery. But I didn't expect the resolution.

I didn't like the ending. Not only did it feel like it was lacking but it felt rushed.

The characters were great.
The mystery was great.
But the ending gets a big meh, our of me.

I couldn't decide whether to give it 3.5 or 4 stars. Just because the main characters relationship with her father and the people around her were well written and I felt like I knew them at the end. Just because of that it saved this reading experience for me.

Goodreads | Book Depository

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6/25/2018

Summer TBR 2018

I decided to specifically create a Summer TBR. Mostly because I haven't been able to read that many books this year compare to last year. I've just been too busy with other things. Like finishing my last semester, or fixing my succulent garden and taking care of them. Or working on my current story and trying to write as much as I can for that. But I want to read some of the books that I own so here are the ones I picked. Though I might add or take away books from this TBR.

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Summer Reading TBR

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The Books

Summer Days and Summer Nights edited by Stephanie Perkins
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure
Sister Eve, Private Eye by Lynne Hinton

I So Don't Do Mystery by Barrie Summy
The Big F by Maggie Ann Martin

Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule

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6/24/2018

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare | Book Review #109

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Are there spoilers?

It is Shakespeare so if you haven't gotten spoiled by now something wrong with you.

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Title: Much Ado About Nothing

Author: William Shakespeare

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Pages: 239

Publisher: Spark Notes

Published: 2004

Genre: Classic, Fiction, Play

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Date Read: May 3, 2018

Rating: ★★★★★

No Fear Shakespeare gives you the complete text of Much Ado About Nothing on the left-hand page, side-by-side with an easy-to-understand translation on the right.

Each No Fear Shakespeare contains

The complete text of the original play.
A line-by-line translation that puts Shakespeare into everyday language.
A complete list of characters with descriptions.
Plenty of helpful commentaries.

The Rating:

My Review:

I finally read my first Shakespeare play. And it's pretty cool that it got to be Much Ado About Nothing.

via GIPHY

I had watched the play some years ago when David Tennant and Catherine Tate were in the play for it. I saw it on youtube though I don't know if it's still up. And I love it so much that I wanted to own the play.
As a fan of both their time in Doctor Who and their individual projects, I adored the way they brought Beatrice and Benedick to life in the most hilarious way.

And the whole time I was reading all I could do was picture them acting out these scenes.

via GIPHY

Goodreads | Book Depository

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6/23/2018

Stacking the Shelves #14

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what books they got throughout the week!

Update:

Last night I finished reading Sister Eve, Private Eye by Lynne Hinton. And will be picking up Nancy Drew next. And if I finish that quick I will be reading Death on the D-List.

Sister Eve, Private Eye by Lynne Hinton

Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene

Book Mail:

I received some book mail from St. Martins Press and Nobrow.

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6/21/2018

52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody | Book Review #108

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody

Are there spoilers?

A few ones may have escaped me.

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Title: 52 Reasons to Hate My Father

Author: Jessica Brody

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Pages: 352

Publisher: FSG

Published: 2012

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

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Date Read: Nov. 28, 2017

Rating: ★★★★✩

Being America’s favorite heiress is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.

Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.

Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.

In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

The Rating:

My Review:

I've said this before, I'm so into Jessica Brody's writing. It's so easy to follow and all her characters are so well written.

Anyways... I loved this book. Well -not completely because I wish there was more action to it. In the sense that for a story about a rich heiress that has to get 52 jobs there wasn't a lot about her doing all 52 jobs in the way you'd expect. Which now that I'm thinking about it. It's better there wasn't so scratch that I like that it didn't go into too much detail about the jobs.

The romance in this was between Lexi and her fathers inter, Luke. And I totally approved of this relationship from the moment they met. Yeah, Luke was basically trying to impress Lexi's dad the whole time but he also wanted her to follow through with her side of the agreement. Do all 52 jobs and learn from it. And yes, from the start they did have a hate-to-love thing going on but it was so well done I didn't hate it myself.

Goodreads || Book Depository

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6/20/2018

Can't Wait Wednesday #9 - The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings.

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I can't wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.

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Why I Can't Wait:
Just because it sounds fun. 😜😄

The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas

As witty as it is heartpounding, this fresh take on the beloved superhero genre is all about finding your own way to shine even when it seems everyone else around you is, well... super.

Never trust a guy in spandex.

In Abby Hamilton’s world, superheroes do more than just stop crime and save cats stuck in trees—they also drink milk straight from the carton and hog the television remote. Abby’s older brother moonlights as the famous Red Comet, but without powers of her own, following in his footsteps has never crossed her mind.

That is, until the city’s newest vigilante comes bursting into her life.

After saving Abby from an attempted mugging, Morriston’s fledgling supervillain Iron Phantom convinces her that he’s not as evil as everyone says, and that their city is under a vicious new threat. As Abby follows him deeper into their city’s darkest secrets, she comes to learn that heroes can’t always be trusted, and sometimes it’s the good guys who wear black.

Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads, The Supervillain and Me is a hilarious, sweet, and action-packed novel by debut author Danielle Banas that proves no one is perfect, not even superheroes.

Published by: Swoon Reads

The Release Date for the book is:
July 10, 2018

Goodreads || Book Depository

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6/18/2018

And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard | Book Review #107

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

Are there spoilers?

A few ones may have escaped me.

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Title: And We Stay

Author: Jenny Hubbard

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Pages: 225

Publisher: Ember

Published: 2015

Genre: Young Adult, Boarding School, Poetry, Fiction

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Date Read: May 19 to May 26, 2018

Rating: ★★★★★

Senior Paul Wagoner walks into his school with a stolen gun, he threatens his girlfriend, Emily Beam, and then takes his own life. Soon after, angry and guilt-ridden Emily is sent to a boarding school in Amherst, Massachusetts, where two quirky fellow students and the spirit of Emily Dickinson offer helping hands. But it is up to Emily Beam to heal her own damaged self, to find the good behind the bad, hope inside the despair, and springtime under the snow.

The Rating:

My Review:

And We Stay is the story about a girl who struggles to keep going after her boyfriend shots himself.
To me, the scenes on the pages were painted in all kinds of colors.

I didn't think I would understand this book because there were poems in between and it dealt with a lot of stuff. But I was surprised when I found myself getting emotional as I read it. I mostly got angry and Paul and at Emily's parents, but I also got happy in the end for Emily.

There were poems in this story. They are the poems that Emily writes in secret to put her thoughts and emotions to paper and try to make sense of them. They were so clear and real and I loved reading them.

I wish I could say more but I don't want to spoil it. But if you have read it and want to discuss write me a comment below.

Goodreads | Book Depository

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6/17/2018

After Hours by Claire Kennedy | Book Review #106

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
After Hours by Claire Kennedy

Are there spoilers?

A few ones may have escaped me.

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Title: After Hours

Author: Claire Kennedy

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Pages: 256

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Published: 2015

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

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Date Read: Sep. 28, 2017

Rating: ★★★✩✩

Scandals and hook-ups abound in a summertime restaurant drama where four teens are all willing to do whatever it takes to make it through the workday and hopefully to win the money in the after-hours dare-based game of Tips.

Isa, Xavi, Peter, and Finn know that a job at the high-end Waterside Cafe isn't just about waiting tables. It's about the gossip, the hook-ups, the after-hours parties, and, most of all, it's about Tips.

Tips, the high-stakes game based on dares. Whoever completes the most dares wins the collected money. A sum that could change a wasted summer into a Summer to Remember.

Isa is the new girl with an embarrassing secret, and as long as she stays on top of her game, she sees no reason why anyone could ever find out.

Xavi will do anything for the money, absolutely anything.

Peter, Xavi's stepbrother, has been in love with her for years, and he thinks the game is the perfect time to confess his feelings.

Finn is in the game just for the thrill. He has enough tips coming in to keep him happy, even if those tips come with some conditions.

From seduction to stealing to threats, the dares are a complete free-for-all, and only the best can win.

The Rating:

My Review:

I first got attached to this book because of the cover. And after I read the blurb I thought it was going to be a cute Hate-to-Love romance set in a restaurant work environment, But after I started reading it I quickly caught on that it wasn't going to be what I expected. So the cover deceived me.

With 4 Points of View, Finn, Isa, Peter and Xavi; and all of them being well-written characters. I loved that. They all dealt with very heavy issues. All of these 4 characters grew and learned from what they had to go through in this book. My favorite characters are, Xavi, for working hard for the money and not letting others get I the way of that. Despite some (I think) illegal thing that went on.

The romance in this was both all over the place and lacking in all the right ways. For me, there weren't swoon-worthy scenes. It just wasn't for me.

After Hours is fun, a fast read and different than I was used to reading. Lets also not forget that I just so happen to have started reading this book while waiting in my mom's car under full sun with no A/C while she waited in a long ass line for gasoline.
Guys, I had to drink a really hot and disgusting can of grape soda because I almost got dehydrated. And yes, the windows were all rolled down. It didn't make a difference since there was no wind.
P.S. I read this shortly after Hurricane Maria passed by us here in Puerto Rico.