Happy Monday bookworms! Today's ARC review is for How It All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi. To start off I would like to thank Penguin Teen Canada for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book comes out September 22nd so make sure to look out for it! How It All Blew Up follows Amir Azadi, who tries to avoid a stressful coming out situation with his family by fleeing to Rome. There he escapes the bullying, blackmail and failed relationship of home by making new friends and sightseeing. He never knew that all of it would end up with him and his family in an airport interrogation room. Now Amir has to tell the whole story to a customs officer or risk his new found freedom. From the first time I had read a sample of this book I was very excited to experience the whole story. The plot itself is very intriguing as we follow Amir’s journey through Rome. I admire Amir as a character because even though he was dealing with a very stressful and emotional situation, he still was kind and curious about the culture around him. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the muslim and LGTBQ representation, but as the book is own-voices I am confident in the content. What also stuck out to me was the genuineness of the friends that he meets on the way. I felt that all of the characters could be real people and I found that I was equally invested in their lives as I was with Amir’s. The book itself is written with a dual format. Those being Amir’s perspective of past events, as well as records of the interrogation room. I felt that the use of both these elements brought the story together in a unique and exciting way. I loved all of the characters but one that stands out in particular is Amir’s little sister Soraya. She was a very funny and compassionate character and her relationship with Amir reminded me of my sister and I which made it even more relatable. While I was interested the whole time while reading, the plot was a bit predictable at times. I also did not enjoy a certain story in the book that was a bit gruesome for me. I definitely see this book as memorable and one reason is the travel aspect and sightseeing vibe! It made me miss travelling a whole lot more, and was a great escape from our current reality. I would definitely recommend this for fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda! I gave this book a 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I hope you enjoyed my review of How It All Blew Up! I had a lot of fun reading, reviewing and photographing this book. Have you read any other Arvin Ahmadi books? Let me know in the comments below!
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Hello bookworms! Today I'm coming to you with a review of The Skylark's Song by J.M Frey. I'd like to thank REUTS Publications and NetGalley for supplying me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Now let's get into this review! In The Skylark's Song we follow Robin, a flight mechanic during a chaotic war. Meanwhile, the Coyote, a ruthless Klonn pilot, rules the skies, taking down damaged ships and retreating soldiers. After Robin is shot down by Coyote and taken prisoner to repair a rocket pack, she must choose between new relationships or flying away and defending her nation. The start of this book was very atmospheric, building the setting and the tone of the book. The main character Robin was a nice character to learn about but at times she felt a little one dimensional and bland. The element of flying and driving planes was interesting to learn about, but I wish there was more of it. I found that I didn't connect to the characters or their experiences very much, There were points that were meant to be emotional but I didn't feel any sympathy toward them or their situations. It was also pretty predictable and there was no sudden changes or revelations. That being said I liked the main relationship which was what kept me reading till the end. I also think the cover is very pretty and draws you in. That's a wrap for my review of The Skylark's Song. It was a quick and easy read, but I do not think I will be continuing the duology. I gave this book a 2/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️. |
AuthorPaige is a bookstagrammer and blogger who loves all things bookish. From fantasy to mystery she can’t get enough! She’s always ready to recommend you a book and she can talk about her favourites all day. When she’s not reading, you can find her watching Marvel movies, playing video games, and taking bookstagram photos. Visit her on Instagram and Twitter for more updates. CategoriesArchives
March 2024
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