Nerd Girl Loves Books

3 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book will be released on March 7, 2017.

Hmmm… where to start. Let me start with the good. The premise of the book is interesting. Various forms of magic are very common in the kingdom of Odalia and the surrounding kingdoms. The main character, Tea, is a young girl that discovers she can wield dark magic, which includes killing horrible beasts called daeva that destroy villages and kill people, and raising people and animals from the dead. People that wield this type of magic are very rare, and are called “bone witches”. Continue reading “The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco” →

3.5 Stars

Another cute book in this series. The book picks up shortly after book #4 ends, with Eadlyn’s mother recovering from a heart attack. She quickly offers to step up as acting Regent so that her father the King can spend time with her mother as she recovers. Eadlyn is overwhelmed by the added responsibilities, in addition to continuing with the Selection. Continue reading “The Crown (The Selection#5) by Kiera Cass” →

4 Stars

Another great book in this series. The book begins right where the last book ends. Inda and some of his crew are captive on pirate Walic’s Coco. Fox warns Inda to “act stupid” so that he can stay alive. The crew slowly acclimate to life on a pirate ship until they get an opportunity to mutiny and take over the ship. Thus begins Inda’s transformation into the notorious pirate hunter “Elgar Fox”. Continue reading “The Fox (Inda #2) by Sherwood Smith” →

4 stars

This was another book club choice, and I really enjoyed it. The subject matter is not light and fluffy, but that’s ok, because it’s beautifully written. The author, Paul Kalanithi, was a 36 year old man finishing his last year of residency as a neurosurgeon when he discovers that he has stage IV lung cancer. Suddenly, his dreams of having a successful, meaningful career as a neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, husband and father are dashed. Paul makes the pivot from doctor to patient and chronicles his journey through his diagnosis, treatment and finally, his death. Continue reading “When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi” →

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars. I really enjoyed this book. The publisher describes this book as appealing to readers that enjoy Kiera Cass and Victoria Aveyard, and I would agree. The story is set in a dystopian modern England. The monarchy has been abolished and the country is run by magical aristocrats called Equals. The Equals have very powerful gifts, including controlling people’s minds and actions, reading their thoughts, blowing things up and even killing people with their minds. Everyone else must serve the Equals for a term of 10 years as slaves at some point in their life before they turn 55 years old. Most slaves serve in slave towns as laborers in manufacturing and call centers. Some slaves also serve as house servants in Equals homes. Continue reading “Gilded Cage by Vic James” →

3.5 Stars. This was an interesting twist on the dystopian novel. The story is about a group of people living in a town named Canaan. The town is surrounded by a high wall and no one is allowed to leave. Every 12 years something happens and everyone in town forgets everything they know about themselves, their lives, their jobs, their loves, everything. Everyone keeps a book tethered to themselves and must write down their true memories everyday so that when they forget, they can read the books and learn who they are again. Everyone forgets, except Nadia. Continue reading “The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron” →

4 stars

Hello.
If you’re reading this, then maybe you know
you ought to read everything. And maybe
you know you ought to read deeply. Because there’s
witchery in these words and
spellwork in the spine.
And once you know to look for signals in the smoke,
for secrets in the sea, then you understand what it is
to read. This is a book. You are the reader. Look closer.
There’s magic here.

And so begins this utterly fascinating book, about….a book. What?! A book about reading and a book? C’mon! You had me at Hello….:-) Continue reading “The Reader by Traci Chee” →

4 Stars. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next book in the series. The Martial Empire conquered the Scholars and rule them harshly. Even minor infractions are met with death. Laia’s parents were leaders of the Resistance and were killed. She and her brother Darin live with their grandparents, until one night soldiers arrest Darin for treason, killing their grandparents. Laia runs for her life and stumbles on Resistance fighters as she flees. She begs them to free Darin. The Resistance agrees, but only if she’ll sneak into the soldier’s training academy as a slave and spy for them. Continue reading “An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir” →

Web of Vows and Vengeance (The Hirathean Path #1) by Aria Ashbrook

Dire Bound (The Wolves of Ruin, #1) by Sable Sorenson

The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

A Little Hatred (The Age of Madness #1) by Joe Abercrombie

The Devils (The Devils, #1) by Joe Abercrombie