Apparently, I’m a Seattle snob | Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett [ARC]

Serious MoonlightBirdie and Daniel had possibly the most awkward first encounter of all time (they had sex and then Birdie ran away). Birdie would have been fine to never think about the experience again, except that Daniel is working at the hotel where she just got her first job. Determined to push past their initial encounter, Birdie and Daniel embark on a journey to solve a local mystery.

TL;DR – Not as good as Alex, Appoximately.

eBook | Hardcover

My first problem with this book is the cover. It’s great that they were able to get a model with long hair for Daniel, but where is Birdie’s flower? That’s such a key part of her character and I don’t feel like it would have been that hard to include that in the cover, but whatever. I mean, they’re eating pie, Birdie has a book…how did they miss the flower???

Some of you might remember that I LOVED Alex, Approximately so I was fully prepared to love this book too. Unfortunately, it seemed a little too reminiscent of Alex, Approximately and wasn’t as enjoyable to me. Obviously there were some different plot points, but it was the same formula of “sheltered and somehow damaged girl meets extremely charismatic and attractive boy, boy pursues reluctant girl, girl discovers boy is also damaged, girl and boy get together”. It just felt too the same to me.

Then we get to the setting. I was born and raised in a suburb near Seattle and I just felt like this was a very tourist portrayal of the city. I mean, I guess maybe people who live in the city proper are different? But I don’t think so and I found it detracted from the book for me. I mean, Daniel calls Safeco Field “The Safe”. Literally nobody calls it that. Okay, I googled it and apparently some news stories have called it that, but I have never heard a local call it that. Literally never. Besides, it’s T-Mobile Park now so that “nickname” is already dated. There’s also a line where Birdie mentions that a Fremont Troll sized weight is lifted off her back or something. What. Who thinks stuff like that? It’s literally only in there to namedrop another Seattle landmark. And the weather is mentioned by Birdie way too often. Growing up, I would never think about the weather. If it’s raining, I’d grab my jacket and that was it. I never dwelt on the fact that it was raining in June or whatever. I hardly even noticed if the sky was overcast. Locals also never talk about the “Seattle freeze”. So there we go. Apparently I’m a Seattle snob or whatever. Don’t @ me.

Besides those things, I thought the side characters were okay. I liked Mona, Birdie’s grandpa, and Joseph, but we never really get time to know much about any of them. I thought the setting of the diner was good too (every pie sounded AMAZING). I didn’t love Birdie as a character, however. She complained about her grandmother A LOT and never seemed to really think about why her grandmother was so overprotective–she just kind of complained about it. I also never understood why she was so resistant to learning about and dealing with her narcolepsy? I guess maybe I didn’t realize that there was a stigma around it. Daniel was okay as a character if a little too perfect.

Daniel and Birdie’s relationship wasn’t super compelling to me. There was just too much angst (created by Birdie). It was so obvious the entire book that Daniel was SUPER into her, but Birdie was really hesitant and kind of held back the entire time. Even after she and Daniel “got together” and his mom had told Birdie that he was super into her, she was still really paranoid and doubtful. It just made Birdie not make much sense to me as a character.

Overall, I just didn’t find this book, the characters, the subplots, or the setting as enjoyable as Alex, Approximately. I probably shouldn’t be comparing the two, but I can’t stop myself. I will say, this was a very sex positive book portraying teens practicing safe sex and consent, so it’s got that going for it. I haven’t read Starry Eyes yet, but I’m a little more hesitant to pick it up now.

Overall Rating: 3
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild
Sexual Content: Moderate

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

April TBR

March was an AMAZING reading month for me and I’m not expecting to have the same thing happen this month. There are, however, a few things that I NEED to read this month, so I’ll be prioritizing those things.

monthly tbr

Honestly, I doubt that I’ll get to all of these, but I’m going to try!

What books are you planning on reading this month? Link your April TBRs in the comments!

March Wrap-up & TBR Update

YOU GUYS. I had such a good reading month! I’m blown away by how much I was able to read. Not only did I complete my entire TBR (which never happens) but I read other books in addition! Now, a lot of these were graphic novels which read much quicker, but even with all of those, this has still been my biggest reading month for a while!

monthly tbr

Also read/reading:

*I didn’t review each of the Lumberjanes volumes individually, instead, I wrote this Lumberjanes overview.

Books finished this month: 20 (11 graphic novels)
Books currently reading: 3

Overall TBR:

TBR at the beginning of the year = 383
TBR at the beginning of March = 444
Books added to TBR = 23
Books read/deleted from TBR = 18
Total on TBR now = 449

How did your reading go this month?

31 Best Book Deals for 3/25/19: Geekerella, What If It’s Us, 99 Percent Mine, and more

You guys, there are SO MANY DEALS today!

As of this posting, all of these deals are active, but I don’t know for how long!
Free

Miss Mabel’s School for Girls by Katie Cross

Less than $1

Blackmail Boyfriend by Chris Cannon

Brave Leadership: Unleash Your Most Confident, Powerful, and Authentic Self to Get the Results You Need by Kimberly Davis

Less than $2

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

The Girl with the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke

Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man’s Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

Maledicte by Lane Robins

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

March by Geraldine Brooks

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures foreword by Carla Hayden

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon

The Locksmith’s Daughter by Karen Brooks

Less than $3

Matched by Ally Condie

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

Because I Was a Girl: True Stories for Girls of All Ages edited by Melissa de la Cruz

The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

Less than $4

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

Angelfall by Susan Ee


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TTT | Springing into Spring reads for 2019

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Top Ten Tuesday Blog

Books On My Spring 2019 TBR

These are books I hope to read this Spring (April-June). Fingers crossed I can get to them all!

Normal releases:
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

eBook | Hardcover

The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

Emma Saylor doesn’t remember a lot about her mother, who died when she was ten. But she does remember the stories her mom told her about the big lake that went on forever, with cold, clear water and mossy trees at the edges.

Now it’s just Emma and her dad, and life is good, if a little predictable…until Emma is unexpectedly sent to spend the summer with her mother’s family—her grandmother and cousins she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl.

Preorder: eBook | Hardcover

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers—some willingly, some unwittingly—have been involved in science’s boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. In this fascinating account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries and tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them.

eBook | Hardcover | Paperback

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

eBook | Hardcover | Paperback

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world’s only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.

So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth’s mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist . . .

eBook | Hardcover | Paperback

ARCs:
Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.

Preorder: eBook | Hardcover

The Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters

Seventeen-year-old Edgar Poe counts down the days until he can escape his foster family—the wealthy Allans of Richmond, Virginia. He hungers for his upcoming life as a student at the prestigious new university, almost as much as he longs to marry his beloved Elmira Royster. However, on the brink of his departure, all his plans go awry when a macabre Muse named Lenore appears to him. Muses are frightful creatures that lead Artists down a path of ruin and disgrace, and no respectable person could possibly understand or accept them. But Lenore steps out of the shadows with one request: “Let them see me!”

Preorder: eBook | Hardcover

King of Fools by Amanda Foody

On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.

Preorder: eBook | Hardcover

Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno

Rosa Santos is cursed by the sea-at least, that’s what they say. Dating her is bad news, especially if you’re a boy with a boat.

But Rosa feels more caught than cursed. Caught between cultures and choices. Between her abuela, a beloved healer and pillar of their community, and her mother, an artist who crashes in and out of her life like a hurricane. Between Port Coral, the quirky South Florida town they call home, and Cuba, the island her abuela refuses to talk about. As her college decision looms, Rosa collides-literally-with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy with tattoos of the ocean whose family owns the marina. With her heart, her family, and her future on the line, can Rosa break a curse and find her place beyond the horizon?

Preorder: eBook | Hardcover

Happy Messy Scary Love by Leah Konen

As everyone at her Brooklyn high school announces their summer adventures, Olivia harbors a dirty secret: Her plan is to binge-watch horror movies and chat with her online friend, Elm. Olivia and Elm have never shared personal details, apart from their ages and the fact that Elm’s aunt is a low-budget horror filmmaker. Then Elm pushes Olivia to share her identity and sends her a selfie of his own. Olivia is shocked by how cute he is! In a moment of panic, assuming she and Elm will never meet in real life, she sends a photo of her gorgeous friend Katie. But things are about to get even more complicated when Olivia’s parents send her to the Catskills, and she runs into the one person she never thought she would see.

Preorder: eBook | Hardcover

What do you think of my list? Link your TTT in the comments!

14 Best Book Deals of 3/16/19: The Miseducation of Cameron Post; My Sister, the Serial Killer; You Can’t Touch My Hair; and more

As of this posting, all of these deals are active, but I don’t know for how long!
Free

Nora & Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

Less than $1

Blackmail Boyfriend by Chris Cannon

Less than $2

You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie

The Library at the End of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

Less than $3

A Piece of Normal by Maddie Dawson

Less than $4

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite


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8 Best Book Deals for 3/9/19: Six of Crows, Sharp Objects, Batman: Nightwalker, and more

As of this posting, all of these deals are active, but I don’t know for how long!
FREE

Reign of Queens by Melissa Wright

Less than $2

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu

Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

Less than $3

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Less than $4

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte


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11 Best Book Deals for 3/2/19: The Vacationers; Alex, Approximately; Seabiscuit; and more

As of this posting, all of these deals are active, but I don’t know for how long!
Free

Reign of Queens by Melissa Wright

A Throne for Sisters by Morgan Rice

Less than $2

The Vacationers by Emma Straub

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Less than $3

Beautiful Boy by David Sheff

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Seabiscuit by Lauren Hillenbrand

Less than $5

Timebound by Rysa Walker


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TTT | I WILL go down with this ship

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Top Ten Tuesday Blog

Favorite Couples In Books

1) Iseult and Aeduan from the Witchlands series by Susan Dennard

I just finished Bloodwitch and I love these two together! They will find each other no matter what. I believe it.

2) Cress and Thorne from the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

These two are so sweet together! I love every scene that involves them in the series.

3) Macy and Wes from The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Wes was probably my first big bookish crush. I love their dynamic at Wish Catering and their entire truth game.

4) Kaz and Inej from the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo

These two are so low-key, but there’s also so much underlying tension–so good.

5) Lupin and Tonks from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

RIP

6) Karou and Akiva from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor

This is an ultimate Romeo and Juliet type relationship. They’re up against so much opposition, but their love is so pure.

7) Khalila and Dario from The Great Library series by Rachel Caine

Even though these two aren’t the “main” couple of the series, I still love their relationship. I love that Dario is so protective of Khalila and she lets him even though everyone knows, she doesn’t need protecting.

8) Amy and Roger from Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Cute couple on a road trip! Such a good slow burn romance.

9) Bailey and Porter from Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

I don’t really know why I loved this book so much, but I did. Bailey and Porter have a great hate-to-love type thing going, but actually they just like each other the whole time.

10) Kitty and John Ambrose McClaren from the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series by Jenny Han

Okay, so I know this couple doesn’t actually exist, but just listen. Lara Jean clearly does not deserve John Ambrose even though he is literally the most perfect boy ever. She would obviously be upset if Kitty started dating him, but Kitty wouldn’t care. She would appreciate John Ambrose’s perfectness and John Ambrose would appreciate Kitty’s spunk. Plz Jenny Han let this be a thing.

Who are some of your favorite bookish couples? Do you disagree with any of my picks?

Pin this!

TTT Bookish Couples


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