Review: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Publisher: Pointe
Publication Date: July 26, 2016
Rating: 4 stars

While spacing out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her. Intrigue! 

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters -- sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she's kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can't always be spelled out... 

Well, I have to say, the title of this book alone would have been enough to send me packing if I hadn't read the description first. I'm a closet romantic. I love romance novels, although I would prefer some kind of plot, like running for you lives, or solving some kind of mystery. That being said, something about this idea of this book really got to me. Misunderstood girl writes song lyrics on her desk, only to have someone else complete them. Who doesn't want that to happen in real life. Secretly, everyone wants that to happen. So characters:

Lily: Our main character. I wouldn't say she's a hipster, more like hipster adjacent. She does her own thing, and while I can't say that she doesn't care what other people think (because she is a teenager, they all care), she's willing to march to the beat of her own drummer regardless of others. She wants to be a song write, but has crazy writers block. That is... until she starts her pen pal excursions with the someone at her school. I decided that I liked Lily when I saw how she interacted with her family. I have younger siblings. My sister and I are 12 years a part, I know what it's like to have them burst in your room, interrupt your time with your friends, having to constantly babysit. It's exhausting, and let me tell you, Lily handled it waaaaay better than I did. She was a great sister, a great daughter, and a pretty good best friend. Also, props to creating an amazing and vivid family dynamic. I loved reading about them.

Cade: The mortal enemy. While this was Lily's story, and it was sweet. I feel like I wish there was more interaction between Cade and Lily. We saw Thanksgiving, that car ride, a few hallway moments, and the pool. but I don't know... I think I needed a little more. SPOILER ALTER IF YOU COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT IN THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS We learn a lot about Cade from his letter, but I feel like we didn't really get to see it. There was a slight disconnect.

It was obvious to me from the beginning that Cade was the person writing ti Lily, but as I always say when it comes to book, it's not always the ending, it's the journey. I liked it.

Review: Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Rating: 4 stars

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been close. After all, nothing can unite four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict, spartan upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go. (Goodreads)

I got this book in my January (I think) Owl Crate box and I've just finished it. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the book because I haven't read a lot of historical fiction, but let me tell you... I freaking loved this book. This book was about the Bronte siblings and I've never read a single one of their books so I had no idea how everything would translate for me.

The book jumped off the page from the very beginning. From the state we knew that there was some mystery to solve, and we also knew that this book would have pretty amazing and desirable paranormal elements. The Brontes (or at least Charlotte and Branwell) are writers and they are able to transport themselves into the fictional worlds that they create and take on characters. They are literally able to live in their own stories! What's better than that. But as we can guess from the book description, things eventually take a turn with the siblings begin to loose control of what they've created, we also learn that great power comes at a great price.

I really liked that the chapters jumped between siblings. Not only were we able to connect with them better that way, we were also to see what they thought of each other. Emily the reckless, Anne quiet but watchful, Branwell also a bit reckless but much more unsure of himself, and Charlotte, the eldest, the creator. I can't say too much without going on a crazy tangent, but reading this book made me actually want to read the real Bronte sister's books. I don't normally choose classics but I just might.