Review: This Is How It Happened

This Is How It Happened by Paula Stokes
Grade: C+
An ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: When Genevieve Grace wakes up from a coma, she can’t remember the car crash that injured her and killed her boyfriend Dallas, a YouTube star who had just released his first album. Genevieve knows she was there, and that there was another driver, a man named Brad Freeman, who everyone assumes is guilty. But as she slowly pieces together the night of the accident, Genevieve is hit with a sickening sense of dread—that maybe she had something to do with what happened.

As the internet rages against Brad Freeman, condemning him in a brutal trial by social media, Genevieve escapes to her father’s house, where she can hide from reporters and spend the summer volunteering in beautiful Zion National Park. But she quickly realizes that she can’t run away from the accident, or the terrible aftermath of it all.

Incredibly thought-provoking and beautifully told, Paula Stokes’s story will compel readers to examine the consequences of making mistakes in a world where the internet is always watching…and judging.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: This Is How It Happened surprised me. It definitely hasn't had a lot of buzz, and it also wasn't Paula's original planned 2017 book. But I've enjoyed a few of Paula's past books (Girl Against the Universe is excellent, in case you were wondering), so of course this one was on my TBR list. But ultimately, it did not live up to Paula's other books.
I really enjoyed Genevieve and her inner narrative. While she interacts with plenty of people in the book, she is also alone with her thoughts a lot. I appreciate introspective books, and I love how seeing the beauty of Zion National Park made her second-guess her religious assumptions. I also appreciated how her relationship with her stepmother flourished and how kind Rachael was. I also liked where the plot went with Brad Freeman. I liked how Stokes played with first impressions and truth.
However, one of the book's biggest issues was its pacing. It took over 100 pages for Genevieve to get to her dad's house and the national park, and I assumed that would be where all but a teeny bit of the book was set. The first 1/3 of the book dragged too much as a result. I also felt like Dallas was too two-dimensional. Since he was only in (largely negative) flashback scenes, I didn't really see why he had made such an impact on Genevieve's life, so it didn't feel too fast to me when she started getting involved with Elliott (although I wish that had been slowed down just a teeny bit more). Freeman's daughter really pissed me off, though; she was waaayyyy too mouthy and her parents did nothing to rein her in a bit. Considering she was only thirteen, she definitely should've been reprimanded.
Maybe a dozen s-words? Underage drinking happens (although Genevieve never participates).

The Verdict: Eh, it was okay. Nothing especially remarkable though.

Buy: Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble

Will I be adding this book to my library?: Hmm...possibly.

From the Bookshelf to the Kitchen: Moon Muffins

I've said this before, but muffins are one of my favorite things to bake. They're super easy, especially if you use a packaged mix. They're the reason I did so many Muffin Mondays this past year at school. But this recipe was from scratch.

You'd be surprised that Alex, Approximately, a book that focuses mainly on movies, would feature a food distinctive enough that I'd want to recreate it for a blog post. But there's a scene where Bailey and Porter go up to a cliffside in a ski-lift sort-of ride, and on the way they eat moon muffins. I knew they'd be perfect for a blog post, so I asked author Jenn Bennett if she had any suggestions, and she sent me links to two recipes.

Goodreads  Barnes & Noble  Read Between the Lynes

Moon Muffins

1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
¼ cup melted butter
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1.    Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.    In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and egg. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Finally, add the milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Mix until completely blended and dry ingredients are incorporated with the wet.

3.    Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin pans, filling ⅔ full.

4.    Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over muffin tops.

5.    Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

The only difference between these and the moon muffins in the book is that they're definitely mini muffins in Alex, Approximately. I didn't have any mini muffin papers though, and I hate making muffins without papers, so I made them regular-sized this time.

They tasted absolutely scrumptious, especially when warm! Enjoy!

Have a book/recipe suggestion? Leave it in the comments below!

Rewind & Review #89

Created by Shae Has Left the Room.

~2018 releases are starting to get cover reveals, and let me tell you, there are some gorgeous colors. 

~I made a blueberry-peach pie completely from scratch. It turned out well, to my surprise, and it was delicious.

~I traveled to Chicago for a good friend's wedding, and got to see one of my best friends yesterday. We only had a few hours together, but it was good to catch up and not just text.

~I'll add a book haul video to this post in a few days! Book haul video is up! Check the bottom of this post.

Books I Received for Review

The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash by Candace Ganger (from St. Martin's Griffin)

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman (from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley)

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore (from Read Between the Lynes)

Books I Was Gifted

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (ARC from Read Between the Lynes)

Books I Bought

Someone Else's Summer by Rachel Bateman

Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau

Books I Read

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord (reread)

This Is How It Happened by Paula Stokes

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers (reread)

The League of American Traitors by Matthew Landis

Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (3.5 stars)

Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson (3 stars)

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder (3 stars)

The Hidden Memory of Objects by Danielle Mages Amato (2 stars)

Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner (3 stars)

Blog Posts You Might've Missed

   (from 6/26-7/1)

• Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books of 2017 Thus Far
• Reading Challenges Update #2
• So You Like... #53
• From the Bookshelf to the Kitchen: Waffles
• Why I Love The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

   (from 7/2-7/8)

• Review: Sweet Spot by Amy Ettinger (2 stars)
• Review: The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson (5 stars)
• Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite YA Historical Fiction
• How to Make a Quote Jar
• Random Friday: Speaking Another Language     

Random Friday: Speaking Another Language

Want to participate in Random Fridays? Just do the following: 

• Include the above image in your post and link back to my post.
• Blog about this week's topic.
• Add the link to your Random Friday at the bottom of this post.

I speak English, a little French (I understand a bit more than I speak), and a few signs in ASL.

I think speaking another language other than your mother tongue is awesome and something to be praised. In such a global-minded world, it is important to be able to communicate with others for a multitude of reasons. I admire people who can effortlessly speak multiple languages.

When it came time to choose a language in high school, I chose French "because everyone took Spanish, and French seemed cooler."

I wish I could speak French better. I had two and a half years with Rosetta Stone in high school, but the program stopped accepting my pronunciation of ANYTHING (even on the easiest setting), so I quit out of frustration. My verb conjugation was also very shaky because I didn't understand which ending went with which noun form. My mom, who'd only had a few years of high school French was unable to grade my worksheets if the answer was something that could vary, so that didn't help my sentence/verb conjugation skills.

I managed to test into French II in college; I really should've just started with French I, though, because I felt terribly lost when I started. I did start to remember more things, and I started to pick up some verb conjugation over my two semesters of French (that really felt more like two years' worth since so much information was packed in). One of my friends at school actually picked up a French major because she loved her basic French classes so much.

To retain my skills, I use the Duolingo app, and it's useful for vocab and speaking and some listening. I can definitely read most written French (although there's still a few conjunctions and rarer words I struggle with), but my listening skills are still shaky, just because native speakers talk fast. (And I acknowledge that I speak very fast in English, so it's only natural for someone to speak quickly in their native language.) So I'm a bit nervous about going to Quebec in a week, especially because I've been learning European French, and I know there are a few differences between that and Quebecois. Hopefully I won't make a complete fool of myself!

Do you speak another language? What language do you wish you could speak?

How to Make a Quote Jar

If you need a good DIY gift for a bookish friend, then you might want to make them a quote jar! I first encountered them when my first Secret Sister sent me one. I've since made them for two different Secret Sisters.

The first step is to buy a standard-size mason jar. You can find cases of 12 at Walmart, but I get mine at Michael's since you can buy them individually there.

Then you'll want to go on Goodreads and find quotes - either from the recipient's favorite books or authors or quotes related to a topic you may be theming the jar around (books, tea, love, etc.). You'll want to copy and paste them into a word document, spacing them far enough part that you can cut cleanly between each one and have a small border of blank paper around each.

After that, print out the quotes and cut them apart. You can draw little designs on them, if you want (my Secret Sister did), but it's not necessary.

Fold them neatly, in an accordion style, so you can fit lots of quotes into the jar. 

Put them in the jar as you fold them. There's no need to pack them loosely, as long as you can still get one or two out to start with.

Tie a ribbon around the jar lid, if you feel so inclined.

You might even want to make a jar for yourself!

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite YA Historical Fiction

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Tuesday is on hiatus for about a month, and while Jamie told us we could do our own weekly lists, I didn't plan on doing this, just because I had other posts I could use to fill the gaps for most weeks (and also I was concerned I'd do a topic they would use once they returned). But I decided to do one this week, the only Tuesday I really needed a post (besides the 18th, but I'll be out of the country then, so the fewer posts I have to share, the better). ANYWAYS. This is getting long and rambly, so I should just get to the book list. Here are my favorite YA historical fiction novels!

1. Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

2. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

3. The Forbidden Orchid by Sharon Biggs Waller

4. The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

5. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

6. Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson

7. Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

8. Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

9. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

10. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

11. A Tyranny of Petticoats by various authors

12. These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

13. Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

14. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

If you like YA historical fiction, we should definitely talk! What are your favorites?

Review: The Unexpected Everything

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
Grade: A
Summary: Andie had it all planned out. When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. Important internship? Check. Amazing friends? Check. Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: My love for The Unexpected Everything was not unexpected. (I'll try to keep the jokes to a minimum, y'all.) I thoroughly loved Morgan's previous two books (reviews to come for both), so this one was an insta-preorder. I'd probably rank this one third out of her four titles, but that's just because I love Since You've Been Gone and Second Chance Summer so much.
I did really enjoy the circle of friends; Morgan's previous heroines have started the book either alone or with very few friends. To have Palmer, Toby, and Bri (and technically Tom, too) from the start made Andie a different character. She was also much more driven than Emily and Taylor, which made her stand out. I loved how the friends had distinct personalities, and this summer didn't just change Andie; it changed them (particularly Bri and Toby). I appreciated how everything didn't end perfectly because there are just some things you can't come back from. Andie's relationship with her dad had a good arc, if a bit predictable. I think Andie herself needed to undergo a little more of a character arc, but she did grow and learn.
Clark is one of my favorite parts of the book. He is awkward but wonderfully so. And he pushed Andie out of her comfort zone in such wonderful ways. There's a lot of stuff about his career that I don't buy, but this is fiction, so I was willing to suspend disbelief just a little. I also liked that he got a bit of a character arc, through being in Stanwich for the summer and finding friends.
The length of Morgan's books has never bothered me. I know some people prefer only fantasy and science fiction to be lengthy tomes, but sometimes a good contemporary needs the space to complete a full story. I don't think there would've been enough summery moments, development for Andie and her dad, and development for Andie if the book had been much shorter.

The Verdict: Really, really good. Read Morgan's other books first, just so the cameo appearances in this one make sense, but if you like her first three books, you'll like this one.

Buy: Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble

Will I be adding this book to my library?: Already did.

Review: Sweet Spot - An Ice Cream Binge Across America

Sweet Spot: An Ice Cream Binge Across America by Amy Ettinger
Grade: D
Release date: July 11, 2017
An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration.
Summary: For Amy Ettinger, ice cream is not just a delicious snack but a circumstance and a time of year--frozen forever in memory. As the youngest child and only girl, ice cream embodied unstructured summers, freedom from the tyranny of her classmates, and a comforting escape from her chaotic, demanding family.

Now as an adult and journalist, her love of ice cream has led to a fascinating journey to understand ice cream's evolution and enduring power, complete with insight into the surprising history behind America's early obsession with ice cream and her experience in an immersive ice-cream boot camp to learn from the masters. From a visit to the one place in the United States that makes real frozen custard in a mammoth machine known as the Iron Lung, to the vicious competition among small ice-cream makers and the turf wars among ice-cream trucks, to extreme flavors like foie gras and oyster, Ettinger encounters larger-than-life characters and uncovers what's really behind America's favorite frozen treats.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: I actually found myself relatively bored for most of the book. Too much of the information Ettinger presented was dry and unnecessary. I wanted fun ice cream adventures, not bland facts about the science of ice cream. I wanted more ice cream tasting and personal stories about enjoying it - both from Ettinger and the people she encountered. I skimmed most of what I did read, and I didn't even finish the book just because I lost interest.
I also have issues with how the author presented herself. If you're going to write a book about one of America's favorite foods, you need to come across as relatable, not pretentious and like your tastes are so much better than everyone else's.

The Verdict: Pretty blah. I'd pass on this one, if I were you.

Buy: Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble

Will I be adding this book to my library?: Nope.

Why I Love The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

When you reread a book heaven knows how many times in its release year, you know you love it. I can't tell y'all how many times I reread The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You because I didn't keep track. But I feel like I read it once a month every month from August through December (after my initial read in April and reread in May).

I've already raved about TOTWTMIY in my review, but here are four distinct reasons why I love it so much.

1. The nerdiness

I love how all the main characters are nerdy and aren't afraid to be. They love all things superhero and sci-fi, and the feeling is perfectly infused in the book. (The Watsons' dog is named Sherlock. Dr. Who and Star Wars are name-dropped left and right.)

Also, since Harper (the Hero character) dresses up as Supergirl for Halloween, here's a picture of me as Kara Danvers/Supergirl mid-transformation from last Halloween.

2. It's a Shakespeare retelling.

I make it no secret that I find Shakespeare's plays fascinating and that I love (and want more) adaptations/retellings, particularly YA ones and web series. Somehow I didn't know it was a Much Ado About Nothing retelling when I requested an e-galley, but that made it all the sweeter.

3. How Lily Anderson modernized it.

She plays homage to the original play so well, but she also modernizes the story, changing the Hero scandal but keeping the basis of it. Also, Beatrice/Trixie fits perfectly in a modern world.

4. The banter

I love enemies-to-lovers ships and banter and slow-burn, and TOTWTMIY delivers especially well on banter. Lily retained the spirit of Beatrice and Benedick's relationship so well. (And of course this item calls for Nothing Much to Do gifs.)

So if you haven't read The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You yet, you need to get on that stat. I'm even including buy links.

Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble