LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff: Book Review

On a floating junkyard beneath a radiation sky, a deadly secret lies buried in the scrap.

Eve isn’t looking for secrets—she’s too busy looking over her shoulder. The robot gladiator she’s just spent six months building has been reduced to a smoking wreck, and the only thing keeping her Grandpa from the grave was the fistful of credits she just lost to the bookies. To top it off, she’s discovered she can destroy electronics with the power of her mind, and the puritanical Brotherhood are building a coffin her size. If she’s ever had a worse day, Eve can’t remember it.

But when Eve discovers the ruins of an android boy named Ezekiel in the scrap pile she calls home, her entire world comes crashing down. With her best friend Lemon Fresh and her robotic conscience, Cricket, in tow, she and Ezekiel will trek across deserts of irradiated glass, infiltrate towering megacities and scour the graveyard of humanity’s greatest folly to save the ones Eve loves, and learn the dark secrets of her past.

Even if those secrets were better off staying buried.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Can we just start with saying that I have never been much of a sci-fi fan and then come to the immediate conclusion that LIFEL1K3 is now the reason I might actually consider having metal/cybernetic body parts in the future. I have to admit that I was very weary going into this as I was worried that I might not have the attention span to keep with it or the brain power to process all the technicalities, names, and slang. And whaddayaknow? I was able to prove myself wrong, or maybe Jay is just that great of an author that his writing just has that effect. Besides all that, I have about a billion reasons why I loved this book to pieces.


"YOUR BODY IS NOT YOUR OWN"
"YOUR MIND IS NOT YOUR OWN"
"YOUR LIFE IS NOT YOUR OWN"

Eve is introduced as a seventeen-year-old tough-nut teenager with a ridiculously good looking fauxhawk and a ton of skill for building machines to fight in the WarDome where she earns credits to buy her grandpa medication. Most of her time is spent ripping up machines there or avoiding a gang amongst the scap with her best friend, Lemon Fresh, her logika pal, Cricket, and her cyborg dog called Kaiser. The setting is post-apocalyptic Kalifornya, now known as an island called Dregs. We begin to realise that there is more to Eve's past than she had anticipated when a lifelike called Ezekiel shows up almost completely trashed in the scraps and claims to know her as someone else. When the brotherhood show up at Eve's doorstep where her grandpa lives to eradicate her after somehow destroying a gladiator robot in the WarDome with her mind, Eve and Ezekiel have to quickly work together to shut them all down. Until another lifelike shows up and everything goes to hell, along with Eve's perception of who she really is.

“This is not the end of me.
This is just one more enemy.”

Not only does is described as Romeo and Juliet meets Mad Max meets X-Men meets Blade Runner, but it is somewhat of a loose retelling of another story (one I shall not name so that you might find out for yourself and be wonderfully surprised - I did not have that luxury but oh well, I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway)! Once I discovered little tidbits of information and easter eggs of the story, I began to fully immerse myself within the novel. I found some of the slang a little off-putting at first but then I got the hang of it and it started to catch on. Now what really caught me other than the flashback scenes (they were brilliant, by the way. They didn't slow the pace or bore the story at all and I kind of wanted to keep reading about Eve's past) was the artificial intelligence. Logika are basically robots that can think for themselves and feel emotions to supposedly the extent of any average human. Cricket is one example, although he is subjected to the three laws of robotics. Ezekiel and the other lifelikes, however, were not subjected to them and the whole reason for that kickstarts the whole vibe of the story and I just couldn't get enough.

"'I mean it,' he whispers. 'No matter how perfect they make us, they can't make us human. It's your flaws that make you beautiful, (Eve)'. It's the imperfections that make you perfect. Being what I am, I can't help but see them. Or love them."

One thing that I appreciated a lot was how much development Eve went through over the course of the whole novel. Without spoiling anything, I'll say that she starts off knowing who she is and what she does and who she loves as family. As time goes on and more information is revealed to her along with memories that start to resurface - this confuses Eve but she tries to clasp on to what feels real and right to her by balancing the past and the present. With some help from her bestest (best friend), Lemon, Eve is able to figure out her own thoughts on her current status. The amount of twists that this book had really got me left, right and centre but I loved it and the ending killed me but I also need so much more of this universe.

"'So you've had some bad days, no doubt,' Lemon said. 'But I figure, instead of letting your yesterdays bring you down, maybe you can concentrate on building some happier memories today. And that way you'll have them for tomorrow?'"

I'm truly grateful that I got to be a part of this promotion with Allen and Unwin New Zealand. This book has changed everything for me in the sci-fi realm and I'm dying for the next instalment (can 2019 not come any quicker?). It's one hell of a girl power statement and the love between Eve and Lemon is the best platonic friendship I'll ever come across - it is real, it has major development, and makes your heart hurt when they hit a bump in the road. I have given this book a 5 out of 5 stars because I did not dislike a single thing about it and I definitely felt immensely moved by how the story played out. It made me question a ton of things, including if I actually like the idea of artificial intelligence and how polluted the world actually is already and why aren't we doing more to prevent the world from dying? If you're a fan of any of the franchises I mentioned earlier, and just a great action packed novel in general to get yourself going after a terrible reading slump, then get on board with LIFEL1K3! You will not regret this, true cert!

Photo proof that this is a book worth checking out! Lemon is the baddest bestest!

A list of slang used in LIFEL1K3 (in my kiwi interpretation):

• True cert: For certain/Definitely/Legit
• Bestest: Best friend
• Fug/Fugazi: Fake
• Scope: Find
• Kreds: Credits/Money
• Ghost/Ghosted: Kill/Dead
• Fizzy: Good/Nice
• Abnorm: A person with unusual powers
• Recyc: Scrap yard
• Bookie: Bettor
• OOC: Out Of Commission

Thank you Allen and Unwin NZ for sending me a signed review copy!

Check out their links here:

Official Website: http://www.allenandunwin.co.nz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllenAndUnwinNZ

Check out my Spotify playlist for

LIFEL1K3

Go add LIFEL1K3 to your Goodreads list HERE

Go buy it on MightyApe with 1 day delivery in New Zealand HERE

Buy it on Book Depository with free shipping world wide HERE

Find it on the Allen & Unwin NZ website HERE

Find more out about me at:

Website: wordsofeuphoricnostalgia.blogspot.com

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A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland: Book Review

Ever since Esther Solar's grandfather was cursed by Death, everyone in her family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime. Esther's father is agoraphobic and hasn't left the basement in six years, her twin brother can t be in the dark without a light on, and her mother is terrified of bad luck.

The Solars are consumed by their fears and, according to the legend of the curse, destined to die from them. 

Esther doesn't know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to), a feat achieved by avoiding pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces, and crowds are all off-limits. So are haircuts, spiders, dolls, mirrors and three dozen other phobias she keeps a record of in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares. 

Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she d been saving, Jonah also steals her list of fears. Despite the theft, Esther and Jonah become friends, and he sets a challenge for them: in an effort to break the curse that has crippled her family, they will meet every Sunday of senior year to work their way through the list, facing one terrifying fear at a time, including one that Esther hadn't counted on: love.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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*Trigger warnings for anxiety, depression, and cutting*

“Anxiety felt like a grapnel anchor had been pickaxed into your back, one prong in each lung, one through the heart, one through the spine, the weight curving your posture forward, dragging you down to the murky depths of the sea floor. The good news was that you kind of got used to it after a while. Got used to the gasping, brink-of-heart-attack feeling that followed you everywhere. All you had to do was grab one of the prongs that stuck out from the bottom of your sternum, give it a little shake, and say, “Listen, asshole. We’re not dying. We have shit to do.”

It feels like a century since I had last found something which really resonated with all the internal struggles and pain that I've had to suffer throughout my whole life. A Semi-Definitive List Of Worst Nightmares encaptures the whole package deal that comes with the curse of anxiety and depression. I found myself relating to almost every second sentence and had originally sat down to read at least half of the novel two days before it was due for release - I feel terrible that I was not able to complete it sooner and have one heck of a review waiting for everyone to read and hear my thoughts on. However I'm glad I was able to spend the month returning every now and then to get a fix of a beautifully truthful and empowering novel. One thing that just made me instantly love this book as much as the actual content was the fact that Esther is a natural red-head with an array of freckles on her face, and Jonah basically resembles Finn from Star Wars: The Force Awakens almost exactly and I am so glad I was given that visual because that is exactly how I pictured him for the rest of the novel!

This shot that I posted to my Instagram story could not be more accurate!

Esther Solar is introduced to us vividly in the first few pages along with a few vital pieces of information:

1. Her family is cursed with developing unhealthy phobias which prevent them from being anything but a normal human being. 
2. She dresses in a spontaneous costume every day - on this particular day/night she is dressed as Red Riding Hood. 
3. Her mother, Rosemary, is afraid of bad luck, her father, Peter, is an agoraphobe and has lived in the basement for six years since his sudden confinement, and her brother, Eugene, is afraid of the darkness and and anything related to it. 
4. She is super gullible and too kind for her own good. 
5. She protested Dumbledore's death as a child for a week before the movie came out, even though the books were written years prior to the movie release. (She is a sweet little cinnamon roll!) 
6. We basically need to keep reading to find out why the hell Esther would somehow eventually fall in love with Jonah Smallwood - the guy who robs her of her grandmother's bracelet, iPhone, Fruit Roll-Up, library card, copy of The Godfather, her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares, AND her diginity, all within the time-frame of four minutes in a bus stop at night. (Trust me when I say that you will enjoy the hell out of these two characters together!)

If I am going to give an accurate review of this book, I'll have to point out how important the topics discussed in this novel are and why many of the creative analogies such as The Man Who Was Death, the curse on the family, and Esther's interpretation on the way love works backwards, all have deeper meanings that we might realise. I have taken photos of particular quotes that I resonated with personally and also felt like they needed a bit of recognition.

The hard truth with mental illnesses and disabilities, but it doesn't mean that everyone does. I just felt like this was a 'in the moment' quote that I could relate to a lot. People have given up on me before, but then there are people who haven't given up on me. Chad is a great example of someone who has stayed with me for four years, even though I have ADHD, anxiety/panic disorder, and an unknown joint disease that gives me pain on a daily basis and has rendered my legs useless multiple times before. I am forever grateful for him ❤

Jonah is the love interest/semi-hero that every other novel needs (and every person that needs a little push towards confidence and self love); the type of person that would take your deepest fears and throw them at you lovingly, all the while knowing very well (sorta) that you won't actually die if you face them. He is the one who gives Esther a reason to live - in saying that, she is not suicidal, she just doesn't live a very interesting life before she bands up with Jonah to face her fears every Sunday of the week until she reaches number fifty and finds out what she's really afraid of. I have to say that this book has truly inspired me to live my life no matter the fears that I face when I start to think about the real world. I honestly felt like I was living an adventure that was exhilarating and eye-opening at the same time. I was reminded that mental illness can almost feel like a curse and death can feel like a person that is just hanging around in the shadows waiting for you to say the okay, yet at the same time you can also tell them to just f**k off.

The caption on the photo is the only one that is needed.

If this book has taught me anything, it is to know that anxiety and depression will always be a tough fight, but it is possible to come out the other side eventually. There is no instant cure but it can be managed and it is important to remember that there are many other people who suffer from the same things, if not many other mental illnesses, as well. We're not alone in the world - we can choose to either let the pain subdue us or we can choose to rage a war against the darkness and make life something worth living, even if it means facing a few fears to find the light.

I've decided to present my own list of fears so that I might inspire someone else to do the same and show that we are not all invincible but we are all human (I do believe some of us are magical shapeshifting unicorns but that is besides the point).

Things that terrify me on a daily basis:

1. Loosing someone I love.
2. Heights.
3. Blood and anything to do with surgery or cut open skin. (UGH!)
4. Crossing busy roads. (I used to have panic attacks every morning walking to school)
5.  Depression creeping back up on me when I least expect it.
6. Panic attacks.
7. Wasps and hornets. (I have more faith that bees aren't a****les)
8. Not knowing what is wrong with me. (Currently going through this crisis)
9. I might die before I get the chance to accomplish my dream of becoming a best selling author and inspire others with my stories of struggle.
10. Living in a city surrounded by volcanoes that are due to erupt with 1.3 million people who may or may not care.
11. The possibility that my current life is really just a very long dream and I will wake up from a coma to a life I never wanted.
12. Loosing both my voice and my hearing. (Both are my sources of music which keep my depression at bay. See no. 5*)
13. New Zealand is a tiny country/island that could sink just like Hawai'ki did centuries ago. (I'm a big believer of Maori legends. Don't judge me!)
14. Donald Trump ruling the most powerful country in the world.
15. Racism. (It terrifies me because I've seen people be killed just because they're dark skinned and I have panic attacks thinking about loosing my partner, Chad, my daughter, Zoey, my brother, Devontaye, or anyone that I love just because their skin is darker)
16. WETAS! THEY ALL DESERVE TO DIE! (For those who don't know, they are a native species to New Zealand and are literally spawns of the devil. They are super hard to kill–I used a whole fly spray can and tried squashing one to no avail–and they make me sick!) I dare you to search the name on Google Images.

One fear I used to have but don't anymore?: I can take a photo with no makeup on and feel confident about it! Even if there is a book in front of my face in this one. Baby steps, guys. Baby steps.

I have given this novel 5 out of 5 stars because I have never read a book in my life that I have related to so much (Twilight doesn't count right now, okay?) and felt like it deserves a place on the modern classics table for future generations to study in school and refer to for inspirational quotes when life feels overwhelming and sometimes like nothing at all. Krystal Sutherland has definitely done everyone a huge service by writing such a beautiful story which will always stay close to our hearts. I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure this book does not become underrated in the bookish community. We need more relatable stories like this (as I've probably stated many times before) because so many people like myself need them when we're at our worst to sit down with and feel like we have a chance to be revived. I sat down a couple of weeks ago when I was drowning in stress and tears, and having Esther and Jonah to comfort my fears by facing their own gave me so much strength that I managed to avoid a panic attack. I ended up having one a few days later anyway but somehow I felt a little more hopeful afterwards when I reminded myself that so many people suffered the same way as me even for the simplest things like being in the presence of frogs, corn fields, or lobsters.

Krystal got all the nostalgic feels perfectly - I love little details like this one!

Thanks to A Semi-Definitive List Of Worst Nightmares, I am super keen to read Krystal's first novel, Our Chemical Hearts and fall in love with her writing all over again. I've always been interested in dipping into the genre of contemporary with my writing, so maybe Krystal's books will be the reason I run head first into action - no fear, no pain, just love, passion, and novels of inspiration.

Check out my Spotify playlist for

✮A Semi-Definitive List Of Worst Nightmares!✮

Thank you Penguin Random House NZ for the review copy!

Like and follow their links here:

Official Website: http://penguin.co.nz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenguinBooks_NZ

Please contact any one of these helplines if you need help:

• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757

Are you suffering with a mental illness such as depression or anxiety? Here are some helpful links from BetterHelp that you can check out and find tips on how to live a happier life:

BetterHelp Advice - Anxiety
BetterHelp Advice - Depression
How To Deal with Depression: Tips, Techniques And Finding the Right Treatment

How Do I Find A Therapist Near Me?

10 Depression Quotes That May Change Your Life

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Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige: Book Review

First kisses sometimes wake slumbering princesses, undo spells, and spark happily ever afters.

Mine broke Bale.

Seventeen-year-old Snow has spent her life locked in Whittaker Psychiatric—but she isn’t crazy. And that’s not the worst of it. Her very first kiss proves anything but innocent…when Bale, her only love, turns violent.

Despite Snow knowing that Bale would never truly hurt her, he is taken away—dashing her last hope for any sort of future in the mental ward she calls home. With nowhere else to turn, Snow finds herself drawn to a strange new orderly who whispers secrets in the night about a mysterious past and a kingdom that’s hers for the taking—if only she can find her way past the iron gates to the Tree that has been haunting her dreams.

Beyond the Tree lies Algid, a land far away from the real world, frozen by a ruthless king. And there too await the River Witch, a village boy named Kai, the charming thief Jagger, and a prophecy that Snow will save them all.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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In all honesty, I have to say that this book was not up to the exact level of excitement I thought it might be. But that aside I will admit that I definitely thought this book was an awesome retelling of "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen. I didn't actually read the original story until just after I had finished the book but I could definitely see the similarities and how Danielle managed to weave many of the same elements into her own little fantasy story. This review may be filled with mixed emotions about multiple parts of the book as I felt like there were some things about it that I thought could have been better or slightly different to enhance the overall opinions from many readers including myself - though I do feel like I enjoyed the themes that lay within the fantastical world filled with snow-covered cities and beauty amongst the darkness of an evil king who had ruled Algid for many years before Snow's arrival.

The protagonist of the story is a young girl who is introduced as Snow and resides, much to her dismay, in a mental asylum in New York where she is monitored on a daily basis by her orderly, Verne, takes pills that she named after the seven dwarves, and lives for the moments when she gets to see Bale - which is almost never since he broke her wrist after their first kiss - and all of that because she tried to walk to a mirror as a young girl and cut herself badly by accident. I personally felt like I could resonate with Snow as she is described to have issues controlling her anger and I feel like that is something that many people struggle with but there is so much stigma around the idea because it can be a scary thing for those that don't want to know about it or be around people who have the potential to blow up for any particular reason. Her issues trusting her mother and feeling hardly any love for her because of the mirror incident is something that I feel is believable and true for those where their family won't support or help them when they feel like they need it the most. Snow goes through many instances where her loyalties are tested and ties are torn in ways that are brutal, and in that way I felt for her because she never knew her family like she thought she did. The friendships she gains along her journey to fulfilling the prophecy are of deep importance and show Snow what real life, despite having entered a fantasy world, can be for her if she decides to choose to stay and help Algid defeat their curse. Unfortunately a bit of the plot seemed slightly off track and went in directions that didn't quite add up - I was thinking that maybe the manuscript could have been edited up to be a little better prepared for publication.

I know that this would have been a book that I would have said five stars to right away when I was only a young teenager starting out with young adult novels like The Twilight Saga and the Vampire Academy series, but sensibly with time I have come to a state of mind where every thought seems to be critical in the best and worst ways sometimes. I definitely did enjoy Stealing Snow but I just feel like it wasn't written the best way it could have been. Many people I know have mentioned their distaste for the love triangle and I totally get that. But it didn't bother me as much as I thought it might so I'm sure many others can feel the same way I do! I'm thinking that the next book will follow things up in terms of the spread-out plot so it could impress a lot of the readers that may not have liked this one. I'm just hoping that we get to see more badass magic, snow-tornados, and Gerde and Kai because their scenes just weren't enough and I loved them specifically to bits! Snow's anger issue didn't exactly have much development and a clear resolution or point of importance in my opinion. There were a few other things that should have been cleared up as well but I guess I could be wrong with my assumptions and they might all be answered with absolute detail and serve a better purpose for the second novel. But I guess we won't know until it comes out!

I have decided to give Stealing Snow a 3 stars out of 5 because it would appeal more to a younger audience that may not have many issues with the simplistic style of writing and feel too overwhelmed by the direction of the plot line. I do think many people will love reading this story for the awesome fact that it's almost like envisioning Elsa from the Disney movie, Frozen, as Snow with her magical flurry of ice powers. It just lacked in major character development, a clear vision of the story, and better sentence structure, which might have really given this book a kick of enthusiasm. However, I am still looking forward to reading Danielle's other series, Dorothy Must Die, as I heard it is a great series and is a retelling of The Wizard of Oz which is absolutely awesome considering it being such a classic oldie! 

Thank you Allen and Unwin NZ for the review copy!

Check out their links here:

Official Website: http://www.allenandunwin.co.nz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllenAndUnwinNZ

 

  Go add Stealing Snow to your Goodreads list HERE

Go buy it on MightyApe with 1 day delivery in New Zealand HERE

Buy it on Book Depository with free shipping world wide HERE

Find it on the Allen and Unwin website HERE

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Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven: Book Review

Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for every possibility life has to offer. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything. 

Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.

Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Knowing this was the first ever contemporary novel that I have read made me feel slightly uneasy, but my lack of faith in my uncommon interests set me up for a roller coaster ride of a story filled with meaningful themes, fascinating facts /insight about having prosopagnosia, and quotes that you would want to use out in the open world just to prove that you are a cool kid who reads real awesome (and beautifully diverse) modern novels. At this point in time I am honestly shocked at the revelation of my enjoyment during my reading Holding Up The Universe – this was honestly not what I was expecting and I am happy to know now that my two weeks of trying to finish this novel wasn’t exactly wasted (I am absolutely terrible at making myself think that I won’t enjoy a single bit of a book or even a movie).

As I finished the story, the ending acknowledgements hit me right in the heart as I was informed that this book had been inspired by the author’s own childhood – struggling with her weight and being bullied for it, though she continued to do what she loved most: dancing. Libby is the exact embodiment of someone who has gone through absolute hell and back but knows how to put a good fight and speak her mind because who has time to just sit back and take shit anymore? She is basically the chick that everyone would love if they just got to know her and I love that she doesn’t let anyone tell her what she can and can’t do. Through this book we go through her journey of learning to stop hiding behind a tough appearance and start to embrace the beauty and grace she has, while also still being a really awesome chick that doesn’t take shit from anyone. Jack is probably the one male character that isn’t vampire, werewolf, zombie or any other type of supernatural species that you can fall in love with and realise he’s a better male hero than any other with any fancy super powers. Check it out – this guy has prosopagnosia (a condition where a person can’t recognise faces) and he is glad that he is able to spot Libby easily because of her weight being her ‘identifier’. They are literally so perfect for each other!

Now one thing that blew me away was the fact that this book was the most diverse I had ever read. Since slowly easing away from the hurt that was the hate against Sarah J Maas and her most recent release, Empire of Storms, I’ve realised that Holding Up The Universe would appeal to almost anyone in or out of the book community because of how diverse the characters and themes are – including disability, LGBT, ethnicity/people of colour, families that aren’t completely functional or perfect, and even one where the devout Christian isn’t the most annoying character. In fact she is a girl who felt like she failed at being a good friend to Libby years ago as kids and wants to improve now that they’re reunited. Reading it again I might find many more I didn’t realise I’d missed but I honestly feel like this book is one of the most influential and empowering novels of 2016 and if not out of the whole 21^st century. Props to Jennifer Niven for using her experiences to inspire a tale that will one day inspire many others to feel more confident like Libby and Jack for being different.

✨ 

Things I LOVED about Holding Up The Universe! 

✨

·      Libby and Jack are couple goals for every reason in the universe and they literally ‘hold it up’ for each other! Being the complete opposites of typical ‘American standard’ cool kids, it’s heart-warming to finally read a book that takes these tropes and absolutely thrashes them out of style. We need plenty more books like this one in the world because I will be absolutely devastated if I don’t see other authors following suit or even if I don’t get to see more of Jack and Libby (Jennifer, if you’re reading this, please tell me we get at least another couple of novels!).

·      Can I just mention that Libby is absolutely talented in dancing and she won’t let a damned thing stop her from doing it! I am literally falling to pieces waiting for the announcement of Holding Up The Universe to be a movie – I need to see those dance moves that Libby is so famous for and it would just make it all the more beautiful and meaningful. Finally a coloured boy, Jack, is introduced as the popular guy but with a face-blind disability that no one but him knows about. But when he gets to know Libby and sees her dance, he can’t help but fall harder for the only girl he can easily recognise for who she really is. DREAM GOALS!

·      The best and worst thing is that I actually was pretty excited about the way this story played out that it will most likely be optioned to be a movie but it won’t happen for a long while. Since the book only released last October, it burdens me to come to the reality that being a fan of something so life changing will eventually break me. But the only thing I can do now is know that Libby and Jack will eventually return one way or another and continue to read a bunch of other life changing novels until it does happen!

·      The one and only contemporary novel that I’ve ever read is now my favourite contemporary novel and it’ll take pretty much the world to change my mind. I know I still have books like John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, and Paper Towns to read–though two of them I’ve already watched as movies–I’m doubtful that I’ll ever find another contemporary novel as satisfying as this one. Which basically means that I’m all the way back to square one and thinking that I’ll never enjoy this particular genre as much as I do fantasy. Technically that is true anyway but you get what I mean and I need to wrap this up so there. Suck it up – normal human lives usually seem boring to me but feel free to challenge that if you dare (inserts an overly creepy picture of me winking here).

Things I Didn’t Love About Holding Up The Universe…

·      I’ll sum this up quickly… I felt a lot hadn’t been tied up in terms of other issues that had been brought up closer to the end. Plus I need more Jack and Libby together. So if I find out that this is a stand-alone novel then I will not be overly content. That is all. Thank you!

If I had to really give my absolute honest opinion of this book, I would give this book 4.75 stars because there were a few tiny things I noticed were not optimal in terms of accuracy or time or whatever on earth it was. But to be totally fair, due to the beautiful and honest nature of the author being able to provide her readers with such a powerful and informative YA novel using every theme that we’ve all been asking for, this book truly deserves a 5 star rating just for satisfying our community just the way we needed it. Authors needn’t worry too much about overly accurate detailing or forcing themselves to describe every scene in profound detail that our minds bleed. They just need to focus on writing the story with a great plot, relatable characters, and themes that appeal to the target audience. Jennifer Niven has excelled with this task and I have never been more grateful than to have been sent this book by Penguin Random House NZ.

Thank you Penguin Random House for the review copy!

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