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Literally Lenny

Lover of all books, big or small, old or new. I read and review books in the Young Adult genre. Welcome to my blog and I hope you stick around for more to come!


What's it about?

EVERY DAY THE SAME
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

UNTIL TODAY
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

My Thoughts: 

This book was a really great thriller and full of a lot of jaw-dropping moments, but to be honest, I think it's pretty overhyped. I get that it's a really good plot and the writing is great but oh my goodness the characters drove me insane. This book takes unreliable narrator to the extreme. Which I get is the point of a mystery-thriller, so maybe this just isn't MY cup of tea. The women characters were weak and vulnerable which irked me to no end. They had no treated themselves like crap and had absolutely no respect for who they were without men. I'm not going to go on a feminist rant or anything, but this book just really harped on the weakness of women when it came to men. No woman was independent, and each woman hated the other. I get that not every person is a strong individual, but this was just a bit too far. And quite frankly it ruined the book for me. 

So the reason I'm even giving this book 3 stars is because the ending for me was unpredictable. The plot was great and the writing was good. But the characters was the make it or break it for me. I don't really know what else to say about this book. It was a good read, but I would not recommend to anyone unless they were massive murder-mystery fans. 




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3:57 PM No comments


What's it about? 

Most know her as the Bloody Baroness, the captain of a fearsome glass starship called The Marauder. Androma and her crew strike terror in the hearts of those who cross them amongst the many corners of the Mirabel Galaxy.
When a routine mission goes rogue, the all-female crew is captured by a bounty hunter from Andi’s past and forced into a job that could, quite literally, start a war that will devour worlds.
Meanwhile, on the far side of the galaxy, the ruthless ruler Nor waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time. The final pieces are about to fall into place, liberating a plan that will tear Mirabel in two.
As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, there is one lesson that proves to be true: No one can be trusted in a galaxy that runs on lies and illusion.

My Thoughts: 

This was a really good start to what seems will be a really great series! The opening scene in cell 377 was what pulled me in. Something about creepy old jail cells and a revengeful guy? Yeah, that's weird. Anywho, major Firefly vibes from this storyline! Which I'm actually loving, but most importantly, I love that they're women space pirates. Can honestly say I've never read anything like this. Seriously creative and I can't wait for more to come! It left me with a LOT of unanswered questions! 

I guess the only downside was that this was only 67 pages. Obviously Lindsey and Sasha did this independently and couldn't publish more, but there's so much I NEED to know! And it didn't leave enough time for me to get obsessively involved with the characters and story line! Part two, please!

I give Zenith 3.5 stars! 

3:35 PM No comments



What's it about? 

"Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger—and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that’s the least of Jane’s problems. She’s about to become Queen of England.

Like that could go wrong." 


- Goodreads Synopsis

My Thoughts:

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I absolutely ADORED this book. First off, you must listen to the audiobook. Trust me on this one. Second, the writing, the humor, everything about My Lady Jane was absolute perfection! I have not read such a wonderfully written book that made me laugh and smile in such a long time. 

I know that this book is getting lots of recognition this month because I saw that it was included in not one, but two monthly book subscription boxes! Rightly so, this book needs to be on everyone's shelves. It's absolutely beautiful. Now, let me tell you why. 

This book is told by "narrators" who at the very beginning tell you outright that they changed the story of history to make it more interesting just because they wanted to. They put a fantastic fantasy spin on the history while still managing to keep some parts of history completely factual! Because of this change in history and the perspective of the humorous narrator, I constantly found myself laughing. Want proof? Go read the prologue to this book. It's 3 pages. It'll take you a maximum of 5 minutes. Go ahead. I'll wait. 

See what I mean? 

The characters were so bloody fantastic with all their different flaws and adventures! I loved being able to see inside these supposed royals and to listen to their ridiculous thoughts! Yes, that part is clearly fiction, but just picturing a king in the 1500's worrying about if he was ever going to kiss a pretty girl? First world problems, for sure. 

The plot was very fast paced and never left the reader bored, there was no filler, only comedic bits, and I find this added even more to the character's development and made the reader love those characters even more. I think I truly loved this book because these three authors managed to modernize history from 1550, and it absolutely worked. These three women are brilliant and deserve all the recognition and love for this book as I am giving it right now. 

I gave My Lady Jane 5 wonderfully beautiful shiny stars!

This book, is my new favorite. I shall worship it forever. 

4:19 PM No comments

What's it about? 
"She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. 

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him... or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is." - Goodreads Synopsis

My Thoughts: 

I picked this book up because I wanted to read it for the Perustopia Book Club this month! I was definitely not expecting this book to be this good! It was so good and I felt like it was so different from anything else I had read, and not just because of the setting being a desert. The writing was fantastic. It did not capture me as much as other books have, and some parts seemed a bit like filler, hence the 4 star review. However. The romance between Jin and Amani has to be one of my all time favorite just because of how far they had both come from their beginnings, and the fact that they grew together so realistically. 

(*SPOILERS*)

I didn't really believe (or just found it silly) that Amani had no idea that she was a Demdji. If I realized I was so significantly different from everyone else, I would have questioned that a very, very long time ago. But that's a minor detail. 

I loved how the story unraveled by becoming one of the legends that Amani had heard at such a young age. I knew that ghouls and skinwalkers would eventually make appearances, but unfortunately for me they didn't add much to the story. I'm attributing that to me not being a massive fantasy lover, or just nothing living up to Lord of the Rings...

I will say that the story of Ahmed was incredible. I assumed that Jin was a prince, but I had no idea that he was going to be Ahmed's brother. That was a really fun plot twist and I have a feeling that Jin and Amani's adventures with Ahmed and his "army" are only going to get better. I loved the different characters that we met along the way, especially because each person was significant to the group. I cannot wait for the second book in this series! 

I give Rebel of the Sands 4 stars!
9:05 PM No comments

What's it about? 


"In downtown Chicago, a young woman named Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is found among her possessions, leaving her friend and roommate Quinn Collins to wonder where Esther is and whether or not she's the person Quinn thought she knew. 

Meanwhile, in a small Michigan harbor town an hour outside Chicago, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where eighteen-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher. He is immediately drawn to her charm and beauty, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something far more dark and sinister than he ever expected.  

As Quinn searches for answers about Esther, and Alex is drawn further under Pearl's spell, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes readers on a taut and twisted thrill ride that builds to a stunning conclusion and shows that no matter how fast and far we run, the past always catches up with us in the end." - Goodreads Synopsis

My Thoughts (Spoilers!) : 

So, I had really high expectations for this book because I freaking loved The Good Girl. I knew that it wasn't going to be the same plot or anything, but it's almost as if the writing and the way the plot unfolded was completely different from "The Good Girl". 

Don't get me wrong, it was still a good book, but there were things that just really irked me about it that are still bothering me even after I put the book down. 

Why the hey was Quinn so damn oblivious? She literally thought of the storage space WAY BEFORE the 5 day mark. That just really bothered me because if she had freaking used her brain she would've gone there when she thought about it. Find some bolt cutters or something, I don't know! 

The whole ending was really good and creepy as fudge, but it was the only part that was actually exciting. I found the entire beginning and middle to be very lack luster and boring. 

I know I was wrong to expect another The Good Girl, but I just so desperately wanted another fantastic crime novel like that again!

I gave Dont You Cry 3 stars. 



10:03 AM No comments

What's it about? 

"When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined." - Goodreads Synopsis

My Thoughts: 

As an individual book, this was a really great book. As the ending to a series I loved so much, it was only okay. The storyline was great as usual, characters were well developed, but the ending really was way too sudden and random! They kinda just said "SURPRISE...K BYE."...and left...I really wanted more! Not another book, but just at least another paragraph or SOMETHING. 

However, I will say how absolutely amazing Kiera Cass was at keeping me on my toes for who was going to be the one. Like holy crap, PLOT TWIST! She had you second guessing everything and for once I was not able to see the outcome of this book. With the main triolgy with America and Maxon, it was quite obvious that the two would be together regardless of what obstacles they had to overcome. But in The Crown it was really ambiguous what was going to happen and I really enjoyed that! It was a nice change of pace. 


I didn't find Eadlyn to be as annoying as she was in The Heir to be honest. I know a lot of people would not agree, but I just feel like she finally grew up. There were times when she was being a complete baby and just so incredibly naive but in the end she pulled herself together. And I loved how Kiera Cass made you love each and every one of the elite, almost like you were rooting yourself for who you wanted to win. You got so emotionally involved in the storyline, which very few authors are capable of doing. Really great book. But really random ending. 

Overall, I give The Crown 4 stars!

9:56 AM No comments

What's it about?

"It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell's possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland's dying body through the rift – back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games – an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries – a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall." - Goodreads Synopsis 


My Thoughts:

For me, nothing will ever compare to A Darker Shade of Magic and i'm sure a lot of other people feel the same way. The sequel was just not nearly as strong as the first. When it came to plot, character development, the conflict, everything! Don't get me wrong, the characters were still great and the story was interesting, but I was a little disappointed because I think I was expecting so much. I found it quite slow through the majority of the book, as they kinda danced around the plot. I think what bothered me the most was the Kel and Lila didn't even SPEAK to each other until 3/4 through the book. The rest was just so much filler! I felt that the backstories of Kel and Lila while they were apart didn't actually add much to their characters. I felt like it just trying to tell us things we already knew about them. They didn't develop any further or anything, just kinda stayed the same...

There were good things though, hence the 3 stars and not 2 or 1! Don't get me wrong, like I said. Lila's character was so bloody brilliant in this book, I had a serious crush on how freaking confident she was. Kel was annoying and paranoid, as per usual. Rhy was causing havoc, as per usual. But Lila was fantastic. Her character made the book for me, and i'm really excited to see how she taps even further into her powers. I think the bad just outweighed the good unfortunately. I am however excited to read the third because I'm hoping that it will pick up once again considering where it was left off.



 I gave A Gathering of Shadows a whopping 3 stars!

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What's it about?

"Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where perfection is paramount and flaws lead to punishment. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything." -Goodreads Synopsis

My First Reaction:

OH MY GOD I CANT. I didn't realize how close I was to finishing because all of the sudden it just ENDED! WHAT WAS THAT. WHAT HAPPENED. CLIFF HANGERS GALORE. I literally bent over desperately clutching the book asking WHY it ended like that. I NEED THE SECOND BOOK. This book was so fantastic. Everything was perfect. The writing. The characters. The plot. WOW. Just wow.

My Final Thoughts: 

Ok, so now that I've had time to calm down, absolutely NOTHING has changed about how I feel about this book! Ha. This book was absolutely fantastic. It left me crying (literally) and desperately wanting for more. I was so distraught after this book ended. I was so engrossed in the story that I forgot that I was actually reading instead of being there...I've never been so attached to a book. But trust me. It's worth the read! So. Let's get onto the specifics, shall we? 

The characters were phenomenal, but I will just attribute that to Cecilia Ahren's writing. The main character Celestine was the "little miss perfect" which bothered me, but I knew something had to give eventually. And I was right. Suddenly and all at once the whole story and conflict unfolds (more like explodes) and you're just left feeling so much pain for Celestine and those involved. 

That being said, the plot was obviously well planned and unfolded perfectly. There was no filler, nothing that seemed unnecessary. I honestly felt like there wasn't ENOUGH! At the ending there was just so much going on that I was screeching every page. I didn't know how to handle it, and still don't. I know that a lot of people say this is just another Hunger Games / Divergent. And yes, while it is a dystopian, Cecilia Ahren brings "dystopian" to a WHOLE new level. She makes this book so much more powerful than anything I ever expected. 

I need so much more from this book, but have no fear because book two will be published April of 2017! 

I gave Flawed 5 massively shiny stars!
9:08 PM No comments

What's it about? 

"Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital room, leg in a cast, stitches in her face and a big blank canvas where the last six weeks should be. She discovers she was involved in a fatal car accident while on a school trip in Italy. A trip she doesn’t even remember taking. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident…wasn’t an accident.

As the accident makes national headlines, Jill finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. It doesn’t help that the media is portraying her as a sociopath who killed her bubbly best friend, Simone, in a jealous rage. With the evidence mounting against her, there’s only one thing Jill knows for sure: She would never hurt Simone. But what really happened? Questioning who she can trust and what she’s capable of, Jill desperately tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life." - Goodreads Synopsis

My Thoughts (No Spoilers):


I can't really make up my mind about this book. I really loved certain parts of it, but then seriously hated other parts. It had an extreme case of unreliable narrator, making the story even more mysterious. But then again, there were times where the main character just really bothered me, because in addition to being an unreliable narrator, she was incredibly clueless. I think what bothered me the most was that she did not once second guess the character of her best friend. She worshiped Simone and that was that. It was just all very close-minded and in the end I don't think she grew as a character at all. 

The plot was fantastic. I've heard people say that it is a spin off of the Casey Anthony trial, which is very clear to see once you get into the story. This being said, it was all quite predictable but the whole case had you second guessing the entire time! It left me on the edge of my seat to find out what really did happen. 

The ending...was awful. Yes, it was not a surprise ending, but it was in no way a satisfying ending. It really bothered me how Jill handled everything once her memories started to return. Almost like she was thinking "Oops. Too late now! Oh well..." and that REALLY irked me! For me, the book just ended...there was no closure and no end result for anyone. 

I listened to this on Audible and for the last 10 minutes of the audiobook, my mom was listening as well. After about 5 minutes my mom chirped up and said "I have no idea how you've listened to this girl for so long. After 5 minutes I cannot even stand to listen to her whine and complain." Yup. That pretty much sums that up, Mom! 


Overall, I would probably only recommend this to people who were looking for a quick summer mystery. Nothing more. It was a good book, but I probably wouldn't read it again. 

I gave With Malice 3 shiny stars. 

7:56 PM 2 comments
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I am a 24-year-old bookstagrammer, reviewer, book hoarder, and meteorologist.

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Reading Challenge

2018 Reading Challenge

2018 Reading Challenge
Lenny has read 16 books toward their goal of 52 books.
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Lenny's books

Lumberjanes, Vol. 5: Band Together
Cinder & Ella
Starry Eyes
As She Fades
Lumberjanes, Vol. 4: Out of Time
The Cruel Prince
Winter
Cress
Scarlet
Cinder
Look For Me
All the Missing Girls
Herding Cats: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection
Big Mushy Happy Lump
Wires and Nerve, Volume 1
Adulthood Is a Myth: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection
Ever the Hunted
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed
Ms. Marvel Vol. 2: Generation Why
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal


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      • The Girl on the Train
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