Goldfish by Nat Luurtsema

Title: Goldfish
Author: Nat Luurtsema
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: June 7th 2016
Source: Arc from the publisher. Thank you Disney-Hyperion! 

Summary from Goodreads:

Lou Brown is one of the fastest swimmers in the county. She’s not boasting, she really is. So things are looking pretty rosy the day of the Olympic time-trials. With her best mate Hannah by her side, Lou lines up by the edge of the pool, snaps her goggles on and bends into her dive…

Everything rests on this race. It’s Lou’s thing.

… or it was. She comes dead last and to top it all off Hannah sails through leaving a totally broken Lou behind.

Starting again is never easy, particularly when you’re the odd-one out in a family of insanely beautiful people and a school full of social groups way too intimidating to join. Where do you go from here? Finding a new thing turns out to be the biggest challenge Lou’s ever faced and opens up a whole new world of underwater somersaults, crazy talent shows, bitchy girls and a great big load of awkward boy chat.

Lou Brown guides us through the utter humiliation of failure with honesty, sass and a keen sense of the ridiculous. This girl will not be beaten.

Review

Goldfish was a quick and fun read. Humor and competition are two key elements in Goldfish. Lou doesn’t make the swimming time trials and feels like everything she worked for is gone along with her best friend. So she is faced with finding her new role in school without swimming or her best friend

I really liked Lou, she had me cracking up throughout the entire book, goldfish is lined with some dry humor and some laugh out loud humor. The overall premise is a bit crazy but it works. It was super easy to imagine all the wackiness that ensures. I love the rag tag group and how they all worked together to achieve something crazy.

Overall I really enjoyed Goldfish; it was a funny sports competition focused book. That while not the most memorable read it was thoroughly enjoyable! It is quite a feel good story that will leave you grinning when you finish.

Boys Don't Knit by T.S.Easton

Title:Boys Don't Knit
Author: T.S. Easton
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date:March 24th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:
Knitting is a man’s game.

After an incident regarding a crossing guard and a bottle of Martini & Rossi (and his bonehead friends), 17-year-old worrier Ben Fletcher must develop his sense of social alignment, take up a hobby, and do some community service to avoid any further probation.

He takes a knitting class (it was that or his father’s mechanic class) under the impression that it's taught by the hot teacher all the boys like. Turns out, it’s not. Perfect.

Regardless, he sticks with it and comes to find that he’s a natural knitter, maybe even great. It even helps ease his anxiety and worrying. The only challenge now is to keep it hidden from his friends, his crush, and his soccer-obsessed father. What a tangled web Ben has weaved . . . or knitted.

Review

Boys Don't Knit is a fun book filled with dry humor, witty one-liners, and a boy who knits!  I love the fact that the story centers around Ben breaking gender stereotypes.  While Ben's initial motivation for taking up knitting is purely to be in a class with an attractive teacher it quickly shifts when he really embraces his passion.  The story takes place in England, so the culture and slang are a bit different but I love the change of scenery.

The story is narrated by Ben, so similar to the setting it is a nice change to read a book from a male POV. My main reason for 3 stars is that the plot slows down at parts and lacks a bit of oomph! Some of the knitting terms went over my head but I liked the way Ben could visualize his projects and just jump into the knitting zone. The friendships both new and old are great.  I love the dynamic Ben has with his guy buddies and the new friendships he built with his knitting club.  His family is so unique, Ben has a magician for a mother, crazy toddler for a sister, and soccer fanatic father.  Both the friends and family are unique and entertaining.  I really enjoyed some of the great lines:

'Why don't you pay?' he said, when I suggested this.

'I don't have any money.' I pointed out. 

'What about your allowance?' he said

'Dad, the last time you gave me allowance Britney Spears was happily married.'

Boys Don't Knit is an entertaining feel good story with an interesting rag tag group of characters taking on the challenges of the knitting world!

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cress
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: February 4th 2014
Pages: Hardcover, 550 pages
Source: Bought

Summary from Goodreads:
Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

Review

I got my copies of The Lunar Chronicles signed!  I was lucky enough to make it down to DC before a big snow storm to listen to Rebecca Soler do a reading from Cress and hear Marissa Meyer talk!  Rebecca Soler is the narrator for The Lunar Chronicles.  If you have not tried to listen to the audio books, I highly recommend them.  Even though I read all the books, it is the only series where I have listened to the audio version as well.  It was truly a treat to hear Rebecca do the voices for all the characters.

The 5 reasons you need to read Cress

1. Captain Thorne.  Everyone loved him in Scarlet; I was not sold yet, I thought he was funny but he was not my favorite.  My, Oh, my has he become one of my favorites.  There is quite of bit of unexpected circumstances that effect Thorne that had me completely shocked.  Not to mention, Throne has a new love interest which is perfect and his witty nature is in full force.  As said by his truly, " Never underestimate the stealth of a criminal mastermind."

2. Iko.  Iko is one of the best side kicks!  Some fun, great things happen to her that had me grinning.

3. No love triangles or messy romances.

4. To meet Cress!  She is an awesome, awkward, computer genius.  Cress is a marvelous addition to the crew and her unique personality complemented the story so well.

5.  Obviously you need to read Cress for the feels and the drama.  So many feels and so much happening.  While some parts of the story were easily anticipated, there were parts that I was not expecting at all.  Cress will keep you on edge the entire way through and begging for Winter.   

Bottom Line

Cress is truly a fantastic read, I devoured the book in just a couple of days. Cress does not suffer from any middle book syndrome; there was action, drama, and romance throughout the whole book.  If you have to read this one yet or even started the series, I highly recommend it :)