Review: Sparks of Light - Janet B. Taylor

Sparks of Light
Janet B. Taylor
Series: Into the Dim, #2
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

For the first time in her life, Hope Walton has friends . . . and a (maybe) boyfriend. She’s a Viator, a member of a long line of time-traveling ancestors. When the Viators learn of a plan to steal a dangerous device from the inventor Nikola Tesla, only a race into the past can save the natural timeline from utter destruction. Navigating the glitterati of The Gilded Age in 1895 New York City, Hope and her crew will discover that high society can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

This review is tough to write, because I CANNOT SEE THROUGH MY TEARS!

I would like to commend Taylor here, because in my opinion, she avoided the second book slump. When I first started reading this book, I was afraid I would not remember anything, since I had read Into the Dim back in 2015, but bits and pieces of the previous book were thoughtfully woven into the early chapters, which got me right back into the world and ready to go on a new adventure. I was just re-reading my review of the first book, and I like this book for essentially all the same reasons. 

What I Liked

1. The Time Travel: This time we travel to Victorian New York. Being in 19th century NY made me really appreciate now-NY. I forgot how horrifying some aspects of life were back then, and I thought Taylor picked an interesting cross-section of social issues from that time period to explore. And, well, we also got to interact with Tesla, who is one of my favorite scientists, which was very exciting for me. 
   
   
   
   
   
2. The Romance: I really feel like the swoon factor was turned up in this installment. I found myself furiously highlighting passages from the chapters where Hope and Bran interact. I am so firmly aboard this ship with all my heart. And to compound their lovely love, we get to take trips through Hope's memory as she begins to find pieces of her past life, and when she first met Bran. *heart-eyes*
   
   
   
   Apples = Love
   
   
3. The Family: Yes, I am taking the word family out of quotes, because this group of people are a family. They don't need to share blood to share the love and ties of a family. There are so many things that happen, which just drives the point home. There are some sacrifices, HUGE sacrifices made and some lines drawn and crossed, but this is exactly what family does for one another. There are some joyous times shared, and a some really sad times shared, and I am so happy Hope had all these lovely people there to share them with. 
4. The Mystery: And the plot thickens. Just when you thought you knew what was going on between the Viators and the Timeslippers, Taylor introduces another wrinkle in the form of yet more nefarious characters. Our villain group is either growing or shifting. Not sure yet, but looking forward to finding out how this is going to play out. 
5. The Science: Like I said, we actually get Tesla on page, which is cool. There is less geek speak in this one, as we kind of already know the science behind the machinery, but there is a little bit here and there. 
6. BONUS - The Highland Games: This was one of my favorite parts of the book. Here the characters were all together celebrating their heritage. They were eating, drinking, dancing, tossing cabers, and there were some really romantic things that happened here too. 
   
   
   

Overall: A strong sequel filled with action, happiness, swoon, and some serious tears there at the end. 

**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

Have you ever watched the Highland Games?

Let us know in the comments!

Review: Things I Should Have Known - Claire LaZebnik

Things I Should Have Known
Claire LaZebnik
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Reading Challenges: #NGEW2017

Things Chloe Knew: Her sister, Ivy, was lonely. Ethan was a perfect match. Ethan's brother, David, was an arrogant jerk.

Things Chloe Should Have Known: Setups are complicated. Ethan could be a perfect boyfriend...but probably not for Ivy. David might be the one person who really gets Chloe.  

I went into this book thinking that it was a romance, but it was so, so much more. This story is told from Chloe's point of view, and she is an attractive, smart, popular girl dating one of the most popular and attractive boys at school. From the outside, you would think Chloe has it all, but her home life is far from perfect. Her stepfather is overbearing, her mother is needy, and her sister autistic. Chloe puts on a good front, but her home life leaves her feeling isolated, as her friends just cannot relate or understand.

"You have a great boyfriend and you do well at school and everyone likes you," she said to me when she was explaining her theory. "You're even blond. So of course your family situation is a little, you know...challenging. That's life keeping things in balance."

Chloe feels obligated to be there for her sister, but yearns to live her own life. From there, an idea is born to find a friend for Ivy. The idea of putting Ivy and Ethan together seems perfect, until Chloe finds out that Ethan's brother is her nemesis, David.

"I don't mind coming along."
"Even if you have to hang out with the most hated member of your class?"
"Don't flatter yourself," I say. "No one cares enough about you to hate you."

I don't know where to start, so I will start with David and Chloe. I loved these two. I found the verbal sparring from the early chapters delicious, and the honest, deep discussion in the later chapters quite touching. These two carried a lot on their shoulders. They both had siblings with autism, who they felt they needed to care for and protect, because their parents were not quite up to the challenge. They found comfort in each other, and gave each other the type of support only those in the same situation could. They both struggled with their own wants and needs, and the needs of their siblings. Finding that balance was difficult, and came at a cost.

"You're a good brother," I say.
"I make up for that by being a horrible human being in every other way."

I absolutely adored LaZenik's writing. It was full of wit, humor, affection, and honesty. There was such an ease to it, and the story just flowed naturally. When reading the afterword, I was not surprised to find out that this book was written by a person who loves someone with autism, as Ivy and Ethan were portrayed honestly and respected in the story. LaZenik show the good, the bad, and the ugly that is out there. How the world can seem to those with autism, how poorly some people react to those with autism, and how wonderful someone on the spectrum can be. I appreciated how she brought me in their world, and thank her for her candor and honesty.

It's like people have a place in their brain for normal, and they have a place in their brain for something obviously wrong, but they can't deal with something a little bit different. 

There is quite a bit of lovely romance going on in this book. I found it all quite adorable, and loved every minute of it. I have feels over and over again. It was fantastic.

 This book sort of had everything I look for in a great YA contemporary: well thought out characters, great dialogue, honest portrayals, and growth. Growth is really important to me, as I always want my characters to have changed for the better, and LaZebnik gave me that.

Overall: A wonderful story of love, compassion, understanding, and acceptance filled with things that put a smile on my face and a pitter-patter in my heart.


**I would like to thank NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group for the advanced copy of this book

Ethan loved movie! 
Do you like movies? What are some of your favorites?

Let us know in the comments!