Within These Lines Book Review

Hello guys!
 

Today I’m doing a book review for Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill. I received an ARC copy, and let me just say, I could barely set it down. I was cooking while reading this book. It is amazing.

Now, before I go too crazy gushing, this is what it is about according to Goodreads.

 

Evalina Cassano’s life in an Italian-American family in 1941 is everything it “should be” until she falls in love with Taichi Hamasaki, the son of Japanese immigrants. Despite the scandal it would cause and that inter-racial marriage is illegal in California, Evalina and Taichi vow they will find a way to be together. But anti-Japanese feelings erupt across the country after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Taichi and his family are forced to give up their farm and move to an internment camp.

Degrading treatment makes life at Manzanar Relocation Center difficult. Taichi’s only connection to the outside world are treasured letters from Evalina. Feeling that the only action she can take to help Taichi is to speak out on behalf of all Japanese Americans, Evalina becomes increasingly vocal at school and at home. Meanwhile, inside Manzanar, fighting between different Japanese-American factions arises. Taichi begins to doubt he will ever leave the camp alive.

With tensions running high and their freedom on the line, Evalina and Taichi must hold true to their values and believe in their love to make a way back to each other against unbelievable odds.

Doesn’t that sound good?? And it’s even better in reality. Now for my review.

Five stars. Hands down. 

The characters: The characters were all so vivid and unique and I loved them. Taichi is gentle and sensitive, and completely opposite of what my favorite male leads usually are, but goodness did I love him. He’s got such a calm strength hidden inside him, and his love for Evalina is priceless. 

Evalina is a perfect spitfire, and I love how her Italian heritage ties into the story. Especially early on when she is scared to speak out against injustice because of what people would associate with her last name.

The secondary characters are great as well. Diego is a favorite and not gonna lie, I just about had a heart attack on account of him, but I survived. Taichi’s sister also rates high on my beloved characters list.

They were all so good. 

The story: The whole entire story is pretty much quotable. There were so many good lines and concepts woven into the story, as evidenced by all the graphics included with this post.

 

The story was sweet and heart wrenching, and nerve wracking all at once. I didn’t know what was going to happen, who was going to be ok, or how it was all going to turn out.

 

But the theme. You guys, the theme. There is such a huge underlying message in this book. Not to say it was preachy or anything, but definitely impactful. There is so much truth in this book that could be applied to how people react to situations in our country today. I knew the Japanese people were relocated during the war, but I didn’t know the extent of the injustice, and I'm sure the reality was even more drastic than what fit in the pages of this book. It was terrible, and I think everyone needs to read this and then go brush up on their history and take it to heart. 

 

The hook line for this book is Brave enough to care, and bold enough to act.

And I think that’s just perfect.

Also, if this review has served to get you properly hyped up to read it, Within these Lines releases March 5th, and there are goodies available to anyone who preorders.

Here’s the details.

Preorder before March 5th and receive 

A digital poster inspired by the theme of the book, “Be Brave Enough To Care, And Bold Enough To Act”

A Behind The Book story by Stephanie Morrill about how the idea was formed and what was going on as she wrote it.

A Readers Discussion guide you can use with your book club.

A personal video message from Stephanie. 

To receive the bonus items, just email a proof of purchase to WithinTheseLines@HarperCollins.com!

So go on! Get a copy of it! I just saw the hard cover version on Facebook and it’s gorgeous. #hardcoversforthewin

 

 

Promo Images  By Blink

 

A Heart-Shaped Box of OTPs Tag

 

Hi guys!

 

So I stumbled on this chocolate covered romantic linkup and since it’s still February, I thought it would be fun.

Check here to see the other posts in the linkup.

 

The object of the game is to select an OTP (one true pairing—those characters you love to ship together) to represent each type of chocolate in a box of valentine’s candies. They can be from books, movies, TV shows, whatever. Sound fun? Alright. Here we go.

1. Original Chocolate Heart - The OTP that started it all

Here we run into the problem of I’ve always been a hopeless romantic so I don’t remember which was the first. But I would guess Peter Pan and Wendy.

2. Dark Chocolate - The OTP with the most drama

They’re all very dramatic, but gonna go with Will Herondale and Tessa Gray from the Infernal Devices for this one. Tessa is fine, but Will brings enough drama to the relationship for both of them—if not more. He is, after all, cursed.

3. Caramel Filled - The OTP that's simple and sweet

Robin Hood and Maid Marian. I’m partial to the Disney version, but really any of them will do. Their story isn’t simple, but their love is. They aren’t fighting each other, or squabbling all the time. They just love each other and that’s that.

4. Raspberry Chocolate - The forbidden-love OTP

Murtagh and Nasuada from The Inheritance Cycle. Not gonna lie, I hated this pairing through most of the series, but then toward the end of the last book I warmed up to the idea. As long as he loves her from a distance.

5. White Chocolate - The odd OTP you still somehow manage to love

Mir and Eva from Monster. This one is just a little odd because there is so much Mir doesn’t know, so Eva has to balance out being his mom/teacher/girlfriend, but oh they do it so well.

6. Peanut Butter Chocolate - The OTP everybody and their sisters ship

Bellamy and Clarke from The 100. Why don’t they just kiss already???

 

7. Cherry-Filled - The OTP that you fear no one knows about

Charlie and Monroe from Revolution. I know she’s like half his age, but it was there. You cannot convince me otherwise. And by golly, they would have ruled the world.

8. Chocolate with Almonds - The fun and nutty OTP

Not gonna lie, I shipped Alice with Hatter like crazy. But alas.

9. Chocolate with Coconut - The OTP who came from different backgrounds

Katara and Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender. Why are my OTPs destined for failure??

10. Mint Chocolate - The OTP you'll love until you die

I really truly hate mint chocolate, so this category bugs me, but Eelyn and Fiske. They are perfection. Absolute perfection. Which I'll get into more in a week or so when I review this baby.

~*~

Extra Large Box of Chocolates

11. Orange Creme - The OTP you never expected to love

Daryl and Carol from The Walking Dead.

 

 

12. Salted Caramel - The OTP who worked the most on their relationship

Taichi and Evalina from Between these Lines. (It's available for pre-order now, by the way, and you get perks) Boy did they work. And it was gorgeous.

 

13. Chocolate Covered Raisins - The young OTP you know will work out one day

Mike and 11 from Stranger Things (Viewer discretion advised). They were the only teeny boppers I could think of that I’ve ever shipped.

14. Chocolate Jalapeño - The OTP that can't be together but you ship it anyways

Gale and Katniss from The Hunger Games. It should have been, man. Should have been.

15. Ferrero Rocher - The best dressed/best looking OTP

Kaz and Inej from Six of Crows. Their looks could kill, but they look mighty fine.

16. Chocolate Covered Coffee Bean - The energetic OTP that keeps you on your toes

Piper and Mariano from The Lost Girl of Astor Street. Piper just goes from one thing to the next and he takes it all in stride.

17. Chocolate Dipped Strawberry - The OTP that's just absolutely adorable

Kili and Tauriel from the movie Hobbit. He’s got the spunk of a ten foot dwarf.

18. Chocolate with Nougat - The OTP full of fluff and nonsense

I...I don’t read fluff. I don’t watch nonsense. My OTPs are all drenched in blood...Larry and Barbara Manatee

19. Chocolate with Walnuts - The OTP with the bumpiest relationship

Damon and Elena from The Vampire Diaries.

 

 Bumps seem like an understatement, but yeah. They had some bumps.

20. Chocolate Butterscotch - The OTP with the best banter

Tris and Four from Divergent. They kill me. So does their author, coincidentally.

 

 

 

Who is your favorite OTP? Do they actually get together? Do they live??

I want to hear!

 

Five Ways to Rock Valentine's Day

 

Hi guys!

 

Growing up, Valentine's Day was always a big deal. Us kids would work on our homemade valentines for weeks ahead, specially tailoring them to each member of the family. We had some crazy designs, let me tell ya. Pop ups, 3-D, cut outs. Mom and Dad always got us candy, and it was great.

 

Then for a few years when I was a teenager, Valentine's Day sucked. No boyfriend, and all that.

 

Then me and Jarod had our first date (on Valentine's Day--which he didn't realize) and got married and suddenly Valentine's Day took on a whole new meaning. We tried to get away on actual dates the first couple years. Which didn't happen. Jarod is the only married person on the ranch, and I think sometimes everyone else forgets that I need to spend time with him too, lol. Obviously I spend time with him as much as I can while he's working, but sometimes it just doesn't pan out with Henry, plus, sometimes a person needs something more romantic than chasing cows on a 4-wheeler.

 

So last year we beat the system. My mom took Henry all day for us and I went out with Jarod. We worked a lot, but then later in the afternoon we just disappeared for a few hours. We stopped and got ice cream at Subway, then just took off driving. We didn't go anywhere, or see anything great, but just being away with the two of us was the best.

 

This year I'm taking charge of the day and I've got a nice couple hours planned, and it should be great. So, without further ado, here's my tips on how to enjoy Valentine's Day, be you a single pringle, or an old married couple.

 

1. Shut off the phone.

 

Like, totally off. Pull the SIM card if you have to. Break it in half. You only want good distractions today. (Like the next season on Netflix, or an unexpected kiss) There is nothing worse than just sitting down to watch a movie, all snuggled up on the couch, and then the phone rings. You want to see me come unglued, get me comfy and then call.

 

2. It's all about the food.

 

No matter your relationship status, you cannot go wrong with food. And Valentine's Day is about love. So find food that makes you feel loved. I feel loved when I don't have to cook a gigantic meal. So get the popcorn, the fruit and dip, salami and cheese. Easy, yummy, comfort food. Granted, I am going to make a nice supper tomorrow, but it's something we both love, that is super easy to make. I can just pop it in the oven and curl up while it does its thing.

 

3. Drinks.

 

Can't have food without drinks. Which is why my fridge is full of Code Red Mountain Dew. Red, because it's Valentine's Day.

 

4. Entertainment.

 

Whether it's just you, or two, you can't just sit on the couch all night eating popcorn. Well...I mean you could. But something to go along with is better. Grab a good book, turn on Netflix. OR buy a box of popcorn with a free Redbox coupon on it and get a rental. That's what I'm doing. It doesn't even have to be a romantic movie. I'd take Jason Bourne over most romances any day. There's a kiss in there somewhere. That's romantic.

 

5. Defend that time.

 

If you have a special someone, this is important. Healthy families need some quality time spent together for no other reason than to be together. Not to work. Not to go shopping. Just. For. Fun, Carve that time out for one another. Violently if need be. The only reason Jarod shouldn't be home tomorrow evening is if something is on fire. And frankly, he's no fireman, so even then I'm a little skeptical.

 

So there you have it! What do you do for Valentine's Day? Do you have any fun plans for tomorrow? What are you reading or watching?

Fawkes- Book Review

Remember, remember the fifth of November.

Hi guys! I finished Fawkes by Nadine Brandes two days ago, so here is my official thoughts on it.

What Goodreads has to say:

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.

But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.

The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.  

What I have to say:

I really liked this book. While I'm no stranger to historical fiction, historical fantasy was new to me. I can't think of any other book I've read that took real events and put a magical spin on them. It was very cool.

While I don't actually know a lot about the real Gunpowder Plot, the historical and fantasy aspects seemed to meld together really well.

Emma was fantastic, and took me totally by surprise. I knew something was up with her from the first time she walked onto the page, but had no idea what.

All of the characters were wrapped in mystery. I was really drawn in by all the plotters, trying to figure out what was making each of them tick. Guy Fawkes especially intrigued me, and I loved how delightfully creepy and passionate he was.

White Light was hilarious, and I loved all the parts where it spoke.

Really, my only complaint, and the reason I gave it four stars, is Thomas. I had a really hard time connecting with him for about half of the book. He seemed a little whiney to me (which granted, as I read on, I think he was supposed to be that way). He did eventually shape up, and turned into a character I could really root for, so I definitely didn't hate him, and by the end of the book he was pretty boss, I just wish it hadn't taken quite so long.

All in all though, definitely worth the read. It is 100% clean, and a really neat twist on real events.

 Have you read Fawkes yet? What did you think?