Hey ya’ll! We’re on Day 6 of NaNoWriMo, and I’m 4,143 words in and THAT IS SO FAR AWAY from 50,000 so I don’t know how I will ever finish. I can’t be the only one who’s this overwhelmed already, right?

More importantly, today is the day to VOTE if you haven’t already!! I sent in my ballot a few weeks ago (I ADORE California’s permanent vote by mail option), but if you haven’t gotten to yet, don’t miss your chance to let your voice be heard. We have got to stop letting all of our decisions be made by old rich white men, and that starts with us and who we vote for.

Oh god I miss you please come back

And now, onto the reviews! I’ve only got two this week for you, but they were both really good reads!

Mammoth, by Jilly Baguchinsky  
Goodreads ¦ Amazon¦ Barnes & Noble
Series?: No
Publisher:  Turner Publishing
Release Date: November 6, 2018
Length: 304 pages
Source: ARC
Format: Paperback
Times Read: Once
Rating:    

Mini Review: The body positivity rep in this was great. Natalie is a plus-size fashion blogger, and she does start off using clothes and makeup as a safety barrier, but slowly moves past it through the book. One small issue I took with this was when a guy noticed that she was wearing less makeup one day and told her she looked better. BOY, WHO ASKED YOU?? Natalie took it well and it was intended as a compliment, but things like this rankle me. If you want to wear makeup and you like how it makes you feel, wear the damn makeup no matter what anybody else thinks. She gets there eventually.
There are some great side characters, but some truly awful ones too, including one truly toxic girl and a super problematic guy. But there’s also a lot of awesome paleontology info throughout the book, and some great STEM rep. I am personally pretty weak in all of the STEM branches, so I’m all for more knowledge about them, more research, and getting more girls into the field, into the classes in school.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and found the premise super unique!

“This is me, and I’m not going to apologize for it. I’m done apologizing for being myself.”    

The Color of Lies, by CJ Lyons
Goodreads ¦ Amazon¦ Barnes & Noble
Series?: No
Publisher: Blink

                                    Release Date: November 6, 2018
Length: 336 pages
Source: ARC
Format: Paperback
Times Read: Once
Rating:    

Mini Review: The concept of synesthesia has always fascinated me, and that’s what really made me pick this book up. It’s crazy interesting–the basic idea is that your senses get crossed, kind of scrambled. Like tasting colors, or feeling words, or seeing sounds.  But this ended up being SO much more than just a contemporary about this rare, genetic medical condition. It starts out a little slow, but it picks up quickly, and soon it’s off and running on a thrill run that doesn’t stop. Ella finds out that her parent’s deaths weren’t an accident like she’s always been told, and her whole life starts to come apart, everything she thought she knew suddenly up in the air. I didn’t know who to trust, I didn’t see any of the twists coming, and I for sure didn’t see the big reveal in the end happening! If you like mysteries or thrillers with a contemporary edge, give this one a try!

“Anyone ever tell you you’re really great at saying you’re sorry but not so great at actually meaning it?”

Have you read either of these yet, or do you think you will? Tell me in the comments!