In a Nutshell Reviews: All Hits, No Misses!

In a Nutshell Reviews are my version of mini-reviews, because sometimes, you just want to know about a book in the fewest possible words. This volume appears to feature books that were close to perfection for me, as I seem to have rated all three of these 4.5 stars.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo
F.C. Yee
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Amulet Books
Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

She annihilates standardized tests and the bad guys.

Genie Lo is one among droves of Ivy-hopeful overachievers in her sleepy Bay Area suburb. You know, the type who wins. When she’s not crushing it at volleyball or hitting the books, Genie is typically working on how to crack the elusive Harvard entry code.

But when her hometown comes under siege from hellspawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are dramatically rearranged. Enter Quentin Sun, a mysterious new kid in class who becomes Genie’s self-appointed guide to battling demons. While Genie knows Quentin only as an attractive transfer student with an oddly formal command of the English language, in another reality he is Sun Wukong, the mythological Monkey King incarnate—right down to the furry tale and penchant for peaches.

Suddenly, acing the SATs is the least of Genie’s worries. The fates of her friends, family, and the entire Bay Area all depend on her summoning an inner power that Quentin assures her is strong enough to level the very gates of Heaven. But every second Genie spends tapping into the secret of her true nature is a second in which the lives of her loved ones hang in the balance.

• Pro: This book is hilarious. I laughed so much and so often. 
• Pro: Genie Lo is such a fierce heroine. She is smart and sassy and she can throw a punch. 
• Pro: The banter between Genie and Quinten is fantastic. I loved these two and couldn't get enough of them on page together. 
• Con: Really, I got nothing. 
• Pro: Yee did such an awesome job integrating Chinese folklore with humor and the stresses of high achieving teens. 
• Pro: I had to give Yee applause for that awesome twist. I didn't see it coming. 
• Pro: I loved the ending, mostly because it left it open for us to have more Genie and Quinten books. 

Overall: I loved this uproarious tale, that was packed with action, folklore, and fabulous characters.

A Semi-Definitve List of Worst Nightmares
Krystal Sutherland
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

From the author of Our Chemical Hearts comes the hilarious, reality-bending tale of two outsiders facing their greatest fears about life and love one debilitating phobia at a time.

Ever since Esther Solar's grandfather was cursed by Death, everyone in her family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime. Esther's father is agoraphobic and hasn't left the basement in six years, her twin brother can t be in the dark without a light on, and her mother is terrified of bad luck.

The Solars are consumed by their fears and, according to the legend of the curse, destined to die from them.

Esther doesn't know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to), a feat achieved by avoiding pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces, and crowds are all off-limits. So are haircuts, spiders, dolls, mirrors and three dozen other phobias she keeps a record of in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares.

Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she d been saving, Jonah also steals her list of fears. Despite the theft, Esther and Jonah become friends, and he sets a challenge for them: in an effort to break the curse that has crippled her family, they will meet every Sunday of senior year to work their way through the list, facing one terrifying fear at a time, including one that Esther hadn't counted on: love.

• Pro: So many awesome and quirky characters to love. Each character had a little quirk that defined them, and Sutherland used them well in the story. 
• Pro: I laughed so much while Esther and Jonah conquered the list. Jonah and Esther were fabulous enough together, with their chemistry, history, and banter, but the ways they came up with to slay Esther's fears were great. 
• Pro: I was laughing until I was crying. There are some very serious issues confronted in this book, most being of the mental health variety. I liked that Sutherland tempered the heavy with the light, because there are some really dark and serious moments that would have been overwhelming without that balance. 
• Con: So, I was a little unprepared for when stuff got real. The story was so light and fluffy, and then I was reduced to tears. This is small con, only because I am a sap and felt ill prepared for the sadness that ensued. 
• Pro: I was glad that Sutherland had these characters seek help for their illnesses. It's vital that mental illness not be associated with shame or something that you need to deal with in isolation. #ShatteringStigmas
• Con: I was scratching my head a little at the ending, and I still am not sure about Death (was he solely in Esther's imagination?), but on the whole, the ending was satisfying, because Sutherland left me with a lot of hope for these characters. 
• Pro: Esther and her brother shared a strong sibling bond. She ached for him and he ached for her. It was special to be a part of it. 
• Pro: There was tons of love in this book. Esther's family was damaged and dysfunctional, but we got glimpses of things, that showed how much they loved each other. They were slightly broken, but when push came to shove, they were there for one another. 

Overall: A captivating tale that combines some serious issues, humor, mystery, and a little bit of magic, which left me happy and hopeful.

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

One Dark Throne
Kendare Blake
Series: Three Dark Crowns, #2
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

The battle for the Crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

In this enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Times bestselling Three Dark Crowns, Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other.

• Pro: Blake packed this one with lots of surprises that were real game changers. The physical and mental battles being waged are quite intense. 
• Pro: The queen I named as my favorite in order to get this ARC at BookCon is still my favorite after this book. In fact, I like her even more after this book. 
• Pro: I loved that Blake gave her supporting characters meaty storylines. They are fully realized and never feel like afterthoughts. 
• Con: I am still sort of on the outs with Joseph. Sorry. 
• Pro: This drama escalates quickly as the three queens must deal with the fallout from their last family get together, and we get a lot of clarification on what really happened at the end of the last book. 
• Con: The next book doesn't come out until May 2018, and I sort of need some answers right now!
• Pro: We get a little peek into the early years our queens shared together, and we actually see some sisterly bonding going on. This really made me like another queen more than I previously had. 
• Pro: Alliances are muddied and backroom deals are made, as the politics in this one gets turned up a notch. There are many "oh no she didn't" moments, which kept me on the edge of my seat. 

Overall: A fantastic sequel with lots of twists and turns, which left me with heartache and wanting more.

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

Have you read any of these books?

Let us know in the comments!