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BLOG TOUR: A Thousand Minutes To Sunlight by Jen White

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Review of A Thousand Minutes To Sunlight by Jen White

Name: A Thousand Minutes To Sunlight

Author: Jen White

Genre:Middle Grade, Mental Health, Contemporary

Rating: 4.2/5

Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Publication date: April 20th 2021

ISBN-10 : 0374300860

ISBN-13 : 978-0374300869

Synopsis:

Jen White’s A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight is a sensitively-written middle grade novel about a girl struggling with anxiety, family secrets, and the meaning of friendship.

Cora is constantly counting the minutes. It’s the only thing that stops her brain from rattling with worry, from convincing her that danger is up ahead. Afraid of the unknown, Cora spends her days with her feet tucked into sand, marveling at La Quinta beach’s giant waves and her little sister Sunshine’s boundless energy.

And then danger really does show up at Cora’s doorstep–her absentee uncle, whose sudden presence in the middle of the night makes her parents nervous and secretive. As dawn breaks once more, Cora must piece together her family and herself, one minute at a time.

A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight is an endearing and revelatory middle-grade novel that is perfect for fans of Counting by 7s and Fish in a Tree.

Review:
A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight gives a new perspective to family mental health issues. It talks about a teenage girl with anxiety and panic disorders.

Jen White’s writing is really fluid and expressive. I really enjoyed how the author has wonderfully portrayed Cora’s character, her mindset, her personality and her thoughts. Cora is indeed a complex character in this story, her thoughts keep contradicting with each other and how she tries to be a child yet an adult at the same time. The conflict between her thoughts, her expressions, the stream of consciousness in the writing, the depth of the characters, and the flow of thoughts are portrayed perfectly.


I liked the writing style alot, it is a bit perplexing but the way the author has personified her inner thoughts and alternatively split the writing between her concious thoughts and unconscious mind aka “Brain”.
A Thousand Minutes To Sunlight by Jen White is an enjoyable read that surrounds mental health problems, friends and family. It will be enjoyed by teens as well as adults. I would give it a 4.2/5 stars because the conscious writing style sounds amazing at first, but gets a bit annoying to read in the middle.

Participate in Giveaway:

Want to grab a copy of this book? Win a chance to get a free paperback copy of A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight by Jen White in an International Giveaway by XpressBookTours. Participate before this ends on April 29th.

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Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gcvXnt

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-thousand-minutes-to-sunlight-jen-white/1136619248?ean=9780374300869

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/a-thousand-minutes-to-sunlight/id1509037801?mt=11&id=1509037801&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/a-thousand-minutes-to-sunlight

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=1sXdDwAAQBAJ

About The Author:

Jen White writes middle grade fiction. Her second book, A THOUSAND MINUTES TO SUNLIGHT, releases on 4.20.21. Her debut, SURVIVAL STRATEGIES OF THE ALMOST BRAVE, has been translated into several languages. She grew up in Southern California and currently resides there with her family. Jen received her bachelor of art’s degree in English and her master’s degree from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults. You can find out more at www.jenwhitebooks.com.

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Review of Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin

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Name: The Nature of Witches
Author: Rachel Griffin
Genre: Supernatural, Adventure, Drama, Romance, YA,
Rating: 3/5

Review:
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin is a pretty cliché novel about a special witch, who is entrusted to save the world but she refuses to accept her true powers.

The world consists of Humans and Witches living with each other. There are four types of witches, Summer, Winter, Autumn, and Spring with each season, they can only use their power during their season. And there is one Everwitch, whose magic is more powerful than any of the seasonal witches, and their magic works throughout the year.

The protagonist of this novel, Clara is an Everwitch. But she is not ready to use her powers because she is afraid of losing her control and harming her loved ones. Every time she loses control, she loses someone she loves. But if she will not use her powers, the environment will be affected adversely by climatic changes.

She is assigned with a newcomer witch, Sang, who will be training her to learn control. With the changes in Season, her magic changes and so does she. What will happen if she loses her control? What if she loses herself in the process? What will happen if she falls for Sang and endanger his life as well? Will she able to protect everyone she loved?

I liked the world-building in this book. I also liked the fact that the author addresses major climatic changes and environmental problems in this book. The protagonist is bisexual, which is something I took as a pro point.  But the story itself is pretty cliché. The chemistry between Clara and Sang reminded me of Rose and Dimitri from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

I found the protagonist, Clara similar to most of the YA novel, not accepting her true nature, refusing to accept her powers, dead parents, losing her loved ones, falling in love with their trainers. But this book is enjoyable and will keep you entertained.

Review of Of Wicked Blood

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Name: Of Wicked Blood
Author: Olivia Wildenstein, Katie Hayoz
Genre: Teens and YA, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery, Romance, Drama
Rating: 3.7/5

Review:
Of Wicked Blood is a story of surviving and finding one’s balance and discovering their origin.
Slate Ardoin has spent his childhood changing foster homes and parents, learning to survive on streets before anything else. Only three things are important to him, his foster brother, Bastien, his cactus and his bank account. He never knew his origin, until a letter arrives which claims to know him, his family and his origin.
Cadence De Morel has lived her whole life in a small town, Broom, full of folklores and witchcraft history. But she never knew that these stories were true, there folklores were true, and the curses as well. A stranger, Slate waltzes into her life, and everything falls apart.


Slate wanted nothing but revenge, from the man who knew his parents, who knew who Slate was, and who knew how painful his childhood was. This man, De Morel knew everything, but he did nothing to protect him. Out of anger, Slate robs De Morel family’s crypt and a ring from a corpse. Unbeknownst, he starts a curse, that would not only kill him but will harm all the people in the town.


I first started listening to this book because I liked the cover, and ended up liking alot about this book. The narrators were perfect, they expressed the character’s feelings, personality and beliefs with their voice. I liked their voice, and enjoyed listening to the book.
Slate is not a good guy, but he’s not a bad guy either, He just did what he had to do to survive, which makes his character much more realistic.
I enjoyed listening to this book. The characters are well developed, the plot is intriguing and there are some good plot twists.

Review of Beautiful Façade by Kathryn S. Rose

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Name: Beautiful Façade

Author: Kathryn S. Rose

Genre: Drama, Romance, Mental Heath, Contemporary

Rating: 3.5/4

Review:

Beautiful Façade is a vulnerable calling-out song for all the ladies out there, who keep living under a beautiful façade of perfection. it encourages us to be more of ourselves than to be anything else. Enticed with a troubling past and mental health problems, this book is a beautiful tribute to all the women, telling them to love themselves more.

The protagonist, Winter Starling seems to be living a perfect, successful businesswoman, fiancée of a popular soccer player. Winter has it all, a beautiful home, success, love! But her ideal life starts falling apart when she reunites with her first love, Kai.

Reuniting with Kai brings back old memories, memories she would rather forget. Winter delves into her troubled past, suffering from insomnia. Kai seems to be the problem and the solution to all her problems at the same time. Especially when she is still attracted to her childhood sweetheart, Will Kai’s return bring back old scars or heal them all the way?

The writing style is fluent, lyrical, and wonderful. The story is heart-touching, especially the way the protagonist has developed in the story. I find the protagonist to be relatable, though I felt she is really annoying at times. She is so confused throughout the story, her character development was better. The writing itself is good, enjoyable and engrossing.

Review of House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

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//~She was fourteen then, and already the most beautiful creature I could imagine. I wanted to peel the skin from her body and wear it draped over mine.///

Name: House of Hollow
Author: Krystal Sutherland
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Drama, Thriller, Family
Rating: 3.7/5
(Trigger: Self-harm, sexual assault, death, murder)

Review:
House of Hollow is a bizarre, surprising and dark modern fairytale which surrounds the three Hollow sisters, their mysterious disappearance years ago and a terrible secret which haunts them.


Seventeen year old Iris Hollow has been trying her best to fit in her school, but her eerie past and the strange rumors makes her stand out even more. But everything changes when her older sister, Grey is found missing. Iris must do anything and everything to find her sister, even if it means to seek out her dark past and to find out that everything she has ever known was a lie and the truth maybe darker and more horrifying than she could ever imagine.


The first thing that I really liked about this book was the beautiful cover of this book. I loved the writing style of this book, the writing is intricate, lyrical and intriguing. The author has done an amazing job in portraying the characters, her relationships and her emotions with such eloquence. I appreciate how the author tried to make the characters diverse, especially the sexual diversity of the Hollow sisters. The plot was enjoyable, gripping, surprising and a little creepy. I enjoyed how the plot took place, especially the plot twists in the end.


The characters are well developed, and each character was unique with their own backstory. Though I was not really fond of the protagonist, I liked Vivi more and wished to have more part with Vivi. The protagonist’s relationship with her sisters and her mother has been vividly narrated. It’s hard to categorise this book into a particular genre, it is a mix-up of various genres and themes.
Overall, this is an enticing and perplexing story which will be enjoyed by readers of YA, Horror, Paranormal, Mystery.

Review of The Dream Voyagers by David Lyons

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Name: The Dream Voyagers
Author: David Lyons
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Time Travel, Fantasy, Action, Romance
Rating: 4.4/5

“These dreams we dream are mostly lost to our memory; small fragments remain to tantalize us in the daylight hours, and rekindle a glimpse of what was, or what might have been.”

David L. Lyons

Review:
The Dream Voyagers is a time-traveling adventure fantasy fiction that revolves around the Rainbow twins, Elissia and Tom striving to fight against the underworld and save humanity.


In the 16th century, Elissia lives in a castle built over the Gates of the Underworld. Her family has to protect the key and protect the gate from opening. In present times, the Rainbow Twins lives with their next-door neighbor, Tom Muldoon. Tom finds a rare artifact, the Key, which will change his life forever. Moreover here comes a mysterious lady, Anne-Marie. The lives of Tom, The Rainbow Twins, and Elissia entangled with this mysterious artifact.


Will, they will be able to protect Elissia and stop the Gates of Underworld from opening? Will they be able to save humanity?
I haven’t read any time-travel novels, though I have watched a lot of time-travel movies, dramas, and animes. The Dream Voyagers is an engaging and captivating novel. I enjoyed reading this novel with its amazing world-building and surprising characters. The storyline is promising, though the narrative can be a bit confusing. If you like reading about time travel, dreams, fantasy, and romance, this is the one for you!!

Review of Letters to Jupiter by Lotte Jean

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Name: Letters to Jupiter

Author: Lotte Jean

Genre: Poetry & Prose

Rating: 4.8/5

Review:

Letters to Jupiter by Lotte Jean is a beautiful collection of poetry and prose which transverse through various topics and themes. The poetries are written in free verse and are delightful, touching and exquisite. The way the poetess expresses poetry itself is intriguing.

Her writing style is different from the poetries I am used to. The topics that the poetess delve into include love, loss, pain, suffering and inner demons. I enjoyed reading “Born to Die Tonight”, “Dear” and “In Darkness, We Begin”.

In the other half of the book, her poetry takes a darker and somber feel. I loved the latter part a lot more than the first half. Some of my favorites are “Knife Art Show”, “Understand Hell”, “Seven Breaths”, “Do You Hear My Soul Burning”, and “The Past Comes Back”. These poetries take on a darker thrilling aura and totally enchants me with its beauty.

Letters to Jupiter is a kind of poetry you come back to time after time and admire the poet’s ingenuity. Lotte Jean is one of the hidden gems who will enthrall the world with her poetry.

Review of Written in Starlight by Isabel Ibanez

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Name: Written in Starlight
Author: Isabel Ibanez
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure, Drama, Magic
Rating: 3.5/5


Review:
Written in Starlight is story of a girl rediscovering herself after losing everything. It talks about seeing the bigger truth when one loses the sense of oneself.


The fallen Condesa, Catalina has lost everything, the war, her people, her throne, and her best friend. Now, she is left with two options, either accept Princess Tamaya as her queen or be banished in the jungle. Catalina knows that she hardly has any chance of surviving in the dangers of the jungle, but when a farmer’s son, Manuel saves her. She thinks that she may have a chance. She ventures to find the lost city of gold and ask their support in her effort to reclaim her throne. Will she be able to survive the dangers? Will she be able to reclaim her throne?

This is a perfect companion to Woven in Moonlight. Isabel Ibanez returns with her mesmerizing storytelling, this time full of adventures, drama and actions. This book takes us on a journey through the dangers of the jungle, from the clasps of lurking animals into the arms of a handsome guard. The writing style is really good. Though, it is a sequel to Woven in Moonlight, this book gives a very different perspective from the former.

The character of Catalina was really unbearable at some points through the story. Even though, Manuel is doing his best to protect her, she is upset because he is not giving her attention. She seems really selfish as well. But I was glad to see some character development in her. The ending was totally unexpected. The chemistry between Catalina and Manuel was really good. The character of Manuel reminded me of Dimitri Belikov from Vampire Academy, in that sense, I can say Catalina did resemble Rose Hathaway as well.

This book is a must read, if you liked Woven In Moonlight. This book is aimed for the fans of fantasy, romance and adventure.

Review of Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

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“You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.”

Name: Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Adventure, Drama, Action, Thriller, Apocalyptic
Rating: 4.1/5

Review:
“MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR”
Set in a dystopian world of Panem (post apocalyptic North America), where twelve districts surround the Capitol.

Every year, a deadly tournament called Hunger Games are held, where two representative from each district fight each other till death. The winning district gets privileges and resources from the Capitol.

In District 12, sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen is the only one to look after her family. She volunteers for the Hunger Games, when her younger sister, Primrose is chosen as the female tribute from District 12 for the tournament.

Katniss knows that she cannot die, that she has to come back for her sister. Fighting for survival has become a second nature for Katniss since her father’s death. She is moved to the Capitol with Peeta Mellark, the male tribute from District 12.Will the odds be ever in Katniss’ favour? She joins with Peeta and Haymitch, a previous victor from District 12. What will happen to Katniss?

It is one of my favourite post-apocalyptic novels in the YA genre. I really like the character of Peeta Mellark. The personality of Katniss is relatable, she sacrifices a lot for her sister. The ending was absolutely fascinating. It is one of the must read books at least once in a lifetime. I must say I really enjoyed the movie adaptation of this book as well.

Further Reading:
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Review of Between Wild And Ruin

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Name: Between Wild & Ruin

Author: Jennifer G. Edelson

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Rating: 3/5

Review:

Between Wild & Ruin is a surprisingly intriguing story that brings out the curiosity of the readers in this enigmatic world of folklore, superstitions, and suspense.

After the untimely death of her mother, Ruby Brooks moves to the small town of La Luna of New Mexico. Filled with the history of wars, lore, and ruins, this town marks a new beginning for Ruby. Since her arrival, she receives a warm welcome from the people and gains the attention of three good-looking guys, Angel, a cop who fell for Ruby, at first sight, Ezra, a rude jerk with a mysterious past, and Leo, a guy who only appears around the ruins. Ruby finds herself drawn by these boys, folklores, and ruins, which calls for her.

At first, this book reminded me a lot of Twilight and Outlander, but later I realized how wrong I was. Jennifer G. Edelson definitely has amazing world-building and writing skills. I enjoyed the writing style, it is engaging and absorbing. The story is very descriptive and vividly drawn together.

At some point, I started feeling that most of the characters in this story are vague. During the first 200 pages, nothing happens. The story catches pace after that, so one needs to be patient through these 200 or so pages. I felt that the first half of this book has been too stretched, it could have been shortened. I felt most of the characters are okay, I liked Ezra’s character the most (though I am not sure why!). Three guys were attracted to Ruby as soon as she moves into the town, I find that really unbelievable.

This is an interesting story that will be enjoyed by those who like reading YA Fantasy/Paranormal romance, but they need to have a lot of patience while reading this story. I am giving this book 3/5 because of the points I mentioned above.