the boy who steals houses

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Young adult contemporary
Length: 347 pages
Author: C.G. Drews
Publisher: Orchard Books
Release Date: April 4th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Can two broken boys find their perfect home?

Sam is only fifteen but he and his autistic older brother, Avery, have been abandoned by every relative he’s ever known. Now Sam’s trying to build a new life for them. He survives by breaking into empty houses when their owners are away, until one day he’s caught out when a family returns home. To his amazement this large, chaotic family takes him under their wing – each teenager assuming Sam is a friend of another sibling. Sam finds himself inextricably caught up in their life, and falling for the beautiful Moxie.

But Sam has a secret, and his past is about to catch up with him.

ALL THE FEELS.

I devoured this book in hours y’all. It was a quick read, with lots of emotions and a cute love story too. It’s a loose Goldilocks and the three bears retelling and I thought it did that service well.

The story itself started out a little slow, but the more I got to know Sam, Avery and the De Lainey family I was smitten by them. This is a dark contemporary though. It is not going to be a fluffy read (though there were a few fluffy moments). Sam is a very well fleshed out character who has some personal troubles from his past that he’s running away from rather than trying to work through. He’s never had anyone support him while he’s been supporting his older brother who has autism. This is really a journey for Sam as he finally learns what it feels like to have people take care of you.

You won’t even get a CRAZY HAPPY ENDING. You will get the ending this book should have. As I already mentioned it’s not a fluffy contemporary. Sam (with his new support system) has to confront his past to move on from it. I love the hopeful message it gave.

The bond between brothers was amazing. Most of the books I read are love stories, so the focus on brothers was different for me. I adored the way it was written. I found myself completely caught up in their lives and the flashback chapters shook me every time. I love how deeply Avery and Sam love each other (even when fighting).

This does have a touch of romance that took up the perfect amount of page time. It wasn’t the focus. It was stinkin’ cute though to watch Sam try to flirt and apologize to Moxie. He was precious and maybe a bit desperate. Moxie was bold and I love watching their interactions. It was sweet and endearing.

Overall audience notes:

Young adult dark contemporary
Language: some
Romance: a few kisses
Violence: physical, stabbing, see more in Trigger Warnings
Trigger warnings: child abuse (physical, verbal), homelessness, anxiety

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Top 10 Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Rainy Day Reads

April 16, 2019April 15, 2019 GoodeyReads

Alright, after the week break we are right back at it with another Top Ten Tuesday!

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not even sure what qualifies for a rainy day read. Whenever it rains I want to read in general. Doesn’t really matter, whatever book I’m currently reading is the one I want.

So in light of that struggle, I instead have decided to twirl this as Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want to Read Soon, If it’s Raining That Day, AWESOME (which, because of where I live it rains a few times a week).

All weather is good weather to read. My only rule is that these books have to be out already so I could theoretically pick them up immediately.

The Traitor’s Ruin (The Traitor’s Circle #1) by Erin Beaty

Y’all, I LOVED the first book. Can’t help it. So I need book two, STAT. It had some elements that I absolutely adore in YA romance/fantasy books. I have high hopes for the series.

The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews

I’ve been impatiently waiting for this book to make it to me from Australia. COME ON BOOK DEPOSITORY. YOU CAN DO THIS.

The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson

This is going to be my next audible pick! I’m really into everything Sanderson does this year. My goal is to finish most of them by the end of 2019.

The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles #1) by Patrick Rothfuss

I’m listening to this actually as I type. Y’all, this book is taking a bit to get into, but I’ve heard such good things so I’m going to keep going. I need to catch up with my husband who’s a couple hours ahead of me.

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

Adventurous, wild romance in Alaska? YOU BETCHA I BOUGHT THIS. It was also on sale for 6 bucks. I can’t pass that up.

Kingdom of Exiles (The Beast Charmer #1) by Maxym M. Martineau

My next Netgalley read! I really want to read this. I might have to make it my very next read. It sounds so interesting.

More Than We Can Tell (Letters to the Lost #2) by Brigid Kemmerer

DID YOU KNOW THERE’S A SECOND BOOK? BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW. Now I do, now I need to remedy this situation. I absolutely loved Letters to the Lost.

Beartown (Beartown #1) by Fredrik Backman

I have only read A Man Called Ove by Backman but I have heard so many good things about this series that I really want to pick it up soon.

Age of Swords (The Legends of the First Empire #2) by Michael J. Sullivan

Mmmm. High fantasy. ALWAYS GOOD TO READ.

The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S.A. Chakraborty

I had to order the UK hardcover because I couldn’t find a US one I was willing to purchase (price + out of stock + wanting hardcover = hard time). So now it’s in my possession and now I need to read this. Getting on that hype train.

Are any of these on your TBR or that you’ve already read? What do you consider a rainy day read?

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Book Talk

2019 Most Anticipated Releases

January 2, 2019January 1, 2019 GoodeyReads

I am so hyped for all the new books in 2019!! This is a compilation of some of my top choices for reading this year.

The only books that don’t have an official release date are Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas (super thrilled to see what story she’ll give us next) and The Bone Season #4 by Samantha Shannon (I can NOT be the only one waiting for this!?)

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer: Very fortunate to be currently reading an ARC – Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA!
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo: She is one of my top insta-buy authors
The Wicked King by Holly Black: The hype is real with this one; hope it doesn’t disappoint!
The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden: Best December present was receiving an ARC of this via Netgalley and Del Ray!

Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller: Real obsessed with this author after her debut, Daughter of the Pirate King

Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith: the synopsis + the hype = an impatient reader
Sherwood by Meagan Spooner: I enjoyed her Beauty and the Beast re-telling (Hunted), which makes me intrigued for this gender-bend Robin Hood story!

Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) by Tahereh Mafi: Impatiently waiting for this cover and this book because HOLY CLIFF HANGER
The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews: Her debut, A Thousand Perfect Notes, was a bitter-sweet story & I expect great things from her next novel
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan: Another uber-hyped book I can’t wait for!!

Finale by Stephanie Garber: BE EXCITED WITH ME, THIS FINALE WILL BE EPIC

Rage by Cora Carmack: I HAVE BEEN WAITING TWO YEARS

Dark Age by Pierce Brown: I am here for all things related to Red Rising

Wild Savage Stars by Kristina Perez: The first book in this series left me shook. I’m so excited to see what happens next!!
Vow of Thieves (Dance of Thieves #2) by Mary E. Pearson: Okay, I’m still recovering from that ending.