Ask the Passenger by A.S. King

Source: Publisher
Astrid Jones desperately wants to confide in someone, but her mother's pushiness and her father's lack of interest tell her they're the last people she can trust. Instead, Astrid spends hours lying on the backyard picnic table watching airplanes fly overhead. She doesn't know the passengers inside, but they're the only people who won't judge her when she asks them her most personal questions . . . like what it means that she's falling in love with a girl.
As her secret relationship becomes more intense and her friends demand answers, Astrid has nowhere left to turn. She can't share the truth with anyone except the people at thirty thousand feet, and they don't even know she's there. But little does Astrid know just how much even the tiniest connection will affect these strangers' lives--and her own--for the better.
In this truly original portrayal of a girl struggling to break free of society's definitions, Printz Honor author A.S. King asks readers to question everything--and offers hope to those who will never stop seeking real love.
I loved A.S. King's previous books that I have read. The Dust of 100 Dogs was clever and original. Please Ignore Vera Dietz was heartbreaking and just stunning. Ask the Passengers combines both of these to make an amazing and unforgettable story. Astrid is an amazing girl. She is dealing with a lot of issues in her life  and is trying to figure out what she wants to do in her life and also about her sexuality. I also enjoyed the passengers and found their small stories to be a good addition to story. I really wish that there had been more. I really enjoyed the plot. I didn't feel that it was ever too slow or dragged, instead it flowed perfectly and I wanted more. King writes a story in a unique and exciting way. The writing is just lovely and I can't wait to read more from her. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoyed her previous books and anyone that wants a contemporary book with a touch of magical realism. It is such a clever and amazing story. 

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Rating:
Characters: 19/20
Plot: 18/20
Originality: 19/20
Writing: 18/20
Recommendation: 18/20
Overall: 92/100 or A
Source: Publisher
Eighteen-year-old Vera's spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she's kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.
So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, or even the police. But will she emerge and clear his name? Does she even want to?
An edgy, gripping story, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and always surprising.
I was enchanted by King's first book, The Dust of 100 Dogs. When I first heard about Please Ignore Vera Dietz, I was so excited to read it. Luckily, it was just as unique and strange as her last book. Vera's voice was so easy to relate to. She felt so lonely and vulnerable, which everyone does at some point. I haven't related to a character as much as I did to Vera in a long time. I loved how the story jumped all over the place, with flashbacks and to what is currently happening. I adored that you could see the transformation that happened to Vera over time, and that we create our own fate. I loved all of the emotions that came out, when she was talking about Charlie. I could feel her love, hatred, and fear for who he was and later who he became. I also found the little changes of point of views to Charlie and Vera's dad gave a great insight into both of the characters. With Charlie, you could feel all of the regret for what he did and how much tiny things ended up hurting him in the long run. With her dad, you could see his reasoning behind the pressure that he put on Vera to not become anything close to what her mother or him were. I loved how there was a hint of mystery in this book and I was surprised for the ending. A.S. King is an author that I will be watching in the coming years. Her writing is insightful and heartbreaking, while inspiring and beautiful in the turn of a page. Please Ignore Vera Dietz is more then a coming of age story. It is one of those books that after you read it, you will be just thinking "Wow!". I highly recommend that you pre-order it now or buy it October 12th. From the first page, you will feel immersed and entangled into this stunning story.

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

Rating:
Characters: 18/20
Setting: 8/10
Plot: 17/20
Originality: 19/20
Writing: 18/20
Recommendation: 9/10
Overall: 89/100 or A-
The Dust of 100 Dogs tells the story of Emer Morrissey and Saffron Adams, which are really two of the same people. Emer was born in the Seventeenth century and saw her parents get killed. She then lived with her uncle till she was old enough to get sold. She escaped that to go to the Caribbean, she becomes a pirate and starts stealing Spanish galleons. When she decides to return to her normal life with her with her beloved Seanie. She is cursed to live the lives of one hundred dogs. A few cnturies later Saffron Adams is born. She knows where the treasure is. She just has to wait and find a way to get to Jamaica, when she is 18.
This is one of those books that it is impossible to describe or label it, yet amazing it is. I loved the setting. It felt that I was in Ireland, the Caribbean, and America. I really loved the characters and the many dimensions that they had. I like that is both contemporary and historical, without a touch of Sci-fi. The characters were amazing. To be born with such knowledge would be both a blessing and a curse in it's self. Saffron's family is interesting. I also felt for Seanie and Emer and was rooting for them the whole way.
I also love the writing. The dog facts were really cute and made the read more interesting. King is also gifted to give both Saffron and Emer such a lovely voice. Check this book out. It is amazing and I don't think it will disappoint.
The Book Trailer is:here.
Take Care, Sarah.