Strands of Bronze and Gold

  I haven't heard of the Bluebeard fairy tale until I ran across the name when I read the best-selling graphic novel series, Fables by Bill Willingham. From the context in which he appeared and after doing a little bit of research, I couldn't believe I'd never heard of it before. Jane Nickerson's debut novel, Strands of Bronze and Gold revisits the Bluebeard story and sets it against the backdrop of Pre-Civil War Mississippi. Please note that this review is based on the advanced reader's copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley (Thank you!)

Description (from the Publisher): When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.
   Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Review: Strands of Bronze and Gold is a Gothic retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale set in Pre-Civil Mississippi. When Sophia’s father dies, she is sent from Boston to Wyndriven Abbey, the Mississippi plantation of her godfather, Monsieur Bernard de Cressac. At first Sophia is caught up with her new luxurious lifestyle- beautiful gowns, jewelry, and extravagant dinners all made simply for her. Slowly, she finds herself being attracted to Bernard as he makes her the center of his world. Soon Bernard's attention becomes claustrophobic as he refuses to let her go outside the mansion. She becomes more and more suspicious of the plantation slaves’ living and working conditions, the vine-shrouded outbuildings she is not allowed to explore, and the various treasures belonging to Bernard’s former wives, all dead, that she finds in the attic. She even feels like there are ghosts following her and trying to deliver a message which she can't unravel until it is too late. In spite of her uneasy attraction to Bernard’s increasingly romantic intentions, Sophia finds herself falling for Gideon Stone, the local minister who also has the quiet reputation among the slaves of assisting in escapes to the North and who is much more aware about Bernard's sinister background.
  Strands of Bronze and Gold is a decent read that has some strengths and weaknesses, however some of the weaknesses are hard to ignore. Nickerson does a good job in slowly building up the suspense and uneasiness surrounding Sophie. Though we can forgive her of being so swept up when she first attends Wyndriven Abbey, it really takes our heroine quite some time to figure out that there is something truly disturbing about her godfather Bernard. As our protagonist, Sophia isn't all that remarkable. Similarly, Bernard doesn't stray very far from the Bluebeard caricature. Nickerson definitely captured his wild mood swings and his lecherous looks made me shudder, but there is really no explanation of why he is a psychotic killer. I would have liked a bit more exploration with his character as well as more time spent with Sophia learning about Bernard's previous wives. Sophia's discovery along with meeting a new and dull love interest, Reverend Stone, happen all too quickly and conveniently.
  Despite all these flaws, I was truly disappointed on how the topic of slavery was addressed in the book. I can see how the author tried to draw parallels between Sophia's caged life to those of Bernard's slaves, but it didn't quite make it there. It touched the surface just like how it touched the surface about the fairy tale's theme of the fatal effects of feminine curiosity.
  Strands of Bronze and Gold is a book that is an entertaining read as long as you don't really think too much about it. Readers interested in fairy tales, a historical setting, and mystery would enjoy the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, sexual innuendo, allusions to domestic abuse and rape, and disturbing images. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Bluebeard's Egg by Margaret Atwood, The Rose and The Beast: Fairy Tales Retold by Francesca Lia Block

In the Shadow of Blackbirds

  I know very little about the Spanish flu except that it killed millions of people and that it occurred during World War I. I also remember that the deadly disease killed the once human Edward Cullen and served as the climax for the second season of Downton Abbey. Cat Winter's great debut novel ties together the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, WWI shell shock, national prejudice, and spirit photography to show just how far people will believe and do almost anything in the time of desperation. This review is based on an advanced reader's copy of the book provided by the publishers and Netgalley. Thank you!

Description: In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?

Review: As soon as the book opens, we are immersed in a world cloaked with darkness and paranoia. Mary Shelly Black, named after the author of Frankenstein, is an extremely bright and likable young woman who is caught between science and spiritualism in her quest to make sense of a world overcome with war and disease in 1918 California.
  Mary Shelley's life has not been easy. She lost her mother as an infant and her father was recently arrested for alleged treason at their home in Portland, Ore. World War I is underway and those those who speak out against it, like her father, find themselves persecuted and arrested for high crimes. Mary Shelley flees to her Aunt Eva in San Diego to avoid possible fallout from the arrest and since it might be a better place to wait out the influenza epidemic that is sweeping the country. Her new home allows her to reconnect with the family of her first love, Stephen, now a soldier fighting in the war.
  I loved the relationship, though short-lived, between Mary Shelly and Stephen. Winters does a great job in showing how much they cared for one another in their brief moments together from exchanging letters, sweet memories, as well as the horror and anxiety when Stephen suddenly begins to haunt Mary Shelley.
 Winters' impeccable research is evidently shown from the popularity of spiritualism in which anxiety and fear increases as the toll from war and disease climb and sends families grasping at anything to alleviate their pain.    Some readers have commented that the plot of the book seems to mutate into different genres, but I disagree. Winters strikes just the right balance between history and ghost story, neatly capturing the period of the times, as growing scientific inquiry collided with heightened spiritualist curiosity. The pacing of the book moves quite nicely and I kept turning the pages because I had to find out why Stephen haunts Mary Shelly and whether or not he truly died under the usual circumstances. I'd definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction as well as a murder mystery with a hint of a romance.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, disturbing war images, and mentions of opium use. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey, Captivity by Deborah Noyes, We hear the dead by Dianne K. Salerni

Uses for Boys

   Erica Lorraine Scheidt's debut novel, Uses for Boys, is not a book that everyone will like, but I think it is important to know about. With a deceiving book cover and synopsis, book is much more serious than it appears. This review is based on the advanced readers copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley (Thank you!).

Description: Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know.
   Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer.

Review: Uses for Boys is a haunting, unflinching, dark, and honest portrayal of a young girl's silent call for help. Anna Bloom and her mother are everything to each other, for a limited time. Anna observes her mother falling for one man after the next, leaving young Anna alone for extended periods of time and marrying and divorcing in a vicious cycle. Without any parental or adult guidance and observing her mother's appalling behavior, Anna begins to understand what she seems to be missing can be solved with getting boy's attention. She starts to look to boys in order to define her own self-worth, and she mistakenly equates sex with love and intimacy.
  Anna loses her virginity at age 14, and by 16, she has dropped from school and moved in with Joey, a boy she feels who take care of her and she of him. Many readers have noted their levels of uneasiness while reading the book since it has a very strong sexual content, but I think that's the very point of the book. In Uses for Boys, sex is treated without any romantic notions but it's mechanical. For Anna, having sex is equivalent to a hug or even having a deeply shared discussion. There is desperation in Anna's need for sex and in her need to mold boyfriends into the family she never had. Her loneliness is palpable and she is without a doubt lost in every sense of the word.
  Anna's voice is very clear throughout the book. She wears her emotions like piece of clothing, which she is ready to take off at the drop of a hat. Our heart aches as Anna is abandoned again and again throughout the story. We can finally breathe a sigh of relief when she does finally find her first friend and a boy who seems to really take care of her.
  Scheidt could have easily spiraled into preachy territory many times in the book especially where teen pregnancy and sexual assault are brought up, but she never does. Though the issues are serious to us, readers, they don't hold importance in the novel because Anna either can't understand their significance nor has anyone to share her concerns with.
 Though short in pages, Uses for Boys is an emotionally exhausted but hopeful read. Scheidt's spare, honest and poetic debut offers up pretty images for some decidedly ugly situation. The prose seems to be more heavy on the lyrical side yet it doesn't detract much from Anna's journey which is unfortunately very common. Uses for Boys is a book that I think most readers would enjoy reading due to its frank discussion of teen sexuality, but I found it worthwhile and it gave me lots to think about. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy hard hitting realistic fiction.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong sexual content, explicit at times, throughout the novel. There is also a scene of sexual assault. Strong language as well as underage drinking and drug use are also found in the book. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Tilt by Ellen Hopkins, Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr, Loose Girl by Kerry Cohen

Legend (Legend #1)

   Once again I was swept away with high recommendations and hype over a book. In this case the book is Marie Lu's Legend. I know many people who really enjoyed or loved this book, but I thought the book was just okay and really didn't offer anything new or exciting since the last YA dystopian book published. 

Description (from Goodreads): What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
   From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Review: Legend is your usual concoction of YA dystopian tropes along with a dash of forbidden romance, some adventure and intrigue. Just avoid my big mistake in reading the inner panel of the book where the virtually the entire plot is written out and spoiled for you.
 Our heroine is named June, an exceptionally gifted prodigy who is being groomed to become a military star a la Ender in Enders Game by Orson Scott Card. When her brother is mysteriously and senselessly murdered, she embarks on a mission to find his killer. All signs point to one person, a boy named Day, a notrious criminal who is already wanted by the Republic. 
  While I thought both both June and Day were likable characters, I didn't really find anything that would set them apart from the other numerous YA dystopian characters that I've met. Sure, they had moments that made me smile and root for them, but ultimately I thought their cat and mouse chase as well as their insta-romance happened just a little too conveniently for me. I actually wanted to learn more about the big mystery behind why the government is so interested in Day's brother. While there are some great action scenes in the book and the pace moves rather quickly, I grew bored with the book since the plot was incredibly predictable. There is absolutely no fun in seeing where the plot goes where you already know what will happen before the characters do. Legend reads like a first book since there really aren't enough answers found and the world building is very weak.
  Though Legend is probably one of the better YA dystopians released and it does have its entertaining moments, I wanted something with a bit more depth and originality. Since I didn't feel compelled to see where these characters go in the story, I don't plan on continuing with the series. I would, however, recommend this series to readers who are looking for another series to tie them over to the film release of Catching Fire.


Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and violence. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu, Article 5 by Kristen Summons, Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Roar by Emma Clayton

The Near Witch

Description: "The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. ""If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company." "And there are no strangers in the town of Near." These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger--a boy who seems to fade like smoke--appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
   The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know--about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Review: The Near Witch is Victoria Schwab's debut novel, but I couldn't help but wonder if it would have more of a lasting impression if it was written in the novel in verse format. My curiosity of the format change is based on the fact that The Near Witch has great, beautiful passages dedicated to the moors, the night, and the wind but it lacks in plot. Lexi Harris is our heroine. She wants to be "of" the moor, but she is unsure how to obtain her dreams. Her father, who she thought held the secret, is dead, her mother has withdrawn, and her brutish uncle Otto is unsympathetic to Lexi's aspirations. The only one that seems to be on Lexi's side is her sister Wren, but she's too young to fully comprehend Lexi's struggles. Uncle Otto comes across as mean and strict uncle who would like Lexi to be nothing more than a "proper" girl in learning ways around the house and to be responsive to the advances of Tyler Ward so she could be a suitable wife. Lexi, however,  would rather buckle on her father's hunting knife and visit the shunned and dangerous witch sisters, Magda and Dreska Thorne.
  The plot of the book takes form when a mysterious, handsome stranger that Lexi seems to only see, comes to the village of Near, and children begin vanishing from their beds. Lexi is of course intrigued by the stranger and after a few encounters with him, they develop a friendship that quickly turns into a romance. Lexi is determined to solve the mystery, but not for the sake of the children, but more so because she feels her love interest is innocent. Schwab puts more emphasis on mood and atmosphere than on plot. As a result, I grew restless with the story and began to skim parts of the description just to get the story going. I didn't really feel any connection to any of the characters as I found them to fit neat into character tropes, while some of them are intriguingly sketched they are underdeveloped and don't really fully realize into three dimensional characters.
  Given the time dedicated to the descriptions surrounding the setting of the village/city of Near, I was amazed on how little world building details we are given. For example, The village has guns, but no other technology, while the fear of witches suggests a medieval time. The presence of actual witchcraft suggests a whole other world from today's, but further world-building is neatly side-stepped by making the town isolated. Schwab's use of present-tense, first-person narration heightens the sense of unreality, as though Lexi is less a fully realized person than a character the reader inhabits in a dream. Overall, The Near Witch is a decent debut that isn't very memorable. Though marketed as young adult, I think older elementary and middle schoolers who aren't ready for the popular paranormal romances such as Twilight and the like would enjoy this story. I would recommend this story to young readers who like a light paranormal mystery story. Schwab has talent and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images. Recommended for strong Grades 5 readers and up.

If you like this book try: The Revenant by Sonia Gensler, We Hear the Dead by Dianne K. Salerni, The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn

The Lost Girl

  Sangu Mandanna's debut novel, The Lost Girl, is a provocative and page-turning thriller/romance that gets at the heart of what it means to be human. Using similar themes of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, the story is wholly original and one that is not easy to forget.
Description (from the publisher):  Eva's life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. She was made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her "other," if she ever died. Eva spends every day studying that girl from far away, learning what Amarra does, what she eats, what it's like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready. But sixteen years of studying never prepared her for this.
  Now she must abandon everything and everyone she's ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she's forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive. What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.

Review: Eva doesn't have a right to her own life. She is an echo, a carbon copy of a girl named Amarra who lives halfway across the world. Eva is created as a back-up plan for Amarra's parents in case Amarra dies. Eva mimics Amarra's life, she learns everything that Amarra learns and is even nearly forced to suffer the same physical injuries as her other. Though the concept of clones isn't breaking new ground, what makes The Lost Girl stand out is the exploration of the psychological aspect to Eva's character, since it's not just Eva's organs that are being harvested, but her entire entity and identity.
 The Lost Girl is a novel that sits uneasily along the genre lines of dystopia, science fiction, and speculative fiction. While it contains elements of each of these genres, the world of echoes and their creators called Weavers take on a somewhat mystical and mysterious manner. The book never really delves into how the world came to exist. Like some of Bradbury's stories, we are shown human beings who find themselves in extraordinary futuristic circumstances instead of a technology driven setting that drives humans. I know some readers may be disappointed in not knowing much about Weavers and the utterly creepy setting of the Loom, but this didn't bother me at all. I was thoroughly captivated by the characters of this story and it didn't deter me from enjoying the story. 
  Mandanna's writing is exceptional, thoughtful, and beautifully descriptive, deftly balancing seriousness and humor, just like her characters. Eva is a heroine that I loved from the start. She finds herself in a horrible circumstance, but makes the best of it without losing her dignity and constant persistence. Unlike many heroines that fill our pages with noble self-sacrifice, Eva refuses to give up her inalienable rights to have a life and a place in society regardless of how he kind is perceived. She is rightfully selfish, but also aware of the dangers she puts her loved ones while she goes an incredible journey. 

  Though the plot of The Lost Girl is a bit of a slow starter as it is divided into three sections. The first section introduces us Eva as Eva without any strings attached. In this section,  we see Eva as a reflection of our humanity. Her connection to her family, a collection of people who are not bound to her by blood but by their concern and love for her, and her guardian/best friend/love interest Sean are explored. Each of these members reflect a different aspect of Eva's personality. The pace of the book quickly picks up in the second and third part of the book, where we see Eva on display and acting out her duties as an echo. Our hearts ache with her struggle and we are horrified at all the hurdles she must jump and conquer. I completely admire Eva's tenacity, her drive, and in this very rare instance her impulsiveness to not stay quiet.

  I hadn't expected to enjoy The Lost Girl as much as I did because I've been on a dystopian burn-put lately where all the book seem the same. There are a few aspects that I wish were given more time to develop such as the settings of London and Bangalore as well as further development of some really intriguing secondary characters. The Lost Girl gave me much to think about while being cathartic. The characters and premise asks us unsettling questions, but ultimately it is a story about love, grief, death, and above all what makes us human. I'm very eager to see if Eva's story continues and what else Mandanna plans on writing.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing scenes and a scene of underage drinking. Recommended for strong Grade 8 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Afterschool Charisma manga series by Kumiko Suekane, Unwind series by Neal Shusterman, The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Children of Men by P.D. James

The Friday Society

  After a stressful week at work and finishing a heavy yet thrilling book, I needed a time-out. I wanted my next read to be fun and light. The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress fit the bill exactly. Please note that this review is based on the advanced reader's copy of the book which I received through the publisher via Netgalley (thank you!).

Description (from Goodreads): Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man. It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves.

Review: The Friday Society is a book that celebrates girl power and highlights three strong, spunky, and charismatic characters. Each heroine has her own set of problems and back stories, which are well paced and told in some anachronistic language in the narrative voice to get to the core of the character's personality. I adored each one, but if I had to choose a favorite it would be Cora. Cora is driven by her intelligence and her passion to prove others that she is just more than a pretty face. Logical and her wonderful snarky comments continuously made me smile. To balance Cora's personality, we have Michiko--a fiercely focused samurai in training, and Nellie--the blunt, cheery, and deceptively talented, glamorous magician's apprentice. Each girl brings about a wide variety of uniqueness to the group with their special skills and talents. What I loved most about these girls is their ability to continuously disprove that they are merely stereotypical caricatures of women of their time, which is a constant theme running throughout the entire book. Ultimately, Cora, Nellie, and Michiko team up to try to free London of its newest murderer as a string of events lead them to one another. Their chemistry really flows perfectly and shines in this book.
   I'm still a newbie when it comes to the steampunk genre so I'm always have a bit trepidation when it comes to the technological details, worried that I'd get lost in the details. I appreciated that Kress blended the steampunk flair with gadgets, corsets, etc., but it also maintains a modern feel as well as the historical setting of Edwarian England.
  Like the book itself, the plot is simple yet highly entertaining. Bomb threats, a mysterious society, a man obsessed with eyes, the murders of people surrounding the girls-there is always something happening and I never got a chance to get bored. I especially loved how the girls randomly teamed up once their realized that they all shared the same goal. I also really appreciated that Kress took the time for each girl to have her spotlight in figuring out the murder mystery which allowed them to use their special skills and talent. While the resolution to mysterious may be a tad predictable and the villains to be flatter than I would have liked, I enjoyed the journey. I know past readers have commented on the lack of romance in the book and yes, it is not quite developed but it really didn't bother me because I was more focused on the girl power.
  The Friday Society is not without its flaws, but if you're in the mood for an amusing, enlivening read, this is exactly the kind of book I would recommend picking up. Although all the plot threads wrap up in the end, the book leaves with a possibility for a sequel or a promise of a series. I really hope there is one as I loved these characters and I'm more than willing to spend more time with them.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, underage drinking, a visit to an opium den, and some disturbing images. Recommended for strong Grade 8 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter, Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger, The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

While He Was Away

  More realistic YA fiction is now focusing on the military. The shift seems to switch between characters in war or about to go to war to those people who are left behind and on the outskirts of war. While He Was Away by Karen Schrek is not the first nor the best book I read that centers on the military.
Description:  One year--he'll be gone for one year and then we'll be together again and everything will be back to the way it should be. The day David left, I felt like my heart was breaking. Sure, any long-distance relationship is tough, but David was going to war--to fight, to protect, to put his life in danger. We can get through this, though. We'll talk, we'll email, we won't let anything come between us. I can be an army girlfriend for one year. But will my sweet, soulful, funny David be the same person when he comes home? Will I? And what if he doesn't come home at all?

Review: I was expecting While He Was Away would be an eye opening and emotional read, but unfortunately it left me unsatisfied. The book's premise holds promise but it's poor execution left the plot and the characters floundering. Towards the end of the book, I found myself skimming a lot of it just so I could finish it.
  The overall plot of While He Was Away is very straightforward. Penna and David are a couple who are now about to be separated due to David's deployment to Iraq. Penna is now left to face the struggles once he was gone. The book could have gone in several directions such as questions about the couple's fidelity, death, and/or the causes of war. Schreck doesn't take any of these roads, but litters the overall story-arc with multiple subplots that briefly touch upon each of these ideas. It was as if the author couldn't decide where she wanted to go with the story so just added a little bit of this and that to increase the page count. Instead of capturing my attention, it left me frustrated and well, bored.
   Though I understood the magnitude of Penna's emotional turmoil, I did not feel any emotional connection towards her. I thought she was too needy and too focused on David. I understand that young love can be consuming, but she basically felt lost and empty when David was gone. Another thing that really annoyed me was her relationship with her mother and David's fallen out best friend Ravi. Out of all the subplots, I thought the relationship between Penna and her mother had the most potential. Issues such as abandonment, forgiveness, and duty were all expressed but unfortunately the subplot was stagnate with Penna constantly blaming her mother everything that's wrong in her life and then it was quickly and unrealistically resolved with an apology. Penna's relationship with David's former best friend Ravi doesn't fair much better. Ravi symbolizes the anger, racism, and the back lash that several Asian communities received during the aftermath of 9/11. Mistaken as an Arab, Ravi is brutally bullied to the extent that he quit school altogether. Instead of delving into these issues, the author chooses instead to use Ravi as a potential love interest with Penna constantly assuring herself multiple times that he is just David's friend whenever they exchanged a few awkward conversations, but nothing happened to make us infer a new romance was on the horizon.
   Although the plot and characters were dull, what truly made me disappointed with this book is a scene which shows how David and Penna go on a website to play this game where the target was an Arabic guy, and the point of the game was to shoot red paint balls a la a gun and bullets so they will splatter all over him (as if he is bleeding). While Penna was hesitant, David told her "Think of 9/11, he totally deserves this". When I read this, I was completely stunned. I even had to reread it again to see if I misread. Not only did I find it completely offensive towards me as a Muslim. I was dumbstruck on how such an unbelievable generalization that all Arabs (or anyone with a brown skin color for that matter) and Muslims are terrorists. I really had hoped that there would be a good explanation of using this website, but there is none that I was satisfied with (an author note says the website is real and the creator made it after one of his family member was randomly shot in Iraq) besides pointing out how people thought about 9/11. I wanted and expected more from While He Was Away.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is some brief and candid discussion of sex and war. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt, Back Home by Julia Keller

What's Left of Me (Hybrid Trilogy #1)

   I have been really curious about Kat Zhang's debut novel, What's Left of Me, when I saw several bloggers post about this book for their Waiting on Wednesday meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. With some many dystopians feeling like derivatives of the Hunger Games series, I had hoped this book would be much more unique and for the most part it delivers. 

Description (from the publisher): Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else-- two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren't they settling? Why isn't one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn't. For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she's still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-- hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet-- for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Review: Everyone is born as a hybrid: two souls occupying one body. Only, in futuristic America, it's illegal to remain a hybrid. The dominant soul is supposed to take over, and the recessive, weaker one, is supposed to disappear, usually by the time the child is six. Even though Addie was the stronger soul, Eva held on. Despite the fact that she could no longer move or speak to anyone but Addie, Eva didn't go away and is very much present. Now that they are teens, Addie and Eva have adopted rules of behavior in order to survive: don't stand out, don't be exceptional, blend in at all costs that is until the girls become friends with Hally and her brother, Devon, who are also undercover hybrids. The siblings are able to show the sisters that Eva can reemerge and have her freedom, but it will be costly. Eva's freedom comes at high price: imprisonment in a hospital that wants to "cure" kids of being hybrids and where patients who "go home" are never heard from again.
  What's Left of Me is a uniquely imagined dystopian novel that has lots of potentials and for the most part doesn't fall short in the execution. Zhang's prose is lovely, and the plot moves at a steady pace as the sisters being to realize the troubles they find themselves into at the hospital. I liked how the dystopian America that Zhang has created touches upon important topics and controversies that we are currently facing today such as xenophobia, identity, ethics, and choice. We don't know much about the America that Addie and Eva live in besides the fact that hybrids have been forbidden for decades and "settling"-allowing the dominant soul to assert itself- is mandatory. The mystery about why their society is so desperate to "fix" hybrids is what compelled me to continue reading. An abundance of questions remain, even after Zhang's well-orchestrated nail-biter of an ending which thankfully isn't a cliffhanger. 
 Although I liked the characters and enjoyed the unique premise, the reason why I gave this book three and half stars instead of four is that I wanted all the hybrids to have a very strong, individual personality so I could tell the two sisters apart without having the characters constantly identifying themselves. Though the book is narrated by Eva, I found the exchange between her and her sister and their personalities to be very subtle. There is also a budding romance which I wished was developed a little bit more, but I think that will change in the next installment of the series. It is easy to place What's Left of Me with other dystopians novels that are now released, but I think the premise will grab many readers. I do plan on continuing this series.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There are few disturbing images. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: The Host by Stephenie Meyer, Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kelsey

Top 10 Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books For 2013

  Today's topic for Top 10 Tuesday, an awesome feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is discussing our most anticipated books for 2013. Here are just a few of mine, in release order, along with a link to Goodreads.

January 2013

Catherine by April Lindner- I loved how Lindner retold Jane Eyre and I can't wait to see what she's done with Wuthering Heights. (Stand-alone)

Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard- A retelling of Dr. Moreau's Island by H.G. Wells told from the perspective of his daughter. (Stand-alone; Debut Author)

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook- Bonnie and Clyde meets If I Stay (Stand alone; Debut Author)


Just One Day by Gayle Forman- I can't wait to read a new contemporary series by this fabulous author! (New Series)

February 2013

Pivot Point by Kasie West- A clever premise that sounds a lot like the movie Sliding Doors that featured Gwenthy Paltrow (New series; Debut Author)

April 2013

My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi- Sixteen-year-old Lucy never thought it would happen to her. She planned on becoming a Broadway star, living out her days with her leading man, Ty. Instead, a new girl walks off with her role and her guy. Lucy flies off the rails and does something completely out of character. Something with consequences she'll have to live with the rest of her life...

What will she tell her family? Her friends? Off script and without the comforts of her simple high school problems, Lucy must figure out how to live and even embrace a life she thought was all but over.  (Stand-alone, Debut Author)

May 2013

The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller- Sounds like a funny, contemporary romance ala Big Bang Theory. (Stand-alone)

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan- sounds like an unique paranormal romance from two great YA authors. (Stand-alone)

June 2013

Linked by Imogen Howson- Elissa used to have it all: looks, popularity, and a bright future. But for the last three years, she’s been struggling with terrifying visions, phantom pains, and mysterious bruises that appear out of nowhere.
Finally, she’s promised a cure: minor surgery to burn out the overactive area of her brain. But on the eve of the procedure, she discovers the shocking truth behind her hallucinations: she’s been seeing the world through another girl’s eyes.

Elissa follows her visions, and finds a battered, broken girl on the run. A girl—Lin—who looks exactly like Elissa, down to the matching bruises. The twin sister she never knew existed.

Now, Elissa and Lin are on the run from a government who will stop at nothing to reclaim Lin and protect the dangerous secrets she could expose—secrets that would shake the very foundation of their world. (Stand-alone; Debut Author)

August 2013

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke-
You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it. (New series, Debut Author)

Stormdancer (The Lotus Wars #1)

 Stormdancer, the first book in the Lotus War series and Jay Kristoff's debut novel, has garnered many starred reviews from review journals. The reaction from readers has been all over the spectrum from the worst book to the favorite book read in 2012. For me, Stormdancer falls somewhere in the middle of those polar opposites.

Description (from the publisher): A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A HIDDEN GIFT
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun's hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he'd rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

Review: I really wanted to love Stormdancer. It had everything that I was looking for in a great read: a fantastic world, a wholly original story, and a strong female protagonist who I could root for throughout the book. Unfortunately, it took a lot of patience and setting the book aside, forgetting about it and then picking it up to actually find the compelling aspects of the story.
  Stormdancer is a laborious read. The first half of the book is seeped in fantastic world building. Shima Imperium is a kingdom inspired by feudal Japan. It is a unique society woven from Japanese culture and history along with the author's imagination of steampunk machinery. Living standards are rough. Pollution and drug addiction, both of which runs the empire, proliferate under the rule of a corrupt shogun who seeks to win an admittedly nebulous war. I loved the world building in Stormdancer up to a certain point. Everything is described in minute detail from the story's setting to the clothes that people wear to the types of weapons warriors carry, which slows down the story's pace to a mere crawl. I had to bookmark the glossary, found in the back of the book and a hint that was pointed out to me by some friends, so I could figure out what words, deities, etc meant as there is hardly any context given to them in the text. Many times I would find Japanese words that are used frequently in the story but are never defined. I also found some words that aren't Japanese at all, which I had to look up. I wish the glossary was thoroughly created so it could help alleviate my frustrations with the book. For the most part, I think my experiences reading manga kind of helped build a vague foundation of Shima Imperium, but I still had to wrap my head around the world. The story is told mainly through third person narrative and finally picks up the slow pace when it turns its attention on the various characters in the story.
  Our protagonist, Yukiko is a strong willed teen forced to take care of her father at a tender age of 16. Yukiko has an antagonistic relationship with her father, a once revered warrior who now spends his time in a drug induced state in order to forget the horrors of his past. Through small glimpses of flashbacks, we are lead to believe that her father is the person responsible of driving her mother and brother away. We instantly feel Yukiko's isolation and anger. We become protective of her, but her survival and perceptive skills assure us that she can do fine on her own. Though she is aware of the flaws of her society, she isn't sure of the corruption's inception and extent nor does she know what her life is outside of keeping a watchful eye on her father. She is gifted (or cursed?) with an ability which the shogun's guild would punish with death if it is discovered: She can commune with animals. Her courage, fears, and skills are put to test when the Emperor commissions Yukiko's father and his crew to catch an elusive arashitora, a creature part-eagle and part-tiger. Yukiko's quest to survive becomes more challenging. Failure to find the arashitora means the end for Yukiko and her father. Indeed, death looms around every corner as Yukiko meets defectors, rebels and others too scared to oppose the shogun. After discovering startling truths about her family, she quickly becomes the face of rebellion.
  While Yukiko is a fabulous character whom I would love to know more, her character growth isn't smooth. It starts and stops when additional world building weeds itself in between. There were many times when I had to skim over the descriptions in order to keep my momentum going. I loved the moments where Yukiko and the arashitora form a special bond that grows at a realistic pace. Important themes central to the characters' motivations and key character relationships are surprisingly summed up in just few sentences, which left me completely unsatisfied. The book ends just when I found myself getting comfortable with the story.
  By the time I was finished with the book, I felt like I completed an arduous task, however, I didn't feel the satisfactions of completing it. While there is no dangerous cliffhangers lingering, there are plenty of unanswered questions.  I'm still conflicted about recommending this book and I'm not sure if I'll be continuing the series, especially if the dense and overwhelming world building continues. Stormdancer perhaps is one of those few books that might work better on film or even a graphic novel as its  visuals are incredibly important to the story. It's just too bad that the great characters have to take a back seat. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, allusion to a few sex scenes, and strong violence. Recommended for strong Grade 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld, Hungry City Chronicles by Philip Reeve, Eon by Alison Goodman, Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

What She Left Behind

    Suspenseful and chilling are the two words that best describes Tracey Bilen's debut novel, What She Left Behind. Readers looking for a character driven thriller may be disappointed, but those seeking for a page-turning plot What She Left Behind will fit your needs.

Description (from Goodreads): “Don’t even think of leaving… I will find you,” he whispered. “Guaranteed.”

Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it.
  With each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both

Review: When we begin What She Left Behind, Sara and her mother are plotting to leave their town in a desperate attempt to escape from Sara's abusive father. They both agree to pack their bags with only their necessities and meet at the local Dairy Dream as planned, but her mother never shows up. Although her father claims she's on a business trip, Sara fears that something is terribly wrong. With her own growing anxiety and fears coupled with witnessing her father's increasingly erratic behavior, Sara puts on an exterior that says everything is okay until she can assemble enough clues to find her mother.
 Sara does a decent job in trying to be normal. She allows herself to get a bit sidetracked by getting involved in a budding romance with the high school football star. I was fine with the hint of romance in the book as it wasn't unnecessarily thrown in, but served a purpose. Sara's mother's disappearance follows her like a shadow so the light romance enables her to have just a few moments of lightness in her dark, dreary life. Despite the momentary smiles we witness during these moments of reprieve, we continuously feel Sara's isolation and confinement, which are clearly expressed in her free-writing assignments and internal dialogue.
  I often times wondered why Sara doesn't seek out help from the domestic abuse, but then I chillingly remembered that Sara's abusive father is a well known and liked retired cop in her small rural town, which means there is hardly anyone would either believe her or much worse, report back to her father. With the clock counting down, however, Sara has no choice in letting some people help her.
  Though I thought Sara was pretty likable, her father is repulsive but there is a very small part of me that felt sorry for him. We don't get too much information about her father, but we do know that he was traumatized by an incident on the job. He has also clearly suffers from mental illness which may have been sparked by the sudden death of Matt, Sara's brother. Sara's father has become delusional and acts as if Matt is still alive.  With a suspenseful plot and short chapters, Bilen effectively thrills the reader until the very last page and would be a good choice for high school reluctant readers. The ending reveals a chilling picture of domestic violence.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: The book contains strong violence and some language. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.  

If you like this book try: Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer, Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught

Storm (Elementals #1)

  Usually when you think of paranormal your mind instantly goes to vampires, werewolves, zombies, demons, and et. al., but what about highly gifted humans? Storm, the first book in the Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer is a refreshingly human paranormal romance that will keep you glued to the pages.

Description (from Goodreads): Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.
  And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca. Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all. The storm is coming.

Review: I had no idea what to expect when I picked up Storm, but after reading many positive reviews from fellow trusted bloggers I knew I was in good hands. Reading Storm was a lot like watching a really good pilot episode of a promising TV show. You get introduced to a large cast of characters, some of which you align yourself instantly after a few dialogues are exchanged while others you release a sigh of frustration when the opposing side appears. The closest thing I could describe Storm to is a paranormal re-imagining of one of my favorite reads growing up: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Both books contain similar elements, particularly the strong bond between a group of brothers that are left alone and struggle to survive along with the feeling of always being on the outer fringes of their society, which enthralled me the moment I began to read the book to the excitement of knowing the story continues in a new installment.
   Storm is not a complex read and the writing may not draw your attention, but the story is very straightforward. The dialogue like the characters feel realistic and natural. The series revolves around the Merrick brothers who all have a very strong elemental connection. Eldest brother and sole legal guardian Michael controls earth, where as the twins Gabriel and Nick control fire and air respectively. Youngest brother Chris can control water. All four of them are far more powerful than they should be which causes the rift among other Elementals and inspires fear and hate.
  When we first meet Chris, he is at his most vulnerable state both physically and emotionally. He has been ambushed and beaten to a pulp by two older boys. Chris can't use his powers to defend himself because he has yet learned to master his strength and is afraid to lose control. Luckily, Becca comes to his rescue, some how wards off the boys, and takes him home. There she is met with much hostility from the other Merrick boys, who are suspicious of her kindness. Chris doesn’t really know Becca though they share some classes together. He is definitely aware of rumors of her promiscuity that follows her like a shadow. Becca, however, is far from the girl she is perceived to be. Smart and snarky, she avoids the spotlight and tries to fight against slander. I think she sees similarities between herself and Chris. Then, suddenly, she is thrust into the middle of Chris’s drama, and a gorgeous new boy is showing a real interest in her.
  Yes, there is a love triangle brewing in the story and normally I would moan and say "Not again" but while reading Storm, I didn't have any qualms about it because I liked how Kemmerer takes her time to unfold all the individual relationships with a natural pacing with just enough surprises to keep us on our toes. I would have liked more romantic moments in the book, but I really do think this is a budding romance that will definitely become sweeter as it grows.
  While there is no cliffhanger per se at the end of Storm, there are many unanswered questions left. I can't wait until I read the next book which features Gabriel. This would be a series that I wouldn't hesitate in recommending to teen boys as there is plenty of action and the romance doesn't overtake the plot. As a side note, I highly suggest reading the prequel found at the back of the book (really publishers? how does that make sense?) to really understand Michael. After reading his beginnings, he may not seem as prickly in Storm. Personally, I think he's an awesome older brother trying to do the best that he can.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Strong language, underage drinking, attempted sexual assault, and crude sexual humor. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Chronicles of Nick series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Intertwined series by Gena Showalter, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Gilt

  There has been a slew of gossipy historical fiction YA reads. I've seen this wave come and go, but I think with the popularity of Downton Abbey (is it January yet?), there seems to be a more of a demand. Gossipy historical fiction is a guilty pleasure of mine and which is why I picked up the aptly titled Gilt by Katherine Longshore.

Description (from Goodreads): When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.

Review: Gilt recounts the short life and times of King Henry VIII's fifth and youngest wife, Catherine Howard, as seen through the eyes of her best friend Kitty. When Cat is selected to be one of Anne of Cleves' ladies-in-waiting, she soon catches the king's eye, and soon to be the next chosen wife of the King. Cat rescues her plain friend Kitty, more as an effort to retain her self confidence and have someone loyal to her in a threatening environment, to attend her in her chambers.
  Although the book tries to give the reader the wide scope of the royal court, only Cat and Kitty are fully realized characters, which is kind of a shame since I really didn't care for either one of them. Cat Howard has always acted as if she was queen. She was the queen bee and the self declared connoisseur of all womanly desires (wink wink nudge nudge). She even liked to call herself the Queen of Misrule in the Duchess of Norfolk's maidens' chamber (a rather tongue in check nickname) to make her status more official. I couldn't find any redeemable qualities in Cat at all. She's usually depicted as a naive young girl who was carried away by her..er...hormones and emotions, but in Gilt she clearly knew what she was doing and enjoyed the rush of excitement in doing something forbidden and trying to see if she couldn't get caught. Anyone with a brain cell would know the path she chose is incredibly stupid and could only lead to death and humiliation.
  We also get a close-up examination of Cat's personality through Kitty's unique position of attending her best friend. Kitty's identity is solely based on her connection to Cat as she has no royal connection ties to the court. She relies on Cat's favoritism in order to push away her self doubts and low self confidence. I liked Kitty best when she clearly admits her own short comings and catches the so-called indestructible Cat's flaws. It is a shame though that most of these little nuggets of truth are buried in mumbles and under the breath.
  It also is through Kitty's eyes that we get a broad scope of the royal court, however, the author seems to focus on the safe, domestic setting of the court rather than the affairs and politics that shaped the Tudor time period. Unfortunately, the time period doesn't really come to life with these broad strokes. The suspense of Cat's plan and what lead to her demise is extremely subdued. I think I had an edge on reading Gilt as I already knew of Catherine Howard's demise and stupidity by watching The Tudors (Jonathan Rhys Meyers plus Henry Cavill equals a win!), but I as a reader reading Gilt, I didn't get that surprise or suspense. As a result, Gilt doesn't have much of a punch as a gossipy historical fiction or romance read as the cover implies (The cover of Gilt does absolutely nothing for me and I wish I wouldn't have to look up the model's nostrils everytime I see it). Readers looking for more juicy details of the Tudor time period are better off looking at some of Phillippa Gregory's books and other readalikes. Do give the book a chance if you're curious about the status of women in the Tudor period.
 
Rating: 3 stars


Words of Caution: Sexual and crude humor, strong sexuality that is regulated off the page. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby, Luxe series by Anna Godbersen, The Other Boylen by Philippa Gregory, The Unfaithful Queen by Carolly Erickson, and Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan

Pushing the Limits

  Pushing the Limits has been all around the blogosphere in the last few months. With a slew of book giveaways, author interviews, and other tidbits, it is hard to not hear about the book. I have to admit that I was skeptical about picking this book up, but after pasing a 50 page test read I eventually finished it and actually really liked it. As a note, this review is based on the advanced reader's copy provided by the publisher, Harlequin Teen, via Netgalley.


Description: Rendered a subject of gossip after a traumatic night that left her with terrible scars on her arms, Echo is dumped by her boyfriend and bonds with bad-boy Noah, whose tough attitude hides an understanding nature and difficult secrets.

Reviews: Pushing the Limits is a very unusual reading experience for me. There were many reasons why I normally would not like this book: an extreme overdose of issues (i.e. death, grief, foster care, mental illness, high school gossip, etc) along with a heavy current of teen angst, insta-attraction turned into love, a fairly predictable plot, and repetitive phrases that you would have fun counting on your fingers. Despite these flaws, I got sucked into Echo and Noah's story.
 McGarry sets up an intense contemporary romance that delves into the psychological difficulties of two teens who fall in love. Echo and Noah are desperately seeking normal, a goal they both feel is unattainable until they meet one another. Echo can't remember the night her mother apparently tried to kill her. She wears long sleeves and gloves to hide the awful scars left on her arms from that night. She has lost her brother and confidant in the Afghan war and lives with her obnoxious, controlling yet emotionally distant father and step-mother who once was her babysitter. I liked Echo right from the start. She has a good mix of flaws and strengths. She is smart but doesn't have the confidence to confront her once so-called friends after that terrible event. She knows what she doesn't want and what isn't good for her, but yet she dreams to be the girl that everyone once remembered. 
   Like Echo, Noah is also a troubled teen. Noah lost his parents in a fire but saved his two younger brothers. All three brothers all are in foster care with different families, but Noah has been separated from his brothers and is determined to gain custody of them when he turns 18. Noah is a well known player whose only interactions with girls is regulated to the back seat of a car or a bed. Normally, I would find Noah appalling but I could tell right away that his bad-boy attitude is a front. He is terrified to make connections, build relationships because in his experience they only end in heartache. His character comes to life when he talks about his brothers and his determination to get full custody of them and to become once again a family. Noah reminded me a lot of Will from Good Will Hunting and that's maybe because I pictured him to be a younger version of Matt Damon.
 Echo and Noah meet and are instantly but secretly attracted to each other. Both see Mrs. Collins, an experienced psychologist, as their school counselor, and neither wants to trust her. I applaud McGarry for making Mrs. Collins a fully realized adult who knows what she is doing. She isn't a bumbling ditz nor a clueless adult trying to regain her lost teenage years by working in a high school. She is aware of Echo and Noah's problems. She realizes what makes Echo and Noah tick and slowly works with them even though both teens view her as a hindrance.
 Told in alternating chapters for both Echo and Noah, the story slowly uncovers the teens' secrets and builds to resolutions for both. I have to say that I was more invested in Noah's story and the scenes involving his brothers made me teary eyed several times. I also was very curious to find out what really happened on that terrible night with Echo. The pacing is done quite well and it moves quickly. If it wasn't for my busy work schedule, I could have easily read it in one sitting despite its 400 pages length. I would read recommend this book to readers who enjoy contemporary romance, but some may not like the issues weighing down the story. I think readers who give Echo and Noah a chance could be easily persuaded just like me. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Strong language, drug use, underage drinking, crude humor, and heavy make-out scenes. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf, Leaving Paradise by Simon Elkeles, Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Hemlock (Hemlock #1)

 I've been really curious about Hemlock ever since I found out it was about a murder mystery featuring werewolves. I've read a few good paranormal mysteries and hoped that I could add Hemlock to that last too. Despite a few troubled spots, I would add it to that list.

Description (from the Publisher): MacKenzie and Amy were best friends, until Amy was murdered. Not only is Mac being haunted by Amy in her dreams, an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac's hometown of Hemlock to track down Amy's suspected killer: a lone, white werewolf.

Review: Ever since a white werewolf killed Mackenzie's best friend, Amy, she's been having vivid and extremely disturbing nightmares. Amy's obscenely rich boyfriend, Jason, has gone off the deep end. He has completely shut down, succombed to alcohol as a way to get numb, and is continually seeking fights to alleive his aggresion. And their other friend, Kyle, who use to be carefree is now scarcely seen.
Mac, Kyle, Jason, and Amy were inseparable best friends, but after Amy's death they each feel guilty for the death of their best friend and hold themselves responsible. To make it up to Amy, they each are determined to find her killer though they might have different ideas to go about solving the murder mystery. For example, Jason turns to the Trackers, a furvent anti-werewolf vigilante group, who have come to Hemlock to round up anyone with Lupine Syndrome (which is how one transforms to a werewolf) to be permanently interned in a government-run "rehabilitation camp."  You would think that Mackenzie would fully throw her support behind the Trackers, however she knows that not all werewolves are bad in fact one adult affected by the disease cared for her while her dead-beat dad abandoned her. be The symbolism between werewolf hunt and war propaganda is made very clear.
  Despite likeable characters, attuned dialogues that doesn't scream teen-speak and pretty good set up for a murder mystery plot, the book seems to abandon its genre in favor of your typical paranormal romance. Mac is the center of a love triangle though she seems to favor one love interest over the other. For me, the romance was a bit lackluster. Apparently both Kyle and Jason have been in love with Mac for a very long time, but I feel like that came across. There was no tension between any of these characters as Mac was pretty adamant that both of these guys were friends. I have to say though I'm a Kyle girl. Jason just seemed to try too hard.
  While the murderer is identified through a series of events that lead to a predictable confrontation, I was really upset that nothing came of it. Normally when you read a murder mystery, the story arc completes with the culprit identified, trialed, and jailed but Hemlock leaves this door open along with other storylines to the next volume in the planned trilogy.
  For the most part, I would have to say that I enjoyed Hemlock, look forward to see what happens next, and would recommend it, but I would first see if your library has the book before purchasing it at a bookstore.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, disturbing and violent images, and crude humor. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting, Clarity by Kim Harrington, Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

Unraveling

 I was really excited to read Unraveling after reading several glowing reviews on the book from fellow awesome bloggers Maja at The Nocturnal Library and Heidi at Rainy Day Ramblings. When I found a copy of the book on my library's shelf I couldn't wait to check it out and see what the fuss was about.

Description (from Goodreads): Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, Janelle knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.
   But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

Review: Readers looking for a science fiction read that doesn't read as science fiction and wouldn't mind a romance in their story would most likely enjoy Elizabeth Norris's debut novel, Unraveling. Those who enjoy the science fiction genre with a capitol "S" and "F" will walk away disappointed. I, as a reader, fit in the latter category.
  The synopsis of Unraveling sounds great and it reminds me of one of my favorite science fiction TV shows, Roswell that blends teen angst, romance, and science fiction really well. The book opens with a terrific attention grabber as Janelle is brought back to life by loner Ben Michaels after being hit by a pickup truck two days before the beginning of her junior year. Unfortunately the book seems to come apart slowly after this event.
  Ben has not only given Janelle another shot at life, but a reason to stay alive, a feeling which Janelle hasn't felt in a really long time. Her mother has withdrawn into total bipolar uselessness. Her X-Files--obsessed, FBI-agent father is fabulous when he spends time with Janelle and her brother, but he works insane hours, so ultimately it is Janelle who holds the family together. For the most part, I liked Janelle. She is smart, a good student, and knows how to take care of herself and others. She is also plagued by a  dark traumatic incident in her past of a sexual nature that haunts her. While I understand her frustration and the burden of taking care of her family instead of just being an teen, her whining got old fast. I also didn't appreciate how she blamed her mother for her mental illness. It is not as if her mother chose the disease or wants to have her maniac ups and downs. Despite this issue which really bothered me, Janelle was a pretty likable heroine.
  Ben Michaels is also your average nice guy/love interest. He is one of the good guys who is sensitive, caring, saves Janelle on multiple occasions, and has the trademark of floppy hair which he is constantly running his hands through and the obligatory crooked smile (has anyone else noticed that every love interest in YA has the same physical features and habits?). He, of course, has dark secrets and hides his intelligence under a stoner/loser persona. Ben was an okay guy, but I couldn't help but crinkle my noise whenever he appeared because Janelle constantly talked about how he smelled like gasoline, a scent which I don't like at all. 
   I didn't mind the generic Janelle and Ben, but the mystery and science fiction aspect is what made me lose interest really quickly. As I mentioned, Janelle's father is a top notch FBI agent who likes X-files (hint hint) and apparently leaves extremely top secret files with easy passwords lying around home for his teenage-sleuth wannabe daughter to hack into without any problems. Really? I had a tough time buying that. things get a little better when Janelle learns that people are turning up melted--including the person in the car that hit her. And there's mention of a countdown to an event that could destroy the Earth. Could there be a connection? I waited and waited to read the reasoning about the burnt bodies and Ben's ability but when the real reason came I couldn't help but think "Why?" Ben's healing ability is given a ludicrously vague explanation, and the potential Earth-ending event is made only barely more credible.
  Needless to say that the book's plotting isn't its best strong suit. While Janelle and Ben's relationship teeters on the instant love and the "I've always loved you but you had no idea" see-saw, I thought they were cute together and for the most part complemented one another. I hate to say it but I definitely felt that the romance got in the way of the book's urgency of the world is going to end. Every time Janelle worried about her relationship with Ben, I wanted to shake her and say, "Remember the countdown? Yeah, the world is going to end in x amount of days. Can we skip the melodrama? Thanks."
  Unraveling is definitely for readers who can suspend disbelief much longer than I can and who isn't nit-picky on having logical answers or explanations. There are some cool action scenes and some sweet romantic moments in the book, but it didn't sustain me while I read. The book does wrap up in the end without any major cliffhangers, but it does leave room for a companion book which according to Goodreads will be out Summer 2013. I won't be continuing the journey. Clearly, Unraveling wasn't the right book for me but if you're still unsure of whether or not to pick it up be sure to check the much more positive reviews above.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, underage drinking, allusions to sexual content, and strong violence. Recommended for Grades 8 and up. 

If you like this book try: Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris (Unraveling #2) expected release date June 2013, Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci, Firestorm by David Klass  

Seraphina (Seraphina #1)

 I've always had trepidations when it comes to reading high fantasy. I often get too overwhelmed by the rich, complex world building and a wide variety of characters from different backgrounds which why I had to pause and wait to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy as a film before diving back into the books. While Rachel Hartman's debut fantasy series is high fantasy, I can't help be drawn to the characters and the world.

Description (from the publisher): Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high. Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered-in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Review: Dragons have always been fascinating fantasy creatures that have captured our imaginations for quite some time. Hartman proves dragons are more than flying beasts who can spit fire. The Kingdom of Goredd has had a rocky peaceful treaty amongst between human and dragon kingdoms for forty years. The defamed treaty is on the verge of collapse and  tensions are high with an influx of dragons, who reluctantly shape-shift to their lessen human forms, arriving for their ruler Ardmagar Comonot’s anniversary. The anniversary comes at an ominous time when Prince Rufus is found murdered in the fashion of dragons (i.e. his head has been bitten off) and things reach a fever pitch as dragons and humans being pointing figures at one another.
    I was absolutely enthralled with Hartman's world building in Seraphina. The world seems to be heavily influenced by the Renaissance. The arts, philosophy, learning, and religion are given great importance in the society. Instead of believing in one deity, the people of Goredd believe in a variety of saints. There is a rigid social hierarchy amongst the citizens of the kingdom. Humans are the rulers while dragons are second class citizens, and the quitl are virtually the untouchable.
  In addition to the social order, the dragonlore of Seraphina is very tangible and easy to understand. The dragons only understand logic and order. Emotions are considered one's greatest weakness. Love, in particular, is viewed as a disease that must be avoided at all costs. I loved how throughout the book humans and dragons are trying to understand one another though they refuse to work together as each believes they are the superior creature who ought to rule.
  Our heroine Seraphina, a gifted and secretive court musician, bridges the gap between humans and dragons. I found Seraphina extremely likable. She desperately tries to go unnoticed as the investigation of Prince Rufus's murder draws close. Seraphina knows that her real identity must never be revealed since she is considered an abomination by her society. Her plight throughout the book is finding her own place in her world and trying to educate people about their prejudices to the different races without revealing herself. Some readers have called Seraphina cold, but I thought she was very resourceful (one can argue manipulative), smart, courageous yet vulnerable at the same time. Her emotions made sense to me after learning about who she is. 
  In addition to Seraphina, the secondary characters are important and fully realized as they represent different parts of society. Out of the many secondary characters, my favorite is Orma who reminds me in some ways as Snape from the Harry Potter series. Though he has no malice towards Seraphina, he struggles to identify with his human emotions, especially when he shape-shifts from dragon to human.  
  Though marketed as a fantasy, Serphina could work as a political thriller, murder mystery, bittersweet romance, and coming-of-age story. Since Seraphina is the daughter of high esteemed lawyer and a worker at the court, she is fully aware of the investigation. When Prince Lucian Kiggs asks for her help with the murder investigation, she has no choice but to become involved, even if Kiggs’ acute perceptiveness is a danger to her. The romance is slow burn and for once I didn't want to hit the love interest with a frying pan for being overly alpha.
  The only flaw that I can see preventing readers from fully enjoying Seraphina is its slow plot. The first hundred pages moves very slowly but I didn't mind too much as Hartman establishes her intricate world, but I know I was a bit surprised by the lack of action in the first half of the book. Once political intrigue started to develop, I though the book moved much faster. Soon I found myself involved with the characters and waiting to know what would happen next. Though this is the first book in a series, I'm happy to say there isn't a cliffhanger but I'm eagerly awaiting to see how the story progresses.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and disturbing images. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Dragondrums by Anne Caffrey, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, Dragon's Bait by Vivan Velde Vande, Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey, Alanna series by Tamora Pierce

My Life Next Door

  Huntley Fitpatrick's debut novel, My Life Next Door, is a hotly anticipated summer read. It promises romance, summer fun, and lovable characters that you wish could stay longer with you after you finished the book. For the most part, the book delivers on all of these aspects. Though I did have a few issues with the book, it's definitely a book that I would be recommending for those in search for a good summer romance novel.

  Description (from Goodreads): The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

Review: I absolutely loved the first half of My Life Next Door. In the first chapter we see the juxtaposition between warm and distant, normal and abnormal. The Garrets and Reeds live in proximity to one another; however, socially there are as far from each other as the North and South Pole.
   The Garrets radiate warmth, bringing smiles to our faces as we see a large family getting along with one another. We recognize our own family quirks and idiosyncrasies with theirs. Though personally, I do find ten kids a bit difficult to manage (I come from a family of four siblings plus me) and openly breast feeding in public a little weird, but that's what give them their charm. They are real, genuine inside and outside of the house. Like many of us, they also share common household issues. They are not ashamed of who they are despite the names their neighbors call them behind their backs.   
   On the complete opposite side of the spectrum are the Reeds, run by a single mom with political ambitions with her two daughters. The Reeds give off a stiff, sterile impression. Their house is museum-like, staged, and perfectly clean. It's as if their family is constantly "on", trying to fit the mold of what a perfect family should be. Just picture any political ad for a politician that showcases their family and you pretty much have the Reeds. Out of these two families, it's no wonder that Samantha chose the Garrets over her own family. I would too.
  The biggest strength of My Life Next Door is establishing the various characters in the book and developing their relationships with one another. Each character has their own unique voice and personality. We aren't just told in the narrative that these characters become close, but we are shown their strong bonds as they share small but mundane moments with one another such as fixing a car and babysitting.
  Due to the strong bonds already established, Samantha and Jase's relationship start out and progress naturally. Huzzah for no insta-love! The romance is incredibly sweet and guaranteed to make you smile and sigh. I loved Samantha and Jase as a couple. They are adorable without being obnoxious and clingy. They both complimented each other so well. Both are struggling to find their own identities, overcome the pressure of meeting other people's expectations of themselves, and develop self confidence amongst other things. I will say that Samantha at times bugged me, especially when she tried to keep Jase as her dirty little secret but knowing her relationship with her mom, I can understand why but I still don't agree with her actions. 
  My main issue with the book is the second half where the conflict is introduced. I got the impression that the conflict was pinned on at the end and the story lost a bit of its steam for me. The issue instead of being shocking, which I think is what the author was going for, came across to me as anti-climatic and resolved too quickly. I would have liked the problem to slowly build a bit more in the first half and then come to the book's climax, which I think would give the book a bit more of an emotional punch, which is why I gave the book it's 3.5 stars rating. If you're looking for a good summer read to unwind and put a smile on your face, be sure to check out My Life Next Door. Despite my issue with the second half, I definitely think it's worth picking up and reading.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: Strong language, implied drug usage, candid discussion of sex, and a small non-explicit sex scene. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott, Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti, Summer series by Jenny Han.