Saturday, December 31, 2011

Fury - Elizabeth Miles

Synopsis: It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But all is not as it seems...
Em is thrilled that the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend. And on the other side of town, Chase’s social life is unraveling and the stress of his home life is starting to take its toll. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel....And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. There are three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—to choose who will pay. Em and Chase have been chosen.


Reading this book was like driving on ice, knowing you are about to land in a ten car pile up on the highway. But you keep driving because there is something worth taking the risk to get to at the end of the road. And after I write this analogy, I'm noticing that there are a lot of crashing cars in this book....hmmm...


I loved this book, but I don't know that I could say exactly why. I did like that it showed the evil side of popularity from the inside. You generally get that from most characters - some sort of opinion or portrayal of life looking from the outside in - or even if the characters are part of the popular group they are still shown positively. In this book, they aren't. Actually, most of the characters were pretty evil, an evil that is attributed to their social status. I'm so thoroughly impressed with Elizabeth Miles' creation of characters that you can hate so much, but still love. 


It's told from both Chase and Emily's point of view, an interesting choice since they weren't entirely close. I actually hated Chase through the whole book - I found him cruel and obnoxious, and pitiable. Emily had the redemptive qualities that Chase didn't - although I might see it that way because I have an easier time relating to her. I felt for her because she actually put an effort into writing her wrongs. She has the whole "falling" for her best friend's boyfriend- and that whole scenario is important as it demonstrates the need to distinguish between love and lust. I get pretty frustrated because I think a lot of people mistake fierce attraction for love - they aren't the same - so I love that that was addressed through Emily. 


And my lit analysis self was going crazy looking at gender differences. You know that Chase did something terrible through the whole book, but you don't find out until later. Emily is exactly opposite - you see her committing her crimes. It's very telling for the internal emotions of boys and the outward emotions of girls. You always knew what Emily was reacting to, but Chase's thoughts and actions were more of a mystery. Maybe I'm reading into that whole thing too much, but it was definitely interesting that the two stories were told these ways, operating in different times and spaces, and then coming together in a way that feels entirely natural. In any case, these things add lovely layers to the novel and make it wonderful. 


Fury is the first book in the trilogy - the second, Envy is due to be released in October 2012. I can't wait, because there's so much left unanswered at the end of this book - but at the same time I can hardly imagine what could possibly come next. 

Friday, December 30, 2011

New Design

I have a new blog design! I'm writing this because I want to see how my posts go up without me tweaking them at all, but I also wanted to introduce you to it. My talented little brother, Sam, designed the header and the button that I'll have up shortly. He also helped pick the colors that complimented the header. Isn't he incredible? (If you want to check out more about my brother, he creates stunning videos and takes gorgeous pictures - you can see his work at vimeo.com/samekren and http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuelekren.)
So I want to know what you think! Do you have suggestions for improvements? Don't change a thing? I would love your feedback!

Catching Jordan - Miranda Kenneally

Synopsis: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.


This isn't a crying book, but I cried through it. I'm a sappy person and I used to cry at every movie, but I've gotten a lot better over the years. Not to mention, books have to work a lot harder to make me cry. That said, this book just affected me. To use the football analogy appropriate for this book - I finished this book feeling like I'd been blindsided and sacked. Seriously. It hit me so hard. Mostly because, minus the whole playing football (I'm a wimp when it comes to football - even flag football in high school gym terrified me - if I played football, I'd be so broken...) the situations in this book hit very close to home. I identified with Jordan so much - even though I didn't play football, surround myself with boys, or have a famous dad who didn't notice me. I felt like her trials and triumphs were my own - and while they didn't exactly merit the tears - they still brought them out. Mostly because Jordan had better luck than I did. 


Even though I didn't play, football games were one of my favorite things about high school. My senior year we had a great football team, and our small little town was so proud of them. We followed them to every away game and some of my favorite memories were the road trips and watching them play. I loved reading this and flipping nostalgically through my memories of senior year. 


While this book nailed the emotional aspects, evoked my memories, and was just a really great story - what pushed it from really great to fan-freaking-tastic was that it wasn't what I expected. Any time I thought it was going one way, suddenly it would take another turn. I never really knew where Jordan was heading, even though I thought I had a handle on her and the people around her. Jordan was a fresh voice in YA, the boys-girl - and this provided a whole new look into high school life, into understanding the mystery that are boys- and even a new aspect of looking and friendship, family, and love. I adore this book, it makes me smile now, even if I cried through it (like all the best memories). It represents all the things that were great about my own senior year of high school. 

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles

Synopsis: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.  In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.


So many people rave about the Perfect Chemistry books, and while they don't send me into a frenzy, I really enjoy them. I actually read Rules of Attraction before I read Perfect Chemistry and I think that was pretty interesting. I already knew how Alex and Brittany were in their future, so it was fun to go back and read how they came together. These books remind me of a lot of things, although I can't quite put my finger on what. They just seem really familiar. Still, they're a guilty kind of pleasure, that you can't help but enjoy even if it's slightly embarrassing. Like the Bring it On movies. 


I really liked seeing the two different sides of Alex. Watching him consciously put on a tough guy act was interesting because I think a lot of guys end up doing that. I'm glad that he had a voice in this novel, as that demonstration of his two sides was probably the best part of the book. I did, however, find myself wondering so many times what an actual gang member would think about this book - if they ever read it. Sometimes the whole gang involvement felt sugarcoated and way too soft. 


But that's probably because it's a lovey-dovey, swoony kind of story. When you have a known gang member who loves to hang out with your mentally-handicapped sister, how do you not go weak at the knees? I did appreciate that Brittany's sister was her number one priority, and watching her put on a mask was pretty interesting as well, as she feels the need to act like she's perfect. 


I think I like this first book better than the second, and I will eventually get around to reading the third book in the series, Chain Reaction, that features the third, youngest Fuentes brother. While they might be a bit of a glossed over representation, I think the characters that are given voices in these novels are really important. And I always love those couples that come together despite where they come from or the conventions that society dictates are acceptable. 

The DUFF - Kody Keplinger

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "the Duff," she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren't so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. And eventually, through this realization, Bianca begins to see how harmful her unhealthy way of dealing with her problems has been, and finds a way to confront them head on.



This book has been on my radar for such a long time, but I always kept passing it by for other books. I'd read nothing but wonderful things about it, and Kody Keplinger herself, but it still kept getting pushed back. Then I went on a contemporary kick and finally picked it up. And I fell in love in every way possible with this book and these characters. Minus the whole Wesley situation, I was Bianca in high school - I think most girls would feel like they were Bianca. While I'm pretty sure I was actually the DUFF (you should see my friends back then...and now...I hang out with the prettiest people, not even kidding) most girls might associate with the girl who feels like she's always the sidekick. I always felt like I was both the sidekick AND that the whole world should revolve around me - which, I think, is the friction that produces Bianca's cynicism. 


There's a lot to say for different ways to make yourself feel better, and Bianca's covers a couple different ways - from casual hate sex (yes, beware, if it's not your thing, this book is very open about sex), to massive slumber parties with best friends. Mostly, I just loved watching Bianca fall for Wesley despite all her efforts not to. While the only part about this book that I didn't really care for was Bianca and Wesley's screwy family home lives (they felt slightly forced), they did provide the whole aspect of finding a safe spot to land, and the value of the person who just lets you be away from it. 


And even more than the whole falling for the wrong person and learning to love the skin you're in, this book is about friendship. Sometimes I think YA loses sight of the importance of friends over boys. This book doesn't. It places high importance on what it is to be a good friend - who you are with your friends, who you are with out them. I know my friends are some of the most important people in my life and especially when you view yourself as the DUFF - your friends are the most valuable asset you have. 


This book accomplishes so many things, wrapped up in an energetic, sardonic package. I'm now an avid fan of Kody Keplinger. Her second book, Shut Out, came out this fall and she has her third book, A Midsummer's Nightmare, due for release this coming June. Kody is so young (19, I believe - (I feel so unaccomplished!)) and she's already such a wonderful writer. I can't wait to see the great future she has in front of her.

Crave - Melissa Darnell

Synopsis: Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.
For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back…different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences….


Frankly, I'm sick to death of vampires. I loved vampires (mostly the Buffy kind,or the Interview with a Vampire kind) before they stormed the YA field and flooded it with cliches. Plus, I've always been a Team Werewolf kind of girl. I try to avoid vampire books, and I choose them sparingly since there are too many opportunities for me to be irked by Twilight comparisons or unoriginal thought. I chose to pick up this book for two reasons: 1) the cover is freaking gorgeous and 2) I like the concept of the "Clann." Needless to say, this book was a nice balance of magic and vampires - so it didn't drive me crazy. 


I did, however, like the magic - witch Clann - half of the book better. When it got into the vampire council, bloodlust thing I felt my eyes glassing over - even so, the book was more about the magic and about the relationship between Savannah and Tristan than vampires so I enjoyed most of it. I do think Savannah gets the raw end of the deal, being torn between the vampires and the Clann - but Tristan does make it all better.


I also have a tendency to criticize those books that focus on the hot, hot boy over the actual plot - but I loved it in this case. Seeing both Savannah and Tristan's point of views, and watching them come together was the entire thing that made this book worth reading. It made the involvement of vampires only an obstacle, rather than the center of attention. Plus, Tristan was pretty dang dreamy...


It was definitely interesting to see the melding of two different paranormal groups and to see how they clash. Also, in my endless fascination of generation gaps - this was great, as these characters are cast based on the choices their parents made (something that I always love to analyze). This book was entirely entertaining - but it didn't rock my world (which might just be the vampire thing...) This is one that I'd encourage you to read and judge for yourself, because my opinion on the book is entirely biased (again, the vampire thing). Still, I did enjoy it and I think it was worth reading. 



(Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for a review e-copy!)

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Remembrance - Michelle Madow

Synopsis: New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet. 
Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?
Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.


Michelle Madow got the idea for this book from a Taylor Swift song, and that's exactly what it is. It almost seems like a culmination of every song Taylor ever sang, with a bit of the paranormal mixed in. It was sweet, expressive, full of emotion, slightly confused, perhaps a little my-life-is-wonderful-but-I'm-still-tortured, and entirely juicy. There were several points through the book were specific Taylor Swift songs would just surface in my mind that fit the scenario perfectly. 


I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new trend in YA to have the protagonist fall for her best friend's boyfriend. I don't really know how I feel about it. It's natural instinct to root for the main character, but in most cases we probably shouldn't. I think this is one of those cases, which made me entirely afflicted. Because it was clear that Drew and Lizzie were supposed to be together (I hated Jeremy, who I think was supposed to have some redeemable qualities, but he just didn't), but the obstacles in the way seemed too great. And we're not talking ancient prophesies that forbid them to be together, we're talking about hurting the people they were closest to. And those are the worst kind of obstacles - walls that might be meant to be left alone. 


It's these things that made me entirely uncomfortable, with a huge sinking feeling in my gut - but all this in a really great way. Any book that makes me feel something is pretty great. I really like the whole past-lives thing, the destiny thing - I love to believe these things can happen. Michelle Madow also pairs this with Jane Austen parallels - Mr. Darcy (yum) parallels. All these things together, paired with a masquerade ball, brings us back to Taylor Swift - "We were both young, when I first saw you, close my eyes and the flashback starts, I'm standing there..." (from "Love Story") Fits perfectly. 


Vengeance is the second book in the series and is told from the point of view of Chelsea - so I'm really interested to see her point of view - because she was the one in Remembrance that I felt for the most. I really can't wait to see where this story is going - it seems like one of those stories where the tables will always be turning. 

Monday, December 26, 2011

Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop


Welcome to my stop on the Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.


Now on to what's up for grabs here - I've painfully chosen the top 10 books I read this year. This was hard to do, as this was an incredible year for books! I've actually managed to even keep it down to 2011 releases, although I read a lot of wonderful books that were released in prior years. Here's the list of books up for grabs and contest guidelines will be at the bottom. This list is in no particular order, and if you click on the title of the book you can read my review for that book.





Alright so the details:
  • One (1) winner will get his/her choice of one (1) of the books I've listed as my top 10 of 2011. 
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • The only thing required to enter is to be a GFC follower - all other entries are optional. 
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will run until December 31st, 11:59 PM Central Time. 
  • Winner(s) will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner.
  • Good luck and thanks for entering =) 
a Rafflecopter giveaway




The Vincent Boys - Abbi Glines

Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from. 
Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah.


I read this book because I wanted to procrastinate - and it turned into something so much better than just not doing my work. I was so surprised how fast and hard I fell for the characters in this book. I freaking loved Ashton and Beau. It was a little hard to root for them at first, but soon my whole heart was eventually thrown into loving them. 


The backstory was great - it reminded me a bit of Sweet Home Alabama, with this little group of friends who grew up in the slow moving south with nothing better to do than raise hell. I love stories of friends who were close when they were younger and have a great history, but then have drifted apart. When they reconnect and find they can reconcile all the space between them, I always feel like there's something special there. Which is happening in more ways than one in this story. 


Plus, this book is chalk full of learning to let loose, to be who you were born to be - despite what others expect of you, and truly following your heart - all of which are really wonderful areas to explore. Ashton's grandmother is one of my favorite parts of this book, and that's the one part of the story I wish would have been expanded a bit more and refined. She was such an integral and turning point of the plot, but she didn't get a lot of face time, which was a bit of a bummer. 


I think this is one of those books I'll keep around to read when I'm feeling down, or just need a good dose of love, because it's quick and it's so satisfying. I zipped through it and was so shocked that when I finished I felt like my heart had been bruised, iced and then held tightly, lovingly. This is a book that's driven by emotion, and those are the kind of books that stay with me the longest. 

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

Synopsis: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?



This book rocked my world. And any other world I've ever known. It is the most exemplary example of young adult fantasy that I've ever come across. I was so thoroughly folded into this book that by the time I came to the end of the book I couldn't believe that it was only a book. This world was created so seamlessly to exist with our own, that I'm not entirely convinced that it can only be found on these pages. 


Not only did it include parallel fantasy worlds, but it was set in Prague (and Karou was in Morocco quite a bit as well) so it already had that old, smoky, enchanted feel without adding in the fantasical elements. I'm so jealous of Karou for where she lives and for her ability to learn languages just by making a wish. She even has access to a portal that opens up places all over the world - which, if I could put a portal like that on my wish list, I so would. And her supernatural friends are so vibrant, so wonderful, and the world they come from is so fascinating. 


But the reason this book exceeds others is in the storytelling. It's incredible. The way the story unfolds is clearly thought out - it's quiet and subtle - so that when something major happens it knocks you off your chair. I can hardly explain why this was so masterfully written, unless you've read it, but the magic in this story is in the way it unfolds. If you've ever doubted it, read this and you won't anymore - Words ARE Magic. 


I've read a lot of fantasy books, but this was so new and so fresh. It's still angels and demons - good and evil - but it's told in a different perspective, a new angle - it's all so crazy, but somehow it works, and it feels so real. It's impressive. I can't recommend this book enough - and I daresay it breaks my top five books I read this year - it might possibly be THE best book I've read this year. It's. so. good. It's the first installment in the series (thank goodness! I can't get enough!) and the second book is expected to be released in September 2012. I have a feeling that this is one of those series that starts out stunning, and then turns into something epic - so start falling in love now. It's so worth it. 

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Silence - Becca Fitzpatrick

Synopsis: The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.


Holy Fallen Angel Wings. This book was epic. This is going to be a quick review because if I go on for too long I'm going to give things away, and that's the last thing I want to do. But you need to know that you either need to START reading this series, or KEEP reading because the third book is where it gets reallllly good. 


I read Hush, Hush and Crescendo way at the beginning of the year (I have a short memory...) so I bought Silence, but couldn't quite get into it because I wasn't really able to remember what happened in previous books. I remembered over-all plots, but not the little details. So I spent my Thanksgiving break re-reading the first two books. I honestly didn't love Hush, Hush as much as I did the first time - but I still completely loved Crescendo. 


Ok - quick pause - if you haven't read the series yet - it follows Nora Grey, who is a very smart girl, attempting to stay focused on school, but is dealing with the murder of her father. She has an awesome BFF, Vree, who likes to cause all kinds of trouble, but is always there for Nora. Then, of course, there's Patch, the mysterious boy who seems to have come from no where. Patch is beautiful and dangerous - the real kind of dangerous, not the fake leather wearing so I look dangerous - but the I'm going to get you killed if you hang out with me kind of dangerous. That's my quick synopsis of the series without giving anything away - oh and it's about fallen angels - which you can probably tell from the book covers. 


So anyways, I re-read the first two books then dived right into Silence. And geez louise, this book took my breath away. I think that Becca Fitzpatrick really stepped it up in this book - in writing, plot and character development. The series has very apparently matured and it's gotten so wonderfully complicated that it creates the kind of tension that makes you realize you've been holding your breath - or that makes you throw your book to the ground in anger. Nora has matured so much, and she steps up in a great way in this book. She's developed into a truly independent person, which makes her stronger than a lot of YA heroines out there. And Patch is just as freaking awesome as ever - plus, we get different aspects of Patch in this book and get to know some of the deeper sides of him. 


I'm so incredibly glad the series is going on. The fourth book is due out next fall - which is so long to wait, but it's going to be so worth it. This installment in the series exceeded my expectations and I'm so excited to follow Patch and Nora into the next great part of their story. 

Friday, December 16, 2011

Everybody Sees the Ants - A.S. King

Synopsis: Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their dysfunctional family is fine. And he didn't ask to be the target of Nader McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.
But Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the daily mundane torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of Laos--the prison his grandfather couldn't escape--where Lucky can be a real man, an adventurer, and a hero. It's dangerous and wild, and it's a place where his life just might be worth living. But how long can Lucky keep hiding in his dreams before reality forces its way inside?



Everybody Sees the Ants is one of those incredible books that is hard to talk about because it holds so much power. It's a relatively short book, yet it encompasses everything - nationalism, pain, coping, love, family, bullying, generation gaps, friendship, feminism, growing-up, and of course, the fabulous ants. A.S. King's book is such an incredible accomplishment and wonderful contribution to the YA field - I won't even scratch the surface of it here. 


Following Lucky is a little heartbreaking. He's regularly bullied, and that in itself is hard to read. However, it gets worse when it becomes clear that the adults in Lucky's life know what's going on and do nothing to stop it. They pity him, but in the interest of not stirring up trouble, they turn a blind eye. It's during a particularly painful bullying incident that Lucky creates the ants, who provide escape for him. They soon become a representation of his subconscious, often enacting how Lucky really feels, but doesn't feel he's allowed demonstrate. The ants are the best part about this book, but they are a little hard to explain, so I suggest reading this book even if it is only to see the ants. 


The ants aren't Lucky's only coping mechanism. He also goes to Laos in his dreams to hang out with his grandfather in the war-ridden jungle of Vietnam. Lucky's grandfather is a POW/MIA who never came home and Lucky's own family is incredibly impacted by it. His grandmother spent most of her energies trying to get her husband back and passed the responsibility on to Lucky's father. This all creates an interesting look at family and generation, but it also brings it into a national scale, examining the break down of our collective conscious - and as always, King calls upon the younger generation to rise up and be strong against the face of everything that came before them and the hands they were dealt. The inclusion of the Vietnam was was interesting, as it's still a recent memory yet is fairly unexplored in YA literature. 


Finally, the women in this novel were an unexpected awesome addition to this story. Lucky's own mother has some interesting psychological things going on. Then there's Ginny, the strong-willed girl who comes barging into Lucky's life, in the trend of John Green's Margo Roth Speigleman, who shows Lucky that sometimes you have to stand up for yourself, and for other people. But, surprisingly, the character I grew to love the most and turns out to provide most of the color to the novel, is Lucky's Aunt Jodi. She's probably certifiably insane, and is quite annoying at first. Yet, as her character is slowly revealed, she becomes pitiable, and then a bit lovable. She provides a great foil for Lucky, who copes in a mental way; Aunt Jodi copes in a physical way with pills and excessive cleaning.  


What's truly remarkable is this whole cast of characters show us that everyone is coping with something. We're all in this together and we just might heal ourselves by helping one another.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Synopsis: 
“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”


So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the 
New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.



I think I will begin reading this novel every year around Christmas time - It's filled with the warm fuzzies that come with Christmas cookies and falling in love. I was so excited for Dash & Lily because I loved Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan's first collaboration. Both of these books I devoured in a sitting and both sit on my shelf constantly begging me to read them again. These two incredible authors get together and they each create the most vivid characters and bring them together in the same way two people would come together in real life.


The way that the book is written contributes to the authenticity of two people meeting and then getting to know one another. I believe, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but Rachel and David don't talk about where the book is going to end up - one writes a chapter, sends it to the other, who then writes his/her chapter in response. The chapters alternate between Dash's point of view and Lily's. Because not everything is planned out and each author knows their own character inside and out, but is trying to figure out the other character, the story just feels so real. 


But at the same time it's perfectly magical. I love the idea that they meet through a notebook that Lily (with the help of her brother) places in a bookstore on The Strand - and Dash finds it and they begin to write back and forth through this notebook. In the internet age, where this type of thing happens all the time, this is a great twist and an awesome step back towards the nostalgia of letter writing. This coupled with New York City at Christmas time just sets up the illusion that anything is possible. 


Like I said, it's heartwarming, its real and magical - it's everything a book should be. I hope Rachel Cohn and David Levithan create many more collaborative novels in the future, because they have this great rhythm and collective voice that makes their stories unique, alive, and so hopeful. 


Here's a great video of Rachel Cohn and David Levithan reading at the Strand - a prominent location in the novel (where they also announce that this book will be a featured film! Yay!) (also, this is just the first part, and it actually only has David reading the first Dash chapter. There is a part two with Rachel reading Lily's first chapter.)

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Ship Breaker - Paolo Bacigalupi

Synopsis: A gritty, high-stakes adventure set in a futuristic world where oil is scarce, but loyalty is scarcer. In America's Gulf Coast region, grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts by crews of young people. Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota-and hopefully live to see another day. But when, by luck or by chance, he discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life....
In this powerful novel, Paolo Bacigalupi delivers a thrilling, fast-paced adventure set in a vivid and raw, uncertain future.


I've been mulling over what to say about this book, because it's very complicated for me. On one hand, I want to say I loved this book, but then I want to say that it didn't quite do it for me at the same time. I'm walking a thin line between the two, and I've been having a really hard time figuring out where that line is. So I'm just going to start breaking it down. 

This book is timely and it feels like a potential marker of our time - much like George Orwell and communism or how John Steinbeck marked the Great Depression. It seems to be a response to the oil spill and it projects the repercussions of our conventions that lead to this man-made disaster. Instances like that turn into an incredibly bleak future - and the initial scene in which Nailer nearly drowns in oil is chilling and uncomfortable, personalizing the gravity of such a disaster. Beyond this human-propelled world wracked with the repercussions of natural disasters, is an intense portrayal of the gulf between social classes. On one hand you have Nailer and his crew, who lead brutal lives with no comfort. They live on the beach, and when storms strike their entire community is demolished and scattered. Then you have Nita, who's diamond nose ring alone could be worth enough to change Nailer's life. There is no in-between. There is extreme poverty and then there is the filthy-rich. 


This book was extremely creative, it was affecting, it was, well, quite brilliant. So I can't really figure out why it didn't send me into my - freaking out - mode. I can't quite figure it out. However, the more I talk about it the more I'm thinking that this is a book I have to read again. Because it's so layered, I think that, like an onion (or Shrek-ok I can't really believe I compared this book to Shrek, because they're not even close to the same thing) it needs to be peeled to get to the heart of it. I'm not done with this book and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I can understand why I'm so fascinated by it, but I can't understand why I'm not deeply in love.


What did you think about Ship Breaker

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Fury - Elizabeth Miles

Synopsis: It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But all is not as it seems...
Em is thrilled that the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend. And on the other side of town, Chase’s social life is unraveling and the stress of his home life is starting to take its toll. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel....And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. There are three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—to choose who will pay. Em and Chase have been chosen.


Reading this book was like driving on ice, knowing you are about to land in a ten car pile up on the highway. But you keep driving because there is something worth taking the risk to get to at the end of the road. And after I write this analogy, I'm noticing that there are a lot of crashing cars in this book....hmmm...


I loved this book, but I don't know that I could say exactly why. I did like that it showed the evil side of popularity from the inside. You generally get that from most characters - some sort of opinion or portrayal of life looking from the outside in - or even if the characters are part of the popular group they are still shown positively. In this book, they aren't. Actually, most of the characters were pretty evil, an evil that is attributed to their social status. I'm so thoroughly impressed with Elizabeth Miles' creation of characters that you can hate so much, but still love. 


It's told from both Chase and Emily's point of view, an interesting choice since they weren't entirely close. I actually hated Chase through the whole book - I found him cruel and obnoxious, and pitiable. Emily had the redemptive qualities that Chase didn't - although I might see it that way because I have an easier time relating to her. I felt for her because she actually put an effort into writing her wrongs. She has the whole "falling" for her best friend's boyfriend- and that whole scenario is important as it demonstrates the need to distinguish between love and lust. I get pretty frustrated because I think a lot of people mistake fierce attraction for love - they aren't the same - so I love that that was addressed through Emily. 


And my lit analysis self was going crazy looking at gender differences. You know that Chase did something terrible through the whole book, but you don't find out until later. Emily is exactly opposite - you see her committing her crimes. It's very telling for the internal emotions of boys and the outward emotions of girls. You always knew what Emily was reacting to, but Chase's thoughts and actions were more of a mystery. Maybe I'm reading into that whole thing too much, but it was definitely interesting that the two stories were told these ways, operating in different times and spaces, and then coming together in a way that feels entirely natural. In any case, these things add lovely layers to the novel and make it wonderful. 


Fury is the first book in the trilogy - the second, Envy is due to be released in October 2012. I can't wait, because there's so much left unanswered at the end of this book - but at the same time I can hardly imagine what could possibly come next. 

Friday, December 30, 2011

New Design

I have a new blog design! I'm writing this because I want to see how my posts go up without me tweaking them at all, but I also wanted to introduce you to it. My talented little brother, Sam, designed the header and the button that I'll have up shortly. He also helped pick the colors that complimented the header. Isn't he incredible? (If you want to check out more about my brother, he creates stunning videos and takes gorgeous pictures - you can see his work at vimeo.com/samekren and http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuelekren.)
So I want to know what you think! Do you have suggestions for improvements? Don't change a thing? I would love your feedback!

Catching Jordan - Miranda Kenneally

Synopsis: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.


This isn't a crying book, but I cried through it. I'm a sappy person and I used to cry at every movie, but I've gotten a lot better over the years. Not to mention, books have to work a lot harder to make me cry. That said, this book just affected me. To use the football analogy appropriate for this book - I finished this book feeling like I'd been blindsided and sacked. Seriously. It hit me so hard. Mostly because, minus the whole playing football (I'm a wimp when it comes to football - even flag football in high school gym terrified me - if I played football, I'd be so broken...) the situations in this book hit very close to home. I identified with Jordan so much - even though I didn't play football, surround myself with boys, or have a famous dad who didn't notice me. I felt like her trials and triumphs were my own - and while they didn't exactly merit the tears - they still brought them out. Mostly because Jordan had better luck than I did. 


Even though I didn't play, football games were one of my favorite things about high school. My senior year we had a great football team, and our small little town was so proud of them. We followed them to every away game and some of my favorite memories were the road trips and watching them play. I loved reading this and flipping nostalgically through my memories of senior year. 


While this book nailed the emotional aspects, evoked my memories, and was just a really great story - what pushed it from really great to fan-freaking-tastic was that it wasn't what I expected. Any time I thought it was going one way, suddenly it would take another turn. I never really knew where Jordan was heading, even though I thought I had a handle on her and the people around her. Jordan was a fresh voice in YA, the boys-girl - and this provided a whole new look into high school life, into understanding the mystery that are boys- and even a new aspect of looking and friendship, family, and love. I adore this book, it makes me smile now, even if I cried through it (like all the best memories). It represents all the things that were great about my own senior year of high school. 

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles

Synopsis: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.  In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.


So many people rave about the Perfect Chemistry books, and while they don't send me into a frenzy, I really enjoy them. I actually read Rules of Attraction before I read Perfect Chemistry and I think that was pretty interesting. I already knew how Alex and Brittany were in their future, so it was fun to go back and read how they came together. These books remind me of a lot of things, although I can't quite put my finger on what. They just seem really familiar. Still, they're a guilty kind of pleasure, that you can't help but enjoy even if it's slightly embarrassing. Like the Bring it On movies. 


I really liked seeing the two different sides of Alex. Watching him consciously put on a tough guy act was interesting because I think a lot of guys end up doing that. I'm glad that he had a voice in this novel, as that demonstration of his two sides was probably the best part of the book. I did, however, find myself wondering so many times what an actual gang member would think about this book - if they ever read it. Sometimes the whole gang involvement felt sugarcoated and way too soft. 


But that's probably because it's a lovey-dovey, swoony kind of story. When you have a known gang member who loves to hang out with your mentally-handicapped sister, how do you not go weak at the knees? I did appreciate that Brittany's sister was her number one priority, and watching her put on a mask was pretty interesting as well, as she feels the need to act like she's perfect. 


I think I like this first book better than the second, and I will eventually get around to reading the third book in the series, Chain Reaction, that features the third, youngest Fuentes brother. While they might be a bit of a glossed over representation, I think the characters that are given voices in these novels are really important. And I always love those couples that come together despite where they come from or the conventions that society dictates are acceptable. 

The DUFF - Kody Keplinger

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "the Duff," she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren't so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. And eventually, through this realization, Bianca begins to see how harmful her unhealthy way of dealing with her problems has been, and finds a way to confront them head on.



This book has been on my radar for such a long time, but I always kept passing it by for other books. I'd read nothing but wonderful things about it, and Kody Keplinger herself, but it still kept getting pushed back. Then I went on a contemporary kick and finally picked it up. And I fell in love in every way possible with this book and these characters. Minus the whole Wesley situation, I was Bianca in high school - I think most girls would feel like they were Bianca. While I'm pretty sure I was actually the DUFF (you should see my friends back then...and now...I hang out with the prettiest people, not even kidding) most girls might associate with the girl who feels like she's always the sidekick. I always felt like I was both the sidekick AND that the whole world should revolve around me - which, I think, is the friction that produces Bianca's cynicism. 


There's a lot to say for different ways to make yourself feel better, and Bianca's covers a couple different ways - from casual hate sex (yes, beware, if it's not your thing, this book is very open about sex), to massive slumber parties with best friends. Mostly, I just loved watching Bianca fall for Wesley despite all her efforts not to. While the only part about this book that I didn't really care for was Bianca and Wesley's screwy family home lives (they felt slightly forced), they did provide the whole aspect of finding a safe spot to land, and the value of the person who just lets you be away from it. 


And even more than the whole falling for the wrong person and learning to love the skin you're in, this book is about friendship. Sometimes I think YA loses sight of the importance of friends over boys. This book doesn't. It places high importance on what it is to be a good friend - who you are with your friends, who you are with out them. I know my friends are some of the most important people in my life and especially when you view yourself as the DUFF - your friends are the most valuable asset you have. 


This book accomplishes so many things, wrapped up in an energetic, sardonic package. I'm now an avid fan of Kody Keplinger. Her second book, Shut Out, came out this fall and she has her third book, A Midsummer's Nightmare, due for release this coming June. Kody is so young (19, I believe - (I feel so unaccomplished!)) and she's already such a wonderful writer. I can't wait to see the great future she has in front of her.

Crave - Melissa Darnell

Synopsis: Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.
For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back…different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences….


Frankly, I'm sick to death of vampires. I loved vampires (mostly the Buffy kind,or the Interview with a Vampire kind) before they stormed the YA field and flooded it with cliches. Plus, I've always been a Team Werewolf kind of girl. I try to avoid vampire books, and I choose them sparingly since there are too many opportunities for me to be irked by Twilight comparisons or unoriginal thought. I chose to pick up this book for two reasons: 1) the cover is freaking gorgeous and 2) I like the concept of the "Clann." Needless to say, this book was a nice balance of magic and vampires - so it didn't drive me crazy. 


I did, however, like the magic - witch Clann - half of the book better. When it got into the vampire council, bloodlust thing I felt my eyes glassing over - even so, the book was more about the magic and about the relationship between Savannah and Tristan than vampires so I enjoyed most of it. I do think Savannah gets the raw end of the deal, being torn between the vampires and the Clann - but Tristan does make it all better.


I also have a tendency to criticize those books that focus on the hot, hot boy over the actual plot - but I loved it in this case. Seeing both Savannah and Tristan's point of views, and watching them come together was the entire thing that made this book worth reading. It made the involvement of vampires only an obstacle, rather than the center of attention. Plus, Tristan was pretty dang dreamy...


It was definitely interesting to see the melding of two different paranormal groups and to see how they clash. Also, in my endless fascination of generation gaps - this was great, as these characters are cast based on the choices their parents made (something that I always love to analyze). This book was entirely entertaining - but it didn't rock my world (which might just be the vampire thing...) This is one that I'd encourage you to read and judge for yourself, because my opinion on the book is entirely biased (again, the vampire thing). Still, I did enjoy it and I think it was worth reading. 



(Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for a review e-copy!)

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Remembrance - Michelle Madow

Synopsis: New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet. 
Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?
Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.


Michelle Madow got the idea for this book from a Taylor Swift song, and that's exactly what it is. It almost seems like a culmination of every song Taylor ever sang, with a bit of the paranormal mixed in. It was sweet, expressive, full of emotion, slightly confused, perhaps a little my-life-is-wonderful-but-I'm-still-tortured, and entirely juicy. There were several points through the book were specific Taylor Swift songs would just surface in my mind that fit the scenario perfectly. 


I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new trend in YA to have the protagonist fall for her best friend's boyfriend. I don't really know how I feel about it. It's natural instinct to root for the main character, but in most cases we probably shouldn't. I think this is one of those cases, which made me entirely afflicted. Because it was clear that Drew and Lizzie were supposed to be together (I hated Jeremy, who I think was supposed to have some redeemable qualities, but he just didn't), but the obstacles in the way seemed too great. And we're not talking ancient prophesies that forbid them to be together, we're talking about hurting the people they were closest to. And those are the worst kind of obstacles - walls that might be meant to be left alone. 


It's these things that made me entirely uncomfortable, with a huge sinking feeling in my gut - but all this in a really great way. Any book that makes me feel something is pretty great. I really like the whole past-lives thing, the destiny thing - I love to believe these things can happen. Michelle Madow also pairs this with Jane Austen parallels - Mr. Darcy (yum) parallels. All these things together, paired with a masquerade ball, brings us back to Taylor Swift - "We were both young, when I first saw you, close my eyes and the flashback starts, I'm standing there..." (from "Love Story") Fits perfectly. 


Vengeance is the second book in the series and is told from the point of view of Chelsea - so I'm really interested to see her point of view - because she was the one in Remembrance that I felt for the most. I really can't wait to see where this story is going - it seems like one of those stories where the tables will always be turning. 

Monday, December 26, 2011

Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop


Welcome to my stop on the Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.


Now on to what's up for grabs here - I've painfully chosen the top 10 books I read this year. This was hard to do, as this was an incredible year for books! I've actually managed to even keep it down to 2011 releases, although I read a lot of wonderful books that were released in prior years. Here's the list of books up for grabs and contest guidelines will be at the bottom. This list is in no particular order, and if you click on the title of the book you can read my review for that book.





Alright so the details:
  • One (1) winner will get his/her choice of one (1) of the books I've listed as my top 10 of 2011. 
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • The only thing required to enter is to be a GFC follower - all other entries are optional. 
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will run until December 31st, 11:59 PM Central Time. 
  • Winner(s) will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner.
  • Good luck and thanks for entering =) 
a Rafflecopter giveaway




The Vincent Boys - Abbi Glines

Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from. 
Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah.


I read this book because I wanted to procrastinate - and it turned into something so much better than just not doing my work. I was so surprised how fast and hard I fell for the characters in this book. I freaking loved Ashton and Beau. It was a little hard to root for them at first, but soon my whole heart was eventually thrown into loving them. 


The backstory was great - it reminded me a bit of Sweet Home Alabama, with this little group of friends who grew up in the slow moving south with nothing better to do than raise hell. I love stories of friends who were close when they were younger and have a great history, but then have drifted apart. When they reconnect and find they can reconcile all the space between them, I always feel like there's something special there. Which is happening in more ways than one in this story. 


Plus, this book is chalk full of learning to let loose, to be who you were born to be - despite what others expect of you, and truly following your heart - all of which are really wonderful areas to explore. Ashton's grandmother is one of my favorite parts of this book, and that's the one part of the story I wish would have been expanded a bit more and refined. She was such an integral and turning point of the plot, but she didn't get a lot of face time, which was a bit of a bummer. 


I think this is one of those books I'll keep around to read when I'm feeling down, or just need a good dose of love, because it's quick and it's so satisfying. I zipped through it and was so shocked that when I finished I felt like my heart had been bruised, iced and then held tightly, lovingly. This is a book that's driven by emotion, and those are the kind of books that stay with me the longest. 

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

Synopsis: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?



This book rocked my world. And any other world I've ever known. It is the most exemplary example of young adult fantasy that I've ever come across. I was so thoroughly folded into this book that by the time I came to the end of the book I couldn't believe that it was only a book. This world was created so seamlessly to exist with our own, that I'm not entirely convinced that it can only be found on these pages. 


Not only did it include parallel fantasy worlds, but it was set in Prague (and Karou was in Morocco quite a bit as well) so it already had that old, smoky, enchanted feel without adding in the fantasical elements. I'm so jealous of Karou for where she lives and for her ability to learn languages just by making a wish. She even has access to a portal that opens up places all over the world - which, if I could put a portal like that on my wish list, I so would. And her supernatural friends are so vibrant, so wonderful, and the world they come from is so fascinating. 


But the reason this book exceeds others is in the storytelling. It's incredible. The way the story unfolds is clearly thought out - it's quiet and subtle - so that when something major happens it knocks you off your chair. I can hardly explain why this was so masterfully written, unless you've read it, but the magic in this story is in the way it unfolds. If you've ever doubted it, read this and you won't anymore - Words ARE Magic. 


I've read a lot of fantasy books, but this was so new and so fresh. It's still angels and demons - good and evil - but it's told in a different perspective, a new angle - it's all so crazy, but somehow it works, and it feels so real. It's impressive. I can't recommend this book enough - and I daresay it breaks my top five books I read this year - it might possibly be THE best book I've read this year. It's. so. good. It's the first installment in the series (thank goodness! I can't get enough!) and the second book is expected to be released in September 2012. I have a feeling that this is one of those series that starts out stunning, and then turns into something epic - so start falling in love now. It's so worth it. 

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Silence - Becca Fitzpatrick

Synopsis: The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.


Holy Fallen Angel Wings. This book was epic. This is going to be a quick review because if I go on for too long I'm going to give things away, and that's the last thing I want to do. But you need to know that you either need to START reading this series, or KEEP reading because the third book is where it gets reallllly good. 


I read Hush, Hush and Crescendo way at the beginning of the year (I have a short memory...) so I bought Silence, but couldn't quite get into it because I wasn't really able to remember what happened in previous books. I remembered over-all plots, but not the little details. So I spent my Thanksgiving break re-reading the first two books. I honestly didn't love Hush, Hush as much as I did the first time - but I still completely loved Crescendo. 


Ok - quick pause - if you haven't read the series yet - it follows Nora Grey, who is a very smart girl, attempting to stay focused on school, but is dealing with the murder of her father. She has an awesome BFF, Vree, who likes to cause all kinds of trouble, but is always there for Nora. Then, of course, there's Patch, the mysterious boy who seems to have come from no where. Patch is beautiful and dangerous - the real kind of dangerous, not the fake leather wearing so I look dangerous - but the I'm going to get you killed if you hang out with me kind of dangerous. That's my quick synopsis of the series without giving anything away - oh and it's about fallen angels - which you can probably tell from the book covers. 


So anyways, I re-read the first two books then dived right into Silence. And geez louise, this book took my breath away. I think that Becca Fitzpatrick really stepped it up in this book - in writing, plot and character development. The series has very apparently matured and it's gotten so wonderfully complicated that it creates the kind of tension that makes you realize you've been holding your breath - or that makes you throw your book to the ground in anger. Nora has matured so much, and she steps up in a great way in this book. She's developed into a truly independent person, which makes her stronger than a lot of YA heroines out there. And Patch is just as freaking awesome as ever - plus, we get different aspects of Patch in this book and get to know some of the deeper sides of him. 


I'm so incredibly glad the series is going on. The fourth book is due out next fall - which is so long to wait, but it's going to be so worth it. This installment in the series exceeded my expectations and I'm so excited to follow Patch and Nora into the next great part of their story. 

Friday, December 16, 2011

Everybody Sees the Ants - A.S. King

Synopsis: Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their dysfunctional family is fine. And he didn't ask to be the target of Nader McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.
But Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the daily mundane torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of Laos--the prison his grandfather couldn't escape--where Lucky can be a real man, an adventurer, and a hero. It's dangerous and wild, and it's a place where his life just might be worth living. But how long can Lucky keep hiding in his dreams before reality forces its way inside?



Everybody Sees the Ants is one of those incredible books that is hard to talk about because it holds so much power. It's a relatively short book, yet it encompasses everything - nationalism, pain, coping, love, family, bullying, generation gaps, friendship, feminism, growing-up, and of course, the fabulous ants. A.S. King's book is such an incredible accomplishment and wonderful contribution to the YA field - I won't even scratch the surface of it here. 


Following Lucky is a little heartbreaking. He's regularly bullied, and that in itself is hard to read. However, it gets worse when it becomes clear that the adults in Lucky's life know what's going on and do nothing to stop it. They pity him, but in the interest of not stirring up trouble, they turn a blind eye. It's during a particularly painful bullying incident that Lucky creates the ants, who provide escape for him. They soon become a representation of his subconscious, often enacting how Lucky really feels, but doesn't feel he's allowed demonstrate. The ants are the best part about this book, but they are a little hard to explain, so I suggest reading this book even if it is only to see the ants. 


The ants aren't Lucky's only coping mechanism. He also goes to Laos in his dreams to hang out with his grandfather in the war-ridden jungle of Vietnam. Lucky's grandfather is a POW/MIA who never came home and Lucky's own family is incredibly impacted by it. His grandmother spent most of her energies trying to get her husband back and passed the responsibility on to Lucky's father. This all creates an interesting look at family and generation, but it also brings it into a national scale, examining the break down of our collective conscious - and as always, King calls upon the younger generation to rise up and be strong against the face of everything that came before them and the hands they were dealt. The inclusion of the Vietnam was was interesting, as it's still a recent memory yet is fairly unexplored in YA literature. 


Finally, the women in this novel were an unexpected awesome addition to this story. Lucky's own mother has some interesting psychological things going on. Then there's Ginny, the strong-willed girl who comes barging into Lucky's life, in the trend of John Green's Margo Roth Speigleman, who shows Lucky that sometimes you have to stand up for yourself, and for other people. But, surprisingly, the character I grew to love the most and turns out to provide most of the color to the novel, is Lucky's Aunt Jodi. She's probably certifiably insane, and is quite annoying at first. Yet, as her character is slowly revealed, she becomes pitiable, and then a bit lovable. She provides a great foil for Lucky, who copes in a mental way; Aunt Jodi copes in a physical way with pills and excessive cleaning.  


What's truly remarkable is this whole cast of characters show us that everyone is coping with something. We're all in this together and we just might heal ourselves by helping one another.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Synopsis: 
“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”


So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the 
New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.



I think I will begin reading this novel every year around Christmas time - It's filled with the warm fuzzies that come with Christmas cookies and falling in love. I was so excited for Dash & Lily because I loved Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan's first collaboration. Both of these books I devoured in a sitting and both sit on my shelf constantly begging me to read them again. These two incredible authors get together and they each create the most vivid characters and bring them together in the same way two people would come together in real life.


The way that the book is written contributes to the authenticity of two people meeting and then getting to know one another. I believe, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but Rachel and David don't talk about where the book is going to end up - one writes a chapter, sends it to the other, who then writes his/her chapter in response. The chapters alternate between Dash's point of view and Lily's. Because not everything is planned out and each author knows their own character inside and out, but is trying to figure out the other character, the story just feels so real. 


But at the same time it's perfectly magical. I love the idea that they meet through a notebook that Lily (with the help of her brother) places in a bookstore on The Strand - and Dash finds it and they begin to write back and forth through this notebook. In the internet age, where this type of thing happens all the time, this is a great twist and an awesome step back towards the nostalgia of letter writing. This coupled with New York City at Christmas time just sets up the illusion that anything is possible. 


Like I said, it's heartwarming, its real and magical - it's everything a book should be. I hope Rachel Cohn and David Levithan create many more collaborative novels in the future, because they have this great rhythm and collective voice that makes their stories unique, alive, and so hopeful. 


Here's a great video of Rachel Cohn and David Levithan reading at the Strand - a prominent location in the novel (where they also announce that this book will be a featured film! Yay!) (also, this is just the first part, and it actually only has David reading the first Dash chapter. There is a part two with Rachel reading Lily's first chapter.)

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Ship Breaker - Paolo Bacigalupi

Synopsis: A gritty, high-stakes adventure set in a futuristic world where oil is scarce, but loyalty is scarcer. In America's Gulf Coast region, grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts by crews of young people. Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota-and hopefully live to see another day. But when, by luck or by chance, he discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life....
In this powerful novel, Paolo Bacigalupi delivers a thrilling, fast-paced adventure set in a vivid and raw, uncertain future.


I've been mulling over what to say about this book, because it's very complicated for me. On one hand, I want to say I loved this book, but then I want to say that it didn't quite do it for me at the same time. I'm walking a thin line between the two, and I've been having a really hard time figuring out where that line is. So I'm just going to start breaking it down. 

This book is timely and it feels like a potential marker of our time - much like George Orwell and communism or how John Steinbeck marked the Great Depression. It seems to be a response to the oil spill and it projects the repercussions of our conventions that lead to this man-made disaster. Instances like that turn into an incredibly bleak future - and the initial scene in which Nailer nearly drowns in oil is chilling and uncomfortable, personalizing the gravity of such a disaster. Beyond this human-propelled world wracked with the repercussions of natural disasters, is an intense portrayal of the gulf between social classes. On one hand you have Nailer and his crew, who lead brutal lives with no comfort. They live on the beach, and when storms strike their entire community is demolished and scattered. Then you have Nita, who's diamond nose ring alone could be worth enough to change Nailer's life. There is no in-between. There is extreme poverty and then there is the filthy-rich. 


This book was extremely creative, it was affecting, it was, well, quite brilliant. So I can't really figure out why it didn't send me into my - freaking out - mode. I can't quite figure it out. However, the more I talk about it the more I'm thinking that this is a book I have to read again. Because it's so layered, I think that, like an onion (or Shrek-ok I can't really believe I compared this book to Shrek, because they're not even close to the same thing) it needs to be peeled to get to the heart of it. I'm not done with this book and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I can understand why I'm so fascinated by it, but I can't understand why I'm not deeply in love.


What did you think about Ship Breaker