Review: Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself."

Review:  In this fun story, the seemingly implausible becomes plausible.  What if you really didn't want to face a challenge that everyone expected of you and there was another person with your name and looks to take your place?  Okay.  So it seems, as I mentioned, implausible; however, in Being Sloane Jacobs, we get to run with the possibility.  One Sloane wants to escape the high pressure of figure skating, while the other thinks a break from hockey camp might be nice.  Why not just switch places?  They'll both be on ice, right?

Although it felt far-fetched at times, the story and characters were so fun that I quickly got lost in the idea and just threw that aside and went with it.  I liked these "Sloane" characters and genuinely wanted to see what this experience did for both of them.  My prejudice going into it said that I wanted Sloane Devon, the hockey player, to have some big epiphany, but Sloane Emily was interesting to watch as she went from ice skating into hockey.  I loved watching their preconceived ideas about one another crumble, while other character traits they had obviously ignored start to flourish a bit more. 

This really was a fun book.  While you felt you knew where things were headed at times, you still couldn't know for sure and had to keep flipping pages to find out.  These characters came to life and were fun to watch.  I had a great time reading this book and almost felt like I needed to go put in a good session at the gym after all their training sessions!  Thankfully, I won't need to take body slams from anyone or have to do flips on a single blade--as entertaining as that might be for anyone watching.  Overall, I have to say this was a great read.

Mini Reviews: YA Catch Up

Here are some YA novels I need to play catch up on.  I thought I'd do some short mini reviews in an effort to share what I've been reading.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth--In book two of the Divergent series, we find the fall out from the simulation and Tris trying to deal with her initiation into Dauntless.  Book two picked right up where the first left off and there is a lot of back and forth in this one.  We learn more about the role of the other factions and find that there is still a lot of intrigue confusing Tris about who is good and who is bad, who could be right and who could be wrong.  I really liked this installment, but will say that at times I was exhausted by what was not shared between Tris and Four.  I found myself yelling at Tris to just trust Four and tell him what was really going on!  Since I have just started Allegiant, I happen to know that will come up again, so I will be hearing more about that later on...  Still, an amazing read.  The last 75 pages or so really locked this one in for me.

Everbound by Brodi Ashton--Yet another second book in a series, this is the next in the Everneath series.  Book one, based on the Persephone story continues here with Nikki grieving her boyfriend Jack and his sacrifice for her into the Everneath.  How can she explain his disappearance and how can she get him back?  In this installment, Nikki has to enter the Everneath and figure out how to stay connected to Jack.  While I sometimes got confused with the layout of the Everneath at times, by the end, I was shocked and flipping pages like crazy to find out what was going to happen!  This is an exciting follow up to book one and not a disappointing sophomore follow up at all.  In fact, I'm eagerly waiting for the third book.

Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin--Technically considered "New Adult" more than Young Adult, this was a book I had seen discussed a bit online, so I decided to read it and give it a try.  I'm not sure I should have done that though, as my reading experience was a bit painful.  The story was about Carrie, the daughter of a Senator being tailed by Finn, the Marine.  However, Carrie thought she was away at college and free, not realizing that she was being tailed by secret protection.  Finn and Carrie became friends and then more than friends, but then how could Finn tell Carrie that he was being paid to protect her? Honestly, I really should have stopped reading this book around page 50.  The story became pretty predictable and I found it irritating that the lies and sexual tension were the main crux of the story.  I understand that the heightened tension, adult situations, and age of the characters all put it in the category of New Adult, but I can't shake the predictability of the story or the non-stop lies that kept the story rolling. 

Review: This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Genre:  Young Adult
Published:  2 April 2013
Pages: 406 
 
Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?"

Review:  Jennifer E. Smith knows how to write books that grab at you and makes you love her characters.  As the writer of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, I also got sucked in and cared about her main characters and wanted to follow them through from beginning to end, regardless of how "probable" the scenario they were put in.  

In this scenario, Ellie has met a movie star through a misplaced email, only she doesn't know that he is a movie star, nor that he has suggested her hometown for their movie set.  As the filming begins in her hometown in Maine, the loneliness and desperation he feels to meet this funny girl he has been exchanging emails with over the Internet has driven him to locate her and connect in real life.   Will the variables be too much for them, and will she be able to handle all of his fame?

The premise of this story was pretty out there, but still woven together so well because the characters had such interesting and quirky back stories, that you couldn't help but keep reading. Both were so vulnerable, and in weird ways!  I guess we don't always think that the rich movie star might be lonely and seeking validation and love, but that is exactly what Graham is doing.  All he really wants is to escape his Hollywood life to spend time with a nice, regular girl like Ellie.  How is it that he ends up being the one we feel so sorry for in the end?  Yet, Ellie also has a story that tugs at your heart strings, that unfolds over the course of the story that we all come to understand why she fears getting to know Graham.  In short--it's a little scary to date a guy who has paparazzi following him.  That, I do get!

I really loved this novel, almost as much as I did Smith's The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.  Honestly, I just really love her fresh writing style that makes you feel as though you are in the story with her characters and helps you feel what they are feeling.  The story is more than going through the motions; it is about feeling all of their joys and fears with them.  I loved these characters and thought this was a fun premise to consider "what if" you fell for a teenage movie star?  Wouldn't it just be fun to test that out and see what would happen?!?  

This was a great, fun read.  If you're looking for a fun, clean, romantic YA read--this has a bit of it all, with a surprising storyline that you haven't quite seen before.  I really enjoyed it!  It's too cute.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel. 

Review: Cinders and Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "One house, two worlds...

Rose Cliffe has never met a young lady like her new mistress. Clever, rich, and beautiful, Ada Averley treats Rose as an equal. And Rose could use a friend. Especially now that she, at barely sixteen, has risen to the position of ladies’ maid. Rose knows she should be grateful to have a place at a house like Somerton. Still, she can’t help but wonder what her life might have been had she been born a lady, like Ada.

For the first time in a decade, the Averleys have returned to Somerton, their majestic ancestral estate. But terrible scandal has followed Ada’s beloved father all the way from India. Now Ada finds herself torn between her own happiness and her family’s honor. Only she has the power to restore the Averley name—but it would mean giving up her one true love . . . someone she could never persuade her father to accept.

Sumptuous and enticing, the first novel in the At Somerton series introduces two worlds, utterly different yet entangled, where ruthless ambition, forbidden attraction, and unspoken dreams are hidden behind dutiful smiles and glittering jewels. All those secrets are waiting . . . at Somerton."

Review:  Set in a beautiful estate called Somerton, we are introduced to what seems to be the YA equivalent of Downton Abbey.  After what feels like a long absence from my favorite Downton characters, this was a nice return to the manners, society, and scandal that I was hankering for, all in the pages of a book.

Set around a diverse set of characters, both upstairs and downstairs, we mainly center around Rose Cliffe, who has been thrust into the role of a new ladies' maid.  She soon finds herself the center of a scandal in the home, one in which she has to dig deep to deal with.  That's not all though.  The Averley's have returned to their estate to money problems in 1910, as many other estate owners of their day, who were trying to figure out how to care for such large homes and grounds.  What were they to do with such properties and grown children who needed to be married before the scandalous word of their lack of funds got out? 

There seems to be a scandal for every single character in the novel, and a modern day solution in tow.  I won't lie when I say that I could see this being turned into a modern, melodramatic television show, made glossy and ready to roll out by the spring.  We have a love child, a gay character, a feminist, a girl who wants to marry for love, a girl who loves a man of another race.  Yes.  I get it.  Eek!  How dare they even consider being themselves!   As each of these characters rolled out though, I kept thinking, "Really? All in one family/story for that period?"  As far as a book goes, with any historical accuracy--I don't think all of these characters could possibly go as far afield as they do from the social norms and mores as are written.  However, that doesn't mean that I didn't smile and keep flipping pages.  I was interested in their stories and could still enjoy the novel and read it for its heightened, overly dramatic sensibilities. 

 Cinders and Sapphires is a really quick read and one that I rather enjoyed.  I'm not going to be referring this one out as a historical reference piece, but I will definitely share it for its fun factor.

Review: The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

Released: 10/8

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "An all-new, edge-of-your seat adventure from James Dashner, the author of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, The Eye of Minds is the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams . . . and your worst nightmares.

Michael is a gamer. And like most gamers, he almost spends more time on the VirtNet than in the actual world. The VirtNet offers total mind and body immersion, and it’s addictive. Thanks to technology, anyone with enough money can experience fantasy worlds, risk their life without the chance of death, or just hang around with Virt-friends. And the more hacking skills you have, the more fun. Why bother following the rules when most of them are dumb, anyway?

But some rules were made for a reason. Some technology is too dangerous to fool with. And recent reports claim that one gamer is going beyond what any gamer has done before: he’s holding players hostage inside the VirtNet. The effects are horrific—the hostages have all been declared brain-dead. Yet the gamer’s motives are a mystery.

The government knows that to catch a hacker, you need a hacker.  And they’ve been watching Michael. They want him on their team.  But the risk is enormous. If he accepts their challenge, Michael will need to go off the VirtNet grid. There are back alleys and corners in the system human eyes have never seen and predators he can’t even fathom—and there’s the possibility that the line between game and reality will be blurred forever."

Review:  Mind--blown! 

Let's just start there.  I'm not generally a sci-fi reader, but was a bit intrigued by the premise of cyberterrorism--what the heck is that, right?  I like the internet as much as the next technology driven, iphone/pad/mac-toting person, so a book that explores the possibility of people being tormented by "Killsims" and a virtual bully who can literally leave people dead at the end of what was supposed to be a casual cyber game, is a bit mind boggling, and a bit frightening.

In the story, we're introduced to Michael, who is this gamer with some pretty amazing skills to code and hack through firewalls and systems.  The thing is, as you read the story, he seems to really take you through his "gaming" in real time, like a person just walking through it in real time.  At the same time, he can hack away at the coding of these games in such a way that he can change the course of the game and what happens at any given moment--which is what makes Michael so valuable and important in the fight against the cyberterrorism.  

Michael and his friends Bryson and Sarah get roped in by the VNS to fight a supposed powerhouse in the world of cyberterrorism, named Kaine.  To do this, they had to set out on a major journey in the "VirtNet," which mainly took them through a series of journeys and virtual battles to "hack" through code to find their enemy.  The issue really becomes, who or what is Kaine, and what does he/she/it really want to begin with?

To say that I liked the book is true, but not really hitting home.  It's not a kick-back-and-enjoy sort of read, in that it's tense, contains an awful lot of violence,  and really makes you stick with it to figure it out.  There's that moment where you feel like you're comparing it to something you've either read or watched before, but then it does something totally unique that throws it in another direction.  The characters really never stop moving in the story, and they never allow us a chance to take too much time to understand how or why they do what they do.  Half of the time you feel like you literally have a moment to breathe before the character is moved on to the next sequence of events.  That only speeds up the action and adds to the crazy pacing of the novel, which is over much too soon!

On the whole, mind--blown.  I liked it a lot.  In fact, I walked it in to the Popular Literature class I teach and read the first nine pages to my students.  When I finished, they were angry with me for stopping!  Literally, those first nine pages were enough to suck them in.  I have to agree with them!  I definitely recommend this for teen readers, for sure, or anyone who likes strong sci fi/action novels.  It does have a good deal of violence in it, but no more than many dystopian novels that are out currently.  It is a really smart novel, and one that I will be eager to read future installments of down the road!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on an Amazon Vine ARC of the novel.

Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Let's just say that I can't believe I let a day sit between me and writing a review of this great read.  I actually tore through this one back during the school year, but my lapse in review writing made me forget to stop back in to write about it.  Since the next book is about to come out, I wanted to hurry and get a review written so I could then share this one!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines."

Review:  Just One Day is one of those reads that you think you know what is going to happen, and then you feel a total bait and switch coming, and then you go, "Oh shoot, what in the heck just happened and when is that other book coming out?!?"  

Allyson is that American high school tourist who has had a great trip, but wants to make a real memory.  What does she do?  She sneaks off with this cute Dutch actor to Paris.  

WAIT.  The high school teacher in me literally started screaming, "What in the world are you thinking?!?" I started panicking right away and couldn't relax.  Literally.  Is this Willem some creeper who is going to steal her money and run off, leaving her in Paris to "learn how cool and independent she is there in Paris?  Is Willem going to be kind and take her around Paris to show her a nice time and deliver her safely back to London?  What was going to happen?!?  I panicked!  That, on it's own, kept me on my toes.

Listen.  It's London.  It's Paris.  How wrong can you really go with those locations?  Once you relax (or I relaxed into the story), I thought it was an amazing tale, but things go in a remarkably different direction than you initially imagine.  The story is surprising, and shocking, and stunning all at the same time.  I think that I read the last 3/4 of the book in one sitting and even choked a little tear near the end.  The trip to Europe actually only takes up the first 1/3 of the book, and then the last portion is dealing with what happens.  

For anyone that has reviewed this book, there is a huge reveal in the book that is spoiled if you say too much.  Needless to say, Allyson and Willem do part ways after Paris and you want to know what happens.  That is the crux of this book, and that is what propels the next book coming up.  There is a lot more to the story, but it is such an emotional read that you are stunned by the range that it reaches.  All I can say is GO read it.  This has been one of my favorite reads thus far this year.  I like to be surprised in good ways, and this one kept me on my toes.

Disclaimer:  There is one adult scene in Paris that some teens might be sensitive to.  I do think that the rest of the book handles it in a very adult way and does not brush it under the table.  I wanted to FYI it though for sensitive readers.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

The next book, Just One Year, which will be Willem's story, comes out October 15th.  Let's just say that I can hardly wait!

Review: Hopeless by Coleen Hoover

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever."

Review:  In the realm of realistic, new adult fiction, this was a definite character study that I'm guessing one could be obsessive about.  There is an emotionally deep love story here, and two characters you feel you know quite well.  Sky has a past, Holder has secrets, and together they have chemistry.   But, can that mend the adult-sized drama that is unfolding?  That's the question that kept me flipping pages until I'd read the novel in one sitting.  The dramatic twists in this young/new adult tale left me feeling like the car ride I was on had dramatically left the roadway and was veering its way through alleys, side streets, and gullies.  In the beginning of the novel, it felt like other young adult stories, with the girl who meets the boy, the two become smitten and a little intrigued with one another, and then starts hanging out.  Then, she learns something shocking about her past and it takes a much more adult turn.

I really wanted to like this book, especially after the gripping reviews I'd read, but it felt overly dramatic with its many twists and turns. Honestly, I think I might just be wearing out with "wounded soul" story lines.  I did like the characters and the mysterious premise around the young relationship, but will admit to feeling worn out by all the turmoil.  Sky is a likable girl, and Holder is a smitten boy who seems almost unreal in his devotion.  Perhaps their sweet love is just too good and has to be challenged? 

Before I start talking myself in circles, I'll just sum it up.  Hopeless isn't a bad read at all.  A little adult in some of its themes and scenes, these lend it the drama that affects the characters' relationship.  Admittedly, I got sucked into the story, but also felt pretty exhausted by its twists and turns.  

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel. 

Review: Variant by Robison Wells

I can't believe it's taken me so long to post this review.  For me, this was the silent surprise novel of the year.  We read Variant for a district book club I've been in this year, and it took me awhile to get through it.  All I can say is, why did it take me so long?  I didn't have expectations at all, but really found that I loved this book.  I've since handed it off to my "reluctant reader" students and had 100% of them come back loving it.  Without a grade, book report, or anything forcing them to read it, they just came back enthralled and wanted to read more.  That has to be the best thing a book can do for a reader--make them want to read more!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he's trapped in a school that's surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school's real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape--his only real hope for survival--may be impossible."

Review:  Let me just cut to the chase and say that I really enjoyed Variant.  I didn't expect to like it, but I did, and that's awesome!  Why did I like it?  It was unpredictable, shocking, and engaging.  Benson isn't the character you cheer on no matter what, but you do kind of feel like you're putting yourself in his spot and wondering how you would react.  This school is just crazy.  What in the world do you do in a school where it's run by the kids?  Yikes!

I didn't find anything juvenile about this novel.  In fact, there is some violence and serious emotional twists that made me feel like these kids needed an adult or two around to help them through everything.  The real clincher is that there are some pretty surprising twists in the novel that you don't see coming.  I think I literally said, "What the heck?" and then smiled.  I like to be surprised sometimes, when I can see that the author led us there and managed to keep me from guessing everything.  This is a dystopian-style novel with some seriously crazy twists.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and am happy to recommend it to other readers who need something new to read.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review is based on a personal copy of the novel.

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future."

Review:  Based loosely on the Cinderella story, Cinder reminds me more of a young Anakin Skywalker for some reason, echoing a Star Wars-esqe landscape.  Set in the future, at a time when humans and machines live side by side, the idea of our main character being a mechanic doesn't seem so far fetched.  With her talents as a mechanic, she comes in contact with Prince Kai, and helps to repair machinery for the prince.  The two become friends, but he is a prince and Cinder a low-ranking mechanic.

As far as retellings go, I really worried about this one.  I didn't really want to have a step by step retelling, and Cinder really managed not to simply retell, but to re-envision.  I liked Cinder a lot and found her sweet, unassuming, and brave.  Her mechanical talents were interesting and added a certain, "I can do it on my own" sort of flavor to her personality.  Prince Kai recognizes this independence in her, which only seems to enhance her inner beauty.  Let me now forget to mention, however, that Prince Kai seems like a pretty swell guy himself.  He not only sounds handsome, but is generous and humble.  What's not to like in a person in power who seems to have missed it all going straight to his head.

The twists in this story are different enough to make it feel like a new tale.  I liked the interesting conflict that the illness that was running amok in the society created, along with the intergalactic characters who arrived to add to the tension in the story.  This really isn't what you're expecting and was pretty entertaining overall.  I really would recommend it to anyone, boy or girl, young or old.  Luckily, we can all go read the next installment, Scarlet, which is supposed to be a play on Little Red Riding Hood.  I have high hopes! 

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Weekend before last, I had a chance to dive in and finish Lauren Morrill's fun teen romance, Meant to Be.  To put it mildly, I loved it.  Maybe I'm a huge sucker for European getaways or locations, but this book really made me happy.  In short, it was just a fun, short read that checked all the boxes.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be."

Review:  I can't say that I was Miss Mature-Beyond-My-Years when I was in high school, but I can say that I definitely related to the desire to achieve and keep the rules that we find in Julia.  Here she is on a spring break school trip to London, and of course, gets paired with the most obnoxious guy in her class, the guy who clowns around in every circumstance and seems to break every rule--Jason.  Why did she have to get paired with him for all of their excursions?

On their trip in London, they see plenty of famous sites, but it's what is going on in the side story that makes the trip fun.  Julia keeps getting pulled into crazy situations by Jason, breaking rules and staying out late for parties and late-night jaunts around London.  All Julia wants is to do well in the class while maybe getting noticed by the guy of her dreams or this new guy she met at a crazy party that Jason drug her to.  Why does Jason take such an interest in her love life though?  

We see a fun relationship open up between Jason and Julie, that unfolds over the course of her own interest in an anonymous texter she supposedly met at the party.  Between the flirty texts, crazy advice, and even crazier jaunts Jason takes Julia on, we start to get the hint that Jason might not be all that he puts on.  Morrill does a great job of making Jason grate on our nerves, and yet turn around and be endearing in the next breath.  He's a fallible character for sure, which matches the insecurities and unfulfilled desire to be recognized that are in Julia.  These two feel real and very much like kids you might run into on a school trip.  Because of their different strengths and weaknesses, they really help one another to grow over the course of the novel, which was fun to watch.  I wanted to see Julia gain the notice of the cuties she admired, and I wanted Jason to get to the root of what made him feel like he needed to act out.

In short, I loved this young adult read.  There is a fun storyline, relatable characters, and a bit of growth along the way.  If you want a great escape read, with characters and locations that you'd like to visit, then I really recommend you give this one a try!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel. 

Review: Easy by Tammara Webber

I'll admit that I was a little late to the "New Adult" conversation that started to be all the buzz last year.  After catching a few conversations via book blogger posts and Twitter conversations, about all I knew was that one group felt that teens should not be exposed to mature material nor a genre that seemed to be focused on adult content in a YA setting, versus those who felt that the "New Adult" stamp would merely steer sensitive readers away as well as give a voice to those "tween" ages that move from high school to college.

Since I was unfamiliar with it all, I decided to read Easy by Tammara Webber, since I had seen it mentioned quite a bit in these conversations.  Let me just say that it really grabbed me from the get go and gave me a little more understanding of the subject of "New Adult."  Let me share a bit about Easy, since the title definitely makes it sound a bit scandalous!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night - but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy."

Review:  This is a definite tale of facing ones fears in the best way one can, through action.  Jacqueline has a near rape experience one night after leaving a party.  Thankfully she is rescued by stranger, but a stranger that ends up being in one of her college classes.  Not only does she have to live with and face an unreported assault by a guy she knew, but now she also has to face the guy who witnessed it and saved her.

As you can gather, there is a lot of tension between Jacqueline and her hero.  Yes, he saved her, but he also knows what happened and that she didn't report it.  She is scared, but also finding her hero, Lucas, to be this person she grows to trust and fall in love with.  There is an interesting boundary between fears and intimacy in this novel.  Jacqueline is wounded and fearful of another attack, but building a relationship with Lucas that walks the line between pain and romance; he knows a lot about Jacqueline, but is in love with the girl and not the "damsel in distress."

Before I started to see the trend of I'm-in-pain-now-save-me/I'm-wounded-now-love-me that is so prevalent in New Adult stories, I got sucked right into Jacqueline's emotional turmoil.  You could sense that her emotions were all mixed up with the original assault and potential repeat by the creeper, but mixed up with a new romantic relationship.  How in the world was the girl to think straight?  Besides, from all accounts, Lucas is the bad-boy emo type that you never knew you wanted to date.  He is sexy, suave, and sensitive.  How could she not fall for him and seek his protection?

Yes, as a New Adult story, there is some mature content that had me too squeamish to share it with my high school students.  I can't say that it doesn't have a place for some students, as their life experiences are very different from some of their counterparts.  It does seem that the New Adult label is at least a good warning to those not wishing to be exposed to more adult content.  In Easy, the mature content was what might naturally occur between two college-aged students, so I think a more mature audience might also be in order.

Overall, I really liked Easy with its heightened emotions and mix of pain, fear, and love.  It was a complex story, but one that was gripping and probably needs to be told.  As a female reader, I found myself asking "what if" in the assault case.  How would I respond?  Who would I turn to?  What would it force me to evaluate in my own life?  Easy forces us to consider that "what if" and to stay open to the option of love.  This was a gritty read that you have to be ready for, but as for pure story and characterization, I thought it succeeded.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

I'm not trying to open a Pandora's Box here, but what are your thoughts on the New Adult trend?  

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Time to get back to some reviews!  I've given up on a few, but I still have some books that I'd like to get around to sharing.  There's nothing like a Spring Break to put me back on my feet again!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it."

Review:  At the end of 2012, I selected The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight as one of my top reads.  This was, for sure, a favorite of mine for its range of intense emotion, London setting, and likable characters.  All taking place within the course of just one day, Hadley Sullivan meets Oliver on a plane ride over from the US to London.  Hadley is not a happy camper on her journey though, as she is headed to her father's wedding to a woman who Hadley has yet to meet.  Oliver surely helps her take her mind off the journey and what waits on the other end.

I think that this story can be likened to other stories of two strangers who meet on a plane and share their lives, never to see one another again.  In this story, Hadley spills her story to Oliver, who tells bits of his own tale behind why he's heading home.  The two make a real connection, but at the terminal they head off in their own direction.  You know, however, that this can not be the end of these two characters.

This was an easy to love story, filled with emotion and well-rounded characters.  I think that Hadley's story with her father was tense and felt very real.  I wanted to like her dad and his new bride, but seeing it all through Hadley's eyes had me hating them for their insensitivity.  Her anger and sorrow at her father's choices gave the story a depth that I appreciated.  Oliver has his own back story that we learn about later.  On the whole, I think it all adds up to an angsty, romantic story that grabs you and forces you to read it all in one sitting.  What can I say?  If you want a quick, romantic read, then this is a perfect curl-up-and-read YA novel.  I can't wait to read more by Jennifer E. Smith! 

*FTC Disclosure:  This review is based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.  

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing."

Review:  Here’s the question I’ve asked myself. Do you not write a review for the books you didn’t enjoy? Then, what would be the point in sharing books and reviews on a book blog, right? So, I will share.

In preparation for my Popular Literature course, I decided to read Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, knowing how much other readers loved her writing and this story. I’ve had other students read her books and love them, so I figured this would be my introduction. Sadly, I was not as enthralled with it as they were.

The premise of the story is a great one. “Bad” girl dies. “Bad” girl gets to relive the day leading up to her death, over and over again, until she learns a lesson. “Bad” girl makes crazier choices each time, knowing there are literally no consequences. “Bad” girl then eventually wakes up and smells the proverbial coffee and becomes a “better” girl, possibly. In some ways I felt as though I were watching Grease backwards, with Sandra Dee going from her smoking, tight-black-leather-pants-wearing self back to her bobby socks and poodle skirt goodness. (I couldn’t help myself with that comparison, because that’s really what I pictured.)

Yes, I oversimplify—a lot. I’ll just have to own up to the fact that I didn’t like the character. When I was in high school, I knew a number of “skanky” girls (pardon the terminology), who just didn’t seem to see or care about anyone else around them (but what did we know?). The girls in this story were so real in that way, that in a strange way, I found I couldn’t relate to them at all. Even in the journey our character takes to wake up to her choices felt like it took too long, which it really might be for a person in that immature head space. I don’t know. I usually say that I hate to judge, but I will admit to not liking the main character and shuddering at one too many scene.

On the flip side, I’ll now say that for the right audience, this hits home. I just wasn’t the right audience. Some of my students love this book and told me that they enjoyed reading a book from characters that felt true to life. Yes, that sounds judgmental on all of our parts, but every person I know who has read this book has stepped in as judge and jury as I did. Overall, I would say that this is a great story and premise; you simply have to be in the right mindset and ready for quite the ride!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her."

Review:  I know.  Everyone has read it already, so what took me so long?!?  Although I find myself growing tired of dystopian reads at about the rate I've grown tired of superhero flicks (which is pretty quick), this book really grabbed me and wouldn't let me go.  Beatrice, or Tris--as she's called, is a character with some serious guts.  In a society where you are to choose the faction that you will a part of for the rest of your life, Tris realizes that she don't necessarily fall into one as easily as she's been led to believe.  Sadly, Tris is not safe to reveal herself or her struggles to fit into a faction, that is until she meets another boy named Six who has equally disturbing secrets he must keep.

I'm not necessarily an action reader, but the action in this novel really kept the novel constantly moving and helped develop the relationships in the story.  In other words, it's not just action for action sake, which is good in my opinion.  There are some seriously interesting details to this world that Veronica Roth created, including a foray into your "fears" through induced dream sequences that force you to face things that frighten you, such as ways to die.  This really caused me to think about what scared me the most (hello...spiders, drowning), which then made me relate to Tris's feelings and reactions in the story.  

Since I actually read this novel and then immediately taught it in my Popular Literature course, I'd be negligent if I didn't mention the relationship with Six.  My students absolutely went nuts over it, while this I somehow just saw as another friendship/crush that's in many other books.  To my teen students it was the ultimate!  I already enjoyed the novel, but their reaction made me take another look at the "relationship" side of the story and had to smile.  Listen, who doesn't need their perspective changed even just a little?  Yes.  They helped me see more in the story than I would have originally.

Overall, I have to say that I loved Divergent and would recommend it to any of my students or friends.  The action sequences were really gut-wrenching and leave more questions in your mind than they answer.  You would think that would be annoying, but I found it made me want to keep reading.  All I can say to that is that I'm so happy that the next book, Insurgent, is already out so I can get reading!  If you haven't yet read this one, please try it now!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the book.

Review: Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony

I'm not even sure how to go about explaining this amazing little graphic novel.  After seeing it in the early nominations for "Best of..." awards on Goodreads, I decided to check Chopsticks out and was not disappointed.  Told in a series of pictures, instant messages, letters, ticket stubs, etc., this was more of a study in critical thinking than in storytelling.  I quickly realized that this tale of piano prodigy, Glory, and her next door neighbor friend, Fred, was more than met the eye--literally.  The story starts off with a mystery of sorts, that you have to try to figure out.

The thing I most liked about this graphic novel was its unpredictability.  When I would think the story was heading in one direction, it would start to reveal itself as something completely different.  The ending in itself is pretty shocking.  As a complete story, I really found it intriguing and an interesting study in how to read, predict, and draw meaning.  I did feel that with its language and pictures that some young adults might find it offensive, so as a teacher I'll be careful about who I recommend it to.  As a complete story though, it was pretty amazing.  If you're geared up for a different kind of story, this is a graphic novel you ought to check out.  I really hope that other books of this style come out soon!

Check out the trailer for Chopsticks below.

Review: May B by Caroline Starr Rose

I love that more novels are being written in free verse and other poetic forms.  The lyrical nature of these books really adds another level of tone to the stories they tell and I can't get enough.  Thankfully, I stumbled on to May B. at our library at school and decided to check it out.  Yes, it's 200+ pages, but it sucked me in and had me finishing it up in one reading.

Synopsis:  As a young girl living on the prairies of western Kansas, May Betts knew she came in second to her brother in importance to her parents.  At a time in the late 1800's, when children were needed to keep a farm and survival together for the entire family, May is no exception.  In need of some extra money, she is sent off to live with another family 15 miles to the west.  In that experience May learns how to really survive.

Review:  Extremely reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie, the story of May Betts is one that is touching and haunting all at the same time.  May B (as she is nicknamed) is a young girl in western Kansas with a thirst to learn and read, but something just isn't right, and she just can't fit the words together.  Because of that, she is labeled as not very bright.  She knows that can't be the case, but doesn't get a chance to find out before she is whisked off to a homesteader's home 15 miles to the west, to a farm that is so isolated that all they can see is prairie stretching out on all sides.

Many things happen to May B while at the homestead that leads to her growing up much too quickly and needing to be an adult who must fight for her very survival.  I loved the way the free verse in the text helped to create more of the isolation we felt from her surroundings and the isolation she felt in a new home.  Interspersed with scenes of mere survival were memories and snapshots of her struggle to learn that makes it all even more haunting.  Besides scenes of making biscuits and keeping dry under a table in the dugout, we see May B struggling to eek out the words in the little schoolbook she brought with her. 

This story about drove me into anxiety.  I loved it and couldn't stop turning pages, but I was tormented by the loneliness, frustration, and fear that drove this little girl.  I realize that this really is a story about determination and the power of the human spirit, but it was gut wrenching to get there.  Despite it all, I think this story and the way it was told was just amazing.  Whether you're new to these verse stories or not, you really must read this story.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped."

Review:  I had mixed feelings about this book. In the beginning I really liked how different it was from many of the other young adult "break up" novels I'd read, with its chapters each centered around some item that came from their relationship.  Throughout the novel we see these gifts or relics of their relationship that each have a story behind them.  Min reminisces about each item, telling Ed what her experience was with them and how she felt.  It was an interesting idea for a break up, which is why it first caught my attention.  What person hasn't wanted to open up and spill their emotions about certain events and items to their ex?  I know I have!

After a certain point, as the story built and we learned how this couple came to be, I did start to lose interest.  I think that to some degree, because I knew it was this letter to Ed, I felt like she was verging on being mental to need to keep harping on it all.  I suppose it was my concern for how Min would come across to her ex that made me check out.  Having said that, I think this novel is unique and brings this almost fresh approach to the break up story.    Although I felt it was all a bit overdone by the end, I still think it was an interesting read.

Just as a side note, the other day one of my students came walking in with this book.  When I asked her what she thought, she gushed (yes gushed!) and said, "I love how he gets a teen break up."  I guess that's my answer.  Although it wore me out, maybe it's the extended emotional mess that teens really feel and I just forget?  It was fun getting that view from my student.  Thankfully they reign in my cynical eye, right?

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on an advance review copy from Amazon's "Amazon Vine" program.

Review & Giveaway: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

There comes a first for a lot of things and this is one of those.  I finally had a chance to watch the dreams and hard work come about for one of my close friends from high school, Jennifer Shaw Wolf.  Jenni, as I knew her in high school, was a great friend of mine.  We actually hung out in a small group of friends who shared a lot of hilarious, good times.  As she can attest, we spent many a weekend dragging main--which makes me laugh and smile now.  Would parents let their kids do that now with gas prices sky high and crazies out and about?  Who knows, but we sure had a fun time!

Anyway, I'm so excited to get to share Jenni's novel here on my blog.  Thanks for sending over a great book Jenni.  I'm so proud of you!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness."

Review:  In a time when teen novels are filled with pretty girls, magical powers, and popular crowds, Jennifer Shaw Wolf's novel captures a group of teens that feel more like the norm.  Allie, our main character, is flawed by the sadness and pain she carries after the loss of her boyfriend Trip.  She has a brother, Andrew, who has a disability that only draws the siblings closer together.  And Blake is the so-called "bad boy" in the story who proves to be more than what one sees.  Their story unfolds with a mystery that flashes back and forth between the present and the past, revealing even more about that fateful night when Trip died.

Since I'm not usually a mystery fan, I held my breath, and was nicely rewarded.  This is just a good story, with good writing.  I found myself flipping pages for the mere fact that I wanted to get to the heart of what really happened the night that turned every one's life upside down.  Allie is vulnerable, scared, angry, and frustrated, and yet her kindness towards the people she cares about seems to know no bounds.  It's interesting to see where that kindness takes her and how that affects her story.

In short, I really enjoyed Breaking Beautiful, with its character development, interesting relationships, and twisting plot lines.  The story is one that needs to be out there to open up the dialogue for anyone in an abusive relationship, and it is told in an interesting way.  What more can you ask for?  



Now, for the GIVEAWAY!  Enter below for a chance to win a hardback, signed copy of the novel.  The giveaway will run until 9/6 at midnight.  Good luck!
 

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. Fiction is based on real black and white photographs. The death of grandfather Abe sends sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and explores abandoned bedrooms and hallways. The children may still live."

Review:  You know those restless moments you have with reading where you're dying to read something new and original?  I realize that every storyline is based off a very small family tree of stories, but Ransom Riggs' novel Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a strange little ride through a variety of stories that make it feel very, very new.  

Admittedly, I'm an impatient reader with certain genres, so I feared that I would be that way with this novel.  That wasn't the case.  The first 75 pages or so set the novel up in a pretty catchy sort of a way that had me flipping pages to find out what happened to Jacob's grandfather, and what were the eerie pictures and creatures all about?  I really liked the mix of a fantasy-like tale mixed with the realism of young Jacob's life.  It didn't feel as though you were reading a fantastical story until he was actually on the island.  Then, things got interesting.

I really enjoyed this story and think that the eerie pictures and juxtaposition of real and fantasy worlds to be intriguing.  This was one story that I didn't feel like I was simply being told, but that I was actually IN the story as well.  My heart would accelerate in certain creepy scenes, and I even jumped a time or two.  Chalk that up to me being a big chicken, but I really got into this read.

For anyone who is looking for something new, that doesn't feel like it's been hashed over a million times, then you should give this novel a try.  It was refreshing, spooky, and beguiling--an odd combination, right?  That is just how this novel came together!  For sure, this is a book that I'll be sharing.  


*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters. 
 
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.  But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?"

Review:  As the final book in The Forest of Hands and Teeth series, I have to say that this one was a doozy.  Carrie Ryan has, what feels to me, like a subdued and subtle writing style that works more with character feelings sometimes than with the external descriptions.  This book still covered a lot of how our characters felt, but there was a lot of action.  So much so, that I often had to remember who I was reading about and try to picture where they were at.

If you're familiar with this series, you know that basically the entire country has been infected by zombies.  Each book followed a different, but connecting character that now comes together in this final book.  In this case, they are obviously somewhere like New York City, hopping from building to building to stay away from the zombies that surge through the streets, subways, and bridges below.

There is a lot of character interaction here that has them trying to look past their fears to connect with the people who are still "alive" and healthy as they are.  I'm not sure how hopeful I would be in their position, nor ready for love and companionship.  The romantic parts actually reminded me of those action films, where the building could be blowing up and the couple still finds time for a major make out session.  Maybe it's just me, but romance would be far from my mind if a bunch of non-communicative zombies were out to kill me.

I think the book was well written, with enough tie back to other books, for the three to feel put together.  I'm still not 100% sure how I feel about it.  I sometimes felt like the action went on and on until I was exhausted by it all.  I realize that's my own reading bias, but I started to wear out!  I also felt like the ending was kind of a cliff hanger.  Unless I missed something, I don't think another book will be following this, so I'm really wondering what happens to these characters.  Yes, even though all the running, jumping, and climbing exhausted me, I'm still wondering about the future!

Bottom line:  Carrie Ryan is a great writer, and I love her "turn of a phrase."  The zombie action exhausted me, but there is a lot here if you're ready for it.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the book.