Book Review: I Dated This Guy Once...

I was given the opportunity to review I Dated This guy Once... by Toni Rae through the website 20 Something Bloggers.  Here is a synopsis of the book:

In a book that is part-Eat, Pray, Love and part-Sex and the City, once young woman takes readers on her adventures in 21st century dating and shares all that she has learned along the way with plenty of laughter, wisdom, and points to ponder for the modern woman. 

After being laid-off from her job for the third time, Toni Rae found herself with a lot of extra time on her hands. Hungry for a new environment and potential adventures, she accepted a position teaching English in South Korea. Sitting by the ocean, thousands of miles away from all that she knew and loved, and with eight years’ worth of memorable dating experiences to her name, she began to write about these past relationships, and every inch of heartache and joy she had experienced, since the age of 18. The result is the wise, heart-warming and ever-so-relatable book, I Dated This Guy Once…., a story of life, love, traveling and spirituality, from a woman who has been through it all.

I wanted to like this book.  I really did.  I enjoy reading about others' life experiences, which is why I like to read blogs and lifestyle magazines, and why I blog myself.  But even more than the importance of the content I am reading is the quality of the writing itself.  Toni Rae's writing style in I Dated This Guy Once... did not work for me.  Her writing style was too colloquial for book; it would be better off read as a blog, and in short increments at a time.  In short, while I was amused by the stories she was telling, I didn't have any reason to care about reading hundreds of pages of them all at once.

However, the individual stories themselves, or "episodes" as they are referred to in the book, were entertaining.  Any young adult can see pieces of herself in the stories of others, so even though I could not relate on the relationship front, I did relate to the messages the stories tried to convey- the trying to figure out who you are, the desire for freedom but also some stability...those are all things young adults are trying to figure out, so those aspects resonated with me.

I think that for anyone who is thinking of reading I Dated This Guy Once... should plan to read it in short bursts and not sit down expecting to finish it in a couple of days like I tried to.  That being said, the messages were ones that any young adult can relate to and so I would recommend this book to other young women who enjoy reading lifestyle blogs or the like in general.  For more information, visit the book's website!

FTC Disclaimer:  I received this book for free in exchange for my review.  All opinions expressed are my own, and not influenced in any way by the author or the receipt of the item for free.

Book Review~ Falling Into Place: A Memoir of Overcoming

I was privileged to receive a copy of Falling into Place:  A Memoir of Overcoming, by Hattie Kauffman, for review.  It was released in paperback on April 1, 2014.  Hattie Kauffman was the first Native American to file a report on a national evening news broadcast, and went on to be a news anchor for ABC and the CBS.  She wrote this book while dealing with the emotions of going through a divorce, and explores how those feelings mirror ones she felt as a child, growing up poor and frightened and hungry.  The book is told in alternating passages from Hattie's childhood and her present day life.  Each chapter explores one theme or emotion, and the passages from each portion of her life reflect the parallels she sees.  These themes include reconciliation, home, overcoming, divorce, and faith.

Faith was a very prominent theme in this book, as through her divorce, Hattie explores religion and ultimately becomes a Christian.  Although it took her until late in life to really explore religion, there still were parallels with her childhood as she had an aunt who tried to teach her about Christianity.  While I found her story and journey interesting, this aspect of the book was also one that I had the most problem with.  The way that religion is written into the book increases dramatically at one point, and I had trouble following the story through all of the specifically religious things that punctuated (and ultimately overwhelmed) the text.  My perspective on this is as a non-Christian who is interested in learning about other religions; that is why I accepted this book for review.  But ultimately I felt as though this book was directed only at other Christians, and not at a broad audience like I was expecting.

Hattie does have a very interesting story and I think that certain parts of it will resonate with nearly any reader.  For example, the early part of her faith journey is something that I can relate to:  the sense of exploration and questions and discovery.  But there are so many components to her life that anyone can find something in this text that they also have experienced, whether it be family instability, divorce, friendships, hunger, or something else.  Hattie has not had an easy life- and that makes for both a compelling read, and a story that is very relatable.

Overall, I would say that the book is very well structured and written, but the content may turn off some readers who are not Christian due to the sheer amount of religious texts and analogies that are a large part of the last third of the book.

FTC Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher.  All opinions expressed are my own, and have not been influenced in any way.

What I'm Reading: Endworlds by Nicholas Read

First off, I'm sorry for  disappearing for the past few weeks!  Between being sick and trying to keep up with school and my thesis, I've just been extremely busy.

In that time, though, I've been trying my best to keep up with books I've promised to review.  The first of those is Endworlds by Nicholas Read.

Here is a synopsis of the series (which Endworlds is the first of), courtesy of NetGalley:

The conspiracy is real. Last decade, scientists made an astonishing discovery. Their telescopes looked out further than ever before and found another galaxy churning into the Milky Way. And in 2012, Earth flies right through the heart of that debris field . . . suns, planets, the works.The media is gagged. But the elite families know an extinction event when they see one. Cue the biggest and most expensive machine ever built: a particle accelerator in an underground silo, using quantum physics to punch a hole to a new world, a safe world.Only it isn't. Just ask those who patrol the quarantine. Those known only as Longcoats. From secret files, exclusive journals and years of investigative journalism, Endworlds pieces together for the first time how a disgraced billionaire, a rogue General and an ancient cult are shaping the world you think you live in, and the one soon to come. Read the Book. Join the Hunt. Save the World. 

And here is a synopsis of the book itself, courtesy of Amazon:

Billionaire industrialist Raef Eisman loses his daughter on an airliner in midair after flying through a strange electrical storm. With no body, no ransom and no explanation, he embarks on a crusade to find her . . . which sees him ousted from his company, stripped of his fortune and vilified by the world press. Only his faithful assistant, retired special forces colonel William Hills, stands at his side as they uncover primitive legends of ‘skypeople’ in the clouds, the trafficking of humans between dimensions, and a worldwide conspiracy of revisionist history that obscures our race’s true origin and purpose.Thought mad by his peers, Eisman inexplicably disappears as his vehicle plunges into the Thames. Instead of the 50-year old corporate raider emerging from the depths, a soggy 15-year old amnesiac rises in his place. A boy with no identity and no past.Dubbed “Eastwood” by those who find “the boy with no name”, he is conscripted by an underground army of teen refugees in the tunnels below Waterloo. Wards of an ancient organization intent on protecting the world from an increasing alien and inter-dimensional threat, these “Longcoats” induct Eastwood into a new life, with new allies and deadly enemies: the Fae’er of the First Age; the ageless Cassandrans; the shadowy Dae’mon; and a covert military junta known only as GRID - all on a collision course.

As you can probably tell from reading this synopsis, Endworlds is an interactive book which includes an on-line and real life treasure hunt based on clues provided on the Longcoats website.  I was intrigued by this idea- I've seen it become more popular recently, with series such as The 39 Clues, but I've never personally read or tried to participate in anything like this before.

To be clear, I have not finished reading Endworlds yet, but I have become completely intrigued by the path the story is taking.  The book starts off in what appears to be our modern-day society, with nothing out of the ordinary to suggest inconsistencies in the universe.  However, as the story progresses, more and more things seem to be out of place.  For example, early in the story, the main character's daughter disappears in a rather mysterious and strange way.  This event sets the tone for the rest of the book, and it guides the characters as well as the reader's mindset as the story progresses.  What was most interesting to me is that the book begins like it is realistic fiction, and while there are elements to the story that I would consider to be either sci-fi or dystopian-esque, the book is designed to be read as realistic fiction approaching non-fiction (think Lemony Snicket).

I am eager to continue reading Endworlds and subsequently, participate in the on-line adventure as well.  I would recommend this book to teenagers who enjoy mystery or science fiction, as well as "reluctant readers" who may be more inclined to read a book that has an interactive on-line component to go along with it.

FTC Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley.  All opinions expressed are my own.

BOOK REVIEW - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Lola and the Boy Next Door is a companion book to Anna and the French Kiss.  It's not really a sequel, because although there are crossover characters (more St. Clair, anyone? :) ), the plot of Lola is entirely its own.  However, I couldn't help but compare this book to Anna when reading it.  Maybe this is unfortunate, because if Lola had been the first Stephanie Perkins book I'd read, I would have absolutely loved it.

I couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards Cricket, and even Calliope, twins who were Lola's next door neighbors in her childhood, throughout the entire book.  Though they were set up to be the "bad guys" in a sense, over the course of the book, these two characters grew more than any others.  From the beginning of the book to the end, as Lola's opinion of the twins grew and changed, so did mine.  I believed what Lola felt, and I found myself agreeing with her nearly all of the time.  Lola's emotions towards her family, friends, and boyfriend took me on a roller coaster ride the whole time I was reading.  Everything she felt seemed so genuine that it was possible to forget that she only exists within a book.


I really don't know what exactly about Lola made me not love it as much as I loved Anna.  Quite possibly, it was because Anna took place in Paris, a city that I've visited many times and love.  I don't have that same connection to San Francisco.  In addition to that, the plots of Anna and Lola follow nearly the same arc.  While the characters are different, it is easy to see counterparts between both books- the main character, the love interest, the significant other who causes problems, the best friend... It was mainly for this reason that it became so easy to compare the two books.  Side by side, I enjoyed Anna much more.  Independently, they both are amazing.
 

I would recommend reading Lola and the Boy Next Door if you're looking for a fun, contemporary romance.  I would have to give this book 4 out of 5 stars, because Anna got 5+ in my mind.  However, Lola is still a worthwhile read for any fan of contemporary YA, whether you've read Anna yet or not!

BOOK REVIEW - The Death Cure by James Dashner

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.

Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

I wanted to love The Death Cure.  I really, really wanted to love it.  I wanted it to be filled with mystery and suspense like the previous two books in the trilogy, and I wanted it to answer the questions that have been building throughout the series.  I wanted to find out what Thomas' childhood was like, and what his role in WICKED was before he entered the Maze.  I wanted to find out why Teresa made the decisions she did, and what her relationship with Thomas was like before the Maze.  Unfortunately, I did not learn any of those things in what turned out to be a slightly disappointing end to what could have been a fantastic trilogy.

Dashner continued to successfully develop confusion and mystery in The Death Cure.  Each page seemed to create more questions in my mind.  Because WICKED is an organization based on lies, I found myself constantly wondering what was the truth and what was not.  This kept me wanting to read more, with the hopes of finding out what really was going on in this post-apocalyptic world.  Intrigue-wise, The Death Cure was extremely successful.

My overall complaint with the book was how few of my questions were answered.  Based on the previous two books in the series, as well as early events in The Death Cure, it seemed as though there were some things that would simply have to be revealed in order for the series to reach a conclusion.  Somehow, Dashner managed to end the book without answering most of these questions.  The ending was acceptable, but once I actually closed the book and thought about it, I found myself unhappy with how much information I still did not know.  It felt to me as though the answers to some of these questions could have been revealed and led to a more wholesome ending than was written.

I would have been left with this sour impression of the book if it were not for the epilogue.  Wow!  I was not expecting that revelation (even though maybe I should have been...).  I'm not going to say any more about that, though ;-)

Overall, I would say that if you have read the first two books in this trilogy (The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials), then you should definitely read The Death Cure to finish out the series.  However, if you're looking for a new dystopian/post-apocalyptic series to read, I would look elsewhere.

What I'm Reading: Neurogastronomy by Gordon M. Shepherd

"What I'm Reading" is a new feature on this blog where I will briefly review a book that I am currently reading.  In "What I'm Reading", I will feature books that I have not yet finished, but still think warrant being mentioned on the blog.  These reviews will include a synopsis as well as my impressions of the book in progress.

This week, I am reading Neurogastronomy by Gordon M. Shepherd.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Leading neuroscientist Gordon M. Shepherd embarks on a paradigm-shifting trip through the "human brain flavor system," laying the foundations for a new scientific field: neurogastronomy. Challenging the belief that the sense of smell diminished during human evolution, Shepherd argues that this sense, which constitutes the main component of flavor, is far more powerful and essential than previously believed.

Shepherd begins Neurogastronomy with the mechanics of smell, particularly the way it stimulates the nose from the back of the mouth. As we eat, the brain conceptualizes smells as spatial patterns, and from these and the other senses it constructs the perception of flavor. Shepherd then considers the impact of the flavor system on contemporary social, behavioral, and medical issues. He analyzes flavor's engagement with the brain regions that control emotion, food preferences, and cravings, and he even devotes a section to food's role in drug addiction and, building on Marcel Proust's iconic tale of the madeleine, its ability to evoke deep memories. 

Shepherd connects his research to trends in nutrition, dieting, and obesity, especially the challenges that many face in eating healthily. He concludes with human perceptions of smell and flavor and their relationship to the neural basis of consciousness. Everyone from casual diners and ardent foodies to wine critics, chefs, scholars, and researchers will delight in Shepherd's fascinating, scientific-gastronomic adventures.

I decided to branch out from my typical YA genre, and start to read some science non-fiction books, too.  For being a science major, I actually read very little science material outside of what is required for my courses and lab work.  Maybe it's time to put an end to that.

Neurogastronomy has a very interesting premise, something that I have really not thought about before.  Food does not inherently have flavor; instead, our brains create the sensation of flavor based on smelling the foods we eat.  Yes, most of what humans consider to be the taste of a food is actually due to its scent!  It's kind of strange to think about, yet, it's why we have a problem tasting food when our noses are stuffed up.

In Neurogastronomy, Shepherd discusses both scientific and social implications of this scent to flavor phenomenon.  The topics of this book span everything from how the molecules we smell travel to the brain, to how scents can trigger memories tied to food.  Neurogastronomy is really striving to be a comprehensive collection of all the ideas related to how our brain perceives flavor.  As neurogastronomy is a new field of study, from my perspective, this book succeeds.

Though I am not very far into the book yet, I am already interested in learning more about how smell and flavor are connected and how they relate to not only our appreciation of food itself, but other aspects of life.  Shepherd's conversational style make this book appropriate for any adult reader, with or without a foundation in the sciences.

FTC Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Neurogastronomy for review from Net Galley.  All opinions expressed are my own.

BOOK REVIEW - The Statsitcal Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Synopsis from Amazon:

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that 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 in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

I was a bit apprehensive about The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight before reading it.  Based on the synopsis, in my mind, I had classified it as being similar to Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss.  Since I loved Anna, I just wasn't sure that any similar book would be able to compare.  To my surprise and delight, I was mistaken!

From the first chapter, I was intrigued by Hadley and Oliver's relationship and each of their lives.  Both of the characters seemed very realistic- they were not idealistic teenagers like characters sometimes are.  Just like "real live" teenagers, Hadley and Oliver each had struggles in their lives that they were dealing with, but each also managed to find something positive to help them through.  In the case of this story, that positive thing was each other.  Both Hadley and Oliver were very relatable characters, and it made the book a very easy read.

Towards the end of the story, Oliver reveals a secret to Hadley (and to the readers).  Smith also did a great job at hinting at Oliver's secret throughout the novel, so that it was not a complete surprise when it was finally revealed.  Once we did find out Oliver's secret, it made a lot of sense with respect to events earlier in the novel.  I thought that this scene was handled very well.  I hate when a surprise twist seems to come out of nowhere.  Luckily, though I did not predict this twist, it made sense and worked with the entire storyline.

I do have to say that the ending of the book made me cry.  The scene when Hadley mends her relationship with her father was so wonderfully written and so real.  I did not expect this book to be a tear-jerker as much as a chick flick, but I was actually happy with the emotions this book caused me.  It showed the power of Smith's writing and how well she created her characters.  While Hadley and Oliver's story has come to an end, I am eager to see what Smith writes next!

FTC Disclaimer:  I received an advance readers copy (ARC) of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight for review from Hip Scouts, a program of LB-Teens and Hachette Book Group.  All opinions expressed are my own.

BOOK REVIEW - The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn't do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that's been given to her, she's now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don't add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

The Rivals is the sequel to Daisy Whitney's debut novel The Mockingbirds, which was released last year.  I received an ARC of The Rivals for review.  The Rivals will be released on February 6, 2012.

The Rivals picks up at the beginning of the new school year after The Mockingbirds ended.  This year, Alex is in charge of the Mockingbirds.  Right as the school year begins, she is confronted with a case that is different from anything the Mockingbirds have handled before- an alleged drug ring that students are using to cheat.  Throughout the book, Alex must confront both friends and enemies, decide who is being truthful and who has been lying to her, and come to terms with her role in the Mockingbirds as well as her standing with her friends.  Alex is more mature in The Rivals, and I felt as though her decision-making in this book was more rational and less emotional than in The Mockingbirds.  Of course, being as this book takes place in high school, there is still a touch of romance, friendship problems, and growing pains.

Overall I was very pleased with The Rivals.  The characters grew well in the aftermath of the events from The Mockingbirds, new characters were introduced, and new layers were added to returning characters- even some more minor ones, such Ms. Damata, the music teacher, which added depth to the plot.

Daisy Whitney deals with difficult issues in her books, but in a way that is approachable to young adult readers.  In fact, I think the real lesson in The Rivals has less to do with the surface "don't use drugs" issue, and more about how to make informed decisions with the information presented to you and how to deal with the aftermath of choices you make.

I would highly recommend reading The Rivals (and The Mockingbirds, if you haven't read that)!  Whether you're a YA reader or not, these books have a lot to offer.

FTC Disclaimer:  I received an advance readers copy (ARC) of The Rivals for review from Hip Scouts, a program of LB-Teens and Hachette Book Group.  All opinions expressed are my own.

BOOK REVIEW - Wither by Lauren DeStefano

I've been wanting to read Lauren DeStefano's WITHER for ages now but it always seemed to be checked out of the library every time I went.  Well, I finally got to the top of the waiting list recently and boy was it worth the wait!

Warning- Spoiler Alert!

From the very first page, the world that Lauren DeStefano created drew me in.  Unlike many dystopian worlds, the world of WITHER seemed highly believable given the social circumstances.  Even though not all of the characters were in the same situation, they each were affected by the virus in their own way.  I could really feel the desperation and fear of each character.  What really was interesting to me was that since all of the characters were feeling similar emotions, their reasons for feeling that way became one of the most important parts of the story.  For example, Rhine, Jenna, and Linden both felt fear living in the mansion, but none of them were afraid of the same thing.

I also felt like Rhine's character was very genuine.  As a young woman myself, I constantly found myself thinking, What would I be feeling if I were in Rhine's situation right now?  And the answer was always, Exactly how Rhine feels in the story.  DeStefano did a fantastic job capturing the real, raw emotions of a trapped teenager in fear for her life.  While I've never been in a situation like Rhine's (thank goodness!), I simply could not imagine myself feeling any differently than she did.  As a female reader, it was refreshing to see a female lead not immediately give in to the social pressures around her.  The fight in Rhine, given her circumstances, made her seem very real, and made her story memorable.

But of course- this story is not just about Rhine.  Who can forget about Gabriel?!  Even though he was in the text less than Jenna, Cecily, and Linden, as a character I felt as though he was second in importance only to Rhine.  His transformation from an obedient servant to a young man with fire inside of him was the most moving part of WITHER.  His story showed that it's possible to fight what you've been taught if you want something different.  As a counterpart to Rhine, it is interesting to see their stories unfold in parallel.  On one hand, you have Rhine, who knows from the get-go exactly what she wants (even if she does waver occasionally), and just needs a way to get it.  On the other hand, there's Gabriel, who doesn't like what he has but takes a long time to come to terms with the decisions he needs to make.  Rhine and Gabriel are really the two characters who provide uniqueness and voice to WITHER.

And the ending...well...if this was a stand-alone book, I would have hated the ending- very cliché.  However, knowing that WITHER is just the first book of a trilogy, the ending was fine.  It wasn't very exciting, but it (almost) works as a cliffhanger for book two (FEVER, due out 2/21/2012).

I definitely definitely recommend WITHER to anyone with even the slightest interest in YA dystopian novels.  If you haven't been hooked in the past, read WITHER anyway!  It doesn't have crazy apocalyptic events like some other dystopians, and the believability of the plot makes WITHER the perfect quick read!

BOOK REVIEW: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Okay, I usually review a book first before I give my recommendation on it, but not this time.  Graceling was amazing.  The moment I finished the book, I logged on to Twitter and wrote "Kristin Cashore's GRACELING is one of the best books I've ever read. Quite possibly *the* best. Wow."  And that just about summarizes how much I loved reading Graceling.

Graceling takes readers inside the world of Katsa, a warrior-girl in her late teens with one blue eye and one green eye. This gives her haunting beauty, but also marks her as a Graceling. Gracelings are beings with special talents—swimming, storytelling, dancing. Katsa's Grace is considered more useful: her ability to fight (and kill, if she wanted to) is unequaled in the seven kingdoms. Forced to act as a henchman for a manipulative king, Katsa channels her guilt by forming a secret council of like-minded citizens who carry out secret missions to promote justice over cruelty and abuses of power.

Warning:  Spoilers may follow.

For a fantasy novel, I was pleasantly surprised that Graceling was so character-driven.  Katsa is such a strong main character, and her personality is clearly expressed.  It is her actions, primarily, which drive the story.  She is a well-rounded character, with definitive likes and dislikes, ideas, and her own unique way of interacting with those around her.  From the very first page of the book, the reader is exposed to Katsa's unique and strong personality.  Of course, like anyone, Katsa has her flaws.  She is young, and still learning how to control her powers, so at times she is very impulsive.  However, these flaws just add to her depth as a main character, and provides for the reader just one of many reasons to want to keep reading Graceling.  Will Katsa overcome these fatal flaws in order to save the kingdom?  Or will they get the best of her and cause her ultimate downfall?


Another huge character component of the book is the relationship between Katsa and Po.  Unlike many relationships found in YA fiction novels, theirs seemed very real.  It was definitely not love at first sight for the two of them!  Throughout the entire novel, both characters must work to learn how to trust each other.  This is really the crux of their entire relationship.  At different times in the book, Katsa and Po learn new things about each other, and each time, one or the other of them must decide how this new information will affect their relationship.  Katsa and Po's relationship is, in fact, the overarching plot line that stretches from the very first page of Graceling to the last, and in its own way, affects every other plot point of the book.


I am not going to go in to too much more detail about Graceling here- if you want to know more, you'll just have to read the book yourself!  While it is fairly long, Graceling is not a difficult book to read and it is absolutely worth your time.


Book summary (inside dashed box) courtesy of Amazon.com.

BOOK REVIEW: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Cat Patrick's debut novel, Forgotten, from Hip Scouts.


Warning:  Spoilers may follow.


This book is about fifteen-year-old London, who can remember the future, but not the past.  Every night, her memory resets, and the only way she has to know about the previous day is to read her notes about the events that transpired.  Then, London starts having a recurring memory about a funeral, which starts around the same time that she starts dating Luke, the new kid at school.  London must make some difficult decisions in order to better understand this memory, her past, and her future with Luke.


I really enjoyed this book, although it was a lot different than I expected it to be.  From the title and the description, I thought it would be a very fluffy, "chick flick" sort of story.  I was very wrong!  While those aspects were definitely a part of the plot, the main piece was a lot more psychological and required much more thinking.  This actually came as a pleasant surprise to me.  I like not knowing exactly what is going to happen next in a story, and that was the case with Forgotten, for sure.  On that note, however, nothing that happened was completely unexpected.  The sequence of events all made sense, it was just not necessarily what I saw coming.


I do have to comment on the fact that the cover image shown here is not the same cover as is on the ARC I read.  The cover of my copy is a lot more flirty, with playful shadows and a more comical font.  I think that in this case, the design of the cover definitely would influence my preconceptions of the plot.  I guess the fact that the cover of my copy sported pink butterflies, versus the actual cover with cracked, ominous-looking block letters, changed my expectation of the story.  However, after seeing both covers I think that the one pictured in this blog post (which is the actual cover that will be printed, as far as I can tell) fits the book much better.


All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a page-turner novel.  I finished the book in three days, and it only took me that long because I started reading it right before I wanted to go to sleep!  When I finally had some free time during the day, I spent upwards of three hours straight finishing the book because I just could not put it down!  There was no good stopping point, because the story was so action-packed.  With all of the surprises Cat Patrick has put into each chapter, this book can be a quick read if you want it to be, or a slow, analytical story on the other hand.  Either way, I'm sure you will enjoy reading Forgotten, which will be released on June 7, 2011.

BOOK REVIEW: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

As someone who has not picked up a paranormal book since Twilight, I was wary of reading Kiersten White's Paranormalcy at first.  I received a copy of this book from Georgia White of YA Lit Chat, however, and since it was highly recommended by other members of YA Lit Chat, I decided to give it a go even amidst my skepticism.


I'm so glad I decided to read Paranormalcy- I LOVED it!  The characters were well-developed and each had such an individual personality that I kept finding myself unable to put the book down.  I was afraid of becoming confused by all of the different paranormal species, but White did a great job of explaining what each character is capable of, in a way that lets the reader know what is necessary without distracting too much from the overarching plot.  Because I have never read paranormal before, I found this to be helpful in terms of understanding everything that was happening around Evie.


Warning:  Minor spoilers may follow.


White was able to make the characters so believable that I found myself experiencing the same emotions that Evie must have been feeling.  Reth annoyed me so much!  =]


While I am not usually a fan of huge endings like there was in Paranormalcy, I found myself okay with the outcome here.  While a lot of what happened at the end (which I'm not going to reveal) was brand new material that was not predictable at all, it did make sense.  So while I was not entirely happy with so much thrown at me as the reader so suddenly, I was not disappointed beyond that.  And, I was very happy with who Evie ended up with!


This is a must-read for any YA fan- even those who are not typically fans of paranormal.


The second book in the Paranormalcy series, Supernaturally, is scheduled to be released on August 30, 2011.

BOOK REVIEW: Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

Caragh O'Brien's Birthmarked was a refreshing twist on the typical dystopian novel.  Unlike most, which create a completely fictional futuristic society, O'Brien incorporates things that affect real lives today into the story to create a very plausible story.


Warning:  Plot spoilers may follow.


At first, it surprised me a bit that hemophilia was such a major component of the plot.  In my past experiences, authors that try to include a scientific twist tend to botch the actual facts of the disease.  However, O'Brien obviously did her research, because both the genetic and physical components of the disease were described accurately and succinctly in the text.  Enough information was given about hemophilia to explain to the reader why certain other events were taking place, but on the other hand, the reader was not overwhelmed with scientific data.  I thought it was a nice balance, and enough to convince me that this future is possible for our society.


I thought Gaia was a believable protagonist.  While there were some points in the book where I could accurately predict what would happen next, I understood that Gaia might not be able to because of her limited knowledge of the world inside the Enclave.  In that sense, the reader must be able to separate herself from the main character at times in order to appreciate the story more. While you might be able to figure something out, Gaia might not.  And while the POV is third person limited, just as an educated reader in 2011, some things become obvious.


I have to say that the ending of Birthmarked was very reminiscent of the ending of The Giver.  (If you've read The Giver- the same thing happens.)  While I found that ending to be perfectly suitable for The Giver, in the case of Birthmarked, I thought it was really just an easy way to create a cliffhanger.  I thought that there could have been other feasible endings, and O'Brien just chose the most extreme.  But I guess I'll have to wait for the sequel and see if I'm less disappointed with this ending based on the plot of that book.


The sequel to Birthmarked, Prized, is expected to be released in November 2011.

BOOK REVIEW: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Wow!  Suzanne Collins has done it again!  Mockingjay absolutely lives up to the hype that was surrounding its release.  As the last book in the series, Mockingjay needed to wrap up Katniss' story, but also address the cliffhanger we were left with at the end of Catching Fire.  It succeeds amazingly well in doing both, and the story still includes the twists and surprises we grew accustomed to from reading The Hunger Games and Catching Fire.


WARNING:  Minor spoilers may be present.


The book starts off with a brief overview of everything that happened between the end of Catching Fire and the time at which Katniss has to choose her role as the Mockingjay.  While this section reads at a much slower pace than the rest of the book, this narration was necessary to set the stage for the rest of the plot.  In my opinion, Collins handled this as best as she could while still propelling the story forward.


The story really gets moving when Katniss and the others begin actively participating in the life of District 13.  I don't want to give away too much here, but District 13 was nothing like I imagined it would be.  Panem is in the midst of a bloody and trying war, and District 13 is trying to cope with it while still staying true to their beliefs about the country.  This is an important plot point- so I will lay it to rest here.


The character development, I have to say, was my absolute favorite part of Mockingjay.  After the events that ended Catching Fire, the tributes, some of the other Hunger Games personnel, and a few District 12 habitants find themselves thrown into District 13, which even if it had not been preparing for war, is very different from 12 or the Capitol.  Collins did an amazing job of tracing each character's journey in 13 and exploring not only their actions, but their thoughts as well.  More so than in either of the preceding books, I felt like I really knew each character.  Even when there were plot twists that shocked me, in some way, they were not completely out of the blue.  They all fit with some aspect of that character's personality.  The characters all felt like real, not like a fictional creation that they were.  It made Mockingjay an even more captivating read, because the character progression felt so natural.


The ending, the ending...satisfied me even though I really expected it not to.  But after reading the whole series, this ending is really the only one that makes sense, after all.


READ THIS SERIES!  That's really all I have to say.  Even if you are not a dystopian fan, the character development and plot progression of The Hunger Games trilogy rivals those of any other series I have ever read.  You will find yourself wrapped up in what is happening to Katniss and Panem, and unable to put the book down.

BOOK REVIEW: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I'm going to start off this review saying that I read Catching Fire in just one day!  I'm a fast reader, but not that fast (normally), so it's just a testament as to how much I loved this book.


This book picks up where The Hunger Games leaves off, starting with a background of things that happened immediately upon Katniss' return to District 12.  The action really picks up right before Katniss and Peeta tour the districts for their Victory Tour.  It was a nice transition between the two books, because as the reader, I didn't feel like I was missing any of the action.  Everything that was mentioned as happening to the victors after the end of the Games was actually detailed in Catching Fire.  I really liked that the books, together, seamlessly covered all of the time from the beginning of The Hunger Games to the end of Catching Fire without leaving large gaps in time between the two books like some multi-book series do.


Again, Katniss and Peeta are very strong personalities, but you can tell that they have changed since winning the 74th annual Games.  They are both more rebellious and more questioning of Panem.  This, combined with some other events and new characters (that I'm not going to mention specifically here- too much of a spoiler!), do somewhat prepare the reader for what happens at the end of the book, although not how it actually comes about.  While yes, like many other "middle of the trilogy" books, Catching Fire has the role of setting up what needs to be done before Mockingjay, there are enough twists, surprises, and new characters to keep the reader interested from beginning to end.  Even changes in characters that we met in The Hunger Games feed into the unrest throughout Panem.  Effie, Cinna, and the rest of Katniss and Peeta's entourage become deeper characters in Catching Fire, again to the effect of expressing the state of the Capitol after Katniss' defiance at the end of The Hunger Games.


I especially like that Collins is able to plant doubts into the characters' heads (especially Katniss') at the same time that she puzzles the reader.  Again, the first person narration helps a lot.  The plot moves quickly, and the reader really experiences what Katniss does throughout the entire book.


While I can't deny that I did like The Hunger Games more than Catching Fire, I think that was mainly because everything was so new in The Hunger Games while a lot of things were more expected come Catching Fire.  That's not to say that I didn't still love Catching Fire- because I did- and there is absolutely enough in there to keep the reader pulled forward.  It's just that The Hunger Games had more straight-up action because it primarily dealt with the Games themselves, while Catching Fire covered more of the political unrest and character relationships.


Wow~ I can't wait to read Mockingjay next!  Just seeing reviews of Mockingjay are what got me started with this series in the first place.  But, more of that in the appropriate review!

BOOK REVIEW: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Wow!  I usually disagree with hype around a lot of newly-published books, but The Hunger Games definitely lived up to its reputation.  From the first page to the last, I could barely put the book down.  I finished reading it in three nights...three very long nights during which I stayed up until 3:00 am just so I could read some more.

While The Hunger Games was clearly a dystopian novel, Panem, the country that exists in place of North America, is not home to the mindless, submissive people that are the staple of many dystopian plots.  Instead, from the beginning, the reader feels that there is a sense of unease throughout the society because of the Hunger Games.  The Games are an annual event in which two tributes (participants) from each of the 12 Districts of Panem, battle each other in a large arena until only one of the 24 teens is left alive; they are, in turn, declared the victor.  The Hunger Games follows Katniss, one of the tributes from District 12, as she struggles to understand the Games, herself, and her future.

For those who have read the Pendragon series, The Hunger Games is very similar to the seventh book, The Quillan Games.  Both involve unwilling competitors who must fight for their own survival in a game designed to end in death.  Both societies- Panem and Quillan- are futuristic communities in which these Games have risen to a level of national importance.  The competitors are treated with the upmost importance before the games and afterwards (if they survive); citizens bet on the competitors they think will fare the best; in the midst of these Games, the competitors being followed realize that there is unease in the society and they must do their part in stopping it, one way or another.  If you enjoyed The Quillan Games, you will absolutely love The Hunger Games.

Suzanne Collins has included many twists in the plot that will surprise even the most keen reader.  Of course I'm not going to reveal any here, but rest assured that The Hunger Games will not disappoint you.  The characters are developed very well, and through their struggles and triumphs, the reader can not help but become deeply attached to many of them.  Collins is able to draw the reader into the actual emotion that the tributes' families must be feeling during the Hunger Games. In that way, the deaths become actually upsetting; more than a character in a book just not being there any more, Katniss' sadness and anger becomes the sadness and anger of the reader as well.

This book is written in first person from Katniss' point of view.  While this may be shocking at first, it really allows you to get inside Katniss' head and experience everything she does as she travels from District 12 to the Capitol and participates in the 74th annual Hunger Games.  I have to say that although I normally don't like reading things written in first person, the extra sense of emotion that comes with it definitely serves its purpose in The Hunger Games.  Any other technique used to tell the story would not portray it in such a personal way.

I am already reading the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire, so expect a review of that very soon!

BOOK REVIEW: Huntress by Malinda Lo

For this fourth blog post of 2011, I'm going to take the opportunity to post a book review.  The author, Malinda Lo, has previously published a book set in the same kingdom.  Huntress is a prequel in the sense that it is set well before the first book, Ash.  However, not having read Ash, I was able to understand Huntress without any problems. 


Disclaimer:  I received an ARC of this book from the Hip Scout program sponsored by LB-Teens.  This review is entirely my own thoughts and ideas.  I am not being further compensated for this review.


Overall, I found Huntress to be a very captivating book.  Starting with the first line, the plot dragged me in, and I could barely put the book down.  I always wanted to know what would happen next, because ever time I thought I figured out what would happen, I found myself to be mistaken.


Aside from their magical tendencies, the two main characters, Kaede and Taisin, were very relatable.  The issues they are forced to deal with over the course of the novel, from their sexualities to the death of loved ones to their journey towards the unknown are all things that teens today have to face.  Huntress presented these topics in a way that is fun to read about yet also helpful for readers who are struggling with the same things.


I liked that the characters' names were distinguishable from one another.  I find that oftentimes in fantasy books, characters and places are given very obscure and difficult-to-remember names; however, this was not the case in Huntress.  Though some of the names were not common, they were all very easy to remember.  This made it easy to follow the plot without getting tripped up with strange pronunciations and spellings.


My one major issue with Huntress was its ending.  I don't want to spoil anything here, but from the time Kaede returns to the Queen for the last time until the end of the book is only thirteen pages.  These pages cover not only what happens at the palace but also the girls' return home and talks of the futures of all the characters.  It seemed very rushed compared to the leisurely pace of the rest of the novel.  Part V (this ending) seemed disjointed from the rest of the book in part because of this change of pace, but also because it seemed to switch from being character-driven to plot-driven.  While in general I do not have a preference as to which of these types of books I enjoy reading more, it does seem a little bit jarring to have such a sudden change within the same book.


The last thing I want to address is the LGBTQ classification that this book is given.  Yes, Kaede and Taisin are struggling with issues of sexuality and their love for each other in a society that does not support lesbians.  However, when it comes down to it, Kaede and Taisin are average teenage girls who just happen to be lesbians.  If anything, it gives a deeper dimension to their journey and their relationship that adds to what the book is trying to say.  Malinda Lo uses these two strong female main characters to remind the reader that he should accept everyone for who they are.


I would highly recommend Huntress to any teenager or even college student (like myself) who is looking for a maturely-written fantasy novel that has enough ties with reality to make it relatable to the reader.


(Also, shout-out to Malinda Lo, who you can find on her Twitter.  She's great about replying to her fans, so be sure to follow her and comment if you read Huntress or Ash!)


Huntress will be published on April 5, 2011.