Tag: ARC

• Book Review: “A Wicked Thing” by Rhiannon Thomas (ARC)

  Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on February 18, 2015

  A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Publishing Date: February 24
  Genre: young adult, fantasy, retelling
  ISBN: 9780062303530
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

  Her family is long dead. Her “true love” is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept.

  As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her. With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

  When Aurora wakes up to a stranger’s kiss, she’s more than stunned and confused. For her, the last thing she remembers is preparing for her eighteenth birthday. For her, that was last night. But when she wakes to everyone calling her Sleeping Beauty — proclaiming that her curse was lifted with true love’s kiss, that her family and the life she knew is one hundred years in the past, that she is a fairy tale and a savior — it’s overwhelming, confusing, and far more constricting than she ever thought possible. She’s pulled in different directions, all political and a major pawn in multiple schemes. But her kingdom is nothing like it once was. Whom should she trust?

  This looks like a pretty cover promising love triangles and sweetness and poor dialogue and over-the-top scenes. Yes, I’m that judgmental. But let me warn you — you’re not going to get love triangles and sweetness and poor dialogue and over-the-top scenes. Oh, no. No, you’re going to get a raw retelling with beautiful prose and a protagonist whose voice will be difficult to get out of your head. I’m surprised, and impressed.

  Just imagine falling asleep today, right now, and when you wake up, thinking it’s tomorrow, it’s actually one hundred years in the future. Jarring. Frightening. Not at all a fairy tale. Now imagine waking up because a stranger kissed you, and that stranger, no matter how sweet and blushing and kind, claims that it was true love’s kiss and now you must marry. Even more frightening. What does that mean? Don’t you want a say in this? Now toss in four characters pulling you in four different directions, telling you what’s what from the last hundred years, and why an alliance with them is the best thing for the once-peaceful kingdom.

  Overwhelming doesn’t even begin to describe it.

  That’s what I loved so much about this retelling. It takes a well-known and romanticized fairytale and slaps you in the face with reality. Your brain absolutely could not comprehend what was going on, no matter how magical the circumstances. How in the world are you supposed to make any decent decision — personal or political — if you don’t know all the facts? And at the same time, how can you be who you truly want to be if, what felt like a day ago, you thought the curse on you would’ve been broken and you’d be free? How can you be who you truly want to be if storybooks were written about you while you slept, idolizing and glorifying you, trapping you into a neat, pretty box?

  Aurora, in short, is overwhelmed. She was trapped in a tower growing up, away from everyone except guards and family, for fear that Celestine’s curse of a spinning wheel’s spindle would forever harm Aurora. She was also trapped emotionally, for while she was locked away her mother continued Aurora’s lessons on how to behave like a princess — to smile and curtsy and give vague, flattering responses in conversation. She wakes up to a world far more restrictive, shuffled around a new royal family and treated like a prized possession and a pawn. The queen is harsh and unforgiving, forcing Aurora to be seen and not heard. The king is outwardly jovial but, behind the scenes, vicious and ruthless. The prince is sweet but lacks a backbone.

  Stifled, Aurora seeks freedom by sneaking out of the castle and enjoying anonymity in a local tavern, where she learns about a rebellion against the king. Her cover is blown, but she’s offered a position in the rebellion. Not wanting any bloodshed, Aurora is torn when she’s offered another position in a political alliance with another kingdom. This one means bloodshed as well, so she toys with the two evils. But as her wedding date gets closer, she discovers remnants of the curse within — that she’s capable of magic. If the queen or Celestine caught whiff of this, Aurora’s future is doomed.

  Phew.

  What I enjoyed most about this was Aurora’s voice, her complicated thoughts jumbling together — to align with this person or that, and the consequences of it; to discover what happened while she slept; to find a way to be who she really is in a world that shuts her away. It felt…real. Like if it were possible for one to sleep a century away and woke up, how one would react. Mourn for family lost. Mourn for culture lost. Mourn for a kingdom lost. Race to understand this time, this place, these people, their motives. And Aurora’s response to all of this is so very genuine. Her resolution wasn’t predictable at all. She’s not the kind to align with rebels simply because she’s angry with the king — she wants to find an answer without killing. She’s not the kind to align with a boy simply because she likes him. She’s not suddenly “strong” and “rebellious” like so many of our heroines today who throw themselves into something simply because they don’t like what’s going on now. No, Aurora thinks things through.

  This book is a foundation for what’s to come. And I can’t wait to read about her adventure and her decision — and see how that plays out!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from HarperTeen for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 4 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “A Touch of Stardust” by Kate Alcott (ARC)

  Posted at 6:30 am by Laura, on February 12, 2015

  A Touch of Stardust by Kate Alcott

  Publisher: Doubleday
  Publishing Date: February 17
  Genre: historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780385539043
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  When Julie Crawford leaves Fort Wayne, Indiana for Hollywood, she never imagines she’ll cross paths with Carole Lombard, the dazzling actress from Julie’s provincial Midwestern hometown. Although the young woman has dreams of becoming a screenwriter, the only job Julie’s able to find is one in the studio publicity office of the notoriously demanding producer David O. Selznick—who is busy burning through directors, writers and money as he begins filming Gone with the Wind.

  Julie is given a front-row seat to not one but two of the greatest love affairs of all time: the undeniable on-screen chemistry between Scarlett and Rhett, and off screen, the deepening love between Carole and Clark. Yet beneath the shiny façade, things in Hollywood are never quite what they seem, and Julie must learn to balance career aspirations and her own budding romance with outsized personalities and the overheated drama on set.

  Julie Crawford dreams of becoming a screenwriter, and what better place to go than Hollywood. Her arrival is perfect, because the intimidating perfectionist David Selznick is in the beginning stages of filming Gone With the Wind. Originally placed in publicity, Julie’s luck changes when she meets Andy Weinstein, Selznick’s assistant, and Carole Lombard, the soon-to-be-wife to Clark Gable and Hollywood’s hottest female actress. Together, these two help Julie inch closer to her goal, while the whirlwind of the biggest movie of all time coincides with whisperings of a second world war.

  I’ve been an Alcott fan from the start (Dressmaker, Daring Ladies of Lowell), and this book is just as wonderful as it is different from her previous publications. Julie, fresh from college with big dreams, is eager and determined to make her way through life without the help of her stifling Midwestern parents. She’s young, naive, and starry-eyed, and thus falls into several Hollywood holes on her journey. But her awe ceases once she meets the actors, the humans behind the characters they play. Shy Clark, energetic Carole, poised Vivienne, humorous Hattie — even the eye-gauging-inducing producer, David (oh my LORD that man drove me insane). And on this journey is someone who challenges her and supports her: Andy.

  Andy, working as Selznick’s right hand man, is constantly under pressure and works hard to keep publicity from freaking out and Selznick from blowing a gasket. He’s also Jewish, which poses a problem whenever the glamor of a movie set fades away and real world politics leaks in. With family in Berlin, he’s watching the papers and listening to the radio, waiting for the right moment to head off to Europe.

  I liked how Julie interacted with Andy. (With all the characters, really, especially Carole. Those two were more than boss and assistant — they were genuine girlfriends always ready to rush over and save the day during a crisis.) She was believably shy and quick to become jealous — hard not to be when he’s an older man and in the business and city of artful lies — which felt authentic for her age and upbringing. I felt connected with her as a mid-twenties Midwestern girl. At the same time, watching her grow with him, stand up for herself and demand respect and equality in the relationship, that was wonderfully empowering. My only wish was for Andy to be less of a downer with her. He felt more real and promising at the baseball game than at any other time. Yet, of course he’s a bit on the down side — he’s stressed in several areas of his life, has a decade more in experience and reality, and knows that Julie is only just beginning. I didn’t love him the way Julie did — but I could certainly see why she did.

  Do not be fooled by the jacket summary! This novel is far more about a girl’s journey in the magic of Hollywood during the filming of the greatest American films in history than it is about love affairs — and thank goodness for that!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this copy from Doubleday for review!

   

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 1 Comment | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, review

• Book Review: “I Remember You” by Cathleen Davitt Bell (ARC)

  Posted at 8:10 am by Laura, on February 4, 2015

  I Remember You by Cathleen Davitt Bell 

  Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
  Publishing Date: February 10
  Genre: young adult, romance
  ISBN: 9780385754552
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★

  Lucas and Juliet couldn’t be more different from each other. But from the moment Lucas sees Juliet, he swears he remembers their first kiss. Their first dance. Their first fight. He even knows what’s going to happen between them—not because he can predict the future, but because he claims to have already lived it.

  Juliet doesn’t know whether to be afraid for herself or for Lucas. As Lucas’s memories occur more frequently, they also grow more ominous. All Juliet wants is to keep Lucas safe with her. But how do you hold on to someone you love in the present when they’ve begun slipping away from you in the future?

  Lucas is paying attention to Juliet all of a sudden, and she doesn’t know why — but she’s not bothered by it either. Hockey guys rarely speak to bookish, debate club girls like her. He’s nothing like she expected, and she thrills in his attention, devotion, and thoughtfulness. But there’s something else going on too, and it’s hard for him to explain and for her to understand: Lucas “dreams” of the future and “remembers” the present. It’s as if his future self is inhabiting his current self, urging him to change his future and the future of his relationship with Juliet. But with these dreams come fearsome headaches, and Lucas would do anything to not only stop the headaches, but stop the insight to the future.

  The publisher summary isn’t quite what I read, and I did my best to give my own summary as well — and even that doesn’t quite explain what happened in this book. But it’s certainly a puzzle of a read, and I was interested enough to keep on reading to figure out what was happening to Lucas — and how he’d change after his serious accident, an attempt to get rid of the headaches and “dreams.” Told through Juliet’s perspective as if writing in a journal, the reader works through the mystery of Lucas’s mind just as Juliet is reflecting on the events.

  But if the mystery of Lucas’s mind isn’t enough to compel you to read the book, you can definitely read it on a maturity standpoint. Lucas tries to describe what’s happening to him as if it’s his future self inhabiting his current (or “past”) self. And it shows. He reminded me very much of a man rather than a teenage boy. It became more apparent as the book progressed that this was definitely the case. Watching Juliet fall in love with that side of him was heartbreaking and wonderful all at once.

  This is a primarily a romance, but it’s also dark. Lucas isn’t exactly predicting the future, and he’s not having visions or hallucinations. But he tells Juliet things that end up happening — a friend’s house burning down, the Christmas gift Juliet gives him, George W Bush’s election into office, the war in Iraq — and Juliet attempts to make sense of it all.

  Believe me, you’ll try to as well.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Knopf for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Advance Excitement at a Glance XI

  Posted at 2:45 am by Laura, on January 28, 2015

  

  A monthly meme to keep up with the latest publications, featuring at least two advance copy reviews to look forward to reading.

  February looks like another huge month for publishing, and I’m really excited about The Price of Blood by Patricia Bracewell. Even though I received an ARC, I wanted to set that aside and read the published book instead — really immerse myself back into Emma’s life. Hopefully a review will come soon for that!

  Until then, take a peek at these featured books I’ll review on the blog this month!

  

  I Remember You by Cathleen Davitt Bell
  (Knopf Books for Young Readers, February 10)

  Lucas and Juliet couldn’t be more different from each other. But from the moment Lucas sees Juliet, he swears he remembers their first kiss. Their first dance. Their first fight. He even knows what’s going to happen between them—not because he can predict the future, but because he claims to have already lived it.

  Intriguing. Seeing the future, but not exactly predicting it. Curious to see where this one goes!

  

  A Touch of Stardust by Kate Alcott
  (Doubleday, February 17)

  Although tensions run high on the set, Julie finds she can step onto the back lot, take in the smell of smoky gunpowder and the soft rustle of hoop skirts, and feel the magical world of Gone with the Wind come to life. Julie’s access to real-life magic comes when Carole Lombard hires her as an assistant and invites her into the glamorous world Carole shares with Clark Gable—who is about to move into movie history as the dashing Rhett Butler.

  I’m a Kate Alcott fan. I’ll read just about anything she puts out there. What really entices me about this book is that this doesn’t appear to be focused on fashion. Her other two books were — fashion and fabrics mixed with court rulings — and this one is about a girl’s journey in Hollywood during the filming of Gone with the Wind. How amazing would that be?

  Which books are you looking forward to in February?

  Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 3 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, ARC, books

• Book Review: “I Was Here” by Gayle Forman (ARC)

  Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on January 15, 2015

  I Was Here by Gayle Forman

  Publisher: Viking Juvenile
  Publishing Date: January 27
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, new adult
  ISBN: 9780451471475
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

  Cody’s sick of the memorial services and candlelight vigils. These people didn’t know Meg, not like she did. They were two peas in a pod, unstoppable together. And now Meg’s gone — Meg, the sparkling girl full of life and energy, the girl who went and drank poison in a hotel room and planned every last detail of her death. Cody agrees to pack up Meg’s stuff at college, and discovers that Meg was hiding more than her death wish. Angry at the secrets and torn up with grief, Cody decides to sift through Meg’s email and internet history, hoping it can clue her in on her best friend’s final months. What she finds is more than she bargained for.

  This is not a YA book about suicide. This isn’t even a YA book about healing and forging beautiful friendships. It is a YA (what really needs to be the proper NA) book entirely about grief and coming to terms with difficult situations. Cody does form unlikely friendships and she does, in a way, heal, but she takes you on her journey through grief and all the distraught emotions that come with it.

  Cody and Meg’s bond is very clearly a strong one, filled with love and respect and trust. A small, unspoken rift occurred shortly after Meg left for college near Seattle and Cody stayed in their tiny “hick” town. But Cody’s absolutely sure it wouldn’t take a rift in their friendship to force Meg over the edge — she was too full of life. Meg had timed a good-bye email to be sent to her parents and to Cody shortly after she committed suicide, and Cody hopes she can find answers there. Snooping on Meg’s computer started off innocently enough, but when Cody finds a gap in Meg’s sent mail, she knows something was up. Privacy is a luxury not afforded for the dead, and the people Cody meets along the way that help her on her quest teeter between respecting a deceased friend’s privacy and appeasing their desire for relief.

  Like If I Stay, I was neither here nor there with the love story. It was something of a third or fourth interwoven plot line, one that still felt genuine but was not the drive. Cody’s determined to understand her friend’s death, struggling to keep a distance from Meg’s housemates and failing, and trying to figure out where she fits into Meg’s family now that their daughter is gone. While the love story bloomed naturally, with the expected difficulties and divided emotions, it’s definitely more of a side-plot. This novel is, first and foremost, about friendship.

  Forman managed to tackle yet another tough issue in modern young adult lives with taste and authenticity. Every character the reader happens upon is a genuine human, equally talented and flawed, loving and hateful. Grief is a very powerful emotional process, especially when someone so bright dies so very young. Well done, Forman.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Viking for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: new adult, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Geek Girl” by Holly Smale (ARC)

  Posted at 8:15 am by Laura, on January 12, 2015

  Geek Girl by Holly Smale 

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Publishing Date: January 27 (originally published in UK, Feb 2013)
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780062333575
  Goodreads: 3.86
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Harriet Manners is tired of being labeled a geek. So when she’s discovered by a modeling agent, she seizes the chance to reinvent herself. There’s only one problem: Harriet is the definition of awkward. Does she have what it takes to transform from geek to chic?

  Geek Girl is the first book in a hilarious new trilogy. It was also the #1 bestselling YA debut of 2013 in the UK, where it was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Best Book for Teens. With all the humor and fabulous shenanigans of Louise Rennison’s Confessions of Georgia Nicolson and Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries, Geek Girl is about to become an international superstar.

  Harriet Manners is definitely the girl to take on trivia nights — she watches documentaries, researches random events, figures, and cultural concepts for fun, and stores it all away in that big brain of hers. Unfortunately, she’s a “polar bear in a jungle,” a misfit in her class, and bullied every day for being a geek. She only has one friend, Nat, and Holly promised Nat she’d go to Birmingham with her for a fashion event. It’s Nat’s dream to be involved in the industry, so when Holly is discovered by a modeling agent, it causes quite the rift between the girls. Not to mention Holly’s confusion over her sudden fame in the fashion world. How is she supposed to transform from a geek to a model when she’s attacked by every loved one?

  Harriet is incredibly charming, witty, and funny. Strange things happen around her each day at every turn, and watching her stumble through the social etiquette made me both laugh and wince. This girl is intelligent, but her social fumbles really place her as an outcast. For example, before she’s whisked away to Russia for a fashion shoot, she stays up all night researching the history of fashion, and ends up spouting trivia to other models that are completely unrelated to current fashion trends, like the origin of cufflinks.

  Everything about Geek Girl is a comedic whirlwind of snappy dialogue, fast action, and exaggerated caricatures. A quick read, and despite the humor and wit, it truly does speak volumes about bullied young adults with unbridled enthusiasm and curiosity. It takes time — as it does for everyone in life — to realize she doesn’t need to blend in to be spectacular, to conform with others and lower her intelligence to be liked and popular. She’s perfect the way she is, “polar bear in a jungle” and all.

  I’m very excited for this to be published in the US! Stacey gave great reviews for the trilogy, so brilliant that I was upset to find it was a UK publication. This will be a major hit in the US, and I can’t wait to read more on Harriet Manners!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from HarperTeen for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Magician’s Lie” by Greer Macallister (ARC)

  Posted at 8:15 am by Laura, on January 8, 2015

  The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister 

  Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
  Publishing Date: January 13
  Genre: historical fiction, mystery
  ISBN: 9781402298684
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★

  The Amazing Arden is the most famous female illusionist of her day, renowned for her notorious trick of sawing a man in half on stage. One night in Waterloo, Iowa, with young policeman Virgil Holt watching from the audience, she swaps her trademark saw for a fire ax. Is it a new version of the illusion, or an all-too-real murder? When Arden’s husband is found lifeless beneath the stage later that night, the answer seems clear. But when Virgil happens upon the fleeing magician and takes her into custody, she has a very different story to tell. Even handcuffed and alone, Arden is far from powerless—and what she reveals is as unbelievable as it is spellbinding. Over the course of one eerie night, Virgil must decide whether to turn Arden in or set her free… and it will take all he has to see through the smoke and mirrors.

  Young, infamous female magician Arden has one night to convince a police officer that she did not kill her husband on stage during one of her most notorious tricks: The Halved Man. While he wants her to begin her story with that particular night, she decides to tell him her life story, the story of how she became a magician. How else can he best understand any of her motives? From the pampered rooms in the city, to barns in the farmlands, from stage dances to railcar shows, Arden reveals herself little by little to the police officer. But is she lying? And if she is, is she lying about the murder — or herself?

  This really is a mixture of Night Circus — the elaborate lifestyle, traveling by train for a show a night, the magic of it all — meets Water for Elephants — the darker elements of abuse and psychological distraught. Arden’s life is governed by the desire to flee a boy who wasn’t right in the mind, a truly dangerous and terrifying character that left me just as much on edge as he left Arden. Arden’s desire to become a dancer is what lead her to the magic show, and her diligence, determination, and strict practice turned her into the success she is at the scene of the crime.

  The twist — the lie, and what kind of lie and where in the story and why — is what really kept me moving. The breaks between Arden’s story and her open discussions with the police gave the reader some insight as to where she might potentially be lying, but I’ll admit I almost skipped those passages simply because it was an interruption in Arden’s story. My advice? Don’t skip those passages. Search for the lie not only in the tale she spins to the police officer — to you — but also in those interruptions. The tiniest lines can give you the clues. And you’ll be guessing all the way to the end.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for sharing this book from Sourcebooks for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

• Advance Excitement at a Glance X

  Posted at 10:15 am by Laura, on January 3, 2015

  

  A monthly meme to keep up with the latest publications, featuring at least two advance copy reviews to look forward to reading.

  January is a huge month for new publications, and I can’t wait to share all the reviews coming this month! But I’ll only tease you with two right now: one YA that was hugely successful in the UK, and one adult historical fiction publishers are calling the next Water for Elephants meets The Night Circus.

  

  Geek Girl by Holly Smale
  (HarperTeen, January 27)

  Geek + runway = a hilarious runaway hit! This bestselling UK debut is full of humor and high-fashion hijinks—and now it’s coming to America. With all the humor and fabulous shenanigans of Louise Rennison’s Confessions of Georgia Nicolson and Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries, Geek Girl is about to become an international superstar.

  Um, LOVE. I was hooked the moment I read Stacey @ PrettyBooks‘s review (feels like ages ago!). So excited to see it was coming to America — and you should be, too!

  

  The Magician’s Lie by Greeg Macallister
  (Sourcebooks Landmark, January 13)
  

  Water for Elephants meets The Night Circus in The Magician’s Lie, a debut novel in which the country’s most notorious female illusionist stands accused of her husband’s murder –and she has only one night to convince a small-town policeman of her innocence.

  What an intriguing premise. Not only will the policeman have to guess if she’s telling the truth, but so will the reader! Suspenseful, quiet yet dramatic, and a train show. Yes yes yes.

  Remember, on January 6th, Jennifer Niven’s debut All the Bright Places will hit stores! Be sure to nab yourself a copy, especially if you love The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor & Park! Completely worth it. Several other amazing books come out in January, including Megan Shepherd’s A Cold Legacy and Patricia Bracewell’s The Price of Blood.

  Which books are you looking forward to in January?

  Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 2 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, ARC, books

• Book Review: “All the Bright Places” by Jennifer Niven (ARC)

  Posted at 8:30 am by Laura, on December 18, 2014

  All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

  Publisher: Knopf
  Publishing Date: January 6
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780385755887
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

  Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

  When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

  Theodore “Freak” Finch fluctuates between Awake and Asleep states, only it’s different from being awake and sleeping. One day he’s fine and energized and full of life; time passes, and later he’s disconnected, his only desire is to crawl into someplace dark and warm. He’ll come out some time later — a long time later — and he does this so often his friends and family think nothing of it. Violet Markey, once a cheerful and popular girl, is also disconnected from the world, blaming herself for her sister’s death in their shared car wreck. Brought together at the top of the school’s bell tower and  later in their US Geography class, Finch and Violet’s lives collide. She keeps him Awake, he keeps her Alive; together, they remind one another what it means to live, to wander, to find adventure, and sink into beauty. But as Violet’s world expands, Finch’s shrinks, to the point where she is his only star.

  When the publishers market this as The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor & Park, they weren’t kidding. Grab yourself a box of tissues, read up on mental illness, and grab a map of Indiana. You’re in for a very raw, emotional, enlightening, and literal journey.

  I want to meet Niven. I want to meet her and hug her and thank her. I want to bow at her feet. I want to buy all the copies ever of this book and give them to all of my friends — my undergraduate peers in the psychology department, the friends and coworkers with mental illnesses, the friends and family who are survivors of death and suicide. I want them to see that it is possible to write and read a book that touches upon these subjects exactly how it’s experienced, and yet treats them with love and respect and dignity.

  This is a book about death. It is not glorified nor is it shamed. This is a book about mental illness. It is not treated lightly nor does it sadden the reader — it’s enlightening. It’s refreshing. It’s filled with love and beauty. It’s a roller coaster ride, and Finch and Violet are our guides. Indiana is the back drop — and I’m so thrilled at how beautiful Niven paints this state. For once, Hoosier country isn’t simply defined by TFiOS, but this next great YA novel.

  It truly is great. I can’t even give this a proper review without accidentally revealing everything about this book. Just know that this is the book readers of all ages are waiting for.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this copy from Knopf for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 7 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Ravencliffe” by Carol Goodman (ARC)

  Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on November 18, 2014

  Ravencliffe by Carol Goodman

  Publisher: Viking
  Publishing Date: December 2
  Genre: young adult, fantasy, historical fiction, gothic
  ISBN: 9780670784776
  Goodreads: — 
  Rating: ★★★★

  Avaline Hall is no ordinary girl.

  She’s a student at Blythewood Academy, an elite boarding school that trains young women to defend human society from the shadowy forces that live among us.  After the devastating events of her first year at Blythewood, Ava is eager to reunite with her friends—and with Raven, the compelling but elusive winged boy who makes her pulse race. She soon discovers, though, that the sinister Judicus van Drood hasn’t finished wreaking havoc on Blythewood—and wants to use Ava and her classmates to attack a much bigger target.

  Ava’s the only one with any hope of stopping van Drood. But to scuttle his plans, she must reveal her deepest secret to everyone at Blythewood. What’s she willing to sacrifice to do what’s right—her school?  Her love?  Or her life?

  Avaline ended her first year at Blythewood with more than just the knowledge that fairies exist in our world — she knows who (or rather what) her father is. A tumultuous summer break leaves Ava nostalgic for the comforts of Blythewood and all it entails: routine, classes, her friends Daisy and Helen, and Raven, the Darkling who works so hard to convince her that not all Fae are evil. But returning to Blythewood actually leaves Ava more haunted than relieved, for Judicus van Drood has a sinister plan in mind, one that will destroy the school and leave any remaining girls exhausted, torn, and ruined. The only solution Ava can see is revealing her true nature, no matter the consequences.

  Gosh, if you thought Blythewood was magical and enchanting and touching in a way that only Harry Potter and A Great and Terrible Beauty could be, then you’ll fall head over heels for this. Amp up the gothic melodrama, throw in history of magic, allude to historical disasters to come and connect our world with that of the Fae, and you’ve got yourself Ravencliffe. While the first book met the standard expectations of typical Gothic literature, this one met every single point on target: the adventure, the heightened emotions, coincidences and quick solutions, and an all-encompassing romance.

  Do not devour this book all at once. Because of the heightened melodrama, the mix of so many new characters and settings, and one disaster piling on top of another (which leads to an inevitable explosion of an ending), it can feel like too much too soon if read quickly. Savor it. Enjoy it. Live each chapter. The best way to enjoy a book such as this is to take it slowly.

  For a concrete portion of a review — rather than my vague, cautionary ramblings and excitement over the fantastical — allow me to praise Goodman’s ability to keep the romance distinctly triangle-less. Ava is torn not between two boys — one human and one Darkling — but between two lifestyles: to accept the portion of herself that is Darkling, and therefore face potential exile from the human and Darkling worlds, or to shun that portion of herself and remain steadfastly human. That being said — and as real and honest and beautiful as her relationship is with Raven — I will not deny Nathan’s affections for her. It’s clear he prefers her company to others girls’ yet every interaction felt incredibly platonic. Thank goodness. The love they share for one another runs like siblings’ love. Also, every encounter Ava has with female Darklings and Raven cracked me up — it’s so typical for a girl, the way her mind jumped to unreasonable jealousy, and then mental slapping for ever thinking such a thing.

  This book is so much more than the romance, but I cannot delve too far into it without giving away major plot points. More magical creatures, more magical places, more ominous events tied to actual history, more self-discovery, more characters outside the Order, more alliances, more everything. It’s remarkable. I’m excited to see where Goodman takes us next.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Viking for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 0 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

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• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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