Tag: genre: young adult

• Book Review: “If I Stay” by Gayle Forman

  Posted at 7:25 pm by Laura, on June 10, 2014

  If I Stay by Gayle Forman 

  Publisher: Speak
  Published: April 2010
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780142415436
  Goodreads: 3.98
  Rating: ★★★★.5

  Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. In an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left. It is the most important decision she’ll ever make.

  It was supposed to be an ordinary day, a drive with her family to a friend’s house — not an extraordinarily tragic day where she  sees her family scattered and bloodied across the road, and herself among them. Mia watches the medics race her from the scene to the hospital’s ICU, witnesses the hoards of family and friends rushing to see her. Mia, the quiet and serious girl who applied to Juilliard for the cello; Mia, daughter with now-dead parents’ love for music running through her veins; Mia, the oddball girlfriend to cool soon-to-be-rockstar Adam; Mia, who must now decide to join her family or live a full life.

  

  Do you ever wonder what would happen to your friends and family when you die? Do you ever wonder how they would react, what they’d say and do? It’s so morbid a thought, but Forman runs with this idea, and the idea of choosing whether or not to live, and witnessing the procession of love while debating this difficult decision.

  My heart ached through the entire book. Mia’s loving family of musicians — the rocker parents and their community of free-spirited punks, the quiet Gramps and comfortingly chatty Gran, the adorable spitfire of a brother Teddy — was equally foreign and familiar. Their love for one another ran as deep as their love for music. Music is a big part of the makeup of my family as well, and reading this book felt like coming home. The heart of their love, of the music, felt authentic — names and songs and compositions were dropped left and right, but it never felt pretentious or assuming; it was simply a fact, a part of their conversations, a true part of their lives. To witness the collision and the subsequent aftermath was jarring and heartbreaking, and only made stronger for each seamless flashback Mia had when contemplating whether or not to pass on or fight for life.

  Though a romance is in this book, this book is not a romance. It is about death, life, and music. It is about difficult decisions, about fighting for what you love, for who you love. Her whole life, Mia felt like that odd one out in her punk rock family — the only one to enjoy classical music, to choose a classical instrument. Then she stumbles across Adam, and for the life of her she can’t figure out why he’s remotely interested in her. Adam, in her eyes, is fully realized: he knows who he is, what he wants, and his rock career is already taking flight. But his devotion to her, his complete and unconditional love, is so deep that it’s not just a “high school” relationship. Mia’s parents are right when they say they’ve fallen in love the adult way. Mia and Adam have their flaws, and they fight and struggle and work hard at their relationship, picking through the insecurities and restoring faith in one another. It’s beautiful — which makes her comatose state even more heartbreaking. Who is she without her parents and little brother? And yet, who is she without Adam, without her cello, without music?

  What would you choose?

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour” by Morgan Matson

  Posted at 8:50 am by Laura, on June 8, 2014

  Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson 

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
  Published: May 2011 (paperback), May 2010 (hardcover)
  Genre: young adult, travel
  ISBN: 9781416990666
  Goodreads: 4.07
  Rating: ★★★★

  Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it’s Amy’s responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn’t ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip – and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar – especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory – but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

  Amy’s life turned upside down after her father died in a car accident three months ago. Her brother’s in rehab in North Carolina, her mother’s in Connecticut preparing their new home, and Amy’s alone in their sold house in California. She has to bring their car to Connecticut, but she’s in no shape to get behind the wheel. Roger, an old family friend, offers to join the road trip on his way to visit his father in Philadelphia. Upon noticing the dull route Amy’s mother mapped out for them, the two decide to go on an adventure — hours in the car, nights in parking lots and hotels and friends’ homes, and diner meals across the country are only the beginnings of a blossoming affection and internal discoveries.

  Matson is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors — along with Gayle Forman and Sarah Dessen — for writing books that seem like it’ll be a sweet teen romance but end up revolving around the girl’s inner journey and growth. The focus on her development makes the flickering of romance all the more realistic and wholesome. Plus, parallel journeys with the self and literally across the country is absolutely perfect.

  Traveling with someone — friends, family, partner — can make or break a relationship. You notice their habits, you’re with them every waking moment, you make decisions together the can change the course of the trip. What was so beautiful about Amy and Roger (near strangers) was that they both knew the other had a reason for wanting to take a detour, and rather than questioning or pestering, they understood one another and accepted it. They listened to each other’s music, played Twenty Questions, and even worked on Amy’s travelog together. They got to know one another on a deep level rather quickly thanks to the tiny car and vast country.

  I can’t say much more about the characters and their journey without spoiling the book (although you may have already read it at this point), but I loved each stop they took, the people they met, the commentary they had about each state, and the descriptions of the landscape as they drove from one coast to the next. The travelog was neat too — receipts, photos, playlist notes, doodles, and random facts on the states — and gave us an in-depth glimpse of Amy and Roger’s growing affection for one another without the two realizing it was happening. Clever, cute, and wonderful.

  Matson is definitely an author to follow.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: travel, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Advance Excitement at a Glance VI

  Posted at 10:45 am by Laura, on June 6, 2014

  

  This year, in an effort to blog more, to become more involved with the blogging community, and to keep up with the latest publications, I thought I’d create a monthly post about the ARCs I’ve received. These ARCs will be read and reviewed a month prior to the publishing date. The Advance Excitement at a Glance posts will feature one or two (or more, depending on what happens this year) books to look forward to, and it will motivate me to keep my to-read list on track.

  Last month I announced The Girls at the Kingfisher Club, a book you can purchase today at your local bookstore! For July, I have a handful of ARCs, but in light of the YA support lately, I’ll reveal two YA romances.

  

  The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson
  (July 1, HarperTeen)

  Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter’s come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I’ve watched the danger swell.

  I’m tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don’t know why. I think it’s because death is coming for one of them, or both.

  Maggie and her family move from Chicago to a small town in northern Michigan along the lake coast. She befriends her free-spirited, beautiful neighbor Pauline and Pauline’s long-time shadow Liam. The three are inseparable, until Pauline is sent away. There’s a murderer in town, and Maggie and Liam seek comfort in one another through the long winter, in hopes that their bond with Pauline will not shatter once she discovers them.

  Sounds like a good romance mixed with some mystery and ghosts. Plus, winter in July sounds pretty nice.

  

  Through to You by Lauren Barnholdt
  (July 8, Simon Pulse)

  It starts with a scribbled note in class: I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.

  Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.

  Good girl Harper receives a flirty, carefree note from bad boy Penn and she’s immediately unsure of how to assess the situation. Penn doesn’t even know why he was moved to give her the note in the first place. But that note sparks a roller coaster friendship traveling at high speed, leaving both teens reeling.

  Who doesn’t want to read a a good-girl-meets-bad-boy romance every once in a while? This looks like just the ticket.

  Which ARCs did you receive for July? What books are you looking forward to reading?

  Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 0 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, ARC, books, genre: romance, genre: young adult

• Book Review: “Rebel Belle” by Rachel Hawkins

  Posted at 4:44 pm by Laura, on May 29, 2014

  

  Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins 

   

  Publisher: Putnam
  Published: April 8, 2014
  Genre: young adult, fantasy
  ISBN: 9780399256936
  Goodreads: 3.97
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper’s destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

  Just when life can’t get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she’s charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper’s least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David’s own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

  With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y’all beg for more.

  Harper Price, Pine Grove’s Queen Bee of Extracurricular Activities, would love nothing more than to continue her perfect life running SGA, preparing for Cotillion, racking up activities to win over colleges, and become Homecoming Queen. But a trip to the ladies’ room during the Homecoming dance proves to be more than she ever bargained for: the school janitor gives her powers as he dies on the floor, and she ninja-destroys her history teacher. Once a Paladin, she discovers she’s charged to protect David Stark, the school’s student journalist who always writes nasty things about Harper. He’s an Oracle, and they are bound together for life — and it seems their lives may be shortened in just a few weeks, as David’s prophecy of impending doom lands on Cotillion night.

  

  Oh, my. This book was hilarious and action-packed and made me want to rewatch all of my favorite Buffy episodes. It’s a similar concept at the core: adorable popular girl is granted superpowers and must protect people (in this case, one person) to the death. Throw in some excellent Southern culture, Harper’s adorable speech patterns, and David’s snarkiness, and you’re in for a treat. Grab a nice cool glass of sweet tea and enjoy.

  What I loved most about Rebel Belle was Harper herself. She’s overloaded with activities, schoolwork, and maintaining her relationship with boyfriend Ryan. She works hard to show her parents that she is still alive, even if her sister is not. And, most importantly, though she is the popular girl in the school, she’s not nasty. Harper is just as friendly as she is intelligent and into fashion. She’s a great blend of girly girl and brains — a bit like Legally Blonde. Even the way she would research her new powers was completely realistic. If you were to discover you suddenly had superhuman fighting skills, what would you do? Research superheroes, of course! What is a Paladin, what are origin stories, when will her coach arrive? She’s so brilliant. Go, Harper!

  I love this book. I want to befriend Harper, but since I can’t, I’ll clutch this book and anxiously wait for the sequel!

   

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Second Chance Summer” by Morgan Matson

  Posted at 11:26 am by Laura, on May 21, 2014

  Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson 

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 
  Published: May 7, 2013 (paperback)
  Genre: young adult
  ISBN: 9781416990680
  Goodreads: 4.13
  Rating: ★★★★

  Taylor Edwards has a tendency to run away when things get tough. But when her father is diagnosed with stage four cancer, Taylor knows this is one situation she can’t outrun.

  To have one last summer together, Taylor’s parents decide to take the family back to their old lake house in the Poconos. Even though Taylor was twelve the last time she went to Lake Phoenix, the people she left behind are still there — like her former best friend Lucy, who’s still hurting from a long-ago betrayal, and her first crush Henry, who’s gotten five years cuter.

  With nights full of fireflies and fireworks, the summer holds the possibility of forgiveness, and maybe even love. Taylor wants to hold on to the moment instead of walking away, but she knows the end of the summer is getting closer — and that time is running out to make the most of her second chance.

  Taylor is good at running away. Her brother’s a genius and her sister’s a talented dancer, and even though Taylor feels like the forgotten middle child with no extraordinary abilities, she knows she’s good at running away when things become too difficult. But she can’t do that now, with her father diagnosed with terminal cancer. The Edwards decide to spend one last summer at their lake house, and while Taylor is nervous facing old friend and new coworker Lucy, and tongue-tied around old crush and new neighbor Henry, she will do anything to make her father happy and proud. Morning breakfasts and life questions, star-gazing, movies on the beach, ice cream runs and bike rides — these are the things that number the days as Taylor works hard on second chances.

  The first slip I pulled from my TBR jar was this book, and I’m so glad it was!

  I’ve heard wonderful things about Matson’s work. My first experience with Matson’s writing was actually through her other pen name, Katie Finn, and the premise of the two books seemed too familiar and I was beginning to worry (same pizza preference, weird situation with friends from several years ago, lake house, etc). But I shouldn’t have. This book is miles away from what I expected.

  Second Chance Summer is about self-discovery, overcoming fears, facing reality even in the darkest times, and embracing the happy moments fully. Taylor grows from a scared, insecure teen into a determined young woman. Not only did she work extra hard to quit running away when facing the inevitable, she strived to make amends with Lucy and Henry — who, quite honestly, were very understanding and wonderful characters. Though Lucy and Taylor have changed a lot in the last five years apart, the root of their friendship was very tangible, making it easier to reconcile the past. Henry, too, was a reassuring presence for Taylor, the basis of their relationship built on those years of separation and growth. From shifts at the snack bar to fireworks on the docks, you watch Taylor slowly piece together who she is and what she wants to be.

  But as great of a summer with friends can be, Taylor is never completely unaware of her father’s deterioration. With each passing week — and soon, each passing day — Taylor learns about the man behind the booming lawyer voice and silly puns, and tries to not notice his weight loss, his wincing, his skin. They share ice cream runs after picking up corn and black licorice from the grocery store; a stray dog, with Taylor’s help, becomes his constant companion; they swap placemat questions at a breakfast diner; they laugh at deadpan humor; they share music tastes and watch favorite movies. Every moment was laced with happiness, longing, and sorrow, and by the end there’s no point in wiping the tears from your face because they’ll keep coming anyway.

  Second Chance Summer is deep and powerful in a very understated way. It’s a beautiful and light summer story mixed with the reality of the mortality and inevitability of life. Very few YA books can create such strong, conflicting emotions and weave them seamlessly throughout. For naysayers out there who claim YA is filled with garbage, hand them this book. Sometimes, YA is more than any adult fiction could be.

  Last but not least: Murphy, adorkable love-struck Warren, the slumber party scene, and Casablanca.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• It’s #IreadYA week!

  Posted at 11:45 am by Laura, on May 19, 2014

  Today I’m bombarding Twitter with my YA recommendations. I picked the books that popped into my head first, because there are just too many wonderful YA reads out there to name them all. This morning began with this Instagram photo:

  

  All zeh books! (Well, a dent of my library!)

  #IreadYA is hosted by this is teen, an online community of YA readers. This week readers are celebrating everything YA. Today is a book recommendation day, Tuesday is #IfMoviesWereYA, Wednesday involves personality quizzes and character match-ups, Thursday is RelationSHIP day where you get to be the matchmaker across the YA board, and Friday ends with book recommendations for YA characters.

  Interested in participating? Sign up, grab a logo, or follow all the #IreadYA hashtags across various social media.

  Reviews available on this blog:

  1. Between Shades of Gray
  2. The Hallowed Ones
  3. Along for the Ride
  4. Name of the Star 
  5. Shadowfell
  6. Fangirl
  7. The Beautiful and the Cursed
  8. Just One Day
  9. Just One Year
  10. The Fault in Our Stars 
  11. Daughter of Smoke and Bone
  12. Prisoner of Night and Fog 
  13. Defiance
  14. Madman’s Daughter
  15. The Boy on the Bridge
  16. A Mad, Wicked Folly
  Posted in books, Update Post | 4 Comments | Tagged #ireadya, books, genre: young adult, personal

• Book Review: “Dreams of Gods and Monsters” by Laini Taylor

  Posted at 1:51 pm by Laura, on May 18, 2014

  Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor 

  Publisher: Little, Brown
  Published: April 8
  Genre: young adult, fantasy
  ISBN: 9780316134071
  Goodreads: 4.36
  Rating: ★★★★

  When the brutal angel emperor brings his army to the human world, Karou and Akiva are finally reunited — not in love, but in a tentative alliance against their common enemy. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves.

  In 72 hours, what can Resurrectionist Karou and angel Akiva hope to accomplish? A joined army of gods and monsters? An end to an endless war? A beginning to a seemingly-hopeless love?

  This took forever to read. I don’t know if it was because it was such a long book, because I didn’t want the trilogy to end, or both. I also don’t know how to write a review of this book — my mind is still a jumbled mess, and I’m only barely beginning to pick up the shattered remains from the explosion this book caused.

  Taylor is, without a doubt, one of the best YA fantasy writers out there. Her work is of high fantasy quality. Our world is merely a small blip compared to her creation. It was wonderful to sink back into Eretz, to see the chimera and angels, to discover new aspects of the world along with Zuz and Mik. The lyrical and humorous writing, the multiple point of views from Karou, Akiva, Zuz, Mik, human-originally-not-associated-with-these-characters Eliza, and just…wow. It was as fascinating and overwhelming as the previous two books. The timeline is packed with information, events, training, and battles across the globe and across dimensions — believe it or not, this book takes place in 72 hours. Phenomenal. Oh, and the sexual tension between Karou and Akiva — you could slice it with a knife. By the end, you are anxious for some face smashing.

  No matter how much I enjoyed it, what prevented this book from receiving five stars is the length. The quality was excellent, the story phenomenal, the characters wonderful, the depth of world-building awe-inspiring — but I felt there were too many subplots within the story that were unnecessary. I even imagined some of those subplots taken out, and with them removed it still didn’t change the core of the plot. Honestly, it could have cut 100-200 pages from the book. I hardly ever comment on the length of a book, but in this particular case there may have been too many punches packed in this finale.

  This trilogy is near and dear to my heart, and I bow to Taylor’s magic.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Open Road Summer” by Emery Lord

  Posted at 12:47 pm by Laura, on May 14, 2014

  Open Road Summer by Emery Lord 

  Publisher: Walker/Bloomsbury
  Published: April 15
  Genre: young adult, romance, travel, music
  ISBN: 9780802736109
  Goodreads: 4.07
  Rating: ★★★★★

  After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking.

  Reagan and Delilah have been best friends since elementary school. A pinch of talent and a stroke of luck changed Dee from an adorably awkward girl with a passion for country music into Lilah Montgomery, America’s sweetheart and teen sensation. Her fame and Reagan’s rebellious streak never break their infinite bond, and they are quite happy about that. For her first headline tour, Dee asks Reagan to come along, and Reagan is happy to oblige. Both friends are nursing wounds and lean on one another for strength, happiness, and support. When a tabloid photo threatens to turn the Lilah Montgomery brand upside-down, once-famed star Matt Finch joins the tour to help boost positive publicity. His presence works wonders, and the summer tour turns out to be so much more than either friend expected.

   

  

  Ridiculous disclaimer first: 1) My coworkers teased me for calling this “my Taylor Swift book,” because explaining the plot and themes and beautiful friendship would take too much time when I so desperately wanted to get back to reading. 2) I’ve never understood the concept of people naming their favorite fictional boy and calling him their Book Boyfriend…until now.

  Reagan and Dee’s friendship is raw, true, comfortable, unconditional, and absolutely stunning. They’re sisters, they have the same soul, they share brain waves, whatever you use to describe your dearest and closest friend(s), that’s what these two are. Reagan comes from a broken family and deals with it in rather harmful ways, but her friendship with Dee is pure and unwavering. Dee helps Reagan to her feet 100%, and supports Reagan’s effort to shape herself into something new, admirable, and better. Dee is a sweet, caring, lighthearted spirit, who works so hard to not crack under pressure and attempts to brush off the horrid tabloids and false news reports. Reagan’s known Dee for a long time, and Dee is a very grounded, family-oriented, small-town country girl living the life of famed country stars. It was wonderful to see how the two of them orbit one another, how Dee’s fame doesn’t get to her head, how Reagan doesn’t take advantage of this friendship, how these girls will stick to each other through thick and thin, across distance and time. Thank you, Lord, for writing such a beautiful friendship in this unique circumstance.

  Similarly — and I don’t know how to put this into better words — I loved seeing the side of celebrity normally hidden in the shadows. It’s ridiculous to think celebrities are perfect and wonderful all the time, that they’re gods and superhuman. It’s ridiculous how quickly the public changes opinion of them when one mistake is splashed across the web, magazines, and news. Because really, celebrities are just like us, the “normal” people of “reality.” We know this, but I don’t think we truly comprehend this. Matt’s character and Reagan’s interactions with him truly flesh out this aspect of celebrity life. With Dee and Reagan, their friendship hardly changed when Dee stumbled into fame. There was a Before. Matt Finch was part of a family band as a young teen, fell out of fame, released one solo album, and disappeared. Reagan knows who he is prior to meeting him in person, but it hits her in the face when she witnesses his efforts to maintain a mask for the stage, for the photographers, and then alone with her and Dee. He’s the sweetheart boy-next-door with a talent for guitar and piano and a handsome face. He’s broken inside and communicates through music — just like Reagan communicates through photography. And even though Reagan likes the charming Celebrity Matt Finch, she loves Reality Matt Finch more. And that relationship, too, is beautiful.

  Open Road Summer is a remarkable debut shedding light on the lives of celebrities backstage, when the photographers are gone and the mics are off; a stunning reflection on a healthy, strong friendship through life’s highs and lows; and a heartwarming love between two broken souls attempting to piece themselves back together.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: music, genre: romance, genre: travel, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Lovely and the Lost” by Page Morgan (ARC)

  Posted at 4:41 pm by Laura, on May 11, 2014

  The Lovely and the Lost by Page Morgan 

  Publisher: Delacorte Press
  Publishing Date: May 13
  Genre: young adult, fantasy, gothic
  ISBN: 9780385743136
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Ingrid and Gabby survived the Underneath. They saved their brother, Grayson, from a future of dark servitude and exposed a plot to undermine the Alliance. But danger still lurks in the streets of Paris, and the Dispossessed, perched on the city’s bridges and rooftops, might not be able to save their human wards this time.

  Two months after surviving the Underneath, Ingrid and Gabby are training hard in their newfound abilities and passions and Grayson attempts to control his shifting. Ingrid works closely with Monsieur Constantine to control her lightning, and Gabby fights demons alongside reluctant Chelle. But disorder erupts upon their father’s arrival and the return of the Alliance. Fallen angel Axia is still plotting to destroy Ingrid, but the Dispossessed, the Alliance, and another secret order have plans for each of the Waverly siblings. There is only so much Luc can manage before things truly begin to tip over the edge.

  Do not continue reading this review if you haven’t read The Beautiful and the Cursed.

  The action, adventure, and fantasy elements are even stronger; stakes even higher; plot even more complicated. What began as a unique spin in paranormal romance (think Mortal Instruments but darker, more dangerous, and with gargoyles) has turned into a lush story for every character involved — so rich in detail, in risk, that I cannot comprehend what the outcome will be in the final book. Side characters like Vander and Nolan are fleshed out further, to the point where the sisters and the reader notice their flaws. In the first book, they made the perfect romantic conquests. The obvious hero of Ingrid and Gabby’s stories. But with this next installment, we learn more about their past, their opinions and values, their future plans. It was a joy to read, because it created a sense of reality in the fantasy.

  The primary narrators — Ingrid, Gabby, Grayson, and Luc — are showcased once again, with their tumultuous emotions and thoughts, their interwoven adventures and separate plots. Gabby struggles with her scars but is strengthened by her drive to become an Alliance member. Ingrid struggles between Vander and Luc in a way that doesn’t come across as a love triangle — it’s complicated to describe, but it’s so very clear which one she loves as a brother and as a lover that it doesn’t feel like a triangle. Her power is more controllable, but with its growth comes extreme danger for everyone involved. Grayson, on the other hand, lacks control in his shifting, but attempts to harness his demon-side and work with the Alliance instead of against them. And poor, poor Luc…he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place, and his turmoil just made me want to curl up and cry. So much responsibility weighs him down, and he is forever at odds with his love for Ingrid. It’s heartbreaking.

  Like Morgan’s first book, the final 50-odd pages are just pure action from each point of view. It was like a movie with different camera angles, each new narrator coming into the picture just as another leaves. It’s amazing how she appears to easily weave these sequences together. Well done.

  This is more than a second book in a trilogy. This book could stand on its own. It has its own plot, rather than a link between the first and last books. New secret societies with cruel intentions crop up, new influential characters are introduced, new stakes and struggles and topics. A beautiful and thrilling read. I cannot wait till it hits shelves — and I’m really looking forward to the final book!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Delacorte Press for review!

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

• Unfortunate Case of DNFs

  Posted at 7:03 pm by Laura, on May 6, 2014

  DNF: Did Not Finish.

  We’ve all experienced this in one way or another. The book was too boring. The book was too graphic. The book was a walking cliche. The book was nothing like you expected — none of the characters, the plot twists, the writing.

  Over time, I’ve learned to just stop reading something if I haven’t enjoyed it. I’ve rarely come across this issue, and as you can see from the blog, this is the first DNF post I’ve made since the formation of this blog in December 2011. I always manage to find a reason to keep reading books. But with Life knocking at the door, time constraints on digital ARCs, and the simple fact that one should spend time enjoying life’s pleasures, I’ve had to close books early.

  These two particular books — both ARCs due out this month — met such unfortunate endings.

  Royally Lost by Angie Stanton 
  Publisher: Harper Collins
  Publishing Date: TODAY, May 6
  Genre: young adult, romance, travel
  Goodreads
  Why I DNF: Becca whines and complains quite often – it’s a wonder Nikolai is attracted to her at all. She’s got a very first-world-problems thing going on for not enjoying a trip to Europe, as well (even one with emotionally distant family members and old folks). Nikolai is a good enough character, but Becca was incredibly difficult, and so I cannot finish.

  Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn 
  Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
  Publishing Date: May 13
  Genre: young adult
  Goodreads
  Why I DNF: The premise was enticing, and it seemed like it would be a nice, enjoyable, fun summer read. While the first 100 pages felt promising, the rest of the book came across like a completely different story, with a different voice, purpose, narration, characters…
  The motivation for the characters seemed unrealistic and petty, too. While I can completely understand an 11-year-old girl’s vengeful actions and blinding guilt, I cannot comprehend how a person five years later can plan revenge on the off-chance she’d stumble across the person again — and then execute the plan. 
  Maybe this is how classic villains are made. Maybe this is what’s so entertaining about trashy teen TV shows. Whatever the case may be, the book was not for me. I had to stop reading it entirely and instead skimmed to the end.

  Thank you, Edelweiss and MacKids, for providing these books for review. I’m so sorry that I did not enjoy them and could not finish them.

  Have you received ARCs for these books? What did you think of them? In what scenario would you stop reading a book?

   

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 6 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, dnf, 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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