Frenetic Reader

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

When Lupita discovers Mami has been diagnosed with cancer, she is terrified by the possibility of losing her mother, the anchor of their close-knit Mexican American family.

In the midst of juggling high school classes, finding her voice as an actress, and dealing with friends who don’t always understand, Lupita desperately wants to support her mother by doing anything she can to help. While Papi is preoccupied with caring for Mami, Lupita takes charge of her seven younger siblings. Struggling in her new roles and overwhelmed by change, Lupita escapes the chaos of home by writing in the shade of a mesquite tree, seeking refuge in the healing power of words.

Told in evocative free verse, Lupita’s journey is both heart-wrenching and hopeful. Under the Mesquite is an empowering story about the testing of family bonds, the strength of a teenage girl navigating pain and hardship, and the kind of love that cannot be uprooted.

Review:

This book is another prime example of my horrible procrastination habits-- it took me months to finally read it, which was a silly choice on my part for Under the Mesquite is a beautifully written, emotional novel despite its brevity.

However, its brevity still prevented me from loving this book completely. It's about 250 pages long, but considering it's written in verse and covers so many years, it seems even shorter. This short length often prevents certain characters from being well developed, because they either leave Lupita's life after one year or seem to change completely in the time that she doesn't cover. In the grand scheme of things, though, this qualm is a bit insignificant in comparison to the wonderful development of Lupita and her writing. Poetry inherently makes everything simply sound more emotionally charged, but the detail and thought Lupita puts into her words elevate her writing even further, making it easy to connect to her situation. Her detail helps showcase her harried feelings about her mother's condition and her family, and coupled with just as wonderfully described moments of joy that inevitably occur, the narrative is truly something beautiful and heart wrenching.

It's not a flashy or action-packed book, and it fell too flat with certain characterization for my liking, but the intense emotion and lovely writing make Under the Mesquite worth a read.

Book details: Lee & Low Books/Hardcover/$17.95

Source: sent by publisher for review

Waiting on Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. Descriptions and such from goodreads.

Today I'm waiting on:

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando

An all-day scavenger hunt in the name of eternal small-town glory.

With only a week until graduation, there’s one last thing Mary and her friends must do together: participate in the Oyster Point High Official Unofficial Senior Week Scavenger Hunt. And Mary is determined to win.

Mary lost her spot at Georgetown to self-professed “it” bully Pete Lembo, and she’s not about to lose again. But everyone is racing for the finish line with complicated motives, and the team’s all-night adventure becomes all-night drama as shifting alliances, flared tempers, and crushing crushes take over. As the items and points pile up, Mary and her team must reinvent their strategy—and themselves—in order to win.

---

I totally enjoyed Tara Altebrando's Dreamland Social Club and have been eager to read another book by her. I also have a inexplicable fondness for scavenger hunts and tales of college angst so I'm doubly excited to read this one.

Released July 5.

Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:47:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

The football field is a battlefield.

There's an extraordinary price for victory at Oregrove High. It is paid on - and off - the football field. And it claims its victims without mercy - including the most innocent bystanders.

When a violent, steroid-infused, ever-escalating prank war has devastating consequences, an unlikely friendship between a talented but emotionally damaged fullback and a promising gymnast might hold the key to a school's salvation.

Told in alternating voices and with unapologetic truth, Leverage illuminates the fierce loyalty, flawed justice, and hard-won optimism of two young athletes.

Review:

Every time my friend Jordyn of the blog Ten Cent Notes recommends a book, I take a horribly long time to finally get around to reading it even though I always end up loving her recommendations. This might be the worst instance of my procrastination because, my goodness, this is one heck of a book.

"Enjoyed" is not exactly the word I would use to describe my feelings on this book, for it's far too horrific and intense for it to be a pleasurable reading experience-- my love for this book is definitely more on the masochistic side. From the very beginning of the novel, when the awkward gymnast Danny meets the stuttering football player Kurt, it's obvious that even though they don't have much of a relationship early on, the interactions between their two teams are not going to be pretty. It's the stars of the football team that appear (and remain) the most horrific people, but as the novel progresses, everyone has their awful moments. The actions the boys take are just sick, immoral, horrifying, heartbreaking, and demand the question of why anyone would do such stupid and disgusting things. On more than one occasion I had to text the aforementioned Jordyn exclaiming shock and horror at what I was reading because some things were just too graphic and intense for me to not freak out over.

However, despite all the horror occurring, the book doesn't use them purely for shock value, as evidenced by the care in developing the characters as well. While some of the minor characters, like the football captains, seemed a bit flat in that they do most of the same things throughout the story, the other leads are simply wonderful, especially narrators Danny and Kurt. Danny is so very unassuming and that's part of his charm; although his father does not care much about his sport and there's better people on the team, he tries his hardest and when he doesn't do the right thing, his guilt and torment are painfully evident. I love Kurt even more because even though it hurts to see him stutter and struggle over the scarring events of his past, watching him move past those things and figure out what exactly he should be doing is so very moving, especially in the book's conclusion.

Leverage is hard to read because of its horrifying events, but it's so wonderfully written and developed that the emotional havoc it wreaks is well worth it.

Book details: Dutton/Hardcover/$17.99

Source: bought

Quote Post!

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Because I don't have an In My Mailbox for today and quotes are my favorites:

“Remember that at any given moment there are a thousand things you can love.”

- The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan

“Time passes too quickly when you're getting ready to do something you don't want to do.”

- Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

“Nothing ever really goes away--it just changes into something else. Something beautiful.”

- Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

“Sometimes the facts in my head get bored and decide to take a walk in my mouth. Frequently this is a bad thing.”

- So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld (Underrated book!)

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?

Review:

Although I tend to shy away from paranormal stories like they're the plague, I can handle them when they're a bit more fantasy and wrapped up in a light package; hence, I enjoyed Fairy Bad Day immensely.

The premise of this book is a bit ridiculous-- hipster fairies! -- but that's part of this book's charm. I love the wide variety of creatures included and that all of them, no matter their level of danger, are slayed; it doesn't get much better than murder. I wish there was more of an introduction to the other creatures, techniques, and school because Emma's friends all are assigned to slay different things and they don't get as big a chance to shine. But, at least the main villains, the fairies, were nicely developed-- I wish the worst of the worst appeared sooner and wasn't so over-the-top, but hey, at least it was fun. I had a blast reading Emma's adventures in finding out just what she was up against, because as she digs deeper, she's forced to confront some hard-hitting truths about herself, her family, and her slaying way of life.

Just like my feelings about the plot and premise, my thoughts on the characters lean toward both wishing they were better developed and not really minding since they're so entertaining anyway. Emma, as anyone else in this story would, does not handle her fairy assignment with grace, but as she gets used to dealing with the creatures, she becomes hilariously snarky and simultaneously tough. I wish her love interest, Curtis, was as nicely developed and amusing because although there are some delightful twists involved in his life that make the fantastical aspects of this world all the more interesting, he does not particularly stand out. Everyone else is also a bit interchangeable for me; I remember people's habits, like Emma's friend's penchant for horoscopes, much more than I remember names, but that may just be my poor memory failing me once again.

It's no award winner or stunning piece of work, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Fairy Bad Day is one insanely fun, adorable read.

Book details: Speak/Paperback/$7.99

Source: sent by publisher for review

In Darkness by Nick Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

"Shorty" is a Haitian boy trapped in the ruins of a hospital when the earth explodes around him. Surrounded by lifeless bodies and growing desperately weak from lack of food and water, death seems imminent. Yet as Shorty waits in darkness for a rescue that may never come, he becomes aware of another presence, one reaching out to him across two hundred years of history. It is the presence of slave and revolutionary leader Toussaint L'Ouverture, whose life was marred by violence, and whose own end came in darkness. What unites a child of the slums with the man who would shake a troubled country out of slavery? Is it the darkness they share . . . or is it hope?

Raw, harrowing, and peopled with vibrant characters, In Darkness is an extraordinary book about the cruelties of man and nature, and the valiant, ongoing struggle for a country's very survival.

Review:

In Darkness is a rather ambitious book because it attempts to cover three stories: Shorty's time in the now ruined hospital, Shorty's life before hospitalization, and the life of Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L'Ouverture. I appreciated the equally unique and compelling stories but the combination of the three left me feeling a bit ambivalent about the book as a whole.

But, to start with the positives: Shorty's life is full of so much danger and cruelty that it was impossible for me not to keep reading his story. He covers pretty much his whole life during the narrative, which could have easily made the novel a superficial summary, but enough emphasis is given to the most important and climactic bits that the dangerous Haiti he inhabits comes to life. Because he does not shy away from describing the despicable aspects of gang life and his own past, the story he tells is simultaneously compelling, horrifying, and emotional. The time he spends describing his time in the hospital ruins manages to be just as attention-grabbing, because despite the short amount of time he spends on his current situation, each included snippet manages to have such power and emotion that his writing seems just as suffocating and eerie as the darkness around him.

However, there is one glaring thing that left my feelings on this book more calm than enthusiastic: Toussaint L'Ouverture. I can see why every other chapter was devoted to the story of the leader, but to be quite honest I personally did not really care to find out what happened in his life. It's an interesting story, at the very least, but it never elicited any emotional reaction from me so I was more annoyed than anything about having to read through his chapters before returning to Shorty's.

Although half the chapters centered on a story line I did not really care to read about, the rest of In Darkness impressed me with its realism, power, emotional intensity, and unique premise.

Book details: Bloomsbury/Hardcover/$17.99

Source: sent by publisher for review

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

Review:

I've been making an effort to read the books that have been in my review pile the longest, and because Hunger is so short, I picked it up as part of my goal to whittle my to-be-read stack down. It's a nice and quick read, but its short length also prevented it from standing out in my mind.

I have to give props to any author that manages to use a premise that hasn't been done to death, and the Four Horsemen theme of this book is one that's refreshingly new. Because Lisbeth becomes the new rider of Famine so early, the book's action begins just as fast. The duties she has as Famine are strange and dark enough to always keep my attention, especially when she must interact with the other Horsemen, but her real life is just as compelling. Although the book is so small, there's always plenty of time devoted to Lisbeth's struggles with eating disorders and those who she comes across in her everyday life. Because both her "real" life and life as Famine are so intense, the novel is similarly emotional, and I enjoyed seeing her two worlds collide and morph each other.

However, this book's fatal flaw is that it is so woefully short-- not even 200 pages. Despite the fantastic concept, there is simply not enough time for it to be fully developed; as soon as the novel truly gets going and I began to understand Lisbeth's duties, it was over. The characters also suffer because of the length; although Lisbeth is believable, the rest of her friends and even her fellow Horsemen are simply not present enough for them to seem anything more than vehicles to move the plot forward instead of realistic people.

It has a great premise and intensity, but Hunger would need so much more development of its myths and characters for me to really like it.

Book details: Graphia/Paperback/$8.99

Source: BEA '10 (yeah, I know)

Orchards by Holly Thompson

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

After a classmate commits suicide, Kana Goldberg—a half-Japanese, half-Jewish American—wonders who is responsible. She and her cliquey friends said some thoughtless things to the girl. Hoping that Kana will reflect on her behavior, her parents pack her off to her mother's ancestral home in Japan for the summer. There Kana spends hours under the hot sun tending to her family's mikan orange groves.

Kana's mixed heritage makes it hard to fit in at first, especially under the critical eye of her traditional grandmother, who has never accepted Kana's father. But as the summer unfolds, Kana gets to know her relatives, Japan, and village culture, and she begins to process the pain and guilt she feels about the tragedy back home. Then news about a friend sends her world spinning out of orbit all over again.

Review:

I've always had an inexplicable penchant for novels written in verse, so it was with great excitement that I discovered this book is written in poetry. The emotionally charged writing style kept this book consistently compelling even though some sections could have just as easily been reformatted into prose and even though there was sometimes not a lot of action occurring.

It was a bit difficult for me to receive the full impact of Kana's classmate's death, for the book does not spend much time at Kana's home. Although she describes the events of the past, so much of the book takes place in Japan that I often did not see the full scope of Kana's remorse or the effect she claimed the death had on her friends too. Still, even without the in-depth discussion of what occurred, it was easy to see Kana grow over the course of the novel. Her difficulty in acclimating to her temporary Japanese home highlighted her intense feelings and gave her so much more to angst over that it was never hard to realize how terribly she felt. And, as she tries new things and attempts to fix what is wrong, it was equally easy to see the effect her time of reflection had upon her.

A few other aspects of this book I have mixed feelings about, mainly due to simply my personal preference. For example, any non-USA setting always intrigues me. There's plenty of time spent describing the Japanese countryside and way of living Kana must become used to, but my intense wanderlust always made me want even more. I also would have preferred a faster connection to the things happening at Kana's home because what eventually happens is worth much more time, but even with its slow introduction, it managed to make a big, intense impact.

I would have preferred more development in regards to the events back home, but even without that, I found Orchards to be a nicely written and emotional read.

Review: Delacorte Press/Hardcover/$17.99

Source: ALA conference

In My Mailbox

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:31:00 +0000

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Cult ure Junkie. Descriptions and such from goodreads.

I spent my Christmas gift cards last week and the books finally arrived. Too many to post descriptions and such of them all, but a couple highlights:

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

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

I do not care about the actual sport of football at all but football related things I always find to be enjoyable, mainly because they remind me of Friday Night Lights.

Wintertown by Stephen Emond

Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has chopped dyed black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth, "Old Lucy" still exists, and he's determined to find her... even if it means pissing her off.

Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in this funny and poignant illustrated novel about opposites who fall in love.

There are pictures in this book, so clearly I am very excited. The Nick and Norah comparison doesn't hurt either.

Other books that came with these:

Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen (I already read this one and my goodness it is really, really intense. Disturbingly so. It's awesome, too, and definitely makes an impact.)
Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker
The Kid Table by Andrea Seigel
Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer
Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler, art by Maira Kalman

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

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

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

Review:

A Series of Unfortunate Events, written by Daniel Handler under the name Lemony Snicket, was my absolute favorite series as a child, so it was with great excitement that I picked up Why We Broke Up. It left me a bit underwhelmed, perhaps because it had my love for A Series of Unfortunate Events to live up to, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I love the way this book is structured, with a picture of each item and then the explanation behind it. The drawings are all delightfully colorful and helped point the book in the same direction, because sometimes it seemed like certain objects had such long stories that Min started to ramble. Her rambling is a bit of annoying trait made even worse by the fact that her sentences would become so long and convoluted that I would sometimes I have to reread them to get the full meaning; however, every time there was a new piece of the story to tell, she seemed to go back on track. Other than that annoyance, I did like the plot of this book quit a lot. Because Min covers her and Ed's relationship from start to finish, there were all the ups and downs that come in between, making it a consistently compelling read, especially because those two had plenty of chaos amidst all their adorable moments.

A few other things did not sit quite as well with me. I did like Min, mainly because her of penchant for old movies and her wit, but she kind of lost me when it came to Ed. They seemed so inherently mismatched that I spent much of the novel baffled by their status as a couple, especially when their feelings became so deep so quickly in their relationship. It didn't help that Ed is a rather annoying in his stupidity. Luckily, the minor characters, however brief their appearances may be, make up for the lackluster love interest with their intelligence, admittance that Ed is a poor choice, and humorous interactions, mainly with Min.

A bit too lengthy and short on development for my taste, but I did like the unique structure and always intriguing story line of Why We Broke Up enough to really enjoy it.

Book details: Little, Brown/Hardcover/$19.99

Source: gift

Waiting on Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. Descriptions and such from goodreads.

Today I'm waiting on:

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.

---

Megan Crewe's first novel, Give Up the Ghost, was one of my favorite books of 2009* and I've been not-so-patiently waiting for another book from her ever since. I'm sure this one will be well worth the wait, because it sounds like a delightfully bleak tale.

Released January 24.

*I didn't realize it was so long ago. I AM OLD.

Ditched by Robin Mellom

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first.
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

And then ditched her.

Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together — stain by stain on her thrift-store dress — exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag's moving car...

But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love.

Filled with humor, charm, and romance, Ditched: A Love Story by debut novelist Robin Mellom will have readers dreaming of love on their own prom nights.

Review:

Sometimes all I want to read is something purely funny-- no melodramatic angst or any of that nonsense. This book fits the bill perfectly.

I read the summary of Ditched and anticipated that it would be a bit ridiculous, but it's even more insane that I imagined. It's hard to believe that this sequence of events-- or sometimes even an individual event-- would ever occur, but do I care? Of course not. As Justina tells more of her night to the two women she meets at 7-11 The Morning After, the story gets stranger and therefore more entertaining. I felt bad that everything was going wrong, but Justina handled most things with such humor and sass that I couldn't help but laugh not only at the disasters, but also at her narration. I often wished the chapters when she'd interact with the 7-11 Ladies weren't there because they prevented me from more quickly finding out just how Justina ended up there, but the importance they hold by the end won me over too.

However, Ditched isn't only about the crazy; there's some friendship and romance thrown in too. Ian, Justina's best friend and date, is the perfect love interest for this story, because, like Justina's memory about certain events of the night, he's a bit hard to figure out. At times I couldn't help but love him as much as Justina, and at others his actions were just so shady that, like her, I'd be full of rage. The way their relationship ends up is perfect for the story too-- a little too perfect, but I liked it nonetheless. I just wish Justina's friends and classmates were as nicely developed; they were more stereotypical than not, even with the occasional glimpses into the depths of their personalities, but most were so amusing that I didn't mind much while reading.

A bit ridiculous, a bit cliche, but always riotously entertaining and ultimately sweet.

Book details: Hyperion/Hardcover/$16.99

Source: sent by author for review

Legend by Marie Lu

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Review:

I heard nothing but positive things about Legend before reading, and so much hype is always hard to live up to. The book didn't quite meet my expectations but there's still plenty I like about it.

The major thing that prevented Legend from living up to all I had heard is just how long it takes it to truly get going. The book's official summary, the one above, does a better job than most at hiding the secrets the characters discover later on, but these secrets take a ridiculously long time to be uncovered in the actual novel. It was also incredibly easy to at least have an idea as to what shady government business is going down, which took all the fun and suspense out of the eventual reveal. The time it took did allow for some excellent action and conflict to occur, a seemingly nonstop supply of it, but I'd rather have a big, non-anticlimactic secret after all that previous excitement.

Despite my grievances, I do like other aspects of this book, namely its two narrators. Both June and Day, because they're from such vastly different areas, manage to be equally interesting. I enjoyed seeing the effect of both of their homes upon them, because even with their similarities in mind, it was easy to see the edge and style the military or slums gave each of them. I loved even more when their paths overlapped, because the contrast between their lifestyles is so drastic that it makes for some interesting, complex conflict. However, the romance between them is lackluster at best, because there really isn't a basis for it and yet I always got the impression that it's supposed to be a huge deal.

It could have used a bit more development and a faster start, but the action and equally intriguing main characters makes me think that, despite my lack of "!!! love" for Legend, there's plenty of hope for the series' next installments.

Book details: Putnam/Hardcover/$17.99

Source: sent by publisher for review

In My Mailbox

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:46:00 +0000

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Cult ure Junkie. Descriptions and such from goodreads.

This week I received one book, lent to me by my very best friend:

Terrier by Tamora Pierce

Tamora Pierce begins a new Tortall trilogy introducing Beka Cooper, an amazing young woman who lived 200 years before Pierce's popular Alanna character. For the first time, Pierce employs first-person narration in a novel, bringing readers even closer to a character that they will love for her unusual talents and tough personality.

Beka Cooper is a rookie with the law-enforcing Provost's Guard, and she's been assigned to the Lower City. It's a tough beat that's about to get tougher, as Beka's limited ability to communicate with the dead clues her in to an underworld conspiracy. Someone close to Beka is using dark magic to profit from the Lower City's criminal enterprises--and the result is a crime wave the likes of which the Provost's Guard has never seen before.

I've never read a Tamora Pierce book, which I feel is sacrilege to some people. I've been assured by my bestie that it's awesome, so I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

Five Books You May Have Missed in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

A lot of great books came out in 2011, some that received more attention that others. Here are five you may have overlooked:

1. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Actually, there's a pretty good chance you didn't miss this one, but I really like it and didn't manage to put it anywhere on my end-of-the-year favorite lists, and thus I include it here. It's a wonderfully written, heartbreaking book and I'm excited to see it snatch every award.

2. Pink by Lili Wilkinson

Funny, sometimes silly but always smart, and it has a musical. This book is everything I could ever want.

3. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Yes, the incest book. It's disturbing on pretty much every level, and that's what makes it so fantastic.

4. Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

I take every chance I can to proclaim my love for this book, and thus I feel like I've run out of new ways to say how awesome it is. Just trust me: it's good.

5. Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando

On my mental list of favorite things, shady carnivals are absurdly high-ranked. Their inclusion in this book, along with the awesome setting and memorable characters, makes it pretty great.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

Review:

The Probability of Miracles sounds exactly like my type of book, but I sadly didn't end up particularly liking it. I completely understand why someone would love this book, but the complete lack of emotional connection left me feeling pretty ambivalent about it.

There's a lot of things I like about this book-- in theory. I like Cam's sass and humor, which, even in the darkest moments of the book, never seems to let up despite the book's often emotionless tone. I like Cam's relationship with her mother and sister, because even when they can't manage to be completely serious or straight with each other, it's always easy to see just how much they care for one another. I like how Cam sets out to go on adventures, even if some of her goals made me roll my eyes. I like the boy she meets, Asher, because of the drama and fun he leads to, even though he was sometimes too perfect. However, do I actually like these things? I'm not sure. I know I don't dislike them, but I don't feel anything for them either.

There are a few things I really do like, though: the setting and the ending. The setting for its quirky nature and because it allows the Cooper family to add a bit of sunshine to the dreary Maine and branch out from the life of hospitals in which they all have to live. The ending's hard to discuss, because, well, it's the end, but suffice it to say that it's perfect for this book and made me feel something when the rest of the book didn't.

The Probability of Miracles is great in theory but made me feel so little that I, sadly, don't really have a personal opinion on it.

Book details: Razorbill/Hardcover/$17.99

Source: sent by publisher for review

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

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

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.

Review:

The title of this book put me off not because I can never manage to say it correctly, but because there is really nothing I hate more in novels than people falling in love after approximately ten seconds of knowing each other. I was definitely anticipating that kind of annoying romance, but luckily, it never appeared-- one of the many things that surprised me about this book.

I love stories with small casts or that take place over a short amount of time or, really, anything that pushes the story in a more unconventional direction. Quirks like those can definitely make it more difficult for a story to be any good, but luckily the one day setting and small cast helped this book more than hurt it. Despite the short length of time it covers, Hadley manages to go plenty of places. I anticipated much of the book occurring on the plane because of the length of a flight to England, but the plane ride is only the first part of the journey. I'm not going to say much further than that, but I will say that Hadley definitely goes to plenty of other surprising places throughout the rest of her day, each one more unexpected and amusing than the last.

Luckily, Hadley and Oliver manage to surpass the setting in greatness and make even the most dull places, like the plane ride, fun. Oliver is wonderfully humorous and witty, and Hadley always manages to keep up, making their interactions consistently amusing and adorable. However, each of them also have moments of pure honesty that clearly establish an emotional bond between them and make them so much more than just a love interest for one another. I wish the rest of the cast was as nicely developed since there was so much emphasis on family relationships, especially between Hadley and her father, but sometimes the supporting characters were shafted for the Hadley/Oliver romance. However, I still liked their inclusion for the added depth and emotion they brought to the novel.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is at different times happy, poignant, and heartbreaking, but it's always romantic enough to melt even my cold, bitter heart.

Book details: Poppy/Hardcover/$17.99

Source: won

Waiting on Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. Descriptions and such from goodreads.

Today I'm waiting on:

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late.

---

This description had me at "In the Tudor age" but luckily I didn't stop reading it there. It sounds so exciting and scandalous and wonderfully historical; I can't wait.

Released May 15

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last….

Review:

In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that I read this book quite early, before even the advanced copies went out. It would be wholly understandable if you did not believe in my praise because of my especially early read, but, trust me, I do love this book a lot.

Settings are one of my absolute favorite things about any book, and because they are often underutilized, I always jump at the ones that are well done, including this one. The snowy setting makes Hudson's dilemmas seem even more isolating and serious, especially as she tries to decided just how much to tell everyone around her. The snowy setting also makes for incredibly fun subplots, mainly Hudson's own ice skating and the inclusion of her interaction with the boys' hockey team. The boys are so delightfully crazy and funny, especially around Hudson, that I couldn't help but always be amused when they were around.

However, even with all the fun, there is plenty of serious business too. There's so much going on in Hudson's life-- skating, baking cupcakes at the diner, helping the diner survive, taking care of her family, and trying to balance time with her friends as she does so much-- that there's no chance that Hudson could be perfectly emotionally stable. She has plenty of angst over all the things falling apart to go along with her pent-up emotion over the betrayal mentioned in the summary. It makes for an emotional read and also helps make Hudson perfectly realistic and sympathetic, even though she totally deserved a smack at certain points for making such bad mistakes. The supporting cast is equally wonderful-- Dani, her best friend, is the perfect match to Hudson because of their differing personalities, and although I don't want to give away too much about Hudson's Potential Boys, I will say that even the infuriating one is sweet to read about because of the drama he brings.

Bittersweet is simultaneously fun, complex, and emotional, and it's snowy setting makes it perfect for winter; a proper testament to my love for it is that my biggest complaint is only that it made me want cupcakes rather badly.

Book details: Simon Pulse/Hardcover/$16.99

Source: sent by author

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

[description from goodreads]

Lainey Pike can tell you everything you need to know about the people in her family just by letting you know how they died. Her reckless stepfather drove his motorcycle off the highway and caused the biggest traffic jam in years. Her long-suffering grandmother lived through cancer and a heart attack before finally succumbing to a stroke. And Lainey's mother, well, Lainey's mother hanged herself in the basement just days after Lainey's high school graduation. Now Lainey's five-year-old brother is an orphan and her estranged older sister is moving back home to be his guardian. Meanwhile, Lainey's boyfriend is thinking about having a family of their own, and her best friends are always asking the wrong sorts of questions and giving advice Lainey doesn't want to hear. As she tries to pull away from everything familiar, Lainey meets an intriguing new guy who, through a series of Slurpees, burgers, and snowballs, helps her to make peace with a parent she never understood.

Review:

This is one of the books that I waited so eagerly for before its original release date, but then when I finally got my hands on it, it was lost in the sea of newer books I kept acquiring. For that reason, the old adage "better late than never" has never been so appropriate, for I really did enjoy it immensely.

The Snowball Effect is the best type of offbeat, in that it's quirky but not off-the-walls insane. Its emphasis on characters over plot makes for an occasionally repetitive and disconnected story line, but I don't consider that a huge complaint considering the fact that the characters are all pretty awesome. Whether it's Lainey's unnaturally loud little brother, her simultaneously creepy and intriguing Slurpee boy, her slightly naive but determined sister, each character had something that made them stand out. Occasionally it seemed they were only their quirks, but more often than not, Lainey was able to describe them in a way that made them seem sympathetic and vital to keeping the novel fun to read.

Character-driven novels tend to rely on their narrators more than anyone else, and I thought Lainey carried this book rather well. She's funny but not in-your-face hysterical, smart enough to know often what's she doing (at least in terms of her family) but not enough to never make mistakes, and straightforward but not without a complex personality. She's occasionally infuriating because of the way she treated some of her old friends, but in light of all her hardships, her behavior at least makes sense. I enjoyed seeing her react and move past all the tragedies, because despite her sometimes restrained attitude, she really does have a lot of feelings and plenty to say about the many deaths in her family.

A few lapses in characterization and excitement aside, I really enjoyed The Snowball Effect for its amusing cast and unique, emotional take on the "dead relative" story.

Book details: HarperTeen/Hardcover/$16.99

Source: bought

New Year's Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Obligatory post for my blogging goals of the new year:

- Answer emails in a timely manner, not a week after they were sent. Oops.

- Read more of what I want. I have tons of review books so sometimes I get too caught up in reading them instead of the things I've bought, and it gets a bit annoying.

- Don't skip posting too many days. I blogged every day until November of this year but it got to a point where I just didn't have time to read or write anything and thus had no ideas for posts. I didn't want a bunch of filler so I just stopped posting every day, and I feel much better for it. However, I don't want to skip too many days or else I will inevitably fall into a vicious cycle of not wanting to post ever.

- Comment on other people's posts. I never do this because I am lazy. I should fix that.

- Do something cool. I don't know what, but I want to do something fun on the blog that perhaps I haven't before. We'll see if I come up with anything.

Absolute Favorites of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

I've posted a few lists this week, but to wrap up the year, I thought I'd post my top five (well, six) favorite books I read this year regardless of when they came out, in no particular order:

1, 2. Every You, Every Me and The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Neither of these appeared on any of my other lists this week, but I still count them as some of my absolute favorites because, hello, they're by David Levithan. He is my favorite author and thus anything he writes becomes a favorite too.

3. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

This book is just too adorable, romantic, funny, and happy-making (but also tear-inducing) for me not to name it a favorite.

4. Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

I read this one only a week ago but have been thinking about it since; it's just so twisted and imaginative that I can't help but delight in its craziness.

5. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

So many feelings on this book, most of them being feelings of extreme love.

6. I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Truly a beautiful story, in every way.

Favorite Non-2011 Books

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Shout-outs to some awesome books I read this year that came out in years prior:

1. Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian - I was delighted to discover that I read this in January because that means I now have the opportunity to proclaim my undying love for it. It's smart, funny, and, despite Natalie's stubborn and overpowering attitude, manages to have plenty of emotion too. Don't let the awful cover fool you.

2. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr - I will trust in Jordyn of Ten Cent Notes's recommendations 100% forevermore because of this book. Words fail to describe how much I love it, so I'll just say it's definitely one of my all-time favorites now.

3. The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson - Stunning in every possible way, most notably the fantastic writing. I still need to read the sequel to this one, shame on me.

4. Sorta Like a Rockstar by Matthew Quick - Amber Appleton may very well be one of my favorite heroines because even when's down, she manages to come back up in the most humorous, inspirational, and delightful ways.

5. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf - Hey, no one said I had to keep my lists strictly YA. This book is one of the few I've liked reading for school, so much that I chose it for pretty much every writing assignment in class. And the fact the pretty much everyone in my English class besides my best friend and I hates it makes me like it all the more.

Favorite Contempary of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Because contemporary is the primary genre I read, it's only fitting that it gets a list all its own.

1. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - It only makes sense that the follow-up to my favorite book of 2010, Anna and the French Kiss, be on this list. It's not quite possible to match my love for Anna, but my love for this book comes oh so very close because of how quirky, funny, and purely enjoyable it is.

2. Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt - Although I read this at the beginning of the year, I find myself thinking back to it often. It's just so sweet and realistic that I can't help but mark it as a favorite of this year.

3. I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan - I heard nothing but praise for this book prior to reading, and I found that it deserves every bit of it. I laughed, I cried, and then I cried some more.

4. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - Over-the-top and ridiculous in the best possible way, this one had me laughing and analyzing the whole time.

5. Where She Went by Gayle Forman - I'll Be There brought plenty of tears but it still can't rival the emotional havoc that this book caused. Every time I thought I was alright while reading, Adam broke my heart all over again, and I loved every minute of it.

Five Surprises of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Khy) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Because I am so hard to please, I often don't anticipate liking certain books very much. However, there are plenty of times where I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy things. Here are five books that came out this year and that I liked more than I thought:

1. How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain - This premise is so strange that I didn't quite see how it would work, but it worked fantastically well.

2. Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith - I thought I had this book figured out from the start, but, happily, it ended up being far more adorable, quirky, and emotional than I anticipated.

3. Without Tess by Marcella Pixley - Quite possibly the best "dead sibling" novel I have read for its attention to Tess's issues.

4. The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen - The premise definitely implies there will be plenty of intensity, but I didn't realize just how emotional and moving a story it would be.

5. Stay by Deb Caletti - I'd always meant to read a Deb Caletti book, and this was an excellent one to start off with because it is seriously awesome despite its disturbing aspects.