Where the Stars Still Shine

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury Childrens, 2013
339 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Though I didn't love Doller's debut Something Like Normal, finding the main character rather dislikable and the book overall just a bit too short for everything that was in it, I was still interested in checking out more of her writing and decided I'd give this one a shot if I could. I am happy to report that it went better!

Callie has lived a life on the run with her up and down mother after being technically kidnapped and kept from her father. After a mistake by the mother, Callie is reunited with her father and the big boisterous Greek family she had missed out on knowing all these years. Of course it is not easy to acclimate to this new lifestyle with accountability from parental figures, friendships to negotiate for this loner, and a tentative romance with the dreamy Alex. Can she reach a place where the stars still shine?

I was surprised by how realistic this book felt to me, given that I had a very stable upbringing, am not drop-dead gorgeous, and have never crushed on the hottest guy in the room (funny guys please!) and yet I felt really bonded to Callie and her situation. Everything she thought she knew is uprooted and after ten plus years on the run, it makes for a big change. Especially startling for her is the romantic relationship as Alex turns out to actually be a decent guy unlike pretty much every guy she's known previously (I personally didn't think he sounded hot in a physical way but I tend to be in the minority among YA book bloggers and have seen others gush a lot about him.) One qualm there is that he's twenty-two to her seventeen and will have a birthday before she does-so that makes him my age and I wouldn't want to date a teenager. No one else really seems to have a problem with this but I would have felt more comfortable if he had been twenty, say.

Which is not to say that this book only focuses on romance, as the above paragraph may have made you think that romance was the only thing going on here. I just feel like the romance is really important for Callie to move forward because she had a lot of messed-up ideas about relationships due to her mother's poor example. There is also Callie making a friend (or rather renewing a friendship) and taking on her first job as well as excursions to what sounds like an amazing bookstore that I'd love to visit. And the big thread is Callie trying to find herself a new place in a family as her father had remarried with two sons. I actually feel like more could have been done her. For example, Callie and the stepmother don't start off on the strongest footing and more of that tension could have been explored before moving toward resolution.

As a reader who likes things to be neatly resolved, I still feel like there are a few too many loose strings (especially regarding the mother and Callie's childhood abuse because I'd really like her to get some counseling or something to help her process it.) Other complaints would be wanting more of that big Greek family-there's really only about two scenes with them though they're on the outskirts for others. It's a more concentrated story, really focusing on Callie and what she's going through so I understand that the family couldn't naturally be integrated more but it's still something I would have liked.

Overall: If I kept writing this review, I think I would have picked at more flaws in the plot that left me feeling somewhat disappointed but in general I did really like the writing, the character of Callie, and just the flow of the book, which keep me interested in more writing from Doller.

Other Opinions:
Books Are Vital
Great Imaginations
Once Upon a Prologue
Rather Be Reading
Reading Extensively
The Flyleaf Review

Starry Nights

Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2013
226 pages
YA Fantastical Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I must give credit to Heather from The Flyleaf Review (review linked below) for her beautifully enthusiastic review of this book, which totally prepped me for the book by sharing about her art history background, something I do not possess. While I like looking at paintings, I do not have that passion for them that others have and can use the additional knowledge and love.

Julien loves art and realizes how fortunate he is to be able to roam the halls of the Musee d'Orsay after hours due to his mother's position there. In turn she appreciates his keen eyesight that catches possible sun damage before anyone else. His knowledge is uncanny and his talents are even rarer as he realizes that he can bring paintings to life, including the enchanting young woman in a recently rediscovered Renoir painting. Unfortunately he also starts seeing paintings around the world start to break down and he must race against time and his own desires to restore the art for the world's enjoyment.

Honestly the premise for this book is a bit weird-I mean, paintings coming to life? But Julien's love of the artwork is so real and compelling that it is easy to follow again. I mean, if I stopped to think about it, I'd find it quite bizarre but while reading, I was just swept away. Are most teenagers that interested in art (even French ones)? Probably not but I did like how he has this unique passion and the means and determination to follow it. Julien learns some pretty interesting things about himself over the course of this book that will definitely shape his future.

However the two parts that stay with me most don't really have anything to do with him. For example, my favorite parts were definitely Julien's interactions with a young ballet dancer-he can hear music coming from her, signs of her future career. As a musician, it is probably not surprising that those sections resonated so strongly with me especially because the referenced music is incredibly famous. My other lingering impression from this book is that Renoir is kind of a jerk-a sexist elitist jerk and I don't like him much. He does not come off well for sure and the parts that annoyed me the most are confirmed in the author's note as being true.

Unfortunately there is a romance and not just between Julien and art in general. No it is with that girl in the painting, Clio. Clio has been stuck there for years and that seems to have worn away her personality as in she didn't have much of one. I understand that she's beautiful but I need a bit more to get on board a train of human and painted creation, you know? So the romance is where this book really lost its luster for me as well as how the chapters leading up to the ending sort of dragged. This would also be an instance of a book where I did not want a traditional happy ever after and the path that this book took was too far away from what I wanted and expected to happen, leaving me dissatisfied about that.

Overall: Though my rating is on the positive side, I do find this book a bit slow and was very unhappy with the way the romance was handled. Still if you enjoy lightly magical stories and have an appreciation for art, this may be something you'd enjoy.

Cover: I feel like the cover is a bit cheesy (why yes it *is* set in Paris) but I've heard lovely things about the book in print so I'd like the chance to glimpse that for myself.

Other Opinions:
A Reader of Fictions
Alexa Loves Books
In Bed with Books
Into the Hall of Books
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
The Flyleaf Review

Love Disguised

Love Disguised by Lisa Klein
3/5 stars
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2013
310 pages
YA Historical

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Though I'm not the biggest Shakespeare fan (I appreciate his contributions to the English language but I just don't read many plays), I find myself continuously drawn to stories about his life. There's just so much we don't know about the guy so it's ripe for various interpretations.

In this version, Shakespeare has a run-in with the sisters Hathaway that ends wrongly and he eagerly jumps on an opportunity to go to London and pursue his fortunes as a player. Meanwhile Long Meg has had trouble follow her for ages and is eager for a safe place to call home. When she meets Shakespeare, she undertakes to disguise herself as a man to aid him in his quest while also unwittingly serving as his first muse.

I've read some discussions lately about deciding when or even whether or not to DNF a book and this is an instance where I decided not to DNF and it paid off. I found the beginning of this book rather dull-it's clunky and it's hard to see how everything ties together. But I persevered and though I never fell in love with the characters, I found several elements to really admire.

First and foremost would be the language. I feel like Klein had a ball selecting just the right Renaissance-era language to reveal Shakespeare's quick and ready wit. Once the story gets moving, the writing really sparkles. It is just making it through the beginning that is difficult. Second, a big inspiration for this book was Shakespeare's comedies rather than his more famous tragedies. I recognized several elements (women dressed as men being the main one) but I bet fans of the plays will make out even more and enjoy it accordingly.

Meg is a really cool character! She gets to do so much over the course of the book, serving as enforcer, helping Shakespeare with his word choice and plots, and running all over London. Is there anything she can't do? And the book applauds her for her derring-do. Unfortunately Shakespeare is kind of a jerk and my inability to sympathize with him dragged down his bits. Yes, I enjoyed his way with words but as a person, he sucks.

Overall: I'm glad I stuck with this book and I think people who like language will find much to enjoy in that regard. Character and plot people will probably be less enthusiastic.

Other Opinions:
Alice in Readerland
Charming Chelsey's
Feminist Fiction

Two Girls of Gettysburg

Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2008
390 pages
YA Historical

Source: Won in 2011 from The Maiden's Court

I won this book years ago but never gave it a read. When I realized that it was the 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg though, I knew exactly what book I wanted to pick up to commemorate that occasion. As someone who grew up in Pennsylvania, I actually had a class trip to Gettysburg one year; sadly my big memory is that my bus broke down and we didn't spend much time there. I'd love to go back and visit now as an adult with a greater appreciation for the history.

This book actually begins in 1861 with main character Lizzie summarizing her life in quiet Gettysburg, Pennsylvania so far and soon jumping in to the war with her father and brother enlisting, prepared to do their duty. Their enlisting leaves Lizzie to help her mother and younger brother take care of the family's butcher shop and endure the privations of war. The other point of view is beautiful flighty Rosanna, cousin to Lizzie and born of the South with the feelings you might expect. As the years pass, the cousins are separated until a fateful chain of events brings them back together in Gettysburg.

One big surprise for me was the alternating POVs. Lizzie narrates for about the first 100 pages-the chapter headings always shared who was speaking and I was starting to wonder if Rosanna would ever get a chance to redeem herself as the picture presented by Lizzie made me dislike her though Lizzie's innocent love kept her connection to Rosanna strong. Thankfully Rosanna becomes a bit more sympathetic as two years of war push her to grow up and mature. Similarly Lizzie experiences great character development, becoming less selfish and discovering her inner strength.

This book reminded me a bit of Ann Rinaldi's In My Father's House, which follows a family who has the Civil War erupt in their back yard (the Battle of Bull Run) and then end in their home when they move to Appomattox. No one thinks the war is going to last long and certainly not that it will come up north. It shows war invading every part of the country, even the sleepy small places that might otherwise just ride out the storm. I also really appreciated getting more of northern presence; the only other Civil War book set in the North that I know is Little Women and the war parts aren't what is most memorable to me (and most others, I think.)

My favorite part of this book is near the end when Klein chronicles Lincoln's visit and the delivery of his famous Gettysburg Address. First the most famous orator in the country declaims for two hours. Then Lincoln steps up and delivers those simple words, which I've shared below in honor of the anniversary and because it's honestly that short.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

<Text copied from wikipedia; written by Abraham Lincoln; delivered November 19, 1863>

Witch Fire

Witch Fire by Laura Powell
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury USA Children's, 2013
324 pages
YA Paranormal Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Last year, I read Burn Mark, a tale of witchcraft set in an alternate version of our own contemporary world. In that book, posh Lucas and chavvy Glory discover their abilities and set out to negotiate what those changes mean for their lives in addition to battling a larger plot against witchkind. Some of the things I liked most about that book were both main characters, which seems to be rarely the case; its clever incorporation of magic into our world; and its London setting. I wasn't sure what to expect in this sequel but I knew I wanted to read it.

Both Lucas and Glory are struggling with exactly what their powers at their young age means. Lucas' father's ambitions are diverted while Glory's coven is in disarray with witch terrorism continuing. A lead from a posh school in Switzerland sends them off to South America to discover if it's possible to remove the witch from a person and to prevent more violence and chaos.

My favorite part by far was the section at the school. It's a school for (rich) young people whose powers have manifested but have so far escaped official notice from the government. They can hide out here and be safe from prying eyes. I am pretty obsessed with boarding school settings as well as just schools in general so it's probably not too surprising that this was the part I loved the most. Not that I didn't like the other parts, just this one seemed tailor made for me.

I felt like this book really deepened the characters of Glory and Lucas, the latter who is especially conflicted about his magical abilities whereas Glory is struggling with her legacy and her long gone mother. These characters are also still deeply sympathetic and fun-I still like both of them just about equally. They're teenagers who sometimes act above their years but at other times, fall prey to their emotions and vulnerabilities. They seem very realistic for living in such a fantastical world.

Overall, I think this is a very well-done series with excellent characters. I do hope there will be a third book to build a trilogy.

Cover: Got to love how it matches the first book!

Anthem for Jackson Dawes

Anthem for Jackson Dawes by Celia Bryce
3.5/5 stars
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2013
231 pages
YA Contemporary Cancer

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book called to me because of its genre: contemporary aka my favorite genre! I assume I knew it featured a protagnoist with cancer when I requested the title as it says so in the synopsis and I had read a few other reviews but when I opened the book, I found that a bit unclear at first although it is soon emphatically clear.

For me, the big failing for this book was my inability to form a connection to any of the characters. You might think that main character and narrator Megan would have clicked with me somehow. Or surely the titular Jackson Dawes tugged on my heartstrings? Or any one of the hospital staff, her family, or her friends? Nope; I didn't hate any of the characters but I felt disconnected to all of them. Compounding that was my feeling that the story itself was very disjointed with scene lurching to next scene instead of smoothly flowing. Other reviews have mentioned this jumping so I know I'm not alone in feeling that.

I did think there were some great descriptions in this book and feelings were well captured. Some examples were Megan's conversations with her grandfather, when she realizes her hair is falling out and gets wigs to replace it, and her realization of the great divide between her shallow friends and herself now. That last one did really get to me and I enjoyed the way the friendships played out from that point.

Overall: This is a fine book-it's just not one I can get excited about. People who are craving contemporary or a quieter story may find more to enjoy; I think it might lean even toward literary fiction, which is not something I tend to appreciate.

Other Opinions:
Amaterasu Reads
Blkosiner's Book Blog
Library Mosaic

ARC Review: Wednesdays in the Tower

Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury Children's, 2013
233 pages
Middle Grade Fantasy
Scheduled to release May 7

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After being absolutely enchanted by Tuesdays at the Castle, I was thrilled to see that a sequel would be released. I was eager to return to the world of Castle Glower and to hang out with Celie as she chronicled its ever-changing halls and rooms. This second book promised more delights!

We are dropped back into the castle, where life seems to have settled down after the tumult of the events of the first book. But Castle Glower cannot remain quiet for long with Celie's life being shaken up by the hatching of a griffin, a species long thought extinct, who Celie must keep hidden amidst the ever-changing rooms of the castle and its population.

I thought this book was such a cute fun fast read; it was one I picked up during my recent personal readathon and just flew through. Celie is as tough as ever, bearing up well under difficult circumstances. My hope for this sequel was that the parents and rest of the family would be around, which came true. As I predicted, Celie is still able to get up to plenty of mischief even as her parents evince an interest in what she is hiding.

Something else I loved was the mythology around the griffin. They have mysterious origins and it is uncertain if they will continue to survive as there seems to be only this one. Who knows about the history of griffins? Why is there such a paucity of information? Is someone trying to stop Celie and her family from learning more? These are some of the questions teased and it seems that there should be a third book to further explore.

Still while I had fun reading this, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as its predecessor just because it seemed to be continuing in the same vein instead of adding and deepening the world introduced. I loved our first glimpse at Castle Glower but I needed more from this book to really fall in love.

Other Opinions:
Books Are Sanity
Good Books and Good Wine
Karissa's Reading Review

ARC Review: Going Vintage

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2013
310 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release March 26

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lindsey Leavitt is definitely one of my favorite authors-she writes such funny and moving stories, usually with a strong focus on family, something I really appreciate. She's primarily written in the contemporary genre so I was surprised and interested to see that it looked like she was tackling historical with this, her latest release. Except I misunderstood the blurb-this book is very much set in the here and now albeit with homages to the past.

When Mallory discovers her cute boyfriend Jeremy has been cheating on her with some girl online, she reacts very strongly to put it mildly. Beyond dumping him, she decides to behave as if she lived in 1962 and plans to imitate the list her then teenage grandmother made. This includes forming a pep club, sewing a dress, and doing something dangerous. As Mallory drags others into her new obsession, her life becomes increasingly complicated and she starts to doubt her plan.

Remember how I said Leavitt writes good family stories? Well, this one is no exception. Mallory has a younger sister named Ginnie who is an excellent character as well as bickering parents (on the verge of divorce?) and the aforementioned grandmother whose high school years were perhaps not as idyllic as Mallory thinks. I cannot emphasize how much I liked Ginnie-she clearly thinks Mallory has gone a bit overboard but she is mostly enthusiastic in supporting her sister and reaps some great benefits as a result.

There were unfortunately some things I really didn't like though. The first one is probably just because I'm a bit older than Mallory and have survived my teenage years as well as being interested in history, I could tell her that the past is never as perfect as it seems in pictures and memories. Thank goodness Mallory learns this but I got a bit frustrated with her over the course of the novel because of that. The other problem was the timeline. Everything seemed to happen at warp speed, much faster than I would have expected. It just seemed exceptionally unrealistic to me.

Overall: A fun title from Leavitt-I continue to love her writing!

Other Opinions:
Cornucopia of Reviews
Tahleen's Mixed-Up Files

ARC Review: Me, Him, Them, and It

Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter
3.5/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2013
369 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release February 26

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For a main character who is supposed to be smart, Evelyn sure is an idiot. In order to get her parents' attention, she decides to become "bad Evelyn." This means partying, drinking, smoking pot, and engaging in repeated acts of unprotected sex. When this unsurprisingly results in pregnancy, she withdraws and tries to ignore it, rejecting talking and making decisions. Once she does decide to carry the baby to term, she continues to reject everyone and avoids making decisions. I know she's in a tough situation and at only sixteen, she's largely incapable of maturity, but I just wanted to slap her at some points. As she grows to realize, she is surrounded by a group of people who will support her, provided she ask for some assistance and shares her feelings. That's ALL she has to do but she's mostly too stupid to do it.

At the beginning of the book, Evelyn is meeting with Mary from Planned Parenthood to discuss her options. She hates her parents: her cheating father who left them and her silent mother, who allowed him to come back for the sake of maintaining appearances. Although she had previously been the model daughter, she had rebelled (with long-term hookup Todd) in order to gain their attention. Her pregnancy is ultimately successful in this goal. After dithering for pages, she decides she still wants to continue to attend school but she does not want any one to know. Thus she moves from Florida to Chicago to live with her beloved Aunt Linda, her partner, and their children. The rest of the book follows Evelyn with them, as she continues to make no decisions or rushes through decisions only to regret them.

Although we have to spend our time in Evelyn's head with all her stupid thoughts, we still get to meet some characters who are actually endearing. Chief among them are Evelyn's adorable cousins Tammy and Cecelia. They are the sweetest cutest little girls and their innocent love and adoration of Evelyn was a much-needed pick-me-up. Another great character was Maryellie, a fellow pregnant student but her boyfriend is actually happy about the baby and her family is rallying around her to help her raise her child.

While I hope this review captures how annoying I found Evelyn, I can easily say that the writing was very engaging and the countdown to birth made the pages turn easily. The additional bright spots of Tammy and Cecelia and basically every character who wasn't Evelyn or the baby father Todd helped me get through the book.

Cover: Hair color and girl made of skin and bones is quite accurate actually so kudos for that-I also love the baby bump drawn on.

Question: I've read a couple of books about teen pregnancy now, always focused on the girl's perspective. Are you familiar with any that focus on the guy's? Or alternate between the two? If so, please leave a recommendation below (even if you didn't like it).

Other Opinions:
A Good Addiction
Blkosiner's Book Blog
Diamonds and Coal Book Reviews
Once Upon a Prologue

ARC Review: Dance of Shadows

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2013
447 pages
YA Dance Paranormal Sisters
Scheduled to release February 12

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Why did I want to read this? Just look at the cover-how gorgeous is that? I knew I'd want to read it the instant I saw the cover and was so pleased to receive early access to a copy.

All in all, I found the book to be a good read but nothing out of the ordinary although it benefited from having several topics I adore: ballet and sisters. I love performing stories and ballet seems to be one of the more popular themes yet I never tire of them. As I've said, I also love stories about sisters. In this case, Vanessa is attending a New York ballet academy because her older sister Margaret disappeared from it three years earlier after scoring the lead in the school ballet "The Firebird." Although Vanessa enjoys dancing, her real motive is searching after her sister whose disappearance is one in a string stretching back for years.

I do feel like the book is on the long side when I consider what happened. I think some judicious editing might be in order. Still it was kind of like crack and highly addictive-I flew through the pages, reading almost all of it in one day. It is definitely plot-driven rather than character-driven. I kept getting confused and trying to remember if Vanessa or Margaret was the sister searching. Although Vanessa is friends with some of the other dancers, they are not very well-defined. This distance is increased by the third-person narration that mostly focuses on Vanessa but also jumps around some times.

Of course there are also some love interests. First is the enigmatic Josef, the choreographer with a dark past. Then there is Zeppelin (blech on the name, which especially stands out from the more restrained traditional names of the sisters) who is the male lead opposite Vanessa. And lastly is Justin (whose name is also a stark contrast to Zep's), who seems intent on stopping Vanessa from dancing, not that he shares any compelling reason why with her at first.

In short: fast moving plot but less than compelling characters. I know why this appealed to me but it will definitely not appeal to everyone.

Other Opinions:
MarjoleinBookBlog: 5/5 stars
Mundie Moms: 4.5/5 stars
Owlcat Mountain: "negative to 'meh'"
Smart Folks Read: 3.5/5 stars
The Title Page: 1/5 stars

What Matters in Jane Austen?

What Matters in Jane Austen by John Mullan
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury Press, 2013
Originally published in England, 2012
320 pages
Austen Non-fiction

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jane Austen is my favorite author so whenever I see something related to her, my interest is piqued. While enjoying a very pleasurable rereading of Pride and Prejudice, I noticed many points that I hadn't before. I thought about age and the way the characters related to each other and the way Austen phrased. These are some of the items addressed in Mullen's work here, a true labor of love, stemming from his years studying Austen. He delves deeply into the minutiae, the little details that some may skip over but that make Austen's novels.

Among the questions are "How Much Does Age Matter?", "Do Sisters Sleep Together?", and "What Do the Characters Call Each Other?" Although I had pondered some of these themes, most of them were new to me. Especially interesting was discussions about the role of weather, if servants ever appear, and which card games are for bettors. He draws on all six of the published novels in addition to referencing Sandition. Every possible relevant item is included in his exhaustive chapters. Consequently even I found this a bit overwhelming. I would definitely not recommend this to a casual fan. No, it is most definitely intended for the serious Austen reader. You will also probably want to have read all six novels (possibly multiple times) in order to be familiar with everything he references. And be warned, that this book will probably make you want to read the books again. On tap for my 2013 is Mansfield Park and possibly Emma as well.

This book did feel on the academic side and as the book progressed, I found myself feeling a bit tired. Certain sections are referenced different times for different points and I may have read this too fast. If I read just one chapter every week or on occasion, I probably would have been able to process everything more thoroughly and not find it so dry.

Overall: Recommended for the Austen-ite; others will likely find it all too much.

This Is Not Forgiveness

This Is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees
3.5/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2012
280 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was cautiously excited about this one. Although I hadn't read any other books by Rees, I saw that it was a contemporary and when am I ever not interested in those? Plus I saw Brandi's positive review so I eagerly opened up this book (well figuratively as it was on my Nook).

The beginning was very difficult for me; I felt dropped into a perspective without any guiding posts to orient me. Although it took me more than a few chapters, eventually I worked out that the main perspective was Jamie with additional chapters coming from the point of view of the free-spirited political Caro and his veteran brother Rob with the latter two having a secretive relationship.  All three are compelling especially as Caro and Rob build to something awful with their manipulations and secrets coming to bear on Jamie.

I just loved Jamie-he's a pretty sweet guy and completely falls for Caro despite multiple warnings from everyone in his life and no matter how badly she treats him. Rob has his own wounds, literally from combat and how that pressure has warped his mind. His entries are told via video diaries that he has recorded with his version of events. And lastly we have the mysterious Caro with her own tortured past and scars. For the longest time, I could not fathom what she had planned despite all of her talk. It just seemed too much to imagine it could be that.

Content warnings: Language, drugs, and sexual stuff and yet none of that seems too big in comparison to what ultimately happens.

Overall: Rocky beginning but great buildup to an explosive ending that tackles real-life issues. Very psychologically twisty and if you can get past that beginning, a quick read where you have to know how it all ends.
 

Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
3/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2012
404 pages
YA Fantasy

Source: Picked up from the library for review.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, even garnering some comparisons to one of my favorite books Poison Study by Maria V Synder in some positive reviews. Girl assassin competing with some mysterious magical powers being riled up? How awesome does that sound? However then I started reading some of the negative reviews and I became anxious. This anxiety increased as I read and instantly saw where their criticisms were coming from.

First Celaena is both immensely cocky and incredibly annoyingly inconsistent. As the most infamous assassin, she was sentenced to labor in salt mines for the rest of her life. However she is pulled out to serve as the Crown Prince's entry into the brutal king's competition to find a King's Champion. In the first few pages, she brags about how great she is at killing, admires the looks of the Crown Prince despite his family being the reason she's stuck in chains, and is rude to the Captain of the Guard who doesn't answer her stupid questions AND then is rude to him for not answering her much more stupid questions. It doesn't let up. Celaena dismisses her competitors based on appearance and then bristles that they are all dismissing her on appearance-um, what? She is given pretty free reign despite her own confidence in being able to kill whoever-if I'm in power, I keep dangerous people much more securely watched over. And I don't let them wander the kingdom at will even if they are supposed to kill people under more orders; I did not get why the king thought this was a good plan.

But the worst part for me was a complete eye-roller when a character has his first kill despite being in a position where he almost certainly should have had to kill people before. This happens later in the book when I had somehow managed to have some sympathy for Celaena although I still struggled.

Because actually I lied, the worst part was the romance as both the Crown Prince and the Captain of the Guard somehow fall for Celaena with her experiencing some conflicting feelings in return. I know who I like more (Chaol) but I'm not really comfortable with either of them involving themselves with her nor was I comfortable with all of their actions around her nor their simmering jealousy of each other over her. Since the two men are best friends, a romance will stir up big problems.

Although Celaena is at the core, there is also some ancient magic stuff going on. This is dark and scary and thoroughly enjoyable. When Celaena was investigating that, I found myself much more engaged. But it's more toward the end, so if you DNF early, you won't get to see the parts that helped to partially redeem Celaena.

Overall: An abrasive main character will probably be the deciding factor in how much you enjoy this book. I also recommend lowered expectations as it is definitely not like Game of Thrones and its epicness as well as a high tolerance for love triangles. I am kind of interested in checking out the prequels since I heard they were better but, well, I like when the prequels are free and these aren't.

Cover: I think the cover model looks rather a lot like the author picture we see. One element I didn't notice at first is the dagger on Celaena's arm-something that adds a lot more danger.

Between You & Me

Between You & Me by Marisa Calin
3.5/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2012
245 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love love love epistolary novels (this one is told as a screenplay in homage to the main character's love of films) so I thought this would be an enjoyable read. Plus it had a couple of hooks that sounded different from other YA novels-I don't think I've ever read a book that had those two elements together.

But I think it ended up being too gimmicky. First the book is told in second-person POV which always confuses me. The "you" does not refer to me the reader and it is hard to remind myself of that. The "you" refers to Phyre's best friend whose gender is not revealed but who is not too subtly in love with Phyre. We the reader are encouraged to make up our own minds about the gender of the friend (personally I think the friend is a girl but I don't have a specific reason why.) Would love to hear your thoughts-just say agree or disagree in the comments if you've read.

Beyond those gimmicks, the story is pretty unexceptional except for the fact that Phyre becomes obsessed with and thinks she is in love with the new drama teacher Mia.  This teacher never acts unprofessionally but Phyre goes way overboard due to the extremes of her feelings. She doesn't really question that her feelings are for a woman whereas she had really only ever crushed on boys before-a more hopeful view of sexual orientation than is usually presented? I feel like most people would have spent more time wondering about that. I was also uncomfortable with Phyre's feelings; although I know that students get crushes on teachers plenty, it never happened to me and I couldn't identify such an attachment.

Overall: A quick read with a good hook that didn't quite work for me.

Cover: Perfectly appropriate although it is zoomed a little too close on her face for my taste.

Something Like Normal

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
3.5/5 stars
Blomsbury, 2012
214 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because I haven't read (or even seen) many YA books focusing on soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although I figured it would be an intense read and I'm more of a light reads girl, I also thought it would be worth it.

Well, I was certainly right that the parts dealing with main character Travis's military service would be great. Travis joined, not with a fervent desire to serve his country nor with a deep commitment for military work but more as an escape from his overbearing father and purposeless life. But he found a place where he survived and bonded with a group. As he returns home for a leave, he is processing the death of his best friend Charlie and preparing for a memorial service in honor of the man. There are flashbacks to Travis's experience and he suffers nightmares as one might expect. These sections were strong and engrossing for me.

What I didn't exactly like was all the time spent on relationships. First because I was expecting more about the military and second because there were some seriously messed-up relationships. Travis has very poor relationships with his overbearing father and jerky brother, both of which are touched on but not to the depth I would have liked. His relationship with his mother is also a little fractured but that receives more treatment.

Then there is Travis's romantic life with his ex-hookup Paige who is now with his brother and this one is seriously gross since she slips into his room with the brother just down the hall (repeatedly). Meanwhile there is Harper, whose reputation was ruined by Travis in eighth grade and who he constantly treats badly but who still hangs around him. So he's hooking up with Paige for lack of anything better while also pursuing Harper-dislike! I mean, I really liked Harper and I just wanted her to do better than Travis. Thankfully by the end of the book, he seems to have straightened out some and is on the way to (maybe) being worthy of her. Admittedly the cover does seem to hint more at this being a romancey book but lots of books have inaccurate covers so that doesn't necessarily mean much.

Warning: Language and sexual content make me recommend this for the more mature reader. Explicit violence is pretty minimal (a PG-13 movie would have way more).

Overall: If you can get over the ickiness of Travis's love life, there is some great stuff in here and I'm definitely hopeful of receiving a YA with more focus on the military life in the future.

Burn Mark

Burn Mark by Laura Powell
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2012
405 pages
YA Paranormal

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't seen very much about this book around the blogosphere, which I would say is good as it allowed me to enter this book with very little preconceived notions, prepared to enjoy myself fully. What I did see left me happy as it seemed like a fun different twist on the witch story.

Basically it's modern times very similar to our world but in this world, witchcraft is very real and threatening. There is an inquisition in place to track down unlicensed and malevolent witches as well as a registry to keep track of confirmed witches. But not all witches are content to live like that with groups of them forming covens that are similar to gangs. Needless to say, suspicions are high and danger lurks around every corner. Witchhood usually starts in the teens or early twenties; the earlier it appears, the more powerful the witch will be. He or she will see a tiny mark appear on the skin.

The story is told mostly through alternating between two characters with additional sections filling in the gaps. One character is Glory, descendant of famous powerful witches, who fully anticipates becoming a witch and a powerful one at that who can lead her coven back to its days of glory. The other is her near opposite: the posh Lucas Stearne whose father is an Inquisitor leading an important prosecution. Both of them receive their marks on the same days and their paths soon intertwine to uncover a great conspiracy that threatens the very stability of the nation.

One of the cool things, for me, was that this book was set in London and its author is British. This meant there was quite a bit of slang that went past me (chav is something I've seen but is most definitely not American slang) as well as descriptions that helped create a distinctly British world. Most of the books I read are set during Regency times so it was also neat to see an alternate contemporary world. This world is fully realized; there are a lot of details packed in to this book and I feel like I can see exactly what Powell envisioned. While sometimes this was overwhelming, I love details so that aspect worked great for me.

Next I actually really liked both of the characters. Oftentimes, I end up preferring one main character vastly more than the other but I could not pick a favorite in this case. I loved Glory's toughness and her strong ambitions while Lucas underwent a stunning transformation in his thinking about witchkind because of his induction into that category. I would have liked a bit more about Lucas' difficult relationship with his father whose career is of more importance than his son but you can't have everything.

Overall: An exciting alternate world is displayed here with lots of possibilities for future stories; I, for one, am along for the ride. Highly enjoyed!

Cover: Kind of reminds me of Divergent actually with the big circle. I do like that it's dark with just the fiery hints but it's not exactly to my taste.

Unbreak My Heart

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker
5/5 stars
Bloomsbury Publishing
231 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't entirely sure about this book when I first picked it up because I had some problems with Walker's previous outing Small Town Sinners. Plus I have been in a bit of a reading/reviewing rut where books have not been exciting me. Not exactly an auspicious beginning.

And at first, my apathy seemed overwhelming. Main character Clem is spending the summer on a boat with her family, sailing down the Mississippi River. My family is composed of indoor people so this seems like a horrid idea to me. I mean, I'm all for family togetherness but spending months on a 42-feet boat does not seem like the way to do. Still the family in the book has a long history and connection to boating so it's actually pretty perfect for them. And once I got past my own feelings about sailing, I did grow to like the idea. There is a whole community of boaters and we get deeper insight into two other families along the way.

Plus the boating works out well for Clem who almost had a fantastic junior year until the last few days when something went down between her and her best friend's boyfriend Ethan, resulting in her being ostracized and desperate to get away from the gossip and rumors. Once upon the boat, she spends most of her time moping and sulking. Chapters alternate between her healing and her flashbacks to that disastrous lead-up and fallout.

While some people will have trouble liking Clem (I almost didn't like her myself), I really bought into her feelings (the sulking I did as a teenager-whoa) and especially her feelings about best friend Amanda and how the loss of that friendship is affecting her. I just feel like a lot of YA doesn't spend much time on female friendships, focusing instead on love triangles (or in the case of dystopia, fights for survival...along with a love triangle ;) And for me, as a teenager, my friendships were SO much more important. Of my closet friends, I've known four of them since eighth grade or earlier-that's about half of my life. So I liked Clem a lot even as she lashed out at her adorable younger sister and parents (who are a. present and b. really understanding and loving to Clem). I also liked what we saw of Amanda in flashbacks (Amanda is colorful and dramatic and definitely reminds me of some of my friends).

But the book is not just about remembering and making peace with the past. It is also about Clem's journey toward healing, spurred on by her encounter with James, who is also going down the Mississippi with his father. His sunny disposition disconcerts and eventually inspires Clem, especially as she gets to learn more about him and his past. Although James is not personally to my taste as someone to swoon for, he is a good guy and I liked his relationship with Clem.

Overall: It's early but I think this is a great summer read so put it on your list and clear space in your schedule for a lazy day at the beach or the park or curled up in your favorite reading post so you can enjoy this book :)

Cover: Fairly accurate! I'm rubbish at remembering how characters are described so I can't remember if Clem has long hair but this book takes place mostly on a boat so that is good and I love how the sails make a heart. It looks like this book is a great contemporary read, perfect for the summer, which is true!

Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death

Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie
4/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2012
435 pages
Mystery; Historical; Short Stories

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I like finding new detectives in mystery stories and the setting for this one, early 1950s, sounded pleasingly different. Our detective, as you might have surmised from the title, is Sidney Chambers, vicar of Grantchester, the quiet English village. Through the short stories in this collection, Sidney is induced to become involved in investigating several mysterious crimes. He is friendly with an inspector and his position in the church lends some authority to his actions while rendering his investigations relatively unobtrusive to the wrongdoer.

Despite the nature of the crimes (the violence of several murders and two thieveries), this is a very quiet book. This is perfect for those of us who like cozies, who don't necessarily want violence in their reading material but may not work for people who want suspense. I'll admit that there were times when it seemed too slow but I enjoyed the leisurely pace. It seems fitting for the time and place, where rationing is only finally starting to end, where televisions have yet to grace practically every household. We also get insight into Sidney's spiritual and personal life, from the way he feels about his preaching to potential wife material.  

The quality of the stories varies. I really liked the story of the missing engagement ring while I found the one about the missing portrait to be quite sickening and much darker than the other stories. Although each mystery provides the framing and ostensible purpose for the story, it does not always come across as the most important element. Sidney's romantic connections and his life in the church sometimes overshadow his investigations, drawing my attention and sympathy.  While each short story is self-contained, it is good to read all of them because the characters drift through, sometimes in London, sometimes in Cambridge. What we learn in the previous story provides additional color to the next.

Overall: Slower than what I had expected but not without its charms. Sidney is a fascinating character and I would definitely be interested to spend more time with him.

The Academie

The Academie by Susanne Dunlap
3/5 stars
Bloomsbury, 2012
354 pages
YA; Historical

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was taken with the cover for this book and requested it without even looking at the synopsis. It looked like French historical fiction and that sounded promising enough to me. After reading April at Good Books and Good Wine's review though, my enthusiasm waned. I had the sinking feeling that I would agree with her thoughts on the characters. 

But she was not wrong, in my case. I do adore books with multiple narrators but in this case I could not really connect with any of them. First is Eliza Monroe, daughter of future US president James Monroe, who is quite young and consequently a huge spoiled brat. Next is Hortense, step-daughter to Napoleon, then only the most eminent general in France. She was slightly more appealing. Last is Madeleine, a young mulatto actress who has found herself in love with Hortense's brother. The way their lives intersect in 1799 during a critical time in the history of the French Republic is the overarching story.

The tidbits we get into the lives of the powerful, particularly the dynamics between Napoleon and Josephine were fascinating. I also loved spoiled mean Caroline, sister of Napoleon and peer of Hortense and Eliza; although she is self-serving and often cruel, she was also dynamic and leapt off the page. But that is not the main story. Instead it was about the girls, none of whom I liked. They were bratty, boring, and overly dramatic at alternating points.

As for the historical details...this is not my time period so I can't really comment on accuracy. I did think the girls were allowed an extraordinary amount of freedom and liberties although that might just come with the time frame. It is post-revolution with a weak government at the head.

Then on the very first page of my e-ARC (something I hope was corrected for the finished copy) was a glaring error. Eliza Monroe is told this: "your father was first minister to France when Jefferson was president." Now it is true that James Monroe served in France, representing US interests but this book is set in 1799 before Jefferson had even been president yet. I believe Washington should be the president namechecked.

Overall: It really comes down to the characters, plain and simple. They didn't work for me and thus I did not enjoy the book.

Cover: This is what I first noticed so obviously it is eye-catching and appealing to the people who like covers with pretty dresses :)

The Vanishing Game

The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers
Bloomsbury, 2012
353 pages
YA; Thriller
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I did not know much about this book going in to it. And my curiosity was not immediately slaked as the book tossed me in to the middle of the thrills. Jocelyn has been struggling for several weeks from the death of her twin brother Jack, except is he dead? She received a letter from him indicating that he is not dead but perhaps on the run from dangerous forces.

For some reason, she chooses to return to the city of their horrific childhood in a foster home where she reconnects with their friend Noah from that time period. This was the most confusing part to me as it seemed a little forced that she would choose to go back there. I'm not sure why she decided meeting up with Noah was the best idea but it does stimulate the rest of the story. His first reaction is to almost strangle her, which would have made me question the wisdom of asking for his help but that incident doesn't stop them from eventually teaming up to hunt down Jack.

Once they've met up, they discover more clues about Jack's existence and doggedly pursue them, despite many threats and some supernatural occurrences.  My mind tried to follow the twists and turns but all I could really do was hang on and keep reading-I wasn't figuring anything out. And then we have the stunning conclusion-my mind was blown! I could not believe that was the answer to the questions Jocelyn was asking throughout the story.

One fun publicity element is the chance to try to unravel Jack's clues for yourself. They are available at this link. I looked at them before starting the book but ended up deciding that I didn't want to put forth the effort.

Overall: A tense and suspenseful YA thriller with twists and turns galore.