ARC Review: A Moment Comes

A Moment Comes by Jennifer Bradbury
4/5 stars
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2013
278 pages
YA Historical
Scheduled to release June 25

Source: Received an e-ARC from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

After taking some classes on Indian history, I discovered that I have a deep fascination for the country and its history that is not often sated in YA fiction, which so often focuses on American or fantastical worlds. Luckily we have books like this, a more serious offering from the author of Wrapped, the historical MG/YA.

What first caught me about this book is its setting during the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, a situation whose repercussions are still felt today in seemingly unending conflict between the two bodies. I knew vague factoids about the situation but this story places you on the ground with Sikhs and Muslims battling over territory but also thankfully highlights the good of people stepping up to do the bit of good that they can do. This is demonstrated in the form of our three narrators: Muslim Tariq, craving to study at Oxford; Sikh Anupreet, a beautiful girl confined to her home to protect her from the violent angry men around her; and Margaret, the British daughter of a cartographer come to divide India who meets the previous two when they are hired as servants in her family's household.

I did not read the summary very closely as it clearly states that these three would be followed so I was surprised to meet the three as narrators. Each chapter lists the narrator so it is easy to keep track that way although the personalities, wants, and desires of all three are so different that it would be simple to do even without (it is appreciated still.)

Probably what I liked most about this was how everything kept building. The circumstances became darker and more violent, everyone became a bit more desperate until the great climax of these ordinary people stepping up to do what they could despite the odds. In the author's note, Bradbury writes a little about this and I loved how she brought that theme out.

I do think there could have been a bit more depth into the religious, racial, and gender issues of the time, especially for people who are not familiar with the period. Still there are a few books to reference mentioned in the author's note that I think it would behoove me to check out so as to further enlighten myself.

Overall: A very well-done historical novel about a time not very well-known to modern American audiences.

My Beautiful Failure

My Beautiful Failure by Janet Ruth Young
4/5 stars
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012
304 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Received an ARC from author in exchange for an honest review.

After commenting on a Waiting on Wednesday post about this book, the author contacted me and offered me a chance to read this early. Of course, I accepted because I was very intrigued by the premise: "Suicide hotline volunteer falls for troubled caller." That is something I have never read before and it's in my favorite genre!

Our main character is Billy, whose family struggled through his father's depression last year and who fears recurrences. It is suggested that he take up a hobby and he channels his would-be psychologist mind into volunteering at a helpline. Although volunteers are only supposed to spend 5 minutes with each caller, Billy finds himself repeatedly speaking to the suicidal Jenney and blurring the lines between them.

I read much of this book with my mouth just agape as this is a book that looks at some tough issues. Billy is a bright sensitive young man but he is still very young and not able to handle everything he thinks he can. Although Jenney is only a voice on the phone, her realness is obvious to Billy and through that, to the reader. Even as I feared the worst, I hoped for the two of them to realize their connection and forge a new happier story for themselves.

While Billy finds solace at the hotline, his relationship with his father fractures. The father is pursuing a second chance at his art and Billy fears the worst. Wanting only to protect the man, he goes about it in a heavy handed and unwelcome manner that only exacerbates their problems.

Despite the fact that this could easily have been an unrelentingly sad book, that was not my lingering impression. I still felt hope and a connection to the characters. They were real people and I wanted them to be alright at this point in time and to keep fighting for their happiness and dreams-always a good feeling to have about a book!

Overall: A compellingly readable contemporary fiction look at some very real-life issues, proving there are no easy answers.

Renegade Magic

Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
4/5 stars
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011
328 pages
Middle-Grade Historical Fantasy

Source: Bought

***Possible spoilers for first book Kat Incorrigible***

After loving Kat, Incorrigible, it was a no-brainer to pick up this sequel, looking for another delightful adventure with Kat who now knows about her Guardian powers and is eager to learn more.

The book dives right back into the mischief, beginning with Kat's eldest sister marrying the wealthy young man she had fallen in love with in the previous book; the ceremony is interrupted when the middle sister's love's mother storms in, hellbent on preventing an alliance with a family known for its association with the scandalous witchcraft. Given that I had forgotten about these romances, I was a little thrown but soon all of the characters came rushing back to me.

The story then moves to Bath with Stepmama insisting that middle sister Angeline needs to acquire a fiance to restore the family's reputation or else she will be left behind. Angeline has her own plans and Kat is determined to not be left out. Additionally her brother is caught up in some kind of ancient ritual and their dreamy father may have vital knowledge to prevent disaster.

I feel like this book was more madcap and manic than the previous book to its detriment. I was increasingly frustrated with the headstrong characters especially Angeline's refusal to educate Kat about her magical legacy and Kat's headstrong self continuing to do whatever she wanted. She acts on instinct, making a decision and acting on it, without considering potential consequences. She's only twelve but I remember her being a bit more mature in the first book so this felt like a regression to me. Fortuantely she learned to govern her temper somewhat at important junctures in the book but I was a little tired of her by that point.

I was also disappointed that the relationship between the sisters was less prominent. Eldest sister Elissa is on her honeymoon and Angeline is so secretive. I wanted the sisters to be closer even when not physically near each other. Another problem was the villainous Lady Fotherington, an adult who seems determined to match wits with twelve-year-old Kat-um, maybe aspire higher? I supposed Kat is the most worthy opposition but you'd think Lady Fotherington could have waited until Kat was older and more appropriate competition.

Lest you think it is all negative, I still had a pretty fun time. Of course, I loved visiting Bath and the Pump Room as a long-time Jane Austen fan and the writing is as pleasing as before. I sped through the book and could barely put it down. I still love Kat's tutor Mr. Gregson and I found her stepmother more sympathetic in this book (the poor woman has to put up with a lot from her stepchildren); in fact, she was one of my favorite characters with her very understandable concerns and reactions. There are also some fun new characters including relative Lucy who accidentally plays a big part in the magical aspect. And Lady Fotherington, while infuriating, was fun for me to read.

Overall: Not quite as enjoyable as its predecessor but still a good read for fans of the series.

Alphabet of Dreams

Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006
291 pages
YA; Historical
3/5 stars

Source: Library

While browsing at my library, I came across this older YA book and thought it looked intriguing. I knew nothing about the plot or the author's writing when I checked it out, which made for an unusual read. As a YA blogger, I'm usually very aware of the latest books and have an idea of what to expect but this is an older one so I had zero expectations.

As I read this back in December though, I realized how appropriate it was for the season as it is a twist on the story of the Three Wise Men arriving at the birth of Jesus. However the Magi are secondary characters, to Mitra and her younger brother Babak. They are currently surviving as thieves until Mitra discovers that Babak can seemingly dream prophecies, which can be and is monetized. Then their fortunes become entangled with the Magi as they journey to seek a king.

I thought the beginning was solid. Mitra and Babak are of royal blood but are in fear for their lives as their father's failed rebellion against the king leads the way to retribution. Babak is a sweet little boy and Mitra is a protective older sister, disguised as a boy for her own safety, who longs for her old life and what she sees as her birthright. She doesn't always make the best decisions, being young and somewhat selfish but she's understandable.

However as the book progressed, I found the story becoming muddied. Mitra is in an imperfect disguise as a boy, which is discovered by several of the guys she meets and she soon starts wondering about two of them and contemplating a future with either. One guy just "knows" her but she wishes for the other guy to discover her secret as well. It was annoying and pointless to me. The journey meanders too with many characters introduced but with few of them impacting the story much.

I did like the twist on the famous story of the Wise Men but thought the interweaving of Mitra/Babak with the Magi was a little awkward. I definitely still love the idea of having classic stories expanded with more color and personality for the characters but I didn't think this one was handled well.

Cover: A non-white MC who is represented on the cover! It was more the title that grabbed me but that definitely caught my attention.

The Pledge

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011
321 pages
YA; Dystopia
3/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC through Simon & Schuster's GalleyGrab program.

After seeing the buzz in the blogosphere and having enjoyed Derting's The Body Finder, I was thrilled to see this in the GalleyGrab newsletter and promptly downloaded it for my NookColor.

What I found was a fast-paced novel that found me frantically flipping through pages, dying to know what was coming next, trying to piece together the crumbs dropped by Derting about this unique fantastical dystopia. And yet the characters didn't burrow under my skin and capture my attention and affection as Katniss and crew did in the Hunger Games trilogy for example.

Charlie lives in a class-divided society, where everyone is divided by language. The upper-crust have their own distinct language, which only they can know and use. And yet Charlie, despite being in the low merchant class, can understand every language she hears. She must keep this secret for it might prove deadly if anyone learns of it. One night her best friend Brooklynn drags her to a club where she meets the mysterious Max and Xander, in separate encounters, and she overhears a language she has never heard before.

This leads to secrets uncovered, violence erupting, and rebellion ongoing in plot twists that kept me on the edge of my seat (although I did guess correctly at a few!) The action was pretty intense as Charlie must become more of a leader and learns shocking family secrets. And the ending is mostly great with an intriguing tease at what will come in book 2.

But the characters! I felt no connection with Charlie; she was just there. Her love interest is Max and I really disliked him, although on the surface there's nothing too bad about him. I would have to say that I enjoyed Brooklyn and Xander more; her for her lighthearted frivolity and Xander for his serious leadership and dedication.

The villain is the Queen, who rules over this country and who is grasping onto her life and power with every ounce of strength in addition to possessing tremendous magical powers that make facing her difficult. I actually found her more interesting than Charlie; what strength of will she had! And her sly plotting and knowledge! The little tidbits we received of her what were really grabbed my attention.

Overall: Read this for suspense and story, not for character development as the former is where its strengths lie.

Witchlanders

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011
400 pages
YA; Fantasy
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-galley through Simon & Schuster's GalleyGrab program.

I've really been wanting to read more fantasy so I thought a melding of YA and fantasy could be really interesting. I usually have trouble with fantasy because of the weird names and the slow beginnings, both of which were present in Witchlanders. However I kept going, buoyed by the generally positive reviews I was seeing.

And I'm glad I did because I did grow to care about the story even if the characters didn't grab me as much as I would have liked. I was originally caught off-guard by the fact that this is told in alternating third-person POV focusing on two males-how rare is that in YA!  The first boy is Ryder, a Witchlander who despairs of his mother's addiction and her persistent belief that she can foretell the future. All he wants to do is harvest their crop before winter comes and thereby feed his family. However something entirely different happens when a mysterious stranger's coming is foretold.

That stranger is Falpian, from the border state of Baen, the great rivals of the Witchlanders. The two lands have already suffered a devastating war and signs point to another one brewing. He is secluded, mourning for his twin brother and the fact that hoped-for magic never manifested in him.  But the two boys do meet and discover a special bond between them, that they may need to exercise in order to save their lands.

Although Ryder is introduced first, I ended up feeling more for Falpian, a sensitive boy who never seemed able to live up to his father's expectations.  But I'm so accustomed to first-person that the third-person was a little bit hard for me and I felt at a distance from all of the characters. My favorite parts were when they were exploring their connection and figuring out how it works.  I also loved the history aspects as they discover some shocking secrets about the Witchlands and the Baens. Interestingly there isn't really any romance in this book; instead there is a lot of emphasis on family, magic, action, history, religion, and destiny.  At the moment, there doesn't seem to be a sequel but room is left open. Hopefully we will get to learn more about the other land.

Read for YA Debut Author Challenge and Ebook.

Kat, Incorrigible

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011
295 pages
MG; Historical; Fantastical
4.5/5 stars

Source: Library

I originally skipped over this because it seemed more middle grade but after reading more about it at Small Review, I reevaluated.  And I'm so glad that I did because this was delightful!

Kat is a spunky, headstrong twelve year old who gets into incredible amounts of mischief throughout the book.  She hates being left out as her two older sisters Elissa and Angeline have done to her since they entered Society.  She is desperate to protect her family from the looming gambling debts of her older brother Charles. She bristles under the guidance of her stepmother and she cannot behave like a "proper young lady."  One of the reasons for that is because she has her mother's magic and part of the book is her journey to understanding and learning how to control her powers.

The other part, which intersects, is to save her sister Elissa from the sinister but wealthy Sir Neville and to engage superior suitors for the sisters instead, focusing on true love and merit rather than money.  The various schemes surrounding this aim were so funny with Kat's desperate narration over her antics providing the perfect touch.

Despite the middle-grade label, I felt a very real danger from Sir Neville as well as from some other characters who may have other interests in Kat's magic.  Although nothing extremely scary happens, there are some frightening moments.  Happily Kat saves the day every time with her quick thinking and almost complete lack of fear.  I had to keep reminding myself that she'd be safe whenever Sir Neville's presence was felt.

I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel where we should get to see more of her sisters' romances, a more relaxed stepmother, and further instruction for Kat's magic.  I'm also expecting another delightful romp in Regency England, battling societal expectations and delving deep into the parameters of the magic world created by Burgis.

Overall: Charming Regency magical adventure; highly recommended!

Cover: This is only the front but it actually wraps around to show Kat's two sisters who are of course shocked by Kat's magic teapot.

Read for YA Debut Authors Challenge and British Book Challenge.

Nevermore

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010
543 pages
YA; Paranormal
3/5 stars

Source: Library

Read for YA Best Overlooked Book Battle.

Summary from goodreads: Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game.

Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind.

Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

I was excited about this book once I found out that it incorporated Edgar Allan Poe.  Sadly the main story used was Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death," which I hadn't read before. I was hoping for a wider variety of stories and though there were some allusions to "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Raven" as well as others, Masque was the main one.  That's not a bad thing; I just would have preferred a different reference story that I knew better.

Second, this book is LONG.  And I think some of the scenes were expanded past the point they needed to be.  Luckily there are a few excerpts from the actual Poe story so that explains part of the length but I ended up skimming some scenes because they were boring and they didn't contribute to my understanding or enjoyment.

My main criticism stems from the main character Isobel-girl is not bright.  She starts the story dating creepy possessive Brad, QB for their school's football team but once she is paired up with goth boy Varen for an English assignment, she becomes interested in his art and writing.  Isobel is a cheerleader who had previously failed to complete an essay so she has to do well on this project.  However I don't think she ever reads a Poe story despite Varen lending her a collection of Poe's work.  She is a poor judge of character as her original group of friends screw her over because of her assigned association with Varen.  She's not as mean as them but she's not exactly nice.  Her family life was bizarre as her dad grounds her from even working on her English project because he's suspicious of Varen and in general he had some mood swings, from angry, angry man to helpful father.

Varen is somewhat of a cipher as he is constantly fleeing.  The paranormal aspects of this book are a dreamworld designed by Varen and similar to what Poe accessed before his death.  They were not explained until very late in the story and even then it was very imperfectly described.  The mysterious Reynolds character confused me.  I think he's also known as Pinfeathers or was that a typo at one point?

I did like secondary characters Gwen, a new friend Isobel makes, and Danny, her little brother who despite their sometimes combative relationship comes through for her in several ways.

Regardless of these complaints, I flew through the book and I'm eager to read the second, Enshadowed, which appears to be shorter and hopefully more cohesive.

Cover: So the actual cover does not feature Varen wearing a lip ring although the character does have one. I'm not sure where I found this picture (I merely googled the book) but I guess it's an early version?

The Lost Crown

The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011
427 pages
YA; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Recieved a free ARC via Simon & Schuster's Galleygrab program in exchange for an honest review.

This was a hard book to read.  It covers the years 1914-1918 from the alternating perspectives of the final four Russian Grand-Duchesses: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia, daughters of Tsar Nicholas II and brutally murdered by Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution. As I read, I kept waiting for the girls to realize the danger they were in and although they knew it was not good, they didn't, they couldn't have known their final outcome.  It was absolutely heartbreaking.

The writing was fantastic; I felt completely immersed in their world.  Traveling from peace to their nursing work to their days in increasingly cramped living quarters, I liked being with the girls.  They each had a distinct personality but I found their chapters difficult to differentiate as their voices were similar.  Luckily each started with a picture and the name of the girl so I could keep track.  They were sweet girls if somewhat naive and uneducated, which only made my feelings of foreboding worse.  I mean, I felt physically sick from worrying over them.  I wanted to change the course of history to protect them but I could only read on.

Thus I recommend this for those already familiar with the Romanovs and for the stouthearted.  I barely made it through (and yes it does end with their execution) so if that sounds like too much for you, then stay away! But it really is a good book, just a tough topic.

Wrapped

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011
309 pages
YA; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Received a free e-galley via Simon & Schuster's GalleyGrab in exchange for an honest review.

Agnes Wilkins is surprised to find a jackal brooch when she participates in a mummy-unwrapping party at Lord Showalter, her prospective husband and the most eligible bachelor in London.  As she seeks to uncover the message within, with the assistance of the surprisingly dashing Caedmon at the British Museum, she realizes that it might have more modern repercussions than just ancient Egypt.  For there is a spy who is working so that Napoleon just might receive supernatural benefits during his return from Elba. (I worked hard on this summary because the Goodreads summary for the kindle edition has a major spoiler in it!)

What a cute book! Just about all I knew going in to this book was that the cover was gorgeous and it hooked me right away as the main character Agnes Wilkins adores Jane Austen's writing.  That is my kind of heroine!  Besides her appreciation for "A Lady's" writing, Agnes is also learned in ten languages with varying degrees of fluency and possessed with a strong sense of adventure and a keen intellect.  Her partnership with Caedmon begins uneasily but they quickly form a rapport as they seek out threats to England.  Although most of the supporting characters do not play a big role, I was able to create images of them in my head to complement Agnes and Caedmon's story.

The pacing of the story is pretty good although I felt there wasn't much suspense over who the spy might be.  There was a good mix between Agnes attempting to be a proper debutante but also puzzling out the mystery with Caedmon.  I believed in their relationship and rooted for them to be together.  The writing is fine; there were a few funny moments and the language seemed formal enough for the time period.

A point of interest is that issues of gender and class pepper the book.  Agnes is piqued when her father consigns her to the ladies area at one point and makes the decision to NOT tell him about the message despite the fact that she had said she would.  She bristles at being looked down on by men although in general her father is a man committed to gender equality.  She also laments her position in life that prepares her only to be the wife of some lord without being able to travel and study as she'd liked to do.  Caedmon is a lowly duster for the British Museum who wants to be so much more, especially in the heart of Agnes, but finds structures stacked against him.

Overall: A fun mystery with dollops of history and romance!

Cover: Beautiful-this is what originally intrigued me.

Ten Miles Past Normal

Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Atheneum Books, 2011
211 pages
YA; Contemporary
4.5/5 stars

Source: Received a free egalley through GalleyGrab in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book beyond the fact that it looked to be about a 14-year-old attempting to come to grips with herself.  And that is what happens, partly.  When Janie was 9, she thought it would be awesome to live on a farm...and her parents agreed.  But what was cool at 9 is less cool at 14 when you become known as the girl who came to school with goat poop on her shoe.  Plus she's far away from her best friend Sarah and oh so lonely at school.

That is until something changes.  Janie and Sarah are partners in History of American Women class who decide to do a project on a local civil rights activist and the school she helped found.  Additionally they become interested in Jam Band, featuring the attractive Jeremy Fitch and the mysterious Monster.  Plus Sarah's big sister Emma, who always seemed too cool for them becomes interested in their lives. What's happened and what is normal anyway?

I sped through this book because I could not get enough of it.  Janie is an immensely likable character dealing with a lot of problems that plague you when you are a teenager.  She doesn't fit in at school, she lashes out at her family, and is generally unsatisfied.  But through the course of this book, she changes.  She makes a few new friends; she learns how to play bass (so cool!); she has several crushes (don't worry, it's not a love story); she mends her relationship with her mother; and she has a greater appreciation for history and bravery.

While this might be aimed more at a middle-grade audience, I think it can be appreciated by us older folks looking for a sweet story with flawed but likable characters.

Overall: Delightful-I flew through this book falling more in love with every character along the way!