ARC Review: Panic

by Lauren Oliver
3/5 stars
Harper, 2014
416 pages
YA Contemporary Suspense
Scheduled to release March 4

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

Another tricky review to write. This was a flowing read that kept me engaged but didn't demand my attention when I had to put it down. I think I spent one whole day not reading it and didn't mind. So that gives you some insight into how I felt. When I love a book, I can barely put it down and I push other things in my life aside just to luxuriate in the world a little bit longer. And that was just not the case here.

In this book, we have the alternating perspectives of Heather and Dodge, two recent high school graduates in the town of Carp who embark on the game Panic, a tradition for the summer after high school. The high stakes jackpot draws the attention of all but the increasing danger also attracts adult attention to prevent the tragedies of previous years. Still determined youngsters with few prospects are dogged and will see the game through to the bitter end.

I guess there were several problems for me with this book, which can be summed up simply: characters, plot, and the end. These are all pretty big problems to have with a book so I think you can see why I was less than impressed.

First are the characters. Heather and Dodge are not particularly close but as participants in Panic (and with him having a crush on her best friend Natalie), their paths soon cross. I didn't have any specific problems with either but we never clicked. I always felt very distanced even though both have reasons for me to feel sympathetic toward them. Even now as I write, I have no strong opinions about them. They're practically ciphers to me. If you've read my blog for a while, you may know that I tend to have a very strong reaction to depictions of the relationship between sisters. So when I tell you that Heather is a protective older sister and it still didn't register with me may give you some insight into how little I cared for these characters.

The second element is the plot. I have no problem with this game of Panic overtaking the young people of this small town. But I do wonder about the adults that so many didn't seem to care what was going on despite tragedies in previous years and the fact that knowledge about it seemed to be disseminated pretty easily. I feel like more adults could have stepped in to stop the game.

Now don't worry, I'm not going to spoil the end, or at least I hope not. I thought the book was building to a big explosive finish but I thought it ended more with a whimper. Am I glad there was some optimism to end since there are many down moments in the book? Yes but it wasn't very exciting nor was it quite what I was expecting.

So that's how I feel about Panic-what about you? Have you read this yet? Are you looking forward to the newest release from Oliver (keep in mind I did not like her Delirium trilogy so this might still please fans of that series.)

ARC Review: Death Sworn

by Leah Cypess
3.5/5 stars
Greenwillow Books, 2014
352 pages
YA Fantasy
Scheduled to release March 4

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

This was such a hard review for me to write because I liked this book but I didn't love it. I think there are a lot of cool ideas played with here and I read it pretty easily but I'm not left dying for the second book and I don't feel motivated to make people in my real life read it (the sure sign of a winner.)

The basic concept of this book is super cool. Ileni, the main character, is a sorceress whose power is diminishing and is basically sent as a sacrificial lamb to an underground tavern of assassins. She fulfills a treaty between their people, attempts to minimize the knowledge of magic that the assassins gain, and can investigate the death of the previous two wizards sent there. BUT, it's more complicated than that (isn't it always?) as Ileni comes to question her very upbringing, seeing the different philosophy of the assassins and how they are working to slowly chip away at an oppressive empire.

How can I describe Ileni? She's tough for sure with extensive reserves of inner strength. Her life has been dedicated toward increasingly complex magic but as she loses that ability, she loses the very essence of herself and she's not entirely sure what to do now. She's also flustered by a certain handsome assassin and his life, based around the Master's long-term plan and his ease at always facing death. She's clever, coming up with different strategies to compensate for her loss of magic and she's not afraid to ask questions as necessary. But she was a little tough to connect with for me-I don't know that I've ever had such a great talent as hers and thus have never had to lose such a thing. The other characters have some defining characteristics but do not receive the same definition.

I liked seeing the plot come together as answers were given while still setting up tension for the second concluding book in this duet. But I'm just feeling overall lackluster about it. You should give it a try if you've liked Cypess' writing before and if you want some fantasy in your life.

ARC Review: Ask Again Later

by Liz Czukas
4/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2014
336 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release March 4

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

I love that there's a tiara on the cover-the summary already made this book seem like a Stephanie one with its main character Heart flipping a coin to decide who should be her prom date but the tiara is really icing on the cake. Her original plans were to go with a big group of friends for a no drama prom. However two last minute invites have her reconsidering this. She's a bit of a people pleaser so she wants to keep everyone in her life happy. Since consulting a Magic Eight Ball is unsuccessful, she turns to flipping a coin. If the coin lands heads, she will go with her jock brother's recently dumped teammate Troy. If the coin lands tails, she will go with fellow theater geek Phil. As Heart ponders her options, she also struggles with her friend Schroeder's pushes to stay with her original crew that leads Heart to question her long-standing policy of no-dating.

One of my favorite trends in YA is playing around with ideas of fate and what will happen if you take different paths at crucial moments (see Pivot Point and Just Like Fate for other books that have their own take on this concept.) It's always interesting to see how these choices impact the eventual outcome. For Heart, she has an incredibly eventful prom no matter which option is chosen (way more happens than happened at my prom for example!) It makes for an exciting easy to read book, perfect for lovers of contemporary.

Something I enjoyed seeing was how similar her experiences ended up being even though she was in the company of different people. For example, her beautiful dress gets destroyed in both scenarios but for different reasons and with slightly different solutions. It was all these little things that pleased me and I liked seeing Czukas' attention to every little detail.

Furthermore this book is pretty funny. Heart's prom is eventful as mentioned and hilarious albeit embarrassing. Therefore while it would have sucked for most of these things to happen to you in real life, it's pretty easy to laugh at the outlandishness while reading. Heart herself has a and one of my favorite jokes is between Heart and Schroeder. She hates her name, that was bestowed upon her by her teenager mother before she ran off and he often calls her by other organs such as "Kidney" or "Pancreas." Meanwhile she calls him Schroeder, not because it is his real name, which is actually Chase, but because he is blond and plays piano. Their relationship has some frustrating moments but is fairly predictable.

Overall: If you like YA contemporary that takes place over the course of one crazy night and has attitude to spare, you'll be in for a delight with this book!

ARC Review: Faking Normal

by Courtney C Stevens
5/5 stars
HarperCollins Children's Books, 2014
336 pages
YA Contemporary Issues
Scheduled to release February 25

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

I actually almost skipped over this book while reviewing upcoming titles because it didn't seem flashy or strong enough to hook my attention. But I'm a die-hard contemporary fan so I decided I would give it a try anyway, picking it up as the expiration date approached.

And at first it seemed like a pretty basic contemporary. Over the previous summer, something happened to Lexi, something that torments her, that robs her of sleep, and leads to her furiously scratching her skin in the middle of the night. Though outwardly Lexi seems to be the same, the trauma of the past summer is taking its toll. Complicating her life is the new boarder in her family's house, Bodee Lennox whose father murdered his mother, leaving him orphaned and warmly welcomed by Lexi's family. His silent strength is a safe refuge for Lexi as tries to confront the past and stop faking normality.

From the writing, it soon becomes apparent that Lexi was raped but that she struggles to use that word because she didn't say no. This absolutely broke my heart. From my readings around the internet, I've seen this offered as a defense against rape. Because the word "no" was not uttered, it is suggested that it was not rape. But it definitely is and it makes me all the more passionate about supporting yes means yes and the idea of affirmative consent (visit here for a starting point). Her rapist is a pretty big part of her life (see SPOILER DISCUSSION below for a few more thoughts) and Lexi is genuinely concerned about ruining his future prospects with her words. I've read more than a few YA books about rape but I don't remember one where the young lady was forced into such close continual contact with her rapist and that relationship had such an emotional impact on me. Though it crept up on me, the emotions of the book really built and hit hard near the end.

While this secret hangs over the entirety of the book, there are other important moments and relationships. The abuse of Bodee's mom by his dad and the horror of living in that household are something unraveled through Bodee's closeness to Lexi. Female friendship plays an important role with Lexi and her two friends wading through the difficult moments of humanity. Lexi's often annoying older sister is also important with a shining moment of heroism at the end; you know I can't resist a sister-sister relationship.

Overall: An incredibly emotional read that is a strong example of writing in YA contemporary. I am so glad I gave this book a chance!

SPOILER DISCUSSION:
Stevens totally faked me out. Though I initially suspected Craig, the writing soon led me to Collie just like Bodee before swinging back with Lex's confession. I couldn't believe how long Lexi held it together before finally sharing and was completely swept up in her emotions. I also can't believe the coldness of Craig to put her through that. Even if she had been enthusiastic, he's a teacher who's a good decade older than her and who professes to be in love with her sister. What a sick twisted man!
END SPOILER

White Space

by Ilsa J. Bick
2/5 stars
Egmont USA, 2014
550 pages
YA Horror Fantastical

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

I have read several Bick novels and appreciated how they were challenging unique titles that tackled topics not frequently seen in YA and didn't follow a cookie cutter mold. So while I knew to expect something out of the norm when picking up this latest release, I didn't really have any way to prepare myself for what was to come.

The book was very confusing in the beginning, purposefully so as we are introduced to a wide assortment of characters and their connections are not immediately obvious. As the book progresses, their narratives start to overlap and some things begin to make sense. Luckily the characters themselves explain a lot instead of just leaving it up the reader. If I had to piece together everything on my own, I would have understood far less. As it stands though, I spent much of the book confused and, because this is first in a series, I am still left puzzled by some aspects albeit with zero interest in continuing the series to find out more.

At this time in my life, it was a struggle to read this massive book with all of its meandering passages and seemingly unconnected plotlines. It did move faster as I got further in to the book but my attention span was not well suited for this story. Another hindrance for me was the extended horrific imagery. Some terrifying things happen in this book and Bick does not stint on the details. There is oozing and creatures of the dark and of the mind. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to sleep tonight but if not, I know what will be causing my nightmares!

Still I can point out some of its virtues. Generically it is very meta, looking at the nature of stories, writing, and characters. I can't provide any concrete examples for this because they might end up being spoilers so you will just have to trust me. Specifically it seemed to reference other works of literature, primarily HP Lovecraft, Charles Dickens, and Sylvia Plath. I am only familiar with Dickens so I'm not sure I got the full benefit of these allusions. In general the writing was more literary than my usual taste but that will be a good thing for some readers. And as I referenced above, it is quite unlike the YA I usually read and see around the blogosphere. These positives were not quite able to outweigh my early confusion and its horror genre but I can see there being a passionate audience for it.

Recommended: for the ambitious reader, well-versed in literature; the lover of horror stories; the patient reader who is in it for the long haul.

ARC Review: The Lure

by Lynne Ewing
2/5 stars
Balzer + Bray, 2014
288 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release February 11

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

Well. When I first saw this book, my immediate question was "Who (what) is the lure?" The synopsis answered immediately that it is a beautiful young woman who lures rival gang members so they can be taken down by those in her gang. This sounded horrifically brutal but also uniquely different so I decided to give it a try.

While it seems to be a look at gangs, the lure portion is actually very small in my opinion. Main character Blaise has long prided herself on being tough enough with her attitude and not needing to rely on physical appearance to make her way through the gritty streets. But maybe halfway through the book, after her brutal initiation into a gang (the other girls beat her for a minute), she accepts the offer and her date with destiny is set.

This book was so far out of my comfort zone, beyond anything I could imagine. I mean, is this real life for some people? It blows my mind. How did Ewing conceive of such a setting-has she a journalist background or did she grow up such surroundings? Furthermore Goodreads lists this as a "gritty, sexy novel"-I can easily see gritty but who thought sexy was an appropriate adjective? Brutal, disgusting, horrifying are far more apt in my mind.

Because I don't want to be completely negative, I can mention a positive of this book featuring characters very low on the socioeconomic scale. One of the criticisms I've read about YA is a tendency to focus on middle/upper-middle class white kids but that is not the case here. The characters depicted here are poor and caught up in endless cycles of violence, gang affiliation, and retaliation. No one seems able to break free and many don't even feel a longing to do so. It's absolutely heartbreaking.

Overall: I would not recommend this book to anyone I know-if, in general, we share taste in books, steer clear of this one!

ARC Review: Perfect Lies

by Kiersten White
4/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2014
232 pages
YA Paranormal Sisters
Scheduled to release February 18

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

Last year Mind Games won me over with its focus on a pair of sisters, its fast pace, and unusual structure. It also left me with a ton of questions that were going to require answers in this sequel in order to keep me engaged with the characters and story.

Again the sister-sister relationship is what pulled me in. As I continue to struggle with my limited attention span, it was difficult to straighten out the crazy timeline in this book (though that got simpler as more was revealed) but that connection between Fia and Annie sucks me in every time. In fact I would say that everything I like most about this book is due to that crazy connection. I'm pretty sure I relate so strongly just because I have a sister no matter how different our relationship is. I also feel pretty confident that if this relationship doesn't ring true for you, this book will be a difficult read.

Also you should definitely read Mind Games first and what you did or did not like in that book is pretty much here too. For example, the writing captures the twitchiness (for lack of a better word) of the characters and it feels like it was written in just as much of a whirlwind as Mind Games. It feels darker than White's earlier Paranormalcy trilogy due to the dark nature of the paranormal powers and how they have been directed. Furthermore there are the extremely difficult decisions the girls must face as they grapple with their "fate."

As for me, I wished for more answers to my questions and I'm not sure they were as answered as they could have been. However that killer portrayal of sisters has me hooked! Between that and the twisty timeline jumping narrative, I don't even really need anything else.

Overall: I think you will like this book if you enjoyed the first but best to avoid if not.

ARC Review: Uninvited

by Sophie Jordan
4/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2014
384 pages
YA Dystopia
Scheduled to release January 28

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

Sophie Jordan came on to my radar through her Firelight trilogy, which gave me utterly addictive writing, a fascinating dragon premise, and a swoonworthy boy named Will. So obviously I was going to be interested when I heard she had a new YA series coming soon.

At its heart is a simple premise: a kill gene has been discovered (formally known as Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)) and a test is being implemented to identify who has it in their genes. A panicked populace encourages the using of this test and soon groups are being culled from the general population as the government struggles to maintain control in cities where outraged "killers" take over.

Davy seems to be the golden girl, destined for a beautiful life of music until she is identified as possessing the kill gene and her life is radically upturned as she is sent to a public school with other "killers." Some certainly seem to fit the profile, threatening to rape and/or kill Davy on first meeting while others seem more nebbish. The first half of the book deals with Davy and her family processing (or refusing to process) this information and adjusting to the new reality. Hints of the larger world indicate that the situation is escalating, which is further reinforced by snippets of interviews, government orders, etc. that are interspersed throughout the chapters.

In the second half Davy, love interest Sean (who has his own intimidation factor) and dweeby Gil are among a select group chosen to attend a government training facility where their presumed predilection for killing will be encouraged provided it falls in line with what the leaders want. This second half ends more with a whimper than a bang, setting us up for plenty of excitement in the second book of this two-book series but not leaving me panting with suspense in the interim.

I seem to really click with Jordan's writing so it is no surprise that I read through this pretty quickly. Her background is in romance so while I wasn't initially on board with Sean as love interest (being a reader who likes nice men and skips over the intimidating bad boy), he won me over as their romance deepened. Davy is a nice enough girl, one raised with a privileged life in the suburbs that has kept her away from the worst criminal element but also one in possession of deep reserves that give her strength when everything she has ever known is ripped away from her. I would have liked to have seen more of her brother Mitchell, the only family member who doesn't recoil upon her diagnosis and who would probably like to be a part of a resistance in the second book.

For a very thoughtful review discussing some of this book's shortcomings, check out Ivy Book Bindings. Keertana brought up some excellent points about world-building that I had completely blipped over through my connection to the writing.

ARC Review: Five Came Back

by Mark Harris
5/5 stars
The Penguin Press, 2014
444 pages
Adult Non-Fiction Cinema History
Scheduled to release February 27

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

Some years ago I spotted an interesting sounding book in Entertainment Weekly and promptly put it on hold. When it came in at the library, I devoured it and got my parents to read it as well with them both loving it as well. What book was this? Well as you might have guessed, it was by Mr Mark Harris called Pictures at a Revolution about the five Best Picture nominees of 1967 and it inspired me to attempt to watch all five (still haven't managed as some are boring *ahemdoctordoolittle*) as well as sparking an interest in classic Hollywood. Thus it was a no-brainer to request his next book about cinematic history. While I recognized the five director's names (John Ford, George Stevens, John Huston, William Wyler, and Frank Capra) that are the focus of this book, I didn't know that much about any of them and certainly next to nothing about their experiences during World War II.

The book opens in 1938 following the five men in their Hollywood careers, some at the height of their popularity while others were just beginning their career until the United States entered the war and all five joined up, bringing their knowledge of film making to aid in the production of films about the war for both a military and civilian audience. Harris skillfully weaves in a discussion of propaganda and the impact of war while tracing the activities of the men.

As I shared, I didn't know much about the personal lives of these men so everything in this book was revelatory. My personal favorite sections did relate to actual movies I knew (such as a look at the excellent postwar film The Best Years of Our Lives) bringing back my enjoyment of Harris' previous book but I liked all of the other sections too. The five men had such experiences journeying to the Pacific and the European theaters and serving in different branches. But they also knew each other and were united by a Hollywood background and similar challenges while in the military that help keep the thread of the story moving.

Overall: I just click with his writing-now I want him to explore the anti-Communist movement in Hollywood during the fifties as we get hints of that in this book!

ARC Review: Fake ID

by Lamar Giles
4/5 stars
HarperCollins, 2014
320 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release January 21

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

I wasn't really sure why I requested this book other than the contemporary setting because it is a bit more on the thriller side than I typically read. The plot summary didn't really grab me either but luckily as I read, I found myself drawn to the characters and the writing.

The book opens in a confusing matter with main character Nick referencing items that made no sense to me as someone just entering his world. However I soon found myself grounded in Nick's life in the Witness Protection Program due to his father. They have moved around the country because of the father's inability to live a low profile law-abiding life and this is their last chance. These tensions are fraying Nick's family with his mother especially sensitive to all of the changes. On top of that, Nick's first friend at his new school Eli is murdered and Nick finds himself drawn to solve that mystery, compelled partly by Nick's gorgeous and fiery twin sister Reya.

I can't see how anyone would unravel the complete mystery behind Eli's death as the threads upon threads strained plausibility to me. However the motives at the heart ring all too true and Nick is a diligent detective to track down all the pieces. He is also pretty funny and oddly relatable considering I am not in the Witness Protection Program (or am I?) I also liked Reya who is filled with personality and especially Nick's mother and her difficult predicament though other characters seemed more surface-level to me.

One last note is that the ending caught me off-guard because I was expecting something more conclusive whereas this leads up to something big that might happen in a sequel. However as of yet there does not seem to be a sequel definitively planned, which makes the abruptness of this ending awkward to me. I would feel more pumped about this book knowing that the ending would be resolved in a second book.

Cover: Yay for accurately showing an African-American young man on the cover (diversity is good!) though I wish you could see his face more clearly.

Afterparty

by Ann Redisch Stampler
4/5 stars
Simon Pulse, 2013
398 pages
YA Contemporary

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

Last year I read this author's debut Where It Began and found the writing incredibly engaging; however I struggled to connect with the main character Gabby. When I picked up Afterparty, I hoped to find more great writing in addition to a main character I adored. Alas it was the same old story. The writing was compulsively readable but narrator Emma is baffling and eventually incredibly annoying to me.

Starting from the beginning, Emma lives with her very overprotective father under the burden of her mother's poor decisions that have led to his strict regime of rules over Emma's life. All she wants is to be "normal," which makes sense to me. However her normal is so far away from mine. She gets caught up in the life of very rich people involving hooking up and a lot of drugs, especially at the culmination of their yearly social scene the Afterparty (at least this is my understanding; I don't party and do not understand the appeal.) While I sympathized with Emma's desire to break out from her dad who is extraordinarily strict, I thought she went so far in the other direction and made so many poor decisions.

Among those decisions is befriending the wild Siobhan who pushes Emma out of her comfort zone, sometimes with exciting fun result but more often with extremely negative consequences. Their dangerous relationship is at the heart of this book. Like Emma, I initially found Siobhan exhilarating too. My life is pretty dull (basically I work and read-I'm not going out partying ever) and I can see how she would be enticing. However as an adult, I read the writing on the wall about Siobhan who goes full-on psycho near the end before Emma, putting me in the position of waiting for Emma to figure out what I already knew. Unsurprisingly there are also a few boys, namely Dylan, the big crush for Emma. I was initially on her side in pursuing this boy but he wore out his welcome. Her continued profession of affection for him was another reason we didn't quite click.

In the end, though I liked the writing of this book well enough, I found the characters and their motivation exasperating, meaning this was not a perfect read for me nor one I'll necessarily be recommending to all.

ARC Review: Heartbeat

by Elizabeth Scott
5/5 stars
Harlequin Teen, 2014
233 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release January 28, 2014

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

I have read and loved every Elizabeth Scott novel that has been released so far so it was hard for me that this book was pushed back from an earlier 2013 release. Luckily I managed to score an early copy and sneak it in to my reading schedule before the official release.

Going in, I didn't really know what to expect other than that it is a contemporary. I had decided to treat myself by reading just a few pages as a teaser but soon myself through 20% of the book. I had to charge my e-reader then but quickly returned to finish this book. It was a struggle because despite this book's brevity, it packs quite an emotional punch.

Main character Emma visits her mother every day in the hospital accompanying her stepfather Dan in these tragic circumstances. These are made more so by the fact that her mother is essentially dead and is being kept alive in order to preserve the life of the baby inside her, a decision that Emma believes Dan made solely to beget his progeny and in complete defiance of what Emma's mother would have wanted. The loss of her mother has sent Emma deep into herself; the girl formerly on track for valedictorian is now failing all of her classes, speaks just to her best friend Olivia, and cannot fathom forgiving Dan for his egregious betrayal. However bad boy Caleb starts to catch her eye as she realizes that he is also sinking in grief. Together these two broken people may be able to continue to face the day.

Sadly I don't really have the words to sum up the experience of reading this other than to start with "intense." Emma is so sad and so angry and it is painful to read much of the time. I've been very blessed in this arena and don't have any experiences to compare but just reading about her pain was emotionally difficult. I thought Scott did an excellent job of varying the descriptors and bringing out all the facets of Emma's emotions-she's never just sad or angry or regretful but all of these and so much more over the course of the book.

One element that made me especially happy was Emma's commitment to being a good friend to Olivia and to celebrate her normality like when the boy Olivia likes likes her back! This is explicitly represented in the book and it made me happy as I've read in the blogosphere and observed myself in books how sometimes the main character just completely shuts out her best friend or doesn't even have them before being brought into a supernatural world by the hero. This book defies that stereotype.

Though there is a dreamy boy (Caleb is definitely a ten!), his emotional presence plays the biggest role for Emma here. He has also experienced death and the pall grief casts over a family so he is able to fully empathize with Emma here and be a suitable partner. Though I prefer Will in Perfect You, Caleb is a perfect match for Emma.

Overall: A heartwrenching novel about an incredibly difficult period in one's life; beautifully written.

Be sure to come back in January as I will be hosting a giveaway to coincide with the release date!

ARC Review: Avalon

by Mindee Arnett
3.5/5 stars
Balzer + Bray, 2014
432 pages
YA Science-Fiction
Scheduled to release January 21, 2014

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

This book caught my attention after being featured on multiple Waiting on Wednesdays posts and seeing notices that it bore some resemblance to cult classic "Firefly," a show that I personally adore. As a diehard contemporary fan, I don't tend to read much science-fiction so I also thought it would be fun to broaden my reading horizons a bit.

Right away I caught the "Firefly" vibe because our main characters are involved in a bit of thievery with the captain's beloved spaceship laying claim to a huge piece of his heart. This group of teenagers reports to a criminal mastermind and are sent to track down a weapon on a missing ship with the tantalizing promise of being released from service to live in freedom aboard the ship Avalon. But of course nothing so simple can occur for our characters as they discover something far more at stake than any mere weapon with three mysterious survivors hiding their own pieces of the puzzle and complicating the choices available to the crew.

I didn't want to go too in-depth on the plot but it all seemed sufficiently spacey to me. Almost the entire book takes place on board a few ships and travel through space is a critical component. As you get deeper in to the book, questions about who is human and behavioral modifications are further probed, which also meets my criteria for a satisfying science-fiction novel. Unfortunately the plot went a bit further and I found myself increasingly disengaged as it progressed. I think others will roll with the punches better than me though.

Unfortunately I never completely clicked with the characters, meaning that my emotional side was neglected. I did like main character Jeth upon whom the burdens of choice seem to lay on the heaviest. He's the eldest of the group and had to grow up to fast under the care of a drunken uncle after being orphaned; he protects those around him especially his younger sister Lizzie who seems to be growing up all too fast. But the book isn't in first person so while I felt we were getting valuable insight into his mind, it just didn't click the way a first person narrative more often does for me. The secondary characters weren't of much interest to me beyond the psychotic criminal mastermind Hammer and Uncle Milton who seemed to have a much more interesting past than Jeth necessarily knew.

Overall: A novel full of space and lightning fast acts of betrayal that amps up tension skillfully. Though this book wasn't quite for me, I have every confidence that readers more excited by science-fiction will find plenty to love.

ARC Review: Cruel Beauty

by Rosamund Hodge
4/5 stars
Balzer + Bray, 2014
352 pages
YA Mythical Fantastical Fairy-Tale Romance
Scheduled to release January 28, 2014

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

I read and am reviewing this book a bit earlier than I usually would because I was just so in the mood for a fairy tale and was richly rewarded in choosing this one with a complex main character and a story I found richly romantic though I can definitely see people being turned off by some aspects. For me, this is a winner though and one you'll want on your radar as its release date in January approaches.

Like many people, I fawned over this cover in many a "Waiting on Wednesday" post with the spiraling rose/staircase and powerful red capturing my imagination. Learning that it was based on "Beauty and the Beast" only further sealed the deal. I still feel like B&B is an underutilized fairy tale for retellings so I was ready for one to sweep me away.

And that's what happened here. Nyx has grown up knowing that her mother died birthing her and her twin sister Astraia; the price for even conceiving the girls was that one would grow up to marry the Gentle Lord who rules over their isolated kingdom. Nyx was chosen and trained for this duty while her sister was petted and cosseted. Upon arriving at the castle for her marriage, Nyx is drawn into a tangled love triangle with the Lord Ignifex and his shadow Shade while also unraveling the secrets of her kingdom's very foundation.

I know, I know that I referenced a love triangle above but it's so much more complicated than that and I can't go more in depth without spoiling things and I really don't want to do that to you. Let's just say that I've been very exasperated with triangles in my YA reading but this one didn't provoke those feelings at all. Also this appears to be a standalone so you can rest assured that there's resolution about the relationships and the main plot.

As for the characters, Nyx is a tough nut. She both loves and resents her sister, feeling respect for that familial relationship and how much Astraia smiles and seems to depend on her but also loathing the precious sister who will always be loved more by their father as the splitting image of their mother. For the most part, she is aware of what is right and what is wrong but actually implementing those ideals is a struggle that the reader will journey. I had topsy-turvy feelings about Ignifex (whose name I hate) and Shade, sometimes feeling very positive and other times just anger on behalf of Nyx. When the romance deepens though, I was able to go along for the ride.

Another idea wrestled with is the nature of bargains. Nyx is in this position because of a bargain her father struck and we learn about so many other people who offer certain sacrifices for what they want, so rarely fathoming how far the tricky bargainers will stretch their word. While one thing is promised, there are always unforeseen consequences.

I'm not really someone who tends to notice writing other than identifying a distinct preference for more commercial rather than literary writing. I feel like this one leans more toward the latter but still maintains a good pace with a lot of wonder as everything unravels toward the end. I consider it a bit more literary because of the difficult names and allusions to mythology and history. I was fortunate to be familiar with some of the myths referenced, which I think helped me understand the book better upon first read. This book could definitely still be enjoyed even without that knowledge though.

Overall: An enchanting tale that keeps the "Beauty and the Beast" tale intact while also altering and greatly expanding for a satisfying novel of magic and consequence.

ARC Review: The Promise of Amazing

by Robin Constantine
3/5 stars
Balzer + Bray, 2013
384 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release December 31

Source: Received an e-ARC through the publisher at Edelweiss.

Warning: Blogger is cranky!

As I've shared, I've been having trouble focusing on reading and blogging. I hoped though that a cute YA contemporary would bring me back, perhaps this one. Unfortunately it was not to be. Though this book has promise, it fell far short of amazing to me.

My overwhelming impression was that I just. did. not. care. I didn't care about Wren and her averageness, I didn't care about Grayson's expulsion from his fancy prep school, I didn't care about his schemes with his friends, I didn't care about their relationship. Wren is so dull and for the most part we only see her interest in Grayson, not any other interests she might have (and her friends are sorely underdeveloped so we don't get much of a sense of her personality from hanging out with them.) Grayson has slightly more spark though it's of the bad boy sort, which isn't what I like.

So the characters were a bust. What about the plot? The big conflict revolves around some seriously sketchy stuff Grayson has done that he wants to hide from Wren. This leads to all sorts of drama with his best friend and Wren's ex-best friend in addition to a lot of crying and inability to communicate. I found Grayson's situation pushed the bounds of believability (he has done a lot of terrible things but with skill and panache). The plot didn't capture me either. To sum up, no-go on the characters as well as the plot. What does this mean? Perhaps still something to check out for YA contemporary fans but I would suggest you skip.

Cover: Points for accuracy: Grayson does wear a blazer with the suede patches (and I fully agree with Wren about how cute this is) and they seem to be in their own private world as they lean in for the kiss.

ARC Review: Princesses Behaving Badly

Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
3/5 stars
Quirk Books, 2013
278 pages
Non-Fiction History
Scheduled to release November 19

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

I have frequently talked about my love of princesses and fairy tales so I loved the hook for this book, which references real-life princesses and how their lives don't really fit that mold for whatever reason, often because of their excesses and/or insanity.

Something I appreciated was reading about princess outside of Europe; yes, we look at a few princesses from Asia, Africa and even the Americas though most are based in various Europe countries. However the definition of princess and real is very flexible. Several of these women merely styled themselves as princess without the ancestry one would expect and several of the stories are most probably from mythology and not well grounded in fact. I thought they were fascinating nonetheless but go against what the very title of this book promises.

In general, I found the tone of this book very gossipy, which quite frankly works for me as gossip sites are some of my favorite pleasure reading (my fave for the past four or so years is Lainey Gossip). It was disconcerting though as I'm used to such figures being treated with a bit more reverence. But this book relishes in their profligate ways and sexual excesses. It started to feel overwhelming especially as I read this book in about one day. I was personally shocked at some of what was described-a good reminder that it is not just our era where we see unbelievable wealth and reckless spending.

Probably the most interesting tidbit for me was the examination of Juana the Mad, who I thought was a sad byproduct of royalty's tendency toward inbreeding. However this author suggests that she was framed as mad so the men in her life could rule in her stead. I'm embarrassed that I never considered this possibility and merely accepted this story spoonfed to me.

Overall: A rollicking ride through history looking at some overlooked or even forgotten women who made their mark on history.

*A note: I read an e-ARC that was sorely in need of some editing; I assume the finished copy will be corrected because there were some terrible errors. The finished copy should also contain a bibliography, which was sadly missing here as I would like to explore some of these figures through a more scholarly lens.

ARC Review: Rob Delaney

Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage. by Rob Delaney
4/5 stars
Spiegel & Grau, 2013
208 pages
Adult Memoir Humorous
Scheduled to release November 5

Source: Received an e-ARC from the publisher through Edelweiss.

Earlier this year my friend dragged a group of us to a comedy club. I wasn't much impressed with the opening acts but experienced some good chuckles from the main attraction, being this man Rob Delaney. Later I started following him on Twitter and then requested a copy of his book anticipating some laughs.

I'm pleased to say that I got them in this memoir although my lingering impression is that the book was just too short. I don't have a lot to say though I liked tracing Delaney's journey through alcoholism, injuries, depression, and ultimately recovery; he's lived for sure. I thought I'd share a few lines from the book to give you a taste for his writing style, if you are not familiar with his comedy (although he was voted "Funniest person on Twitter" at the Comedy Central awards so why don't you? ;)

For starters, there are some delightful turns of phrases such as:
"This boy might go on a killing spree one day, so distant is reality from his sad, flailing grasp"
"a beautiful, shimmering red flag"
"where my rented Nissan Altima so passionately kissed a branch office"

I think it's the descriptors "flailing," "shimmering," and "passionately" that really add the punch to these lines. Oh and I'm not giving you any additional context for these either-you will just have to pick up the book for yourself!

But because I'm so sweet, I will share a few longer (hilarious) quotes:
"Cheesecake...Who invented that? Probably Jesus of Nazareth. Or maybe Louis Pasteur. It makes me physically sick to think that Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, yet the name of the inventor of cheesecake isn't tattooed on Dick Cheney's face."
-When polling people at my office, 5 out of 7 people chose apple pie over cheesecake (though one did admit he'd take either), which is just a disgrace if you ask me. How do I work with these people???

"Willful ignorance or resistance of alleged facts has been a big ingredient in any success I've had."
-I actually kind of want to keep this in mind for future endeavors; who needs "reality" anyway?

Overall: I think if you enjoy Mr. Delaney's humor, you will enjoy this book. Check out his twitter to get a feel for his humor; be warned though that it's definitely adult unlike the MG/YA novels I more frequently review here.

Fault Line

Fault Line by C. Desir
3/5 stars
Simon Pulse, 2013
226 pages
YA Contemporary

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

I think I picked this one up after noting that it was a contemporary but without really reading the summary as this is definitely on the darker, heavier side of contemporary. In comparison, my tastes tend to lean toward the lighter comedic side though I venture over from time to time. It raises questions around rape, responsibility, and healing, showing that there are no easy answers in such a situation.

The book opens with a provocative scene, only to flash back to the first days of Ben and Ani's relationship and trace up to a party where Ben stays home and something happens with Ani that sends their relationship off the rails. Ani is no longer the girl Ben knew and loved though he struggles to hold on and to help heal her.

I thought it was an interesting choice to narrate from the perspective of the boy whose girlfriend was raped. Mostly I see novels from the girl herself (see Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson or that Sarah Dessen book whose name is escaping me.) I wish we could have seen more of their relationship in good times but, as you can see, the book is pretty short so everything moves at a good clip. I really struggled with Ben's insistence on trying to "fix" Ani because, from my perspective, it is not. He kept claiming it as his responsibility, letting his scholarship, friendships, and family fall by the wayside. Because it's really not-he does not possess the ability to heal her, only she can do that at her own speed, following her own healing process that may lead to a lot of hurt before anything redemptive can come out of this.

As I mentioned some of the big questions revolve around culpability:

• Is Ani responsible for consuming alcohol while underage in an unfamiliar environment? For not stopping what happened?
• Is Kate responsible for also consuming alcohol while underage and not sticking with Ani, to step in when things took a turn for the different?
• Are the boys (we're pretty sure it's multiple) who had also consumed an unknown quantity of alcohol responsible for not taking advantage of Ani? Did they in fact take advantage or was it all entirely of her own free will?
• Is Ben responsible because he decided to skip the party and wasn't there to protect her?

The book really blurs the issue-for some reviewers, it seem as if if she'd been roofied or more obviously impaired, then it would obviously be rape. But it's so difficult to try to determine what actually happened that fateful night at the party, mirroring our actual world. We just don't know.

Overall: An intense read that will definitely not be for everyone but I appreciated its unique perspective and the realistic depiction of a volunteer advocate to provide information in the aftermath.

Other Opinions: I strongly encourage you to check out some other reviews as people have written from a lot of different perspectives; here are a few but more are on goodreads and other blogs.
A Good Addiction
Good Books and Good Wine
In Bed With Books
Stacked

ARC Review: The Vow

The Vow by Jessica Martinez
4/5 stars
Simon Pulse, 2013
424 pages
YA Contemporary
Scheduled to release October 15

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

I have read Martinez's Virtuosity so was excited to see this new book by her especially with its very different premise. Annie and Mo have long been best friends, both having felt ostracized from their normal peers. Annie in the shadow of the kidnapping and death of her popular older sister and Mo as a Muslim-Jordanian boy in a post-9/11 Kentucky. Neither quite fits in but they get each other. Until the devastating news that Mo must return to Jordan with his family as his father's work visa ends. Together they hatch the crazy plan to get married so that Mo can get a visa and stay here. Should be easy-peasy, right? Not so of course as both face difficulties with their families and eventually the toll of putting up the front of this fake happy marriage starts to get to them.

There were a lot of things I liked about this book such as the alternating narration between Annie and Mo and how the last sentence of one's section would be echoed in the first of the next. This really tied the story together and kept me turning the pages. Though there are a lot of subplots, I didn't feel like the book was overstuffed; however I don't think everything was handled as well as it could have been as will be discussed below. I would also like to applaud Martinez for diversity and the guts to take on a really different kind of story. I've honestly never read anything in YA about teenage marriage for a green card (and I've read a lot of YA in the past four years.) I've also not read many books about Muslims in America, definitely an underrepresented group (we need more books with this diversity, please!)

Less successful was the depictions of the families, both of which are shattered even before the marriage plot is hatched and only further splinters as the pressures mount. I'm a reader who likes resolution and this book does not provide a sufficient amount for me. Especially of interest to me was the case of Annie's parents who, eight years later, overwhelmingly suffocate Annie with their desire to know where she is at all times without displaying any interest in really knowing her as a person. They are pissed when she gets married with their racist side especially coming out. And that's basically it. Does Annie manage to reconcile with them? I don't know-Martinez does not share. Similarly Mo's family makes a few brief appearances through video chat once they return to Jordan but the full consequences of their separation are not really explored. It left me wanting a lot more. Also leaving me wanting more was the relationship between Annie and Mo, which has always been platonic. By the end though there are hints of it becoming something more. Hints only, mind you and I interpret the ending in one way but they never really talk those feelings out.

I was also a bit skeptical about their knowledge regarding fraudulent immigrant marriages, as in they didn't know much. I mean, have they not seen "The Proposal"??? I understand they're young and not thinking entirely rationally but the idea that the federal government closely examines marriages between citizens and foreigners hoping for a visa/green card to ascertain validity is a pretty basic one and I was mad at them for not being prepared for that contingency. I was also disgusted with the racism on display while recognizing that it's probably pretty accurate and even muted for this time. As mentioned above, Mo is a Muslim from Jordan and while not devout, he does match the appearance many people might have of Muslims and he receives a great deal of racist remarks and looks because of that. Luckily the text in no way condones that and represents Mo as just an ordinary person because that's what he is.

Overall: I feel like my negatives ended up being longer than my positives but I still really liked the writing and the concept for this a lot. The entire execution was maybe not strong enough to make a deep and lasting impression on me but I think this is a book worth checking out especially if you're a contemporary fan who doesn't need a lot of romance and also if you want to support diversity in books.

The Bones of Paris

The Bones of Paris by Laurie R. King
3.5/5 stars
Bantam, 2013
432 pages
Adult Historical Mystery

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

Apparently I may sometimes lack reading comprehension because I totally thought this was the latest Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes book. I kept waiting for them to pop up and orient me in the story! Then I finally looked at it on goodreads and discovered that it is a second book (which helps explain why I felt a bit off balance while reading-presumably someone who has read the first book would be able to follow it more easily.)

The book opens with Bennett Grey, who played a big role in the introductory book but meant nothing to me so it was not until we meet Harris Stuyvesant and I realized that he was the main character that I was able to settle into the story. Harris is a down on his luck private investigator who has been hired by a young woman's worried uncle and mother to track her down as she hasn't been seen in months. Harris had previously had a relationship with the girl (lasting some few days) and is desperate for money so he jumps at the chance. While investigating, he goes deep into Parisian culture during these bright hectic 1929 days (we're approaching the stock market crash in hindsight) and uncovers a bloody trail.

As is often the case when I read historical fiction incorporating real-life personages, seeing how the author chose to render them was a pleasure. Though most only merit brief mentions like Hemingway, I got a thrill every time I recognized a name and enjoyed looking up the others on wikipedia (I had never heard of Man Ray for example; how is "Man" a first name? Isn't it merely a noun?) Another part I liked was the references to the Great War, which hang over all of our characters. Though peace has been in place for eleven years, many are still haunted by those dark days. A third element I liked was the depiction of Paris itself. Yes, there is glitter but there is also the fact that the city is built on bones and women are sadly a dime a dozen for a potential serial killer.

Meanwhile when I consider the mystery itself, I am shocked at how quickly it became so complicated while at other times, it seemed to be almost forgotten when Harris unexpectedly reunites with an old love. This enthralling woman and her possible connection to the case were interesting enough but I didn't care for them as much as Harris did. Other character relationships were not well-developed though I sensed there was potential between Harris and Bennett, a relationship that probably would have been much richer if I had read the first book.

Overall: I loved the atmosphere of Paris and how the darker underbelly was exposed but found the character relationships too muddy as well as the tone's darkness conflicting with my penchant for a light comedy. I'd wait for the next Mary Russell installment.