ARC Review: Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy

Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy by Elizabeth Kiem
3/5 stars
Soho Teen, 2013
264 pages
YA Historical
Scheduled to release August 13

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

So many thoughts! This caught my attention due to its title and its kind of similarity to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (as the publisher synopsis references John le Carre, I suspect that is not unintentional). Additionally the cover is quite striking with its vivid pops of color (pink and yellow is combination I am loving this summer). And my third reason, like I need a third reason after the intriguing first two, was the setting in 1982 Soviet Union. Have you ever read a YA book set then and there? I don't think I have and I always want to try the new and unique.

The book started out promisingly following young Marina whose dancer mother is very important to the USSR, resulting in quite a cushy lifestyle. However when her mother discovers something she should not, Marina and her father flee to the US trying to build a new life. However they cannot forget her mother left behind, abandoned and their attempts to reunite lead to tragedy.

Though I didn't mention it in my brief summary above, Marina (and her mother) has a special power: a second sight of sorts. Wow did I hate that element. I found it confusing and unnecessary in a book I was already struggling to follow. When I read historical fiction, I expect to either find myself in what I consider a somewhat glamorous world that I know a lot about (like Regency London) or to be educated about a time period I don't really know (such as the USSR in any period). But I never quite followed the KGB plot-perhaps that confusion is supposed to mirror the confusion and suspicions entertained by people during that period. Regardless, I did not enjoy it and really struggled to finish the book.

One plot point I did like was Marina's attempts to acclimate to life in the United States and the portrayals of her and other immigrants' experiences in a hostile new world. Another was the moments of dance though brief and mentions of music, which are more elaborate. There is also a romance that was okay and an excellent Valentine's Day Massacre dance scene that I really liked.

Overall: My unfamiliarity with the time period made this a difficult read that I struggled to finish. I found it all very confusing and never connected with any of the characters.

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Blog Tour: Deviant

Today I am pleased to be a tour stop for Deviant by Helen FitzGerald as part of Precious Gem Book Tours. Check out the link for other tour stops, including interviews, guest posts, and a giveaway!

Deviant by Helen FitzGerald
4/5 stars
SohoTeen, 2013
248 pages
YA Mystery Contemporary

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

When 16-year-old Abigail's mother dies in Scotland--leaving a faded photo, a weirdly cryptic letter, and a one-way ticket to America--she feels nothing. Why should she? Her mother gave her away when she was a baby, leaving her to grow up on an anti-nuclear commune and then in ugly foster homes. But the letter is a surprise in more ways than one: Her father is living in California. What's more, Abigail discovers she has an eighteen-year-old sister, Becky. And the two are expecting Abigail to move in with them.

After struggling to overcome her natural suspicions of a note from beyond the grave (not to mention anything positive) Abigail grows close to her newfound sister. But then Becky is found dead, the accidental victim of an apparent drug overdose. As Abigail wrestles with her feelings and compiles a "Book of Remembrance" of her sister's short life, she uncovers a horrifying global plot aimed at controlling teen behavior: one that took her sister's and mother's lives, with vast implications.

When I found out about this tour, I was excited to participate because Deviant sounded like a very unique story. I've included the publisher's synopsis above because I think it does a great job at capturing the many interesting bits of this story: Abigail's upbringing in Scotland, her movement through foster homes, her newfound relatives, her sister's death, the plot aimed at controlling teen behavior. It sounded like a very far-reaching book and I loved that it was contemporary!

I'll admit that I had a bit of trouble getting in to this book as Abigail's harsh childhood was far bleaker than my own and I tend to click faster with characters who are like me. Once she arrives in America though, I found myself much more engaged. Abigail had to acclimate herself to a whole new culture AND to a previously unknown family-what a challenge! The pieces of the puzzle come at you slowly before quickly building up to a dark conspiracy with Abigail fleeing for her life and narrowly escaping death. I mean, it is tense and the last chapters just fly by, proving that all the buildup was worth it.

For favorite character, I would have to pick sister Becky although we don't get to spend much time with her before her "overdose." She's a spark and the way her courage and work inspires Abigail was wonderful to see. I also liked their stepmother Melanie who could probably best be described as a Stepford Wife. Her robotic behavior was bizarre but gripping all the same. As I said, Abigail had a much harder life than me turning her somewhat dark and withdrawn, which is understandable although it made me feel like it was hard to connect with her (the use of third person narrative rather than first person like many other YA titles possibly contributed to this as well) but by the end, I was thoroughly absorbed in her journey.

Sadly this book does not currently seem to be part of a series although the conclusion seems ripe for one. I wonder if the author plans to continue; I know I would be interested in coming along for the ride.

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Escape Theory

Escape Theory by Margaux Froley
4/5 stars
Soho Teen, 2013
269 pages
YA Contemporary Mystery

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

I read a couple of reviews of this that prompted me to request this book, emphasizing the fact that it has a mystery and is set at a boarding school (score!) I adore reading about boarding schools although I am grateful that I did not attend one; college was enough.

The boarding school featured here is entering a tragic year when one of its brightest students, Jason Hutchins or Hutch, is discovered dead from an overdose of OxyContin. This suicide casts a pall over everyone especially Hutch's best friend Matt, his girlfriend Isla, and Devon, who shared an unforgettable night with Hutch their freshman year and is acting as a peer counselor to the grieving. These sessions and Devon's own exploring lead her to the conclusion that Hutch did not kill himself but was instead murdered and she devotes all her time to figuring out just who might have done it.

Devon's obsession with Hutch (yes, obsession is the word I'd use) is a bit weird. They had one perfect night making Nutter-Butter pancakes and she still idealizes him based on that experience. But they barely talked in-between and she has largely hung on the outskirts of the school's social circle while he was very much at its center. I understand how she would cling to those fond memories but I also worried about her. On the other hand, I admired her efforts as peer counselor which were hindered by an apathetic student population as well as an interfering administration. She is also very determined as can be seen by the way she doggedly tracks down Hutch's last moments.

Honestly though the mystery was a little less engaging. I ended up having a bit of trouble following all the characters and their motivations. I had no idea who did it and the ultimate answer is so heartbreaking. Her investigation also sheds light on a prescription drug ring that involved Hutch during his life as well as almost every student at the school. This seemed a little clumsily integrated but it was acceptable.

Overall: A fun mystery, perfect for lovers of boarding school stories (and I know there are quite a few of you out there!)

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ARC Review: What We Saw At Night

What We Saw At Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard
4/5 stars
Soho Teen, 2013
243 pages
YA Mystery Thriller
Scheduled for release January 8

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

I originally requested this book under the impression that it was some kind of science-fiction novel with aliens invading the world and these three kids who are awake at night being the only ones who know what is going on. Now while I happen to think that is kind of a cool premise, it's not even close to what is actually happening in the book.

Yes, there are three teens who spend their awake time at night when almost everyone else is asleep. That is because they have Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), a fatal allergy to sunlight. To occupy their time and to compensate for the fact that XP-ers often die young, they embark on learning Parkour, something I learned about via Jake Gyllenhaal in "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" so I was glad to have those images to fall back on (I also believe there are many videos on youtube if you're interested).  The discipline can be dangerous but what actually ends up being most dangerous is what main character Allie sees at night. That is she thinks she sees two murders but when even her two best friends don't support her, she starts to have doubts.

This is the moment when the story really shifts as Allie tries to find out more while friends Juliet and Rob pull away. Then we discover that Juliet knows way more than she's shared and other plot threads start coming out, such as the small-townness of where they live and Allie's budding interest in criminal justice and serial killers. The latter part of the book also brought out more of Juliet's characterization and I saw a bit of Julie from Code Name Verity in her (an extremely positive comparison). Rob didn't make much of an impression despite being Allie's love interest but the girls' friendship really tugged on my heartstrings.

I've read some reviews that didn't like the writing style. It is written in first-person past tense with occasional interjections from present-day Allie. This reminded me of Gabrielle Zevin's Birthright trilogy and I read comfortably. But I know it's not for everyone so I just wanted to warn you.

The ending was abrupt and is what caused me to add thriller to my genre categorizations above. There is no clear-cut resolution and everything is set up for a second book, a sample of which was available in the e-ARC I read. I enjoyed the writing and plot enough that I will definitely want to check out the sequel.

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