Cress

by Marissa Meyer
5/5 stars
Feiwel and Friends, 2014
550 pages
YA Science-Fiction Fairy Tale

Source: Library

Though Cinder did not impress me the way I had hoped it would, Scarlet completely changed the way I felt about this series, bringing me to the point of rabid fandom. Though I knew I wanted to check out third book Cress, I was also nervous. Meyer seemed to be adding new characters in every go-around and I worried it would feel too packed and some would end up overlooked. Happily that was not the case for me because I thoroughly enjoyed this third installment and am eagerly anticipating Winter's release next year.

*SPOILERS FROM THE FIRST TWO BOOKS*

As in the previous books, this one weaves in a new fairy tale, this time "Rapunzel" as you might be able to guess from the cover. Our titular character is Cress, who is an ostracized Lunar girl, raised in captivity and considered valuable for her technological skills. Our intrepid crew of Cinder, Scarlet, Wolf, and Thorne have grabbed her attention and despite her mistress's demand to find them, Cress has instead protected them. A chance communication leads to a bungled rescue mission with the five scattered: Cinder and Wolf crash land and reunite with Dr. Erland, Cress and a now blind Thorne crash in the Sahara, and Scarlet is captured by the Lunars. Meanwhile Kai is desperately trying to protect his people as his marriage to the evil Lunar Queen draws near. So basically there's a lot going on.

I really fell for Cress in this book. She's so innocent and naive, a total dreamer and I could fully sympathize with her longing for a hero as she decides Thorne fits the bill. But don't underestimate her! She's got the brains and nerve to play a big role in Cinder's plan to thwart Kai's marriage and I anticipate her being very important in book three. Of course, with the emphasis of Cress we spend a lot less time with the other characters particularly Scarlet who is completely separated from the characters we know. However I continue to be impressed with how Meyer skillfully weaves threads and ties everything together. I look forward to seeing the grand finale in Winter.

On the one hand, this book did seem a little long. Have you seen it in person? It's a veritable doorstop. And I'm not always sure that each scene furthered the main plot. But on the other hand, there are so many character scenes especially between Thorne and Cress that add to the richness of the world. I just want to hang out with them and follow all of their little adventures that contribute to the overarching plot. Did anyway else feel this push and pull while reading?

Overall: You should read this BUT only if you've read the first two books as I'm not sure how much sense it makes otherwise. Then you can join the rest of us in counting down the days until the conclusion arrives!

Evertrue

by Brodi Ashton
3/5 stars
Balzer + Bray, 2014
355 pages
YA Paranormal

Source: Library

I'll admit that I didn't start this book in the best mood, being somewhat mired in a blogging/reading/real-life funk. However I was sure this would be just the book to pull me out of that due to how much I enjoyed its predecessors Everneath and Everbound. However as you can see from my rating, such was not the case. It's not that the book left me upset or wanting to throw it against the wall (which has been the case with some conclusions to trilogies); it just seemed to fizzle out.

How do I mean? Whereas I found the plotting engaging in the previous books, here everything seemed to move at a glacial pace. Though Nikki and Jack basically retain their characters, with Jack pumped up more aggressively than before due to events in book two, Cole has an abrupt personality change that completely threw off the tone of the book to me. While I was never a fan of Cole (and kind of wanted to throw book two against the wall after what he did), I felt he was really done a disservice by the events of this book. I've seen some fans of his decry this direction so I don't feel the need to add my voice to that chorus but when even a Jack fan finds Cole's treatment egregious...

Something I did really like was Nikki and Jack's plotting to destroy the Everneath. They narrow it down to three steps, three incredibly difficult steps, and spend much of the book attempting to discover if these three things can be accomplished before mounting an effort. Their explorations into these different facets of the Everneath were fascinating even though I still struggled sometimes with picturing everything-this has remained constant throughout all three books.

Overall: A bit of a disappointing conclusion to me-whatever initial fascination this series held wore off early on in this book and I never recaptured that feeling to my disappointment :( I'm glad I completed the trilogy for sure but I'm not sure it was entirely worth the wait.

Champion

by Marie Lu
4.5/5 stars
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2013
369 pages
YA Dystopia Finale

Source: Library

Finally I have a chance to finish the Legend trilogy! I was quite impressed with Legend and Prodigy so of course I had to see how it ended, clutching my hopes for June and Day close to my chest. I also must mention that I expected this cover would have red for the color and I was correct (ahem). I believe I managed to avoid spoilers for this book but this probably won't make much sense if you're not familiar with the first two books of the series.

Like the previous books, Champion alternates narration between our two protagonists who have been separated for some months but who still maintain a steady love for each other. For real, the June/Day relationship has been a big part of my enjoyment of this book. I was so nervous to pick it up because I feared that someone was going to die. I don't want to spoil the ending but the way that everything unspooled with their relationship left me pretty satisfied. Is it what I would have written? Well, no because I go unrealistically happy with my writing but it is fitting for the tone and in line with the events of this book. Furthermore we go deeper into the inner life of each character with Day's relationship to his brother taking up more space because they're finally reunited and June discovering what she wants to pursue in life and making tremendous sacrifices.

While that romantic relationship was important in forming a bond to this series, it is not the only element of interest. The struggling government of the Republic and its historical repression of its people but also efforts to change implemented by new Elector Anden caught my attention too. The very existence of this nation is in peril over the course of this book and naturally Day and June are integral to the fight. As we approached the end of the story, the chapters got shorter and shorter, causing me to clutch it closer and almost bite my nails (I have managed to break myself of that habit) because I just had to know how everything would turn out. Things look bleak at points and, again sadly for me, there is no unrealistic crazy happy ending. Rebuilding and changing takes time and this book recognizes that fact.

Overall: A suspenseful conclusion to the trilogy that kept me on the edge of my seat and managed to please my huge shipping of Day and June.

The Luminaries

by Eleanor Catton
4/5 stars
Little, Brown and Company, 2013
834 pages
Adult Historical Mystery Award-Winning

Source: Library

When perusing the shortlist for the Man Booker prize, this one immediately captured my attention and once it won, I requested it from the library, saving it for my trip when I could devote my attention to it. I think that was a good decision because I enjoyed myself immensely though I don't know that I necessarily understood the astrology underpinning the undertaking.

The book begins with a massive character list. I skipped over this as I usually do though I referenced it a bit as I started. I think my experience reading War and Peace was very helpful at the beginning as, instead of trying to commit every name and description to memory, I let them flow over me and as they were repeated, they got stuck in my head regardless.

In 1866 New Zealand, twelve men have gathered to discuss several mysterious possibly related circumstances when they are interrupted by a new man to town whose presence invites them to share their stories. The twelve men are of disparate circumstances with their own unique perspective on the events leading up to that night. They are concerned to varying degrees about the incidents: a wealthy man has disappeared, an opium-addict prostitute attempted suicide, and a fortune was discovered at the home of a dead man. If I tried to explain more, you'd lose the opportunity for it to unfold for you.

As you can see from the page count, this is a monstrous book and it definitely took me a while to get situated, to feel that I had any sort of grasp on the characters and setting. But it's also an enchanting book. Once I had committed to reading it, I was committed and I had to keep frantically turning the pages to reach the end. Though I'm not well-read in late nineteenth century literature, I noticed some tropes from the time such as the immoral woman and the abuse of opium. Everything seemed very grounded in the time period and I, an American, enjoyed the feeling of the Wild West as prospecting for gold is the common employment for many men in the story.

I don't feel very qualified to delve into the literary qualities of this book but suffice it to say that I found it pretty approachable if one takes one's time. It would be hard to read all in one day unless that was literally all you had to do that day. But it is certainly worth curling up with for several evenings and puzzling out its intricate plot along with the characters. I did feel that the ending could have been more concrete but I am a reader who likes every loose thread tied up; enough answers are provided to bring the story to a satisfying close and to keep me interested in reading more of Catton's work.

I Shouldn't Be Telling You This

by Kate White
4/5 stars
HarperBusiness, 2013
345 pages
Non-Fiction Business Women

Source: Library

I found myself intrigued by White's previous title Why Good Girls Don't Get Ahead...But Gutsy Girls Do but my library didn't have a copy of that so I settled for her newer release, assuming that it would also feature interesting information that was still applicable for a young woman at the beginning of career.

That it does as the writing is very chatty and personal. White used to be editor-in-chief at Cosmopolitan magazine and loved writing the copy for the cover. The chapters are short and snappy, reflecting this background. I think some women will not click with this kind of writing but I found it easily digestible and even though I told myself I would just read one more chapter, I inevitably found myself reading several until I finished.

The book is divided into three sections: Getting Success, Going Big with Success, and Savoring Success. I found the last one the least relevant as it assumes a level of success that I have not yet attained though it does hammer home that the success won't be worth it if I'm burned out and unable to enjoy myself. I preferred the first two, finding more that related to me where I am now.

One of the things I valued most about this book was White sharing about her successes. Initially it annoyed me as I found it braggy. That might be the point though as I've read that women aren't necessarily very good at sharing their accomplishments even though they have accomplished amazing things. This led to me reflecting on what my major achievements were this year and how I could frame them in more casual atmospheres outside of my formal performance review. I want people to know how fantastic I am at my job and I don't want to automatically bristle when I hear about other people's excellent work. Another point I valued was shared early on, being "Go big or go home." Certainly I've heard this before, as have you I'm sure, but this time it really struck me. I think of myself as a generally pretty passionate person; when I'm in, I'm all in and I want to reflect that at work.

Overall: A fun conversational read that left me feeling very cheered on and all fired up to tackle big projects and do awesome work as I scale the career ladder!

Smarter Than You Think

by Clive Thompson
4/5 stars
The Penguin Press, 2013
288 pages
Non-Fiction, Technology

Source: Library

Though my heart lies in YA fiction, I am interested in a wide variety of other topics including this book I've seen buzz about that examines how technology is impacting us. I have certainly read articles warning about dire outcomes from technology and I've witnessed what I consider sad consequences (for example at a restaurant I've seen parents thoroughly engrossed in their phones while their children beg for attention). This book however takes a more optimistic view about how we can and do use technology in extremely beneficial ways.

For example using newer platforms online like change.org has allowed people to find similar-minded people and organize at a scale not seen before.  Twitter allows for quick spreading of news. If I hear about an earthquake for example, I always turn to Twitter to find out more quickly and turn to traditional news once there has been time for more thorough information to be gathered. These technologies work best when they have a single clear purpose and desired outcome. Broadening it too much tends to muddy its effect. He also takes about utilizing a computer's strengths (memory and brute-force processing of data) to complement a human's mind and discretion.

Two of the most striking points for me involved historical examples. He shared about Ernest Duchesne who performed research on penicillin but was unable to get his work published and died without his findings shared with the world. Thirty-two years later Alexander Fleming shared penicillin. Think of how many lives could have been saved if Duchesne had had a platform to share his work outside of the formalized channels that rejected him or if he had found colleagues to disseminate his information.

The other point that struck me relates to our tendency to romanticize the past. For example Thompson writes about how we idealize the great letter-writing culture of the past. He says that the average was still only 5.15 letters per year at that time. So not a lot. In comparison, online has greatly sparked our writing including especially us bloggers :) And it has allowed us to connect with so many more people than we would have in the past. I really enjoyed reading about how much more writing we're producing and was struck by two examples he shared of bloggers whose years of posts added up to 2+ books. It made me wonder how long my blog would be in book format...

Overall: A very interesting and accessible work of non-fiction with some great endnotes and index.

Sever

by Lauren DeStefano
4/5 stars
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013
371 pages
YA Dystopia Conclusion

Source: Library

I fell hard for the cover of first book Wither and while neither it nor sequel Fever completely earned my love, I was engaged enough to follow the series through to its conclusion. I think my main my problems are that I have never fully felt engaged with Rhine who has seemed very removed, that my favorite parts are the interaction with the other sister wives which was most prominent in book one, and that I like husband Linden over servant Gabriel even if she had freedom only in choosing the latter.

My main feeling from this book is that it made me feel like I was in a drugged-out haze too following Rhine around as she tries to find her twin brother Rowan and escape the machinations of Vaughn. She just seems so personality free to me. On an intellectual level, I understand not wanting to be forced into marriage, wanting to find a cure so that you don't die at age 20, and wanting to be reunited with your sole living relative. But I never felt those in the character of Rhine. When I connect with a book, I feel the main character's pain and struggles no matter how much they vary from my own life experiences. Never the case here.

Remember how I mentioned potential love interests Linden and Gabriel? Both get pretty shabby treatment here. If you were invested in romance between Rhine and either guy, I think you will be pretty disappointed. Neither boy's life wrapped up in a satisfying fashion. Vaughn's ultimate fate is the more pleasing one though still strangely anticlimatic to me.

Another disappointment to me is the reference to Chemical Gardens. That is the title for the trilogy and yet I feel like it's only in this book that we start exploring what that means and not even in full detail. I have read all three books and I'm still not sure I could explain what they are. (I think they are where Rhine's parents experimented to come up with a cure.)

As I wrote this review, I realize I pretty much only had complaints and yet I gave it 4 stars. My rating system is obviously a bit bonkers but 4 is really the rating I felt in my gut when I completed the book. While I had hoped for an ending to completely blow me away, I do accept the ending in this book and I am very aware that I've read more disappointing conclusions. Hope is a big theme in the novel and that is what ultimately redeems it for me. I want to live in a world with hope and I like that this book allows for this even if other areas were less than for me.

Other Opinions:
Into the Hall of Books
Katie's Book Blog 
Simply Books

The Passion of the Purple Plumeria

by Lauren Willig
4/5 stars
New American Library, 2013
457 pages
Adult Historical Romance Mystery

Source: Library

Just a quick review today as I check in with Eloise and her historical research for the tenth book in the Pink Carnation series. Though I have not reviewed every book in the series for my blog (see the Lauren Willig tag for those I have reviewed), I have read every book and found myself especially enjoying the most recent ones. Sixth book The Betrayal of the Blood Lily was an especial favorite and I knew this book featured characters related to ones in that book though as they took place roughly concurrently, there was not an overlap in appearance.

Our main characters are Miss Gwen Meadows who has served as a second in command to the Pink Carnation but who I don't really remember. As an older unmarried woman, she serves as a chaperone and has cultivated a brash domineering persona that helps her to organize everything while covering up some of the softer parts of herself that have been heart. Her unlikely hero is Colonel William Reid, father to the hero of Blood Lily, whose unconventional past has led him on a crazy road to Miss Meadows.

The adventure in this book keeps them in England while they track down Gwen's charge's younger sister and Reid's daughter, both of whom have disappeared possibly under nefarious (French-related) circumstances as the English still war with Napoleon and the French. They go on a merry and slightly danger-filled journey to track the pair down. I enjoyed the banter between the couple but was never fully engaged with the plot.

Meanwhile in the present day Eloise and Colin are rapidly facing her return to America and must decide how their relationship will progress. They are also still in conflict with Colin's cousin/stepfather Jeremy and his greed. I am very invested in the Eloise/Colin relationship by now and like how this appears to be going. This was actually an instance where I wanted to focus on their story even more than the historical bits.

An added delight in my edition were interviews at the end between Miss Gwen and the author-a meta treat!

Overall: If you've read the previous books, of course you're going to want to continue! If you haven't started yet, I'd advise you to go back to the beginning so you can dive in with fresh knowledge about the Pink Carnation.

In the Age of Love and Chocolate

by Gabrielle Zevin
5/5 stars
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013
286 pages
YA Speculative Fiction

Source: Library

No surprise that I highly anticipated this novel. First book All These Things I've Done and sequel Because It Is My Blood have been among my favorite books I've read for the blog. I know not everyone has clicked with the writing style which is done in the style of a memoir with an older Anya narrating her life; however that tends to remind me of my beloved epistolary style so I clicked easily. I also admire Anya's steadfast devotion to family and protective nature as well as having a huge crush on her (ex-)boyfriend Win. When I picked up this book, I figured that my enjoyment would hinge largely on whether or not the pair reconciled.

But it is not as if romance is the only or even the primary focus of this novel. Anya has many concerns such as her younger sister's newly rebellious self, her best friend Scarlet and her child, and most importantly her ambition to go legit with a cacao nightclub that skirts the edge of the law but will finally allow Anya out of the illegal chocolate game when it proves a success. So much happens over the rest of the book (despite its relatively short length) and we cover several years bringing Anya out of her teenage years as she continues her push to overturn the ban on chocolate.

It's pretty hard to talk about this book in too much detail without getting in to spoilers (so I do have a spoiler section below) but suffice it to say that I loved it. Well, I guess you knew that because you saw the five star rating I bestowed on it but I wanted to say that again. I love the writing style, I love prickly Anya and all who surround her, I love the way this ended. I feel like this is especially a trilogy to value and reread. I can't wait to pick up my own copy to complete my collection!

SPOILER:
So what about Win? At one point, he says the cruelest things to Anya, making me despair that the two could ever return to their partnership. Anya is of a despondent nature anyway often choosing the pessimistic view so she certainly thinks their high school romance can't last. But dang if Zevin didn't treat us to some beautifully romantic moments before bringing the two back together. Win is one loyal boy and he gets to say some great things that I just want to read over and over again.
END SPOILER

Other Opinions:
Good Books and Good Wine
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
Lisa Loves Literature

The Distance Between Us

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
4/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2013
312 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Library

After adoring Pivot Point, I was thrilled to discover that not only did West have another book coming out, but that it was going to be in my favorite genre: contemporary. How could I resist?

Caymen has grown up always knowing that she is separate from the rich people in her town. She lives with her single mother above their doll shop and she sees the financial struggles they endure. So when Xander Spence walks in and beckons her, she's ready to give him his grandmother's doll and get him out of there. But somehow he gets under her skin

Almost immediately I found myself caught up in West's addictive writing. I don't know what her secret is but I just click with it. Then, sadly, life got in the way and I had to put the book aside for a full day (see work, Taylor Swift concert, etc.) When I picked it back up, I found myself less enthused but I don't think it was necessarily the distance between us (haha) so much as some of the plot points that were increasingly emphasized.

Or rather one particular plot point, being Caymen's insecurity over how rich Xander is. This keeps hitting the reader over the head as the book progresses and I don't feel like it was dealt in a real and meaningful way. It was just the same observation repeated ad nauseam and Caymen unable to handle their socioeconomic difference. Another storyline that bothered me was involving Caymen's mother-a lot of information about her is thrown at us toward the end and I disliked how nothing was resolved. It is merely introduced-this is actually a case where I would have liked the book to be longer to more fully explore these issues.

So while those two elements bothered me and kept me from rating this higher, there were still a lot of things I liked. For one, Caymen is hilarious, maybe a bit rough around the edges with her sharp words but I clicked with her. For another, Xander reminded me very strongly of Dexter from Sarah Dessen's This Lullaby; this is not a compliment I give lightly but his sweet adoration of Caymen even when he found her bewildering struck a chord with me. One of my book weaknesses is reading about rich people so I also loved the peek into Xander's privilege like his own recording studio and jet.  While Caymen and Xander are definitely the main characters, it was also fun to meet her best friend Skye, her boyfriend Henry, another possible love interest for Mason (don't worry, it's not a love triangle) and Xander's grandmother were some of the other standout characters. Also as I mentioned above, the writing was just my taste.

Overall: Though I didn't think the ending really resolved anything, I am still very happy I read this book and it was just what I need to perk myself up! Trying to squeeze in one last contemporary before the end of summer? Make it this one :)

Cover: Love the cover-her dress is super covet worthy and I can't even see all of it!

Other Opinions: I almost feel like I didn't need to write this review because my blogging friends have already been so prolific about it. Sometimes I struggle just to find three other opinions but here I went with seven because there were just so many good ones!
A Reader of Fictions
I Want to Read That
Into the Hall of Books
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
Katie's Book Blog
Rather Be Reading
The Flyleaf Review

The Testing

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
3/5 stars
Houghton Mifflin, 2013
325 pages
YA Dystopia Post-Apocalyptic

Source: Library

I requested this from the library for my sister who read about it in a magazine and liked the sound of it. I liked the comparisons to The Hunger Games. She ended up saying she found it boring but I tend to be less picky than her and I already had it checked out from the library so I proceeded. I can fully see how part of this merited its The Hunger Games comparison but I personally found it lacking in multiple ways.

The titular testing comes from the government, where they attempt to select the brightest and best of recent high school graduates and put them through four rigorous tests to determine who will continue on to university. In this post-apocalyptic world, the citizens have worked hard to build a new life for themselves and going through the testing is one way to provide a much better life for yourself (through this new career) and your family (who receive a payment for your loss). Cia Vale is thrilled to be selected for The Testing even after warnings from her father who survived the tests himself. Once there, she has to decide who she can trust and who will happily kill her.

My general takeaway from this book is that we just didn't click. I had to force myself through each page instead of eagerly flipping through them. For whatever reason (writing, my mood, etc.) I could not connect with Cia who narrates and despite my love of students undergoing testing (like in Ender's Game), I didn't feel engaged with that part either. I feel comforted knowing that my sister wasn't impressed either and that there have been plenty of neutral to negative reviews out there

Of the four tests, it is the last one that brings to mind The Hunger Games. The first three take place inside the city grounds. The fourth deposits the remaining candidates (many have already died by that point) some days away and forces them to fend for themselves as they attempt to make it back. Some candidates use that opportunity to kill the competition. But even this failed to compel me. I don't know if I've read too many books in this genre (which isn't really my favorite anyway) or what exactly explains it but I found most of this book super dull.

Especially dull are the characters. Main character Cia is very intelligent, no doubt an that is clearly shown to us. She also possesses good instincts, knowing who to trust, when to hold back, and when to go full throttle (for the most part). I feel like she's exactly the kind of heroine I ordinarily love but not here. Her friend/love interest Tomas is even worse-I kept thinking he was going to turn out to be quite evil but that probably would have been too interesting.

Overall: I have so little enthusiasm for this book and cannot encourage you to check it out unless you are a very serious hardcore dystopia/post-apocalyptic fan who can't get enough. Lovers of contemporary would do well to steer clear.

Other Opinions: Some of my blogging friends had more positive things to say-read their reviews to excite yourself about this book!
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
My Precious
New, Borrowed, Used
Once Upon a Prologue
The Book Cellar

Goddess

Goddess by Josephine Angelini
3/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2013
421 pages
YA Paranormal Mythology

Source: Library

Though first book Starcrossed wasn't exactly a favorite, I was intrigued enough to pick up second book Dreamless where the dreamy Orion was introduced, his charisma far outshining the dull angry Lucas in my opinion though I sensed that Helen was too stupid to realize it. Thus I entered this third book with some trepidation because I could read the writing on the wall and didn't foresee the happiest of endings for my beloved Orion.

Though I try to remain spoiler-free but I'm not sure how successful I was. I talk around a lot of plot points but if you don't want any spoilers, you should probably steer clear.

I know Helen is technically the main character but I continually found her dull so we're going to start with Orion. More of his history is revealed and, man, is it tragic. If you think of Greek stories as containing tragedy, then he is a prime example. Yet he still retains a good heart and optimistic spirit despite how low life has brought him. To my mind, there was not nearly enough of him and that is probably a big reason for my disappointment with this conclusion.

But there were others, don't think I didn't have other reasons! Another reason was how long I struggled to get interested. From the moment I picked the book up, I felt disengaged. For all the stuff that should be going on, this book was quite boring. Around the middle there are some duels that perked me up but mostly I struggled with the new influx of information. For example, we get a lot more background on how our current heroes have the same faces as previous generations and I found that super confusing. Another annoyance was the flashbacks Helen experiences from previous incarnations that had the Face-gah did that bore me.  Also there are the changing alliances of all the characters, which was a little hard to track.

And even beyond Helen's poor taste in men, I still never really connected with her. By the end of the book, she has so many fantastical powers that any relationship I might have had with her was long erased by her departure from pretended mortality. The romance I don't like continues to be starcrossed and there is a lot of whining about that before the inevitable conclusion.

Overall: A very disappointing conclusion; I could have tolerated the shortchanging of my beloved Orion if I had found the writing as engaging as in the previous books but even that was missing in this go-around. Still if you've read the first two, you'll probably want to finish just to be able to say that you did.

Other Opinions:
Candace's Book Blog
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
Supernatural Snark
Synchronized Reading
The Reader Bee

Unbreakable

Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris
4/5 stars
Balzer + Bray, 2013
479 pages
YA Paranormal

Source: Library

After being surprised by the very enjoyable Unraveling, I knew I would be returning to the series for the further adventures of Janelle and co as they race against a five day countdown.

In case you don't remember, the situation got bad at the end of Unraveling and though they seem to be rebuilding in Unbreakable that situation also turns ominous with Janelle racing against a five day countdown to prevent something truly awful happening. This book further explores the science-fiction aspects while also ramping up the tension and not hesitating to put all the characters through the wringer (how's that for vague? I don't want to spoil anything if I can avoid it although I do have one point that is a spoiler marked at the end of the review.)

For me, the writing style is what really propels this story. The chapters are short and each opens with the ticking down of the clock, pushing me always forward. I might have opened the book intending to just read one chapter but when that chapter is only two pages, it is easy to decide to read just one more until, lo and behold, the book is finished. I'm not usually good at predicting what is to come and the breakneck pace didn't leave me much chance to speculate, which is actually how I like it.

Janelle continues to be kickass: facing impossible odds, working with someone she's not sure she can trust, providing valuable advice (if ever attacked, I'm hoping to be able to utilize her advice to try to gouge the attacker's eyes out), and never giving up. I like her a lot. The other characters maybe don't get as much development but do their fair share of fighting and trying to save the world(s).

Overall: Though not as unique and exciting as I found book one to be, I'm really enjoying this series and look forward to a third.

Cover: I really don't like this cover. It does match with Unraveling but this may have been an instance where I'd prefer a redesign. I just hate them standing there and staring out at me. Plus her hair looks so awkward.

SPOILER:

I didn't think I had anything relating to a spoiler to discuss but I do actually. In the beginning Janelle sees Ben's double and almost instantly knows it isn't him, which is great foreshadowing for how Ben does not realize that Janelle's double isn't her. So heartbreaking and I was afraid it would prove to be an insurmountable obstacle for the couple, who I am supporting. In his defense, he was already in a vulnerable scared position with his family also in captivity and this Janelle was pretty beaten up. But still, how do you not know? Thoughts on how this affected your perception of the couple?

END SPOILER

Other Opinions:
Forever YA
Katie's Book Blog
Ruby's Reads
The Reader Lines

The Reece Malcolm List

The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding
4/5 stars
Entangled Publishing, 2013
305 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Library

For some reason, when I first saw this title, I recoiled, thinking it was like Sean Griswold's Head and not interested in at all (not sure why as I adore SGH and highly recommend it. My brain is weird sometimes.) Then I saw Estelle at Rather Be Reading's review, which highlighted its musical theater details. Then I read further and discovered that Reece Malcolm is actually the narrator's long-estranged mother and all of a sudden, I wanted this book.

I'm really glad I came around because I had so much fun reading this book especially being immersed in the musical theater life (main character Devan gets to act in Merrily We Roll Along) and exploring the complicated relationship between Devan and her mother as they try to become family. Less enthralling was some of Devan's personality and the teenage love dramas, which I'll get to in a sec.

A quick summary is that we follow Devan who is going to live with her best-selling author mother after the death of her father; she never knew the woman and has a lot of apprehension about the experience. Though Reece is prickly, her boyfriend Brad is amazing and soon Devan is enrolled in a performing arts school and thriving despite still wondering about her place in the family and why hasn't her mother contacted her before now? Can Devan crack the Reece Malcolm code?

The good is abundant in this book. Firstly it was heaven for this musical theater nerd (especially defining my personality in high school despite being pretty tone-deaf) to have so many references-I would have taken even more but I don't know if that would have been isolating to people who aren't as familiar with musicals.

My favoritest part though was getting to meet Brad, boyfriend to Reece and almost superhumanly patient and warm. He makes things easy and is a welcoming presence even when Reece can't quite connect with Devan. There are also two boyfriend options for Devan and I liked how she got to have some fun instead of immediately settling down with the one but I didn't feel like either was that great of an option. Thinking back, I liked pretty much all of the adult characters a lot (like Reece's best friend Kate and the musical teacher Mr. Deans) but not so much the teenagers, who seemed shallowly drawn despite being very important to Devan.

For the most part I liked Devan's voice as she conversationally carries us through the story. I did find some of her personality quirks frustrating. The main one was her habit of constantly apologizing and angsting over her mother. Now these are completely understandable within the context of her personal history. Her father and stepmother were not good parents who did not welcome Devan so it makes complete sense for her to feel awkward and apologetic about being dropped into her mother's life. Still I found it a little over the top and annoying although thankfully as Devan settles into her new life, she stops apologizing all the time. So it's actually an example of character growth but it still bothered me.

The other thing I found annoying was Devan's back and forth relationship with her crush Sai, who is dating another girl for most of the book. I don't want to be one of those adults who complains about teenagers acting like teenagers but I'm pretty sure I didn't act like that when I was a teenager (thank God I no longer am!) I won't spend time elaborating on this point as I think these complaints were both very personal based on my own experiences.

Well, this ended up being pretty long, which is usually a negative sign for me but is actual positive here. There was just so much to think about and I'm really glad I finally picked this one up! Recommended for fans of musical theater/performing stories as well as lovers of funny contemporary.

Other Opinions:
Book Labyrinth
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
Just Sitting Thar
Rather Be Reading
Stuck In Books

Elegy

Elegy by Tara Hudson
4/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2013
386 pages
YA Paranormal Ghost

Source: Library

First book Hereafter absolutely enchanted me with its ghost girl/human boy romance. Sequel Arise was less enthralling as I felt like it took a while to heat up in New Orleans. Luckily this conclusion returns to Oklahoma, bringing together all the plot threads and resolving them for a satisfying conclusion.

I'm not going to go too in-depth about the plot to avoid spoilers but I really liked how Amelia and Joshua confronted the impracticalities and challenges of their romance. It did go on a bit much for my taste but it is the dominating fact of their relationship so it's understandable. Their romance is what kept me coming back to these books. I love Amelia's compassion and self-sacrificial personality and Joshua's relative normality considering his love for a ghost and his magical powers.

Other characters continue to play a role like Joshua's sister Jillian and their terrifying Gran while new ones are also added or have their roles expanded to provide more background around the evil that is coalescing. Joshua's parents seem rather oblivious though, which I think is a shame. I think if they'd had power they could have provided support and been an example of great YA parents instead of ones who are physically around but have no clue what their kids get up to when out of sight.

As for setting, I liked that we were back at home base in Oklahoma focusing in on High Bridge where Amelia first died and which has been a focus of dark activity for years. Finally all of the powerful good characters are coming together to take it down and end their reign of terror. I was a bit confused on some of the rules that govern ghost behaviors especially relating to some actions taken by Amelia; some things seemed to change on a dime to be convenient. I was never sure what she could and could not touch. The plotting is rather bonkers if you pay close attention (for example, one kid has easy access to a grenade which they decide would be the perfect tool to destroy the (haunted demonic) bridge.) Still it moves fast and flows smoothly as I always expect from a HarperTeen publication.

Overall: If you liked the first two books, you'll probably want to continue the series. I found it to be a fitting end.

Other Opinions:
Bookistry
Love Is Not a Triangle
Refracted Light Reviews

The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle

The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy
4.5/5 stars
Walden Pond Press, 2013
477 pages
MG Fairy Tale Fantasy

Source: Library

This highly anticipated sequel to The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is an absolute pleasure, proving a worthy successor, no second book syndrome here! Its many delights include the chatty humorous narration style, which matches exactly the first book's writing style, the familiar characters plus new charmers, and the way the plot thickens in preparation for book three.

As mentioned the humorous writing style continues. Here's an example of one of my favorite lines: "The element of surprise can offer a hero great advantage in battle. The element of oxygen--also important" (page 382). That's just one that really struck me so I wrote down the page number for reference. There's basically an average of one laugh a page as you go through this whole entire book.

Of course the characters are fab too! For me, the real standouts this time were Duncan and his wife Snow White; though neither will ever win an award for intelligence, they can be depended upon to provide a distraction like none other and are uncommonly sweet. I can't list the number of times I was cracking up because of something they said or did. The other standout was Briar Rose whose vile character I thought was self-evident. Well, not so much as this book complicates her motivations and deepens her character. And as I write this I realize that I have a third standout in the character of Troll who is just awesome and who fully enlivens the pages on which he appears. Okay, I totally could go on but seriously pretty much every character is great. Still I did struggle a bit to differentiate personalities and motivations of the princes Frederic and Duncan-their timidity tends to confuse me. But I think I almost have them straightened out.

So why didn't this get a perfect 5 stars? I feel like it's a little on the long side. Yes, I flew through the book but still an itsy bit on the long side. Additionally I wasn't that impressed with the villain(s). I liked getting to see their side and what was being plotted but I twiddled my thumbs a bit during those sections, waiting to return to the Princes Charming and co.

Other Opinions:
The Book Monsters
Buried in Books
Paranormal Indulgence

The Elite

The Elite by Kiera Cass
4/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2013
323 pages
YA Dystopia

Source: Library

OK-I think this is going to be a long one...fair warning but hopefully there will be some good moments :)

This sequel to The Selection had a lot I wanted it to achieve. I wanted a lot more action coming from the rebels who threaten the precarious stability of the country. I wanted America to stop mooning over Aspen and choose Maxon (or vice versa but at least to make a decision). And I wanted a lot more tension among the few remaining girls (for most of the book, there are six still vying for Maxon's hand.)

Unfortunately I do not feel that this book left me satisfied.  The rebels do continue to attack possibly for a reason proposed by America but which would be too spoilery to share here. Yet it serves more as a distraction from the main event than as actually furthering the plot. America continues to waver between Prince Maxon and first love Aspen in an annoying fashion (reminded me of the love triangle in The Madman's Daughter where she thought she loved whoever she was with.) On the other hand, the drama of now six girls competing to become princess was exciting (the feelings America and the other girls experience vividly reminds me of what I've read about "The Bachelor/ette." Note: I do not watch that show but I do read tabloids cover to cover and it gets mentioned a lot.)

Still the romance had its moments. Of particular interest to me was America's musing on how although Aspen gives less, it means more because he is starting at such a disadvantage compared to Maxon's life of privilege. If you have a chance, My Friend Amy actually wrote about that back when The Selection came out. I mean, I still prefer Maxon (who is blonde to add to my swooning) and I can't just forgive Aspen for pushing America away but I am more sympathetic to him.

And I must mention some of my thoughts about the characters, in handy bullet-format:

• America must be addressed first; she continues to exasperate me and the other characters with her impetuous, idealistic, irritating, compassionate self. I love that America cares so much but sometimes the way she expresses that just drives me bonkers! Furthermore her indecision over whether she even wants to be in the competition continues to bother me, largely because of my own personality. I'm pretty decisive and if I'm in it, then I'm in it to win it.
• Maxon-we really get to look at the difficulties of being a prince while also seeing how he is trying to (slowly, subtly) change the realities of his country's situation; there is a heartbreaking moment toward the end that shows how even a prince cannot escape a bad family life (oh I just wanted to hug that boy)
• Aspen has never been a favorite of mine but he gets a bit more of a chance to present his case and I can mentally understand how hard it is to just turn off feelings but man I kind of just want him to go away.
• The other girls-America realizes that her closest friend is also her toughest competitor in a difficult moment. We also see some more about how each is doing her best to get close to Maxon.
• King Clarkson emerges as a more immediate threat than the rebels with his intimidating bullying posture that is very unbecoming of a monarch, in my opinion
• Queen Amberly and Silvia really shine here-their grace and poise under trying circumstances is most inspiring. I loved both ladies so much and wish it was appropriate that they got more page time.
• The maids: Anne, Mary, and Lucy are responsible for many small moments of humor and companionability that balance America's angst and rash decisions.

Overall: So many feelings and thoughts generated by this book. I wish I could unreservedly love it (as I do with all the books I read) but I appreciate that I am still thinking about it in the days after and I think it will linger in my head if not my heart as I count down to The One.

Other Opinions: Lots of conflict among my blogging buddies-some loved this installment and others loathed this book.
Beauty and the Bookshelf
Imaginary Reads
Reading Under the Willow Tree
Supernatural Snark
Young Adult Book Haven

The Symptoms of My Insanity

The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf
4/5 stars
Dial Books, 2013
374 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Library

I hadn't seen much about this book around the blogosphere but I read a really funny interview with the author at Badass Bookie, which made me think this might be a good book for me as I'm always up for comedy especially over the drama and serious books that sometimes seem to get coverage around the blogosphere. That impression was right as this book definitely had its humorous moments albeit balanced against serious moments as well.

The basic plot centers on Izzy whose life is chaos-she's a hypochondriac, her mother is recovering from a rare cancer, her best friend seems to have changed personalities, her ex-best friend is all of a sudden friendly again, and her long-time crush actually seems to be interested in her. Not too mention her older sister's nitpicking, her best friend's suddenly cute older brother, and her extracurricular commitments like an art portfolio for a trip to Italy. Not so basic after all, I guess and that was my big complaint about this book. There's just so much stuffed in here and I wish a few subplots had been taken out as I felt overwhelmed. I know it's fitting for the book because that's what Izzy comes to realize but I don't think it's the best feeling for a reader to have.

However within that multitude of subplots are some real winners. Of particular interest to me were two. One was the relationships between women. Izzy has many important women in her life: her mother, her older sister, her best friend, her ex-best friend, her mom's best friend, and her art teacher being some of the most important. These relationships have their ups and downs but they do show the wonderful world of female friendship and family that I feel is sometimes missing from YA. Nobody is perfect or always right, mistakes are sadly made that fray the bonds, but in the end, they are there for each other. Relatedly is my second point of interest: a bit of an "I am Spartacus" moment when the girls at school bond together to protect Izzy against a potential punishment. Now I'm a bit upset that the boy who is actually responsible received no explicit punishment; rather it is implied that the poor company he keeps and the bad decisions he makes will earn him his just reward.

Overall: A pretty funny and moving story-I hope it starts to get more attention among contemporary fans! It just felt very smart and down to earth, real and touching in the best ways.

Other Opinions:
Badass Bookie
Cuddlebuggery Book Blog
Ex Libris
Paper Riot

Boundless

Boundless by Cynthia Hand
3.5/5 stars
HarperTeen, 2013
434 pages
YA Paranormal Angels

Source: Library

I was quite impressed with the first books in this series (Unearthly and Hallowed), finding them to be very well done examples of angel mythology. My biggest problem is that I just was never really on the Tucker train. I have seen loads of bloggers gush about him but I never got it. I could read the writing on the wall about Clara's feelings for him but I was never that excited about him otherwise. If you similarly aren't that impressed with Tucker, I expect you'll find this finale fairly lackluster. But if you're in the majority who loves Tucker, you'll probably be pretty happy.

The parts that didn't really involve Tucker were very good though especially the story of Clara's friend Angela whose story takes what was to me a surprising twist. Clara's brother Jeffrey also has some interesting twists; I really sympathized with her worries over his (poor) decision making. As for Christian, he has some difficult moments and some aggravating ones as well. I liked him less in this book than I have in the previous ones but he does have his heroic times.

One of my favorite parts is totally random though: see, my job involves some of the geography of California so I was pleased to see mention of some of the cities where I've done work. I felt so familiar with them and it made me smile.

I don't want to go too deep into the plot to avoid spoilers but know that while I think the plot mostly moved along at a good pace, there were some points where it dragged. The book does take place over about the course of a year so there is certainly time for adequate character development but I wanted a bit more action and a little less of everything else.

Overall: A strong enough conclusion to the Unearthly series-I think big fans will be pretty satisfied.

Cover: I love how we've had this same girl in a dress with different colors for all three covers although the purple of the first is still my favorite.

Other Opinions:
Chick Loves Lit
Feeling Fictional
The Midnight Garden
Uniquely Moi Books

Trinkets

Trinkets by Kirsten Smith
4/5 stars
Little, Brown and Company, 2013
275 pages
YA Contemporary

Source: Library

I think had seen this book around as an upcoming 2013 release but it really got my attention when one of my favorite bloggers reviewed it (obviously I'm talking about Jen Ryland; see below for link to her review). Her mention of its glossy portrayal of shoplifting and its aftereffects as well as the healthy dose of humor drew me to this book. Additionally there was the promise of strong female friendship and sweet romances. We so often agree and I had a good feeling about this.

All the aforementioned elements are present and I flew through this cute book. Not surprisingly Smith co-wrote some of my favorite films: 10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde, Ella Enchanted, and She's the Man in addition to other films and writing. While reading I just felt so comforted

The book is told through three alternating perspectives: poetic Elodie whose chapters are told in verse (which always makes for fast reading); spoiled popular Tabitha; and burnout rebel Moe. On the surface these girls are unlikely to even meet, let alone become friends. But that's exactly what happens when they're all enrolled in Shoplifters Anonymous and set a challenge to see who can steal the most; yeah, these girls aren't very repentant. Fortunately as the story moves, they do start to feel some guilt, they all make some pretty big changes in their lives, and all three become embroiled in very cute love stories.

These was just the kind of book I was craving-a light, frothy fast read that makes me smile while also demonstrating tremendous character growth. All of the girls steal and have problems with their parents and their friends (the first problem is a bit unusual but the other two are fairly common). Through their friendship, they discover what good friends look like, they confront the problems they have with their parents, and they reform themselves, donating their stolen goods to charity.

Overall: A very sweet satisfying story-if you liked the movies I mentioned above, you'll probably enjoy this book a lot.

Other Opinions:
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
KellyVision
Reading the Best of the Best