Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Published March 22, 2011 by Philomel Books
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

Review:  Between Shades of Gray is an important book for people to read because it brings awareness to a side of World War II that doesn't get a lot of attention.  The atrocities that were committed in concentrations camps, as terrible as they were, were not the only crimes committed during the war and those victims weren't the only victims. 

I honestly had no idea what was happening in Lithuania and other eastern European countries until I read Between Shades of Gray.  The work camps in Russia were just as horrible as the concentration camps but their history is nowhere near as well know.  I think Between Shades of Gray tells the stories of the victims of tyrannical government gracefully and with care.  It doesn't exploit their pain but it doesn't sugar coat it either. 

I really loved all of the characters, but in particular I greatly admired Lina's mother.  She is so strong and sacrifices literally everything she has to try and make things a little bit easier for her children.  She is amazingly strong and I admired her bravery.

Between Shades of Gray is a book that needs to be taught in schools.  It's the kind of book that will open your eyes to the horrors that don't make it into history courses.  These are the kinds of stories that need to be heard so we can remember the victims and so we can prevent things like this from happening in the future. 

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

#2 in the Infernal Devices series
Published December 6, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
In magical Victorian London, orphan Tessa found safety with the Shadowhunters, until traitors betray her to the Magister. He wants to marry her, but so do self-destructive Will and fiercely devoted Jem. Mage Magnus Bane returns to help them. Secrets to her parentage lie with the mist-shrouded Yorkshire Institute's aged manager Alyosius Starkweather.

Review:  I can't believe I actually liked a Cassandra Clare novel. I never thought I would see the day.  This is my fifth Cassandra Clare book and the first one I can say I honestly enjoyed.  Even though the main plot didn't really go anywhere (much like Clare's other middle books City of Ashes and City of Lost Souls) I wasn't bored, unlike the other middle books.    

Honestly, the character development in the Infernal Devices is so much stronger than in The Moral Instruments it feels like two different authors.  I don't understand how engaging the characters of The Infernal Devices can be and how flat and dull the characters are in The Mortal Instruments.  There are a lot of writing faults in The Infernal Devices.  The word "startlingly" is used way too much!  It's like Cassandra Clare thinks that everyone in Victorian England walked around jumping at literally everything they see "ooh your eyes are blue!",  "ooh you are handsome!", "ooh your skin is pale!".  Just stop, seriously, it's so bad.  I also feel that Will is incredibly anachronistic.  I know he's supposed to be a rapscallion, but the way he talks is just too modern. 

I thought the romance was really well done.  I mean, this is of course the over used love triangle trope, but The Infernal Devices is actually successful because we don't know who Tessa will choose.  Both Will and Jem are viable options and we as readers actually have to read the rest of the series to see what will unfold.  So even though Will was a huge idiot (seriously, didn't he ever think to I dunno, talk to someone about his issues?  Why would he just take everything he was told as the truth and believe it blindly?  I don't understand) and I don't thing Jem (my boo) has a snowballs chance in hell, I'm excited for clockwork princess.

Overall The Infernal Devices series is turning out to be leaps and bounds better than the Mortal Instruments.  If I may be completely truthful I would recommend just skipping the Moral Instruments all together and starting with Clockwork Angel.  You get the same characters and plot, but more interesting versions.

Legend by Marie Lu

Published November 29, 2011 by Putnam
#1 in the Legend series
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Review:  Legend is a great start to a series with will definitely fill your Hunger Games void.  It has fight scenes, snappy dialogue, kissing, and a government conspiracy!  I listened to the audio book and really loved the two readers. They were excellent and I recommend the audio book to everyone, especially if the gold text puts you off (as it did for me).

I really enjoyed Legend, especially the two main characters.  Day and June were both really great characters and I really enjoyed their banter as they got to know one another.  With that said, I do wish they lived up to the described intelligence.  We're told again and again how exceptionally smart they are, but they seem to get tricked and trapped a lot.  I really would have liked to learn more of Day's back story and his motivations behind his crimes.  We know he's done all of these crazy stunts (like attacking an airbase) but we never really learned why because he's kind of rogue and doesn't belong to a rebel group. 

I did have some issues with the world building. In dystopian books set in America I really like to understand how we got from present day to the current government in the novel. There were some hints at this so I'm hoping this will be discussed more in future novels. I also would have liked to know some more answers to the Republic plague conspiracy as well as why they are at war with the colonies, but again I think that will be covered more in later novels. I also wanted to know more about the trials, especially what exactly when down with Day's trial.  There are a lot of interesting concepts that I hope will be fleshed out in further novels.

Overall I really enjoyed Legend.  The writing was really great and the pacing was spot on.  I know dystopian is a real trend right now is YA literature, but Legend is at the top of the pack.  If you liked The Hunger Games and Divergent, make Legend your next pick.

A Mutiny in Time by James Dashner

#1 in the Infinity Ring series
Published August 28, 2012 by Scholastic Inc.
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
When best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste stumble upon the secret of time travel -- a hand-held device known as the Infinity Ring -- they're swept up in a centuries-long secret war for the fate of mankind. Recruited by the Hystorians, a secret society that dates back to Aristotle, the kids learn that history has gone disastrously off course.Now it's up to Dak, Sera, and teenage Hystorian-in-training Riq to travel back in time to fix the Great Breaks . . . and to save Dak's missing parents while they're at it. First stop: Spain, 1492, where a sailor named Christopher Columbus is about to be thrown overboard in a deadly mutiny!

Review:  The Infinity Ring is a really fun and interactive series for kids.  Not only is it a fun science fiction series that incorporates historical events (educational!) there is also an online element where kids can play a game that continues the adventure.  It's a great series for reluctant readers and could be used by parents to connect with their kids on the computer as well.

I think the Infinity Ring series could be a great tool for teachers.  Each book focuses on a different point in history and this could be used in the classroom to discuss the events around those major historical events and why they are important.  The computer game is a great hook to help draw kids in to introduce them to reading about history.

I was lucky enough to go to a book signing for A Mutiny in Time.  James Dashner is one of the most passionate authors I have ever met.  Not only does he enjoy the writing process, but he really cares about education and getting kids excited to read.  On the day of the signing he had spent his morning at local elementary schools talking to kids about reading and getting them excited about books and school.  It was very encouraging to see many young kids (and boys!) at the book signing event.  Dashner had obviously made an impression on the kids and it was so awesome to see their enthusiasm about the series.

Overall A Mutiny in Time is a great start to a fun multi platform series.  The Infinity Ring will appeal to kids ages 9-11, which I think is a very crucial age for developing an appreciation for books.  It's series like the Infinity Ring that will lay the ground work a life long love of reading.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater



 #1 in The Raven Cycle
Published September 18, 2012 by Scholastic Press
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

Review:  I absolutely loved the premise of The Raven Boys, but I had a hard time getting started with this novel.  The beginning felt very slow, largely due to the story being told from two separate perspectives (Blue and Gansey have alternating point of view chapters for a while).  However once Blue and Gansey meet and join forces the story takes a major turn.  I flew through the second half of this book and became completely immersed in the story and characters.

The Raven Boys is a bit of a slow burn to start off.  I think this is due to the fact that the marketing materials presented the book like it was going to be all about Blue and her family, but in reality Gansey is the main character for much of the novel.  I went into The Raven Boys expecting a story about a girl living with her psychic family, but instead I got a story about a group of boys trying to find a magical energy line.  This isn't bad necessarily, but it wasn't what I was expecting so I was put off at first. 

The biggest strength of The Raven Boys is the characters.  Each character feels supported and full. Everyone has a unique backstory that shapes their world view.  I really enjoyed reading how each character grows during the course of the book, in particular Blue, Gansey, and Ronan.  I also really enjoyed Blue's family and I really hope that we'll learn more about them in future books.

I'd say the pacing of the book is the biggest weakness.  It was slow and confusing at the beginning, and fast and confusing at the end.  I feel like this is a book I needed to re-read immediately after finishing because I felt like I missed something.  The world building in The Raven Boys sometimes felt too big for the book and that the ideas of the magic and mythology were difficult to get on paper. 

Overall the Raven Boys is an interesting, if sometimes confusing, start to a series.  While the world building and pacing were shaky at times the fantastically developed characters will definitely bring me back for book two.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion Book and Movie Review

Published November 1, 2011 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

#1 in the Warm Bodies series
4 stars

Goodreads Review
R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead, and the blurry line in between.

Review:  Warm Bodies is a really fun mashup of Shakespeare and zombies, two of my favorite things.  I really liked the re-imagining of zombies and how Warm Bodies examines what makes a person human and if you have nothing to live for are you really living?  I didn't expect a zombie novel to make me think as much as Warm Bodies did. 

R was a really great character, and one I could really relate to.  He's a great narrator and reading his inner monologue is hilarious and touching.  I really loved how he had all of these eloquent thoughts and ideas but due to his zombie self he can't actually express these ideas to other people.  There's a quote from the book where R says “In my mind I am eloquent; I can climb intricate scaffolds of words to reach the highest cathedral ceilings and paint my thoughts. But when I open my mouth, everything collapses.”  I love that.

I really liked the theme of living your life to the fullest and how it applies to not only the zombies but also the surviving humans.  As R and Julie begin to get to know each other they help each other heal.  They both help each other find their humanity, because both of them have been wandering and not really living (R literally). 

There were a few things that I didn't really like about Warm Bodies.  I didn't like how heavy handed the Romeo and Juliet stuff got at some parts.  In particular the balcony scene was just too obvious and I found myself rolling my eyes.  I also didn't like how Perry's death was glossed over.  Julie and Perry had been having problems, but I still think I would have been a lot more upset if my boyfriend had been eaten by a zombie.  Just saying.  It's not even that Julie's reason for not being that upset was bad (I can understand in an apocalyptic situation preparing for everyone you love to be killed at any moment) but I wish R had tried to talk to her more about it.  I wish there had been more of an ethical conflict.

Overall I enjoyed Warm Bodies quite a bit, but due to the sometimes obvious re-telling elements and some disappointing author behavior Warm Bodies fell just short of the 5 star rating.  It's still a really adorable and fun read that will also make you think!

 

Warm Bodies Movie Review

Released February 1, 2013
Rated PG-13
Directed by Jonathan Levine
Starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry
I absolutely LOVED the Warm Bodies movie adaptation.  I thought it was very faithful to the novel but really worked on screen as well.  I thought the movie was a little more light hearted than the novel and cut out some of the darker aspects of the characters, but I think it very successfully kept the core feeling of the novel.  I really loved the use of voice over to help express some of the themes from the novel. 

 

What makes this movie so charming is the fantastic performance of Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class) who plays R.  He is able to convey so much emotion through his facial expressions and body language that he really makes R come to life....well, sort of.  I also loved his interaction with Teresa Palmer (I am Number Four) who plays Julie.  They interact really well together and I really believed their relationship's growth; from fear, to wonder, to hope.

 

Both the novel and movie adaptation of Warm Bodies are fantastic.  This story goes a lot deeper than most zombie fare and I think it will appeal to a wide audience.  It has romance, humor, action, and a touching story of hope and redemption.



The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress + GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Published December 6, 2012 by Dial
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns–and the heroines who use them all.

Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves.

Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike–well, relatively ladylike–heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

Review:  The Friday Society is simply a fun read.  What I loved the most about The Friday Society was the girl power vibe.  Cora, Michiko, and Nellie were all smart, independent, and resourceful but still had different shortcomings they had to overcome with a little help from their friends. 

The three main characters were the best part of this novel.  It is incredibly refreshing to read a YA that has girls working together to solve a problem, not fighting or swooning over some boy.  I think The Friday Society has just the right balance of boy angst in that it's there, but it's not the main focus of the novel.  This kind of relationship between girls, friends helping other friends, is really important in YA and sadly very lacking.  I also loved how the three girls start off as assistants, but throughout the course of the book they find their own agency and really take control of their lives. 

The actual story is cute.  It's not anything wildly substantial, but it's entertaining and exciting and would make a super fun teen movie.  I wouldn't have minded some of the science to be more fleshed out, but I'm really picky about science and understanding how things work in a novel.  I did find some of the technology in The Friday Society to be a bit convenient so I really had to stop questioning it and just let it happen.  There's a lot of just silliness in the book (they dress up in super hero costumes at the end to go fight the bad guys) but I just kind of had to be like Michiko and go along with it, even as I rolled my eyes.

The biggest negative was that the book was written with a very modern voice despite the historical setting.  However as I continued to read the novel I enjoyed it more and more.  Sure the book is set in Edwardian England, but I could completely related to these girls and was really cheering them on. 

The Friday Society is a cute and silly novel that I think would work well as an introduction to steampunk and alternative history.  I think it's a perfect book for a middle school aged reader and has a great message of team work, friendship, and a healthy dose of girl power.

Congratulations to the winner of the giveaway, BookYAReview!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

#1 in The Body Finder series
Published March 16, 2010 by HarperTeen
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

Review:  The body finder has a really interesting premise that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I really liked the idea of the echos, how they worked and how they helped Violet solve the murders.  For me they were a unique concept that really added to the suspense of the mystery. 

Violet was a fairly likable main character in general, even if she is obsessively boy crazy.  I mean, I know most 16 year old girls are obsessively boy crazy, but Violet was taking it to a new level.  The teenager angst was a little too heavy for my taste, and I would have preferred more murder and mayhem, and less high school drama.  (though I have to admit the kissing scenes were pretty great, Derting knows how to write sexual tension (comeone adult romance novel!))

Speaking of murder and mayhem, I really loved the serial killer!  Some of the chapters were written from his perspective and they were FREAKY!  I really loved these chapters beacuse they were perfectly timed and added a lot of great suspense to the story. I was really surprised by some of the plot twists and had absolutely no idea about the killer's identity, so that's a pretty good sign of a good mystery in my book!

Overall The Body Finder is a really cool start to this unique murder mystery series.  I'm really curious to see what kind of bad guy will show up in the next book, Desires of the Dead.  The title hints that maybe there will be more ghosty happenings?  Who knows, but I'm really excited to find out!

Butter by Erin Jade Lange

Published September 18, 2012 by Bloomsbury
egalley for review from netgalley
4 stars
DAC

Goodreads Review
A lonely obese boy everyone calls "Butter" is about to make history. He is going to eat himself to death—live on the Internet—and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online to his classmates, Butter expects pity, insults, and possibly sheer indifference. What he gets are morbid cheerleaders rallying around his deadly plan. Yet as their dark encouragement grows, it begins to feel a lot like popularity. And that feels good. But what happens when Butter reaches his suicide deadline? Can he live with the fallout if he doesn’t go through with his plans? With a deft hand, E.J. Lange allows readers to identify with both the bullies and the bullied in this all-consuming look at one teen’s battle with himself.

Review:  Butter is the story of an obese boy looking for acceptance and normalcy.  It's a story about how tough high school can be if you aren't perceived as one of the perfect popular crowd.

I could completely relate to Butter and his struggle with depression, self loathing, and his addiction to food.  I think that people try and self medicate in a lot of different ways, and for a lot of people food is their security blanket.  It's what they turn to when they are sad, lonely, bored, or scared.  Butter just wants acceptance, I think he's afraid to allow himself to be happy.  He eats to create a literal barrier between himself and other people because he's afraid to let people in.  His weight stops people from trying and he doesn't have to worry that they might get to know him and not like him for who he his, not just his appearance. 

I've read some reviews that say that Butter's classmate's reaction to his suicide plan as unrealistic.  Well, I disagree.  Maybe I have less faith in today's youth but it wasn't long ago that I was in high school and I could totally see my classmates egging people on.  I was an outcast too, and I could completely see someone doing anything to get the popular crowd's attention, and in turn the popular crowd taking full advantage of that. 

Butter is an extremely difficult book to read, and I think it will strike a deep chord with any person who as ever felt desperate to fit in.  It is equal parts heart warming and breaking, but handles some extremely sensitive topics with care and grace.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Published September 2009 by Simon Pulse
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
This is Alice.
She was taken by Ray five years ago.
She thought she knew how her story would end.
She was wrong.

Review:  I can't really say I liked this book, because who really does like a book about such a horrible topic? However Scott treated this subject well, and while she didn't shy away from the graphic and horrific aspects of the story, she did it in a way that doesn't exploit or glamorize the situation. It's raw, dirty, and painful.

The best part of Living Dead Girl is the writing style.  I normally don't care too much about writing style, but in this case it's what makes the novel.  It's almost like reading poetry and I feel like it really lends to the narrative.  I can completely understand Alice and why she thinks the way she does and why she can't "just escape".  The mental and physical abuse has completely drained her will to live.  Alice has comes to believe that she deserves to live with her captor.  I think fans of Ellen Hopkins books will really like Living Dead Girl.

Overall Living Dead Girl is a very dark story about a young girl's horrifying kidnapping that could have easily felt exploitative but was handled very well.  It is a heart breaking story that will haunt you for a long time.  Sidenote:  I would say that this book is for mature teen and adult readers only. 

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

#1 in the Heather Wells series
Published in 2005 by Avon Trade
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Heather Wells Rocks! 

Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two — and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft. 

The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knowsteenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen — not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives — even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective! 

But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . . .

Review:  I listened to the audio book for Size 12 is Not Fat almost a year ago, but with the release of the 4th installment in this series (Size 12 and Ready to Rock) I thought I would go ahead and do a quick book review.

The initial thing that drew me to this book was the title.  I have had weight issues my whole life, and was a size 12/14 when I first heard about this series.  I wanted to read it because I wanted to read a book about a protagonist that looked like me and dealt with the same issues I deal with.

I really enjoyed this book.  I loved listening to Heather's inner monologue (it's so like my own lol) and I loved reading about the antics that all of the college kids get up to.   The murder mystery is also really well done, I had NO idea who the killer was and was thoroughly surprised as the different twists were revealed.  I also really liked the commentary on weight in the media and how gaining weight doesn't reduce your value as a person. 

Honestly, I can't pinpoint the exact thing that made this book so enjoyable for me, it really was everything.  Size 12 is Not Fat is a cute and fun story that is a perfect summer read.

Pure by Julianna Baggott

#1 in the Pure Series
Published February 8, 2012 by Grand Central Publishing
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it’s his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.


Review:  Pure is a gut wrenching post apocalyptic novel.  The world building is fantastic, with rich descriptions that don't skimp on the horror of what has happened.  Pure has a unique concept that, while bizarre, is engrossing.  Pure paints a vivid picture of bodies fused to objects, the ground, other bodies, and the shock of how these people came to be disfigured really punches your heart.  

Pure is unlike the majority of other YA apocalyptic novels, both in the pacing and characterization.  Most YA apocalyptic stories are told at a blazing pace, often sacrificing explanation of the plot (like here, and here) but Pure is definitely not the norm.  There is lush descriptions and atmosphere which give a fantastic world set up, but also moves at a much slower pace.  If you like a more literary approach to your science fiction, such as The Road, you will enjoy Pure.  Another aspect of Pure that differs from the normal YA fare is the romance, or lack there of.  There is a hint, but it is not the major plot point which is a welcome relief.  

Pure is told from multiple perspectives, and I found myself really enjoying half of them.  I really liked Pressia and El Captain, the two perspectives that were outside the dome.  Their world was so interesting and horrific, I was completely drawn into their lives and how the world had changed.  I found myself not as connected to Partridge and Lyda, the two characters in the dome.  I don't think the political structure and history of the dome was clear enough for me to understand fully why it existed and how it failed as a society. 

Pure's strength lies in the atmosphere.  The world is frightfully disfigured, but the fact that human life perseveres on and adapts to their mutations creates a disconcerting tone  that is unlike the other YA dystopians out there.   I would recommend this to anyone who loves apocalyptic novels but is tired of the same old formulas.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

#1 in the Grisha Trilogy
Published June 5, 2012 by Henry Holt and Co.
4/5 Stars

Goodreads Review
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Review:  Shadow and Bone is really hard to rate and review. It was nothing like what I expected, which is good and bad. There were many aspects that I found extremely frustrating and unoriginal, but even with my grievances I could not put this book down. Shadow and Bone was a read until 2am, sneak pages during work, and walk around doing everything one handed because it is just that compelling kind of a book. 

The story of Shadow and Bone starts off totally awesome, but then slides into very typical YA fare. There are mean girls and boarding school antics and a sexy dark mysterious hottie OMG!!!! It was so frustrating because there is a very interesting foundation for Shadow and Bone but it is just buried under trite YA carp. The story does turn back to the awesome later on, but the aspects of the story that lead our character to make changes felt forced and extremely convenient. 

The main character Alina has a bit of a Bella Swan syndrome. She is told she is special, she has a destiny, but she just constantly denies it because the magical Grisha are “beautiful and striking” where Alina is “plain and awkward.” It’s definitely a case of “I’m so ugly, I’m so plain, there’s no way I’m special!” mentality which is completely annoying. And of course the first thing they do to her is give her a super magical makeover! Too much time is spent focusing on physical attributes that ultimately give very little to the overall story. 

I also had some pretty major issues with parts of the writing. Alina and her friends sounded like modern American teenagers. They say things like "you guys" and "you're crazy" and "that's his problem" and other expressions that modernize the narrative and took me out of the story. In my opinion, when you write a fantasy that has a historical feeling to it, you can't use modern expressions or culturally specific ones that don't match the culture of the characters. 

Speaking of culture, I know that this is just based on Russian history and the author has taken creative liberties (obviously, there's magic and whatnot) but the basic linguistic structure should still be the same. Doing research to make sure you don't completely change the definition of an existing word or name a girl the Russian equivalent of "Kevin" is really important, and I feel like this did not happen.

Also I think when you write different cultures with different languages, anyone from the same country should have the same speaking style (ie Baghra speech is broken, but as far as we know she was born and raised in the same country as Alina, who speaks perfectly. Botkin, being from a different country, is ok speaking in broken English because he wouldn't be fluent in their native tongue). I realize this is more of me nitpicking, but I really liked where the author was going, it just didn’t quite get there for me.

Now based on this review you might think that I would be giving Shadow and Bone a two or even one star rating. I chose to give it a four star rating because even with all of my complaints, I still really enjoyed this book. Despite its faults Shadow and Bone is completely enthralling and has so much potential to grow. I think a lot rides on the second book of the series, but I’m really hoping the author will take the fantastic history and word she has built and leave the overdone plot devices behind. 

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

#2 in the Divergent trilogy
Pubished May 1, 2012 by HarperTeen
4 stars

Goodreads Review
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Review:  Insurgent is more like 3.5, but I'm going to round up. While there was some interesting development toward the ending, Insurgent sadly has a bad case of middle book syndrome. It felt like a transition book, not a unique story. 


My biggest problem with Insurgent is there's absolutely no refresher on who people are and what they're doing at the end of Divergent.  We literally just jump straight into the story without any background.  This would be fine if I had just read Divergent, but for the many people who read the book a year ago when it first came out, it is very difficult to remember all of the side characters.  I kept thinking, "Wait, who was that again?" and so I really had a hard time connecting to the characters.

Insurgent moved a lot slower than Divergent.  I got half way through the book before anything with the main story arc actually happened.  Insurgent got too hung up on the relationship angst, which was handled much better in Divergent.  When it comes to dystopian I prefer more action/science books, and Insurgent focused way too much on Tris's inner monologue.  Also the transitions between scenes were extremely choppy and hard to follow. There seemed to be a lack of editing in terms of continuity and flow.  This became more noticeable toward the end of the book as the action got more intense and thus made the story hard to follow.

However I still really enjoyed this book.  Some of the action scenes are great and I really like the concept of trying to force people into certain social constructs and how that society will ultimately crumble because all people are really divergent.  But overall the parts that I did enjoy weren't enough to draw me in to the story and ultimately I just didn't care as much as I did in Divergent.

Purity by Jackson Pearce

Published April 24, 2012 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.

Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.

Review:  I read Sisters Red, Jackson's first book, last year and was underwhelmed.  It was hard to say exactly why, but I just didn't connect to the story like I wanted.  But Purity is a very different story from Sisters Red, and I think Jackson Pearce should write more contemporary stories, her voice translates excellently.  Purity is a fantastic story about love, faith, and freedom, plus I'm a sucker for father daughter stories :)

Purity handles the topics of death, sexuality, and religion with a gentle grace. Shelby, the main character, is an interesting heroine.  Her motivations are difficult to understand in the beginning, but as you listen to her rationalize her decisions and we being to learn more about her relationship with her mother you start to understand why she does what she does.  I liked the growth the character displayed and the questions that she raised.  I think it's very important for people to question the religion you're raised in and to make sure that you follow what you truly believe, not just what you are taught. 

The best part of Purity is the development of Shelby's relationship with her father.  I think her dad was my favorite character, and there were some adorable and terribly awkward interactions that made him completely endearing.  His attempts at a sex talk and doling out punishments were particularly hilarious. 

Purity packs a lot into just over 200 pages.  There are a lot of questions raised that I think every person should think about in their own life.  It's a lighter book with a lot of humor, but with some important messages as well. 

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

#1 in Bad Girls Don't Die series
Published 2009 by Hyperion
4 stars

Goodreads Review
When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own Goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green and she speaks in old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.

Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving child is gone, and the new Kasey is angry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister — but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

Review:  Bad Girls Don't Die is an excellent mystery and horror novel.  I thought it did an excellent job of balancing the scare factor while still keeping it age appropriate.  I think this is an excellent book for younger teens who are interested in ghost stories but don't want a lot of gore.

The best part of this book, hands down, was Kasey.  There's something that is just terrifying about creepy little girls, and Kasey is a perfect example of this.  When possessed she's sinister and manipulative and completely unsettling, which creates a fantastic tension.  The buildup of Kasey's descent is very well paced.  I really liked the main character Alexis as well, I'm so jealous of her pink hair. Actually all of the characters were great, I really enjoyed Megan and Carter as well. Unfortunately the story gets a little messy near the end and it's a bit hard to follow (and freakishly easy to predict) but the creep factor is still there.

Overall Bad Girls Don't Die is an excellent introduction to the horror genre.  I think people who aren't big on the blood and gore of some of the more hardcore books of the genre will really enjoy Bad Girls Don't Die.  It has the mystery and suspense without straying into the more gross aspects of the genre.  (Oh and what is is about creepy dolls that just strikes terror into the heart?)

The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle

Published September 14, 2010 by Henry Holt and Co.
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Young Tabby Aykroyd has been brought to the dusty mansion of Seldom House to be nursemaid to a foundling boy. He is a savage little creature, but the Yorkshire moors harbor far worse, as Tabby soon discovers. The ghost of the last maid will not leave Tabby in peace, yet this spirit is only one of many. Why do scores of dead maids and masters haunt Seldom House with a jealous devotion that extends beyond the grave? 

As Tabby struggles to escape the evil forces rising out of the land, she watches her young charge choose a different path. He is determined to keep Seldom House as his own. Though Tabby tries to befriend the uncouth urchin, her kindness cannot alter his fate. Long before he reaches the old farmhouse of Wuthering Heights, the boy who will become Heathcliff has doomed himself and any who try to befriend him. 

Review:  Confession time.  I have never read Wuthering Heights.  I don't really know what it's about.  I know there's a boy named Heathcliff and he's a bit of a douche to a girl named Cathy, but beyond that I got nothing.  The House of Dead Maids reads like a middle grade prequel/inspiration story for Wuthering Heights.  I think it would be great for a middle school student to help introduce them to the more Bronte/Austen style of writing.  I could see The House of Dead Maids being used in a middle school classroom and then Wuthering Heights being taught later in High School. 

The House of Dead Maids is very creepy.  I could totally see it being an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark.  The story telling and pacing are very well done and while it isn't extremely scary, it maintains a level of suspense throughout the entire novel.  I also thought the ending of The House of Dead Maids was very clever.  I liked how it ties in the Bronte sisters and hints at the inspiration for Wuthering Heights.  It an interesting addition to the Wuthering Heights tale, and it has definitely made me want to read Wuthering Heights. 

Overall The House of Dead Maids is a great middle grade Gothic tale that maintains a a suspenseful tone without becoming too scary.  I think will help spur an interest in classics in young readers and I would recommend it to any reader who is looking for a quick and ghostly story.

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

#1 in the Marbury Lens series
Published November 9, 2010 by Feiwel and Friends
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Sixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury.  There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he’s trying to kill them.  Meanwhile, Jack is falling in love with an English girl, and afraid he’s losing his mind.  Conner tells Jack it’s going to be okay. But it’s not.  Andrew Smith has written his most beautiful and personal novel yet, as he explores the nightmarish outer limits of what trauma can do to our bodies and our minds.


Review:  The Marbury Lens is, well, weird.  Good weird, but weird all the same.  The best way I can describe it is half The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson and half the movie The Road Warrior.  The Marbury Lens is an experiential book.  It doesn't bother to give you a lot of background.  You don't learn how the lens work or why Marbury is the way it is, you're just thrown into the world and are forced to sink or swim much like the main character Jack.  And you're not just swimming in water,  you're wading through blood and fear, sweat and pain.  The Marbury Lens is violent, intense, agonizing, and completely engrossing.

What I really loved about The Marbury Lens was how it didn't hold back.  I am a huge horror fan and this book did not skimp on the gory details.  I felt everything in this book as if I was in Marbury too.  When Jack saw a dismembered body and gagged my stomach roiled.  When Jack began to question his sanity, I felt the same anxiety.  In much the same way as how Jack cannot resist the pull of The Marbury Lens, I too found myself consumed by this book, despite the horror contained within it's pages. 

I loved the ambiguity of The Marbury Lens.  We never really figure out if Marbury is real, a symptom of post traumatic stress or worse, an imagined escape.  And that's what makes it so awesome.  I love it when a book is completely not the normal YA fare and I think "What is this thing I'm reading!?".  The Marbury Lens delivers, and the ending?  Had my mouth hanging open in disbelief.  I cannot wait for the second book, Passenger, due sometime in 2012.

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The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

#1 in the Iron Codex series
Published February 22, 2011 by Delacorte Books
4 Stars


Goodreads Review
In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.
Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

Review:  The Iron Thorn was my first jump into a real Steampunk novel, and I loved the world it created.  I honestly wish it was a movie because I wanted to see Lovecraft and how the city worked as well as the fashions of the people living in it.  This is definitely the strongest part of the book for me.  The fantastic world building which includes one of my favorite settings, mansions with hidden passages and rooms!  It's totally awesome.

I also really enjoyed the characters.  First off, Aoife (pronounced EE-fa) is a fantastic name for a fantastic character. Lets just hold up for a minute and recognize that this girl is an ENGINEER!  HOLLA!  Being an engineer myself, it was absolutely awesome to read a character like me!  We aren't just told that Aoife is smart, we see her intelligence when she creates solutions to problems like a lady Macgyver.  There's a lot of sexism in Lovecraft's society, and I like how Aoife starts to stand up for herself and is all "You know what?  Women can be smart AND hot and STILL save the day!"  I also loved the swoon worthy Dean.  Like for serious, he is a fantastic hottie bad boy.  Their romance developed at a good pace and, yes I'll say it, smoldered all over the place. 

Now onto what disappointed me a bit.  If you took out the fantastic steampunk elements, I would have to say this story is not very imaginative.  It's got a very generic adventure story plot.  Girl and friend and hot boy go off to save something, run into problems, discover a much greater problem, go on mission to solve it, almost get thwarted by bad guy, beat the bad guy at the last minute, but then something totally unexpected happens and cliffhanger ending.  I really enjoyed the story up until the fey were introduced.  I just don't see why they had to be in the story.  I would have been down for the "weird" magic, but I didn't want it to go that far into fairytale, I wanted it to stay more science fiction.  I also didn't really like what happened to Cal, it felt too convenient of a twist that was too forced.

Overall The Iron Thorn is a great introduction to the steampunk genre, but still has a bit of magical fun for people who like a little fantasy.  While the story can be paced a little slow and some of the magic lore a bit confusing, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes alternative histories with beautiful imagery. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Published in 1999 by MTV Books and Pocket Books
4 stars


Goodreads Review


Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This is the story of what it’s like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

Review:  The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a teen classic.  It's paved the way for many novels with its take on drugs, sex, abuse, friendship, and growing up while told through the letters of a fifteen year old boy whose innocent view of the world charms the reader.  It's not so much that subject matter is unique, but the voice in which it is told is delightful.  It's Charlie's observations of the world, simple though it may be, that makes this story so intriguing and relateable.  


Yes there are certainly aspects of this book that may be difficult for some people to read, in particular the ending, but I think that these difficult elements all make Charlie the way he is, both the things that happened to him in the past and what he experiences over the course of the book.  


While I doubt I'll become one of the rabid fans that swear by this books genius, I still really enjoyed the story and would recommend it to kids in high school who might be feeling a little "uncool".  I know that I do wish I had read it when I was a freshman, I probably would have really loved it then.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower is already over 10 years old, but I still find it extremely relevant to today's young adults.  It is a timeless tale of finding yourself that all teens experience.