Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Title:	Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices #2)
Author:	Cassandra Clare
Genre:	YA, Steampunk
Rating:	PG
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date:	December 6, 2011
Pages:	497
Source:	ARC provided by publisher
My Rating:	4.5*

 [Goodreads | Amazon]

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

This was Jem – her friend, as steady and reliable as a heartbeat. Jem did not set her skin on fire or make the blood rush fast inside her veins until she was dizzy.

“Until death,” Jem replied gently. “Those are the words of the oath. ‘Until aught but death part thee and me.’ Someday, Will, I will go where none can follow me, and I think it will be sooner rather than later.”

Tessa did not need to touch Jessamine’s mind to know what she was thinking. Even the diamond had not been real.

     I was got an ARC of this book from the lovely Jen from Rayment's Readings, Rants & Ramblings and I am so glad that I did.  Getting the ARC actually pushed me to read book one in the Infernal Devices Series, Clockwork Angel.  After reading book one and enjoying it, I immediately picked up the ARC of Clockwork Prince and dived right in.  Seriously, I have no idea how I am supposed to wait for book three now.

     All of the things that I loved in Clockwork Angel were brought right back and doubled in Clockwork Prince.  The setting, the characters, the history and story were just developed so beautifully and at such a great pace.  The story just unfolds effortlessly and hooks you right from the very first page.  Clockwork Prince is definitely one of my favourite books of 2011.

     Remember how in my review of Clockwork Angel I said that I didn't like Will?  Well let me revise that statement to say that I didn't like Will in that book, but loved him in Clockwork Prince.  I found that learning that there was a motivation and reason behind his behaviour made him much more likable.  In fact, by the end of the book you actually begin to see him for what he really is; a seventeen year old boy trying to make the best of a bad situation to the best of his ability.

     Tessa still annoyed me, but it was nice to see her experience some personal growth.  Jess still made me want to light myself on fire every time she appeared.  There really is no other character, that comes to mind, that has ever made me giddily anticipate the moment they finally get what is coming to them quite like Jess does.  Jem finally showed some grit and determination.  There was some steel in his spine and fire in his eyes and it really made me like him that much more.  And of course Magnus Bane is still made of awesome and win.

     Clockwork Prince is a fabulous follow up in the Infernal Devices Series.  If Cassandra Clare keeps writing like this she will continue to cement her place in the hearts and imaginations of readers everywhere.

Review: Want to Go Private by Sarah Darer Littman

Title:	Want to Go Private?
Author:	Sarah Darer Littman
Genre:	YA, Social Issues
Rating:	PG-13
Publisher:	Scholastic Press
Release Date:	August 1, 2011
Pages:	330
Source:	Finished Copy
My Rating:	5*

 [Goodreads | Amazon]

Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Abby is starting high school—it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke—he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.

   

 “...I grab my laptop and log on to ChezTeen.com. Within minutes, I'm surrounded by friends, even though I've never met any of them. There, I can pretend that my first day of school was fantastic, because no one is going to know anything different. I can be anyone I want to be when I'm online and I don't even have to wear makeup.”

This book had been sitting in my TBR pile for quite some time. On a whim, I decided to pick it up for what I thought was going to be some 'light' reading. Yeah, so not a good call. While I would consider this book an 'easy' read it is definately cannot be considered a 'light' read. Want to Go Private? reads as a cautionary take depicting the alienation and grooming of a vulnerable teenager by an online predator and her journey to heal.

The story is told mainly from the prespective of th emain character Abby. There are instances where a portion of the story is told by one of the cast of supporting characters. Watching Abby go from a happy, but insecure teenage to a victim is pretty difficult. Want to Go Private? is pretty detailed and in my opinion fairly accurate in showing jus thow Abby was being groomed and not even realizing it. There was something so disturbing about watching Abby descend down this path unaware while you, the reader, is fully aware where this is headed.

Reading Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman was like watching an episode of Dateline's How to Catch a Predator, but in reverse.

Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title:	Clockwork Angel
Author:	Cassandra Clare
Genre:	YA, Steampunk
Rating:	PG
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date:	August 31, 2010
Pages:	476
Source:	Finished Copy
My Rating:	4*

 [Goodreads | Amazon]

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

      "He'll get better," Jessamine announced.  "And when he does, he'll know I'm the one who nursed him back to health.  Men always fall in love with the woman who nurses them back to health.  'When pain and anguish wring the brow, | A ministering angel thou!'" she finished, with a self-satisfied smirk.  Seeing Tessa's horrified look, she scowled.  "What's wrong?  Am I not good enough for your previous brother?"   

     The Dark Sisters were there, leering at me from behind their whist cards, their nails like talons.  Women with their faces and shoulders powdered white smiled at me with blood running out the corners of their mouths.  Little creatures whose eyes changed color scuttled across the floor.  I had never imagined such things were real, and I said as much to Mortmain.
     '"There are more things in Heaven and earth, Nathaniel. than are dreamt of in your philosophy,' he said.

              I think I should give you fair warning that at the time I decided to read this book I had already marked some of Cassandra Clare’s other work, namely the Mortal Instruments Series, as DNF.  As a result I was very hesitant to even begin any of the books in the Infernal Devices series.  In the end, I was convinced to give it a try by some of my fellow Ontario Blog Squad members and I am very glad that they did.

                For me the first half of the book was a whole lot of nothing.  Well, maybe not nothing, but not a lot happened.  It was all talk and getting to know the characters, but really very little action.  While I did like having the opportunity to really learn about the characters, it was hard holding my attention when I just wanted something to happen.  I do have to say that when the action started, it pretty much didn’t stop.  It wasn’t over the top gory incidents either.  I didn’t get the feeling that the events taking place weren’t realistic for the story, but rather they seamlessly fit right in.

                While I did enjoy the book, I can’t say that I was really fond of a lot of the characters.  Tessa annoyed me for some reason.  Maybe it was her dependence on others, or her inability to see things clearly that drove me nuts.  Was she a product of her environment and times?  Yes!  Does that mean I should make allowances for her character?  Probably.  Did she still annoy me anyway?  Absolutely! And that was the best part.  As annoying as she was, she was authentic to the times, her upbringing and her character.  I really did not like Will, but he too was authentic.  What I don’t understand is this need for the main male character in every YA book to be a borderline douche.  Jem on the other hand came across as a very likeable, albeit, tragic character.  Jess made me want to light myself on fire every time she appeared in the story.

There was something about the setting for this series that just worked for me.  The setting of Victorian London was spot on and had me believing in the world of Shadowhunters, Demons and the like.  Something about London during that time period comes across as a lot more believable than the backdrop of New York City that we find in The Mortal Instruments.  What we know of London during that time due to historical record lends a great bit of credibility to this kind of world within a world that Cassandra Clare has created.  London, as described in Clockwork Angel, is a cross between being seedy and posh and it is that dichotomy that makes the story work so well.

Review: Lie by Caroline Bock

Title:	Lie
Author:	Caroline Bock
Genre:	YA, Social Issues
Rating:	PG-13
Publisher:	St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date:	August 30, 2011
Pages:	224
Source:	Finished Copy
My Rating:	3.5*

 [Goodreads | Amazon]

Everybody knows, nobody’s talking. . . .

Seventeen-year-old Skylar Thompson is being questioned by the police. Her boyfriend, Jimmy, stands accused of brutally assaulting two young El Salvadoran immigrants from a neighboring town, and she’s the prime witness. Skylar is keeping quiet about what she’s seen, but how long can she keep it up? 

But Jimmy was her savior. . . .

When her mother died, he was the only person who made her feel safe, protected from the world. But when she begins to appreciate the enormity of what has happened, especially when Carlos Cortez, one of the victims, steps up to demand justice, she starts to have second thoughts about protecting Jimmy. Jimmy’s accomplice, Sean, is facing his own moral quandary. He’s out on bail and has been offered a plea in exchange for testifying against Jimmy.

The truth must be told. . . .

Sean must decide whether or not to turn on his friend in order to save himself. But most important, both he and Skylar need to figure out why they would follow someone like Jimmy in the first place.

     He wasn't against legal immigration. I asked him how his family got here, or were they American Indians?  He said that his mother's family owned farmland out on the South Fork going back to the 1700s.  He said his family documents are in Dutch, which is who were in charge here before the English.  I said good for him.  You can give history lessons.  My father's father lied about his age and came over steerage, on his knees the whole way.  He was called the Big Swede.  What about giving these people a chance?
     He said they were stealing our jobs.  I said they were doing job nobody else wanted.
     "You want them living next door to you?  Twenty, thirty, or more Mexicans jammed in a house together?"

I had been waiting to read this book for some time.  In fact, I think this book was one of my Waiting on Wednesday picks sometime back in May or June.  Every time I went to the bookstore in hopes of acquiring this book, it never quite worked out and I finally just ordered it online sometime back in October.  Of course as soon as I got it, I began reading it.  Sad to say, I was disappointed.  I was so disappointed in fact, that this book was originally classified as DNF on my shelf and after about 50 pages in, I put it down.  Usually, when I classify a book as DNF, I don’t pick it up again.  But for some reason, I decided to give this one a second chance.  I can honestly say that I am glad that I did.

Lie is told from multiple POVs and as such you really get to hear the viewpoints of everyone in this particular community.  The sad part is that all those POV’s really do mirror each other and still adhere to the line ‘everybody knows, but no one’s talking’.  It’s really disturbing to see just how everyone lets the fact that the victims were Mexican and the perpetrators were white cloud their minds to the fact that a crime was committed, and that lives were put in danger.  The really sad part is that Lie, even though fiction, mirrors events that have happened in real life.

I have never been more disgusted with a character than I was with Skylar.  She uses her loss as a way to make her apathetic to the suffering of anyone else.  The fact that she has gone through a loss should have made her appreciate life so much more.  Instead she has this pity me, poor me attitude that leads her to rely on the very racist Jimmy for absolutely everything.  For Skylar, I really didn’t see the struggle between right and wrong.  She clearly couldn’t tell the difference if it slapped her upside the head.  The sad thing is that she was not alone in that viewpoint.

Don’t get me wrong, I knew that Lie wasn’t going to be a book about fluffy bunnies and as such was likely going to provoke some intense reactions.  I was expecting outrage, frustration and maybe even a little sadness and anger.  What I was not prepared for was the absolute rage and disgust I felt while reading this book.  The tag line of Lie is ‘everybody knows, nobody’s talking’ and that one line should be enough to set anyone’s teeth on edge.  The fact that Lie is a book based around a hate crime, ‘everybody knows, nobody’s talking’ should outrage and disgust you.

Guest Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title:	Shatter Me
Author:	Tahereh Mafi
Genre:	YA, Dystopian
Rating:	PG
Publisher:	HarperTEEN
Release Date:	November 15, 2011
Pages:	342
Source:	ARC from Publisher
My Rating:	4.5 Stars

 [Goodreads | Amazon]

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

     "Their fear will work in your favour," he whispers in my ear.
     My humanity is lying in a million pieces on this carpeted floor.  "I never wanted them to be afraid of me."
     "You should."  He stops.  His eyes are calling me an idiot.  "If they don't fear you, they will hunt you."
     "People hunt things they fear all the time."
     "At least now they know what they're up against."  He resumes walking down the hall, but my feet are stitched into the ground.

Divergent, Delirium, The Hunger Games, and The Chaos Walking Trilogy are all great dystopian YA novels and all are equalled or surpassed by this debut novel by Tahereh Mafi. Mafi’s novel is a breathtaking work of art, her description on the fall of culture on page 60 left me in awe of this 23 year old writer's talent. (If you are hesitant to buy this novel after reading this review, flip to this page and bask in the eloquence… THEN buy the book.) 

The female protagonists in YA novels are often shy, awkward, and well…sappy. While Juliette starts off with all of these traits, Mafi introduces a new way to portray this. Juliette is censored (by herself) like this. As the book progresses, Juliette doubts herself less and less, and becomes a more confident and sexy woman. I doubt I am a part of the audience that Mafi intended her book for, but when I saw the synopsis compare it to the X-Men, well I couldn’t resist. 

Guys and Girls of all ages will enjoy this book, I’ve recommended it to others, and will continue to do so. Girls, if you enjoyed the previously mentioned novels, read this. Guys, if you enjoyed watching X-men as a kid, read this. This book was great, and the sequel will be SO FREAKING INSANE!!! Oh… also… on an amazingly awesome note the book has been optioned by 20th Century Fox.

P.S. You can read the first chapter on the Shatter Me Facebook page.

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I am a 24 yr old book lover. My room is a veritable library, albeit a messy one. I owe my love of literature to The Hardy Boys, though I quickly branched off into historical fiction which led to me currently reading just about anything. I attend Ryerson University and hate writing About Me blurbs. Also Neil Pasricha writer of The Book of Awesome says I'm awesome.

Review: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Living Dead Girl
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Genre: YA, Social Issues, Child Abuse
Rating: R
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: September 2, 2008
Pages: 170
Source: Purchased Finished Copy
My Rating: 5*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

The thing is, you can get used to anything. You think you can't, you want to die, but you don't. You won't. You just are.

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

Quotes

     The audience always boos and says You Should Have Done Something.  You should have fought back.  You should have known no one has that kind of power.  You should have been strong.
     You shouldn't have been so stupid.
     The women nod and sniffle.  They are still broken.  They still agree with everything anyone wants.  Even the ones who try to explain end up with their heads down, their hands in their laps.  Little girl ready to say she's sorry.
     All our fault, always.

My Thoughts

Let me start this review off by saying that I have a cast iron stomach.  I also have a pretty warped sense of humor and I am not usually bothered by things that would make most people spend the rest of their lives on a psychiatrist's couch.  Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott disturbed me so much that it actually made me physically ill.

I have read books about abuse and I have read books about child abuse.  None of the other books I have read have have communicated the utter devastation, degradation and hopelessness that is demonstrated in Living Dead Girl.  It's not enough to just say that Alice is a victim and to get glimpses of the abuse that she has and is suffering.

What makes this story so profoundly disturbing is the insight into both the minds of Alice and her captor/abuser/tormentor Ray.  To see that Alice knows that she is never going to get out of this, in the traditional sense of being rescued and going home, but rather that the only way out for her is death and to watch her accept and welcome this is absolutely horrifying.

All I have to say is thank the lord that this book was only 170 pages long.  I don't think I could have handled reading much more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Author

Hey there, I'm Elizabeth. I write young adult novels. I live just outside Washington DC with my husband and dog, and am unable to pass a bookstore without stopping and going inside.

All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.

Usually two. (Or more!)

Visit her website!

Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

Title: Crossed
Author: Ally Condie
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Rating: G
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publication Date: November 1, 2011
Pages: 384
Source: ARC provided by Publisher
My Rating: 3*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Quotes

     I wonder if some of that longing came through in my voice when I spoke of the painting, if Xander noticed and remembered.  Xander still plays the game in a subtle way.  This painting is one of his cards.  Now, when I see the painting or touch one of he newrose petals, I remember the way he felts so familiar and knew so much, and I ache for what I've had to let go.

My Thoughts

I really, really did not like Matched, but as a follow up Crossed was actually pretty decent.  I ended up  reading both books back to back so I was able to keep going with the story.  As a result, I really can't help but compare the two books.

I must say that I enjoyed the setting in Matched much more.  For me, having the characters leave the city for the Outer Provinces lends credibility to the whole Dystopian aspect.  I felt that it gave Crossed a sense of danger and excitement that I found was lacking in Matched.  There were so many plot twists that I found myself unable to predict what was going to happen next; something that I greatly enjoyed.

Once I got used to them, I loved the differing viewpoints.  In my opinion, it really helped keep the story from revealing itself too soon.  Plus it was really nice to get a look inside of Ky's mind.  I found his viewpoint to be very refreshing and almost pure in his feelings.  Plus, it was a bonus to have male characters, who while very different from one another, were not absolute morons.  It was so nice to just finally get some decent male love interests.  I am really tired of this whole trend in YA of girls always falling for the pining after the controlling jerk.  Kudos to Ally Condie for creating two different male characters in Xander and Ky who aren't actually jerks masquerading as the ideal choice.

I have to say, that now I am kind of bummed that I have to wait a whole year to find out just how this series ends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Author

Ally Condie is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel MATCHED. She is also a former high school English teacher who lives with her husband and three sons outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, running, eating, and listening to her husband play guitar.

Review: Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

Title: Tris & Izzie
Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance
Rating: G
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: October 11, 2011
Pages: 272
Source: Digital ARC from NetGalley

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

My Thoughts

     There was a reason that this book was up on NetGalley as an auto approve title.  I found it so completely unrealistic and without depth that I was unable to finish it.  This is the first book on my Did Not Finish shelf in 2011 and this bothers me.  

     I love the story of Tristan and Isolde.  I love the cover of the book and I even featured it as one of my Waiting on Wednesday picks back in May of this year.  I was really rooting for this book to live up to the expectations that I had for it.  It came no where near and I had to put it down after 50 pages.  I really don't like posting in-depth negative reviews so I am going to leave it there and allow others to read the book and decide for themselves.

Review: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Title: Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
Genre: YA, Social Issues
Rating: PG
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: September 5, 2011
Pages: 273
Source: Purchased Finished Copy
My Rating: 4*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention 

Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling...


Quotes

     "I just hear all those stories, and sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who's never done it.  I feel like I'm behind or something.  Like it makes me a prude."
     "You're not weird, or a prude, or a tease, or any of that," I assured her.  "Actually, I think it's great that you're waiting.  It's sort of refreshing.  And sex is a big deal, so you shouldn't rush it just because everyone else is doing it.  I think it's  major decision."

My Thoughts


While I do have Kody Keplinger's debut book DUFF, I have yet to read it.  I don't know what made me read Shut Out first, but I did and I really liked it.


I am not sure just how realistic a sex strike is, not to mention one amongst high school students, but it was an interesting premise.  It took the idea of sex being a weapon in a whole different direction.  In this book, sex was a weapon used to bring about change.  Or at least that is how it started, but alas, 'the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry'.  The girls, who believe they are holding all the power, are in for a bit of a rude awakening.


What I really liked about this book was not the sex strike, but rather the dialogue that sex strike provoked amongst the kids involved.  These were kids like any others and they assumed that they were all having sex, when they weren't.  The sex strike brought about several interesting conversations and realizations among both the guys and girls.  These were conversations really brought home the message of being true to yourself in all ways.


Shut Out was a good book and a very easy read.  It's one of the few books out there that I have read recently that has a pretty decent characterization of high-school students, their attitudes, and dialogue.

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance
Rating: PG
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: September 27, 2011
Pages: 456
Source: Purchased Finished Copy
My Rating: 5*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Quotes

     "I got him back later, though."
     "Oh," Jamie wouldn't stand a chance in knife fight with Aiden Davis if all Aiden had was a roll of toilet paper.
     Jamie smiled knowingly.  "I threatened him with Ebola."
     I blinked.
     "I don't actually have Ebola.  It's  biosafety Level Four hot agent."
     I blinked again.
     "In other words, impossible for teenagers to obtain, even if your father is a doctor."  He looked disappointed.

My Thoughts

Quite honestly, I have wanted to read this books for months but really had no idea why.  I do love the cover and of course, that is what initially drew me in.  But there was something about the synopsis that grabbed my attention enough to make me purchase the book.  Even after the reviews started coming in (I didn't read them, but took a look at the ratings), I really still had no idea just what this book was about.  Nevertheless, I am glad that I picked it up because it was phenomenal.

It really didn't matter that I didn't have a basic understanding of what the novel was about when I began reading it.  The writing is so well done that it just sucks you in.  I actually think I enjoyed the book more not knowing as it allowed me the opportunity to just read and not compare it to other books.  It didn't lower my expectations for the book, but it did allow me to look read and approach it with an untainted outlook.

The interactions between characters was spot on.  Michelle Hodkin managed to give everyone their own personalities and that came across clearly in both situations and dialogue.  Conflicted and confused Mara, confident and endearing Noah, loyal and smart Daniel, mischievous and outspoken Jamie all added depth to the story.  The interaction between Mara and Noah is really kind of epic.

The book itself is quite large at close to 500 pages.  I think it's one of the larger YA titles I have read in the past year.  Having said that, those 500 pages go by like a breeze.  I got through this book in just over two hours because I just couldn't put it down and of course now I am eagerly anticipating the follow up which probably won't come out until next year some time!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a fabulous read with enough suspense, mystery and romance to keep the reading turning page after page.

Review: Cleopatra's Moon

Title: Cleopatra's Moon
Author: Vicky Alvear Shecter
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction
Rating: PG
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Release Date: August 1, 2011
Pages: 353
Source: Purchased Finished Copy
My Rating: 5*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

"The Luxe" meets the ancient world in the extraordinary story of Cleopatra's daughter.


Selene has grown up in a palace on the Nile with her parents, Cleopatra & Mark Antony—the most brilliant, powerful rulers on earth. But the jealous Roman Emperor Octavianus wants Egypt for himself, & when war finally comes, Selene faces the loss of all she's ever loved. Forced to build a new life in Octavianus's household in Rome, she finds herself torn between two young men and two possible destinies—until she reaches out to claim her own.


This stunning novel brings to life the personalities & passions of one of the greatest dramas in history, & offers a wonderful new heroine in Selene.

Quotes

 Octavianus squatted once more, facing Ptolly eye to eye.  "Now.  Where did Caesarion go?"
Do not answer him, Ptolly.  Please!
Ptolly jutted his jaw.  "I told you already!  To the desert!"
Octavianus gritted his teeth.  "Which desert?"
Tell him you don't know.  Tell him you don't know.  But I could feel Ptolly's emotional storm gathering like thick black clouds, crackling with vicious bolts of lightning.  And I knew it was too late.
"The desert on the other side!" he roared.  "The one that goes to India!"

My Thoughts

     I loved this book.

     I, being a lover of historical fiction and all things Ancient Egypt, have read my fair share of books on Cleopatra Selene and her mother Cleopatra, the last Queen of Egypt.  Like all books, some are better than others and one usually becomes the standard by which all other books on that same topic are measured.  Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter is that standard.

     Told from the view point of Cleopatra Selene, the book follows the children as they are forced to leave Egypt by Octavianus, known to history as Augusts, and watch as they try to navigate and make sense of their new lives and circumstances.  Living in Octavianus's household, the children, more specifically Cleopatra Selene, attempt to figure out just who to trust while trying to maintain both their faith and ideals.

     What I really liked about this book is the role reversal of two of the characters.  In every other book I have read or movie I have watched about this period and instance, these particular characters have been portrayed in the opposite fashion.  It was really refreshing to see that character reversal, whether it was true or not.  I also liked the fact that even though you know the basic premise of the story, you never find yourself thinking 'well that certainly didn't happen' or 'that's not realistic at all'.  You are able to immerse yourself in the story and simply enjoy it for what it is.

   In Cleopatra's Moon, Shecter has managed to create dynamic, engaging and flawed characters that bring to life one of history's most fascinating time periods.  Weaving the tale of the little known story of what happened to the children of Cleopatra once Egypt finally fell into complete control of the Roman empire, the story contains both mystical elements and a love story that leaves you questioning just what is fact and what is fiction.

(ARC) Review: Shelter

Title: Shelter (A Mickey Bolitar Novel)
Author: Harlan Coben
Genre: YA, Mystery/Thriller
Rating: PG
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: September 6, 2011
Pages: 304 pages
Source: ARC Courtesy of the Publisher
My Rating: 4*


[Gooodreads | Amazon]


A young adult debut from internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben

Mickey Bolitar's year can't get much worse. After witnessing his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, he's forced to live with his estranged uncle Myron and switch high schools.

A new school comes with new friends and new enemies, and lucky for Mickey, it also comes with a great new girlfriend, Ashley. For a while, it seems like Mickey's train-wreck of a life is finally improving - until Ashley vanishes without a trace. Unwilling to let another person walk out of his life, Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that this seemingly sweet, shy girl isn't who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey's father. Soon, Mickey learns about a conspiracy so shocking that it makes high school drama seem like a luxury - and leaves him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew.

First introduced to readers in Harlan Coben's latest adult novel, Live Wire, Mickey Bolitar is as quick-witted and clever as his uncle Myron, and eager to go to any length to save the people he cares about. With this new series, Coben introduces an entirely new generation of fans to the masterful plotting and wry humor that have made him an award-winning, internationally bestselling, and beloved author.


Quotes

     "Evil remains.  Always.  You can combat it, but you can never fully defeat it.  You settle for small victories.  IF you overreach, you lose everything.  But every life matters.  There is an old saying: 'He who saves one life saves the world.'  So we pick and choose."

My Thoughts


Now I know that I am a fast reader, usually reading at least one book a day, but I absolutely devoured this book. I think in total it took me an hour and half to read it. That is fast, even by my standards. After having read the book all I have to say is why haven't I read a novel by Harlan Coben before?

I was hooked from the first page and when I finished the book, I immediately wanted to read another one. Unfortunately, Shelter is Harlan Coben's first foray into writing a YA novel. Having said that, I really hope he writes another one. The novel was the perfect blend of suspense, intrigue, humor, and sensitivity. The character's, who were all very different, came across as authentic and real in both their relationships and interactions.

The protagonist Mickey is currently living with his uncle Myron after having lost both his mother and father in some shape or form. Mickey is both a likeable character and an honourable one. He has a tremendous sense of right and wrong, and a very deep social conscience that is not usually displayed at his age. He, despite the recent trials and tribulations he has been through, remains steadfast in the belief that you should help those who are in need despite the personal cost, and displays this throughout the novel on his search for his missing girlfriend.

All in all, I found this a very enjoyable and easy read. It can get a bit suggestive at times, but it's really nothing more than you would see on TV in any prime time show. 

Review: But I Love Him

Title: But I Love Him
Author: Amanda Grace (Pseudonym), Mandy Hubbard
Genre: YA, Social Issues, Relationships & Abuse
Rating: PG-13
Publisher: Flux Books
Publication Date: May 8, 2011
Pages: 254 pages
Source: Purchased Finished Copy
Rating: 5*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap.


At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything — and everyone — in its path.


This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong.

Quotes

"What do you do when the one person you want comfort from the most is the one who caused your pain? How can I want so desperately for him to wrap me up in his arms but also want so much for him to leave me alone."

"It's not fair. It's not fair that he lets his rage take over, that he lets it rule him. I don't know why he has to let it rule him. I don't know why he has to be two people.   I don't know why he gets to be two people, and I only get to be me, the one who is here to take what he has to give, and who is here to pick up the pieces afterward."

"But even when I stop crying, even when we fall asleep and I'm nestled in his arms, this will leave another scar. No one will see it. No one will know. But it will be there. And eventually all of the scars will have scars, and that's all I'll be--one big scar of a love gone wrong."

 My Thoughts

Wow!

I could just leave my review at that and I would have summed up what I felt when reading But I Love Him by Amanda Grace.  Told in reverse chronological order But I Love Him chronicles the love story between Ann and Conner that was doomed from the very beginning.

I liked this book because it made me feel for the characters; both of them.  It's so easy when writing a story that chronicles abuse of any kind or the demise of a relationship to create at least one character, usually the abuser, that is just so horrible that the reader hates them.  They often come across as having no redeeming qualities and by the end of the book you are waiting and hoping for them to get a dose of their own medicine.  By contrast the victim is usually not really someone that readers can identify with, and spend the entire book shaking their heads wondering why they don't just get out.  That is not the case with this book.

In But I Love Him, Amanda Grace introduces two characters you can't help but feel for.  There is Ann who is the All American good girl who everyone loves and appears to be genuinely good person who wants the best for those around her.  Conner on the other hand is not so much a bad boy, but a broken boy.  He comes from an abusive home himself and seems to want to break the cycle of abuse, but he either doesn't know or posess the skill set to do so.  Ann wants to help Conner and wants him to be better, and it's over this year that she comes to realization that she can't save him, but rather she has to save herself.