In My Mailbox (25)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to share what books you received for review, purchased, or checked out from the library during the past week.

This week I just received one book but it is one that I was excited to read. I finished it today so be looking for my review next week.

For review:

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

(Courtesy of Around the World ARC Tours)

Review: Going Too Far

Going Too Far

By Jennifer Echols

Publication date: 2009

My review:

When Meg McPherson and her friends get drunk and walk on a dangerous bridge, they are arrested by John After. A young cop new to the Police Force, John wants to teach Meg and the others a lesson to keep them safe. As her punishment, Meg has to ride around with John in his patrol car during spring break and at the end of the week she has to submit a written proposal on how to prevent other teens from making the same mistake. From the beginning, John and Meg are drawn to each other but they both have secrets holding them back. In order to be together, they will both have to confront their deepest fears.

Going Too Far is the story of two people who haven't been able to let go of the past. Meg and John have intense feelings for each other and their relationship develops very quickly. They are on the surface, polar opposites. Meg has bright blue hair and a rebellious streak while John is a straitlaced cop who values rules. They start to fall in love but Meg is not the kind of girl who likes to be in relationships and she can't wait to move away from their small Alabama town. John is the right person to get Meg to open up about what makes her run and she is able to force him to deal with his reasons for staying. All of this happens during one week. I wish that the book was longer so that the relationship and especially the changes in the characters could be given time to develop.

Meg is quite a character. She is not afraid to say what she thinks although sometimes she doesn't know when to quit. At first I didn't like her very much because she seemed determined to do the wrong thing and she talked back all the time. Then as I got to know her and understand her motivations I liked her more. I think she came across as an authentic teen voice. John however is my favorite character. I wish that some of the chapters were written from his point of view. He really cared about Meg and wanted her to grow to be a better person. He also looked past her blue hair and rebellious persona and he liked her for who she was inside. Though I did have some issues with how quickly the characters changed, I did like this book. This is the first Jennifer Echols book that I've read but it won't be the last.

Readalikes: Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles, Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles, This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen, Bad Apple by Laura Ruby, Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Book Beginnings on Friday (17)

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you'd like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

This week I am sharing first sentences from two books, one which I recently finished (Someone Knows My Name) and one which I am currently reading.

Someone Knows My Name (The Book of Negroes) by Lawrence Hill

I seem to have trouble dying. By all rights, I should not have lived this long.

This is the story of Aminata Diallo who was kidnapped from her village and sold into slavery at the age of eleven. She survived the brutal crossing from Africa and became the slave of a South Carolina plantation owner. She is later sold again and eventually escapes, living in New York. Later she works for the British during the Revolutionary War, listing the names of freed Loyalist slaves in the Book of Negroes. Throughout the struggles of her life she never gives up her dream to one day return to her homeland.

Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen

"Love is like death's cold grip crushing the beats from an innocent heart." A ripple of muted laughter rolls through the girls around me, and I bite my lip to keep from joining them.

In this modern love story inspired by Romeo and Juliet, Caleb and Kate are from two very different worlds. Kate's family is incredibly wealthy and Caleb's dad is a maintenance worker employed by Kate's dad. They continue to see each other even though their parents don't improve and there is a long standing quarrel between their families.

Interview with Jan Blazanin, author of Fairest of Them All

Jan Blazanin is the author of Fairest of Them All, about a teen dealing with sudden hair loss. She graciously agreed to an interview as part of Body Image Self Perception Month.

When you were doing your research, did you speak to any teens with alopecia?

I didn’t have an opportunity to talk to teens with alopecia while I was writing Fairest of Them All. At the time I was teaching middle school, and I was discreetly on the lookout for a teen or teens to interview. But none of my students were dealing with the condition, which was wonderful for them, of course. I wasn’t on Facebook yet, so I didn’t have many options for finding interview subjects. Instead I studied all the information I could find about alopecia and interviewed a dermatologist to learn how he treats patients with alopecia. To get the teen perspective I read the first-person stories and photos of teens posted at the National Alopecia Areata Foundation website and the recipients on the Locks of Love site.

Did you receive any feedback from teen readers with alopecia?

I have, and so far it has been positive. But for me there’s always the worry that someone will be hurt or offended. There are several different types of alopecia, and each person’s experience is unique. Although I did my best to understand and convey Ori’s thoughts and feelings, I can’t speak for anyone else.

At the beginning of the novel, Phil does not take care with her appearance while Ori is obsessed with hers. What advice would you give to teens about maintaining the right balance or attitude about their appearance?

That’s an excellent question, and one that’s not easy to answer. My advice to teens is to love yourself and treat your body with respect. To me this means eating and drinking healthfully, exercising, and maintaining good grooming. Exercise combats weight problems and depression, puts teens in control and brings a feeling of accomplishment. It’s easy to grab fries and a soda, but afterward they’re going to feel let down and sluggish, which does nothing for anyone’s self-esteem. Eating wholesome foods and drinking plenty of water has the opposite effect. And they can’t go wrong with clean hair, skin, teeth, and clothes. Teens who take care of themselves glow with good health, which is always attractive.

Did you struggle with negative body image or self-perception issues when you were a teen?

Oh, yes, and I still struggle with some of them. As a teen I was slim and had a very small chest. So that was an issue for me. In my later teens I had terrible acne, and there were days when I didn’t want to leave the house because of it. My teeth were crooked, I wore glasses, I had awful hangnails—the list goes on and on. On top of that I was an awkward kid in a high school where athletics was the gold standard. And being a good student didn’t win any points with my peers. To sum it up, I perceived myself as a skinny, unattractive, unpopular geek. Issues? Yeah I had a few.

What message do you hope that teens come away with after reading your book?

I hope teens will see how important it is to focus less on their appearance and find ways to become thoughtful, caring people. Volunteering is one great way to put others first. Participating in extra-curricular activities is another. The other message, of course, is that physical appearance does not make a person beautiful. The kind of beauty that matters comes from inside.

Are you currently working on any YA books?

Thanks for asking! I have a humorous YA novel coming out next year from Egmont Publishing. The working title is ASPEN AND LAUREL DO SUMMER. It’s about two best friends who are determined to have a fabulous last summer in high school but create chaos instead.

I’m also working on a paranormal in which a teen ruler from 3,000 years ago is transported to the present time on a quest to save her people. It’s my first attempt at paranormal, and I’m really enjoying it!

Thank you Jan for participating in BISP Month and for taking the time to chat with me!

If you haven't, please check out my review of Fairest Of Them All.

Review: Fairest Of Them All

Fairest Of Them All

By Jan Blazanin

Publication date: April 2009

My review:

Oribella grows up in a world of beauty and hard work. Even though she has had to give up the elements of a normal life like friends, dating, and other types of fun, Oribella enjoys what she is doing, especially dancing. The opportunity to star in a movie, even as a younger version of the main female lead, is the chance of a lifetime. Oribella and her mother Rhonda can see the fruition of their dreams. When Ori's hair begins to fall out however, everything comes crashing down around her. Ori feels adrift because she doesn't have any friends and her career was her life. Losing her hair may seem like the worst thing that could happen to her but it forces Ori to confront some hard truths about herself. With the help of some unexpected new friends, Ori slowly begins to see that it isn't the end of the world and beauty isn't everything.

Ori goes through a hard time with her hair loss and even before that she is teased and taunted by her classmates. However she is not always a sympathetic character. In fact it is hard to like her at times because of her obsession with appearance. Slowly as the book progresses Ori starts to realize how she judges others based on appearance and how her life has been unhealthy due to her commitment to her work. Ori gets help adjusting to her new life from Philomena, the daughter of her agent. Phil is the complete opposite of Ori. She does not pay attention to her looks at all. However she is a talented athlete and she has a strong group of friends-something Ori sorely lacks. I liked Phil a lot more than Ori but through Phil's influence, Ori grows as a character.

The relationship between Ori and her mom is also central to the story. Rhonda's own mother was beautiful and she left Rhonda to go to Hollywood and pursue her dreams. This abandonment and her feelings of inferiority have caused Rhonda to put pressure on her own beautiful daughter to be a success. Rhonda's views also influenced Ori's beliefs about beauty. I was disappointed with how Rhonda handled the alopecia diagnosis and how she treated Ori after that.

Fairest Of Them All has a great message about true beauty. The journey that Oribella takes during the course of the book helps her to gain a balanced perspective. Being healthy and happy with who you are is more important than trying for physical perfection.

I read and reviewed this book for Body Image and Self Perception Month. I am someone who has alopecia (hair loss), albeit a different type than what Ori suffers from. I cannot imagine how horrifying it would be to suddenly start losing clumps of your hair especially when your career revolves around your looks. The details of Ori's hair loss and the attempted treatments were hard to read about.  My own hair loss is slow and while eventually I will have to wear a wig it will not be overnight. Being a teen with alopecia would be a real challenge. Thankfully there are some great websites out there like the National Alopecia Areata Foundation and organizations like Locks of Love which make wigs for young people with hair loss.

Readalikes: Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Fraser, Pretty Face by Mary Hogan

Review: Beautiful Darkness

Beautiful Darkness

By Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Publication date: October 12, 2010

My review:

In this sequel to Beautiful Creatures, Ethan realizes that the danger isn't over for Lena. He continues to have unsettling visions and he keeps hearing a new song, Seventeen Moons, which suggests that Lena still has a choice to make. Lena is struggling with guilt which leads her to pull away from Ethan and question where she belongs. More than Ethan's love for Lena is on the line when a deadly enemy returns to Gatlin.

Things are definitely much darker in this book and there are many twists and turns throughout the novel. Although the plot centers around a decision Lena must make, this book feels more like Ethan's story because the focus is on him. We learn more about Ethan, his mom's research, and Macon Ravenwood. Some interesting new characters are also introduced.

I enjoyed Beautiful Darkness but I liked Beautiful Creatures a little bit more. There were some parts in this book where I was confused and wished I had a copy of Beautiful Creatures on hand to refer back to. I was also annoyed with Lena at times but by the end of the book I understood why she behaved the way she did. Overall, this is another great installment in The Caster Chronicles. The setting is fantastic, including a side trip to Savannah, Georgia, and the characters are memorable. It is a long book but I was drawn into the story from the beginning. I think more questions were asked than answered during the course of the novel so I am really looking forward to reading book three to find out what happens next.

Readalikes: Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough, The Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink, Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Thanks to Star Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Teaser Tuesdays (21)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week:

The hand dissolved from around mine, and I dropped backward to the ground. Instinctively I clutched my wounded arm against my shirt to stop the bleeding, but to my amazement, there was no blood. No cut.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

p. 159 (ARC)

Review: Cate of the Lost Colony

Cate of the Lost Colony

By Lisa Klein

Publication date: October 12, 2010

My review:

Orphaned teen Catherine Archer is offered the chance of a lifetime when she is appointed as a Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth I. The world of Elizabeth's court is a sophisticated place to be and Cate quickly makes friends and enemies. When she draws the attention of Sir Walter Ralegh, a favorite of the queen and the queen finds out about the relationship, Cate is tossed into the Tower. Fate intervenes and Cate is forced to join the colonists heading to Virginia. Although she is separated from Ralegh, this is not really a punishment because she has longed to travel to Virginia and see its wonders for herself. The journey and life on Roanoke Island are far more difficult than she could have imagined but Cate still manages to thrive. She even builds friendships with members of the Croatoan tribe and she finds the possibility of love. No one knows what really happens to the lost members of the Roanoke Colony but Lisa Klein has imaginatively created her own version of their story.

I have been fascinated by the story of the lost colony of Roanoke since I was a teen so I was excited when I heard about this novel. The story starts out at the court of Queen Elizabeth but I felt that this part of the story moved much more slowly than the part that takes place in Roanoke. Once Cate is banished, the story became more interesting to me even though I enjoy Tudor history. Cate's life in Roanoke is vastly different from the life she enjoyed as a courtier even with all the gossip and backstabbing. The colonists are not really prepared for how hard life will be but Cate adapts pretty quickly. She becomes a leader and a voice of reason even though she is one of the youngest members of the colony. I admired Cate's attitude and the way she wasn't afraid to stand up to some really unpleasant people. The Cate we meet in England and the Cate who lives in Virginia are two very different people but the changes are believable. Cate was already displaying her intelligence and understanding while at court although she wasn't careful enough in her relationship with Ralegh.

The other main characters are Sir Walter Ralegh and Manteo, a Croatoan leader who is also Cate's other love interest. The chapters alternate between their point of view and Cate's. We hear from Sir Walter Ralegh through letters and poems. I did not always like this device because I found Ralegh's poetry annoying. I would rather have read the story from Cate's point of view alone although it was nice to see what was going on in England while the colonists were struggling. It explained the difficulties involved in obtaining supplies and funds to keep the colony going. The fates of courtiers depended on the whims of the monarch and it was very costly for Ralegh to found his colony and then to maintain it. His poems also showed that he still cared for Cate. Manteo's chapters showed the perspective of someone who was trying to avoid war and to bring about peace between the English and the Indians.

There are a lot of real historical figures and although we don't know much about the colonists I think the author did a good job in giving them imagined personalities. I think that Cate was a fantastic character and I was interested in reading about the colonists and the challenges they faced.

Readalikes: Roanoke: The Lost Colony by Angela Elwell Hunt, Jamestown by Angela Elwell Hunt, The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley, The King's Rose by Alisa Libby, A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov

It's Monday What Are You Reading (25)

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books.

Books finished:

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

Books reviewed:

One Season of Sunshine by Julia London

Pretty Face by Mary Hogan

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Currently reading:

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

What I plan to read next:

Sea by Heidi Kling

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

 

Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

 

Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer

Blood Royal by Vanora Bennett


What does your reading week look like?

In My Mailbox (24)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to share what books you received for review, purchased, or checked out from the library during the past week.

I was really good this week and I didn't buy any books although I've been tempted to purchase Linger. Of course it is partly because I have too many books to read at the moment :)

I was excited to get Forgive My Fins this week and my cousin's wife was kind enough to let me borrow Someone Knows My Name which sounds like a fantastic book. I also finally got Firespell from the library after months of waiting so hopefully I will like it when I get to read it.

For review:

 

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

(Courtesy of Around the World Tours)

 

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

(Courtesy of NetGalley)

 

Borrowed:

 

Someone Knows My Name (The Book of Negroes) by Lawrence Hill

From the library:

 

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

13 to Life by Shannon Delany

The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer



What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Review: The Iron Daughter

The Iron Daughter

By Julie Kagawa

Publication date: August 1, 2010

My review:

This sequel to The Iron King starts with Meghan staying at the Winter Court, fulfilling the bargain she made with Prince Ash for his help rescuing her brother. Meghan is miserable  and brokenhearted because now Ash acts like he doesn't care about her at all. She is also worried about her fate because Queen Mab hates her. Then when it is time for King Oberon to pass the Scepter of the Seasons to Mab, the Iron Fey attack, stealing the scepter and murdering a member of the Winter Court. Unfortunately Mab refuses to believe it was the work of the Iron Fey but instead accuses King Oberon and the Summer Court of treachery. Now Meghan and Ash with the help of Puck, Grimalkin, and an unexpected ally race to get the Scepter back before there is war.

The Iron Daughter started out as an annoying book because of Ash's treatment of Meghan and her whining. Thankfully once the action started, the story improved, especially when Puck showed up. There are some new characters introduced, most notably Leanansidhe and Ash's horrid brother, Rowan. I also liked the mystery behind the Iron Fey and figuring out Meghan's connection to them. There were some developments there that I hope will be explored in greated depth in The Iron Queen.

I had hoped that Meghan's character would have developed more from the first book but unfortunately that was not the case. She can be a strong female character some of the time and she displays intelligence and courage but then she turns around and whines, particularly about her relationship with Ash. Still, the story was interesting enough to keep me engaged and the ending suggests that The Iron Queen will be even better. Overall minus the relationship angst I thought this was a solid sequel. Members of Team Ash and Team Puck should both find something to like.

Readalikes:  Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, the Books of Faerie series by Maggie Stiefvater, the Need series by Carrie Jones, Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston, the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent, the Touch series by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Review: Pretty Face

Pretty Face

By Mary Hogan

Publication date: 2008

Synopsis:

That's what I am. A funny girl. A friend. Nobody's girlfriend. The girl with the pretty face. Hayley wishes she could love living in Santa Monica, blocks from the beach, where every day—and everybody—is beautiful and sunny. But she just doesn't fit in with all the blond, superskinny Southern California girls who have their plastic surgeons on speed dial. Hayley is smart and witty and has such a pretty . . . face. Translation: Don't even think about putting on a bikini, much less dating superhot Drew Wyler. A bikini will never be flattering, and Drew will never think of her as more than a friend. Just when Hayley feels doomed to live her life in the fat lane, her parents decide to send her to Italy for the summer—not for school, not for fat camp, just for fun. It's there, under the Italian sun, that Hayley's vision of herself starts to change. She's curvy, not fat. Pizza isn't evil. And life is so much more than one-size-fits-all. Who knows? Once Hayley sees herself in a new light, maybe the girl with the pretty face will finally find true amore.

My review:

Hayley's summer in Italy is a life changing event. Her mother's best friend Patrice and her family help Hayley are a good influence on her. Hayley is surprised at how they savor meals and the relaxed pace of everyday living. At home, Hayley was a slave to the scale and to all kinds of negative thoughts about herself. Here, she begins to enjoy life and to appreciate herself. She also meets Enzo, a handsome Italian guy who likes her as she is.

Pretty Face made me long to visit Italy, eat lots of Italian food, drink plenty of Italian wine, and fall in love with the scenery. I thought this was a great story and I really liked Hayley's character. I enjoyed seeing her bloom away from the pressure of Santa Monica and her mom. Hayley grows up a lot over the summer and she is even able to understand her mom a little better. It was great to see her experience her first love as well.

I read and reviewed this book for Body Image and Self Perception Month. At the beginning of the book Hayley has low self esteem about her body image. She eats for comfort when she gets upset which doesn't help things and she hates being known for her sense of humor only or for having a "pretty face". It was nice to watch Hayley adjust her attitude about her body and learn to embrace her curves.
 
Readalikes: Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler, Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen, A Field Guide for Heartbreakers by Kristen Tracy

Review: One Season of Sunshine

One Season of Sunshine

By Julia London

Publication date: June 29, 2010

My review:

Teacher Jane Aaron uproots her life and moves to Cedar Springs, Texas in search of answers about her birth mother and why she was given up for adoption. Jane doesn't even know her mother's name, only that she was born in Cedar Springs. To help support herself for the summer she takes a job as a nanny for the children of widower Asher Price. While she keeps hitting dead ends in her search for her mother, Jane tries to connect with Asher's hurting children and she finds herself attracted to Asher. His late wife Susanna's presence is felt strongly in their lives however and it soon becomes clear that there are secrets about Susanna that could destroy everything.

One Season of Sunshine is more than a romance. It is a story about the meaning of family. Jane has a fantastic adoptive family who are very supportive of her. Still, she feels that she does not fit in and that something is missing so she is driven to pursue the truth about her real mom. Asher's family started to fall apart even before the death of his wife. He is a workaholic who relies on staff and the help of his wife's parents to raise his children while he travels. Jane may have arrived in Cedar Springs to look for her mom but her real purpose is to help bring healing to Asher's family. In return Asher helps Jane to see what it is she was looking for all along.

I like how Jane and Asher's relationship developed over time. Both are flawed but likeable characters. While I understood why Jane wanted to know about her birth mother I did not like that she used it as a reason to hold off answering her boyfriend's marriage proposal. She also hurt her adoptive family's feelings but they were still supportive of her. Asher's daughter Riley was an interesting character. She is very hurt and angry over the loss of her mom and she blames her dad. I thought her feelings and behavior were realistic after all that she has been through even though she wasn't always likeable as a character. Overall I think this was a good contemporary romance with a strong focus on family relationships. I would suggest this to those who enjoy romance novels with heart.

Readalikes: Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs, Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes but that in no way influenced my review. Thanks to Ayelet Gruenspecht at Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to review this book.

Waiting on Wednesday (21)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week, I am waiting on:

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Publication date: December 7, 2010 (not soon enough!)

Spirit Bound ended with a cliffhanger so I can't wait to find out what happens to Rose, Lissa, Dimitri, and Adrian in the final book in the Vampire Academy series, Last Sacrifice. Thankfully there will be a spin off series but I know it won't be the same.

What exciting books are you waiting on this week?

Teaser Tuesdays (20)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week:

"I reached out my hand and gently closed her eyes. The chill of her hand disappeared from my face. I looked away and forced myself to wake up."

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

p. 221 (ARC)

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen. Sometimes life-ending. Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

The Huge TBR Readathon: The Sequel

Kristen at Bookworming in the 21st Century is hosting another Huge TBR Readathon. I really enjoyed the first one so I am participating again. The readathon begins today and ends on Sunday July 25th.

My TBR pile is once again overwhelming and I need to get through as many of my library books and ARC tour books as I can before my out of town visitors arrive this Sunday.  

Books I hope to finish (I know I probably won't be able to finish half of these):

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (I am currently reading this for an ARC Tour)
Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (I've already read a few chapters)
Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Sea by Heidi Kling
Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen
Blood Royal by Vanora Bennett

I will only be keeping track of the number of books I read because that makes it easier for me. So now I'm off to find out what is going on with Ethan and Lena in Beautiful Darkness. If you are interested in signing up for the readathon, visit Bookworming in the 21st Century.

It's Monday What Are You Reading (24)

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books.

I was planning to read a bunch of YA books last week but then I changed my mind and I only read one YA book (Only the Good Spy Young) which wasn't even on my list! I was just in the mood to read something different and I had some review books to catch up on.

Books finished:

Double Take by Catherine Coulter

Only The Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

One Season of Sunshine by Julia London

The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey

What Happens In London by Julia Quinn

Books reviewed:

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Matched by Ally Condie
Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Currently reading:

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

What I might read next:

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Sea by Heidi Kling

Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen Coloma

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

I started this one last week but set it aside to read something else. I need to read this soon so I can read Guardian of the Gate.

Review: Return to Paradise

Return to Paradise

By Simone Elkeles

Publication date: September 1, 2010

My review:

In the sequel to Leaving Paradise, Caleb has left Paradise to escape the difficult situation with his family and the secret he carries about the night of the accident. His path once again crosses with Maggie's when he is arrested and forced to participate in Re-START, a program for teens who have been through car accidents. Maggie is also taking part in the program to fulfill conditions for a scholarship. Maggie urges Caleb to consider going back to Paradise because his family needs him. As Maggie and Caleb are drawn to each other again, the past gets in the way.

Return to Paradise takes place several months after Leaving Paradise. This time around, even though the chapters switch back and forth between Caleb and Maggie I felt that the emphasis was on Caleb's life. Leaving Paradise seemed to focus more on Maggie and her problems. Caleb has quite a bit of anger to work through and he receives help from Maggie, the other teens in the program, and Damon, his transition counselor who is in charge of the program. It was not easy to see Caleb and Maggie's relationship backtrack the way it did after he left her and Paradise. They are still strongly attracted to each other but Caleb's secrets and his anger are roadblocks for them. He also has to deal with his family issues before he can move forward in life. I thought that the part of the story that deals with his family was very rushed and kind of disappointing because everything was too quickly resolved.

While I liked Return to Paradise, I definitely prefer Leaving Paradise. One thing that I did like was the lack of an unrealistic epilogue. In Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction, the author includes an epilogue showing where the characters are years later and I was glad she didn't do that with this series. I was pleased with how she left things open because it felt more plausible. Overall this is another good romance by Simone Elkeles but it is not the best of her work. 

Readalikes: Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols, Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Thanks to Shanyn at Star Book Tours for the opportunity to participate in this ARC tour.

Review: Matched

Matched

By Ally Condie

Publication date: November 30, 2010

My review:
 
Matched is set in a futuristic society whose citizens rely on its officials to make decisions for them from what they wear to whom they will marry and when they will die. All the rules they live by are designed to give them the most productive life they can have. The story starts on the night of Cassia's Matching banquet when young people find out who their future spouse will be. Usually the teens are Matched with people from outside their own communities but Cassia is surprised to find out that she has been Matched with her best friend Xander. She is happy and relieved until she gets home to view his data card and she sees the face of someone else. How could there be more than one ideal match for her? The society never makes mistakes. This leads Cassia to begin to question her beliefs. It also causes her to think more and more about Ky, her other potential Match. Do the Officials really know what is best and what are they hiding?
 
Matched is a blend of utopian fiction and romance. The world building is very detailed and well done. Ally Condie does an excellent job of giving readers a sense of the world in which Cassia lives. For some this level of detail might be too much. The story doesn't have the intensity of more action oriented dystopian/utopian fiction like The Hunger Games but I enjoyed being able to fully explore the society and its rules. Cassia is an intelligent young woman who has been raised to not question the Officials. She is prepared to accept whoever they pick for her future husband and to go along with their other choices for her so she will have a pleasant life. Cassia is inspired to change however by her grandfather, Ky, and in some way also by her parents. Cassia is genuinely torn between Xander and Ky but the book does not dwell overly much on this and it is quickly clear who she will choose.

While romance is a part of this story and her Match is a catalyst for change the bulk of the novel focuses on the concept of free will. In the world in which Cassia lives, the Officials have limited culture and history to the 100 best poems, works of art, history lessons, etc. Everything else is thrown away and libraries are demolished. Cassia's grandfather has an illegal poem that he shares with her: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas. The poem is used very effectively throughout the book. I love how Cassia and Ky use poetry to stay motivated in the face of troubles. Cassia decides that no matter what happens, she will not "go gentle" but instead she will fight for what she wants. Fans of utopian/dystopian fiction will likely enjoy Matched and eagerly anticipate the sequel.

Readalikes: The Giver by Lois Lowry, Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, Inside Out by Maria Snyder

Thanks to Princess Bookie at Around the World Tours for the chance to read and review this ARC.

In My Mailbox (23)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to share what books you received for review, purchased, or checked out from the library during the past week.

For review:

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

(courtesy of Star Book Tours)

Poison by Sara Poole

The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey

Purchased:

Only The Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

From the library:

What Happens In London by Julia Quinn

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Review: Crazy Beautiful

Crazy Beautiful

By Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Publication date: 2009

My review:

In this modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Lucius Wolfe and Aurora Belle meet on their first day at a new school. Lucius is still adjusting to having hooks for hands-the result of an explosion he caused that destroyed his family's home. He uses his hooks to push his classmates and family away. Aurora may be welcomed with open arms by the popular students at her new school but inside she is grieving the loss of her mom. From the moment she sees him, Aurora is drawn to Lucius and he is likewise drawn to her. What they have could be special if his past doesn't get in the way. Can these two hurting people help each other to heal?

Crazy Beautiful is told in alternating chapters from the viewpoint of Lucius and Aurora. While I did like Aurora it is Lucius who is my favorite character from the book. He made a really bad decision and he is paying the price for it. Lucius is also dealing with a lot of anger and being picked on by the jerks at his school. Lucius isn't really a beast though. He may try to portray himself as tough but he does care about his fractured family relationships and about the people in his life. Lucius feels a lot of guilt about what he did to his family and he sees the difficulties that he faces with his disability as a punishment that he deserves. It is because of Aurora that Lucius begins to be involved in life again. I enjoyed seeing Lucius grow over the course of the novel. Unfortunately Aurora was not as well developed a character as Lucius. She is sweet and she reminds me a little of Jamie from A Walk to Remember.

This is a short novel. Some of the chapters only have a few sentences which is reminiscent of Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver although the content and writing style are more in line with the books of Simone Elkeles. I reviewed this book for Body Image and Self Perception Month.

Readalikes: Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles, Beastly by Alex Flinn

It's Monday What Are You Reading (23)

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books.

Books finished:

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Necromancer by Michael Scott

Pretty Face by Mary Hogan

Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

Matched by Ally Condie

Books reviewed:

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

She Walks In Beauty by Siri Mitchell

For Keeps by Natasha Friend

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Currently reading:

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

What I plan to read next:

My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter

Sea by Heidi Kling

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

 

What does your reading week look like?