Thrice Baked Thursday: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown (Guest Reviewer: Kelsey)

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Author: Holly Black

Pages: 419
Publishing Date: September 3rd 2013

Genre: Fantasy (paranormal/vampires)

Audience:  Young Adult

Source: Library (Kelsey & Randi & Becky) 

Rating: 
4 stars-I would take this book with me into an abandoned shack to sweat out an infection for 88 days. (Kelsey)
4 stars- I would chain this book up to keep it from going cold, unless it really wanted to go cold, in which case I'd find it a tasty murderer to eat (Becky)
 2.5 stars I'd air-hug this book...I don't want to get too close in case it's Cold (Randi)

Goodreads Summary:Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

Our Thoughts  

Kelsey in Black
Becky in Blue
Randi in Red

Well, I guess I’ll start by saying that this was the most fun read I’ve had in a while. I don't even LIKE fun reads and I enjoyed it. Fun reads are the BEST. But I didn't have that much fun. ;) I didn’t know much about this book before reading it, besides that it was by Holly Black and featured some vampires. Nowadays, I’m quite skeptical about any tales featuring vampires, because Twilight kind of ruined that genre for me. That's sad, Kelsey, don't let Twilight win. I'm convinced that's what it wants. LOL. Honestly, I second Kelsey. I try to avoid vampires as much as possible, for that exact reason. And I'm thinking that may be a big part of the reason that I didn't love this. But I shouldn’t have been worried. Vampires in Holly Black’s hands are not sparkly. They are dark, gritty, and slightly insane. Yessssss.

I really enjoyed the setting. Coldtown is a lot like an internment camp for vampires and people who are infected with the Cold virus but haven’t quite turned into a vampire yet. That was the most unique element for me and it really hooked me. I loved how it was largely televised, I could definitely see that happening. I hadn't thought of Coldtown as a sort of internment camp, but I can definitely see that now that you mention it! And I could see the televised reality show thing happening in real life. In fact, that makes it seem pretty "realistic" (as realistic as it can be) for our times. Once you enter Coldtown, there’s no leaving unless you have a marker. Everyone on the outside sees Coldtown as a glamorous setting with lots of swanky parties, but we get to see the underbelly with Tana, our kick-ass heroine. Let’s talk a bit about how much I loved Tana. Me too Me too! She’s sarcastic, stupidly brave, and a typical teenage girl. Well, I don't know about typical. Typical is Bella Swan. I found her admirable and easy to empathize with while still avoiding the Mary Sue trap. Okay, so I'm the odd one out here. I thought Tana was kind of annoying. She faces a lot of tough situations in the novel and basically just kicks a lot of ass. I also loved how quirky and colorful all the side characters were as well—Aiden, Valentine, and Gavriel are among my favorites. (Gavriel is pretty much the only reason this book didn't get one start from me. LOVED him.) I only wish we would have gotten a little bit more about them. That was my major complaint as well. This was not a short book, but it felt like it needed to be longer or many a two book series. It felt SO long to me. But seeing as this is a stand-alone YA novel (which, although I want more, is kind of refreshing in a genre that’s all about the series), it does a good job of at least telling us what is motivating them. One thing I did appreciate is that this novel didn’t seem to take itself too seriously. It never got melodramatic, though I think my biggest complaint is that the end tends towards sap. I thought it got melodramatic but was aware of it and gently mocked itself, kind of like a cult classic (Lost Boys anyone?) So you're saying I should avoid that movie? ;) Really, though, I think I'm in the extreme minority on this one. But even though I wasn't a fan, I have to say that I enjoyed Holly Black's writing enough to look forward to reading her Curse Workers series, which Becky has been trying to get me to read.

Blood, gore, grit, love, revenge, humor...it’s all here and all worth reading, if you ask me.

I'm so glad Kelsey joined us! This was fun. We'll have to do more Thrice-Baked Thursdays. Huzzah! Thanks for having me on your blog Randi and Becky! Happy October!

Twice-Baked Thursday: The 5th Wave

Title: The 5th Wave

Author: Rick Yancey

Pages: 457
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publishing Date: May 7th, 2013

Genre: sci-fi, post-apocalyptic

Audience:  Young Adult

Source: Library (Randi & Becky) 

Rating: 2 I'd give this book and awkward hug before running the other way (Randi)  3 I'd friend this book on Facebook, but I'd unfollow it in my feed (Becky)

Goodreads Summary:

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

Our Thoughts  

Randi in Black
Becky in Red

Well, I'll begin by saying that 1. I'm not a fan of aliens in my fiction (or non-fiction, I guess!), with the exception of one Daemon Black(I like aliens but not invasions). 2. However, I do love post-apocalyptic novels (Heck yes, The Road is A to the Mazing) ((Yes it is!!)). This means that this book should have started off on a neutral status with me . I'd heard nothing but awesomeness about this book, though, so perhaps I had some expectations (for me it started with extremely high hopes.  The Monstrumologist was so outrageously good, it did not occur to me this book might stink up the apartment). Needless to say if you peeked at my two star rating above, any expectations I had were not met. I was a little disappointed that there were multiple viewpoints in this book, though I usually like them. (I wasn't bothered by the multiple POV, although usually I am, lol) After finishing the book, it makes sense based on what the novel was striving for, but I was not impressed. 

Cassie was kind of a kick-butt narrator (for the chapters she had), but I really wasn't convinced by much else.  (She was sometimes, but sometimes she was a catty, shallow, boy-obsessed teen.  Blah.) A big reason I love post-apoc. fiction is because I adore that discussion of what makes us human, what happens to the people who are left after some cataclysmic event? While those themes were evident earlier in the book, they fell to the wayside in favor of a cheesy and somewhat predictable romance (Somewhat?). ((I was trying to be nice!!)) As the reader, I was apparently supposed to like both Ben and Evan. Oops, I didn't find either of them particularly desirable or interesting (They were both kind of bros). ((Hahaha!)) Ben's backstory with his little sister was not utilized enough to make me feel anything for him and, to me at least, he was a flat character whose motivations were not convincing. 

Anyway, that pretty much sums up my disappointment with this book. Though I am apparently in the extreme minority since the average Goodreads rating is 4.08 stars. Cheers!

You can do better Rick Yancey, you have done better.  Leave the sappy love triangles to Ally Condie, please, for the love of Pete. Let's focus on your real strengths, Bromance and Gore. This could have been an epic story, but I will forget it in a few months (unless you make a movie, I'll come back for that).

Review (Becky): Revolver

Title: Revolver Author: Marcus Sedgwick Pages: 224 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Historical Fiction (adventure/survival) Rating: 2 I'd give this book and awkward hug

Goodreads Summary 

1910. A cabin north of the Arctic Circle. Fifteen-year-old Sig Andersson is alone. Alone, except for the corpse of his father, who died earlier that day after falling through a weak spot on the ice-covered lake. His sister, Anna, and step-mother, Nadya, have gone to the local town for help. Then comes a knock at the door. It's a man, the flash of a revolver's butt at his hip, and a mean glare in his eyes. Sig has never seen him before but Wolff claims to have unfinished business with his father. As Sig gradually learns the awful truth about Wolff's connection to his father, Sig finds his thoughts drawn to a certain box hidden on a shelf in the storeroom, in which lies his father's prized possession - a revolver. When Anna returns alone, and Wolff begins to close in, Sigs choice is pulled into sharp focus. Should he use the gun, or not?

My Thoughts
The only aspect of this book I enjoyed was the Alaskan setting. It was too short to really connect to the characters or flesh them out enough to make them individuals. The heavy religious sections really turned me off, and I dislike guns as well, so there you have it. This book has its audience, it just isn't me. Most of the story is just an awkward standoff between a boy and a man with a gun who (it is implied) has raped and killed the boys mother and intends to do the same to his sister. The main question of the book is whether or not guns are good or bad, yet never really seeks to answer the question, only to raise it. In the last several chapters the narration switches from the main character it has followed the entire time to the villain and also his sister, which stuck me as both messy and as an easy way out. The ending seemed forced and corny. 

FTC Disclaimer

All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Mini Reviews (Becky): Fairy Tale Anthologies Continued

Fairy Tale Anthologies

I'm currently in a storytelling class where I learn to tell tales without using a book. Terrifying, right?  One of our major responsibilities is to read as many story collections as possible to find stories that appeal to us.  As Randi well knows, I dislike most of what I read, so this is really taking some digging.

My first row reviews the scary anthologies I have been reading and the second just shows some general collections.

Scary Stories

Passion and Poison, by Janice M. Del Negro.  This is a very small collection of YA horror stories to tell aloud.  I loved how each of them had a strong female protagonist, and a few of them were very familiar, as they had been adapted from traditional stories.  Del Negro really makes these stories her own by adding creeptastic imagery and new character names.  I loved the grayscale illustrations!
Here There Be Witches, by Jane Yolen.
Ask the Bones: Scary Stories from around the world, by Arielle North Olson and Howard Schwarts.

A Wolf at the Door: and Other Retold English Fairy Tales by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling.

General Collections

Ten Small Tales, by Celia Barker Lottridge Possibly the worst collection I've read lol.  I don't know if it is because these stories are aimed at very young children, but it seems like all the flavor has been washed out of these stories.  I could barely get through them, and this is a short book!  Needless to say I won't be telling any of these. The Boy Who Lived with Bears: and other Iroquois Stories, by Jospeh Bruchac A stunning collection of stories and images.  I would have no problem telling any of these, and I enjoyed the trickster tales.  My favorite was the book's namesake.  This collection has a lot of authentic atmosphere and spirit (or it feels that way to me).   A Treasury of Trickster Tales, by Valerie Marsh I normally don't care much for trickster tales, and I care even less for animal tales lol.  I thought this book did a good job with them, regardless, organizing by anti-hero and adding all kinds of supplementary telling devices such as sign language, cut outs, puzzles,etc.  Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Russia, by Virginia Haviland.   I would not mind owning this collection.  It has most of my favorites from Arthur Ransome's larger collection and streamlines the stories while keeping the colorful imagery and spirit.  I prefer Ransome's version of the snow child, however.  The illustrations are messy but atmospheric.

Mini-Reviews (Becky): Fairy tale Anthologies

Fairy Tale Anthologies

I'm currently in a storytelling class where I learn to tell tales without using a book. Terrifying, right?  One of our major responsibilities is to read as many story collections as possible to find stories that appeal to us.  As Randi well knows, I dislike most of what I read, so this is really taking some digging.  My first row reviews the anthologies I liked and the second shows anthologies that didn't appeal to me for one reason or another.  Expect another similar post later in the month because I just brought home another stack of these, lol.

p.s.  I don't know why the covers of these are so tragic.  Most of them are pretty old, but that hardly explains the hideousness of some of them.

Favorites

The Troll with No Heart in His Body, by Lise Lunge-Larsen.  This was my first and favorite collection.  There is something about Norway that just screams old magic to me.  This collection of troll stories includes all my favorites and some I'd never heard before.  It contains just the right amount of frightening imagery without getting too adult.  I also love how most of these are trickster tales.  My very favorite tale? The Eating Competition!
Old Peter's Russian Tales, by Arthur Ransome. Russia is another of my favorite locations for fairy tales.  I like cold climates and lots of landscape atmosphere.  Having just read the Snow Child, I was delighted to find "Little Daughter of the Snow".  In the end, this is the one I decided to tell for my first class performance.  Wish me luck! Ready-To-Tell Tales: Sure-Fire Stories from America's Favorite Storytellers, by David Holt. I'm still in the middle of this collection, containing both traditional and authored tales, tailored by some of the best known storytellers with bio information on each of them.  Favorites include Godmother Death, The Black Prince, and Urishima Taro.  Honestly, though, I'd feel comfortable telling any of these and I suppose that is the point lol.  I kind of want to buy it.

Multicultural Folktales: Stories to Tell Young Children, by Judy Sierra.

I love how this marvelous collection offers felt board ideas as well as providing sanitized versions of folk tales and rhymes appropriate for the 3-5 crowd.  My favorite story was a tie between the Stonecutter and Stone Soup.

Least Favorites

English Fairy Tales, by Joseph Jacobs The compiler notes in the back that these versions of fairy tales were often overlooked when face with the smoother, more romantic French adaptations. I could see why....these were gritty and without much appeal or charm for me. The People Could Fly, by Virginia Hamilton I really wanted to like this one, but the structure of the stories fell flat for me.  I felt like they built up dramatic tension and then rushed the endings and completely left out any kind of satisfying conclusions for most of them.   I also had trouble with the dialect. The Wonder Clock, by Howard Pyle These tales felt like endless repetitions of the same elements without satisfying conclusions or justice and were too gritty for the age group I think they best fit.  Many of them seem like they may have other versions or adaptations that I would like better and have been streamlined. Mightier Than the Sword, by Jane Yolen.   Most of these just didn't catch my attention.  They may have more appeal to boys.  I did enjoy the Magic brocade immensely, however.

Review (Becky): The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There

Title: The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There Author: Catherynne M. Valente  Pages: 272 Audience: Tween/ early Teen Genre: Fantasy (high fantasy/ fairies) Rating: 4-I'd go on a quest with this <b>book again</b>

Goodreads Summary

September returns to Fairyland to reunite with A-Through-L, Saturday, and Gleam, and to confront her shadow-self, who has become the queen of Fairyland-Below, the upside-down world beneath the Fairyland of the first novel, filled with creatures of water and shadow, tales of ancient Fairyland before the human world was born, and not a few hungry buffins, blind birds of ice and moonlight. The yearly revels of Fairyland-Below climax in a mysterious rite September must avert or else lose her shadow forever

My Thoughts
I ended up liking the plot of this book at least as much as the first one, if not more. The whole shadow chasing shenanigans were a delight and put me in mind of Peter Pan. I found the narrator far less annoying, as he/she/it doesn't jump in and spoil the story quite as much this time. Personally, I don't care if the narrator is "a sly narrator" or what it thinks we were wondering lol.

Much of the old cast comes back with a few new friends. There were nearly too many characters, really, and it felt a little precariously balanced as a result. I liked September better in this story because she has more internal struggle and deals with a few more adult issues and the complexity of the questions she has to face increases. The barely budding romance with Saturday was awfully cute. 

FTC Disclaimer

All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review (Randi): The Wrap-Up List

 Title: The Wrap-Up List
Author: Steven Arntson
Page Count: 240
Published: January 8th, 2013
Genre: fantasy (contemporary)
Audience: young adult
Source: library
Rating: 2 I would give this book an awkward hug before its Departure

Goodreads Summary: 

In this modern-day suburban town, one percent of all fatalities come about in the most peculiar way. Deaths—eight-foot-tall, silver-gray creatures—send a letter (“Dear So-and-So, your days are numbered”) to whomever is chosen for a departure, telling them to wrap up their lives and do the things they always wanted to do before they have to “depart.” When sixteen-year-old Gabriela receives her notice, she is, of course devastated. Will she kiss her crush Sylvester before it’s too late?

Friendship, first love, and fantasy artfully mesh in this magically realistic world that ultimately celebrates life.

My thoughts: 

I was really excited to read this story because, HELLO, Deaths send 1% of the population letters telling them to wrap up their lives before they depart? Sounds totally cool, right? In theory, I love this book. In reality, I was disappointed. At 230-odd pages, this book felt like it was missing A LOT. There is no real back-story about how the Deaths came to be; yes, they’re supposed to be mysterious, but that feels more like a cop-out than a reasonable answer, having read the book. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters; the characters lacked depth and even Iris’ “secret,” which I liked in theory, seemed added in as a plot point rather than a real facet of her character.

The cast of the novel is diverse, which was a nice change from typical YA. We have a biracial protagonist, Gabriela, who is Mexican/Caucasian; Raahi, who is Indian-American; Sarena, who is African-American; and Iris, who is white. That’s really the only “pro” I have for the characters in this book. It seems like we don’t really get to know Gabriela (or any character), partially I think because the book practically begins with Gabriela receiving her letter notifying her of her upcoming Departure.

I finished this book because it was relatively short, otherwise, I probably would not have finished it because I made no connections with the characters or the overall plot. I feel like the premise falls very short. The kisses on Gabriela’s wrap-up list, which seem to be a big part of the book’s premise, turn out not to be all that important at all, especially considering the strange almost absurdist way in which they come to fruition. I can’t stress enough that this book fell far below meeting my (albeit, perhaps too high) expectations. This book might be for you though, particularly if you like contemporary with sci-fi/fantasy elements.

FTC Disclaimer: All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

Title: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making  Author: Catherynne M. Valente  Pages: 247 Audience: Tween Genre: Fantasy (high fantasy/ fairies) Rating: 4-I'd go on a quest with this book

Goodreads Summary

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

My Thoughts
This was pretty charming. I hated it for the first few pages but quickly fell into the quirky personification and word play. Everything is alive in Fairylands: the wind, longitude and latitude, a jacket, a lamp, and even death. Those who have read a lot of fantasy will appreciate the faint allusions to other tales and the playful use of traditional structure/ hero's journey. I didn't really care for the first person narrator fading in and out of the story, however. It sort of jolted me and drew me out of the tale, and he/she/it was too self-congratulatory for my taste. I think that style would probably lend itself well to an audio-book format, however.

The characters were familiar yet charming. It was all very much like the wizard of Oz, and purposefully so. September was a typical plucky heroine but likable and a strong female character (loved the wrench). Saturday and Ell were fairly interchangeable, despite one being a dragon and one a Marid (sea Djinn). No one was terribly complex, except the Marquess. I always like the evil characters best. I did like how you were never really sure if she was evil or not.

I really enjoyed the illustrations in each chapter, and the magical descriptions of Fairyland's settings. The land of Autumn was my favorite bit, with all the houses made of bread and the fountains of milk held together with butter. The description of Pandemonium as being built entirely of fabric was pretty enchanting as well.

Overall a fun, tongue in cheek read, though not terribly fast paced. I'm not sure who the intended audience really is. September is 12, but a lot of the vocabulary is far above that, though perhaps in the hopes that readers will learn new words. I'd recommend this to a late tween or early teen.

FTC Disclaimer

All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review (Randi): Days of Blood and Starlight

Title: Days of Blood and Starlight
Author: Laini Taylor
Page Count: 517
Genre: fantasy (parallel worlds)
Audience: young adult
Source: owned
Rating: 5 I would live in the desert with "monsters" for this book

Goodreads Summary: 

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

My thoughts: 

***BE WARNED. There may be spoilers ahead if you haven’t read Daughter of Smoke and Bone. ***

This book. I adored Daughter of Smoke and Bone, but this book had me falling head over heels before I even knew what hit me. Laini Taylor’s beautiful writing, which I first experienced in Book 1, continues throughout. I cannot wait for book 3…and it looks like a long wait (2014?!). This book shifted from the more urban fantasy in Daughter of Smoke and Bone to more high fantasy, but the description of epic proportions carries on, and although I’m not a HUGE fan of rereading, I look forward to rereading this series again and again while I wait for Book 3.

This book is gore and monsters and betrayal and blood and still, somehow, hope as well. I love Karou, Akiva, and Ziri. One of my favorite aspects of this series is the little interludes with Zuzana and Mik; in a series that is, at (many) times, so dark, their playfulness and earnestness brings a little light. They’re two of my favorite characters. We see Karou and Akiva grow, and we also see more of Akiva’s siblings, Hazael and Liraz. I greatly appreciated seeing more of the chimaera, particularly getting more vivid images of them this time around, especially with Karou’s “monstrous” (scary and grotesque) battle-enhanced versions juxtaposed against the innocent civilian chimaera.

I’d say this book is still romance, but not the fuzzy “aww, that’s so cute” kind of romance that seems to be associated with the word. I still have hope that maybe a certain relationship will be mended. J There were several “WTF” moments in this book for me, and I appreciate that this book is completely unpredictable (at least for me!). I honestly have no idea what will come to pass in book 3, just as I felt at the end of book 1.

FTC Disclaimer: All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review (Becky): Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Title: The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Author: Laini Taylor Pages: 417 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Fantasy (urban, paranormal) Rating: 4-I'd take this book for coffee in Prague!

Goodreads Summary

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts
***spoiler alert-please don't read this review unless you've already read the book!***  I really liked this book, and thank goodness for that because If I didn't like it I knew hoards of fangirls would come and destroy me. It's a variant of the Romeo and Juliet tale, so it is focused like a laser-beam on romance, which really is not my thing. I managed to swallow it, however, because it was wrapped so delightfully. 
The details about Prague were amazing and I felt like I was actually there. I wouldn't have minded even more of that, really. About 75 percent of this book is imagery, and most of that focused on how flawlessly beautiful the main characters were. That can get tiresome, at least for me, but there were some creeptastic creatures as well. 
I also loved the descriptions of the chimera and their magic, namely how it used teeth and pain to create new bodies for the dead. THAT WAS AWESOME. I also liked Karou's character development. She felt like a real girl, and was also awesomely kick-ass. I didn't really care for Akiva, though. He was the typically hopelessly and helplessly in love male protagonist that keeps cropping up in teen lit these days.  His attachment to Karou felt very insta-lovey to me and even with the explanation I wanted more substance and reason for the initial attraction.  Hopefully he'll be developed more in book two, which I cannot wait for. 
For another view of this book, check out Randi's review!

FTC Disclaimer

All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review (Randi): SPEAK

Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Puffin
Publication Date: January 1st, 1999
Page Count: 208
Genre: contemporary 
Audience: young adult
Source: library
Rating: 5 I'd take my time getting to know this book and would be there for it when it needs me

Goodreads Summary: 
Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

My thoughts: First off, let me begin by saying that I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to read SPEAK. I was amazed by Melinda’s character – she feels so real. Laurie Halse Anderson has a new fan and though I feel like I’m one of the only people who hasn’t already read this work of incredible writing, I’m now going to start recommending it to EVERYONE I KNOW. This should be required reading! While I fortunately have never experienced what Melinda has, Anderson’s writing gives us a look inside the mind and soul of a girl who has been raped. So many times I ached for Melinda, knowing she was hurting and not knowing how to help (THAT’S how real she is to me – it was as though I knew in my BONES as I was reading that the Melindas of the world are out there, and I want so badly to help them through their unspeakable trauma).

Melinda’s character, written so beautifully and so broken (but not irreparably), stands in as the face of the one in five women who, in their lifetime, are raped. I don’t say “victim” because I feel that takes the power away from these women. As we see in Melinda, she has been horrifically traumatized, but with help, like her art teacher for example (who is a superb character), and her internal strength, she begins to find a way to heal. And that is beautiful. Though the book takes place over Melinda’s freshman year of high school, and though it takes her that span of time to find her voice, the voice she speaks with is, I hope, a voice for all women who have been abused. Overall, a superb yet painful read. Melinda is one of the best protagonists I’ve ever encountered.

FTC Disclaimer: All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review (Randi): JUST ONE DAY

Title: Just One Day
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publication Date: January 8th, 2013
Page Count: 368 (a.k.a. not long enough!)
Genre: contemporary romance
Audience: young adult
Source: bought
Rating: 5 I'd elope with this book and spend my life traveling the world with it by my side

Goodreads Summary: 
A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay
When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!

My thoughts:  This book. This book blew my mind. I was psyched to read it of course, because, if you’ve been around the blog for any length of time, you probably know that I love YA contemporary romance. And I love YA books that involve travel (see my review of MEANT TO BE, which I also adored). This has both. I pre-ordered it, and then my friend Amanda (of Letters Inside Out) told me I absolutely had to read it because she thought I would positively love it. And she was right! At this moment, having just finished Just One Day, I’d sell my (hypothetical) firstborn child for a copy of Just One Year, Willem's story. But I have to wait. ARGHHH, the HORROR! Sidenote: finally a YA cover that fits the book! The cover model looks as Allyson is described, the watch is in the book, and the scenery is spot-on.

Anyway, the writing is brilliant – the characterization, the literary (Shakespeare) references, the description of the various settings (though I did find more than a couple grammar errors, which bugged me to no end!). It's more complex than I thought it would be for a YA contemp romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed that fact! Anyway, it took me awhile to warm up to Allyson, our protagonist, but I could not stop flipping the pages. I read this in about 14 hours (counting sleeping). I planned to stay up all night to finish, but to my extreme disappointment could not keep my eyes open. Anyway, Allyson grew on me and I totally fell for Willem right alongside her, though I also questioned his motives right alongside her as well, which just goes to show you how well-written he and Allyson’s characters are. There are several secondary characters of note who are particularly well-drawn: most noticeably is Dee, whom Allyson meets at college & is superb; the people Allyson meets the summer after freshman year (I don’t want to give anything away here!); Allyson’s mom whose characterization is quite deep, I thought (though her father much less so). 

I just can’t explain my love for this book. It made me homesick for travel, especially the descriptions of England since I lived in the UK for a semester, and drudged up all these old memories from my semester abroad – wandering off and finding a church with saint relics in Rome, bicycles everywhere, spotting the American tourists with their white tennis shoes. Warning: this WILL make your heart ache to travel!! But it’s a new favorite. So if you’re like me and enjoy any of the things I’ve mentioned (travel, great characters, an epic romance OR WAS IT?) you have GOT to get yourself a copy of this ASAP. Oh, and warning, there is a sex scene, but it's not graphic. Just a warning for younger readers!

And for any of the powers that be who, in the tiniest probabilities in the universe, may someday stumble across this…I was kidding about offering my firstborn, but I would totally love you forever if I could get an ARC of Just One Year when they become available. J Along with the rest of the reading world…Bahaha! Hey, it's worth a try, right? ;)

FTC Disclaimer: All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review (Becky): A History of the World in 6 Glasses

Title:  A History of the World in 6 Glasses Author: Tom Standage Pages: 311 Audience: Adult Genre: Nonfiction (micro-history) Rating: 4 I'd take this book for Beer, Wine, Coffee, Tea, Soda, and water ;)

Goodreads Summary

A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the 21st century through the lens of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola. Beer was first made in the Fertile Crescent and by 3000 B.C.E. was so important to Mesopotamia and Egypt that it was used to pay wages. In ancient Greece wine became the main export of her vast seaborne trade, helping spread Greek culture abroad. Spirits such as brandy and rum fueled the Age of Exploration, fortifying seamen on long voyages and oiling the pernicious slave trade. Although coffee originated in the Arab world, it stoked revolutionary thought in Europe during the Age of Reason, when coffeehouses became centers of intellectual exchange. And hundreds of years after the Chinese began drinking tea, it became especially popular in Britain, with far-reaching effects on British foreign policy. Finally, though carbonated drinks were invented in 18th-century Europe they became a 20th-century phenomenon, and Coca-Cola in particular is the leading symbol of globalization.

My Thoughts Ah my first history book read for pleasure and not assignment.  Who knew I would enjoy it so much?  I kept pulling people aside and saying "did you know....?" about all the fun facts.  It was probably annoying for them but awesome for me haha, and now everyone in the family wants to read it. This micro-history was a delightful, simple, fast read. The organization into 6 drinks made it easy to follow and get into. 
I was least interested in tea because it was the most political segment and also...I don't drink tea much lol.  My favorite segments were Cocoa Cola and wine, because they seemed to focus more on emotions and cultural connections. While I can't speak to the historical accuracy of any of the book, the author provided many notes and sources for further reading.  It felt like an excellent skimming of history.
 I think perhaps the importance of these drinks was a tad overemphasized, and was perhaps more of a correlation with events and trends that causation, but who really knows. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a beginning book on world history, or history lite as I call it.

FTC Disclaimer

All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.

Review (Becky): If I stay

Title: If I Stay Author: Gayle Forman Pages: Audio (4 discs) Audience: Teen Genre: Romance (paranormal/ghost) Rating: 3-I'd follow this book on Facebook

Goodreads Summary

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

My Thoughts
This story felt like the end of the Return of the King movie, where Peter Jackson decides they need to spend half an hour with all the characters expressing how happy they are that everyone is alive while jumping around in a sunlit room. It is sentimentality for its own sake with no real or interesting conflict, studded with cliches.  In the end, I just couldn't bring myself to care if she stayed or went.
 The ending seems evident to me from simply reading the title and I never connected with the characters. They all seemed pretty familiar and un-extraordinary except for their weirdly adult, Mary Sue rationality.  The author often describes these teens and their romance as seeming  to fit an older couple, and I found that to be both true and a major flaw in the story.  The romance seemed effortless and boring to me as well.  It may well be that teens view themselves this way, but it isn't realistic, nor are the parents, who are simultaneously child-like and perfectly understanding. Maybe if I was more into music this would have appealed to me more.  I played an instrument as a teen, but I never liked it nor was I good at it.  I think a lot of teens who do play/enjoy it could probably relate to Adam or Mia more.
  

FTC Disclaimer

All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.