A Tapestry Of Words: YA Reviews

Kiss, Marry, Kill: the Divergent series

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Tue, 14 May 2013 03:34:00 +0000

Here's how it works: you take a book, choose 3 guy characters from the book, and then the other person has to pick one to kiss, one to marry, and one to kill.

It's been so long since I had one of these! This time around, you'll have to choose between a few guys from the Divergent series (you can decide if you want to base your choice on Divergent and/or Insurgent, where applicable).

The choices:

1.) Caleb

2.) Eric

3.) Al

So...who do you kiss, who do you marry, and who do you kill? (No, Four is not an option :P)

And as always, if you'd like to do your own, feel free to mention it in the comments or leave a link to your post there :)

Also, what do you guys think of the Allegiant cover that was revealed recently???

Never Let Me Go: A Panoramic Review (Adult)

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Mon, 06 May 2013 00:35:00 +0000

"From the acclaimed author of The Remains of the Day and When We Were Orphans, a moving new novel that subtly reimagines our world and time in a haunting story of friendship and love.

As a child, Kathy – now thirty-one years old – lived at Hailsham, a private school in the scenic English countryside where the children were sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe that they were special and that their well-being was crucial not only for themselves but for the society they would eventually enter. Kathy had long ago put this idyllic past behind her, but when two of her Hailsham friends come back into her life, she stops resisting the pull of memory.

And so, as her friendship with Ruth is rekindled, and as the feelings that long ago fueled her adolescent crush on Tommy begin to deepen into love, Kathy recalls their years at Hailsham. She describes happy scenes of boys and girls growing up together, unperturbed – even comforted – by their isolation. But she describes other scenes as well: of discord and misunderstanding that hint at a dark secret behind Hailsham’s nurturing facade. With the dawning clarity of hindsight, the three friends are compelled to face the truth about their childhood–and about their lives now.

A tale of deceptive simplicity, Never Let Me Go slowly reveals an extraordinary emotional depth and resonance – and takes its place among Kazuo Ishiguro’s finest work." (from Goodreads)

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

***SPOILER ALERT: It's pretty much impossible to discuss this book in any depth without spoiling, so be prepared for general spoilers about the book's premise in this review.

My reaction: A warning right off the bat – this is a book that makes you think. It's also rather bleak and depressing. So if you aren't a fan of either of those factors, you might want to choose some other reading material.

The dystopian/alternate-reality premise of Never Let Me Go is really just sort of a jumping-off point for exploring a girl's coming-of-age in a bit of a different light, because she's a "donor" (i.e. a clone). So yes, it touches on how life would be different for people who are donors, but it also touches on some topics that are very universal. Most of the book is very slow-moving, and the focus is not so much on the dystopian nature of the society as it is a chronicle of Kathy's life up until the present (skipping a number of years in between). As this is told from Kathy's perspective as a grown woman, going over her memories, it's written in quite a conversational, rambling sort of style. In the grand scheme of things, the story moves forward in a logical, chronological fashion, but within each time frame, Kathy jumps backward and forward a bit. This makes things a little confusing to follow if you're trying to map everything out in sequential order, but to the author's credit, Kathy does manage to strike up a rapport of sorts with the reader.

It's also at least partially an explanation for how she and the other Hailsham students ended up in this situation without rebelling. Spoilers, highlight to read: Still, I did find it rather unbelievable that no one makes any escape attempts in this book. The donors all seem so complacent and docile with their status as spare parts; yes, this is thanks to the brainwashing happening, but you'd think there would have been some rebellion attempt dredged up. As for the ending, I found it unsatisfying – it didn't feel full and complete enough for me.

Generally, the characters are well drawn. I found Kathy easy to relate to, with a sympathetic voice. She makes mistakes, but she's someone you can root for. I didn't feel like I had such a good grasp of Tommy's mindset, but his character stands out in a couple ways. He's a little unpredictable in how he'll react to something, and he's thoughtful and reflective (even as a teenage guy). Unfortunately, we don't get enough of Miss Emily or Madame to really understand their characters. Miss Lucy has promise — ostensibly she's the closest one to a "rebel" in here — so it was disappointing that she remains on the sidelines through the first part of the book, and then is absent entirely in the latter part.

The relationship between Kathy and Ruth is quite fascinating. Ruth is very complicated, and for most of the book I didn't like her. She is manipulative, selfish, self-absorbed, and cares way too much about what other people think of her. She always has to be the center of attention, and she enjoys being in control, pulling the strings of the puppets around her. Towards the end, it seems like she somewhat redeems herself, or at least acknowledges how in the wrong she was, and it did make me soften towards her a little. She has her good moments, but a lot of the time she is a pretty sorry excuse for a friend. Kathy's not perfect either — she can be purposefully mean sometimes as well — but Ruth was deliberately spiteful and cruel on multiple occasions. It was practically her default.

Best aspect: the neat questions and concepts this book raises. There's a lot in here about the innocence of children, and individuals who have been raised in a very sheltered manner and effectively brainwashed, in how they approach the world. Most of the donors in this book are very naive in some ways, and they don't really question things a lot — and even if they do, they don't really know what society is like outside of the bubble of Hailsham, or even the bubble of their donor community once they move on from Hailsham. I think there's a good deal of psychology at play, in how the donors are educated about their function in society. The adults in charge introduce this idea very slowly and gradually throughout the donors' lives, giving them a little bit more information as they get older, so they don't really understand what they're being told each time. Since they don't question it, though, it has time to sink into their general consciousness, and become part of the general knowledge base that they then draw on.

Never Let Me Go also brings up an excellent question: is it better to be brought up in ignorance and be happy, not knowing that you're going to die much earlier than most people because you were created to be spare body parts for others to use? Or would it be better for the donors to be told at a much earlier age exactly what's going to happen to them, and take away that innocent happiness of childhood because they know they're going to die? Personally I feel like the truth would be more important, but it's an interesting, debatable sort of conundrum.

If I could change something... I'd give the relationship between Kathy and Tommy more emotional heft. Although I definitely thought there was potential there, and I could see they shared a similarity in world view – sort of like "kindred spirits" – I never felt the romantic pull between them. Spoilers: they were initially just friends, and while there were very subtle hints it never amounted to anything until much later. When it finally did, they just skipped everything else and went right to sex; it seemed like a very abrupt transition, and we don't really get to see how they feel about each other once they are in that relationship. (Granted, we do see that they are emotionally drawn to each other throughout their years at Hailsham.)

Also, I wish we'd seen more of the outside society. I find it a little unbelievable that once the donors left the school, they didn't find out more about how the real world works and how people who are not donors function. It just seems like they're blind for so unbelievably long! I wish we'd seen more of the general society's reaction to these donors, just more of the "regular" people's perspectives. It's quite a communal mental bubble the donors live in.

If you haven't read it: and you like books in the vein of Brave New World or The Handmaid's Tale, then you might want to give this one a try. You shouldn't go into it expecting an action-packed dystopian fight-against-the-system sort of read, but rather a woman recalling her story growing up as a clone in this society.

If you have read it: were you also left wondering who took a certain item of Kathy's? (Spoiler: the tape! Who stole it???)

Just one more thing I want to mention: I liked the idea of Norfolk being this place of lost things; it's a thread running throughout, this hopeful, innocent idea that you can find the things you lose in life in Norfolk.

Final verdict: 4 shooting stars. While Never Let Me Go is not a feel-good book by any stretch of the imagination, I enjoyed it in a way. It's depressing, sad, and frankly left me feeling a little hollow — but it is well-written. Questions are brought up without being in-your-face about it, and without shoving an obvious message down the reader's throat.

April "New Adult" Challenge Reviews – Link Them Up Here!

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Sun, 05 May 2013 03:39:00 +0000

That's right, time again for participants in the "New Adult" reading challenge to share their NA reviews! If you have reviews from April, here's your chance to link them up. And if you have not yet signed up for the NA Challenge but want to participate, don't stress: you can still sign up here :)

Rants & Raves: Yes, I Am Stingy With My 5-Star Ratings

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:05:00 +0000

This is a feature that appears sporadically on the blog, whenever I have a bookish issue I need to rant or rave about. Feel free to comment with your thoughts!

*Note: this post was inspired/influenced by any number of discussions other bloggers have had about ratings, and in particular Steph Su Reads's posts here and here.

You may have noticed I don't give 5-star ratings very often. In fact, it is quite a rare occurrence for me. But I know some authors find 3 or 3.5 star reviews disappointing, so I thought I'd explain my thought processes regarding ratings.

To start with: I may not hand out 5 stars like they're going out of style, but I am even less generous with 1-star ratings. In fact, I've never given a book just 1 star on this blog. I think I'd have to be actively appalled/offended/disgusted/horrified by its content in order for that to happen. Usually I can find some redeeming quality in a book, even if overall I didn't enjoy it, and that will bump up the rating.

I guess I see the distribution of book quality kind of like a normal distribution.

You're bound to get a few pretty crummy, poorly written books, on the low end — say, 2 and 2.5 stars in my rating system.

Ones that make me look like this.

You're bound to get a few absolutely fantastic, blew-me-away books on the high end — 4.5 and 5 stars.

Ones that make me look like this.

And then you've got the majority of the books in-between: not bad, but not the best book you've ever read. Those are the 3 and 3.5 and 4-star books.

Bloggers differ in how they approach rating a book. Some people are fine with giving a 5-star rating even if they found several aspects to criticize. Some might only give 5 stars to books that have the "re-readability factor." Personally, for me to give 5 stars to a book, it has to wow me. Maybe it's tackled an issue in a completely original way. Perhaps it's a stand-out example of a story within a certain sub-genre. Maybe there is absolutely nothing I can think of that would improve the novel.

Because let's face it: if I went around giving 5 stars to loads of books, the 5-star rating would quickly lose its impact. It wouldn't be that extra star beyond the (still very good) 4-star rating. And I think I would soon start having trouble distinguishing between what qualifies as a 4-star read vs. a 5-star one.

5 Stars: Outstanding! Buy it!

Not every book stands out enough to be "outstanding".

Interestingly, for me a 5-star rating does not always correspond to a belongs-on-my-favourites-shelf book. Sometimes, but not inevitably. I think there are likely plenty of books I consider my favourites that would get 4 or 4.5 stars, and perhaps even a few books I would "objectively" give 5 stars that aren't among my favourites. So just because I give a book 4 stars doesn't mean I didn't truly enjoy it! It just means there wasn't that "it factor" (for lack of a better term) to elevate it to 5 stars.

I'd also like to point out that books I gave (or would have given) 5 stars when I first started this blog are not necessarily ones I would now give the same rating. I was a lot less particular and critical a reader back in 2010! This doesn't mean I don't still love those books. I just suspect that were I to read them again, examining them critically, I'd probably catch sight of more flaws or areas that could be improved.

The Goose Girl and Crown Duel are a couple that might fall into this category...although it's impossible to tell, since I suspect my view of them will be forever tinted with nostalgic affection!

In conclusion: 5 stars is not my default rating. Authors, your book has to earn it. And because I do read so critically, I keep that 5-star rating in reserve for the ones that strike me as the most exceptional. Kind of like giving out the "class valedictorian" award. So if your book's gotten a 3 or 3.5 or 4-star rating from me, there's no need to worry — you may not be that one kid in the class getting the elusive 100%, but you're still bringing home good grades.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Liked More or Less Than I Thought I Would

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:15:00 +0000

The Top Ten Tuesday meme is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. It's been too long since I participated, so here I am with this week's topic: books that I reacted differently to (in either a positive or negative way) than expected!

Books That Pleasantly Surprised Me:

1.) The Host by Stephenie Meyer

I'm not much for sci-fi, but I have to say I got totally sucked into this book. Of course, there's more "fiction" than "science" in this sci-fi novel, so hard-core sci-fi fans would probably take issue with it...but if you're not one of those, then be sure to check this one out!

Apparently the movie adaptation flopped, though, so I haven't seen it...not sure I'm going to. Any thoughts on the film one way or the other?

2.) Enclave by Ann Aguirre

I'm generally a fan of dystopians, but apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic books are usually less my cup of tea. I found myself really absorbed in Enclave, though! Need to get caught up on this series...I've still only read the first one.

3.) Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

This is a book that I found actually lived up to the buzz it got! Anna is just such a relatable narrator. I can't say I was as thrilled with Lola and the Boy Next Door, though, probably because I didn't connect as well with Lola as I did with Anna.

4.) The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

I tend to steer clear of most vampire books, with a few exceptions...and this series is one of them! These books have wonderful characterization, interesting psychological metaphors, and an awesome unputdownable quality to them.

5.) What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

I don't read adult books that often because I find I can't relate to the themes/situations that the characters are facing, and the voice is frequently too "mature" for me to connect with. However, I really did enjoy much of What Alice Forgot (in particular, I loved the younger Alice's sense of humor!).

Books That Unfortunately Disappointed Me:

1.) Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I think this book just got hyped up way too much, and for me the execution didn't live up to the potential of the premise. It was a combination of implausible world-building (seriously, how were the 'rebels' able to escape the notice of "Big Brother" for that long?) and characters I just didn't care that much about. I haven't continued on with the series so I couldn't say if things got any better with the later books.

2.) Possession by Elana Johnson

My major problem with this book was the ending...it sort of made the time I spent reading it feel wasted to me. I know there are companion books to this one (I haven't read them), which might change the situation, but as a story in and of itself, the ending made the rest of it come off as pretty pointless.

3.) Forgotten by Cat Patrick

This was a case of 'concept that sounds neat in theory but really doesn't work out in reality'. It was just too odd a premise, not to mention poor characterization and a writing style I found kind of clinical.

4.) A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton

I just felt like this one had a lot of unharnessed potential...it was really easy to see things that could have been changed to improve it. I think if this one had been edited differently it could have been a much better story.

5.) Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

I saw quite a few glowing reviews of this one before I read it, but I'm very glad I only got it out from the library. There were just too many issues I had with it, from disliking Lena as a character (yep, I flat-out admit it) to the hodgepodge of magical elements thrown into the mix.

Anyone have thoughts about the film version of this one? Worth seeing, or not?

The Humming Room: A Close-Up Review

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:01:00 +0000

"Hiding is Roo Fanshaw's special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment's notice. When her parents are murdered, it's her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life.

As it turns out, Roo, much to her surprise, has a wealthy if eccentric uncle, who has agreed to take her into his home on Cough Rock Island. Once a tuberculosis sanitarium for children of the rich, the strange house is teeming with ghost stories and secrets. Roo doesn't believe in ghosts or fairy stories, but what are those eerie noises she keeps hearing? And who is that strange wild boy who lives on the river? People are lying to her, and Roo becomes determined to find the truth.

Despite the best efforts of her uncle's assistants, Roo discovers the house's hidden room--a garden with a tragic secret.

Inspired by The Secret Garden, this tale full of unusual characters and mysterious secrets is a story that only Ellen Potter could write." (from Goodreads)

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter

Premise: My ARC (and Goodreads' description) says that it's inspired by The Secret Garden. I'd like to take a moment to say: this book is more than "inspired" by that classic. This book is basically a retelling of The Secret Garden with the names and details changed. This was my number one problem with The Humming Room, because really — The Secret Garden is a classic for a reason. Sure, Ellen Potter has modernized the story a little, and yes, the behaviour of the character of Colin in the original has been given a more practical, plausible explanation. But apart from that, this book doesn't really add anything new to the story!

Characters: Be warned, I will be referring to The Secret Garden characters a lot (from my memory of the 1975 film version, though, to be perfectly honest).

Roo: She's a gritty character and I liked her, perhaps more than Mary from the original because Mary was selfish and bossy, and Roo isn't like that (she doesn't come from the privileged background Mary did). She does share other characteristics with Mary, though, like tenacity and curiosity. They're both sort of prickly with others, determined and stubborn, and know their own minds. Roo barely takes the point here, but since she's not all condescending like Mary, she does.

Jack: otherwise known as "The Faigne," he's obviously supposed to be Dickon's counterpart. He's a natural with animals, lives on the river, and doesn't really need the company of people (although he likes Roo). Jack's a cool guy, but Dickon wins this one, for being such a sweetheart. (It doesn't hurt that as a kid I thought the actor who played him was cute.)

Phillip: he's The Humming Room's take on Colin. He's pretty similar to Colin in terms of personality — a whiny, bossy child who feels sorry for himself. The biggest difference between them (and indeed, between the two novels) is that instead of being a physically disabled boy with a bad attitude, he is a depressed, grieving boy with a bad attitude. Making the character's challenges about mental illness and grief rather than a physical problem actually makes more sense given how The Secret Garden ends (spoiler for The Secret Garden, highlight to read: it was always a little far-fetched that the garden helped him walk again). Anyway, I liked him more than Colin because I didn't find him quite as irritating. Point goes to Phillip.

Violet: Cough Rock's equivalent of Martha, the maid from the moors. No contest here: I liked Martha better. To be fair, this might be partly because she had an awesome accent. But I didn't think Violet's personality shone, and it honestly doesn't feel like her role is that necessary. We also don't see much of a connection forming between her and Roo like we do in the original.

The squirrel: the requisite animal friend that helpfully leads the main character to the hidden garden. In Mary's case, it was a robin; in Roo's case, it is a black squirrel. I like robins and squirrels, so they cancel each other out.

Plot:

I don't think it'll come as a large surprise that The Humming Room follows a lot of the same plot points as The Secret Garden. Roo is an orphan, taken in by her uncle, who finds a secret garden (have I spoiled anything yet?). Really, I just don't see the point of, essentially, rewriting The Secret Garden without doing anything radically different with it. This is not even just a "loosely based on" sort of retelling. You can pretty much map out, plot point by plot point, how the storyline matches up with the original. If you don't know beforehand there's a connection to The Secret Garden, perhaps it isn't so obvious; I couldn't say because I knew going into it. At the start I didn't think it was so strongly reminiscent of the classic, but the parallels become blatantly obvious midway through. You couldn't really get much closer to the original if you tried.

Ellen Potter does handle Roo's character transformation well here. It's really brought home towards the end — how much more lively and open she is with people, rather than being closed-off and withdrawn, trusting only herself, as she was at the beginning. She's become much more motivated and optimistic, embracing the world, and that was a wonderful change to see.

The ending seemed a little bittersweet to me, ultimately happy but with a revelation containing a sad irony (which is in keeping with the original). There's also arguably a very slight magical realism element involved, but I think it works within the context of the story. Cough Rock has a certain sort of mystical charm to it, after all, where you believe miracles can happen. I think the end was missing a much-needed father-son discussion, however. We never get to see them spilling their emotional guts out to each other, for the sake of some closure.

Writing style: The writing is, for the most part, one of the marks in the book's favour. Some of the descriptions are quite picturesque, giving the reader a good visual and sense of the atmosphere without lapsing into purple prose or becoming too detailed. The garden sounds really beautiful and I'd love to hang out there (spoiler: minus the creepy spider, of course).

However, sometimes there's a weird POV switch that happens. We're getting it 3rd-person attached to Roo, and then all of a sudden it will sort of abruptly "head-hop" to someone else, right in the middle of a scene. I found it a little awkward and jarring at times.

Final verdict: 3 shooting stars. Certainly, the storyline is decent...we know that already because it's been done before! I'm just not sure why anyone would pick up The Humming Room and prefer it to The Secret Garden, except perhaps for the fact that the language is likely more accessible to young readers nowadays, since it wasn't written in the 1900s. It's not a bad book in and of itself, but it shouldn't have been marketed as anything but a retelling — and even as that, it's not exceptional.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher for review.

The Book Lode (15)

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:56:00 +0000

There are quite a few memes to choose from now for showing the books we've gotten recently, so I thought to be fair I'd link my posts up to a different meme each month. I'm grouping the posts under the name "The Book Lode," and this month I'm linking up to Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

You can read my Grave Mercy review here.

For review:

In Search of Goliathus Hercules by Jennifer Angus
Infatuate by Aimee Agresti
What We Become by Jesse Karp
Breath by Jackie Morse Kessler
Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Thanks to Thomas Allen & Son, Hachette Book Group Canada, and St. Martin's Press!

Gifted:

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell
Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
Reached by Ally Condie

Thanks very much to my parents for these! :)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fall and The Bone Dragon

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:14:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and features books that we just can't wait to get our hands on!

My WoW picks this week are:

The Fall by Claire Merle

Goodreads' description:

"London, in the not-so-distant future. Society has been divided into Pures and Crazies according to the results of a DNA test.

But seventeen-year-old Ana, whose father invented the Pure test, has uncovered a recording with dangerous evidence that the tests are fake. Ana has escaped her father and made it to the Enlightenment Project - a secluded protest group living on the outskirts of the City.

Back in the arms of Cole nothing is simple. Some in the Project believe her presence jeopardises their safety, others interpret her coming as part of their prophetic Writings. When the recording Ana stole goes viral, the Project comes under attack. Now Ana's father isn't the only one looking for her. She's come to the attention of Alexandria Knight, the Chairman of the Board - a powerful woman with a sinister plan. Ana must take greater risks than ever to unravel the truth and discover the secrets that lie beneath the Pure test. But unlike her father, the Chairman doesn't want her safely home. She wants Ana's spirit crushed, permanently. And she will destroy everyone Ana cares about to do it."

Although I had some issues with the first in the series, The Glimpse (you can read my review here), it's a neat premise and I'm looking forward to seeing it explored further in The Fall. (Interested to meet this new character, Chairman Alexandria Knight, too!)

The Bone Dragon by Alexia Casale

Goodreads' description:

"Evie's shattered ribs have been a secret for the last four years. Now she has found the strength to tell her adoptive parents, and the physical traces of her past are fixed - the only remaining signs a scar on her side and a fragment of bone taken home from the hospital, which her uncle Ben helps her to carve into a dragon as a sign of her strength.

Soon this ivory talisman begins to come to life at night, offering wisdom and encouragement in roaming dreams of smoke and moonlight that come to feel ever more real.

As Evie grows stronger there remains one problem her new parents can't fix for her: a revenge that must be taken. And it seems that the Dragon is the one to take it.

This subtly unsettling novel is told from the viewpoint of a fourteen-year-old girl damaged by a past she can't talk about, in a hypnotic narrative that, while giving increasing insight, also becomes increasingly unreliable.

A blend of psychological thriller and fairytale, The Bone Dragon explores the fragile boundaries between real life and fantasy, and the darkest corners of the human mind."

Well, you know me, I am all about psychology and I am also all about fairy tales... so this one definitely caught my eye. I am admittedly not the biggest fan of unreliable narrators, but the technique can work in the right context and given that this one involves psychology, I have the feeling it'll be used well here. *crosses fingers* Also, very cool, artsy cover!

The Dark Unwinding: A Panoramic Review

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:36:00 +0000

"A thrilling tale of spies, intrigue, and heart-racing romance!

When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his remote English estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of childlike rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London. Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she has grown to care for—a conflict made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a mysterious student, and fears for her own sanity. As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as they know it. With twists and turns and breathtaking romance at every corner, this thrilling adventure will captivate readers." (from Goodreads)

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

My reaction: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was very entertaining! I wasn't that into it for the first few chapters, as it was a little confusing trying to figure out what was going on and keeping track of all these characters. But then it started getting really good, the mystery becoming complicated with lots of red herrings, and me repeatedly questioning who was "good" and who was "bad."

It isn't exactly action-packed —there are certain scenes with a lot of action going on and others where not that much happens beyond Katharine picking up hints/clues — but there's usually a little push of momentum moving it forward. There are a couple intense, dramatic climactic scenes (spoilers, highlight to read: the scene with the flood! And the scene with Katharine getting opium poisoning and the bunny being shot!). The end is more drawn-out than some books in that there are a couple climactic scenes, and the last few chapters happen over a larger span of time than the rest of the book. I thought one of the villains was trumped a little too easily (spoilers: the aunt... I didn't actually follow all the ins and outs of the legal thing), although since she was a real piece of work I was glad she got some comeuppance.

I did find the whole politics-and-inventions storyline (involving Ben Aldridge) to be rather tenuous and far-fetched, requiring some suspension of disbelief. So too does the fact that there are that many mysterious things going on. But pretty much everything is accounted for in the end, and it makes sense that it isn't all explained away by a single storyline.

Best aspect: The characters. They have a lot of personality, and are each quite distinct. Moreover, they aren't split really evenly into "good guy"/"bad guy" camps. I like that Cameron gives many of her characters complexity and depth, making some of them not so easy to categorize one way or the other.

Katharine's not perfect, but her flaws aren't ones that really irritate me. She has a bit of a tendency to think she knows best, and not to be quite that open-minded to other people's ideas. It's like she just shuts everything else out, and sees only very stark, either/or black-and-white choices; she doesn't pause to consider that maybe there's a way for her to reach her objective without giving something else up. Also, she doesn't really like to make herself vulnerable, which means it's difficult for her and Lane to get together, because she keeps pushing him out. That said, I enjoyed the romance we do get (and would have liked more of it!). Lane is so frustating a character in some ways (he's not the most emotionally stable, for one thing), but if he's decided he can trust you, then he is very loyal. He can be fun at times, but he is predominantly serious, especially when it comes to Mr. Tully. It was sweet to see the romantic lead concerned not just about the protagonist, but also about secondary characters like her uncle, his aunt, and Davy. While Lane doesn't show affection that openly, in his own way he certainly demonstrates how he feels about others.

I found the uncle to be a fascinating character. Although it's never specifically stated, I believe he's supposed to be an autistic savant. I definitely think he falls somewhere on the autism spectrum, as there are several clear indicators that he has an autism spectrum disorder — his temper tantrums, his need for routine, his discomfort with social contact, the fact that being swaddled by a blanket soothes him... Then there's the "savant" aspect: his talent for mental math and invention. I would definitely be interested to know what kind of diagnosis he would receive nowadays.

Mary was so much fun. She's one of those talkative types that just leaps off the page — an unintentionally amusing chatterbox. Everything she says is sort of leading to a point in a roundabout way, but you're not really sure how she gets there. She looks out for Katharine in her way, trying to be the best ladies' maid she can. Really, Mary's one of those honest, open, good-hearted characters you can't help but like, even if she's not super clever.

If I could change something... I would up the romance factor. I can enjoy a slow-burn romance as much as the next person, but this was...crawling. I think Katharine and Lane complement each other quite well; the dislike-at-first-sight turning to trust, then turning to love is almost always an enjoyable storyline to read. But once we finally got there...it needed a little more heat! I don't think it's too much to ask for after sitting through such a long, slow build.

If you haven't read it: and you enjoy Gothic mysteries with a cast of distinctive characters, pick this one up! In particular, I'd recommend it for readers who liked Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin, Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey, or Sorcery & Cecelia by Patricia Wrede & Caroline Stevermer.

If you have read it: who wants Katharine to go to Paris in the next book? Hands? If she took along her ladies' maid I bet Mary would die of happiness.

Just one more thing I want to mention: The Dark Unwinding has the Gothic feel down-pat. Some of the character's roles conform to stereotypes of Gothic novels, but not too terribly; it doesn't feel like this is a book I've read many times before. The steampunk element isn't heavy-handed or overwhelming, but fits in well with the character of the uncle.

Final verdict: 4.5 shooting stars. Overall I actually don't have that much to criticize (which is unusual for me!). I was very impressed, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing Katharine's adventures continue in the next book.

March "New Adult" Challenge Reviews – Link Them Up Here!

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:50:00 +0000

Participants in the "New Adult" reading challenge: if you have reviews from March, here's your chance to link them up! And if you have not yet signed up for the NA Challenge but want to participate, never fear: you can still sign up here :)

Also, my fellow co-host Barbara from Basia's Bookshelf is having a giveaway, so be sure to drop on by her blog and enter!

Second Chance Summer: Vlog Review

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:32:00 +0000

I thought I'd try something a bit different and do a video review for a change! Here are my thoughts on Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer, in vlog format (apologies in advance for the weird sort of white noise in the background):

If you'd like to check out the blog post on unreliable narrators that I mention, you can do so here.

Giveaway Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:36:00 +0000

I've drawn the winners of my most recent giveaways!

The winners of the Life of Pi Blu-ray giveaway are...

...Brian and Isaac!

The winner of the If You Find Me giveaway is...

...Victoria!

Congratulations to the winners! I have e-mailed them and they have 72 hours to respond before I choose another winner.

ETA: I haven't heard back from one of the Life of Pi winners, so I have drawn another one... Congrats, Elaina! You have 72 hours to respond to my e-mail.

I'm Guest Posting for Fairy Tale Fortnight!

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:13:00 +0000

That's right, it's Fairy Tale Fortnight time again and I'm very happy to be guest posting once more! Fairy Tale Fortnight is a blog event devoted to all things fairy tale–related, and is hosted by Misty at The Book Rat and Bonnie at A Backwards Story.

My post this year is all about fairy tale what-ifs... as in, what if Goldilocks and The Three Pigs were friends? What would happen if King Midas met the characters from The Golden Goose? To find out more, check out my post over at The Book Rat!

U-Pick: Character Most Likely to Double-Cross You?

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:08:00 +0000

Here's how this feature works: each week I'll post a categorical superlative (e.g. "most sadistic villain" "crankiest father figure" "protagonist you would most like to slap some sense into" etc.) and list a few choices of characters from YA books in a poll. You get to pick! The poll will run for a week, and then in the following post I'll update with the name of the winning character.

The last U-Pick poll was for the YA Character Most In Love With Him/Herself, and the winner by a hefty margin was...

...Professor Lockhart from Harry Potter!

I'm sure he'll be bragging about the title for a long time to come. This time around, the question is: which YA character do you think would be most likely to double-cross you?

There are lots of choices here, so vote below! (If the book is part of a series, I've just listed the series name. You can decide which book you want to base your vote on.) There's also an option for a write-in vote if your pick isn't listed. If that's the case, please choose "other" and then leave the character's name and book title in the comments :)

EDIT: the Blogger poll did not seem to be working properly (the votes kept disappearing!) so I've created a new poll that will hopefully work better. So if you voted once already with the original Blogger poll, vote again in this new one so your vote can be counted!

If You Find Me: Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:33:00 +0000

Emily Murdoch's If You Find Me was a Waiting on Wednesday pick of mine last fall, so I'm happy to be able to host a giveaway of it! St. Martin's Press has generously offered up a copy to one of my readers.

First, a little more about the book:

"There are some things you can’t leave behind…

A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.

Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down." (from Goodreads)

And now, the giveaway rules:

- Entrants must have a mailing address within the US or Canada
- Entrants must be 13 years or older
- Tweeting and following are always appreciated, but not required
- One entry per person
- There will be 1 winner, randomly selected, who will receive 1 copy of If You Find Me
- Giveaway ends March 26 at 11:59 pm EST

To enter, please fill out THIS FORM. Comments, while wonderful, do not count as entries.

The Book Lode (14)

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 18:18:00 +0000

There are quite a few memes to choose from now for showing the books we've gotten recently, so I thought to be fair I'd link my posts up to a different meme each month. I'm grouping the posts under the name "The Book Lode," and this month I'm linking up to In My Mailbox. Credit for this meme goes to Kristi from The Story Siren and Alea from Pop Culture Junkie.

For review:

The Wrap-Up List by Steven Arntson
Delusion by Laura L. Sullivan
Never by K.D. McEntire

Thanks very much to Thomas Allen & Son and PYR Books!

Purchased:

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

Sweetly: A Close-Up Review

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:29:00 +0000

"As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past -- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone -- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen its next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry." (from Goodreads)

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

My apologies for all the whited-out sections in this review! There were a lot of potential spoilers I had to try to sidestep with this one.

Characters:

Gretchen: I enjoyed her as a narrator. Gretchen is straight-forward, clear-thinking, and tells the reader what's on her mind; her narrative is easy to follow. She has some issues with trusting people (Sophia aside, because Sophia is the exception to pretty much every rule in this book), probably at least partly stemming from her traumatic past. Also, Gretchen is very self-aware, her voice feeling quite mature, which I appreciate since I sometimes find it so frustrating when a character is knee-deep in denial. She's really into introspective self-analysis, getting into the layers of her emotions and reactions, but it doesn't take over the plot. It was very easy to understand and sympathize with her, and even when she did something I didn't necessarily agree with, I found it plausible rather than annoying.

I wish we'd been shown more of Gretchen's parents and twin sister. We don't see very much of them in memories, and I didn't feel like I understood Gretchen's relationship with her parents as well as I would have liked.

Sophia: right from the start, I didn't like Sophia — probably a combination of the fact that I knew this was a Hansel & Gretel retelling (and let's face it, you're not supposed to trust the person with the candy...), that Gretchen was warned off Sophia, and just Sophia's altogether too shiny, bubbly, sickly-sweet personality. The ambiguity surrounding Sophia is done really well, and for a large part of the book I wasn't really sure what I should be feeling about her. She's a strange, complicated individual, as murky and enigmatic as Gretchen is clear. Also, Sophia has a definite talent for compartmentalizing. Major spoilers: in a way, you sorta have to sympathize with her, because she loved her sister and was doing all this for her. But at the same time, she was condemning all these girls to death, and she knew it and did it anyway...which is so hard to forgive. It was really interesting how she flipped between this overly bright, cheery, fake personality and the real person — guilty, upset, lonely — beneath. I almost wish we'd seen more from her perspective once we find out the motivations for her actions.

Ansel: I didn't ever really get a handle on his character or feel like his personality shone here. I do like the strong bond that Ansel and Gretchen have — I think that's a little unusual in YA — but I would have appreciated seeing more of their brother-sister dynamic. We don't see them share that much emotionally with each other, but we can tell from Gretchen's narrative how close the two of them are, particularly in terms of Ansel's role of big brother looking out for his younger sister. They're obviously very used to sticking by each other's side.

Samuel: he's a gruff, prickly sort of guy with a bit of a rough attitude. He doesn't take kindly to strangers, perhaps because he's used to people thinking he's crazy. I really loved the Samuel-Gretchen relationship. They are two people who don't normally let others in; Samuel is closed-off and still kinda hung up on his first love, and Gretchen's been in this close-knit world of just her and her brother for a long time. I think they both recognize this quality in the other person, and that's one of the things they kinda bond over. Developing this relationship requires both Samuel and Gretchen to let their guard down. The nervous anticipation surrounding a new romantic connection, the anxiety about the physicality of it, is portrayed really well here. It's new for both of them, they're unsure about it and each other, and they're not yet settled into the relationship but it's exciting at the same time. Even though we don't get that many scenes with the two of them — I would've loved some more romantic exchanges! — Pearce somehow makes it work. They don't know each other that well but there's a mutual attraction there, and they've been in these life-and-death situations with each other, so there's a certain level of trust that develops.

Premise:

This is a very loose retelling of Hansel & Gretel, but even though the whole story has been completely reshuffled, many of the key elements are present in one way or another (spoilers: for instance, the fire scene is a neat twist on the oven in the original!). The whole twist with having the siblings originally be a boy and twin sisters, and then one of the twins vanishing, was really cool. It creates this ghostly, haunting presence in Gretchen's life. She can't ever really leave her sister behind, even though, in a way, she's been left behind by her sister. While Gretchen obviously remembers how it felt to be a twin, so connected to someone else, I would have liked to have seen more of their bond through memories.

I was a little disappointed that the candy shop itself didn't play a critical role in Sweetly, since it's such an important part of the fairy tale. Spoilers: I'd like to think the candy Sophia makes is magical, because there are a couple times when it seems to have an effect on the characters who are eating it. However, it isn't explicitly stated one way or the other, unfortunately.

I wasn't really sold on the main villains in this book, for a couple of reasons. Spoilers: I'm not big on werewolves generally, and I thought it was a bit of a cop-out to use the same villains here that were used in Sisters Red. It just seemed a little too easy and convenient that they turned out to be the "witch" that terrorized the children. I also would have liked some more background information on the wolves and their behaviour; sometimes it seems like the author expects us to know about them from reading Sisters Red (it's been a while since I read that one so I didn't remember the details).

Plot:

Sweetly is a fairly slow-moving mystery; while there's tension, there isn't a lot of action until the very end. However, Jackson Pearce builds in unsettling clues throughout, cleverly stringing along the reader and making it creepy on a subtle level.

There were a few things plot-wise that I took issue with. For one, you have to suspend some disbelief once everything's revealed. The explanation at the end felt a little rushed; most of the book is building up to this and then it felt like we didn't get enough information (spoilers: for instance, I still don't know what happened to Sophia's mom and why the werewolves came into the house for her dad). There are a lot of unanswered questions (some of which I suspect will be addressed in the next book, Fathomless — I have to admit the ending of Sweetly sets up very well for the next in the series). I guessed a sizeable chunk of the mystery surrounding Sophia, but not all of it (spoiler: I pretty much figured out the werewolf-seashell-Sophia connection, but not the layer involving her sister).

Also, I thought Gretchen should have asked more questions of Samuel about what had happened at the chocolate festivals previously. He was rather spare on the details!

That said, I loved that the author "went there" with the ending, involving a well-choreographed, symbolic "must-die" sort of death. Huge spoilers: you could kind of see the death of Sophia coming, because Gretchen, Ansel and Samuel were the inarguably "good guys" and Sophia was certainly not, so if anyone was going to go down in a blaze of glory it was going to be her. In a way, though, I think it might have been even more powerful storytelling if Gretchen had experienced a little more suffering or loss (spoiler: for example, if Samuel or Ansel had died...although I admit that would have been bleak!)

Writing style:

Overall, the writing here is strong. Jackson Pearce does a really good job of getting us right into Gretchen's head (the narration is quite close 1st-person). Despite the fact that Gretchen is a rather closed-off, distanced individual in some ways, the narration still puts us smack-dab in her head. This allows us to bypass that hurdle that other people have when they try to get close to her — which is necessary, I think, in order for the reader to really "get" Gretchen.

Some of the descriptions of setting and atmosphere also shine, like the chocolatier and the forest. And throughout the novel Pearce manages to create an uneasy, subtly disturbing mood, without compromising her narrator's intelligence or integrity. I didn't feel like Gretchen was really lying to us, or being stupid; she didn't have the same instincts as I did, but all the same, as a reader I wanted to like her.

Given Gretchen's penchant for self-examination, there is some repetition in her thought content. Gretchen is very aware that she's actively trying to change who she is, and these themes of overcoming fear and stepping out of the role of "scared little girl" are perhaps stated a little too obviously at times.

Final verdict: 4 shooting stars.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the publisher.

Note: Sweetly does contain some mature content (primarily violence).

Waiting on Wednesday: The Registry and Not a Drop to Drink

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:19:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and features books that we just can't wait to get our hands on!

My WoW picks this week are:

The Registry by Shannon Stoker

Goodreads' description:

"The Registry saved the country from collapse. But stability has come at a price. In this patriotic new America, girls are raised to be brides, sold at auction to the highest bidder. Boys are raised to be soldiers, trained by the state to fight to their death.

Nearly eighteen, beautiful Mia Morrissey excitedly awaits the beginning of her auction year. But a warning from her married older sister raises dangerous thoughts. Now, instead of going up on the block, Mia is going to escape to Mexico—and the promise of freedom.

All Mia wants is to control her own destiny—a brave and daring choice that will transform her into an enemy of the state, pursued by powerful government agents, ruthless bounty hunters, and a cunning man determined to own her . . . a man who will stop at nothing to get her back."

This one sounds like it's a dystopian New Adult read! NA books are often straight-up contemporary romance so it's refreshing to see one in the dystopian genre. Hoping The Registry is a good mix of action/adventure and thought-provoking exploration of themes like slavery and feminism.

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Goodreads' description:

"Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own."

I guess the theme of my WoWs this week is dystopian premises, LOL. But this one sounds more on the post-apocalyptic side of things. I love the significance placed on water (we already know in this day and age what an important commodity water is!), and it seems to me that Lynn's role as guardian of this pond almost has a slightly mythological feel to it. Really interested to see how this one plays out! Plus, that is a pretty striking cover — the light/dark contrast is employed really well.

What books are you waiting for?

Life of Pi: Blu-ray Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:05:00 +0000

That's right, it's another giveaway! The Life of Pi film is coming out on DVD/Blu-ray today, and ThinkJam has generously offered up a Blu-ray copy of Life of Pi to two of my readers.

First, here's a little more about the film:

"A “magnificent and moving” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) motion picture event that has been hailed as “a masterpiece” (Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times), taking in over $500 million in worldwide box office. LIFE OF PI follows Pi Patel, a young man on a fateful voyage who, after a spectacular disaster, is marooned on a lifeboat with the only other survivor, a fearsome 450 lb Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. Hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery Pi and his majestic companion make an amazing and unexpected connection."

The giveaway rules:

- Entrants must have a mailing address within the US or Canada
- Entrants must be 13 years or older
- Tweeting and following are always appreciated, but not required
- One entry per person
- There will be 2 winners, randomly selected, each of whom will receive 1 Blu-ray copy of Life of Pi
- Giveaway ends March 24 at 11:59 pm EST

To enter, please fill out THIS FORM. Comments, while wonderful, do not count as entries.

Cover Reveal: Game. Set. Match. (and Giveaway!)

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:11:00 +0000

I'm happy to be participating in the cover reveal for Jennifer Iacopelli's upcoming New Adult novel, Game. Set. Match.! Here's the book synopsis, to start with:

"Nestled along the coastline of North Carolina, the Outer Banks Tennis Academy is the best elite tennis training facility in the world. Head Coach, Dominic Kingston has assembled some of the finest talent in the sport. From the game's biggest stars to athletes scraping and clawing to achieve their dreams, OBX is full of ego, drama and romance. Only the strong survive in this pressure cooker of competition, on and off the court.

Penny Harrison, the biggest rising star in tennis, is determined to win the French Open and beat her rival, the world’s number one player, Zina Lutrova. There’s just one problem, the only person who’s ever been able to shake her laser-like focus is her new training partner. Alex Russell, tennis’s resident bad boy, is at OBX recovering from a knee injury suffered after he crashed his motorcycle (with an Aussie supermodel on the back). He's hoping to regain his former place at the top of men’s tennis and Penny’s heart, while he’s at it.

Tennis is all Jasmine Randazzo has ever known. Her parents have seven Grand Slam championships between them and she’s desperate to live up to their legacy. Her best friend is Teddy Harrison, Penny’s twin brother, and that’s all they’ve ever been, friends. Then one stupid, alcohol-laced kiss makes everything super awkward just as she as she starts prepping for the biggest junior tournament of the year, the Outer Banks Classic.

The Classic is what draws Indiana Gaffney out of the hole she crawled into after her mom’s death. Even though she’s new to OBX, a win at the Classic is definitely possible. She has a big serve and killer forehand, but the rest of her game isn’t quite up to scratch and it doesn’t help that Jasmine Randazzo and her little minions are stuck-up bitches or that Jack Harrison, Penny’s agent and oldest brother, is too hot for words, not to mention way too old for her.

Who will rise? Who will fall?

Told from rotating points of view, GAME. SET. MATCH., is a 'new adult' novel about three girls with one goal: to be the best tennis player in the world."

And now, here's the cover...

What do you guys think?

And of course, the giveaway that Jennifer is hosting!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Heather Beck (and Giveaway!)

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:17:00 +0000

I'm pleased to welcome Heather Beck to the blog today for an interview!

First, a bit about the author:

Heather Beck is a Canadian author and screenwriter who began writing professionally at the age of sixteen. Her first book was published when she was only nineteen years old. Since then she has written several well-reviewed books.

Heather recently received an Honors Bachelor of Arts from university where she specialized in English and studied an array of disciplines. Currently, she is working on two young adult novels and has six anthologies slated for publication. As a screenwriter, Heather has multiple television shows and movies in development. Her short films include Young Eyes, The Rarity and Too Sensible For Love.

Besides writing, Heather's greatest passion is the outdoors. She is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Her hobbies include swimming, playing badminton and volunteering with non-profit organizations.

And now for the questions...

Many of your books center around the paranormal. What is it about this genre that inspires you as a writer?

My fascination with paranormal tales began in childhood from a cause unknown even to myself. It’s just a genre I’ve always been drawn to because it explores new worlds bound only by the limits of one’s imagination. As someone with a lot of imagination, writing these stories is a true joy as well as a great outlet for my creativity. I write books with slightly darker tones because I love a good scary story. I’m not into violence or gore, though, so my work is more about suspense, creepy characters and fantastical mythology. I could discuss how these fictional monsters are a representation of our fears externalized so we can defeat them, but in the end it’s simply the most fun genre to write.

You've written both YA/YA-friendly and adult books. How challenging is it for you to move between writing YA and writing adult fiction? Do you have a preference?

I don’t find the transition hard at all. Basically, I treat both audiences the same. The only difference with my adult books is that the characters are slightly older and they usually have a full-time job. I even use the same genres and themes. If I had to choose which audience I prefer writing for, I’d actually pick middle graders. I’ve had the most success writing for that age group, and I even hear from adult readers who enjoy these books! Also, I feel like I can use more fantastical characters, plots and settings in middle grade literature. There’s a higher level of tolerance for imagination, whereas a more mature audience may just view such material as unrealistic.

Are there any common themes that you think extend across several of your YA novels?

Forbidden or very complicated love is a theme readers will often find in my young adult books. I definitely believe in true love, so my romances are high-stake and intense. These relationships face many obstacles, but the couple can overcome almost anything because of their deep love, connection, and need for each other. Emancipation, both physical and emotional, is another theme that runs throughout many of my works. It’s about reaching for one’s dreams and transcending the mundane to find a beautiful life; basically, it’s about living life to the fullest. Additionally, an aspect that remains consistent throughout my young adult books is core character traits. My main characters, and often the secondary characters, too, are multi-faceted, realistic, unique, and flawed. A lot of my stories were written because of a particular character, and therefore their development is a top priority for me.

You're Canadian (yay!). Is there another Canadian YA author you can recommend for my readers?

This sounds absolutely awful, but I haven’t really had a chance to read recreationally for a very long time. As a fan of the Pretty Little Liars television show, I just had to read Ali’s Pretty Little Lies, and that was the first book I’ve read for enjoyment in over ten years! This isn’t by choice, but rather due to my work commitments. I have projects lined up for the next five years, and I am working insanely hard to get everything finished.

If one of your novels could be adapted (by someone else!) into film, which book would you pick, and who would you choose to adapt it?

I think my book series, The Horror Diaries, would make an excellent television show. I don’t have a favourite screenwriter, so I’d be happy working with almost any experienced teleplay writer. My only requirements are that the writer respects the plots and characters I’ve created. They must also keep the show aimed towards a middle grade audience. Since I want to maintain the essence of The Horror Diaries, the small screen adaptation must still be fun, creepy, suspenseful and, above all else, imaginative.

Thanks very much for these thoughtful responses to my questions, Heather! You can find out more about Heather and her work at her website and by watching her writer's reel.

Heather has generously offered up a giveaway! One winner will receive PDF copies of the following 3 YA novels:

-Vocations (http://www.amazon.com/Vocations-ebook/dp/B00A6UN68W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356895652&sr=8-2&keywords=heather+beck+vocations)
-The Hammock (http://www.amazon.com/The-Hammock/dp/B003R0LO9G/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1282433089&sr=1-4)
-Verisimilitude (http://www.amazon.com/Verisimilitude/dp/B003OQUQK6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1282433656&sr=1-6).

The rules:

- Entrants must be 13 years or older
- One entry per person
- Winner will be selected randomly
- Giveaway ends March 18 at 11:59 PM EST

To be entered in the giveaway, please leave a comment with your e-mail address!

February "New Adult" Challenge Reviews – Link Them Up Here!

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:04:00 +0000

Participants in the "New Adult" reading challenge: if you have reviews from February, here's your chance to link them up! And if you have not yet signed up for the NA Challenge but want to participate, never fear: you can still sign up here :)

Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink: A Snapshot

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:38:00 +0000

Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm

"Libby Kelting had always felt herself born out of time. No wonder the historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd jumped at the chance to intern at Camden Harbor, Maine’s Oldest Living History Museum. But at Camden Harbor Libby’s just plain out of place, no matter how cute she looks in a corset. Her cat-loving coworker wants her dead, the too-smart-for-his-own-good local reporter keeps pushing her buttons, her gorgeous sailor may be more shipwreck than dreamboat — plus Camden Harbor’s haunted. Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Libby learns that boys, like ghosts, aren’t always what they seem." (from Goodreads)

The subject: a girl gets a job working at a historical museum re-enactment, and finds out that history is a breeze compared to the real-life problems of roommates, boys, and ghost sightings. The heroine (if you can call her that) Libby is a seeming contradiction in terms, a girl who likes fashion and makeup and "girly" things, but also is genuinely interested in history and enjoys reading. I appreciated that the author didn't turn her into either the shallow, self-absorbed fashion plate cliche, or the bookish history geek one, but instead bridged the two in a single character. (And points to Libby for favouring Mr. Tilney over Mr. Darcy! Poor Mr. Tilney is very underappreciated.)

The setting: Camden Harbour, Maine.

Shutter speed: very readable. It's a quick read, really easy to get through.

What's in the background? A whole lot of brand name–dropping that I could have done without. Fashion references tend to go right over my head.

Zoom in on: the kids that Libby teaches. Seriously, why are they all so well-behaved? They should be involved in countless escapades! Also, Suze. I have the feeling I would have been able to relate better to her than to Libby, but I never really got the chance because we see so little of her.

And I would have loved for Ashling to appear in more scenes, because she really livened things up with her fantastically annoying character. She was one of those arch-nemeses that you love to hate. She's extremely devoted to historical accuracy, and assertive to the point of rudeness. But still, I got the feeling that underneath all her pretension she'd be someone you could get along with if she'd just get over herself.

Anything out of focus? Um, yes. So much. This book is a collection of well-trodden stereotypes. Dev, while a distinctive character with a lot of energy who pretty much jumps off the page, also happens to comprise practically every stereotype about gay guys you've ever heard. Cam never breaks out of the mold of charming player, and Garrett is quite comfortable in the role of geeky-guy-with-a-sweet-heart.

And then there is Libby's complete lack of intelligence when it comes to guys. It is so obvious to the reader who is the "good" guy and who is the "bad" one, but it takes her so long to figure it out. She's smart about other things — great with the kids, knows her history — but she is incredibly dense about this. I was able to forgive her at first for being swept off her feet by "romance", but then it just gets ridiculous. She completely buries her head in the sand and ignores the facts staring her in the face, which I really could not respect.

Plus, the storyline relating to the mystery of the ghost spottings ends up feeling quite contrived, and the resolution of almost every conflict here turns out rather anticlimactically.

Ready? Say... Predictable. (If I could sum this book up in one word, that would be it.)

Click! 3 shooting stars. If you are looking for a light, cutesy read that you can page through in a few hours, knowing exactly how things will play out, this might be just the book for you. But if you are looking for a book that offers anything of substance — or frankly, even anything new to the contemporary YA genre — Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink is pretty much guaranteed to disappoint. That said, reading it was enjoyable enough in the moment, particularly as I do like watching a 'hate at first sight' sort of romance unfold.

Note: while the voice of this book feels geared toward younger readers, there is some mature language and references, so I'd say this is probably a mid-teen sort of read.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the publisher.

The Storyteller: A Close-Up Review (Adult/New Adult)

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 03:25:00 +0000

"Sage Singer, who befriends an old man who's particularly beloved in her community. Josef Weber is everyone favorite retired teacher and Little League coach and they strike up a friendship at the bakery where Sage works. One day he asks Sage for a favor: to kill him. Shocked, Sage refuses…and then he confesses his darkest secret - he deserves to die, because he was a Nazi SS guard. Complicating the matter? Sage's grandmother is a Holocaust survivor.

What do you do when evil lives next door? Can someone who's committed a truly heinous act ever atone for it with subsequent good behavior? Should you offer forgiveness to someone if you aren't the party who was wronged? And most of all - if Sage even considers his request - is it murder, or justice?" (from Goodreads)

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Characters:

Sage: I actually really disliked Sage in the first part of this book. I'm not sure if this is intentional on the author's part, or if we were supposed to find her character sympathetic, but whatever the case, the result was that I just could not make myself like her. She seemed to me to be very self-effacing, in an artificial 'woe is me' kind of way, from how she felt about her scarred face (which she was really hung up on) to the reasons behind her sleeping with a married man. This latter decision of hers probably lost her the most respect with me, because I can forgive a character a fair number of things, but adultery is something I find it very difficult to get on board with. She knew full well that this guy was married, and yet she carried on this affair with him anyway. I'm sorry, but ugh.

To be fair, Sage does improve in the last third of the book, taking some initiative to make changes in her life, gaining more self-confidence, and earning back some of my respect. Her character development is due in part to what she absorbs from the story her grandmother tells her, as it helps Sage put everything into perspective, but also to the fact that she begins a relationship with another (thankfully, unmarried!) guy. This underlying message of 'you can feel good about yourself once you've got a guy's approval' didn't sit that well with me, though.

Also, I would like to note that although Sage is 25, to me her voice sounded too mature for her age — more like someone in her thirties. Technically since she is in her twenties I'm counting this one as qualifying for the "New Adult" challenge, but I don't think it captures the voice of a 25-year-old very realistically.

Minka: Sage's grandmother, on the other hand, is so much easier to like. Her story, told in Part 2, was probably my favourite section of the book (ironically, since it's the part that deals with all of the atrocities of the Holocaust). Minka is a relatable character you have to feel sorry for, and yet she demonstrates her strength and perseverance time and again.

Josef: I can't really discuss him without spoilers. Suffice it to say that the glimpses we're given indicate that he's a very interesting, complex character, and I wish we'd been able to see more of his perspective.

Premise/themes:

I suspect one of the author's objectives in writing The Storyteller was to cast light on some of the shades of grey involved in the events and people of the Holocaust. Whether she actually succeeds in this, I'm less certain. I wish Picoult had explored the larger system and the elements of social psychology that shaped and exacerbated the behaviour of the Nazis. Instead, she mostly focuses on a few individuals, reducing it to a question of "Can someone be truly good or truly evil, or is everyone just a mix?" Sure, you can have that conversation all day long, but it's still only looking at the topic through one lens. Since I got my degree in psychology, and took a course in applied social psych, I know that social psychology played a critical role in bringing about the atrocities of the Holocaust. I'm sure it was not the only factor, but let's face it: there were a lot of individuals involved in making sure the "Nazi machine" operated smoothly, and they couldn't all have been sadistic psychopaths. I would have appreciated more exploration of the idea — a fundamental tenet of social psychology theory — that rather than behaviour being attributed to "bad apples" (i.e. "evil" individuals) it can be attributed to "bad barrels" (the environment affecting the individuals). (In terms of the Holocaust specifically, personally I'm inclined to think that there were probably a few apples that had already gone bad, but there was definitely something wrong with the barrels, too.)

This is not to say that Picoult paints all the Germans with the same brush. She takes steps to make sure this is not the case, and the German individuals we are presented with fall in a variety of places on the 'moral spectrum', from the lacking-a-conscience Reiner, to the more ambiguous Franz, to the downright helpful Herr Bauer, Herr Fassbinder, and anonymous farmer's wife. Not all of the Jewish characters are "perfect" either, case in point being Sage herself, of course.

I also thought the author brought up an important point about forgiveness — that it helps the person doing the forgiving more than the one who wants/needs it. Nothing I haven't heard before, but it's still a great point to raise in the context of the story. Whether or not forgiveness is possible from someone you did not directly wrong is also introduced as an interesting discussion.

Ania's story, which appears in excerpts throughout, does a great job of highlighting many of the themes that underlie the novel as a whole. Concepts of brotherhood, friendship, duty, honour, compassion, helplessness, guilt, and shame are presented in a folktale fashion.

Plot:

I found Part 1 to be rather boring, and you already know how I felt about Sage, so initially The Storyteller and I were off to a pretty slow start. I was a little worried I was going to DNF it, frankly, but then I got to Part 2. I didn't realize The Storyteller was going to go into that much detail about a survivor's Holocaust experience, but Minka's story is one of the most compelling aspects of the book — gripping, intense, horrifying, and engrossing. When Part 3 returned to the modern-day characters and plot, I was initially not that thrilled about it, but I was feeling more invested in the story by this point — and then I guessed the twist and had to keep reading to see if I was right. (I so was.)

If you're finding Part 1 to be slow-going and you're fed up with Sage, I definitely recommend you stick it out until Part 2. I'd also suggest taking breaks with this book. It's hardly a surprise, seeing as this book deals with the Holocaust, but Part 2 in particular is bleak, depressing, and densely packed with information. It's certainly not a quick, easy read. I would like to note, though, that Picoult does an excellent job of integrating all of the information into Minka's personal story. While I think Jodi Picoult did her research about the conditions of the concentration camps, what she presents us with is more than just a set of facts. We come to care about Minka as a person.

Partway through Part 3 I started to suspect what the twist was, but I was kept guessing, never totally sure until the revelation actually occurred. I'm glad what I suspected turned out to be the case, because it nicely ties in the story of the two brothers, Reiner and Franz, as well as the tale involving Ania that is interspersed throughout. It also makes this one of those books where a second read-through might be a different kind of experience, now that you know the twist.

I kind of wish there had been more closure with Josef and Minka, but closure is not always possible in real life. I wasn't really sure how to feel about Sage's ultimate decision (spoiler, highlight to read: to help Josef die, but not to forgive him), but it's certainly an interesting choice. The ending seemed a little abrupt to me; I thought more could have been wrapped up, as we don't really know what's going to happen to Sage. Still, it ends a bit unsettlingly (spoiler: on yet another lie!), leaving the reader with some food for thought.

Final verdict: 4 shooting stars.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC for review from the publisher.

Note: this is an adult book and there is a lot of mature content.

This book counts towards my goal for the "New Adult" challenge.

The Book Lode (13)

noreply@blogger.com (danya) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 04:42:00 +0000

There are quite a few memes to choose from now for showing the books we've gotten recently, so I thought to be fair I'd link my posts up to a different meme each month. I'm grouping the posts under the name "The Book Lode," and this month I'm linking up to The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Bloggers mentioned:

Nomes at inkcrush

For review:

Linked by Imogen Howson – thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada!

Purchased/gifted:

YA:

The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely, Lost It by Lisa Shanahan
Split by Swati Avasthi

Adult:

Somewhere In Time by Richard Matheson
Bride of Pendorric by Victoria Holt
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Indiscretion by Jude Morgan

YA Character Most Likely to Double-Cross You?
	Kat (Heist Society; Ally Carter)
	Puck (The Iron Fey; Julie Kagawa)
	Reth (Paranormalcy; Kiersten White)
	Shay (Uglies; Scott Westerfeld)
	Selia (Books of Bayern; Shannon Hale)
	Gen (The Queen's Thief; Megan Whalen Turner)
	Cecily (The Chemical Garden; Lauren DeStefano)
	Adrienne/Widdershins (Widdershins Adventures; Ari Marmell)
	Other (please explain in the comments)

pollcode.com free polls

A Tapestry Of Words: YA Reviews

Kiss, Marry, Kill: the Divergent series

Never Let Me Go: A Panoramic Review (Adult)

April "New Adult" Challenge Reviews – Link Them Up Here!

Rants & Raves: Yes, I *Am* Stingy With My 5-Star Ratings

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Liked More or Less Than I Thought I Would

The Humming Room: A Close-Up Review

The Book Lode (15)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fall and The Bone Dragon

The Dark Unwinding: A Panoramic Review

March "New Adult" Challenge Reviews – Link Them Up Here!

Second Chance Summer: Vlog Review

Giveaway Winners!

I'm Guest Posting for Fairy Tale Fortnight!

U-Pick: Character Most Likely to Double-Cross You?

If You Find Me: Giveaway!

The Book Lode (14)

Sweetly: A Close-Up Review

Waiting on Wednesday: The Registry and Not a Drop to Drink

Life of Pi: Blu-ray Giveaway!

Cover Reveal: Game. Set. Match. (and Giveaway!)

Interview with Heather Beck (and Giveaway!)

February "New Adult" Challenge Reviews – Link Them Up Here!

Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink: A Snapshot

The Storyteller: A Close-Up Review (Adult/New Adult)

The Book Lode (13)

Rants & Raves: Yes, I Am Stingy With My 5-Star Ratings