Teenage Fiction

Waiting on Wednesday {43}

2012-11-14T07:30:00.000+11:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone.

With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in.

And The Program is coming for them.

Expected publication: April 30th 2013

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

See you, Teenage Fiction

2012-11-11T11:02:00.000+11:00

For various reasons, we've made the move to WordPress.

We're now How to Save a Book.

We hope you join us.

Thank you to our 210 followers. You've made our time here infinitely invaluable.

The blog will be up until April and we will post here sporadically, but the domain will be changed back to http://nicoleslibrary.blogspot.com from April/May onwards. This blog will be kept as a record of what we did in our first year of blogging.

Thank you. I'm proud to have been part of this <3

-Nicole xoxo

Classic Bites: The Old Man and the Sea

2012-11-07T17:10:00.004+11:00

Goodreads | Amazon
The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway’s most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal—a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss. Written in 1952, this hugely successful novella confirmed his power and presence in the literary world and played a large part in his winning the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature.

I loved this.

I loved the simplicity of the writing, the way I could feel it when the fish gently pulled on the old fisherman's reel, the way his hopes became nothing but a skeleton. It is bleak and painful and so simple, but despite all this, it tugged at my heartstrings, and I loved it.

Five stars.

(Classic bites are short reviews of classics that I plan to post from time to time.)

Waiting on Wednesday {42}

2012-11-07T07:30:00.000+11:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

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!

Expected publication: January 8th 2013

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Review: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

2012-11-02T21:59:00.000+11:00

Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity.

She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed.

With a heroine full of yearning, the dangerous secrets she encounters, and the choices she finally makes, Charlotte Bronte's innovative and enduring romantic novel continues to engage and provoke readers ...

Warning: spoilers for those who haven't read the novel.

I've been wanting to post this review for a while. We've been studying the novel for about two months now, our yearlies are just around the corner, so I've had to read and re-read the novel. And after a very long time, I've finally concluded my thoughts on the book.

Jane Eyre was a mixed bag for me. While I really enjoyed some parts of it, others were so boring I wanted to give up, which is what many of my classmates did. Luckily, I did manage to plough through the particularly boring parts, and I have to say that there were some truly rewarding moments in the novel. The themes of love, beauty, etc. bored me, but individuality and the classical coming-of-age elements were ones that I really, really loved.

There is some breathtakingly beautiful writing in this novel, and I almost think that if she'd been born later, Bronte could've written a stream-of-consciousness novel and done it remarkably well. The writing was controlled, emotive, descriptive, and her observations of nature and life were captured and expressed with remarkable clarity.

I lingered at the gates; I lingered on the lawn; I paced backwards and forwards on the pavement; the shutters of the glass door were closed; I could not see into the interior; and both my eyes and spirit seemed drawn from the gloomy house--from the grey-hollow filled with rayless cells, as it appeared to me--to that sky expanded before me--a blue sea absolved from taint of cloud... (Chapter 12)

I mean, that is simply beautiful beautiful writing. Enough said.

On the other hand, the plot was one of a typical romance; from the beginning, readers already knew who Jane would end up with. The complications were of little asset to the true story, which was the romance between Jane and Rochester. I don't know why, but it seemed to be about love far more than anything else, including feminism, individuality, whatever, which put me off. I think this was the Bronte version of a fairy tale and the life she couldn't have, and it showed. There was no real tension between Jane and St John; it was at such a point in the novel that readers knew she wouldn't marry him as there weren't many pages left and if she'd followed him to India the novel would've been far longer (come on, reading involves common sense).

And yet Jane was such a great heroine.

'I scorn your idea of love...I scorn the counterfeit sentiment you over...I scorn you when you offer it.'

How many Victorian women would say that to a man in a gender and class-divided society? Yet Bronte created a character who was strong enough to stick up for herself and assert her rights. This is where I adored Jane; not the love-struck governess, but the orphaned child who grew up unloved and yet became a loving, truly kind character with a fierce sense of justice.

I love a good Bildungsroman, and this novel is the archetypal model. It's so much more than the typical YA coming-of-age story, and yet the love thing ruined the story for me, time and again. Maybe I'm too picky but romance bores me, 'true love' bores me, and I see enough kissing at the train station not to want to read about it too. Yes, love is fascinating when it happens to you. It might well be the best thing ever. But reading about love is just not my thing.

I think that sums up what I dislike about it. I rate this four stars. The amazing writing, the characters, the meaningful symbolism and Gothic elements just weren't enough to patch up the fact that this was ultimately a romance novel.

It might be your cup of tea. It's just not mine.

Review: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

2012-11-01T21:12:00.000+11:00

Amazon | Goodreads

A ten-year-old orphan comes to live in a lonely house on the Yorkshire moors where she discovers an invalid cousin and the mysteries of a locked garden.

Burnett's classic story of a disagreeable and self-centered little girl and her equally disagreeable invalid cousin is as real and wise and enthralling now as it was when it was first written over 75 years ago. The strength of her characterizations pulls readers into the story, and the depth inherent in the seemingly simple plot continues to make this sometimes forgotten story as vital to the maturation of young readers as Tom Sawyer and Little Women. Hague's illustrations enhance the story beautifully, capturing as they do, both the old-fashioned and timeless quality of the tale. The charm, clarity, and muted tones of Hague's paintings add dimension to each part of the tale. A reissue of an old classic to be treasured by a new generation of children (and their parents)!

It's sort of stupid for me to be reviewing a classic, right? It's also weird that I haven't read this until now, as a teenager. So many of my friends read it a long way back and now refer to it as 'the classical childhood tale'. Despite all that, I'm glad I read it. I'm reviewing this so that you will want to read it too, and if you already have, go and reread it.

The Secret Garden explores acceptance and healing with living things. The main character is Mary Lennox, an Indian child with a sour expression. She was selfish and did not know how to love others, because nobody really loved her, not the servants that looked after her. She was pretty annoying at first, because she was pretty much the 'princess'. Characterization was excellent. She soon lost all of her old, annoying habits and turned into a nice person, and then it was nice reading the book. Mary really grows a lot throughout the story; her change is gradual but overall she's improved so much as a character! Now that's not something you see in real life. Not me anyway, but if only.

Okay, so Colin. He was even more annoying than Mary, despicable -almost. Burnett works epic characterization magic yet again, transforming an annoying character into friendly character. Colin pretty much hated everything - in modern times... "Haters gon' hate!" It didn't really make much sense to me why he was such a miserable child, but it's mostly because he's so spoilt, he doesn't know anything apart from being a trouble to everybody. Now that I think about it, I really feel sorry for the people who have to work under him. Ouch.

Well Dickon appears to have an extremely professional green thumb, his gardening skills was hard to believe. It is fiction after all, but it was just slightly difficult for me to get my head around it. He's so young but so skillful! I'm not that much older than he is, but all of nature seems to comply. He was a nice character, if not a bit too perfect, but he influenced Colin and Mary and changed their attitudes, which was quite pleasing to me. Dickon didn't really change much and seemed too good to be true, so his character wasn't really working, but it was fun reading about his relationships with nature.

Burnett’s writing style is fun and easy to read because it’s a children’s book, so the sentences are smooth and make sense. The descriptions of the secret garden were great, as well as when animals or plants were being described. The imagery made the whole garden seem real and it really came to life in the book, fitting the theme of nature for healing. It appeared that it actually worked and that nature could be very influential, so it was good because I was quite persuaded. I didn’t want to stop reading when I started because at first I wasn’t sure where it would go. After reading the synopsis I had a basic idea of where the story was headed, but it’s really the type of book that makes you want to know all of the little details even if the plot was obvious. At some point I could predict the ending, but it was better than expected and it was really, it was quite wonderful. Honestly, it took me back to my childhood and so many memories were brought up again. The power of magic... to think that some time ago I did believe in magic. When did I stop, anyway?

Overall, I found that The Secret Garden was peaceful and calming. It had a really nice effect on me; each time I had to put it down (for whatever reason), I would be relaxed and just 'chill'. I'm not usually angry or hot-tempered to begin with, but it was just really cool. Now I’m more interested in nature than I was before, but still not motivated enough to start planting my own secret garden. Sorry Burnett, if that was the original intention ;)

After reading The Secret Garden and loving it, I can't wait to read other titles such as The Lost Prince, Little Lord Fauntleroy, and A Little Princess. If you've read any other titles by Frances Hodgson Burnett that you've enjoyed, please leave a comment and recommend it to me! I'd like to find out, really! So anyway, I rate this 4.5 stars.

Waiting on Wednesday {41}

2012-10-31T07:30:00.000+11:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

A broken past and a divided future can’t stop the electric connection of two teens in this “charged and romantic” (Becca Fitzpatrick), lush novel. Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

Expected publication: March 15th 2012

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

2012-10-31T00:58:00.003+11:00

Amazon | Goodreads

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.

I have this thing where I underestimate some of the best books I read, while overestimating some of the worst ones at the same time. It's a trend. Look through my book reviews and you will see this constantly, and yes, it has happened again.

I didn't exactly have a good impression of this book when I began reading it. It wasn't something I had chosen- simply one that had been assigned to me in school because I had read all the other ones. Watching a trailer beforehand where Kristen Stewart was the main character wasn't exactly encouraging towards my expectations towards these books, so when I began this book, I wasn't expecting much. As usual.

It was a bit slow to begin with- Melinda's inner dialogue, while appropriately snarky and sarcastic, took a while to get used to. She objectifies people, placing even her old best friends into terribly annoying cliches at first, but this just makes space for character development, and you come to sympathy with Melinda as you understand her situation fully. It is frustrating to see her progress then regress at times, but altogether she made a flawed yet likable main character.

Melinda's only one side of the story though. The way the author dealt with the rape and specifically, it's mental affects masterfully. Much of this regressing in character development stemmed from this, and in a YA time where apparently 'rape is not that bad and can be sexy!' people lack understanding in just exactly how traumatizing something like that can be. This is one thing I have to commend Laurie Halse Anderson on. The way she dealt with Melinda was, while at times painful to read, very realistic and authentic in reality.

It's not just that one aspect though. There are also sub-themes of neglectful parenting, looking beneath the surface in a person, bullying and how sometimes, even adults turn a blind eye. This was also very well executed by the author, and the novel ends with many unanswered issues and questions, while giving a satisfying ending.

The writing is also fantastic- bitingly funny and sarcastic, while staying true to the age of the character through Melinda's voice- naive and yet jaded at the same time. I loved the descriptions throughout the novel of very specific things- it really reflected the main character's eye for detail and talent in art.

Overall, Speak is a fantastic book which centers around the blunt and harsh issues of rape and the after affects of it. 5 stars.

Review: Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

2012-10-25T21:20:00.000+11:00

Amazon | Goodreads

Finnikin of the Rock and his guardian, Sir Topher, have not been home to their beloved Lumatere for ten years. Not since the dark days when the royal family was murdered and the kingdom put under a terrible curse. But then Finnikin is summoned to meet Evanjalin, a young woman with an incredible claim: the heir to the throne of Lumatere, Prince Balthazar, is alive.

Evanjalin is determined to return home and she is the only one who can lead them to the heir. As they journey together, Finnikin is affected by her arrogance . . . and her hope. He begins to believe he will see his childhood friend, Prince Balthazar, again. And that their cursed people will be able to enter Lumatere and be reunited with those trapped inside. He even believes he will find his imprisoned father.

But Evanjalin is not what she seems. And the truth will test not only Finnikin's faith in her . . . but in himself.

So, Finnikin of the Rock. Being quite uneducated in popular book titles, I was a bit puzzled when Nicole asked if we could buy this book. I was originally not so interested in reading it; I had other things I could do and read, and the synopsis didn't really draw me in. So, I left it sitting on my bookshelf for a while, until I ran out of books. That was a bad move - what I really should have done was google it and take a look at some existing reviews. I presume you're doing the right thing by reading this now.

Let's begin then, I'm going to start from the very beginning. There are two maps that show the land in which the novel is set in. I, being lazy, and also in anticipation, simply skipped it and started reading the prologue. No offense to whoever designs these maps or had to draw it up, but I generally don't look at the way land is divided. Another bad move. Who would've known that later on, the characters travel pretty much everywhere, 'touring' the entire area? Not saying that you need to memorize the entire Land of Skuldenore (where it is set), but it would be a little be handy if you flipped back to the guide map when a new land is mentioned. It would help you visualize it a lot better, trust me.

Oh, and the prologue. Like most prologues that I read, I didn't understand a word it was saying so I skim read it and started on the first chapter. It didn't really make much sense to me either. It's pretty common in fantasy books to have complicated names and lots of unknown terms that have been made up, but just within the first page I was a bit overwhelmed by all these new words floating around everywhere. I kept on going, and I'm glad that I did. It didn't take long before the backstory was told, pretty much everything explained. Of course, not everything made sense 100% after that, but the truth was slowly revealed. Until you find out that what you thought was the truth is actually a lie. /sorry, no spoilers/ I do love a twist though, even if this one was a bit sudden and unexpected. That's good, in a way, because the ending wasn't completely predictable.

The whole story is pretty much based on assumptions. As I said in the previous paragraph, your knowledge builds up over time, but just as you start predicting, you learn that all or most of the info you had gathered was a lie. False. Start over again at nil. I was pretty confused at that point, and stunned too, because the actual 'real truth' was just... improbable. It couldn't possibly be true, right? Evanjalin... but that doesn't even match your character! All the characterization building up, from a quiet and mysterious persona to such an open, smart woman - what happened? It just doesn't fit the identity that she's built up, it's such a far fetched idea that I never would have thought of. Brownie points for you, Marchetta, you got me there, but it's almost not 'appropriate' in the context. Well, you can argue that it's a fantasy, anything can happen! Sure, but it should have some sort of realistic base, right?

There were many aspects to this book that didn't really work out. It was almost as if Marchetta realised halfway through that, 'Oops! I don't really know how to back it up so I'll just make up a reason that doesn't really fit!" That made some parts hard to believe because it just didn't work. Not in real life, not even in fantasy. The main character's were a bit 'too good to be true'. By this, I mean that they don't really run into troubles, which makes them superheroes! By making these characters strong, it means that the 'danger' they run into don't really last long and aren't all that interesting to read. After all, it's going to end well. Happily ever after, it's bound to be fine. Nobody even gets any major injuries, even after fights. A few bruises here and there, yep, we'll just clean them up and they'll disappear when you wake up the next morning. Yeah, I think that makes sense. If only.

Despite all the little holes in the book, I was able to overlook the problems and enjoy the rest of the story! It wasn't too great, but I couldn't say it was bad, either. There were things that I liked - it was cool at first when they were travelling as a group and exploring 'new lands', but then after a while the excitement wore off. Here and there you'd come across things that would impress you, to have your fire soon extinguished. So many ups and downs, it's like a rollercoaster ride, but in general, a fun one. I recommend this to fantasy lovers, suckers for romance and all those that are willing to give it a go, despite the negatives. Accept the challenge? Because of the flaws, I rate this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Waiting on Wednesday {40}

2012-10-24T07:30:00.000+11:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous—it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

Expected publication: January 22nd 2012

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

2012-10-19T22:03:00.003+11:00

Amazon | Goodreads

Standing on the fringes of life... offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Wow. What a great title. If only this book lived up to its name.

Okay, I admit I read this book because the movie is coming out soon and reading a book after the movie is out is too mainstream. But it's also one of the most hyped-up YA titles of all time and I was curious.

The verdict? No. Just no.

Firstly, the writing. It was so choppy that it resembled that of a semi-illiterate preteen and annoyed me to no end. Charlie is supposed to be a 'genius' and an amazing essay-writer, and yet his voice came across as stupid and downright annoying at times. Chbosky used to write for theatre and you can tell that he isn't used to the long, flowing sentences of prose that make a novel...well, a novel.

I mean, there is a difference. Take this conversation, for instance:

Me: Hey, Hayley. I had a sandwich today. Hayley: Great.

In the average novel, the conversation would've been written like this:

I told Hayley I had a sandwich today, and she raised her eyebrows at me as though wondering why I was announcing such a mundane piece of news. 'Great,' she said.

While Chbosky wrote it like this:

I told Hayley I had a sandwich today. She raised her eyebrows at me. 'Great,' she said. She didn't sound interested. What if she didn't like me? The perk of being a wallflower was that nobody cared about me. At all.

Secondly, the metaphors.

As many of you know, I'm all for the metaphors: John Green and Ian McEwan are the masters of pretentious metaphors. And yet Stephen Chbosky takes the one good quote in the book and expands it again and again and again until the reader starts wondering whether he's trying to build the book on Charlie's life or a metaphor about feeling infinite.

I get that it's a wonderful quote and I understand that the author probably wanted to make it a motif or something, but when I see idea after idea developed on a quote as a building block, the whole tower soon collapses because the bottom is simply too weak to support it. And that is what happened with this book.

On a personal level, I found it nearly impossible to connect with Charlie. Supposed genius, child prodigy, and yet carelessly written, he never seemed real to me, and never did the other characters--Sam being a notable exception. Chbosky tried so hard to make Charlie well-read, intelligent, and thoughtful, but his character always fell flat for me.

I think that adults often forget about what it's like to be a teenager. Perks is the pekfect example of why some adults are better suited to writing adult fiction...because it's easy to forget what being young feels like.

And that is precisely where the spirit of YA is captured. It's also where Perks failed.

Two stars, because it wasn't awful enough to warrant one but didn't impress me enough for three.

Waiting on Wednesday {39}

2012-10-17T07:30:00.000+11:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways… or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

Expected publication: February 19th 2012

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Journal Week: The Best of YA [2]

2012-10-14T10:31:00.000+11:00

Welcome to another installment of Journal Week! This week, I'll be talking about reading and my favourite authors.

So this blog is called Teenage Fiction, and it comes at no surprise that...well, we talk about teenage fiction. The thing that seems to surprise people is that I do read genres outside YA. In fact, my three favourite authors (in no particular order) would probably be John Green, Ian McEwan, and John Steinbeck, two of whom are not YA authors.

Here's the thing: YA provides a very different reading experience to adult fiction. It's aimed towards teenagers, so the writing is usually easy to read and has a nice flow. In contrast, many, many adult books are extremely hard to get through, particularly the classics--think Mrs Dalloway--but I generally find more depth in adult novels.

The problem with YA is that it seems to be a little romance-heavy, whereas adult fiction seems to be far more varied. I have trouble listing a single YA novel which does not feature romance as a plotline, while adult books seem to cater to a larger audience (there are, after all, far more adults than teenagers) and it's therefore easier to find something to suit my taste.

I don't know. These are just my opinions, but at the end of the day, I'm finding it harder and harder to find young adult novels that really capture my interest. Maybe I'm just a newbie to adult fiction which is why it seems more interesting by comparison or maybe it's because my English teacher recommends the cream of the crop for me, but the genre just seems so much more varied.

Maybe I'm just fussy. But maybe there will come a time when the order will be reversed and I'll read lots of adult fiction, only coming back to enjoy the best of YA.

Music

Waiting on Wednesday {38}

2012-10-10T07:30:00.000+11:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

First in a four book YA series set 25 years before the Parasol Protectorate but in the same universe.

Expected publication: February 5th 2013

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Journal Week: Writer's Group [1]

2012-10-04T14:14:00.001+10:00

Hey! What's up?

So...I realise that this blog is partially dead. And I know this isn't really an excuse, but I have been really busy with everything as well as the exams that I should really start studying for soon. I was looking back at some of the old posts on the blog and suddenly realised how much I missed the old Nicole's Library (sorry, Teenage Fiction!) so I've decided to do some personal reading/writing updates this week.

We've worked out a great format for reviews, but it's so restrictive that I haven't really had the heart to do a proper one for a while now, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to share what I've been reading, writing, etc. without having to do the annoying formatting or anything like that.

I thought I'd talk about writing today and what I've been up to in terms of writing.

So my school has a Writer's Group now (thank you Dr. G! She's an amazing English teacher) and it's really wonderful to meet up once a week with my lovely fellow writers and do some writing exercises or just chat in general. There are a couple of people who are working on novels and we all know how lonely novel-writing can be, so it's great to talk to them and get some inspiration when I'm particularly stuck.

The downside is that 1. I am socially awkward to the point where I can come across as mildly rude to people I don't know very well, 2. almost all the other members in the group are older than me, and 3. we have to read out our work, out loud, which I'm not too fond of.

Hence, the first meeting went something like this:

Dr. G: I'm so glad you're here today. I suggest we start off by doing a writing exercise.
Us: Cool.
(Writing exercises...)
Dr. G: Are you finished? Who wants to read theirs out? Nicole?
Me: Do I have to?
Dr. G: Well, you don't have to if you don't want to...
Me: I don't want to.
(Awkward silence)
J: OOH! Can I read mine out?
(I nearly die of embarrassment)

And to top it off, I was distinctly antisocial and sat two seats away from the others. Ugh, social awkwardness.

I probably seem like the most ungrateful brat in the world, particularly since Dr. G puts monumental amounts of effort into arranging stuff like this. Really, I'm not ungrateful, but jumping in and just making friends with older kids right off the bat isn't my strong suit. Yes, I know, I should try and improve, but it's just difficult at times, and hopefully I'll improve. I'm friends with L, who is also on the magazine committee I'm part of, and maybe it will just take a bit longer.

In other news, my novel hasn't been progressing that much, but I'm almost finished at 54K. I need to edit my 11K short story for a contest that I'm entering and believe me when I say that it needs serious editing, but I'll worry about that when exams are over because the deadline's sometime in December, I think. I dislike deadlines.

So that's pretty much my writing at the moment. If I haven't bored you to death yet, tune in tomorrow for another Journal Week update!

Music

Waiting on Wednesday {37}

2012-10-03T07:30:00.000+10:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

For sixteen years, Alyssa Gardner has lived with the stigma of being descended from Alice Liddell—the real life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s famed novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But cruel jokes about dormice and tea parties can’t compare to the fact that Alyssa hears the whispers of bugs and flowers... the same quirk which sent her mother to a mental institution years before.

When her mother takes a turn for the worse and the whispers grow too strong for Alyssa to bear, she seeks the origins of their family curse. A set of heirlooms and a moth tied to an unusual website lead Alyssa and her gorgeous best friend / secret crush, Jeb, down the rabbit hole into the real Wonderland, a place more twisted and eerie than Lewis Carroll ever let on.

There, creepy counterparts of the original fairytale crew reveal the purpose for Alyssa’s journey, and unless she fixes the things her great-great-great grandmother Alice put wrong, Wonderland will have her head.

Expected publication: January 1st 2013

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Waiting on Wednesday {36}

2012-09-26T07:30:00.000+10:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

Experience the afterlife in this lyrical, paranormal debut novel that will send your heart soaring.When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn't remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right.

Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she'd rather keep buried. Memories of people she's hurt, people she's betrayed...and people she's killed.

As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she's hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves...even if it means losing them both forever.

Expected publication: October 30th 2012

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Stormdancer Blog Tour- Discussion

2012-09-26T00:43:00.002+10:00

Note: Apologies for being so late! This was meant to be posted on the 23rd, but unfortunately I neglected to schedule properly, so it is two days late. Serious apologies!

Hey! Today I'm hosting one of the blog tour stops for Jay Kristoff's book, Stormdancer. You know, that book that's been going around the book blog community and making people squeal? Yes, that one. On this blog tour, I'll be having a discussion with- well, myself. As a griffin. Which may or may not include some terrible fanart. Anyways, before we get into that, here's a little information about the book itself.

Amazon | Goodreads
Series: The Lotus War (#1)
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Source: ARC
DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.
AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.
But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

This cover is amazing. It's so pretty yet strong at the same time- and the colours and everything are just right and the contrast and the-

AHEM.

Oh hey, you've arrived! Wait, you're meant to be a thunder tiger? Me as a thunder tiger?

WELL, OBVIOUSLY. YOU CALLED FOR ME, THE GREAT THUNDER TIGER.

You're a little different to what I thought you would look. Less... powerful. More... weak and lame looking.

HOW DARE YOU BESEECH ME.

Hey, it's true! I mean, aren't you meant to look more like this?

I mean, that's how Buruu looks like. You look more like this:

YOUR DRAWING SKILLS ARE TERRIBLE. I LOOK NOTHING LIKE THAT.

My drawing skills are fine, thank you very much, griffin-me! It looks exactly like you- it's just a rough sketch anyways- I left out a bit of detail here and there, but that's basically how weak you look compared to Buruu. Buruu's cool and saves Yukiko's life all the time, as well as being an awesome griffin as it is, but you're... you're boring.

YOU'RE HARDLY A YUKIKO YOURSELF.

That hurts.

I KNOW.

Okay, let's just talk about the book for a bit then, since you're going to be so horrible to me all the time for no reason.

HMPH.

Just saying, but I thought Jay Kristoff was really unexpectedly funny throughout the book and there were random times where something he wrote would really make me crack up. Like these ones here:

“He's probably out there in the hallway right now, composing bad poetry in his head." Michi cleared her throat, her voice taking on a breathless lilt:
"Pale Fox's Daughter,Her cherry lips haunt my dreams.Something, something, breasts...”

"There is nothing you could do that would repel me, Lady."
Yukiko could barely hear his voice over the sound of her heart pounding in her chest.
RAIKIN, TAKE ME NOW.
She shot Buruu a withering glance as he rolled over his back and pawed at the sky.
HAVE MERCY ON ME, FATHER. TAKE MY WINGS. CHAIN ME TO THE STINKING EARTH. BUT THIS TORTURE I CANNOT ENDURE.
Oh, shut it.

HIS HUMOR IS ADMITTEDLY FAIRLY AWESOME. THE THUNDER TIGER APPROVES.

You know you love it.

*the griffin is silent*

You do, you're just trying to hide it. I know it because I am you, and I love it.

THAT PROBABLY EXPLAINS WHY I WAS DISFIGURED SO.

Again, that hurts.

IT IS THE TRUTH.

I'm not going to get through to you, am I? There isn't going to be much bonding between human-me and griffin-me, is there?

WELL, THERE IS ONE THING YOU COULD DO TO GAIN MY TRUST...

What is it what is it what is it?

FETCH ME A CHAINSAWKATANA.

So you admit to loving the steampunkedness of the book, then?

I NEVER SAID THAT. I SIMPLY ASKED FOR A CHAINSAWKATANA.

Well, you wouldn't know it existed unless you read the whole thing, and you had to read it well- you love the book, don't you. You love it.

*grunts*

Okay, fine, here's your chainsawkatana. I had to look around for it, you know. They don't sell many of these anymore. We can share it- wait, what are you doing?

LEAVING. I HAVE THE CHAINSAWKATANA NOW. THERE IS NO MORE REASON TO STAY HERE. *grabs copy of Stormdancer from human-self*

THAT'S AN ARC! I'M MEANT TO REVIEW THAT.

TOO BAD. BUY ANOTHER COPY.

*begins to ascent*

THIS IS MY BLOG, THUNDER TIGER-ME. YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE MY STUFF AND LEAVE THE INTERVIEW LIKE THAT! WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO DISCUSS THE AMAZINGNESS OF THE PLOT AND THE CHARACTERS AND THE WORLD BUILDING...

I AM GOING TO FIND THE LANDS OF SHIMA AND LIVE IN THE AWESOME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. FAREWELL, HUMAN.

With that, the thunder tiger of Hayley's imagination left the Earth we live in now, one hand a chainsawkatana, the other a copy of Jay Kristoff's Stormdancer. Where it roams now, none have any clue, but some suspect it has already found Shima and is blissfully in hiding. As for the human?

Well, she went and bought another copy of the book.

Seriously though, this book was amazing in so many ways that enthralled my imagination. And this is the actual guy behind it all:

Jay Kristoff grew up in the most isolated capital city on earth and fled at his earliest convenience, although he’s been known to trek back for weddings of the particularly nice and funerals of the particularly wealthy. He spent most of his formative years locked in his bedroom with piles of books, or gathered around dimly-lit tables rolling polyhedral dice. Being the holder of an Arts degree, he has no education to speak of.
Jay’s debut novel, STORMDANCER, a Japanese-inspired steampunk fantasy, will be published by Thomas Dunne/St Martin's Press, Tor UK & PanMacMillan in September 2012 as the first installment of THE LOTUS WAR trilogy.
Jay is 6’7 and has approximately 13870 days to live. He abides in Melbourne with his secret agent kung-fu assassin wife, and the world’s laziest Jack Russell.
He does not believe in happy endings.
If you'd like, you can find him on his website, on Goodreads or on Twitter.

Faceless Vlogging with Nicole: The Surprise Edition

2012-09-24T21:35:00.001+10:00

Love,
Nicole.

Waiting on Wednesday {35}

2012-09-19T07:30:00.000+10:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

The breathtaking first novel in New York Times best selling author Gena Showalter’s new paranormal romance series, Otherworld Assassins, featuring a black ops agent who is captured and enslaved…and the beautiful deaf girl who holds the key to his salvation…

THE SWEETEST TEMPTATION…

Black ops agent Solomon Judah awakens caged and bound in a twisted zoo where otherworlders are the main attraction. Vika Lukas, the owner’s daughter, is tasked with Solo’s care and feeding. The monster inside him yearns to kill her on sight, even though she holds the key to his escape. But the human side of him realizes the beautiful deaf girl is more than she seems—she’s his.

THE ULTIMATE PRICE…

Vika endures the captives’ taunts and loathing, hoping to keep them alive even if she can’t free them. Only, Solo is different—he protects her. But as hostility turns to forbidden romance, his feelings for her will be used against him…and he’ll be put to a killer test.

Expected publication: November 27th 2012

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Review: Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz

2012-09-18T21:20:00.001+10:00

Series: The Gatekeepers (#1)
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Teacher
Goodreads | Amazon

As punishment for a crime he didn't really commit, Matt was given a choice: go to jail or go live with an old woman named Mrs. Deverill in a remote town called Lesser Malling.
He should have chosen jail.
A strange and sinister plan is coming together made in Lesser Malling, with Matt at the center of it all. People who try to help him disappear . . . or die. It all ties to an evil place named Raven's Gate - a place whose destiny is horrifyingly intertwined with Matt's own.

If you like paranormal, you should like Raven's Gate.

Technical Stuff

Writing (Flow, Style, etc.): Raven's Gate was really easy to read. It was quite intriguing so it kept me wanting to turn the pages even before I was up to it. I'll admit, the first time I read it was some time ago, so I was younger and 'inexperienced' in the book world. At that time, I didn't read very much of the horror or mystery genres because I was still sort of transitioning between middle-grade and young adult books. My inexperience would be the cause of why Raven's Gate freaked me out a bit - but it was the good kind that made me read on to the other books in the series!

Plot: After reading the synopsis, I was kind of curious. Of course there was a bit of an intro at the beginning; luckily it wasn't overdone. There was just enough to get you rolling, then you plunge into the world of unknown and questions... and dramatic ellipsises... and although I was scared, I couldn't stop myself from reading on. It's definitely quite fast-paced in some areas, which adds to the suspense (eek!), and then you just read on because it's so interesting and there are so many twists in the plot! It was almost as if it was two different back-stories merging into one. Spooky.

The fantasy part of it was really cool. It wasn't baby-magic like Rainbow Fairies or anything like that, nor was it really evil and dark. Okay, it was quite dark because of the mastermind behind the evil schemes, but it was sort of teen-friendly. Breathtaking, but not so much that you get nightmares. At least I certainly didn't get any nightmares, which was good!

Characterization: The characterization wasn't overly strong, but it was enough to get you going. The main character, Matt, really builds up his profile. Especially through the rest of the series. In the other books in the series, you meet a few more important characters that stick, but Matt is still evidently the protagonist and the leader of the group.

Other Tidbits: I know it's a fantasy read, but I couldn't help thinking that it was unbelievable. A group of five kids, fourteen years old, saving the world from evil! Yay, totally normal. Well, ignore that and move on to concentrating on the good parts.

The TF Discussion

Raven's Gate was actually a book recommended to my class by our teacher a few years ago. He was a huge bookie and would bring in stacks of books to lend out to classmates. And thus ends the story of how I found Raven's Gate. I'm glad I read it, it was entertaining and captivating, and it got me onto reading more books of similar genres.

The reason why I brought this book back to life is because the final book in the series, Oblivion, is said to come out on the 4th of October, 2012. That's in a little more than two weeks from today! I'm definitely going to read it, even though it's been a few years since I last finished reading Necropolis, the fourth book in the series. I'll need a bit of Wikipedia and Goodreads to refresh my memory.

Raven's Gate was the start of my journey reading Horowitz books. I'm glad I picked it up all those years ago, and now I'm telling you to do so too! Come on, two weeks until the last book comes out and if you still haven't read the series, you can finish all four in a fortnight. Be ready for Oblivion! Raven's Gate is a solid 4 stars.

~Alvie~

Waiting on Wednesday {34}

2012-09-12T07:30:00.000+10:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we showcase books that have not yet been released.

Goodreads

Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

Expected publication: October 2nd 2012

So, what's your WoW this week? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out!

~ Maxine ~

Discussion: September Releases

2012-09-11T22:13:00.001+10:00

Introduction

So Hayley and I (Alvie) had a discussion a few weeks ago about the new books to be released in September. However, I had not posted this in the previous weeks, and as I did not want to put it to waste, here it is now. Keep in mind that this has been previously written!

Discussion

Alvie: So, it's almost September! There are so many great books that will be released then, I can't wait to read them!

Hayley: Unfortunately, due to my overspending of books during the holiday, I don't think I'll be able to buy many of them. Or any of them. Regardless, Alvie and I are going to take a look at some books that are coming out them and do a sort of pre-release review thing.

Alvie: There are quite a few new releases out there, but the on's we'll be discussing today are the ones that are quite popular and anticipated reads. Let's start with the Paranormal genre - there are three books on this list. Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, and Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter. What do you think of these, Hayley?

Hayley: Er, well it's paranormal. Me and paranormal USUALLY don't really mix.

Alvie: Well, I have to say that I'm certainly not the biggest fan of paranormal YA genre either. I promise I won't be biased here! Well anyway, all of these books seem to have high goodreads ratings so I'm a bit interested. I'm particularly interested in Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter - it sounds like something that would be a fun read. Too much of a vamp overload and I won't last, though.

Hayley: I know- thank goodness I don't spot any vampires this month. Any more vampires and I will cut off my hair.

Alvie: That's pretty extreme! Admittedly though, I can't stand paranormal if it's not particularly captivating or if it doesn't stand out from the crowd. I'm a bit more interested in Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian compared to the paranormal ones. The synopsis sounds pretty cool, I mean, even the title gives off a nice vibe. It's almost daring me to read it - and I do kind of want to. If it's a bit too much over-the-top, maybe I'll be the one shaving.

Hayley: I agree, this contemporary read sounds interesting. I do hope it's not too much of an over-the-top romance, though. Well, it's a revenge story and that's enough to get me interested. I'd like to know how this would end up, but it has to be well written to be really captivating. Moving on now - dystopian. This one seems to be really intriguing and I can't wait to get a copy of it! There's a really cool idea behind the book, what do you think of it?

Alvie: Ooh, dystopian! I really do quite like dystopian YA, but it needs to have a good base. What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang is such a cool idea that I had never even thought of - twins, in a dystopian world too! Imagine all the things that could happen there...

Hayley: What are you thinking about, Alvie? I'm looking at the new horror releases now and I'm feeling the excitement already! I've read a few good horror books in the past, will this one live up to the expectations too?

Alvie: I certainly hope so. Well it's been a nice discussion, Hayley, let's do it again another time! Looking forward to all the promising September releases now.

Disclaimer

The books mentioned in this discussion can be found at here. We have based our discussion around the information provided on each book.

Review: BZRK by Michael Grant

2012-09-11T00:28:00.002+10:00

Series: BZRK #1
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Source: Bought
Goodreads//Amazon
Set in the near future, BZRK is the story of a war for control of the human mind. Charles and Benjamin Armstrong, conjoined twins and owners of the Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation, have a goal: to turn the world into their vision of utopia. No wars, no conflict, no hunger. And no free will. Opposing them is a guerrilla group of teens, code name BZRK, who are fighting to protect the right to be messed up, to be human. This is no ordinary war, though. Weapons are deployed on the nano-level. The battleground is the human brain. And there are no stalemates here: It’s victory . . . or madness.

BZRK unfolds with hurricane force around core themes of conspiracy and mystery, insanity and changing realities, engagement and empowerment, and the larger impact of personal choice. Which side would you choose? How far would you go to win?

A thrilling sci-fi novel which still has the reviewer of the novel wondering whether she is disgusted or amazed.

Technical Stuff

Writing (Flow, Style, etc.): In the typical 'Michael Grant' fashion, BZRK is crisp and has exactly the right amount of everything- it was fairly crisp and only dwelled on particularly important issues. While Grant's style is a little choppy and difficult to catch on at times, especially in the beginning, it was still enthralling and managed to capture my attention most of the times. There were a few awkward perspective changes that ruined some of the suspense, but for the most part the writing was fairly decent, if not remarkably amazing.

Plot: The amount of detail the author had put in this book was quite clear- it was just very calculated, very precise. Not once did I feel as if there were really any unnecessary areas, and everything had a reason. There was a fair amount of suspense surrounding what was going to happen next, though I didn't really have too much trouble figuring stuff out- a let down since it was meant to be a thriller. However, the amount of action (if somewhat disturbing, which will be elaborated later) more than made up for it.

Also, the technology. THE TECHNOLOGY. The sciencey things going on (yes, I know sciencey isn't a word) were both really off-putting and really, really amazing and appealing to me at the same time. I know it's not acceptable to put technology as part of the plot, but this time, it really really was.

Characterisation: Fairly done, though I didn't think there was anything particularly spectacular. In fact, it was a little bit of a let down, considering that the rest of the book was awesome. The main characters

Other Tidbits: Once again, this book is for the strong-minded. There are some graphic descriptions, so if you're squeamish, I don't recommend reading it. Just back away slowly.

TF Discussion

Just saying, but this is possibly one of the most shudder-worthy books I've read in a long time. The descriptions of what was happening inside the body in the books were enough to make me actually shudder at times, though I still found myself captivated with it. A few times, I found myself scratching self consciously, as if what I had read had just leaped out of the pages and crawled into...*shudders*.

If I were feeling horrible, I'd probably leave you an excerpt of what I was talking about, but I'm feeling particularly charitable so if you really want to know what I'm talking about, just look it up.

One major issue was that I felt as if I didn't spend enough time emotionally connecting with any of the characters- this was a similar case when I read Gone. I think it's simply because Michael Grant kept on changing perspectives- while it did broaden my insight on what was happening, it was at times very frustrating, especially when it was right in the middle of something important.

I do have to say I appreciate that Michael Grant didn't dumb down the book to make it more assessable- this was a sci-fi thriller book and what the main characters- no, what everyone in the book had to go through wasn't gentle. At times, what was happening was really brutal, but it was still enthralling. Maybe that's just how Mr.Grant rolls- the way he writes is painfully honest and that is it. No fluff here, guys.

Maybe that's why I inexplicably like it so much, despite having some problems with it that would usually bug me out completely (pun unintended). 4 stars.

*Hayley*

Review: Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2012-09-06T22:15:00.000+10:00

Series: Obsidian #2
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Goodreads//Amazon
Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

With plenty to satisfy both paranormal and romance fans, this YA novel is a mainstream crowd pleaser.

Technical Stuff

Writing (Flow, Style, etc.): The writing was nothing to remarkable, which, in itself, is quite a feat. Considering how YA paranormal authors seem to enjoy peppering texts with endless metaphors and (terribly written) purple prose, it was really easy to read. Everyone comments on how Armentrout's writing just sucks them straight into the story, and I totally have to agree with that--I was just able to slip back into the gist of things and get moving with the adventure really quickly.

Plot: The plot wasn't anything special. There were a few twists and turns, but overall, the outcome was fairly predictable and there weren't really any gasp-I-did-not-expect-that moments.

The world-building is getting more complex and there's more depth to the story now, but I haven't been able to overcome my natural reaction to aliens, and I kept thinking about slimy green creatures while reading the book. The science behind all of this isn't really explained either, and although I know it's irrelevant, I felt that it would've been nice to get a better idea of how exactly things came to be, although I guess it will unfold in the sequel.

Characterisation: I thought that characterisation was one of Armentrout's really strong points in the novel, but despite the main characters being developed well, I felt that the others were a little left out in terms of depth. I absolutely loved loved loved how Katy was a book blogger, but I guess this could be a major problem for non book bloggers at the same time, particularly when memes and things like ALA are mentioned. I'm guessing that most readers aren't going to be book bloggers and they're going to feel totally left out and confused when they read the story, which is a fairly bad thing.

The problem with Katy being a book blogger is that a few of the memes are already outdated--for instance, not a lot of bloggers do In My Mailbox any more, and it's only been a month since this book's release.

Other Tidbits: I don't have anything to add, really!

TF Discussion

I didn't think Daemon was particularly hot in this novel.

Yes, there were some swoon-worthy moments, but overall, I didn't find him the shining sun that the story revolved around. He just felt like any other character, which is where I guess the book missed the mark for me. I remember reading Obsidian and absolutely falling for him, so it's a shame that I felt his character was too cliche bad-boy/cocky for me to fully enjoy it.

And since this is a blog tour review, there's no rating...but it was pretty good overall.