The Wandering Fangirl

Review: Ironskin, by Tina Connolly

2013-08-23T13:46:00.001-07:00

Ironskin
Author: Tina Connolly
Series: Ironskin #1
Rating: ✮✮✮
Goodreads

Summary:
Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

Review:
I have to confess I've never read Jane Eyre. Really. It's on my list of classics to eventually read, though my goal of reading forty classics in 2013 fell by the wayside. (Damn you, comics! But not really, I love you.) As a result, I went into Ironskin completely unaware of what was a retelling and what was original story (well, obviously the fey stuff is original), which led to a pretty interesting reading experience.

The first two thirds of the novel unfold much like you'd expect it to. The story revolves around our main character, Jane, who is scarred with a fey curse on her cheek. Or the entire left half of her face, it's hard to tell at times. This scar is actually a bit of fey magic bomb shrapnel that sticks to the victim and lets out waves of some sort of emotion - in Jane's case, anger and rage.

This is where Ironskin thrives: in the world building and fey touches. There aren't huge dumps of exposition to describe Jane's world, but we experience the world through her instead. The fey aspects are so ingrained in her world and her life, that we get bits and pieces of the fey history, the fey-human war, and Jane's curse. Speaking of which, I really liked that bit of Jane's characterization. She wears an iron mask to protect others from being hit by the rage of her curse, but doesn't that mean all that rage has nowhere to go but within? Jane has spent years fighting against the anger she feels, and seeing it play out in her interactions and emotions is great.

The romance between Jane and Rochart, her employer, was very lukewarm to me. I just couldn't see what she saw in him, and it prompted me to accept it simply because that's how it's supposed to happen in Jane Eyre.

Then we get to the last third of the novel.

We've just spent the first part of the novel living through Jane, through her attempts to work with Rochart's daughter, through the lukewarm romance. The fey aspects of it are around in their daily lives, but never overt. A little mystery begins to unwind as Jane spends more time on the Rochart estate. This is all expected, right?

Then the fey stuff takes over quickly and completely. I can't even describe it without spoiling for the last sixty or so pages, but damn.

The last bit of Ironskin really threw me off. In any other novel the fey aspects of the plot would have delighted me (even if some parts made my skin crawl), but it seemed to come out of nowhere. Yes, seeds of it were planted early on in the novel, but the jump from placid country setting to FULL BLOWN FEY BATSHITTERY was insane.

And kinda fun. But mostly insane.

Two stars for the romance, four stars for the crazy.

Mini Reviews: Timeless, Bunheads, Breadcrumbs, When She Woke, Everneath

2012-04-17T22:09:00.001-07:00

Timeless, by Gail Carriger
Series: Parasol Protectorate #5
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

The Parasol Protectorate is one of my favorite series to date, so I was super excited for Timeless for so long. I love Alexia, Conall is one of my favorite book boyfriends, and the entire cast of characters, including the Maccon family's new addition, are wonderful. I love the change in scenery to Egypt, while keeping the action at home in London fresh and moving forward by splitting the POV with Biffy. Biffy! Wonderful, cravat wearing, fashion conscious Biffy. He really made the book for me, and was lovely to follow as Alexia's adventures in Egypt took a turn for the crazy. (As they tend to do.) The main plot itself didn't feel as though it was totally thought out, but as always, Alexia and the cast of characters I've grown to love make up for it.

Bunheads, by Sophie Flack
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Bunheads is a surprisingly slow, calm story. We follow the life of Hannah, a dancer in the prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company and all that entails. For a novel about ballet dancers, it's obvious Sophie Flack knows what she's talking about with all the little details, the emotional highs and lows, the pressure and ambition. Thing start to falter a little when it turns out that the entire novel is based around Hannah's growing realization that there might be more to life outside the ballet. It's a decent character growth novel, but ultimately, Hannah didn't seem to be a strong enough character for that to be all it is.

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

I very rarely give out five stars, but Breadcrumbs earns every single one of them. A novel that straddles that strange time between childhood and the start of the journey toward adulthood, it was so delightful to read Hazel's journey. The juxtaposition of reality versus the fantastical journey Hazel takes is wonderful, and there are so many themes woven along the way; what friendship is and how it changes, how adulthood can change us, and that the cold, stark reality of being alone is something that will always be there. How you deal with it is what matters. I haven't been struck this hard by a book since I read Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls. Something about translating adult emotions and matters for middle-grade readers without being condescending produces some amazing work out of authors. I love it.

When She Woke, by Hillary Jordan
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Set in a future where church and state are the same thing and changing someone's DNA to change the pigmentation of their skin is a crime deterrent, we follow the story of Hannah, a woman (girl, really) who is convicted of murder after she has an abortion. Though it sounded like everything that would get my blood boiling (separation of church and state and women's rights being hot button topics for me), I thought Hillary Jordan handled this really well. Hannah's journey is a slow moving but interesting one, and I felt for her every step of the way. The writing wasn't as strong as it could have been, but I really appreciated that while the novel takes religion head on, it also makes a point to have Hannah's faith stay strong and point out that there is a good and bad to belief, just as there is in every other aspect of life.

Everneath, by Brodi Ashton
Rating: ✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

I was really looking forward to this since I first heard about it, and boy, was I disappointed. The way Brodi Ashton retells the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, as well as her take on the Underworld is great, but the execution doesn't live up to the idea at all. I knew going in that it would involve a lot of true love, but I wasn't expecting 300 pages of our main character, Nikki, moping about and trying to figure out a way to say goodbye to her loved ones by doing absolutely nothing. Everything that happens to her is due to outside forces -- and by forces, I mean Cole and Jack, the boys in her life. Nikki doesn't do much but do some sleuthing and a lot of knitting. I did enjoy Jack, and the last 20 pages of the book picked things up considerably, but that didn't make up for the rest of it.

Review: Chicks Dig Comics

2012-04-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

Very rarely do my reviews here crossover with my other big love and endeavor, Girls Read Comics Too. Anything having to do with comic reading gets put over there, but I wanted to add this review here as well, because this book needs to be seen in as many places as it possibly can.

Chicks Dig Comics
Editors: Lynne M. Thomas & Sigrid Ellis
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
Release: April 10th, 2012
A copy was provided for review by the publisher.

Summary:
In Chicks Dig Comics, editors Lynne M. Thomas (Hugo-Award-winning Chicks Dig Time Lords) and Sigrid Ellis bring together essays by award-winning writers and artists who celebrate the comics medium and its creators, and who examine the characters and series that they love.
Gail Simone (Birds of Prey) and Carla Speed McNeil (Finder) describe how they entered the comics industry. Colleen Doran (A Distant Soil) reveals her superhero crush, while Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother) confesses to being a comics junkie. Jen Van Meter (Hopeless Savages) sings the praises of 1970s horror comics, and Seanan McGuire (the October Daye series) takes sides in the Jean Grey vs. Emma Frost battle.

Other contributors include Marjorie Liu (Dark Wolverine), Rachel Edidin (Dark Horse Comics), Jill Pantozzi (Newsarama), Kelly Thompson (Comic Book Resources), and SF/F authors Sara Ryan, Delia Sherman, Sarah Monette, and Elizabeth Bear. Also featured: an introduction by Mark Waid (Kingdom Come) and exclusive interviews with Amanda Conner (Power Girl), Louise Simonson (Power Pack), Greg Rucka (Queen & Country), and Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise).

Review:
First off, a huge congratulations to Lynne M. Thomas and Sigrid Ellis, who managed to not just get together an impressive list of names, but also put each piece where it seemed to belong. There’s an amazing range of talent here, and there’s no denying that this book is what someone like me has needed for so long. I don’t even enjoy non-fiction that much, and I read this in one sitting.

There’s a great range of interests and pieces here. From interviews with Amanda Conner and Greg Rucka (yes, there are male contributors, and they are awesome) to wonderful pieces on creating comics, a journey into cosplay and everything in between, it feels like there’s something for every comic book lover here. These women not only create and work with comics, but they love them, and you can see it with every word they write.

My favorite piece is Tammy Garrison’s I’m Batman, where she doesn’t apologize for how much of a dick Bruce Wayne is, but explains how he can be inspiring in other ways. Anika Dane Milik’s Captain America’s Next Top Model, which talks about the art of stealth cosplay, is a favorite of mine. So is Jill Pantozzi’s dissection of the Green Lantern corps and how it relates to comic fans, Sara Ryan’s poignant comic panel vignettes, and Marjorie Liu’s love for stories.

Every single piece is worth the read, and I’m so glad Chicks Dig Comics exists.

In My Mailbox (7)

2012-04-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, featuring the books I've received in some way, shape or form this week. For more info, check out the introduction post.

I didn't do this last week, so I'm including what few things I've got since then!

Bought:
Dance of the Assassins, by Hervé Jubert, Anthea Bell (Translator)
The Clan of the Cave Bear, by Jean M. Auel
Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen
The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd

Birthday Gift:
Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai

From the Library:
A Little Wanting Song, by Cath Crowley
666 Park Avenue, by Gabriella Pierce
Everneath, by Brodi Ashton

For Review:
Chicks Dig Comics (for Girls Read Comics.com)

Shelf Candy (5)

2012-04-07T10:16:00.002-07:00

Shelf Candy is a weekly meme created by Steph at Five Alarm Book Reviews. Each week I'll feature a book cover I find gorgeous, evocative or interesting in one way or another. For more info on the meme, check out the introduction post here.

Freefall
By Mindi Scott

Why I chose this cover: Even if the title of the book didn't give you an idea of what it's about, this cover certainly will. I love negative space in anything, and it's used so well here. The black background makes the shattered glass stand out even more, and it's very compelling. I certainly wanted to know just what this book was all about when I first saw it.

Synopsis: Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend, Isaac, alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time when Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn't wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend's death, Seth is torn between turning his life around...or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth soon realizes he isn't the only one who needs saving.

Reader's Progress (7)

2012-04-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

Oh goodness, the last time I did one of these was back in February. Life has been picking up for me lately, as I've got a new job, and my 27th birthday was just on the 3rd. On top of all that, I got my very first prescription for eye glasses, so I've officially joined the stereotypical book reader slash librarian (even though I'm not, I like to pretend I am) ranks. This is going to be a big Reader's Progress, just how I like 'em.

Reader's progress is a bi-weekly post of what I've read, what I'm reading, and what's up next to read. (It's supposed to be, anyway.)

Currently Reading:

The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale
A wonderful bit of fantasy YA that I'm having a bit of trouble getting into when so many other books keep clamoring for my attention. I need to get back to this and give it the proper reading time it deserves.

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu
Middle grade reading set in that nebulous period of time where you still want to be a kid and believe in fairy tales, but you have to grow up soon. Very wonderful, I'll be finishing it soon.

Black Powder War, by Naomi Novik
After a few years apart from this alternate history with dragons series (I don't even remember why I stopped), I'm getting back into it. Happily so.

A Dance With Dragons, by George R.R. Martin
Finally getting to this beast, though it's not top priority and I anticipate reading it in bits and pieces for over a month.

Kill Me Softly, by Sarah Cross
Yay NetGalley arcs! Interesting modern twist on Grimm's fairy tales. I'm sort of torn on what I think on it so far.

Next Up:

My bookshelves sort of exploded in the last month. Honestly I must have gotten about 50 new books in the past five to six weeks, half of which were winnings from some giveaway or another, and the other half are my wallet crying after I discovered Goodwill bookstores have $2 paperbacks. But I'll go ahead with ARCs I need to get to and library books I have right now:

The Immortal Rules, by Julie Kagawa
Eeee vampire post-apocalyptic dystopia from Julie Kagawa! I was thrilled to get this ARC, and I'm reading it right away.

The Peculiars, by Maureen Doyle McQuerry
This looks so ridiculously fascinating and steampunky and intriguing, I can't wait to start.

The Kiss Off, by Sarah Billington
Veeery excited to get to this one, I haven't read some straight up contemporary in...oh, I don't know, a few weeks.

Innocent Darkness, by Suzanne Lazear
Um, steampunk plus fairy folk? YES PLEASE.

666 Park Avenue, by Gabriella Pierce
This spoke to me from the library shelves. "I look interesting," it whispered, and when I picked it up and read the back, it crowed, "See? Witches in your popcorn literature! Take meeeee!"

A Little Wanting Song, by Cath Crowley
I've seen Cath Crowley's name held up on a pedestal on Goodreads so much that I had to finally dive in, and this was the only one my library had.

Recently Read:

The City's Son, by Tom Pollock (Review to come)
Timeless, by Gail Carriger (Review to come)
Bunheads, by Sophie Flack (Review to come)
When She Woke, by Hillary Jordan (Review to come)
Grave Mercy, by R.L. LaFevers
The Catastrophic History of You and Me, by Jess E. Rothenberg
Pandemonium, by Lauren Oliver
I've Got Your Number, by Sophie Kinsella
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
Partials, by Dan Wells
Article 5, by Kristen Simmons
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, by Jennifer E. Smith
The Disenchantments, by Nina LaCour
The Miseducation of Cameron Post, by Emily M. Danforth
Catching Jordan, by Miranda Kenneally
Born Wicked, by Jessica Spotswood
Silent in the Grave, by Deanna Raybourn
Shut Out, by Kody Keplinger
The Mockingbirds, by Daisy Whitney
Austenland, by Shannon Hale
The True Meaning of Smekday, by Adam Rex
Tomorrow, When the War Began, by John Marsden
Friends with Boys, by Faith Erin Hicks
Blood Rights, by Kristen Painter
Darkness Falls, by Cate Tiernan
Fracture, by Megan Miranda

Review: Grave Mercy, by R.L. LaFevers

2012-04-04T23:24:00.003-07:00

Grave Mercy
Author: R.L. LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
Release: April 3rd, 2012
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads
Received for review from NetGalley; this had no effect on the outcome of this review.

Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Review:
So, take YA historical fiction, throw in a dash of paranormal, a heavy heaping of romance, a bit of intrigue and some ASSASSIN NUNS, and you have Grave Mercy. It's definitely a unique book, as I haven't read anything like it in YA lately.

Ismae is an incredibly strong character - from the start of her journey toward being an ASSASSIN NUN to the main plot and the way she weaves herself into it, she's always very present, and you're always very aware of her. Whether you like or dislike her as a character, there's no doubt she leaves an impression. I found myself wanting to shake her at times, even dipping into the occasional bout of dislike in certain chapters, but eventually she won me over. Some of her character progression was predictable, but I enjoyed reading the conflict between her ASSASSIN NUN life and her budding romance.

The plot itself...is interesting. So much intrigue, so many twists and turns, and yet it all gets buried under the romance. I found the romance aspect nice, but there came a point where it got to be too much when I just wanted to find out who the traitor was. At times, this felt way too much like a historical romance novel that had been branded YA simply because of Ismae's age and the toned down violence. Everything about it from the tone to the plot to the depth of the romance seems to scream adult fiction. Which isn't a bad thing, don't get me wrong.

It was a decent read. The aspects I liked (the intrigue, Ismae's growth) just barely outweighed the ones I didn't (romaaaaaance), and I especially enjoyed that there was only a dash of paranormal, and it's treated as normal in Ismae's world. I don't know that I'd immediately recommend this to anyone, but it's worth a shot if you're the type of person who really likes a little intrigue and ASSASSIN NUNS in their YA historical romance.

Mini Reviews: The Catastrophic History of You and Me, Pandemonium, I've Got Your Number

2012-03-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

The Catastrophic History of You and Me, by Jess Rothenberg
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Following the afterlife of a girl who dies from a broken heart -- literally, her heart breaks in two -- this is a sweet, quirky novel about what it means to move on. Brie spends most of the novel going through the various stages of grief over her own death, and though they're clearly written out in the narrative and by Patrick, her guide to the afterlife, it's all very well done. It's not a perfect novel, and at times I really wanted to shake Brie, but I devoured it in two sittings (as I waited in line for The Hunger Games and in bed after!).

Pandemonium, by Lauren Oliver
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

I loved Delirium, so I was definitely looking forward to Pandemonium, even keeping in mind that sophomore novels can never live up to that wonderful rush of the first novel. Pandemonium tries hard to kick things up a notch, but ultimately it seems to fall a tiny bit short. Only a tiny bit! Lena's story is still engaging, and it's nice to follow her again. The one thing that knocked the fourth star off this review, however, was the new love interest (highlight for spoiler) and a cliffhanger that inevitably introduces a love triangle. Why, Lauren Oliver? WHY?

I've Got Your Number, by Sophie Kinsella
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

This was my first Sophie Kinsella novel (I know, right?) and I found incredibly pleasing in a Hits The Right Chick Lit Spot kinda way. For something that required nothing but a minor investment in the characters, it was a lot of fun. The main character, Poppy, was a little too much at times (when she starts meddling, oh God, just stop and think for a second, girl) and parts of the plot wrapped up a little too neatly to make things easy for her -- not to mention the big climax that was totally written with a movie scene in mind. I see what you did there, Sophie.

In My Mailbox (6)

2012-03-25T14:07:00.001-07:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, featuring the books I've received in some way, shape or form this week. For more info, check out the introduction post.

I've discovered two different Goodwill bookstores in my area, so I had a ball going in and discovering all their paperbacks were $2 each. Boooooks! Add getting my very first paycheck in a long time, and I've had a great week.

Yeah yeah, books etc etc but LOOK AT MY BRAND NEW NOOK! I bought the Nook Simple Touch because I don't need much out of my e-readers, and my old generic one finally bit the dust last week. I'm so excited about the Nook, and the e-ink display has been so much better on my eyes than a back-lit display. I named it Shepard, after the character in Mass Effect (and my micro SD card is my favorite romance option in the game, Kaidan).

Books I bought from Goodwill:
Moon Called, by Patricia Briggs
Midnighters, by Scott Westerfeld
Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides
Girl with a Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

And books from the library, which I keep forgetting to picture as well:
When She Woke, by Hillary Jordan
Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu

Yay books! If you're here via the meme and follow me, let me know and I'll reciprocate!

Shelf Candy (4)

2012-03-24T08:59:00.002-07:00

Touched
By Cyn Balog

Why I chose this cover: Touched won't be released until August, but the moment I saw the cover for it in a thumbnail I immediately went into have to have this book mode. The font doesn't work for me, but the beauty in the dark swirls around the character on the cover is what appeals most to me. I love the detail of the ferris wheel in the background almost framing the character, which adds a new layer to it. Then there is the color palette, the gorgeous dark blues and greens, giving the entire thing a moody, creepy feeling. It needs to be August already!

Synopsis: Nick Cross always listens to the voice in his head. Because if he doesn't? Things can go really, really wrong. Like the day he decided to go off script and saved a girl from being run over . . . and let another one drown. Trying to change the future doesn't work.

But this summer at the Jersey Shore, something's about to happen that Nick never could have predicted. He meets a girl named Taryn and finds out about the Book of Touch. Now the path that he thought he was on begins to shift . . . and there's no way to stop things from happening. Or is there?

In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he's about to discover--or the choice he will be forced to make.

Mini Reviews: Ready Player One, Partials, Article 5

2012-03-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Possibly the biggest love letter to nerds and 80s pop culture out there to date, Ready Player One following Wade, aka Parzival, as he hunts for a treasure within the virtual reality game he spends most of his time in. Aside from the fun of the virtual reality and pop culture references, what makes this book really resonate is the way Wade grows as he deals with friends, enemies, and the difference between his virtual world and the real one. At times I felt the book dragged on a bit with all the pop culture descriptions and the length of time between the moments the action picked up again, but I always sprang right back when things got interesting again. It's incredibly fun, engaging, and as someone born in the middle of the 80s, it made me feel so awesome to know about 98% of all the pop culture references.

Partials, by Dan Wells
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Honestly, I wasn't so blown away by Partials. I love me some post-apocalyptic dystopian YA, and it's even better when ~~cylons~~ human-looking androids are the ones who destroyed the world. RM is a virus that killed most humans, and kills babies days after they're born. The human race is dying off, and Kira, teenage medic and doctor in training, decides she's going to cure it. By kidnapping a Partial, the robots that destroyed humanity. Kira was a strong protagonist, I can't deny that, but it mostly felt like she was off doing what she did because she was incredibly stubborn and couldn't even consider the fact that maybe, I don't know, she was being crazy. It would have helped if all the adults in the novel weren't written as roadblocks for Kira or totally eeeeevil~ conspirators.

Article 5, by Kristen Simmons
Rating: ✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

With so many rave reviews on Goodreads, I was looking forward to Article 5, but uuugghhhh it fell totally flat for me. It was an easy read, one I did it two short sittings, but I didn't particularly enjoy it. When creating a dystopia like the one in Article 5, you need to at least have some sort of explanation. "The was a war and there's an overly-religious government in place and btw this happened only a few years ago" does not a good dystopia make. On top of that, Ember, our main character, was so hard for me to like. She seemed so naive and stupid, and if she was written that way because she was totally sheltered her whole life, cool. If not, well. Ember's constant questioning of Chase, her former love and rescuer, drove me up a wall. So did their lack of communication, angst and constant second guessing what each other said because they were both so hurt by the other. Too much drama, man.

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, by Jennifer E. Smith

2012-03-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Summary:

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Summary:
The thing about a novel like this, a novel that declares everything it entails in the title...you have to live up to that name. You have to create a first moment of connection without sinking to the dreaded paranormal romance ~Instaluv~ trap. You have to create true chemistry between the leads. You have to make things believable, because if you're going to tell me that two characters are going to fall in love on a flight to London, then I want to believe in it so wholeheartedly that I can't argue against it.

Sadly, this novel doesn't exactly get there. I can see the connections between Hadley and Oliver, and why they'd be drawn to each other. The problem is, it felt like there wasn't enough time for love to happen. In trying to make the novel seem much more than just a simple romance novel, Hadley's entire reason for the trip, her father's wedding to a new woman, dominates the novel, not the romance. I found myself caring less and less as time went on, because 70% of what I was reading was about Hadley and her father's relationship. I didn't care what happened with Oliver by the end of the novel, and instead had way more questions than answers. When separating Hadley's growth and her relationship with her father from the romance, it was actually a pretty insightful and touching novel. When separating Hadley and Oliver from the family stuff...it fell flat.

This could have been a really fantastic contemporary romance novel -- and there's no shame in that, absolutely none -- but it got bogged down in content that turned it into an entirely different book. I wanted epic romance, dammit.

In My Mailbox (5)

2012-03-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, featuring the books I've received in some way, shape or form this week. For more info, check out the introduction post.

A few weeks ago I won The Book Life's follower love giveaway of a mystery box of books, and this week it arrived. Best mystery box EVER. Thank you again, Sarah!

In the box:
Chopsticks, by Jessica Anthony
Lovetorn, by Kavita Daswani
The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers, by Lynn Weingarten
Kiss Crush Collide, by Christina Meredith
Double, by Jenny Valentine
Never Eighteen, by Megan Bostic
Tempest (audiobook), by Julie Cross
A bunch of very cute bookmarks, buttons and a notebook.

Other books I got this week that I was too lazy to take pictures of:

Bought (yay Goodwill bookstores!):
The Nanny Diaries, by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson

From the library:
The Magicians, by Lev Grossman
If I Stay, by Gayle Foreman
Dead to You, by Lisa McMann
The Black Stiletto, by Raymond Benson
Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver

Edit: I forgot I got a couple of ARCs from NetGalley as well!
Avatar: The Last Airbender, Vol. 1, by Gene Luen Yang, Bryan Konietzko. Artist Gurihiru (eee!)
The City's Son, by Tom Pollock
Innocent Darkness, by Suzanne Lazear

Review: The Disenchantments, by Nina LaCour

2012-03-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

The Disenchantments
Author: Nina LaCour
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Summary:

Colby's post-high school plans have long been that he and his best friend Bev would tour with her band, then spend a year in Europe. When Bev announces that she will start college just after the tour, Colby struggles to understand why she changed her mind and what losing her means for his future.

Review:
I feel really strange writing this review with Nicki Minaj on, because The Disenchantments celebrates the girl rockers of the 80s and on that paved the way for the likes of the titular fictional band, but anything to get those writing juices flowing, am I right? Moving on!

The Disenchantments begins as the three girls in the band -- Bev, Meg and Alexa -- and their friend and faithful roadie Colby, our narrator, stand on the precipice that will lead into that huge plunge into adulthood. Colby and Bev are best friends, and have been planning to skip college for a year and see Europe instead -- until Bev changes her mind, tells Colby she's going to college after all, and leaves him in the lurch. It doesn't help that Colby's madly in love with Bev and always has been.

Thus begins a rather charming novel about what it means to suddenly not know what you're facing in life, what it's like when the steadiest thing in your life suddenly isn't there anymore, and how to face it all without giving up. Narrated by Colby, it's easy to get caught up in in the girls and their not-so-great music, in the way he sees each and every one of them. There's an almost nostalgic feel to the book, for those of us who've moved on past that point of no return. That moment when you realized you were going to have to be an adult and there was no turning back.

All of that is caught up in the strangeness and delight that makes up a road trip; all the strange people you meet, the shady motels, the gorgeous landscapes, and how close you get to the others you're spending hours in a car (or VW Minibus, in this case) with. It's tangled up in how painful and wonderful love can be, what it's like to grow apart from your closest friends. What it's like to move on and still have some sort of hope for your future.

The Disenchantments struck a surprisingly close to home for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd recommend it for someone looking light YA that has a thread of deeper emotion to it.

Also, I may or may not have sunglasses suspiciously similar in shape and color to the ones on the girl on the cover.

Mini Reviews: The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Catching Jordan, Born Wicked, Silent in the Grave

2012-03-12T00:11:00.001-07:00

I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted! I recently got a new job (yay!) and have been adjusting to that, as well as reading kinda slowly. But here are some mini reviews of books I've recently finished!

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, by Emily M. Danforth
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

This book follows the journey of young Cameron Post, a girl whose parents die just as she begins to discover her burgeoning homosexuality. And it sounds really strange and trite when put that way, but there's so much to this novel. Cameron's day to day confusion with liking girls seems so real and present, despite it taking place in the early 90s. Eventually Cameron's religious aunt sends to a de-gaying camp, and that's where I felt the book dropped a star, in my eyes. It was great to see Cameron grow as a person, even if she was confused ninety percent of the time. Following her story as she slowly realized who she was and who she could be was a delight. I just wish it didn't feel like the book simply ended.

Catching Jordan, by Miranda Kenneally
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Catching Jordan is a rather cute contemporary romance novel, featuring a tomboy who is not only the only female on her football team, but the star quarterback and captain. It was refreshing having someone like Jordan to read along with, and though I know little of and care even less for football, it never made reading this a task. Though I knew going in that it was pure romance, I wish there could have been a little more to it than Jordan falling at first sight for the new guy in town. All in all, it was a cute novel, something to read and enjoy on a great, sunny day.

Born Wicked, by Jessica Spotswood
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

I'd been looking forward to Born Wicked for quite some time, so when I finally got my hands on it, I was a bit disappointed. It was definitely interesting, at the least, and I liked reading about how different the three sisters were and how Cate, the oldest, dealt with being a stand-in mother for her siblings and how that affected their relationship. The rest of the plot seemed to move slow as molasses. I really couldn't have cared less for the weak love triangle, and none of the drama felt real because nothing felt like a threat the way Cate believed saw it. The writing could have been stronger. I think I'll probably pick up the rest of the series to see what happens, but it's not high on my want list.

Silent in the Grave, by Deanna Raybourn
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

I enjoyed Silent in the Grave, but I'm still not sure why. There were many things that should have stopped me from reading very early on: the writing was decent, but not very strong; the plot didn't really seem to matter because our protagonist kept doing other things; there was the most random acceptance of feminism and homosexuality for the time period; the lead male and possible romantic aspect was waaaay too Interesting and Different and Perfect. But I still read on. I STILL READ ON. Maybe it was Lady Julia herself, maybe it was the fact that she didn't just blunder into clues and when she did do something stupid, she got called out on it. I don't know. I just know that I still read and was interested in every single chapter despite my problems with it.

Review: Shut Out, by Kody Keplinger

2012-03-04T16:42:00.000-08:00

Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

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

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

Review:
While it seems totally superficial and maybe a tiny bit ridiculous at first, I enjoyed Shut Out enough to read it in one full sitting. It was a breezy, fun way to spend a couple of hours, and I was totally immersed in Lissa's world and what she was doing for herself and for the girls at her school.

Lissa is a smart girl, full of neuroses but still popular and surrounded by friends anyway. She's tired of a stupid feud between sports teams because it means her boyfriend makes her feel used, and her brilliant idea is to propose a sex strike. So much of this is plucked from the play Lysistrata, which Cash even points out to Lissa. (Juuuust because you point it out in the book doesn't mean you didn't yank the idea wholesale from the play, Keplinger. Just saying.)

Keplinger is a decent writer, but maybe not quite as fantastic as she could have been for writing this book. It didn't really need flowery prose or navel gazing, but something a little stronger would have made the book have more of an impact than it did when I finished reading. At times, it felt like Lissa was simply Keplinger's soapbox as she ranted about sexual stereotypes and patted herself on the back for questioning them and having Lissa's fellow classmates begin to find their own sexual identities along the way.

It was still a whole boatload of fun, however. I had my problems with parts of it, but I have to at least shake Keplinger's hand for writing a YA novel all about sex -- and not just about sex, but girls talking about and discussing what sex means to them so openly.

Hounded Read-Along

2012-03-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

The Hounded read-along is hosted this week by Geeky Blogger's Book Blog. Head over there for more info, discussion and links to others taking part in the read-along!

I've put the questions and my answers behind a jump for those who haven't read yet.

1) Kevin Hearne had the most perfect beginning for this book: "There are many perks to living for twenty-one centuries, and formost among them is bearing witness to the rare birth of genius." If you were to live for centuries what do you think you would be excited to see?

Everything! I'd love to stick around to see how computers and the internet develops, as that's my passion. Though I think in a century everyone would be living in virtual realities or something, and that would probably suck.

2) In the 2nd chapter we learn about the amulet and its protection powers! Do you think having met the Morrigan and heard about Aenghus Og that it will be enough to protect Atticus? I mean the Morrigan has a point about hot chicks coming after him and his defenses might be down! He is very male!

Haha, Atticus seems to be too aware of everything and the constant danger he's in to really let anything get to him. I think he'll totally kick ass where and when he needs to.

3) The literary world's coolest dog is introduced in this chapter! Did you love Oberon immediately? Show me a picture or describe the type of animal you would love to have as a talking companion! (Cat, Dog, Mouse, Sloth, Horse---what is your pick--pictures please)?

YES, I fell in love with Oberon right away. It's hard not to, when he's funnier than Atticus. If I had an animal talk to me, it'd probably be a cat. Or maybe a dog like Dug from Up, he'd be adorable to talk to from time to time.

4) In this chapter Flidais asked Atticus what his name is and then precedes to ask if anyone actually believes he is Greek? He says nobody pays attention to names here. Do you know what your name means and where it comes from? Or do you have a name you wish had? Let's talk names!

My name is French, and it's supposed to be spelled Chantal but my mother wanted the extra A in there to emphasize the way the second syllable sounds. Her side of the family is mostly southern, and I guess it helped a little when I grew up with only 20% rather than 80% of people thinking my name is Shantel or something. :P It means stone, or boulder, and I wouldn't change it.

5) We learn about Atticus' lawyers in this chapter, a rather unique combo! Without jumping ahead, would you hire a lawyer combination of two supernaturals who on the surface would appear to be natural enemies or at the very least two very Alpha attitudes? What would be the positives and negatives of that decision.

Yessss, I totally would. I'd be happy no matter what they are or how they act as long as they get my work done and pull me out of any scrapes I might get into.

RAK: February 2012 Wrap-Up

2012-02-29T23:19:00.000-08:00

This was my first RAK ever, so I didn't expect to be picked out of the giant shuffle of bloggers taking part in this, which was just fine with me. In fact, I was happy to send out at least one book!

I gave Possessions by Nancy Holder to MaryAnn at Chapter By Chapter, and making someone's day like that (as well as finding a new blog to follow!) was pretty awesome. Here's to next month's RAK!

Hounded Read-Along!

2012-02-29T23:05:00.003-08:00

I'm sure if you've been here some time, by now you know of my love for the Iron Druid Series by Kevin Hearne. A few bloggers are getting together for a read-along of Hounded, the first book in the series, with Kevin Hearne answering questions and being generally awesome at the end of it all! For more info and to sign up, check out the intro post over at Geeky Bloggers Book Blog.

Since I had so much fun doing the Some Girls Bite Read-Along AND Hounded features one of my favorite characters ever (sorry, Cal Leandros, but my love for Atticus is a burning fire of emotion~) I jumped on it excitedly.

It helps that today I started my first day at a new job and I got an email confirming me as a volunteer for Comic Con 2012. THUMBS UP FOR LEAP DAY 2012!

Also I decided to re-read The Hunger Games in anticipation for the movie, and I read the first book in about two hours. MY LOVE FOR YOU IS A WARM OVEN, PEETA MELLARK. Or something, idk, just look at how cute Josh Hutcherson is.

Review: The Mockingbirds, by Daisy Whitney

2012-02-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Mockingbirds
Author: Daisy Whitney
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Summary:

Some schools have honor codes. Others have handbooks. Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds. When Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

Review:
I had really high hopes for this book since the first time I read the summary, and I'm really, really glad it lived up to my every expectation.

First off, I think the subject of Alex's date rape is handled with obvious care, but Daisy Whitney doesn't pull punches or try to pretend it's anything but what it is: a horrifying, disorienting, self-doubting experience that no girl or woman should ever have to go through. From the first page I was right there with Alex, and I felt for her in a way I haven't with any other female character in a long time.

The plot itself is fairly straightforward, with enough secrecy surrounding the Mockingbirds and how everything is handled to keep it from getting boring. Every character surrounding Alex seemed real and thoughtfully drawn out, each with their own lives going on but there wholeheartedly to support her when she needed it. I loved seeing a novel in a school setting where there weren't any Mean Girls for no reason at all, which happens way more than I'd like it to.

The Mockingbirds is a great read, something I recommend wholeheartedly, especially to teens. This is one of those books that is more important for the teen set than it is for us adults who love YA.

In My Mailbox (4)

2012-02-26T13:10:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, featuring the books I've received in some way, shape or form this week. For more info, check out the introduction post.

Tiny week! The last two books of my Amazon haul came in, and I got two more from the libarary. Not much else this week.

Bought:
The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield
Queen of Camelot, by Nancy McKenzie

From the Library:
Ashfall, by Mike Mullin
The Dead of Night (Tomorrow #2) by John Marsden

Mini Reviews: I Read Too Much

2012-02-25T14:21:00.000-08:00

Going through my list of recently read books on Goodreads, I realized A) I read way too much, and B) I haven't written reviews for a lot of them. So many blank spaces makes me sad. So, rather than write up a bunch of posts that will sit in my drafts forever, have a bunch of mini reviews!

Austenland, by Shannon Hale
Rating: ✮✮
Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

I had incredibly high hopes (okay, not incredibly, but they were up there) for this novel, but it seemed to fall flat for me. It was cute in a way, but it was hard to relate to Jane, our heroine, on her journey of self-discovery and determination to rid herself of a fantasy she could never hope to achieve. The idea of Austenland, a place where you can play at being in the Regency-era seems fun, but it came across as boring and stuffy, nothing like I expected. Not even Jane's adventures throughout could have brought this to life for me.

The True Meaning of Smekday, by Adam Rex
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

What a hilarious, delightful little book. Gratuity Tucci has to write an essay discussing what the true meaning of Smekday, the day aliens conquered Earth, means to her. Thus begins the hilarious and often sweet story of Gratuity's journey to find her mother, accompanied by an alien who calls himself J.Lo and her mother's cat. The adventure is huge, the aliens hilarious, the action thrilling, and every picture and drawing littered about made this an incredibly charming read. I totally recommend it to everyone.

Tomorrow, When the War Began, by John Marsden
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

I am never, ever messing with Australian teens, man. I've heard so many good things about this series for a while, and when I picked up the first book, I could see why. I read it in one sitting (with a caffeine deprivation headache) and enjoyed it thoroughly. Seeing how the teens adapt and grow into tiny adults as they struggle with the enormity of what's happening is wonderful, and seeing them go into action in the small ways they can made me cheer for them. I'll definitely be reading the rest of this series -- I already have book two from the library.

Friends with Boys, by Faith Erin Hicks
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Originally a webcomic, this graphic novels collects the strips in one easy to read format. I really loved Friends with Boys, which follows Maggie McKay as she leaves homeschooling for high school for the first time. The secondary cast around her is fantastic, from her rambunctious brothers to the few friends she makes in school. Oh, and Maggie sees a ghost or something, no big deal. I really loved how true this felt to all of us who spent most of high school feeling invisible until we made those friends and had adventures that would last us for life.

Blood Rights, by Kristen Painter
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

A really nice, lush vampire novel. The world building in this was fantastic, and I've gushed about the cover before. Though at times I felt it seemed to drag a bit under the weight of what Painter was trying to do with her characters and her world, Blood Rights was exactly the vampire novel I needed at the time. I could have done without the sexual tension between the main characters, but I enjoyed them both on their own. (Even if the angsty vampire who can't/won't drink blood is so overdone at this point.) I enjoyed it, and I'll be picking up the rest of the series when I can.

Shelf Candy (3)

2012-02-25T13:24:00.000-08:00

What's Left of Me
By Kat Zhang

Why I chose this cover: This book won't be released until September, but the cover is just so striking that I had to single it out among the recently released covers I've seen in the past week or two. Usually this sort of effect freaks me out (because it's almost never done right), but it absolutely works for this cover. The book has to do with two souls sharing a body, and in that regard, this is a perfect cover. The blending work is amazing, and I love how the silhouette of one face seems to trap the second. So, so well done.

Synopsis: Eva and Addie live in a world where everyone is born with two souls, but where only the dominant one is allowed to survive childhood. Fifteen years old, and closer even than twins, the girls are keeping Eva, the ‘second soul’, a secret. They know that it’s forbidden to be hybrid, but how could they ever be apart?

When a dramatic event reveals what really happens to hybrids if they are discovered, Eva and Addie face a dangerous fight for survival, neither wanting to be the one left behind…

Review: Darkness Falls, by Cate Tiernan

2012-02-22T19:16:00.000-08:00

Darkness Falls
Author: Cate Tiernan
Series: Immortal Beloved #2
Rating: ✮✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Summary:
Nastasya has lived for hundreds of years, but for some reason, life never seems to get any better. She left her spoiled, rich girl life to find peace at River's Edge, a safe haven for wayward immortals. There, she learned to embrace River's Edge, despite some drama involving the sexy Reyn, who she wants but won't allow herself to have. But just as she's getting comfortable, her family's ties to dark magick force her to leave.

She falls back into her old, hard partying ways, but will her decision lead her into the hands of a dark immortal? Or will it be her first step to embracing the darkness within her?

Review:
I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Immortal Beloved, and was anxious to have Darkness Falls live up to it -- which it totally did.

We continue with Nastasya's emotional journey as she's in immortal rehab, and while at times it felt like the first third of Darkness Falls was treading the same ground Immortal Beloved did, new ideas and revelations in Nastasya's life keep it from being the same old thing. I loved Nastasya as much as I did in the first book, and while I was so-so on Reyn at first, he skyrocketed to Book Boyfriend status in this one. His sexual tensions with Nastasya is amazing, and while there are plenty of reasons either would produce for not being together, I wanted to lock them in a room and make them have adorable Nordic immortal babies.

Nastasya's regression is done pretty well, from the reason she finally falls back into her old life to the allure of Innocencio and the darkness that seems to surround her. I spent the last thirty or so pages clutching the book in anxiety on Nastasya's behalf, and I loved the ending.

Here's to waiting forever for Immortal Light.

Review: Fracture, by Megan Miranda

2012-02-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Rating: ✮✮✮
Book Depository | Indie Bound | Goodreads

Summary:
Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine - despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

Review:
Fracture promises something chilly, a ride through the life of a girl who survives a should-be-fatal accident and ends up with some kind of weird power. When thinking of just those points, it did exactly what it set out to do; I was caught up in everything poor Delaney goes through, from her confusion about living to the despair and loneliness she feels as a result of being that miracle girl. She changes and grows, and not only because of the new power she has to sense death.

Delaney is a pretty decent protagonist, if you remember that she isn't meant to be someone who's all sunshine and roses the entire time. I found her friendship and sexual tension (That's a little much. Relationship tension?) with her best friend Decker really believable, which makes the creepiness of Troy's motives for befriending Delaney even worse.

The break from her family and friends that Delaney goes through is believable and I felt for her. I just wish the book had been a bit warmer in general, though that's an entirely personal opinion.