Sunday, November 27, 2011
Blogging Break
Hey, everybody! I'll be super busy next week and so will be disconnecting from the blogosphere from now until about December 10th. See you all when I get back!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber
My Rating: 3.5 hearts
Thoughts on the Novel: Set in New York City, Leanna Renee Hieber’s Darker Still is a slow-paced but seductive novel that draws the reader into a world full of magic that’s centred on beliefs about spiritualism – a subject I’m not at all familiar with but liked learning about.
Although the setting and the overall atmosphere of the book was what I loved most about Darker Still, I also liked that Hieber chose to create a unique protagonist. Since Natalie is a mute, the book is narrated through her journal entries and so allows the reader to forge a deeper connection with her. Smart and witty, I loved that Natalie refuses to be a damsel in distress and doesn’t hesitate to create her own opportunities while also appreciating all the things that she’s been given.
The relationship between Natalie and the charming Lord Denbury in Darker Still starts off deliciously tense. I kept waiting for them to just kiss already! After that first kiss though, the romance lost a tiny bit of its appeal because it progressed faster than I would have liked, especially considering that the story is set during the Victorian era. Still, it was definitely passionate.
A great beginning to what I’m sure will be an enchanting series; Darker Still was released by Sourcebooks Fire on November 8, 2011.
Comments About the Cover: I like that you can tell that Natalie is starting to go into the painting. Where is the handsome Lord Denbury though?
Although the setting and the overall atmosphere of the book was what I loved most about Darker Still, I also liked that Hieber chose to create a unique protagonist. Since Natalie is a mute, the book is narrated through her journal entries and so allows the reader to forge a deeper connection with her. Smart and witty, I loved that Natalie refuses to be a damsel in distress and doesn’t hesitate to create her own opportunities while also appreciating all the things that she’s been given.
The relationship between Natalie and the charming Lord Denbury in Darker Still starts off deliciously tense. I kept waiting for them to just kiss already! After that first kiss though, the romance lost a tiny bit of its appeal because it progressed faster than I would have liked, especially considering that the story is set during the Victorian era. Still, it was definitely passionate.
A great beginning to what I’m sure will be an enchanting series; Darker Still was released by Sourcebooks Fire on November 8, 2011.
Comments About the Cover: I like that you can tell that Natalie is starting to go into the painting. Where is the handsome Lord Denbury though?
Since November is NaNoWriMo and some of you have been hard at work writing/typing up a potential novel, why not enter the Young Adult Novel Discovery Competition before it ends?
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Serendipity Literary Agency, in collaboration with Gotham Writers' Workshop, is hosting its Third Annual Young Adult Novel Discovery Competition for a chance to win a one-on-one consultation with one of New York's leading YA literary agents!
If you've written a novel for young adults—or have an idea for one that you would like to write—we invite you to enter our contest. Simply submit only an enticing title along with the first 250 words from the opening of your original YA novel. http://bit.ly/YAContest
GREAT PRIZES
The Grand Prize Winner will have the opportunity to submit an entire manuscript to YA literary agent Regina Brooks and receive a free, 10-week writing course, courtesy of Gotham Writers' Workshop, plus a collection of gourmet teas from Possibiliteas.co.
The Top Five Entrants (including the Grand Prize winner) will receive a 15-minute, one-on-one pitch session with Regina Brooks, one of New York’s premier literary agents for young adult books. They will also receive commentary on their submissions by editors at Scholastic, Disney, Harlequin Teen, Random House, Viking, Roaring Brook Press, Sourcebooks, and Kimani Tru and receive a one-year subscription to The Writer magazine.
If you've written a novel for young adults—or have an idea for one that you would like to write—we invite you to enter our contest. Simply submit only an enticing title along with the first 250 words from the opening of your original YA novel. http://bit.ly/YAContest
GREAT PRIZES
The Grand Prize Winner will have the opportunity to submit an entire manuscript to YA literary agent Regina Brooks and receive a free, 10-week writing course, courtesy of Gotham Writers' Workshop, plus a collection of gourmet teas from Possibiliteas.co.
The Top Five Entrants (including the Grand Prize winner) will receive a 15-minute, one-on-one pitch session with Regina Brooks, one of New York’s premier literary agents for young adult books. They will also receive commentary on their submissions by editors at Scholastic, Disney, Harlequin Teen, Random House, Viking, Roaring Brook Press, Sourcebooks, and Kimani Tru and receive a one-year subscription to The Writer magazine.
The First 50 Entrants will receive a copy of Writing Great Books for Young Adults by Regina Brooks.
Enter to win at http://bit.ly/YAContest
Hurry contest ends November 30, 2011!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Review: Crave by Melissa Darnell
From Goodreads: Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail. For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back ... different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences ...
My Rating: 3 hearts
Thoughts on the Novel: Crave by Melissa Darnell begins with a really intense prologue. The actual story then shows how Savannah and her boyfriend, Tristan, got to the point in the prologue and continues it from there. The problem: getting to the actual scene in the prologue takes a really long time! I thought a lot of unnecessary mundane stuff like going to school and finding a way to sneak in a makeout session could have definitely been cut in order to let readers reach the dramatic parts of the story faster.
The characters themselves aren’t really memorable. It’s been a couple of weeks since I read Crave, and all I can remember is that Savannah and Tristan seemed like the typical paranormal YA teens – you know, they fall in love fast and don’t take too long to accept that they’re more than human. I did like Savannah’s best friend, Anne, however. She was smart, snarky, and just an overall awesome friend.
Crave was a decent start to The Clann series and the way it ended made me at least a little curious to see what’s going to happen next to Savannah and Tristan. Hopefully its sequel, Covet, will have plenty of action and be more exciting right from the beginning.
Crave was released in October 2011 by Harlequin Teen.
Comments About the Cover: I have no clue how the cover relates to the plot of the story, but the model's dress is pretty.
The characters themselves aren’t really memorable. It’s been a couple of weeks since I read Crave, and all I can remember is that Savannah and Tristan seemed like the typical paranormal YA teens – you know, they fall in love fast and don’t take too long to accept that they’re more than human. I did like Savannah’s best friend, Anne, however. She was smart, snarky, and just an overall awesome friend.
Crave was a decent start to The Clann series and the way it ended made me at least a little curious to see what’s going to happen next to Savannah and Tristan. Hopefully its sequel, Covet, will have plenty of action and be more exciting right from the beginning.
Crave was released in October 2011 by Harlequin Teen.
Comments About the Cover: I have no clue how the cover relates to the plot of the story, but the model's dress is pretty.
In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Review: The Predicteds
From Back Cover: The whole school is freaking out about Profile, an experimental program that can predict students' future behaviour. But the only question Daphne wants answered is whether Jesse will ask her out. He's definite boyfriend potential and Daphne is falling hard, but there's something about his past he's not telling her. When the Profile results are revealed, Daphne is devastated: Jesse is a Predicted, destined to commit an act of severe violence. She's torn between two choices: Follow her heart which tells her he's innocent. Or go with her head, which says she'd better run ... before it's too late.
My Rating: 3 hearts
Thoughts on the Novel: The Predicteds by Christine Seifert raises the question of whether we are products of nature or nurture. Do we act the way we do because of our biological makeup or can we change who we’re supposed to become?
In The Predicteds, scientists have created a program called Profile which can determine whether you’re going to “commit a crime, engage in addictive behaviours and/or behave in socially problematic ways in the future.” As someone who is majoring in neuroscience, I thought the premise was interesting, particularly since it was explored in the aftermath of a school shooting.
For students who experienced something so traumatic, the kids at Quiet High appear to recover relatively quickly. When a girl is found beaten by a baseball bat though and Profile scores are released publicly by the school, – whatever happened to personal privacy? – the reaction of the town is extreme (which in a way makes sense because they’ve gone through a school shooting and a child being beaten). Predicted students are immediately segregated to a different part of the school and ostracized.
In general, the characters in The Predicteds were hard for me to relate to. Daphne for example seems smart, but hangs out with a group of people that she clearly can’t stand and that I found completely annoying. I also couldn’t really feel the connection that Daphne had with Jesse. He wants her to trust him but is constantly hanging out with/attempting to save another girl, and starts acting weird once he realizes his Profile results are going to be made public.
Unfortunately, rather than focusing on Profile, Seifert made it like a side plot. Still, The Predicteds does bring up some interesting ethical questions like: If we know that someone is going to commit a crime only based on personality, IQ and neuroscience tests, should we treat them any differently? Also, by telling someone that they’re destined to commit a crime or become addicted to something, are we not in a way giving them the go-ahead signal to do whatever it is they’re supposed to do, and indicating that they’re not capable of changing who they are? Note that the brain is malleable; and although it affects the way you experience things, your experiences also alter the brain.
I was really curious about the science behind Profile as well, but The Predicteds never really gets into it that much. If a program like Profile is ever developed in real life, I’d be very concerned about who was coming up with these arbitrary cutoff scores and who stands to gain from the program. As Seifert shows, being wealthy can enable someone to get their name off the Predicteds list.
The Predicteds was released by Sourcebooks Fire in September 2011.
Comments About the Cover: The cover didn’t really make sense to me until I figured out it was supposed to be a pixellated face. I like it more now because I think it fits really well with the premise of the story and the slogan “Your future is not your own.”
In The Predicteds, scientists have created a program called Profile which can determine whether you’re going to “commit a crime, engage in addictive behaviours and/or behave in socially problematic ways in the future.” As someone who is majoring in neuroscience, I thought the premise was interesting, particularly since it was explored in the aftermath of a school shooting.
For students who experienced something so traumatic, the kids at Quiet High appear to recover relatively quickly. When a girl is found beaten by a baseball bat though and Profile scores are released publicly by the school, – whatever happened to personal privacy? – the reaction of the town is extreme (which in a way makes sense because they’ve gone through a school shooting and a child being beaten). Predicted students are immediately segregated to a different part of the school and ostracized.
In general, the characters in The Predicteds were hard for me to relate to. Daphne for example seems smart, but hangs out with a group of people that she clearly can’t stand and that I found completely annoying. I also couldn’t really feel the connection that Daphne had with Jesse. He wants her to trust him but is constantly hanging out with/attempting to save another girl, and starts acting weird once he realizes his Profile results are going to be made public.
Unfortunately, rather than focusing on Profile, Seifert made it like a side plot. Still, The Predicteds does bring up some interesting ethical questions like: If we know that someone is going to commit a crime only based on personality, IQ and neuroscience tests, should we treat them any differently? Also, by telling someone that they’re destined to commit a crime or become addicted to something, are we not in a way giving them the go-ahead signal to do whatever it is they’re supposed to do, and indicating that they’re not capable of changing who they are? Note that the brain is malleable; and although it affects the way you experience things, your experiences also alter the brain.
I was really curious about the science behind Profile as well, but The Predicteds never really gets into it that much. If a program like Profile is ever developed in real life, I’d be very concerned about who was coming up with these arbitrary cutoff scores and who stands to gain from the program. As Seifert shows, being wealthy can enable someone to get their name off the Predicteds list.
The Predicteds was released by Sourcebooks Fire in September 2011.
Comments About the Cover: The cover didn’t really make sense to me until I figured out it was supposed to be a pixellated face. I like it more now because I think it fits really well with the premise of the story and the slogan “Your future is not your own.”
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FYI:
- Statistically, 1 person out of every 100 people is a psychopath.
- Although fMRI or MRI data cannot be used as evidence in a court of law, you can detect psychopaths pretty accurately using brain imaging techniques.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Review: Wherever You Go by Heather Davis
From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather doesn’t help. But Holly has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, reach out to help Holly with her grandfather - but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend really falling for his girlfriend? As Holly wonders whether to open her heart to Jason, the past comes back to haunt her. Her grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?
My Rating: 4.5 hearts
Thoughts on the Novel: Told from the perspective of three teenagers, Heather Davis’ Wherever You Go is a novel about love, loss, hope, family and friendship. Although there is a paranormal element in that one of the leads is a ghost, the spotlight isn’t on him and so the book feels like a contemporary for the most part.
Holly Mullen, the first person narrator, is a very mature and likeable character. Faced with the task of managing the household and taking care of her little sister and grandfather because her single mom has two jobs and is rarely home, Holly accepts her responsibilities and handles them with grace rather than whining and complaining about the unfairness of life.
I actually felt like the Mullen family was real based on the way that Davis portrayed them. Too often, YA novels feature dysfunctional families; but in Wherever You Go, I sensed genuine love and a strong sense of loyalty to each other. Like any family though, the Mullens aren’t perfect. Holly, for example, gets annoyed at her mother for questioning her decisions about the way she’s running things since she’s been the one doing it all along.
Rob’s point-of-view felt a little strange because it was narrated from the second person, but this didn’t stop me from being able to relate to him. It’s easy to understand his avoidance of the memories surrounding his accident and confusion at wondering why he’s still stuck on earth. By making Rob a ghost, Davis enables him to see how his death affected those close to him and yet realize that life continues to go on. This is probably best exemplified in the romance that develops between Jason and Holly based on attempt at friendship.
Told from a third person narration, Jason’s perspective allows the reader to not only be aware of how Holly feels about him (from her narration) but also know how he feels about her. Despite the fact that both Holly and Jason are still trying to get over Rob’s death and that Holly has doubts about him (since Rob’s friends weren’t very nice to her while he was alive), Jason isn’t afraid to fight for their relationship. I thought it was really sweet that unlike a lot of guys in high school, Jason was willing to spend time with Grandpa Aldo and Lena because he understood that they were important to Holly and that she was in charge of taking care of them.
Aside from the great cast of characters and the emphasis on family, I liked that Davis chose to deal honestly with the subject of mental and neurological disorders. I cried when Grandpa Aldo showed Holly the list of things he never wants to forget because I can’t even imagine what it’s like to slowly be robbed of your most meaningful memories. Watching his condition worsen later was pretty tough too. Davis successfully demonstrates that having something like depression or Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) isn’t just hard on the person suffering from it but also on those close to them, and not seeking help can be disastrous.
A realistic novel that turned out to be much better than I was expecting, Wherever You Go will be released on November 14, 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books.
Comments About the Cover: The faded look of the cover kind of hints at memories slowly disappearing, which would make sense in terms of the plot because Grandpa Aldo has AD and Holly begins to create new memories with Jason. The title also has significance since wherever Rob goes, he’ll never truly be forgotten by his family and friends. So while it looks like Holly is thinking about him, I’d much rather have Rob – even if he’s not the main character – on the cover because he needs to go somewhere and is also being replaced in Holly’s life.
Holly Mullen, the first person narrator, is a very mature and likeable character. Faced with the task of managing the household and taking care of her little sister and grandfather because her single mom has two jobs and is rarely home, Holly accepts her responsibilities and handles them with grace rather than whining and complaining about the unfairness of life.
I actually felt like the Mullen family was real based on the way that Davis portrayed them. Too often, YA novels feature dysfunctional families; but in Wherever You Go, I sensed genuine love and a strong sense of loyalty to each other. Like any family though, the Mullens aren’t perfect. Holly, for example, gets annoyed at her mother for questioning her decisions about the way she’s running things since she’s been the one doing it all along.
Rob’s point-of-view felt a little strange because it was narrated from the second person, but this didn’t stop me from being able to relate to him. It’s easy to understand his avoidance of the memories surrounding his accident and confusion at wondering why he’s still stuck on earth. By making Rob a ghost, Davis enables him to see how his death affected those close to him and yet realize that life continues to go on. This is probably best exemplified in the romance that develops between Jason and Holly based on attempt at friendship.
Told from a third person narration, Jason’s perspective allows the reader to not only be aware of how Holly feels about him (from her narration) but also know how he feels about her. Despite the fact that both Holly and Jason are still trying to get over Rob’s death and that Holly has doubts about him (since Rob’s friends weren’t very nice to her while he was alive), Jason isn’t afraid to fight for their relationship. I thought it was really sweet that unlike a lot of guys in high school, Jason was willing to spend time with Grandpa Aldo and Lena because he understood that they were important to Holly and that she was in charge of taking care of them.
Aside from the great cast of characters and the emphasis on family, I liked that Davis chose to deal honestly with the subject of mental and neurological disorders. I cried when Grandpa Aldo showed Holly the list of things he never wants to forget because I can’t even imagine what it’s like to slowly be robbed of your most meaningful memories. Watching his condition worsen later was pretty tough too. Davis successfully demonstrates that having something like depression or Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) isn’t just hard on the person suffering from it but also on those close to them, and not seeking help can be disastrous.
A realistic novel that turned out to be much better than I was expecting, Wherever You Go will be released on November 14, 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books.
Comments About the Cover: The faded look of the cover kind of hints at memories slowly disappearing, which would make sense in terms of the plot because Grandpa Aldo has AD and Holly begins to create new memories with Jason. The title also has significance since wherever Rob goes, he’ll never truly be forgotten by his family and friends. So while it looks like Holly is thinking about him, I’d much rather have Rob – even if he’s not the main character – on the cover because he needs to go somewhere and is also being replaced in Holly’s life.
In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) for free via NetGalley.
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Relevant statistics:
- The lifetime prevalence of depression in men is about 5-10% and about 10-20% for women.
- Close to half of those who commit suicide are depressed when they do it.
- The most common form of dementia, AD affects 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 and about half of those over the age of 85.
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Waiting on Wednesday: Winterling and Everneath
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine to feature upcoming books that we can't wait to get our hands on.
Author: Sarah Prineas
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date of Release: January 3, 2012
Goodreads Description: With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature - he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land. Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the Mor rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter. Sarah Prineas captivates in this fantasy-adventure about a girl who must find within herself the power to set right a terrible evil.
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date of Release: January 3, 2012
Goodreads Description: With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature - he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land. Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the Mor rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter. Sarah Prineas captivates in this fantasy-adventure about a girl who must find within herself the power to set right a terrible evil.
Why am I waiting? I don't normally read MG, but this one has magic and is a fantasy. Plus, I really like the cover.
Author: Brodi Ashton
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Date of Release: January 24, 2011
Goodreads Description: Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned - to her old life, her family, her friends - before being banished back to the underworld ... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back - this time as his queen. As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's ...
Why am I waiting? It seems like there might be a love triangle situation that'll develop in this one, and while I'm not usually a fan of those, the premise and the world of Everneath sound pretty interesting. Judging from the one review I've read, it also looks like there's a nice focus on character development.
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Date of Release: January 24, 2011
Goodreads Description: Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned - to her old life, her family, her friends - before being banished back to the underworld ... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back - this time as his queen. As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's ...
Why am I waiting? It seems like there might be a love triangle situation that'll develop in this one, and while I'm not usually a fan of those, the premise and the world of Everneath sound pretty interesting. Judging from the one review I've read, it also looks like there's a nice focus on character development.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Poison Diaries Competition: Win a Signed Copy of Nightshade
From Goodreads: A dark, gothic tale of romance ... and murder.
Our heroine, Jessamine, has lost her faith in the men she loved, and her innocence as well. She turns to the dark side and plots to kill her father, using his own poisons, before becoming an assassin, a poisoner for hire. Can she recover from her heartache and reunite with her true love, Weed? Find out in this thrilling story where poisons, darkness and horror are a part of everyday life, and love is the only cure.
Nightshade, the second book in the Poison Diaries series, was recently released in the US and Canada by HarperCollins on October 25. To help celebrate, the Poison Diaries team is giving away one signed copy of Nightshade to a lucky winner. To enter before November 15, all you need to do is interact with them on Twitter, Facebook and the Poison Diaries website by clicking the pictures and following the instructions below.
For Twitter: Follow @poisondiaries and send a tweet to them with the words 'win a copy of Nightshade by Maryrose Wood' and 'Musings of a YA Reader.' So a sample tweet could be: @poisondiaries I want to win a signed copy of Nightshade by Maryrose Wood via Musings of a YA Reader.
For Facebook: Like the Poison Diaries Facebook fan page and post something similar to 'I want to win a signed copy of Nightshade by Maryrose Wood via Musings of a YA Reader.'
For the website: Enter the Poison Diaries website, find the plant Arum Maculstum and add it to the 'my poison diary.' Then, share it through Twitter with @poisondiaries and include the name of this blog (Musings of a YA Reader).
Sunday, November 06, 2011
Review: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
From Goodreads: In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before ... and her secret is almost exposed. Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.
My Rating: 2 hearts
Thoughts on the Novel: I rarely get excited about reading dystopian novels before they’ve garnered a lot of positive reviews, but I instantly put The Pledge on my wishlist back when I first heard about it because it was going to be written by Kimberly Derting, the author of The Body Finder series. After reading The Pledge though, it’s hard for me to believe that it’s written by the same author because the worldbuilding was weak, the characters were flat and the romance … *shakes head*
While I thought it was really interesting to segregate people based on language and it’s not hard to imagine a dystopian world being created when the use of language is governed, Derting’s eventual explanation for why Charlie has the ability to speak and understand any language is pretty sketchy and didn’t sit well with my scientific mind because babies actually have the potential to learn every single language (if they’re exposed to them all on a regular basis). The reason given by Derting for Charlie’s ability therefore isn’t based on anything rational and simply makes the book veer towards fantasy than dystopian. Moreover, this made it hard for me to realistically consider Charlie’s powers (unlike her sister Angelina’s) to be something worthwhile to have.
I also couldn’t really connect with Charlie nor did she particularly fascinate me, especially once Max entered the picture and she began obsessing about him. The romance was blatantly an insta-love situation and I saw no reason for why Max would be interested in Charlie other than because of who she is. I actually scoffed and rolled my eyes when Max told Charlie that he would have found a way to be with her even if she was a servant’s daughter because given who he is, it would have been pretty much impossible for her to catch his eye if she was just a normal girl.
In terms of the ending, The Pledge has no cliffhanger and concludes with a satisfying (but predictable) epilogue. Since the book is part of a series though, I’m wondering where Derting plans to go from here because The Pledge’s plot and the way it ends seems much more appropriate for a standalone novel.
The Pledge will be released by Margaret K. McElderry Books on November 15, 2011.
Comments About the Cover: Charlie is constantly trying to keep a low profile so I feel like the cover represents that well.
In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Galley Grab.
Friday, November 04, 2011
Trailer: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
One of my WoW picks for this week was Lynn Weingarten's The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers. Later on Wednesday then, Lynn sent me a link to the book's recently created trailer and so I figured I'd share it with everybody. Enjoy!
Title: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbeakers
Author: Lynn Weingarten
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Date of Release: December 27, 2011
Goodreads Description: When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the first day of sophomore year, Lucy has no idea how she’s going to make it through homeroom, let alone the rest of her life. Enter three stunning girls with a magical offer Lucy can’t refuse. All she has to do is get a guy to fall in love with her in the next seven days, and then ... break his heart and collect one of his brokenhearted tears. As the girls teach Lucy how to hook a guy (with the help of a little magic), she quickly discovers how far she is willing to go - and who she is willing to cross - to get what she wants.
Fans of Lauren Myracle, Jodi Lynn Anderson, and Meg Cabot will love this tale of breakups, friendship, new crushes, and magic. Told with wit and charm, The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is sure to be one of this winter’s most irresistible reads!
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Waiting on Wednesday: Destined and The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine to feature upcoming books that we can't wait to get our hands on.
Author: Jessie Harrell
Publisher: Mae Day Publishing
Date of Release: November 17, 2011
Publisher: Mae Day Publishing
Date of Release: November 17, 2011
Goodreads Description: When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear. As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.
Why am I waiting? I love, love Greek mythology and this one is based on the Cupid and Psyche myth.
Title: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
Author: Lynn Weingarten
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Date of Release: December 27, 2011
Goodreads Description: When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the first day of sophomore year, Lucy has no idea how she’s going to make it through homeroom, let alone the rest of her life. Enter three stunning girls with a magical offer Lucy can’t refuse. All she has to do is get a guy to fall in love with her in the next seven days, and then ... break his heart and collect one of his brokenhearted tears. As the girls teach Lucy how to hook a guy (with the help of a little magic), she quickly discovers how far she is willing to go - and who she is willing to cross - to get what she wants. Fans of Lauren Myracle, Jodi Lynn Anderson, and Meg Cabot will love this tale of breakups, friendship, new crushes, and magic. Told with wit and charm, The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is sure to be one of this winter’s most irresistible reads!
Why am I waiting? The premise of this one sounds so fun, and I like that rather than a guy going around and breaking hearts, this time it's a girl. Also, the summary says that this one will appeal to fans of Meg Cabot and I love Meg's writing.
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Date of Release: December 27, 2011
Goodreads Description: When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the first day of sophomore year, Lucy has no idea how she’s going to make it through homeroom, let alone the rest of her life. Enter three stunning girls with a magical offer Lucy can’t refuse. All she has to do is get a guy to fall in love with her in the next seven days, and then ... break his heart and collect one of his brokenhearted tears. As the girls teach Lucy how to hook a guy (with the help of a little magic), she quickly discovers how far she is willing to go - and who she is willing to cross - to get what she wants. Fans of Lauren Myracle, Jodi Lynn Anderson, and Meg Cabot will love this tale of breakups, friendship, new crushes, and magic. Told with wit and charm, The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is sure to be one of this winter’s most irresistible reads!
Why am I waiting? The premise of this one sounds so fun, and I like that rather than a guy going around and breaking hearts, this time it's a girl. Also, the summary says that this one will appeal to fans of Meg Cabot and I love Meg's writing.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Mini Reviews: If I Tell by Janet Gurtler and The Poisoned House by Michael Ford
From Goodreads: Jasmine Evans knows one thing for sure ... people make mistakes. After all, she is one. Jaz is the result of a onenight stand between a black football player and a blonde princess. Having a young mother who didn't raise her, a father who wants nothing to do with her and living in a small-minded town where she's never fit in hasn't been easy. But she's been surviving. Until she sees her mom's new boyfriend making out with her own best friend. When do you forgive people for being human or give up on them forever?
My Rating: 2.5 hearts
Thoughts on the Novel: Janet Gurtler’s If I Tell was okay enough for me to keep reading despite the fact that pretty much every character in the book had a missing or dead parent and the author chose to explore a multitude of issues, including racism, drugs and postpartum depression. Though Gurtler managed to make it all come together somehow; in the end, I thought the book suffered because there was just too much going on.
As well, I found it really hard to connect with Jaz. I get that she’s biracial and has trouble fitting in, but she stressed it so often that I felt like I was being beaten over the head with it. Moreover, in struggling with her identity, Jaz pushes away the people that care about her, which made it even harder to like her. Oh, and let’s not forget that Jaz also lashes out at her mother (e.g. by calling her “the worst mother in the world”) which kind of negates the fact that she’s trying to protect her from a horrible secret because Jaz’s mom is still getting hurt to a certain degree.
As well, I found it really hard to connect with Jaz. I get that she’s biracial and has trouble fitting in, but she stressed it so often that I felt like I was being beaten over the head with it. Moreover, in struggling with her identity, Jaz pushes away the people that care about her, which made it even harder to like her. Oh, and let’s not forget that Jaz also lashes out at her mother (e.g. by calling her “the worst mother in the world”) which kind of negates the fact that she’s trying to protect her from a horrible secret because Jaz’s mom is still getting hurt to a certain degree.
If I Tell was released in October 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire.
In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks) for free via NetGalley.
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My Rating: 3 hearts
Thoughts on the Novel: Set in Victorian England, The Poisoned House by Michael Ford is a ghost story/murder mystery. Ford does a good job making the setting feel as realistic as possible in terms of the time period, especially considering that most of the story takes place in Greave Hall. Since Abi is a maid however, there’s a lot of description of her chores and not much action. The mundane day-to-day stuff is disrupted by the occasional appearance of Abi’s mother’s ghost who will rest only after her murderer is discovered. Though it was hard to figure out who the murderer was because there weren’t that many clues in the novel, the story ends satisfactorily with all loose ends being tied up neatly.
The Poisoned House was released by Albert Whitman & Company in August 2011.
In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Albert Whitman & Company) for free via NetGalley.
In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Albert Whitman & Company) for free via NetGalley.
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