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. 

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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From Goodreads: The year is 1856, and orphan Abigail Tamper lives below stairs in Greave Hall, a crumbling manor house in London. Lord Greave is plagued by madness, and with his son Samuel away fighting in the Crimea, the running of Greave Hall is left to Mrs Cotton, the tyrannical housekeeper. The only solace for the beleaguered staff is to frighten Mrs Cotton by pretending the house is haunted. So when a real ghost makes an appearance - that of her beloved mother - no one is more surprised than Abi. But the spirit has a revelation that threatens to destroy Abi’s already fragile existence: she was murdered, and by someone under their very own roof. With Samuel returned to England badly wounded, it’s up to Abi to nurse him back to health, while trying to discover the identity of the killer in their midst. As the chilling truth dawns, Abi’s world is turned upside down.

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.

Review: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

From Inside Jacket: Ariadne is destined to become a goddess of the moon. She leads a lonely life, filled with hours of rigorous training by stern priestesses. Her former friends no longer dare to look at her, much less speak to her. All that she has left are her mother and her beloved, misshapen brother Asterion, who must be held captive below the palace for his own safety. So when a ship arrives one spring day, bearing a tribute of slaves from Athens, Ariadne sneaks out to meet it. These newcomers don’t know the ways of Krete; perhaps they won’t be afraid of a girl who will someday be a powerful goddess. And indeed she meets Theseus, the son of the king of Athens. Ariadne finds herself drawn to the newcomer, and soon they form a friendship - one that could perhaps become something more. Yet Theseus is doomed to die as an offering to the Minotaur, that monster beneath the palace - unless he can kill the beast first. And that "monster" is Ariadne’s brother ...

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett is a re-telling of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. As a huge lover of Greek mythology and having taken Classics courses, I debated whether to read Dark of the Moon because I was a little worried about the Minotaur now becoming a boy with a childlike mind rather than the fearsome creature that’s part bull and part man from the original myth. Thankfully, Barrett’s version works and managed to pleasantly surprise me.

Dark of the Moon’s strength is in its impeccable world building. I really felt as if I had been transplanted to Crete and yet as a modern reader, the setting also retained an element of fantasy because of people’s belief in the divine realm. I’ll admit to feeling a little lost when I first started the novel, but things slowly became clearer once the Athenians arrived on Crete because you begin to see how the Athenian and Cretan religions differ (though there is some overlap). Also, I found it interesting that the Athenians held some false assumptions about Crete because they didn’t know much about the Cretans.

The story is told through the eyes of two narrators: Ariadne and Theseus. Since not much is known about Ariadne in the original myth other than that she helps Theseus kill the Minotaur and is abandoned by him on the island of Naxos where she later marries the god Dionysus, Barrett was free to do whatever she wanted with Ariadne. Thus, in Dark of the Moon, Ariadne becomes a regular girl who loves her older brother Asterion and is rather lonely because as She-Who-Will-Be-Goddess, she commands a lot of respect and fear. It’s not surprising then that Ariadne delights in the company of Prokris and Theseus (who have their own plans for her).

Whereas you see the strength in Ariadne in that once things go wrong, she’s able to make fast decisions and isn’t afraid to do the hard thing; Theseus never really came into his own. His POV starts around the time that his mother tells him that his father left something for him under a boulder (but after Ariadne has already met him), so the transition to his story was abrupt and unexpected. Nevertheless, you soon experience his uneventful journey from Troizena to Athens and then onwards to Crete.

If you’re looking for a re-telling which incorporates Theseus having all sorts of adventures and fighting monsters, you won’t find it in Dark of the Moon. Rather, Barrett uses the well-known myths about Theseus – for example, he also encounters the Crommyonian sow and Procrustes in the book – to show how myths and legends develop and gain a life of their own.

A thoughtful, original and convincing re-telling, Dark of the Moon was released in September 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books. 

Comments About the Cover: It’s really hard to make out the shape of the Minotaur on the glossy cover. So, people might not realize that Dark of the Moon is based on the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Thomas Allen & Son) for free.

Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

From Goodreads: Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot ... what if Jeremy is better? Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her - and riles her up - like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected. Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall ....

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Jessica Martinez’s Virtuosity draws the reader into the world of classical music and one girl’s attempt to rediscover her passion for it. As someone who doesn’t know much about music and has absolutely no musical talent whatsoever, I tend to shy away from YA contemporaries dealing with the subject since I don’t know whether I’ll be interested. Fortunately, Martinez managed to captivate me with her plot and characters.

I found Carmen to be appealing and very relatable. Despite having a Grammy and being a successful musician, she has horrible stage fright and is so anxious about performing that she’s become addicted psychologically to Inderal. Now with the Guarneri coming up, she can’t help but obsess over it and her competition.

With her world completely revolving around music, it’s not surprising that Carmen does whatever her (horrid) mother Diana tells her. Rather than being a supportive mom, Diana is a control freak who keeps Carmen on a short leash and lives vicariously through her daughter since her own singing career was cut short. It’s only when Carmen meets Jeremy and the two spend time together that you start to see Carmen questioning her life and becoming more assertive.

Is it wrong that I loved the character of Jeremy – what’s not to like about a hot, confident and snarky guy with a British accent – even while I kept waiting for him to break Carmen’s heart and thus prove Diana right? The romance was a little too fast for me to consider that Carmen and Jeremy were in love – I’m very cynical if you haven’t figured this out by now – but I can believe that they really liked each other because as famous musicians, they understood each other’s life unlike the average person.

My favourite aspect of the book though was the climax and the prelude to it. Martinez managed to totally surprise me with how the Guarneri played out and the decision that Carmen chose. I love and admire Carmen for staying strong and doing something that a lot of people probably wouldn’t do in her situation.

With a fantastic debut like Virtuosity, I can’t wait to see what Martinez comes up with next!

Virtuosity was released by Simon Pulse on October 18, 2011. 

Comments About the Cover: I like that it looks like the girl is trying to break free; and since I always think pink and black look good together, it’s not a surprise that I also like the colour combination. 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Galley Grab.

original image from thegate.ca

Author Interview: Katrina Kittle

Today, I'd like to welcome Katrina Kittle, the author of Reasons to Be Happy to my blog.

A bit about Katrina (as found on her website): Katrina was born in Illinois but has lived in the Dayton area since first grade, (except for her Year as a Gypsy). She attended Ohio University and was Outstanding Graduating Senior for both the English and Education departments. She taught high school English and theatre at Centerville High School for five years, and she taught middle school English and theatre at the Miami Valley School for six. She has also worked as a house cleaner, a veterinary assistant, a children’s theatre director, a costumer, and as case management support for the AIDS Resource Center (formerly AIDS Foundation Miami Valley). When not writing, Katrina enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling, acting, and time spent in the presence of animals (especially horses and a particular goat named Humphrey). 

One of the things I love finding out about is the story behind the story. What inspired you to write Reasons to Be Happy? 

     As a middle school teacher of several years, I grew so disheartened by a particular phenomenon I saw unfold over and over again: bright, bold, curious girls - strong and confident in their abilities - would hit the wall of self-doubt in sixth or seventh grade. They’d lose all sense of their own unique identity, stop taking any risks, and retreat into approval-seeking behaviors that made them all seem like watered-down clones of each other. Because I taught where the high school was on the same campus, I’d get to see my former students as they grew up and evolved, so I knew that mid-high school, most girls came through this on the other side, regaining their “personhood” and courage. But why did they have to go through it at all? Why were a few exceptional girls strong enough to withstand this challenge while others (who seemed equally exceptional) were not? And why was body image still such a huge part of this identity crisis? Instead of improving the situation with our awareness and understanding of body image and eating disorders, body image issues seem more pervasive than ever before - 40% of 9-year-olds have already dieted!
     All of my novels begin with social issue that I’m passionate about, and one day I realized this concern and obsession I had with “keeping girls brave and confident” was my new story. I began to seek the cast of characters who could inhabit this story, and Hannah Anne Carlisle came into existence. 

How much research did you do so that Hannah's experience with bulimia is depicted accurately?

     I'd studied classical ballet very seriously when I was younger, so I'd seen firsthand some varying levels of eating disorders. Then, when I was teaching middle school and high school, I had the experience of working with therapists and parents when my students fell into such behavior as well. I've long been fascinated with all kinds of addiction, and, really, an eating disorder is a kind of addiction. Like all addictions, the only way to stop it is to truly examine and explore why it began and what the person is getting from it. Until you recognize the source, or the need it fills, treatment will be very ineffective. It's necessary to find something else to fill that same need … but that's not possible until you know what it is. Eating disorders are just that: disorders. It's very complicated psychology. So, while I say I'm fascinated with addictions, I think I'm mostly fascinated by stories of human resilience. I think all my books share that theme. I'm interested in stories about the way people have been broken, but then become stronger at those broken places. I was inspired to capture the resilience of students I'd seen come through an eating disorder on the other side (which can take years and years), and possibly stop further girls from having to go through that horror at all. 

Although you have published books for adults, Reasons to Be Happy is the first novel you've written for tweens. How was your writing process for this book similar to and different from writing for adults? 
     I've written four novels for adults, but Reasons to Be Happy is my very first venture into writing for a younger audience. I tried not to change my approach or process too much. All of my stories have begun with a social issue I care deeply about (and because I'm such a sucker for comeback stories, second chance stories, and phoenix stories, those issues tend to be tough ones). I've written about AIDS, addiction, divorce, child abuse, and now, with Reasons, body image and eating disorders. Although the issue is always my seed for a story, I then work to create a cast who would populate a story about that issue, because a novel must be a story above all else - it can't just be a public service announcement! This felt even more crucial for a tween audience than for my adult audiences. No one wants to be lectured, after all, and because I was a middle school teacher for several years, I know that middle schoolers in particular have a built-in resistance to stories “with a lesson” for them. If you're patronizing them, they can smell it a mile away.
     It's more satisfying for the reader if any discoveries and revelations come through the character, not from me. I hoped readers, young women especially, would identify with Hannah's doubts, fears and struggles, and maybe think about Hannah's mistakes (and then, a writer's dream - to apply that knowledge to their own lives). My goal is always to invite the reader to think about the issue, but not necessarily tell them what to think about the issue. One of the greatest joys, for readers of any age, is to have something to discuss at the end of a book. Discussion isn't possible if everything is too black-and-white with no room interpretations and perspectives.
     In early drafts, I made the mistake of “watering down” and playing it too safe. A wonderful editor encouraged me to “forget your audience.” That sounds crazy, right? But she said, “I picture you picturing this room full of middle school girls. Forget them. Just write the novel you'd always write. The only difference is that all the protagonists happen to be in middle school.” This advice really spoke to me and allowed me stop trying to “filter” for the tween audience. Those attempts to filter will always show and will inevitably be insulting.
     Don't get me wrong. Of course there is a difference in presenting tough subject matter for a tween audience and an adult audience. But for me the key was my protagonist. Especially since Hannah tells the story in first-person, the only “filter” I needed was her. She tells the story with her perspective and understanding of events, not mine. That became important in revision: I would comb through looking for lines or passages that were colored by my own, more experienced viewpoint. When I found them, they had to go. Hannah could only know what she would know as an eighth grader with her own life experience so far.   
    The overall hope for any story, though, is the same no matter what age you're writing for. Above all else, I sincerely hope readers are entertained by the journey. Another quote I love (I heard it in a writing lecture once, but have no idea who to attribute it to!): “A novel is not a message clamped to a passenger pigeon's leg. It should be the experience of watching that pigeon fly from A to B.” 

With hobbies like traveling and acting, you seem to have a very busy life. How do you balance writing with all the other things you do? 
     I keep a very disciplined writing schedule. I taught for many years, so I keep the “school day” schedule as my writing day - at the desk working by 7:45 AM and sticking to it until 4:00 PM. I can't write new material all day - my brain just doesn't work that way - but I usually give the work in progress the first, best morning hours. After lunch, there's research, editing, correspondence, marketing, etc. I allow myself a certain number of “personal” and “vacation” days a year, just like any other job, and I really hold myself accountable. I even keep a “time card” to track my time on email and Facebook! (I know myself too well). 
Wow, there’s no way I could ever be so disciplined!

In Reasons to Be Happy, Hannah keeps a notebook of all the things that make her happy. What are five things that make you happy? 
It's so hard to pick just 5! :-)

1. My amazing tribe of family and friends
2. My very odd, very dysfunctional, very sweet cat named Joey
3. Books
4. Movies (I love stories, in any form! And I have a special spot in my heart for zombie apocalypse stories)
5. Dark chocolate

Feeling the pressure to be perfect and dealing with a lot of changes, Hannah copes by trying to control her weight. What advice do you have for young girls who think that being thinner or controlling how much they eat will make them feel better about themselves or solve some of their problems? 

     I think it's important to encourage young girls to focus more on how they feel than on how they look (I know, I know, easier said than done). Just as Aunt Izzy encourages Hannah to “divert” the binges with something else Hannah loves - like running - young women can be encouraged to focus on activities that make them feel strong and empowered (and in control) in other ways. I also love Aunt Izzy's advice that “when you eat, just eat. Don't do anything else.” Really focus on the food and your eating, instead of zoning out with television or a book. Savor your food. Honor your appetites by giving them full attention. 

A big thanks to Katrina for taking the time to give such detailed answers to my questions!

Katrina can be found on: [her website] [her blog] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]
Reasons to Be Happy can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [The Book Depository]

Review: Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle

From Goodreads: Hannah's parents are glamorous Hollywood royalty, and sometimes she feels like the ugly duckling in a family of swans. After her mother's tragic death, Hannah's grief is compounded by her desperate need to live up to her mother's image. She tries to control her weight through bulimia, and her devastated father is too distracted to notice. The secret of her eating disorder weighs heavily on Hannah, but the new eighth grade Beverly Hills clique she's befriended only reinforces her desire to be beautiful. The only one who seems to notice, or care, that something is wrong is Jasper, the quirky misfit.

My Rating: 4 hearts

 

Thoughts on the Novel: Katrina Kittle’s Reasons to Be Happy is a book that explores the overarching theme of beauty. Juxtaposing Hannah’s North American life with the time she spends in Ghana, Kittle allows Hannah to realize that inner beauty and learning to accept oneself are much more important than outer beauty; and in the process, enables Hannah to see the little joys in life once again.

Hannah is a girl that anyone can relate to, especially tweens – the intended target of Reasons to Be Happy. Feeling like you don’t belong, wanting to be prettier and trying to please your parents are all things most people experience growing up, and Reasons to Be Happy definitely made me remember those times. To make herself better and regain some control over her life, Hannah however resorts to binging and purging.

Kittle’s portrayal of eating disorders is very realistic and her vivid description of Hannah gorging on food – frequently stolen – and then trying to vomit it up sometimes made me nauseous. It’s often harder for people to notice bulimia because unlike anorexics, bulimics usually tend to be normal in weight or be overweight. Thus, nobody notices that Hannah seems to have a problem even as she desperately wants somebody to help stop her.

A novel that will resonate with readers and leave them thinking about their own reasons to be happy, Reasons to Be Happy was released by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky on October 1, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: The cover doesn’t really show that the book is about bulimia, and it’s kind of got a cheerful vibe as opposed to the book which has a more serious tone.

 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks) for free.    

Review: Without Tess by Marcella Pixley

From Goodreads: Tess and Lizzie are sisters, sisters as close as can be, who share a secret world filled with selkies, flying horses, and a girl who can transform into a wolf  in the middle of the night. But when Lizzie is ready to grow up, Tess clings to their fantasies. As Tess sinks deeper and deeper into her delusions, she decides that she can’t live in the real world any longer and leaves Lizzie and her family forever. Now, years later, Lizzie is in high school and struggling to understand what happened to her sister. With the help of a school psychologist and Tess’s battered journal, Lizzie searches for a way to finally let Tess go. 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Without Tess by Marcella Pixley is a book that explores the bond between sisters while attempting to determine the line between child play and mental disorder. For psychologists and psychiatrists, diagnosing a mental disorder like childhood psychosis can be really tough because children tend to naturally be imaginative.

Although the reader doesn’t know the circumstances around her death, it’s established right from the start that Tess is dead and has been for a while. Thus, other than the insight provided by Tess’ Pegasus Journal full of creepy sketches and poems, the reader can never see things from her perspective. Instead, you see and learn about Tess through her sister Lizzie’s memories.

The young Tess appears to be fine, if not a little too creative. However, as the girls get older, Tess begins to get stranger. For example, Tess claims to be a selkie when she’s at the beach with Lizzie and refuses to believe otherwise. Insistent on proving that she’s right, – and not an ordinary human like Lizzie – the two girls lie still on the cold water and let it wash over them. As the tide gets higher and the waves get bigger, Lizzie soon freaks out (unlike Tess) and ends up bashing her head on a rock, not the first time she suffers because of Tess’ wild imagination.

When a new family eventually moves in and the sisters begin to drift apart due to Lizzie’s friendship with Isabella, a jealous Tess tells Lizzie on the night of a full moon that she might turn into a wolf and murder Isabella. Scary and confusing, Pixley makes it completely clear that Tess needs help. As an aside, I also began to question Lizzie’s sanity during this part of the story – did she delude herself into thinking that Tess had changed into a wolf or was she aware that Tess was a girl?

Since Tess was so interesting and there was such a strong focus on her, I thought the character of Lizzie kind of fell by the wayside. It’s obvious that Lizzie idolized her older sister before starting to resent the attention Tess tended to receive from others, but other than that I felt like I barely knew her. In particular, I felt really closed off from Lizzie in the present because she refuses to interact with others (since she feels guilty about her sister’s death).

When Lizzie finally does begin to open herself up to someone other than her therapist, I couldn’t buy it. Having seen Niccolo interact with both Tess and Lizzie from Lizzie’s childhood memories, knowing that he was better friends with Tess, and the fact that Lizzie doesn’t hang out with anybody, the attraction between him and Lizzie just felt forced. Their spontaneous makeout session was totally unexpected and to me, it seemed like Niccolo was transferring his possible childhood feelings for Tess (after having read her Pegasus Journal) onto Lizzie.

A book that’s probably best suited for those interested in psychological issues and who don’t mind a slow-paced, character-driven novel, Without Tess was released yesterday by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 

Comments About the Cover: Since grief plays an important part of the storyline in Without Tess, I think it’s appropriate that the cover show a funeral lily and feature the first two lines in the book: “I know I never said goodbye; I couldn’t bear to see you cry.”

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group) for free via NetGalley.

Review: The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees

From Goodreads: I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it - even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part. I didn't get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren't any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I'd cast the next best - a Fame spell. Good idea, right? Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William's younger brother. Good thing he's sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play...and - ahem - maybe a little bit hot. But he's from the past. Way past. Cars amaze him - cars! And cell phones? Ugh. Still, there's something about him that's making my eyes go star-crossed ....  

My Rating: 2 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees was a quick and easy read, two reasons why I continued reading rather than abandoning it.

First off, I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, and with the exception of Drew (whose possible explanation about how Edmund time traveled was way too hard for my brain to grasp), nor did I like any of them. I thought they were too trusting, too forgiving … well, you get the idea. Here are two examples to illustrate my point:

1. Miranda’s mother doesn’t even blink an eye after being told by her daughter that there’s a guy sleeping in their guest bedroom, and she continues to let Edmund stay with them even after learning Miranda likes him. Sure, nothing happened, but why put the temptation there?
2. Though Mr. Hoberman left to “develop as an individual” and didn’t pay child support while he was gone, Miranda and her mother still welcome him back with open arms once he decides that he’s ready to come home. WTH? Where did all the grovelling go? 

Also, besides the fact that Miranda and her friends didn’t really talk like the teens I know, I found it really confusing as to why they often lapsed into Edmund’s way of talking. Shouldn’t Edmund be the one trying to assimilate instead? 

Another thing that bugged me was the romance. I kept waiting for Miranda to figure out that Drew liked her, but instead she fell for Edmund. I knew the two of them were “destined” to be together the minute Miranda got the tingles from holding Edmund’s hand. (Ironically, it also just happened to be the day she summoned him). Yep, Miranda got the tingles the first day she met Edmund and wanted to be his Juliet by the next. *groan* 

It’s not all bad though. Edmund’s reactions to modern things is pretty funny, and I liked that when Shakespeare is brought into the present, it changes the present. As well, I thought the ending was fitting even if it felt very rushed. 

The Juliet Spell was released in September 2011 by Harlequin Teen. 

Comments About the Cover: I think it’s cute. The black and white gives the cover a vintage feel whereas the splash of fuschia allows the title and sneakers to stand out and emphasize that the setting is modern.  

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

Guest Posting at The Unread Reader

Just a quick note: I've been invited to guest post today for Missie's When I'm Not Reading feature. So head on over to The Unread Reader and check out what I do when I'm not reading.

Quick Recap of the Sarah Dessen Signing and Word on The Street

Last week was a busy week in terms of events that were being held in Toronto. On Wednesday, September 21, Sarah Dessen was in town to promote her novel What Happened to Goodbye. Since she’s one of my all-time favourite authors, I’d been hoping (after Jenny from Dreaming of Books told me in the summer that Sarah would be coming to T.O.) that Penguin Canada would schedule her on a day that I’d be able to see her.

Sarah, after I moved up to take a picture. Liz is in the left corner.

Luckily, Penguin Canada did; and so after class, I made my way over to Indigo Eaton Centre where there was already a huge line of people waiting to be seated. The seating space wasn’t large enough to hold everybody and so most of us (including me) ended up being stuck between the stacks and having to see Sarah from there. Still, we did get to meet her; and years from now, I’ll remember that experience much better than the fact that I wasn’t entirely happy with where I was standing.

Pic courtesy of Liz from Midnight Bloom Reads

Sarah arrived slightly after 7:00 PM, having been delayed because of a strike at Air Canada. She quickly read from What Happened to Goodbye and after, got a little bit of time to answer some questions.

Things I Remember Sarah Telling Us:

• While Sarah doesn’t have a favourite book from the ones she has written because to her it almost feels like picking a favourite child, the novel she enjoyed writing the most was This Lullaby.
• Someone Like You was inspired by the death of a popular guy from Sarah’s high school after he was killed in a motorcycle accident. It was the first time that she realized someone her age could die and it was shocking to her.
• The mothers at Sarah’s daughter’s preschool have no idea that she is a writer! They only know that she works from home.

Sarah signing while I waited in lin

Then, it was time to get our books signed. Sarah was super nice, and after noticing that I was also holding a social psychology textbook, she told me that she used to carry a textbook around everywhere too when she was in college.

Anyway, a big thanks to Sarah for making two stops in Toronto and to Penguin Canada for bringing her here. Thanks also to Indigo Eaton Centre for hosting Sarah. 

For a full recap of Sarah Dessen's stop at Indigo Eaton Centre, check out Liz's post here.  

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Then on Sunday, September 25, I went to Word on The Street for the first time. On my way over to Queen’s Park, I was actually able to ride the TTC’s new subway trains and liked them so much better. They look new (duh!) and have more space, but I’m wondering how (especially short) people are going to stop themselves from bumping into each other without poles to hang onto.

At noon, I went to see Kenneth Oppel at the Scotiabank Giller Prize Bestseller’s Stage. He read from his latest book, This Dark Endeavour: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, before answering questions from Matt Galloway, the host, and the audience.

Things I Remember Kenneth Telling Us:  

• Kenneth’s favourite book to write was Half-Brother because it’s unlike any of his other novels.
• As a child, his favourite book was Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl. He now reads it to his children.

Peter Rabbit in front of the Penguin Canada booth

Kelley signing books

After that, I wandered around for a bit and then at 2:15, I went to The Remarkable Reads Tent to see Kelley Armstrong. While waiting for Kelley, I met Ashley from Book Labyrinth and her mom and we chatted for a bit. Soon enough, Kelley arrived and read from The Gathering. Then we had some time to ask her questions and for her to ask us some questions. Those who answered Kelley correctly were able to get prizes like Derek, Tori and Chloe mugs, ARCs of The Calling, etc. that she had brought along with her.

Things I Remember Kelley Telling Us: 

• Kelley doesn’t usually put pets in her novels because she tends to forget about them. For example, they get locked into garages and then conveniently appear in scenes when they’re needed.
• She wrote her YA books when her daughter was a teenager so that her daughter had something to read. Now that Kelley’s and Melissa Marr’s sons are both in middle grade, they’re collaborating on an MG series based on Norse mythology. I'm already excited about that series! 

Kelley then signed books, and everyone who came to see her got cupcakes that were decorated based on The Gathering. 

Alyxandra Harvey on a panel with Lesley Anne Cowan, Teresa Toten and Heather J. Wood

The very crowded HarperCollins Canada booth

From there, Ashley, her mom, and I managed to catch a bit of what Alyxandra Harvey said. I heard something about ghosts and friends not wanting to visit her house. 

I went to HarperCollins Canada’s booth after getting Alyxandra to sign my copy of Haunting Violet and though it was still pretty crowded, I managed to find and buy Arthur Slade’s Empire of Ruins.  

Catherine Austen talking about reading and writing dystopians

Lesley and Robert signing their books

I got back to the This Is Not The Shakespeare Stage in time to hear a bit from Catherine Austen about her novel All Good Children before Robert Sawyer and Lesley Livingston went on stage for their chat about fantasy and sci-fi. After Robert read from his newest book, Wonder, and Lesley read from Once Every Never, they told us that the main difference between fantasy and sci-fi is that fantasy attempts to make the implausible sound possible whereas sci-fi tries to make what might be possible work according to the laws of physics. Robert also told us that rather than subscribing to the two theories about time-travel, he chooses to believe that changing time creates a parallel reality (I think!) whereas Lesley hasn’t fully decided which theory she supports. Clare, her character who can travel through time by touching certain artifacts, doesn’t care much about how her actions will change time, but it seems that at the end of Once Every Never, something might have been altered.

After getting Lesley to sign my copy of Once Every Never, I went home, tired but happy about getting to see so many Canadian authors in one day.

Winners

The winner of my Blogoversary Giveaway #1 is Zoe from The Rain House. She has already responded and chosen to get copies of Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber and Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. Congratulations, Zoe!

 

The winner of my Blogoversary Giveaway #2 is Emilie from Emilie's Book World. She actually guessed all of the book covers correctly and has already responded that she'd like to get a copy of The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson. Congratulations, Emilie! 

 

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Also, for those who were curious,  here are the answers to the book covers:

 

1) Die For Me by Amy Plum

2) Possess by Gretchen McNeil

3) Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

4) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

5) Frost by Marianna Baer

6) Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith

7) Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

8) Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

9) Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

10) The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

11) Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

12) The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Review: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

From Goodreads: When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved. Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him - and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart. 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey is a standalone book that I thought was on the lighter side of paranormal. If it wasn’t for the fact that Garvey made Wren a witch who uses her powers to bring her boyfriend back from the dead, Cold Kiss might have been a contemporary novel about a girl dealing with issues like love and grief. 

Wren, the protagonist, is a character whose actions are easy to understand. When Danny dies, she chooses to resurrect him, only thinking of how much she misses him and how good it would be to have him back. I liked that when Wren slowly realizes that the Danny she brings back isn’t the same, she is willing to accept her mistake and figure out how to let Danny go once and for all.

While I liked the (living) Danny that I read about from Wren’s flashbacks, I thought Danny the zombie was relatively boring. He was really clingy in the first part of the book, and in the second part, whenever he appeared to have trouble controlling his temper, Wren would make him fall asleep.

Of course there’s a love triangle because our living narrator needs a guy who is alive to be interested in her too. That role goes to Gabriel, someone I would have liked better had he no abilities of his own. To me, it felt like he was only present in Cold Kiss so that Wren had somebody to lean on since she refused to tell her mother what she did or ask for her help. Speaking of Wren’s mother, she barely pried into Wren’s business even though Wren was sneaking out at night and looked like she was falling apart. 

Cold Kiss was released by HarperTeen on September 20, 2011. 

Comments About the Cover: With the focus on the lips and the use of colours that remind me of winter and its chill, I think the picture on the cover represents the title pretty well. 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) for free via NetGalley. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Dearly, Departed

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. 

Title: Dearly, Departed

Author: Lia Habel
Publisher: Del Ray Books
Date of Release: October 18, 2011 

Goodreads Description: The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria - a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune, and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible - until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses. But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead - and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble ... and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

Why am I waiting? When I hear about novels involving zombies, my usual reaction is meh. But I've pretty much been waiting a year for Dearly, Departed to come out and the wait is almost over! Dearly, Departed seems like it'll be full of adventure, and it has elements of steampunk - a genre I'm hoping more YA authors will venture into. I'm also curious to see whether Habel can make me forget that Bram is dead and root for the romance between him and Nora.

Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

From Goodreads: Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king - a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. Most of the chosen do.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: One of the first YA series I ever read and promptly fell in love with was Tamora Pierce’s The Song of the Lioness. Along with Harry Potter, it instilled in me a lifelong love for fantasy; and so even though I don’t read as much of the genre these days as I should, I still try to squeeze in a fantasy now and then. Therefore, when I saw a blurb from Pierce at the top of the cover of Rae Carson’s The Girl of Fire and Thorns, it was pretty much a sure bet that I’d be reading it with huge expectations. Fortunately, Carson doesn’t disappoint.

The world building in The Girl of Fire and Thorns is fantastic, and presented carefully in a rich and detailed manner throughout the story so as to not overwhelm the reader. What’s even better about Carson’s fantasy world is that the society appears diverse and isn’t composed primarily of White characters. Also, I applaud Carson for the way she made religion play such an integral part of the storyline and the culture without it becoming uncomfortable or bothersome.

As well, it was refreshing that the focus in The Girl of Fire and Thorns wasn’t on romance. I appreciate a good romance, but sometimes it’s nice to have a story where I’m not forced to be a Team Something or read about an instant love relationship. While there is some romance, the focus is rather on Elisa and her transformation from a pampered (but not spoiled) princess who has reservations about herself and gorges on food – oh, the food! – in order to make herself feel better to that of a girl who is confident in herself and capable of becoming a worthy leader.

With the spotlight on Elisa though, I felt like I only got to know most of the other characters superficially and so couldn’t really miss those who died. Since The Girl of Fire and Thorns is the first book in a planned trilogy however, there’s still time for Carson to make me fall in love with the characters I’m starting to like.

A book deserving of Pierce’s blurb, The Girl of Fire and Thorns will be released by Greenwillow Books on September 20, 2011. 

Comments About the Cover: The original ARC cover is pretty, but the model in no way resembles Elisa who isn’t thin and describes herself as “brown.” 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) for free via NetGalley. 

Review: The Shattering by Karen Healey

From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But she wasn't prepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers. As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all had spent New Year's Eve in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most. As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: The Shattering by Karen Healey is an interesting blend of mystery and paranormal, which I wasn’t expecting. I requested it thinking that there would be a murder mystery to solve, but halfway through the book, the story entered into the realm of paranormal. Unfortunately, that’s when the plot became less compelling; and in the end, my initial hunch about Jake’s death proved to be correct.

There were some positives about The Shattering though. It is the first book I’ve ever read that is set in New Zealand and Healey manages to successfully convey the country’s beauty. As well, the group of characters in The Shattering is diverse and they’re created well enough so that they won’t become reduced to stereotypic labels like “the rich kid.” The alternating perspectives from Keri, Janna and Sione also allow the reader to understand each character better and know what is going on when they aren’t together.

The Shattering was released by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on September 5, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: I didn’t realize initially that the purple in the background made a face, but once I did, the cover just became oddly creepy to me. 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) for free via NetGalley.

Guest Posting at A Tapestry of Words

Just a quick note: I've been invited to guest post today for Danya's month long Psychtember event. So head on over to A Tapestry of Words and check out my thoughts on OCD and how I think it is portrayed in Terry Spencer Hesser's Kissing Doorknobs.

Review: Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

From Goodreads: Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire ...  fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil ... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops. Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast - as the entrees. The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends - especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache - to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

My Rating: 4 hearts  

Thoughts on the Novel: What happens when a heartless teenage vampire girl gets stabbed by a unicorn and ends up developing a conscience? Well, you get Sarah Beth Durst’s Drink, Slay, Love: a book with a fun plot and one that manages to be original despite revolving around the theme of vampires.

The main character, Pearl, is snarky and perfectly capable of kicking anyone’s butt, human or vampire. Looking at things through her perspective was really interesting and entertaining. For example, on her first day of school, Pearl tells her teacher that she’s not afraid to speak up in class because she’s superior to him. Her change from viewing her classmates as potential prey to friends was gradual and believable.

The other characters in Drink, Slay, Love were also enjoyable. Evan’s hero complex was sweet and even though I guessed his mysterious secret early on, it was still fun waiting for Pearl to try and figure it out. Matt and Zeke were amusing every time they showed up, and the popular girls in Drink, Slay, Love turned out to be as human as everyone else, which I really liked. As for Pearl’s family, in spite of how violent they were – hey, they are vampires! – there were incidents when they made me laugh too. Cousin Antoinette, for instance, teaches Pearl about school using Molly Ringwald movies as examples.

The thing that I found really great about Drink, Slay, Love was the way Durst set up all the different relationships. Pearl’s eventual romance with one of her classmates took time to develop and began only once the two got to know each other sufficiently well. Likewise, there were people Pearl hung out with at school that she doesn’t consider friends until much later. In real life, you can click with some people right away but establishing an actual friendship takes time and effort.

There is also a nice contrast between Pearl’s biological family and Evan’s adopted family. Just because you’re born into a family doesn’t mean that being around those people is healthy, and sometimes you need to move away or create a new family in order to get the freedom to be able to make your own choices.

A novel that’s guaranteed to make you giggle, but one that still has some serious undertones, Drink, Slay, Love will be released on September 13, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books.  

Comments About the Cover: I love the cover! It clearly shows off that it’s about vampires but does so in a fantastically creative and cute way. The cover is a little misleading however because the vampires in Drink, Slay, Love don’t like drinking blood out of bottles or bags. 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Galley Grab.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Faerie Ring

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. 

Title: The Faerie Ring

Author: Kiki Hamilton
Publisher: Tor Teen
Date of Release: September 27, 2011 

Goodreads Description: The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood - Tiki’s blood. Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched - and protected - by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist. Prince, pauper, and thief - all must work together to secure the treaty ...

Why am I waiting? I love the Victorian era, and because I still haven't read many books about faeries, I'm really glad that this one offers both. Plus, when you have thieves involved, you know there's bound to be danger and adventure.

Review: Witch Song by Amber Argyle

From Goodreads: The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons - but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fade, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can't stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna doesn't, there won't be anything left to save. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Amber Argyle’s debut novel, Witch Song, is a story that I found myself easily becoming engrossed with in the midst of a reading slump. The plot was pretty solid and I thought the concept of witches using their voice through songs to control nature rather than something like wands to be quite unique. As well, with her descriptive writing, Argyle made the setting and characters really easy to visualize.

In the beginning of Witch Song, Brusenna (aka Senna) hardly knows much about her heritage because her mother is intent on keeping Senna safe and hidden from the Dark Witch. After her mother leaves to fight the Dark Witch though, Senna decides that she is done with being scared. Over time, she learns to trust others, discovers what it means to be a Witch and develops leadership qualities. While I liked Senna for the most part, I found her actions to be puzzling at times. For example, I could understand her unwillingness to let anybody close since everyone she loves tends to (involuntarily) leave her, but that is a risk I would take were I in her place if it meant help on my quest.

My favourite character in Witch Song was Joshen, Senna’s Guardian. He was brave, protective and extremely loyal, choosing to stay close to Haven even after Senna forced him to leave. It was nice to see that their romance developed slowly and wasn’t based on instant love.

My only real criticism against Witch Song was that the big duel between Senna and the Dark Witch was sort of anti-climatic. Also, the true villain in the story appeared a little too late for my liking and seemed crazy instead of scary.

A lighter fantasy, Witch Song was released on September 1, 2011 by Rhemalda Publishing.

Comments About the Cover: The cover is very pretty and to me, it kind of gives off this medieval vibe which I really like. 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Rhemalda Publishing) for free.