Charming Canucks: Interview and Giveaway with Chloe Jacobs

Charming Canucks is a feature I’ve created that will be posted every other month or so in an effort to spotlight more Canadian YA authors and their books. 

Today, I'd like to welcome Chloe Jacobs.

 

A bit about Chloe (as found on Goodreads): Chloe Jacobs is a native of nowhere and everywhere, having jumped around to practically every Province of Canada before finally settling in Ontario where she has now been living for a respectable number of years. Her husband and son are the two best people in the entire world, but they also make her wish she'd at least gotten a female cat. And although the day job keeps her busy, she carves out as much time as possible to write. Bringing new characters to life and finding out what makes them tick and how badly she can make them suffer is one of her greatest pleasures, almost better than chocolate and fuzzy pink bunny slippers. 

Greta and the Goblin King, your debut novel, was released on November 13 by Entangled Teen. Give three reasons why everyone should read it. 
Well, I think everyone should read it because Greta is totally kick ass. I also think everyone should read it because otherwise you’ll never believe a goblin could be so hot! And finally, everyone should read it because it’s a fantastic, high-action story, with themes of home and friendship and responsibility, that I’m really proud to have written :) 

Greta and the Goblin King is a fantasy. Is there another genre you’d love to try your hand at someday? Is there a genre you could never see yourself writing? 
I love writing stories in all different kinds of genres. I’d like to try some contemporary and steampunk, although I don’t think I will ever be the type to write mysteries. Even if there is some mystery in my books, if I were writing a book where the mystery was the main point I think I would always keep thinking I was ruining it. The answer would be too obvious and no one would be surprised at the end. 

What is your writing process like? Are you a pantser or a planner? 
I like to plot the main story – just the first couple of big points, and then see what I can do with the rest as it starts to unfold. Sometimes that means the book deviates from the original plan, but I think that’s ok and I’m willing to go with it most of the time. 

Describe your writing space. 
I can pretty much write anywhere as long as I have my laptop. I’m not constrained to a desk or a particular “spot” although I usually tend to write in a cushy chair in my living room, or out on the deck when the weather is nice. As long as there’s coffee somewhere, I’m good. 

I know Greta and the Goblin King is the first book in the Mylena Chronicles. Can you give a hint of what to expect in the sequel? 
I can’t say much, sorry! Except that Greta and Isaac still have much to overcome and a dangerous path to follow. I hope that readers will be excited by their journey and the reappearance of certain characters from book 1!

Quick Questions: 

Your website mentions that you’ve lived in practically every province of Canada. Growing up, where did you love living (city or province) and why? 
My family moved around a lot. When I was young in Alberta, there was a really harsh recession and my dad ended up out of work for a long while. We moved to a couple of places while my parents tried to make a better life. Finally, that meant settling in Ontario, where I’ve been ever since, although I did my fair share of moving around after I left my parents home too. 

You go on a cross-country trip across Canada. What is the one place you have to visit? 
Drumheller, Alberta. It’s called Dinosaur Valley and I think everyone has to check it out. Even if you aren’t a ten year old boy in love with all things dinosaur, the museum and badlands are amazing to see!Although … it’s hard to pick just one place in Canada. If you love nature and the outdoors, then Canada is THE place to be. I LOVE visiting Northern Ontario in the summertime, and the City of Ottawa with all its museums and the National Art Gallery of Canada. I love the Rocky Mountains, and the downtown Toronto skyline, and going to Kensington Market.There’s also Niagara Falls, and Jasper National Park, and the Bay of Fundy, and … wow I could really go on a tangent here. LOL. 

What's your favourite book by a Canadian author and why? 
I have read and loved many many books by Canadian authors so I hate to pick just one, but a classic that stuck with me when I read it a few years ago is The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence. It’s a disturbing book published more than 30 years ago, but it stands the test of time. One of Canada's most revered authors, Ms. Laurence won two Governor General's Awards for Fiction and was given more than a dozen honorary degrees in her lifetime. 

A huge thank you to Chloe for taking the time to answer my questions!

Chloe can be found on: [her website] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]

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Click here to find out more about Greta and the Goblin King!

For this giveaway, one person will get the chance to win a copy of Greta and the Goblin King. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

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Mini Reviews: The Almost Truth and Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook

From Back Cover: Sadie can’t wait to get away from her backwards small town, her delusional mom, her jailbird dad, and the tiny trailer where she was raised. She knows she can have a better life, and she has been working steadily toward it, one con at a time. But when Sadie’s mother wipes out Sadie’s savings, her escape plan is suddenly gone. She needs to come up with a lot of cash - and fast - or she’ll be stuck in this town forever. Then Sadie sees an age-enhanced photo of a missing girl who looks like her. With her best friend's help, she devises a plan - the ultimate con - to get the money. But the more Sadie learns about the missing girl, the more she starts falling for her own hoax ... and for the wrong boy. Sadie wanted to change her life, but she wasn't prepared to have it flipped upside down by her own con. Suddenly it seems like she has a lot more to lose ... 

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having read a couple of Eileen Cook’s previous books, I knew that The Almost Truth would be an amusing novel that I’d finish in one sitting. However, I couldn’t help but be disappointed that when the potential arose for a little bit of seriousness to be added to the story, the book ended abruptly. As well, I never really connected with Sadie since she and her best friend, Brendan, were pros at conning people whereas I don’t really approve of lying. Overall, although I had fun reading The Almost Truth, it’s probably my least favourite of Cook’s novels. 

The Almost Truth was released in December 2012 by Simon Pulse. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster Canada) for free.

original image from thegate.ca

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From Goodreads: In the final weeks of eighth grade, Lauren Wood made a choice. She betrayed her best friend, Helen, in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Ditching Helen was worth it, though, because Lauren started high school as one of the It Girls - and now, at the start of her senior year, she's the cheerleading captain, the quarterback's girlfriend, and the undisputed queen bee. Lauren has everything she's ever wanted, and she has forgotten all about her ex-best friend.

But Helen could never forget Lauren. After three years of obsessing, she's moving back to her old town. She has a new name and a new look, but she hasn’t dropped her old grudges. She has a detailed plan to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that's ever been important to Lauren - starting with her boyfriend.Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: I found Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, an older Eileen Cook novel, to be a bit more enjoyable. Although I couldn’t understand why Helen would still hold a grudge against Lauren years after having moved away, I’m always game for a story involving revenge. Unfortunately, Helen’s revenge tactics turned out to be pretty petty.

I did like Helen’s voice though and the fact that Cook showed that getting revenge may not actually make you happier. Sometimes it’s better to concentrate your energy on yourself rather than on others. I just wish the story could have concluded differently because you never find out what type of consequences – other than the fact that her friends sure got over being used quite fast – Helen faced due to her actions. This was one novel where I could have used an epilogue!

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood was released by Simon Pulse in January 2010.

original image from thegate.ca 

Waiting on Wednesday: Chantress

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: Chantress

Author: Amy Butler Greenfield

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Date of Release: May 7, 2013

Goodreads Description: “Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing - and she is swept into darkness. When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses - women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector. The only person powerful enough to bring about his downfall is a Chantress. And Lucy is the last one in England. Lucy struggles to master the song-spells and harness her power, but the Lord Protector is moving quickly. And her feelings for Nat, an Invisible College apprentice and scientist who deeply distrusts her magic, only add to her confusion ... Time is running out, and the fate of England hangs in the balance in this entrancing novel that is atmospheric and lyrical, dangerous and romantic.

Why am I waiting? I'm not going to lie: I was attracted to this because of the pretty cover :) But, Chantress also has magic, is set in seventeenth century England, and sounds like it has a romance that develops slowly. 

Happy New Year 2013 Giveaway Hop

The Happy New Year 2013 Giveaway Hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Babs Book Bistro.

For the hop, I'll be giving away any book of your choice worth up to $10 CDN from The Book Depository.

To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form.

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The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

From Goodreads: Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. Achilles, 'best of all the Greeks', is everything Patroclus is not - strong, beautiful, the child of a goddess - and by all rights their paths should never cross. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative companionship gives way to a steadfast friendship. As they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something far deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel and deathly pale sea goddess with a hatred of mortals. Fate is never far from the heels of Achilles. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned, everything they hold dear. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Told from the eyes of Patroclus, Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles follows the Greek hero Achilles from his childhood in Phthia to his death while fighting in the Trojan War. In the Iliad, Patroclus doesn’t have a huge role; but, his death at the hands of the Trojan Prince Hector is vital in turning the tide of the Trojan War in favour of the Greeks since it causes Achilles to put aside his wrath in order to get revenge. Here, Miller makes Patroclus the same age as Achilles – instead of being older like in the Iliad – and explicitly makes him Achilles’ lover so that the reader can understand why Achilles goes mad with grief once Patroclus dies.

My biggest hesitancy when reading The Song of Achilles was that I was concerned about how much the focus would be on Achilles’ and Patroclus’ sexual relationship rather than on things I would find more interesting – namely, the retelling of the Trojan War. While it was slightly annoying to read about the smitten Patroclus go on about Achilles’ beauty, there was actually only one sexual scene (though there were a couple of instances where physical intimacy is alluded to).

I liked that Miller chose to make Patroclus her narrator because it really highlighted the differences between him and Achilles. While Achilles is destined for greatness even before birth, Patroclus isn’t even close to being a great warrior. But, unlike the demi-god Achilles who seems to be incapable of caring for anyone other than Patroclus, the merely ordinary Patroclus is continually concerned about the welfare of others.

I also liked how Miller incorporated foreshadowing into her novel. For those who have read the Iliad, the foreshadowing in The Song of Achilles lends an element of tragedy to the novel because while Achilles hopes that he’ll get a happy ending and Patroclus repeatedly wonders how he’ll survive after Achilles’ death, we know the fates of both Patroclus and Achilles. My favourite instance of foreshadowing though would have to be the conversation between Neoptolemus (nicknamed Pyrrhus), the arrogant son of Achilles, and Odysseus where Odysseus says that he might end up becoming more famous than Pyrrhus in the future. The crafty Odysseus of course will eventually come up with the idea of the Trojan Horse and star in his own adventure in the Odyssey whereas Pyrrhus* remains unknown to those unfamiliar with the story of the Trojan War. 

Although kind of sappy at certain moments – particularly when Patroclus is younger – and taking some time to reach the point involving Troy, The Song of Achilles is a novel that’s easy to read if you enjoy Greek mythology or want to learn more about Achilles without having to read classical works.

The Song of Achilles was released in September 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing. 

Comments About the Cover: It’s so hard to tell what’s on the cover! I think it’s a breastplate … but I could be wrong.  

*It was prophesied that Troy wouldn’t fall until the son of Achilles came to fight against the Trojans.

Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2013

Today, for the Top 10 of 2012 Blog Event, we're picking our top ten books we're looking forward to in 2012. I've decided to make a list of books by authors I've never heard of and a separate list for books that are part of a series.

Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To By Debut Authors

The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell 

A fantasy with crime and political intrigue? A novel for fans of Tamora Pierce? Count me in! 

Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan

 Another fantasy; I added it to my wishlist as soon as I saw "thief," "spy" and "court" in the synopsis. 

Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein

 I love stories involving revenge!

The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

 This one seems like a cute read, and reminds me of Jackson Pearce's As You Wish.

 

Pivot Point by Kasie West

 I love the idea of being able to look into the future and then having to make choices.

The Collector by Victoria Scott

 Dante Walker sounds awesome! He better live up to the hype!

  The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

A girl who is a Nightmare? Sounds rather interesting ...
 
Parallel by Lauren Miller

 This one has a fascinating premise where a girl is subject to the reality created by her parallel self's decisions.

After You by Jessica Corra

Twin sisters - one with the ability to relive the past and the other with the ability to go forward in time. Where the heck is my ability to time travel?!

Landry Park by Bethany Hagen 
"It is supposed to be a cross between "Gone with the Wind" and "Mansfield Park", but set into the future 200 years from now." This better be good!
  

Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To By Established Authors

1. 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma
2. Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
3. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo 
4. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
5. Everbound by Brodi Ashton
6. Prodigy by Marie Lu 
7. The Archived by Victoria Schwab
8. The Rules by Stacey Kade
9. Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
10. Apollyon by Jennifer Armentrout

Mini Reviews: Covet by Melissa Darnell and Flash Point by Nancy Kress

From Goodreads: Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart. Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake. Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for. A reckoning is coming… and not everyone will survive.

My Rating: 3 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Covet by Melissa Darnell picks up where Crave leaves off and continues the romance of Tristan and Savannah as he tries to convince her to stay with him despite everybody’s objections. While I didn’t necessarily love their romance in Crave by any means, I found the story interesting enough that I decided to give the sequel a try. However, the plot of Covet wasn’t that entrancing, and I became irritated by the characters assuming that people were dating each other and feeling hurt and/or jealous about it. For the entirety of the novel, I was pretty much waiting for the story to end; but, the twist at the end has me thinking about at least skimming – if not reading – Consume to see how things wrap up.

Covet was released by Harlequin Teen in September 2012. 

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

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From Goodreads: Amy had dreams of going to college, until the Collapse destroyed the economy and her future. Now she is desperate for any job that will help support her terminally ill grandmother and rebellious younger sister. When she finds herself in the running for a slot on a new reality TV show, she signs on the dotted line, despite her misgivings. And she’s right to have them. TLN’s Who Knows People, Baby—You? has an irresistible premise: correctly predict what the teenage cast will do in a crisis and win millions. But the network has pulled strings to make it work, using everything from 24/7 hidden cameras to life-threatening technology to flat-out rigging. Worse, every time the ratings slip, TLN ups the ante. Soon Amy is fighting for her life - on and off camera. 

My Rating: 2.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Since Flash Point by Nancy Kress was available as an automatic download on NetGalley, I snagged a copy without knowing much about it or having any sort of expectations. Although I found the novel easy to get through, I also thought the worldbuilding was severely lacking – we’re never given any information as to how something akin to the Great Depression 2.0 comes about – and the challenges quite boring for reality TV. As well, the characters were ridiculously flat and the main character hard to like. All I came away with about Amy was that she loved designer labels (as evidenced by her multiple ramblings about them), had phantoms – a concept that wasn’t well-explained, fell in love way too easily, and barely got along with her sister because both were jealous of each other. 

Flash Point was released in November 2012 by Viking Juvenile. 

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

Top 10 Book Covers of 2012

Today, for the Top 10 of 2012 Blog Event, we're picking our top ten book covers of 2011. Here are just some of the book covers I fell in love with this year:

Witch Born by Amber Argyle

 Renegade by J.A. Souders 

 Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

 

 Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

 Venom by Fiona Paul

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood 
 

 The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2012

This week, Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound by Books, Rachel from Fiktshun, Jaime from Two Chicks on Books and Mindy from Magical Urban Fantasy Reads are hosting the Top 10 of 2012 Blog Event. 

Today, we're picking the top ten books we've read in 2012. Here's my list (in no particular order): 

1. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard [my review]
2. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers [my review]
3. Black Heart by Holly Black 
4. Angelfall by Susan Ee 
5. Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin [my review]
6. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund [my review]
7. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi [my review]
8. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman [my review]
9. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo [my review]
10. This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers [my review]

Honourable Mentions: The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas, Demons at Deadnight by A&E Kirk [my review], Everneath by Brodi Ashton [my review] and Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama [my review]

Guest Post: Helen Keeble (and Giveaway)

Things That Are Destroying Jane Greene’s Undead Social Life Before It Can Even Begin:

1) A twelve-year-old brother who’s convinced she’s a zombie.
2) Parents who are begging her to turn them into vampires.
3) The pet goldfish she accidentally turns instead.
4) Weird superpowers that let her rip the heads off of every other vampire she meets.(Sounds cool, but it doesn’t win you many friends.)
5) A pyschotic vampire creator who’s using her to carry out a plan for world domination.

And finally:
6) A seriously ripped vampire hunter who either wants to stake her or make out with her. Not sure which.

Being an undead, eternally pasty fifteen-year-old isn’t quite the sexy, brooding, angst-fest Jane always imagined....

Helen Keeble’s riotous debut novel combines the humor of Vladimir Tod with Ally Carter’s spot-on teen voice. With a one-of-a-kind vampire mythology and an irresistibly relatable undead heroine, this uproarious page-turner will leave readers bloodthirsty for more.

Today, I'd like to welcome Helen Keeble, the author of Fang Girl to my blog. Helen is here to talk about two trends in the paranormal genre that her book tries to go against.   

… Okay, so it's also about a lot of other things, like undead goldfish, vampiric retail empires, and hot boys in tight leather trousers, but mostly it's about fandom and family. Let me explain.

I started writing FANG GIRL because I was immensely irritated (I suspect irritation is the major cause of novels, actually). It was at the height of Twilight fever, and it seemed like every day there was a new article in the newspapers or blogosphere about it. You couldn't click a link or turn on the radio without finding someone either dismissing all YA paranormal romance fans as utterly stupid for liking "that trash", or alternatively getting into a moral panic that these girls were being fundamentally damaged by reading it. 

As I rather enjoy a good paranormal romance myself, this was irritating. Really irritating. So irritating I had to spend a year writing a novel to fully express my irritation.

See, personally I think that teenagers are a lot smarter and more discriminating than adults assume. I certainly read an awful lot of fantasy schlock as a teen, and enjoyed it immensely without ever thinking I was actually going to fall through a portal and meet the perfect knight-protector, so I don't believe that all teenage girls are having their relationship expectations warped for life by Robert Patterson's hair. And in my experience, teen paranormal fans can be hugely clever and creative - they dissect their favorite books like ruthless surgeons, they write their own fanfic versions, they make amazing music videos with footage from movies or tv shows … it's a far cry from the stereotype of a wide-eyed, ditzy girl uncritically consuming anything packaged with a black-and-red cover.

So I decided to write a paranormal romance about a girl who's a vampire fangirl, and who is also practical, snarky, and intelligent - so when she wakes up one night and discovers she's now a vampire herself, she's got the knowledge and wits to deal with it.

But of course, vampires are rather ridiculous creatures - seriously, you're angsty because you're eternally young and beautiful? Seriously? I mean, the first thing I'd do is camp out in New York Public Library and read every book ever - so I also wanted to poke fun at some paranormal romance cliches. The much older vampire hero who inexplicably falls in love with the heroine, eternal angst-filled passion, the inevitable brooding rival, the terribly glamorous vampire lifestyle … in my book, the vampires are quite aware of all these tropes, and are willing to use them to try to influence my heroine Jane. But the vampires are - like all those columnists and bloggers - assuming that teenage vampire fangirls actually believe all this stuff … which turns out to be a big mistake.

The other trend I'd noticed in paranormal romances is that usually the heroine's family are barely present (especially not both parents). She might have endless conversations with vampires and werewolves and bears, oh my, but parents seem to stay mostly off-page. Now, I'm not saying that I never fought with my parents when I was a teen, but mostly we got along, and my family were definitely a big influence in my life. And I think that's true for a lot of teens. So I wanted my protagonist's family to be a major part of the story. And really, if you're a girl who wakes up unexpectedly dead one night, what are you going to do? Run off alone and try to survive on the contents of your pockets (most people don't get buried with credit cards, you know), or go back home where there's bed, broadband, and people who love you even if you do now seem to have fangs? No contest!

So that's FANG GIRL: one part fandom, one part family, blended together with creamy comedy goodness and baked in the oven of righteous irritation. Can I tempt you to a bite? 

Thanks for dropping by, Helen! I love that you chose to make the protagonist's family a major part of the story. Absentee parents are one of my pet peeves, for sure!

Fang Girl can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [The Book Depository] 

 

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Waiting on Wednesday: Through the Ever Night

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: Through the Ever Night

Author: Veronica Rossi

Publisher: HarperTeen

Date of Release: January 8, 2013

Goodreads Description: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both. Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

Why am I waiting? I loved Under the Never Sky and after reading the excerpt provided on HarperTeen's website, it's not surprising that I can't wait to get my hands on it. We're apparently going to learn a lot more about the aether in this book! Oh, and early reviews have mentioned that this one definitely doesn't suffer from sequel syndrome!

Review: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

From Goodreads: Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit - everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled - but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains. Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend ... and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve. As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance - with family, with friends, and with love. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having read and loved Morgan Matson’s debut novel, Amy andRoger’s Epic Detour, I was excitedly looking forward to reading her sophomore novel, Second Chance Summer. I finally got a chance to read it during my blogging hiatus … and loved it because while the book deftly tackles a terminal illness, it also manages to celebrate life.

Initially, I wasn’t a fan of Taylor’s because she had a tendency to run away from problematic situations rather than dealing with them. However, Taylor acknowledges this fault of hers and attempts to work on it. For example, flashbacks throughout the novel cause the reader to realize that something happened five summers ago that led to the breakdown of Taylor’s relationships with her best friend, Lucy, and her first boyfriend, Henry. Although the reason turned out to be very anti-climactic, I liked that Taylor sought to repair those relationships.

Taylor’s family also develops over the course of the novel. At the beginning, they’re all busy with their own activities and not very close with each other. But, as Taylor’s father’s condition worsens, her family starts to spend a lot more time together, enjoying each other’s company and supporting one another. I especially loved the scene where Taylor told her father that she loved him; it was so touching and had me wiping tears surreptitiously since I was sitting on the bus. It also made me feel a little guilty because in a way I’m a lot like Taylor in that I don’t tell the people I care about that I love them, but just assume they know I do.

A book that manages to suspend the passage of time (and make you long for summer) before reaching its poignant climax, Second Chance Summer is a novel I definitely recommend reading!

Second Chance Summer was released in May 2012 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. 

Comments About the Cover: Though I like the cover, I feel like it doesn’t adequately convey the depth of emotions that Second Chance Summer managed to elicit in me.

Blogging Hiatus

Having been extremely busy for the past month or so with a new job – hence the decrease in posts and the late comments – and with little time to read in the future – I’ll be working on some applications due in the next few weeks for a couple of Master’s and Bachelor’s programs I’m interested in for next year – I’ve decided to take a break from blogging until at least mid-December. This will not only allow me to get through a few books for review and work on some posts in advance, but also hopefully read a bit for fun (which I feel like I haven’t been doing lately). Anyways, see you guys when I get back!

Mini Reviews: Conjure by Lea Nolan and Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

From Goodreads: Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry - hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday. When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer - and her friends - are lost forever.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Although Conjure by Lea Nolan is a YA book, it can easily be read by older MG readers because its tone felt a bit younger, particularly since the main character, Emma, was only fourteen and repeatedly thought about how dreamy her crush was. While I liked Emma, I found her twin brother Jack to be whiny and kind of selfish. To me, the most interesting and unique thing about Conjure was the incorporation of hoodoo. I’m not going to lie: before I read the book, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you the difference between hoodoo and voodoo. Not only do I know the difference now, but I actually felt like I learned quite a bit about hoodoo from reading Conjure. It’s very clear that Nolan did a significant amount of research on the topic!

Conjure was released in October 2012 by Entangled Publishing. 

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

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From Goodreads: Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud - and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection - and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city - including herself. 

My Rating: Wavering between 3 and 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: With a plot that features a pair of starcrossed lovers, I was a little disappointed that the romance in Theo Lawrence’s Mystic City didn’t exactly make me swoon. Also, I found the story to be a bit predictable and thought the characters were okay – nothing special. Oh, and Aria was definitely not the smartest cookie around! But, for some reason that I can’t figure out, Mystic City left me interested enough that I know I’m probably going to read the sequel. 

Mystic City was released by Delacorte Books for Young Readers in October 2012. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Random House) for free via NetGalley.

Review: Renegade by J.A. Souders

From Goodreads: Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law. But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster. Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb ...  and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all. 

My Rating: 1.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: If I could sum up J.A. Souders’ Renegade with one word, I’d use a word like messy because the frenetic pacing of the plot made it hard to follow what was going on. It also caused the development of the world, characters and romance to be sacrificed.

My first problem with Renegade was that the worldbuilding was sketchy at best. As a reader, I knew that Mother, her dad and their friends moved to Elysium to avoid war on land. That’s all I got though, really. I couldn’t fully comprehend the way that Elysium was set up – a map might have been nice since Gavin (who I still feel like I barely know!) and Evie were running all over the place – nor did I know what was going on on the Surface because Gavin doesn’t really speak much about the subject. I assumed at first that the people of Gavin’s community were living almost a pre-Industrial lifestyle since Gavin talks people getting married at a young age, trading and going hunting; but I later had to amend my thoughts when Gavin mentions video games.

I also couldn’t make myself care about the characters. Initially, the tone of the novel was great because although things seemed perfect for Evie, there was this underlying feeling of menace. However, over time, Evie’s repeated episodes of forgetfulness became more annoying than chilling to me, and made it hard to connect with her. When characters themselves don’t know who they are, how can you get to know them properly?! Evie’s forgetfulness also seemed as if it was just a convenient way for the author to get her characters to uncover another secret.

Lastly, I hated the romance because I thought it lacked chemistry and involved insta-love. From reading Evie’s perspective, it felt as if the reason she fell for Gavin was because he looked so different from the people of Elysium – meaning not only was he a Surface Dweller – something she’s fascinated by – but also because he had gray eyes instead of the Aryan qualities sought and cultured by Mother. As well, I was a bit weirded out by the fact that Evie could be so casual about Coupling with a guy she didn’t know anything about!

With its flimsy worldbuilding and weak characterization and romance, this dystopian, unfortunately, wasn’t for me!

Renegade will be released on November 13, 2012 by Tor Teen. 

Comments About the Cover: Unlike the book, I love the cover! It’s such a perfect-looking scene, but the dripping blood gives it a touch of danger.

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