Book Review of "Before I Fall" by Lauren Oliver

Title: Before I Fall  
Author: Lauren Oliver
Classification: YA Fiction, Contemporary
Source: Borrowed from the library

Overall Grade:

C

I thought...

Boring and overrated.

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life? 

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. 

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

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My Thoughts:

Going into this book, I knew a few things.

A: A lot of people have read and loved this book. 

B: The other book by Lauren Oliver I've read, Delirium, felt stilted and boring to me. 

C: This book would have lots of repetition in it.

And still, I managed to be disappointed.

Unfortunately, like Delirium, Before I Fall was slow-paced and mediocre. And I don't mind a slow read, on the contrary. I really appreciate books where authors take their time. I like the marginalia, even crave it when it's done well.

But I could not stand the asides in this book. The never-ending descriptions of weather, the rehashing of dialogue and descriptions that I literally JUST READ FIVE TIMES WHY ARE YOU MENTIONING IT AGAIN?!

However, for readers who don't mind the repetition, who aren't as easily peeved as I am by meaningless description and flat-out poor pacing, Before I Fall does have something to offer. Sam's character transition, the things she learns throughout her various mistakes and attempts, was well done.

The changes Sam went through were messy and for a good part of the novel, she's unlikeable. However, this felt much more authentic to me than anything else in the book.

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Overall Grade:

C

I thought...

Boring and overrated.

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Book Review of "Amplified" by Tara Kelly

Title: Amplified
Author: Tara Kelly
Classification: YA Fiction, Contemporary
Source: Borrowed from the library

Overall Grade:

C+

I thought...

An entertaining cliché of a novel.

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

When privileged 17-year-old Jasmine gets kicked out of her house, she takes what is left of her savings and flees to Santa Cruz to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. Jasmine finds the ideal room in an oceanfront house, but she needs to convince the three guys living there that she's the perfect roommate and lead guitarist for their band, C-Side. Too bad she has major stage fright and the cute bassist doesn't think a spoiled girl from over the hill can hack it. . .  

In this fresh new novel by critically acclaimed author Tara Kelly, Jasmine finds out what happens when her life gets Amplified.

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My Thoughts:

While there is certainly a lot to like about Amplified, the book fails to offer something new, interesting, or valuable to the genre.

Despite the personal quirks that make Jasmine a successful protagonist, her personal situation is one giant cliché. Privileged daughter of a rich but distant, critical, and disapproving father decides to throw her amazing opportunities to the wolves in order to pursue a dream that seems frivolous and impossible. While there is a slight twist in the story involving Jasmine's mother, the overused plot device is not appreciated.

Jasmine's naive character and extreme self-consciousness are outweighed only by her determination to not give in to her father's expectations, essentially equating her with a petulant three year old who refuses to eat her vegetables just because someone told her to. 

This affects the rest of the novel greatly, as it is difficult to feel compassion for a protagonist who is stubborn simply for the sake of being stubborn. In other words, rather than feeling she is justified for her actions, the reader is forced to view Jasmine's actions as reactions to what is expected of her by others around her.

The plot of Amplified revolves on Jasmine's ability to assimilate into the life she thought she wanted. There is a great pace to this story, with plenty of tension created between Jasmine and the other characters. On the surface, Amplified is a very successful YA contemporary novel: it is entertaining, contains a clear-cut message, and provides memorable characters.

However, where Amplified fails is in its ability to merge all of these elements together in a way that is not plagued by cliché and predictability. Because the premise for the entire novel is a cliché, the book seems to be doomed from the start. 

Despite these rather large pitfalls, the book is carefully written, which prevents it from receiving a far lower rating than it does here.

A note on the setting of the novel: Amplified portrays Santa Cruz in a very balanced, but almost caricatured version of itself. 

I grew up just a half hour from Santa Cruz and spent a large portion of my time there. I have ridden the unnamed rollercoaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk that frightens Jasmine to death in the beginning of the novel, the Giant Dipper, and let me tell you: that rollercoaster is just not scary. Even for a ten year old.

Yes, there are a lot of weirdos in Santa Cruz. A lot of eccentric, tattooed musician-types, surfer hippie dudes, and everything in between. But not everyone there is like that, which is what Amplified seems to portray in descriptions of the locals.

For those looking for a very entertaining and quick surface-read, Amplified is a great choice. But for readers who need less cliché and more meaning, their time will be better spent with another book.

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Overall Grade:

C+

I thought...

An entertaining cliché of a novel.

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Book Review of "City of Fallen Angels" by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments #4)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Bought

Overall Grade:

C+

I thought...

Same great characters + world paired with a ridiculous plot.


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Summary (from Goodreads): 

The Mortal War is over, and Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most important of all—Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her. His mother just found out he’s a vampire and now he’s homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse wrecking his life. And they’re willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he’s dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

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My Thoughts: 

I really love The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series that Cassie Clare has created, I really do. But this book just missed the mark.

I have a theory that Cassie wrote CoFA as a sort of rough draft and saved the good stuff for Clockwork Prince, the sequel to Clockwork Angel that blew my socks off. Best. Book. Ever.

I know, I know... I'm being pretty brutal here. But I don't know any other way to describe my disappointment with this book.

It certainly wasn't the characters, the world, or the relationships in CoFA that set me off. It was the thing that Cassie is usually the best at: the plot. I simply DO NOT BELIEVE the overall story of this book!

It is too coincidental, too convenient, and really, just too ridiculous. It is clear that the series was meant to end with the third book, City of Glass, and the bad-guys in CoFA were basically resurrected from the dead in order to carry on the story. It's almost insulting as a reader to encounter such a vain attempt at carrying on a series.

My qualms about the plot of this story aside, I must give Cassie props for Simon and Jace. It was incredibly entertaining to watch these guys spend time with each other... especially since they are my two favorite characters in the series. However, I also liked the full cast of characters, from Maya to Magnus Bane! Cassie truly has a talent for keeping a large amount of characters in order and letting them make themselves known throughout the story.

While I was seriously disappointed in the overall direction that was taken in CoFA, I will still continue on with the series. I can't help it really, these books are basically a Class 2 substance.

Seriously, they should be sold by the gram.

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Overall Grade:

C+

I thought...

Same great characters + world paired with a ridiculous plot.



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Book Review of "Birthmarked" by Caragh O'Brien

Title: Birthmarked (Birthmarked #1)
Author: Caragh M. O'Brien
Classification: YA Fiction, Dystopian
Source: Bought from Amazon

 

Overall Grade:

C+ / B-

I Thought...

Compelling characters and a unique premise were slowed down by a sporadic plot.


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Summary (from Goodreads):

In the Enclave, your scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future.

Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia's mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish.

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My Thoughts: 

Although Birthmarked definitely had a unique premise and refreshing characters, the story and plot were too convoluted to make for a fast-paced read. What resulted is a mixed novel filled with intermittent mystery, heartbreak, romance, and suspense that makes me constantly change my mind about it. 

On the surface, I was not thrilled with this book, because it made me try to too hard as a reader to fall in love with the story. We would be presented with Gaia, a noteworthy heroine who is faced with terrible difficulty, only to be led to a stale plot device that slowed the narrative to a halt. 

Again, a love interest was introduced, complications arose, and yet again, the plot slowed and I felt like putting the novel down again and doing some knitting. Seriously. 

However, I must say that the last 50 or so pages of this book were like BAM--in your FACE awesome. Those last pages will probably carry me on to the next book in the series, Prized. But, I really hope that O'Brien picks up the pace in the next installment. 

If you have the patience for a narrative that is constantly up and down, Birthmarked is definitely a dystopian that is worth your time! The refreshing characters and interesting world are cause enough to give it a try.

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Overall Grade:

C+ / B-

I Thought...

Compelling characters and a unique premise were slowed down by a sporadic plot.

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Book Review of "Catching Jordan" by Miranda Kenneally

Title: Catching Jordan
Author: Miranda Keneally
Classification: YA Fiction, Contemporary 
Source: Borrowed

Overall Grade:

C+

Would I recommend it?

An entertaining yet unrealistic contemporary!


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Summary (from Goodreads):

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

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My Thoughts:
  
I had a veritable love/hate relationship with this book. 

There were awesomely funny, sexy, and surprising moments that made me flip through the pages... only to be stopped in my tracks by a contrived situation or cheesy dialogue. 

I think that one of the major success of this book is that it showcases the life of a serious female athlete. I grew up playing high school and club volleyball my entire life, later playing at a Division I school. I liked how Kenneally portrayed Jordan as focused and driven. She took her sport seriously, almost too seriously, and she made a conscious effort to train, take care of her body, and be a good captain to her teammates. 

However, because I am often forced to listen to college football games while reading or making jewelry on Saturdays, I literally cringed every time that Jordan mentioned playing football for Alabama. The complete impossibility of this had me frustrated from the start of the novel, because while I am willing to suspend my slight disbelief that a girl can become the best quarterback in the entire state of Tennessee, there is simply no way to even hope that a girl can earn a full-ride football scholarship to play for the Crimson Tide. 

Seriously. There's no way. 

Because this novel is part of the contemporary genre, one would expect the situations in the book to be realistic... a story that people can imagine actually playing out in their own lives today or tomorrow. I think this is the reason why I ended up feeling disappointed with this book. Because the situation itself was a bit riduculous, that of Jordan actually thinking she could start at quarterback for a top-ranked football team, the dialogue between her and her teammates felt stilted and cheesy. 

However, despite this major problem I had with the book, I was pleasantly surprised by the romance story! Kenneally did a great job at keeping the relationships realistic, complicated, and surprising. Although there is a near case of insta-love between Jordan and Ty, the way that their relationship progresses is not typical of YA lit these days. And I have to say, I am very happy with how the story ended. 

That being said, I think that Catching Jordan would have been much more successful had Kenneally opted to make the sports angle of the story more believable. This would have better served the story by not turning around the general stereotype of football as a man's sport into a situation that is just as equally ridiculous and frustrating. 

All in all, an entertaining, albeit somewhat cheesy, contemporary read that will appeal to athletes and sports lovers!

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Overall Grade:

C+

Would I recommend it?

An entertaining yet unrealistic contemporary!


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Book Review of "Eve" by Anna Carey

Title: Eve (Eve #1)
Author: Anna Carey

Classification: YA Fiction, Dystopian
Source: Library

Overall Grade:

C

Would I recommend it?

No. A mediocre addition to the genre.

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

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My Thoughts:

While Eve had a great premise, a stunning beginning, and the potential to be great, flat characters and poor plotting really doomed this Dystopian to a life on the shelf.

When we first meet Eve at the private girl's school she attends with her best friend Pip, we find that she is the smartest girl in her class, beautiful and talented. Then, when Eve learns that her and her other classmates will not be able to learn about Art or Economics after they graduate, but will be put to more sinister uses instead, she escapes without a moment's hesitation.

During this great beginning, I admired Eve's character, especially her strength of will to escape the school and figure out the truth for herself. However, my glee was short-lived, as we soon find that Eve's character is as malleable as play-dough.

While Eve encounters dangers, friends, and enemies after her escape, we find that she is extremely easily swayed by those she comes across. She easily pushes aside her fear and worry for Pip and her other friends that she left at school, despite the fact that she knows what true fate awaits them.

Eve's enemy-made-friend Arden would have made a much more interesting protagonist, in my opinion! She is strong, mean, and willing to do whatever it takes to survive.

Although the story in Eve allows the reader to be entertained, the main character's lack of resolve and weak nature, as well as serious plot-holes and clichéd events, make it impossible for most readers to fall completely in love with the novel. Readers can only suspend disbelief for a certain amount of time, people! Readers can only take so much of sweet, sappy love between an amazing hero and a super-dumb heroine!

All in all, while Eve will certainly entertain and bring many readers to wait anxiously for the sequel with its killer cliffhanger ending, there are other Dystopian adventures that are more worth their time.

For a more in-depth, thoroughly SPOILERY look at my take on Eve, check out my Goodreads review.

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Overall Grade:

C

Would I recommend it?

No. A mediocre addition to the genre.

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Book Review of "The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

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Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) 
Author: Michelle Hodkin

Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal 

Source: Bought

Overall Grade:

C

Would I recommend it?

Only if you don't mind a formulaic plot & clichéd love interest!

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.
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My Thoughts:

While The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer had the potential to be a very intriguing and addictive series in the paranormal genre of Young Adult literature, Hodkin's characters fell flat on the page and the story fell victim to an unbalanced and poorly organized plot.

Before the negative aspects of this paranormal debut are discussed, I would like to go over what actually worked well in the novel. Firstly, the writing itself was pretty well done. At times, Hodkin even bordered on prose of a lyrical quality, especially during times when Mara was in severe emotional distress. I also noted several very amusing lines from Mara's narration and great quotes from Noah.

I would also like to say that the areas of the novel that were focused on Mara's character specifically and her battle with mental illness were done very well! However, these moments ended up being few and far between as Hodkin decided to focus on Mara's romance with Noah rather than the paranormal aspects.

This balancing act delivered very disappointing results, as huge chunks of each story line would be devoted solely to the mystery or paranormal story line while ignoring Mara's relationship with Noah, and vice versa. As a reader, it is hard to enjoy a love story when you know that the main character should really be focusing on a far more important issue at hand! Readers aren't stupid!!

Another very irritating aspect of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is the character of Noah. Seriously, are readers really supposed to believe that a completely gorgeous guy with an English accent who is incredibly brilliant, but doesn't need to try in school, is completely and utterly LOADED with cash, is a huge animal-lover, speaks 5 languages (or is it 6?), and is very funny/sarcastic/snarky is a realistic love interest for Mara Dyer? (Who doesn't ever wear makeup, I might add. Which bothers me.)

While Noah was a very interesting character to read about, and I enjoyed certain aspects of his relationship with Mara, I just don't understand the appeal of creating such a clichéd male love interest anymore.

I guess this spawns a whole new debate of whether or not authors should be more realistic in their writing, but that can be saved for a later date.

Lastly, a note on the overall plot of the novel: It seems as if Hodkin delivered her major events in sporadic chunks throughout the book, ending with a big "reveal" and cliffhanger ending that makes the entire novel seem like one giant prologue to the next installment.

While Mara Dyer proved sometimes satisfying, Hodkin's debut was held back by poor plotting and characterization. Fervent readers that are looking for something fresh, addictive, and satisfying in the paranormal young adult genre that is not formulaic and trite may want to skip this one!

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Overall Grade:

C

Would I recommend it?

Only if you don't mind a formulaic plot & clichéd love interest!

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Book Review of "A Season of Eden" by Jennifer Laurens

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Title: A Season of Eden

Author: J.M. Warwick / Jennifer Laurens

Classification: YA Fiction, Contemporary

Source: ARC from the publisher

Overall Grade: 

C

Would I read it again?

No.

Would I recommend it? 

Depends!

  

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Summary (from Goodreads):

 

He's my teacher. I shouldn't be alone with him. But I can't help that he's irresistible. I let the door silently close at my back. He stared at me, and a taut quiet stretched between us. 
 
"I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him. 
 
He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?" The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed. 
 
"Eden." 
 
My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them.
 
"Is it okay?" I asked. His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking. "Let me stay," I said. "Please." 
 
"You're going to get me in trouble," he said. 

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My Thoughts:

 

I have a few problems with this book.
 
First off, the whole teacher/student thing is not that big a deal in A Season of Eden. Eden, the protagonist, is 18, and the teacher, James Christian, is 22. Their close ages make the story much more believable, that a romance could actually form between these two people.
 
I can definitely see where Laurens is coming from with writing a story like this. As a teenager, I had plenty of teachers, coaches, friend's older brothers that seemed just out of reach. But, that didn't stop me from wishing... ;)

However, I have to say that I do not think that Laurens took full advantage of this concept. I felt that the relationship between Eden and James was well-developed, with Eden's take charge character overwhelming James' shyness. Their relationship was the strong point of the novel.
 

Eden's character, however, was the weak point. I felt like her entire world revolved around whether or not she would actually "get" James. As a girl from a very wealthy background, little familial support, and mostly vapid relationships with friends and boyfriends, I guess this probably rings true. However, if Eden really was trying to grow and change to become more mature and win James' heart, wouldn't she try and control her drama reflex?!
 

Also, from the cover of this novel, with the cover model holding the "forbidden fruit," I expected there to be more similarities between this book and the Adam and Eve narrative. I once took a class that studied only Adam and Eve narratives from fiction, movies, and poetry from all genres and time periods, and I found it fascinating! However, I was definitely misled: there is almost no relation to the Adam and Eve narrative whatsoever!

 

However, there was an interesting discussion on personal worth, sin, and guilt in the novel, as Eden tries to deal with the fact that she is much more... experienced in many walks of life than dear James.

 

All in all, a refreshing contemporary that, while being a fun, fresh read, does not earn top notch marks from me. It was probably that lazy ending.... :)

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Overall Grade: 

C

Would I read it again?

No.

Would I recommend it? 

Depends!

 

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Book Review of "The Karma Club" by Jessica Brody

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Title: The Karma Club
Author: Jessica Brody
Classification: YA Fiction, Contemporary
Source: The library!

Overall Grade: 

C+

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it? 

There are other Contemporaries better worth your time.

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Summary (from Goodreads):

 

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. Do good things and you'll be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what you deserve. But when Maddy’s boyfriend cheats on her, nothing bad comes his way. That’s why Maddy starts the Karma Club, to clean up the messes that the universe has left behind. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. It turns out Karma often has plans of its own.

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My Thoughts:

 

I have mixed thoughts about The Karma Club. I heard so many good things about this, but in light of other awesome contemporary books I've read recently, (Anna and the French Kiss, Perfect Chemistry, and The DUFF) this one was a disappointment.

For starters, the concept was both a pro and a con to this novel. I loved the idea of girls bonding together over their broken hearts, playing funny pranks on those hated stereotypes: the cheating boyfriend and the popular school slut. However, the very nature of this concept guaranteed that the protagonist and her accomplices would need to "learn their lesson," making a majority of the end portion of the novel very preachy.

Another divided aspect of The Karma Club was the main character, Maddy. I found her to be at times funny and heartwarming, and at times shallow and fake. I guess if you think about it, this is probably a good representation of how most teenage girls are at certain points in their life.... huh. Maybe Maddy was a better character than I thought!

However, the things that annoyed me about Maddy were her inability to understand that manipulating people isn't exactly karma-licious, her obsession in the beginning of the novel with being popular, and the way she almost screwed things up with an awesome guy because of the antics of The Karma Club.

However, I will admit that we definitely saw character growth, and Maddy's friendships with Jade and Angie were also tested.

There were many moments in the novel that were cute, funny, and very entertaining! It made for a fast, fun read that, while not the best Contemporary I've read recently, was definitely worth the time.

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Overall Grade: 

C+

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it? 

There are other Contemporaries better worth your time.

 

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Book Review of "Falling Under" by Gwen Hayes

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Title: Falling Under
Author: Gwen Hayes
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal
Source: ARC review copy from the publisher.

Overall Grade: 

C
Would I read it again? 

Meh.
Would I recommend it? 

Perhaps

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

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My Thoughts:

What Worked:

• The characters. I felt like Theia and her friends Donny and Ame were very real teenagers for the most part. Hayden was also intriguing.
• The story. Falling Under is not exactly like any paranormal romance you've read: It's a bit darker, a bit spookier and a bit more creepy.

What Didn't Work:

• The dialogue. There were some points in the story where Hayes lost the authenticity of her characters with the dialogue. Take the following example from the book:

"When one of the varsity basketball players tried to pass without even seeing us, Donny drew the line. 'Hey, Bill, did I ever tell you how much it meant to me that you made sure my needs were still met that one time you couldn't get it up? That makes you a real gentleman,'" (page 14 in my version.)

• ... To me, this doesn't seem like a normal thing for a teenager to say. I know that authenticity isn't the most important thing in a novel, but this crossed the line a bit for me.
• The pacing. I felt a bit confused at times in Falling Under. It seemed to take Theia an awful lot of nights of seeing and visiting Hayden in her dreams before she actually approached him in real life. I think the pacing of the story was a bit lost in the grotesque world of Under that Hayes created.

Overall, Falling Under is definitely a haunting new page-turner that will delight the more morbid fans of paranormal romance immensely!

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Overall Grade: 

C
Would I read it again? 

Meh.
Would I recommend it to others? 

Perhaps!

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Book Review of "Wondrous Strange" by Lesley Livingston

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Title: Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange #1)
Author: Lesley Livingston
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Source: Public Library

Overall Grade: 

B - / C +

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it to others? 

Maybe. 

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Summary:

17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye.

(Summary from Goodreads page). 

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My Thoughts:

Wondrous Strange is the second book about faeries that I've read in the last month. (I read Wings by Aprilynn Pike too... here's the book review).  I have to admit that this book pulled me in right from the beginning.  I loved the fusion of Kelley's theatre-life and her independent nature combined with the story of Sonny as a Janus warrior, a guard of the gateway between the land of Faerie and the mortal realm, fittingly located in NYC's Central Park.

Another unique trait about Wondrous Strange that I enjoyed very much was the inclusion of lines, quotes and characters from Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream.  I felt that Livingston did very well to draw on the Bard's talents without relying too heavily on it: it was the perfect mix of borrowed and new.

I also really like Sonny's character.  He seemed more normal than other male love interests in recent YA lit that I've read.  For example, he caught himself thinking about Kelley during inappropriate times and he frets over what to wear one day, wanting to pick out something that she will like on him.  This was extremely cute and endearing and I greatly enjoyed seeing his character develop in the novel.

However, there are several problems I had with the book.  Firstly, the cast of characters, especially in reference to Sonny's other Janus teammates, grew too long, too fast.  I started to try and memorize all the characters' names and standout personality traits as Livingston described, thinking they would be important later on in the book.  But these minor characters were only mentioned once more and I had already forgotten all about them by that time.

Secondly, I'm a big fan of nicknames in love stories.  Like Dimitri's "Roza" in the Vampire Academy series, Puck's "princess" in The Iron King, and more. I think it's nice if done right and generally helps the reader figure out the character who does the name-calling.

Having said that, I had a big problem with Sonny's nickname for Kelley: "firecracker." Yes, the nickname fit in the beginning of the book when he mostly used it in his head and was referring to the odd aura surrounded the redhead heroine (nice tie-in, huh?).  But when things between these two got more intimate, I found myself cringing as Sonny cups Kelley's face in his hands (HOLY CRAP, can we please get another romantic gesture in the mix once in awhile?!) and whispers passionately, "My firecracker." It was trite and stupid and... strangely enough, embarrassing as a reader to find a perfectly good love scene smashed to smithereens by poor verbiage.

Going along with this same feeling, I also found myself wondering how, all-of-the-sudden, Sonny and Kelley were in love.  It's not that I didn't see it coming, and it's not that I'm against instant love situations when it's done well.  It just seemed a bit predictable and unexciting to be worth my suspended belief that these two could really and truly be in love after the time they've spent together.

All in all, the story and the characters had potential, the setting was exciting and innovative, and Livingston's writing was well-executed... for the most part.  If you can look past my list of grievances mentioned above to get to the real heart of the story, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book.  I'm just not sure it's really worth it with the landslide of faery novels that are out today.
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Overall Grade: 

B - / C +

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it to others? 

Maybe.

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Book Review of "Vesper" by Jeff Sampson

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Title: Vesper (Deviants #1)

Author: Jeff Sampson

Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal

Source: ARC from the Publisher

Overall Grade:
C +
Would I read it again?
No.
Would I recommend it? 

Yes, if they're not too into the romance element and aren't too picky about the way it's written.

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s definitely not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.

The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell . . . there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely— something not human?

As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?
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My Thoughts:

Vesper is different from your average YA novel. The tone was closer to your average teen than I've read in most other novels, Emily is a geeky girl that doesn't win the heart of a brooding, mysterious guy despite her... circumstances and the book is written by a guy. That last one may not seem like an important factor, but I beg to differ. Reading a YA novel written by a man rather than a woman is like reading a YA novel with a male protagonist rather than a female protagonist. The gender of the protagonist/author changes how the story unfolds.

That being said, here is what I thought about Vesper: the tone was conversational and thoroughly teenage, but bordered on contrived. I can recall several moments in the novel where Sampson's narrative just sounded like Sampson and not like Emily.

The plot of the novel was interesting, but not enthralling. In fact, the end of the novel was a much more exciting than the rest of it. I find myself wondering why Sampson didn't introduce the overarching conflict of his novel (and potential series) earlier in the narrative and if I just wasted my time reading a 300 page prologue to his next book where the real action happens.

A recurring theme I found in Vesper is sloppiness. Sloppiness in Sampson's creation of character (bordering on trite and contrived), and sloppiness in the pacing of the novel and the plot in general (heavily unbalanced towards the end of the story).

I don't know if I am invested enough in Emily Webb's character to continue with the series, because although I generally like Emily, I'm not too thrilled with how she is written.
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Overall Grade:
C +
Would I read it again?
No.
Would I recommend it? 

Yes, if they're not too into the romance element and aren't too picky about the way it's written

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Book Review of "Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side" by Beth Fantaskey

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Title: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica #1)

Author: Beth Fantaskey 
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal 
Source: Public Library

Overall Grade: 

C - - (two minuses) 

Would I read it again? 

No. 

Would I recommend it?

(shrugs).

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Summary:

Jessica Packwood is waiting for the bus to take her to school on the first day of her senior year when she notices a dark, mysterious stranger across the road, staring at her intently. Then, just as the bus pulls up, she here's him whisper her old name, "Antanasia...".

You see, Jessica was adopted by her parents from Romania when she was just a baby and her Romanian name was discarded for a more "normal" American one. So how did this mysterious guy know her name... her real name?

Well, it turns out that the stranger is also in her first class of the day and is a foreign exchange student from Romania and is going to be staying with the Packwoods. Great. But that still doesn't explain to Jessica why he's here in the US and why he knew her real name...

That's when her parents reveal that when they brought Jessica to the US when she was just a baby, because her birth parents were killed in a deadly village riot, they forgot to mention one teeny tiny detail: her parents were vampires. Jessica is a vampire. Lucius Vladescu, the mysterious foreign exchange student, is a vampire. And before the untimely deaths of both Jessica and Lucius' birth parents, they made a pact that stated that the last heirs of the royal Dragomir and Vladescu lines would marry when of age, therefore creating a peace among vampires that had not been seen for centuries.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Ok, so not only is the hot new guy from Romania that has a strange accent and dresses like Mr. Darcy and talks like a Victorian Gothic novel staying with her family, he is also a vampire (which do not really exist... right?) and her so-called betrothed, sent to the US to fetch his new bride upon her 18th birthday, only a few short months away.

Well, she knew senior year was going to be interesting, but this wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind...

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My Thoughts:

The premise for this book was so intriguing, I knew I had to pick it up, and it seemed within the first few pages that I had made a great decision! Then, I realized something that made me cringe: I didn't believe Lucius Vladescu. And I don't mean this in the way that Jessica's character doesn't-believe-that-Lucius-is-a-"vampire"-like-he-says-and-that-he-is-maybe-just-a-little-bit-INSANE, either. What I mean is that I don't believe his sexy accent and his elaborate sentence structure and his ability--no, need, to command a room, even in a high school classroom. I just don't believe his act and his big vocabulary and I think his character is shallow and trite.

Believe me, it pains me to write this, because I so very much wanted to like Lucius. But I can't sit here and actually lie about what Fantaskey's writing is telling me: that she doesn't know how to breathe life into a character like Lucius. I will admit that Jessica's character is more believable and likeable. That is, until the end of the novel when the relationship between the teens changes, and then Jessica's character turns into something that is just as vapid as Lucius, in that her actions and words don't match what we previously knew about her character and I just did not buy it!

I know I may sound pretty harsh right now, so let me lighten the mood a bit. I am interested in their story. I want to love this book. But this cannot change the fact that every time Lucius spouts off a crazy monologue with antiquated turns of phrase, I cringe in my seat. So, I probably will not read the sequel, but I might if I have nothing else to read. Plus, I may not be as picky by then and Fantaskey may have switched gears for the next novel... you never know.

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Overall Grade: 

C - - (two minuses) 

Would I read it again? 

No. 

Would I recommend it to others?

(shrugs).

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Book Review of "Wings" by Aprilynne Pike

WARNING: Spoiler Alert!   

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Title: Wings 

Author: Aprilynne Pike
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy
Source: Public Library

Overall Grade: 
C+
Would I read it again? 
Maybe if I'm desperate. 
Would I recommend it? 
Meh!

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Wings is a fairy-tale. A romance. A mystery. A tale of self-discovery.

Because I want to get the point about what I actually thought about this book, I'll try and make the summary short-and-sweet:

Laurel is a faerie, but she doesn't know it yet. She always knew she was adopted, but what really happened is that the faerie world decided to place Laurel, as a young child, in the hands of her parents because they own the land that guards the portal to their sacred city Avalon, thus ensuring that the land will eventually pass into faerie hands (Laurel's) and will remain safe. Laurel doesn't remember anything about her previous life because she agreed to have her memory wiped before embarking on her mission. In her previous life, she was best friends with Tamani, who now acts as sentry for the land where Laurel grew up. Tamani is Laurel's (sort-of) childhood sweetheart: he is a bit arrogant, out-going and funny.

When Laurel starts her new life in public school, she meets Daniel, who welcomes Laurel into his group of friends and is always incredibly sweet. Laurel and Daniel are sort-of boyfriend and girlfriend before Laurel meets Tamani. Tamani helps Laurel deal with her new-found faerie traits, such as no blood, a flower-like blossom on her back, gracefullness and more. Where Daniel was supportive to Laurel in scientific ways, such as taking samples of her DNA to examine under his microscope, Tamani is supportive by telling Laurel about the world she comes from, because it is his world as well.

The mystery of the story comes with an ogreish man, Mr. Barnes, who insists on buying Laurel's parents' land. This should be impossible, because sentry faeries like Tamani frequently wipe the memories clean of prospective buyers of the property, in order to ensure its purpose of coming into Laurel's possession. Then, Laurel's dad becomes gravely ill and the hospital cannot figure out what's wrong. This places further strains on the family's finances, and Laurel's mom is forced to sell to the creepy man. This just doesn't feel right to Laurel though, so she convinces David to help her follow Mr. Barnes to the address on his business card and check it out. That's when they encounter Barnes and his henchmen: all trolls with unbelievable strength, enemies to faeries and desperate to discover the portal to Avalon. The two teens are kidnapped and left for dead in the river, only escaping by Laurel's ability to hold her breath for an incredible amount of time.

After the fiasco, Laurel's dad is cured, the land is safe and Laurel gets to tell her parents the truth about her... anatomy. But, instead of staying with her people in Avalon, she chooses to live her human life with her parents and Daniel, a heart-breaking decision both for herself and Tamani.

Overall, I sorta liked this book. I liked the blend of fantasy, romance and mystery. I think the book is well-balanced and perfectly executed for a fun, light, YA fiction novel.

However, I have problems with the characters. For the life of me, I just can't seem to like David. He is just too nice, too sincere, too accepting. This is totally evident in the first few pages of the novel where Laurel and David have their first conversation: their words are rehearsed, out-of-place and clunky, not at all like a real conversation between teens on their first day of school.

Also, the love stories between Laurel and David and Laurel and Tamani are problematic. For Laurel and David, it's the same problem that I have with David's character: it's too picturesque and sweet. As for Laurel and Tamani, it's a little better: a little more mysterious, a little more history between them, a little more tension. However, at the end of the book when Laurel comes to Tamani to tell him her decision to live in her human world away from him, his reaction is unexpected. He is completely heart-broken, a reaction that doesn't seem logical from the casual meetings he and Laurel had, even given their history. To Laurel, she hardly knows him. Yes, I understand the mysterious pull between them that Laurel can't place and that seems to make their attraction grow, I just found their parting to be heavy-handed and... odd.

However, I may change my mind when I read the sequel, Spells, next. I'll let you know what I find out!

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Overall Grade: 
C+
Would I read it again? 
Maybe if I'm desperate. 
Would I recommend it? 
Meh!

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