Book Review of "Rebel Heart" by Moira Young

Title: Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2) 
Author: Moira Young
Classification: YA Fiction, Dystopian
Source: Bought from Amazon

Overall Grade:

A-

I thought...

This book cured my sequel fatigue.

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise. 

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion.

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My Thoughts:

It took me a little time to get into Rebel Heart. I'll admit that lately, I've had pretty severe sequel fatigue. I'll take one look at the opening page, see the annoying rehash of events in the first book (I'm looking at you, Insurgent,) and will immediately abandon the book right there.

So basically, I'm tired of sequels.

But Rebel Heart seduced me.

Saba's narrative lured me in and even when the plot wasn't strong, even when I was itching for a certain someone to finally show up, she still kept me turning page after page.

From the cataclysmic events of Blood Red Road, it's pretty clear to see that any follow up would need to have some downtime, where the characters address the needs that were ignored during the tumult. Normally, I cringe for these moments, because they are almost always boring and done poorly.

However, I think the author tackled this well in Rebel Heart. Saba's journey throughout the novel was very different from that of Blood Red Road, but it was still compelling.

I especially enjoyed the development of one of the minor characters from Blood Red Road and can't wait to see more of that person in the last book! Saba's story in Rebel Heart was more emotional, more personal, and just as twisty and surprising as the first book in the series.

Seriously, once you get a hundred pages in, you won't be able to stop.

So for all of you guys who might have sequel fatigue like I do, don't let that stop you from starting this book!

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Overall Grade:

A-

I thought...

This book cured my sequel fatigue.

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(Full Disclosure: Any books purchased from Amazon through the links on this page will result in a small commission to me.)

Book Review of "Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Classification: YA Fiction, Dystopian, Paranormal
Source: Bought

Overall Grade:

A+

Would I recommend it?

Read it or die. Read this book now!!

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

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My Thoughts:

I've waited a pretty long time to write this review. After my first read of the book, (I've read it twice now,) I'll admit, I was pretty... entranced.

Okay, obsessed.

Addicted.

This story really ensnared me. Juliette's story is so compelling, I couldn't help it. After my first read, I was convinced that it was the best book of the year (2011 at the time).

Now that I've had some time to think about it, and some time to re-read it, I think I'm now able to write a more critical review.

Seriously, if I had reviewed this book right after I read it back in 2011, it probably would have looked something like this:

HOLY HOLY HOLY HOLY CRAP THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! READ THIS BOOK. RIGHT NOW. GO BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT RIGHT THIS SECOND!!!!!!!!!! OMG JULIETTE!! OMG--ADAM! KENJI!! WARNERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because really, this book has seriously fangirl-making powers.

While the story of Shatter Me is probably the strongest aspect of the book, the writing is what really sets it apart. The style is almost lyrical to a fault. In Juliette's voice, almost everything is made lyrical. Everything is given significance.

And when you read the story with one eye closed, your critical eye, let's say, the style works. Considering Juliette's hardships, the things she's had to go through, the writing style fits.

But with this type of narrative, when you see the seams in the story, they are incredibly obvious. The hints of foreshadowing, the planting of a recurring or overarching theme, the clumsy inclusion of backstory. These bits seem glaringly obtrusive in a narrative as overtly lyrical as Juliette's.

However. While I have overcome a good deal of my fangirl obsession with this book, there is still no way that I will miss the remaining books in this series. I pre-ordered Unravel Me almost a year ago!

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Overall Grade:

A+

Would I recommend it?

Read it or die. Read this book now!!

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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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(Full Disclosure: Any books purchased from Amazon through the links on this page will result in a small commission to me.)

Book Review of "This is Shyness" by Leanne Hall

Title: This is Shyness
Author: Leanne Hall
Classification: YA Fiction, Dystopian, Fantasy
Source: Bought

Overall Grade:

A-

I thought...
An endearing little oddity.


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Summary (from Goodreads): 

A guy who howls. A girl on a mission to forget.

In the suburb of Shyness, where the sun doesn’t rise and the border crackles with a strange energy, Wolfboy meets a stranger at the Diabetic Hotel. She tells him her name is Wildgirl, and she dares him to be her guide through the endless night.

But then they are mugged by the sugar-crazed Kidds. And what plays out is moving, reckless...dangerous. There are things that can only be said in the dark. And one long night is time enough to change your life.

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My Thoughts:

Perhaps the only appropriate word for This is Shyness, Leanne Hall's 24 hour dystopian/fantasy, is surreal.

What starts out as a straight-forward girl-meets-boy tale soon turns into a fantastic one-night romp through a city that felt as much of a character as Wildgirl and Wolfboy.

However, the two-part narrative form, where Wildgirl and Wolfboy take turns narrating one chapter each, feels familiar and comfortable, juxtaposing against the strange story and the characters that are never what you expect them to be.

Although the world is strange and the characters are weird and the whole novel feels like walking down a dark alleyway dressed as Edgar Allen Poe, i.e. fitting, but strange all the same, the moments of lyricism seem to vanish as quickly as they come.

In the face of total oddity and suspense, there seems to be a slight lack of depth to some elements of the story: world-building, questions about overarching world plots, etc. Granted, this might be expected of a book that takes place over one crazy night, but This is Shyness could have used a few more moments of enlightenment, in my opinion.

By the end of the story, even the most critical reader is bound to feel a certain sadness at leaving Wildgirl and Wolfboy. These characters are endearing and brave and complicated, without taking themselves too seriously.

Thankfully, a sequel has now been published, Queen of the Night for readers who loved this crazy dark world as much as I did.

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Overall Grade:

A-

Recommended to...
An endearing little oddity.



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(Full Disclosure: Any books purchased from Amazon through the links on this page will result in a small commission to me.)

Book Review of "Feeling Sorry for Celia" by Jaclyn Moriarty

Title: Feeling Sorry for Celia (Ashbury/Brookfield #1)
Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
Classification: YA Fiction, Contemporary
Source: Borrowed from the library

Overall Grade:

A+

I thought...

This is the best book.

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

Life is pretty complicated for Elizabeth Clarry. Her best friend Celia keeps disappearing, her absent father suddenly reappears, and her communication with her mother consists entirely of wacky notes left on the fridge. On top of everything else, because her English teacher wants to rekindle the "Joy of the Envelope," a Complete and Utter Stranger knows more about Elizabeth than anyone else. 

But Elizabeth is on the verge of some major changes. She may lose her best friend, find a wonderful new friend, kiss the sexiest guy alive, and run in a marathon.  

So much can happen in the time it takes to write a letter... 

A #1 bestseller in Australia, this fabulous debut is a funny, touching, revealing story written entirely in the form of letters, messages, postcards—and bizarre missives from imaginary organizations like The Cold Hard Truth Association. 

Feeling Sorry for Celia captures, with rare acuity, female friendship and the bonding and parting that occurs as we grow. Jaclyn Moriarty's hilariously candid novel shows that the roller coaster ride of being a teenager is every bit as fun as we remember—and every bit as harrowing.

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My Thoughts:


I loved and appreciated Feeling Sorry for Celia so much that I've decided to write you a letter about it. I know! Lucky you. I know it's exciting to get a letter, but please don't brag about it to your friends or the stranger sitting next to you on the bus, because then they will want a letter too, and I simply don't have enough time to write to them all. Thanks.

Dear Reader: 

You are probably wondering whether or not you should read Feeling Sorry for Celia. I know this about you because you're reading this review of the book, which is supposed to tell you whether or not you should read it. If you think about it, this makes book reviewers pretty arrogant people. 

Like I should know you well enough to know if this book is any good for you. Who am I? A complete stranger. Yes, a slightly clever stranger who reads lots of books, but still a stranger. 

In my opinion, you shouldn't care so much about the opinions of strangers. I know that you care about the opinions of strangers because you're reading the opinion of a stranger right this second. 

See? You're still here. You care! 

But in this case, maybe you should care about what people say about this book. Maybe they'll tell you that this is the best book they've ever read. If they do tell you that, you should buy a copy of the book as soon as possible. Or request it at your local library. If you're bored while waiting for the library to get the book for you, you can think about things that are purple. What are some really purple things? 

Or maybe they'll say that this book is not worth the time, because they thought it was about the circus when they picked it up. I understand why someone might think that because there is a girl on a tightrope on the cover of the book. But it turns out the book is really just about some people named Elizabeth, Celia, Christina (NOT TINA), the mysterious J_____, and Saxton. 

Which is actually kind of boring compared to the circus. 

Then there will be some opinions that gently say that the book is readable and slightly entertaining and those are really no help at all, because why else would the book be published if it wasn't at least slightly entertaining, hmm? 

I think that with any of these options, you're pretty much screwed, because you can never know what you'll think of the book until you actually read it. But you're not reading the book, are you? You're still reading the strangely written review of the book from a complete stranger, which I've already told you, is pretty much useless. 

So go read the book already. 

Sincerely, 

The Society of Why Book Reviews Are Silly, But Sometimes Helpful, But Sometimes Completely Off-Base, and Why Don't You Just Read The Book Yourself Already?!... Oh Yeah, Because You're Still Reading This Review

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Overall Grade:

A+

I thought...

This is the best book.

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(Full Disclosure: Any books purchased from Amazon through the links on this page will result in a small commission to me.)

Are you there Muse? It's me, Alyssa

Re-post from my writing blog, StoryBoxSmashBook! Follow if you want to hear my rambles on writing and other things :)

There are a lot of different ways that people describe inspiration.

It comes from a muse, like Stephen King's guy in the basement. It comes from a genius, a fleeting spirit, like Elizabeth Gilbert explains in her awesome TED talk. It's something that you're born with. It's something that you look for, work for, sweat for.

These days, I feel like my muse is a toddler, an a-hole that flips people off on the freeway for no reason, a rabbit in a snare, and an overall terrible human being/spirit/mysterious entity... depending on the day.

Example: I set aside a few hours to write. I pick up a book and read for inspiration. I try to jot some lines. I read through a million blogs about the writing life, character development, and how to create a believable villian.

But I don't get much done. This time is pretty much wasted.

Another Example: I sit down on the couch to work (I write blogs like this from home for a living... doesn't sound so cool now, does it?) I tell myself I won't stop until I'm done for the day. I will not write. I will not get sidetracked by writer blogs or book reviews or try to place another 12 books on hold at the library.

I tell my muse to sit in the corner, be quiet, pencils down, do not talk to your neighbor. I tell it to save its ideas for later. I tell it not to bother me.

What happens then? The muse is quiet for awhile, I get some blogs done. I blast the new Sleigh Bells album and am pretty productive, if I say so myself.

Then the muse raises its hand.

I ignore it.

It starts jumping up and down like Hermione in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I tell it to shut up. I put on blinders and headphones and turn the music up too loud. I ignore it.

It jumps up on the desk and shouts the most spectacularly tempting crap. "What if you changed the point of view on that story you've been trying to write?!" It yells. "What if everything you say was recorded in your brain and you could read through the transcript of your entire life?!"

I sit and stare at it. I am so pissed off that the muse chooses this moment to bring me the most excellent ideas. The type of ideas I was hunting during the set "writing time" I had yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that.

I pull off my headphones and I think about shouting to the muse, "Where were you yesterday you lazy piece of crap?! That was your designated time and you were giving me the freaking SILENT TREATMENT."

But the ideas are too good. I put the laptop away and I take out my notebook and I choose an especially colorful pen (hot pink) and I start to write.

I don't work for the rest of the day.

Now I have no idea how to set aside time to write when my muse/annoying-kid-in-the-corner-with-Great-Ideas-at-all-the-wrong-times refuses to obey. Maybe I'll try to trick it next time. I'll sit down to write a blog about "real estate West Newbury" when I really mean to get an idea and work on those stories that just aren't looking great right now.

What does it say about me that I need to use freaking REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY on a possibly non-existent spiritual thing to be able to write?


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from StoryBoxSmashBook: a writing blog!

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