Review: Althea & Oliver by Cristina Moracho (ARC)

Althea & Oliver by Cristina Moracho
Viking Juvenile (an imprint of Penguin), 366 pages
US Release Date: October 9, 2014
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!

What if you live for the moment when life goes off the rails—and then one day there’s no one left to help you get it back on track?

Althea Carter and Oliver McKinley have been best friends since they were six; she’s the fist-fighting instigator to his peacemaker, the artist whose vision balances his scientific bent. Now, as their junior year of high school comes to a close, Althea has begun to want something more than just best-friendship. Oliver, for his part, simply wants life to go back to normal, but when he wakes up one morning with no memory of the past three weeks, he can’t deny any longer that something is seriously wrong with him. And then Althea makes the worst bad decision ever, and her relationship with Oliver is shattered. He leaves town for a clinical study in New York, resolving to repair whatever is broken in his brain, while she gets into her battered Camry and drives up the coast after him, determined to make up for what she’s done.

Their journey will take them from the rooftops, keg parties, and all-ages shows of their North Carolina hometown to the pool halls, punk houses, and hospitals of New York City before they once more stand together and face their chances. Set in the DIY, mix tape, and zine culture of the mid-1990s, Cristina Moracho’s whip-smart debut is an achingly real story about identity, illness, and love—and why bad decisions sometimes feel so good.
------------------------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

"I'm not running away," she says. "I'm walking away."

I didn’t know what to think going into Althea & Oliver. I’d never heard of it until it popped up on the ARC Tour site I go onto, and because I am a sucker for all things duality and all things contemporary, I went for it. I mean, it seems pretty freakin’ interesting: a disease where you sleep for weeks, months at a time? That in itself is interesting, but then to get the best friends’ viewpoint in it too, and it seems she wants more? I tried to put myself into Althea’s place, and I knew I had to read it. (Because I would not be able to handle it. I have problems going a weekend without my best guy friend.)

At the beginning of the ARC is a letter from the editor that calls this book “a work of literature with teenagers in it, rather than a ‘YA novel’” and I was at first a little offended. You can’t tell me If I Stay isn’t literature. You can’t tell me The Fault in Our Stars isn’t a thing of beauty, that Wanderlove isn’t every bit the work of words and wonder it sounds like it is.

But I get it. I so, so get it.

Althea & Oliver explores so many elements, from teenager things to new adult to young adult to adult things. The before and after, the friendship, the idea of wanting more, the knowing and needing of more and less. The family of friends, a dysfunctional family, a chosen family and a given family. Of making mistakes, horrible, terrible, absolutely shattering mistakes; to the realization and the attempt at fixing or repairing them. And then the failure, and the not-quite-a-failure-but-may-as-well-be.

I have to admit that I didn’t think Althea and Oliver were quite as opposite as they were made out to be. Althea is supposed to be the crazy artiste, the off-the-wall, on-the-cusp kinda girl; and Oliver is the steady, the rock, the grounded. But I don’t actually believe that—yes, I could see how she seems to be the revolving around his axis, but there’s a bit more to each of them, a bit more of the other in them. Althea definitely takes the more obvious route of being crazy and out of control, but Oliver has it on the internal.

Honestly, I’m finding it a bit hard to write a cohesive review for this book, because I have so many thoughts and feelings about it and for it and for them and how much I want to hug them. I’m a bit scattered—but it’s actually pretty representative of this book. There’s so much chaos and unknown and scattered thoughts and feelings throughout. I was so caught up with it, so taken along and invested in the ride I’m having a hard time pulling myself back from it.

I have to say that the plot, the movement…it’s perfect. How the story is built, you really understand who they are and who they are together. I felt like I knew their friendship so well, even though I’ve got nothing like theirs. I liked how it all fit together, how it all fell apart, how it all scrabbled and scraped to get back together, and how it all kind of floundered and figured itself in the end. It’s perfect.

And the ‘almost’ and the ‘favourite’ really got me. Oh god, did it get me.

Althea & Oliver may not be quite what it led me to believe, but I’m actually pretty happy about that because I’ve found a book that feels like it’s a little part of me, like it understood some of the hardest, more difficult aspects of my emotions and fears and feelings. It is a lesson that even in the screw-ups, even in the chaos and broken perfections, we can find enough to get us on the pathway back.

4.5 stars

Review: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins (ARC)

Rebel Belle (Rebel Belle #1) by Rachel Hawkins
Putnam Juvenile (an imprint of Penguin), 345 pages
US Release Date: April 8, 2014
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.
-------------------------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

I needed my mentor-person right now. I had figured out as much as I possibly could, so it was time for my Giles or my Professor X or whoever to get here and start explaining.

Rebel Belle isn’t something I’d normally gravitate to (honest truth: because of the cover. I seriously hate pink.), but I kind of had a fiending to read about more kick ass girl characters. And if there’s one that sounds like it will fit the bill, it’s Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins.

I always have a habit of reading acknowledgements before I read the book, and I have to say Rachel’s pitch of Legally Blonde meets The Terminator is spot on. This is such a fun, quirky read. This class president, cotillion Queen kickin’ ass and killing people with her shoes?! That’s so awesome.

I liked the general storyline, why David Stark needs protecting and how it all falls on Harper and Saylor. The history is interesting and makes for endless possibilities as they move through the days. The setting was probably something I loved best—I grew up in Europe and southern California. I have absolutely no idea about the South and southern belles, and I loved the houses and buildings; especially the Tea House and Magnolia House. I really felt like I could picture those places, like I was really there drinking tea or sweeping down the steps.

One of my only issues with this book is that I feel like I had to suspend my reality a bit. More than the obvious, I mean. There are certain situations where I just kept thinking of all the ways the assassin/killer person should have done something, or that if so-and-so had simply done this, it would have worked. (This is kind of hard to discuss without giving away a lot of key elements haha.) It’s not that what happened didn’t work, it was just…unnecessarily complicated for the sake of the story, and I couldn’t help feeling like the better solutions were glaringly obvious.

Still, Rebel Belle was a ton of fun to read. It’s quick and light with just enough heaviness and drama and issues to pull you in and keep going. I loved all the various ways Rachel Hawkins was able to get super kickass ninja skills mixed in with shoe shopping and refraining from curse words. If anything, everyone should read this to meet Harper: she's a little bit of you, a little bit of me, a little bit of everyone with some great superhero-like powers to boot.

3.5 stars

Review: The Museum of Intangible Things by Wendy Wunder (ARC)

The Museum of Intangible Things by Wendy Wunder
Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin), 304 pages
US Release Date: April 10, 2014
Format/Source: ARC from author - thank you Wendy!!

Loyalty. Envy. Obligation. Dreams. Disappointment. Fear. Negligence. Coping. Elation. Lust. Nature. Freedom. Heartbreak. Insouciance. Audacity. Gluttony. Belief. God. Karma. Knowing what you want (there is probably a French word for it). Saying Yes. Destiny. Truth. Devotion. Forgiveness. Life. Happiness (ever after).

Hannah and Zoe haven’t had much in their lives, but they’ve always had each other. So when Zoe tells Hannah she needs to get out of their down-and-out New Jersey town, they pile into Hannah’s beat-up old Le Mans and head west, putting everything—their deadbeat parents, their disappointing love lives, their inevitable enrollment at community college—behind them.

As they chase storms and make new friends, Zoe tells Hannah she wants more for her. She wants her to live bigger, dream grander, aim higher. And so Zoe begins teaching Hannah all about life’s intangible things, concepts sadly missing from her existence—things like audacity, insouciance, karma, and even happiness.

An unforgettable read from the acclaimed author of The Probability of Miracles, The Museum of Intangible Things sparkles with the humor and heartbreak of true friendship and first love.
------------------------------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

“Perfect should never be a goal. Perfect just happens if you let it…Perfect happens only if you get out of its way."

So I can’t really give away what my favourite part of The Museum of Intangible Things is since it’s a little spoiler-y, but let me just say…there are small details that really got to me here. In the writing, in the design (physically in the book and in the words), in the concept, in the presentation of this story. I feel like there were little glimmers amongst everything, and it was lovely.

Things I can talk about: the concept of this book is so stunning. The idea of living the intangible words, even the echo of it with Zoe and her brother Noah who has to be taught feelings (one of his lines got me so hard: “I cannot tell you how I am.”)…there’s something so subtle and powerful in those ideas. Each chapter focuses on certain intangibles, and I found myself really digging into my life and my own thoughts when each one came up. It was an astounding read to take me into my own head and life at the same time I wanted to be in Zoe and Hannah’s.

The actual plot of this story is pretty interesting, sort of outside the norm of a road trip…it’s not really searching for something, but chasing, and you definitely got that feeling throughout everything. The tone, the pacing, everything kind of gets more frenetic as it goes on, and it sweeps the reader into it all.  For some reason, it made me think of Nobody But Us by Kristen Halbrook…nothing is quite similar, but it’s the same feeling as I read it.

I liked the friendship between Zoe and Hannah, though I definitely felt it was a bit uneven. It’s built into their personalities for Hannah to give consistently while Zoe takes constantly, but I wasn’t too much a fan of that. Felt a little strange, both as characters and as a reader. And while I’ve never seen the movie Thelma and Louise, I have seen the uh…important part(s)…and for some reason that just kept popping into my head. Especially towards the end, as Zoe becomes increasingly unstable and erratic.

Even though there are parts of this book that really got to me, I was still left a bit underwhelmed. It’s similar to how I felt with her debut novel, The Probability of Miracles—things feel a little forced, a little unnatural and a little too convenient. Part of the reason may have been Danny, because I wasn’t quite a fan of him in general and especially not as he became more and more involved into the story. He came across as pompous to me, even when he was being sweet or nice, and I didn’t like it.

However, the concept of The Museum of Intangible Things and the details of its execution within the novel really did save this. I was so blown away by the usage of intangibles and feelings that I am definitely willing to overlook some of the lackluster parts. If nothing else, read this for the reflection it will cause.

3.5 Stars

Review: Control by Lydia Kang (ARC)

Control (Control #1) by Lydia Kang
Dial Books (an imprint of Penguin), 400 Pages
US Release Date: December 26, 2013
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!

When a crash kills their father and leaves them orphaned, Zel knows she needs to protect her sister, Dyl. But before Zel has a plan, Dyl is taken by strangers using bizarre sensory weapons, and Zel finds herself in a safe house for teens who aren’t like any she’s ever seen before—teens who shouldn't even exist. Using broken-down technology, her new friends’ peculiar gifts, and her own grit, Zel must find a way to get her sister back from the kidnappers who think a powerful secret is encoded in Dyl’s DNA.

A spiraling, intense, romantic story set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms—this is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.
-----------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

Failure is always a real possibility. But nothing would be accomplished if we always succumbed to fear.

Control was a weird read for me. It’s not my usual cup of tea (can’t say biomedical YA is normal in general!), and I felt like this book was trying SO hard. Too hard. And despite all that, it was still every bit as typical as ever. Every personality you could want is here, all types of rivalry and friendship and brotherhood and sibling love and relationships and real love, and none of it in a really special way. The book was predictable in the weirdest ways; even the “twist” of the “trait”, the good house versus evil house, the nightclub.

It was definitely a slow start for me. I just wanted it to hurry up, and I may have even skimmed through a page or two or nine. What probably didn’t help is that I felt like I recognized a thousand different books in the pages. Which also makes me feel like Control wasn’t entirely original. A lot of it was fun, and I’m not saying I’ve ever read a singular book like this—except it seemed to be built off a lot of good parts of other books, and it was a bit weird. I didn’t like that almost every scene I could say, “Hey, that’s like X-book!”

Still, I read it. All of it. Control definitely picked up in the latter half and I finally started to feel like I was getting invested. The characters, though typical and pretty predictable, are endearing in their own little ways. I enjoyed seeing how their “traits” affected them and made them quirky. I enjoyed them all in the house, especially when they were all in a group. Is it weird to say they have chemistry together? Because they do.

Perhaps the only thing I didn’t predict was the end between Zel and…well. You know. But it’s my own naivete. If I’d bothered to take a step back and see the story as a whole rather than pieces of others, I would have seen it and known it was meant to be this way at the end of Book One.

Control was a mixed bag for me. I liked it only because I found it to be parts of books I do like, and the better parts…which is also its downfall. But I will definitely read the second book to know where it’s going to and what happens with the entire crew, so at least there’s that.

3 stars

Review: 45 Pounds (more or less) by KA Barson (ARC)

45 Pounds by KA Barson
Viking Juvenile (Penguin), 264 pages
US Release Date: July 11, 2013
Source/Format: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Contemporary Challenge, SARC

Here are the numbers of Ann Galardi’s life:

She is 16.
And a size 17.
Her perfect mother is a size 6.
Her Aunt Jackie is getting married in 10 weeks, and wants Ann to be her bridesmaid.
So Ann makes up her mind: Time to lose 45 pounds (more or less) in 2 1/2 months.

Welcome to the world of infomercial diet plans, wedding dance lessons, embarrassing run-ins with the cutest guy Ann’s ever seen—-and some surprises about her NOT-so-perfect mother.

And there’s one more thing. It’s all about feeling comfortable in your own skin-—no matter how you add it up!
-------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

I'm still not at my ideal weight. I didn't lose forty-five pounds before the wedding. Who knows if I ever will. I've lost twenty-seven and a half pounds, and that's better than nothing. Somehow, though, today I'm thinking more about what I've gained than what I've lost.

This seemed like such an interesting premise, especially for a YA book – we all know obesity has become a big problem, but I feel like it’s not ever so frankly tackled in the literary world. As soon as I saw this, I knew I had to read it.

And I knew I had personal ties to it. I’ve been overweight since I was 9. I’ve literally been 5’3” since the 3rd grade, and I started growing my “womanly curves” at the same time. Since then, it’s just been a steady increase in width, even though I never got the height to go with it. I don’t diet, ever, for reasons too personal for a book review; but the struggles that Ann goes through? I know them. They are mine. They are things I face daily, I will continue to face daily no matter what I do or how many numbers my size decreases. They’re constant and consistent, no matter what we do.

So of course, as predicted, sometimes I had to put this book down because it was too many of my own insecurities out for the world to see. Those are private thoughts, you know? And now they’re here. But at the same time, I think that’s what made me love this book more, because I finally feel like there’s someone who understands and I know I’m not alone. I sincerely wish I’d had this book in high school, because it would have helped. And even still, at 26, I’m so glad to have this in my life now because I still feel like this, 10 years later.

Taking this out of the personal ties, I do really love this book! I love that Ann is still a person, not just some bitter fat girl. That her struggles are real, but so are her triumphs. I really like that she’s still “normal” to an extent. She’s had friends, she gets a job, she doesn’t get rude slurs and things thrown at her every other page like I’ve seen some fat people get in books. She’s still a teenager, still has love around her, still normal.

Her family is a bit bizarre, and I love how it plays into Ann’s life and what she does. Yes, her dad is a dick (the book’s words! Not mine!); and yes, her mom is pretty pushy—but I love that there’s a reason for all that be so. That there is resolution to all of that, and that it serves a purpose. One of the best parts to this plot was the support Ann had when she started in on the diet. I know sometimes the support was a little too aggressive, but that’s a very real situation sometimes. People try to help, but they don’t realize that it’s just hurting in the end. While support is appreciated, sometimes it makes it a little worse, too.

Something else fantastic? That Ann goes through normal teenage things like friendship problems, boy troubles and first-job woes, too. They’re fun and funny, and give a nice rounding of normal to this story at the same time. Jon was absolutely adorable, and it meant so much to me as an overweight reader that his parts and her weight rarely crossed, if ever. And I’m so glad that Raynee came into play, too, because she’s a friend we can hope to find in life.

When I was nearing the end of this book, I started to wonder how it would wrap up without being some stupid cliché ending about realizing her worth is more than the number on the scale, that it’s inner beauty and blah blah blah. So I was happily surprised how they brought in her younger step-siblings and made it play a part in the end! I won’t spoil how, exactly, but it made so much sense and I felt really does better at driving the point home than Ann just realizing it about herself.

Of course, I’m happy that there were lessons like the cliché “inner beauty” in here, because ultimately, it’s true. I’ve taken a long time to realize that I have more to offer than a fat stomach and huge arms. It’s been a lifelong struggle of doublechins and chipmunk cheeks, but I can recognize that I should take pride in them since they’re prominent when I’m laughing and smiling. How 45 Pounds (More of Less) tackles that is fantastic, and I hope those readers who see themselves in here can recognize it, too.

So after all this, what’s my number for this book?

5 stars. 

For sure.

Review: The Theory of Everything by Kari Luna (ARC)

The Theory of Everything by Kari Luna
Philomel (an imprint of Penguin), 320 Pages
US Release Date: July 11, 2013
Format/Source: ARC, via Around the World ARC Tours - thank you!
Challenges: SARC 2013, Contemporary Challenge

Sophie Sophia is obsessed with music from the late eighties. She also has an eccentric physicist father who sometimes vanishes for days and sees things other people don’t see. But when he disappears for good and Sophie’s mom moves them from Brooklyn, New York, to Havencrest, Illinois, for a fresh start, things take a turn for the weird. Sophie starts seeing things, like marching band pandas, just like her dad.

Guided by Walt, her shaman panda, and her new (human) friend named Finny, Sophie is determined to find her father and figure out her visions, once and for all. So she travels back to where it began—New York City and NYU’s physics department. As she discovers more about her dad’s research on M-theory and her father himself, Sophie opens her eyes to the world’s infinite possibilities—and her heart to love.
-------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

But Finny stayed right where he was. He didn't bundle me up and put me in the car in the middle of the night or pretend he didn't hear me. He held on and didn't let go. All so that I could.

I feel like there’s been a trend of “smart” books in YA, of books that really delve into the science behind certain phenomena. Some I’ve read I really love; others, it doesn’t quite fit. The Theory of Everything is one that definitely fits into one I absolutely LOVED.

One of my main notes I wrote down was: Chaotic. There is a certain amount of chaos that permeates this entire book, and sometimes it was a little odd or hard to track; but at the same time, it really works and reflects the content well. This is about String Theory and parallel worlds and traveling across time and dimensions – I’d be a little more worried if it were straightforward and clear! Still I should warn that there are some moments where I definitely had to re-read a few paragraphs to reorient myself to what was going on. It was mostly when Sophie was shifting into another world, but a few other times as well.

The entire plot of this novel was so funny and creative, I couldn’t help but fall in love with it. I mean, how could you not want to visit a panda-verse and have a panda shaman?! I want a panda guide! Even if he was so frustrating with his riddles and letting her figure things out for herself (guides, man – so unhelpful until you realize how helpful they are). All the dimensions Sophie finds herself in are so much fun, and I love that they’re unique and adventuresome without being terrifying or too old for the novel. It creates this awesome playful vibe as you read, and I loved being in it. Even though at it’s core it’s about her missing father and her search for his love, there’s still a nice happiness and anticipation that moves through all the words.

A lot of that is probably thanks to Finny, Sophie’s new physics-obsessed friend. I LOVE FINNY. Oh my goodness. I have never wanted to snatch a friend out of a novel so badly and keep him as my own. He’s such a loyal, brilliantly funny friend, and he is perfect for Sophie. If I could hug him forever, I would.

One of the only things I had to keep doing was remind myself Sophie is only 14. I can’t figure out if I thought some of the things she was going through were a bit older, or if I thought she should be older to fully understand some of the things going on—but I definitely had to take a few steps back and say “she’s 14. She’ll get there.” It was most obvious when she was just getting to know Drew, since it’s her first real crush and possible-relationship. It was like she was just discovering what it meant to be the object of someone’s affection, and somehow it seemed a bit odd fitting into this whole story about love and how love is possible and cures all.

Can I just say though, there was a quote that I Instagram’d from this book because I LOVE IT SO MUCH:

There were so many things I loved about this book. The weird family and how they fit together even when they were kind of breaking apart. All the lists that Sophie made to get through situations. Even how we kind of know what may happen in the end was satisfying, and I wouldn’t want it to work any other way.

The Theory of Everything has a little of everything in it for everyone: friendship, romance, family, and the overarching lessons of love and how it can literally push things beyond what we know.  You’ll love the people you meet, the places you go, the musical numbers that surprise you, and the panda that guides you.

4.5 Stars

Review: All I Need by Susane Colasanti (ARC)

All I Need by Susane Colasanti
Viking Juvenile (an imprint of Penguin), 224 Pages
Expected US Release Date: May 16, 2013 (according to the ARC)
Format/Source: Print ARC, via Around the World ARC Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Contemporary Challenge, SARC

The last night of summer is only the beginning.

Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

Teen favorite Susane Colasanti returns to the alternating-voice style of her beloved debut When It Happens in this Serendipity-inspired story about summer, soul mates, and the moments that change our lives forever.
----------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

Following your heart means allowing the possibility of finding true love to be stronger than the fear of rejection.

Before I even jump into any of this review, I feel the need to disclose something: I don’t believe in soulmates. I’ve had varying reactions to this when people find out. Some people are just like “ok, that’s cool” and move on; others share my sentiments; and I’ve had a few that are straight up offended, like I’ve just insulted their very core belief. And maybe I have, I’m not in any position to say soulmates shouldn’t be the basis of your life. I don’t say this opinion lightly, and I’ve thought about it long and hard. I’m not some jilted, heart-broken mess of a girl who’s saying it because she’s convinced she’ll never find her love. I just genuinely do not believe in there being The One for someone.

So with that in mind, you can probably tell that I had a hard time swallowing All I Need. Usually I’m pretty good about suspending that belief when it comes to reading, but for some reason it was difficult this time around. I do think a little of my 26-year-old cynicism was playing a part, since I found it most hard to handle when Skye was all “but I know we’re meant to be together, we can face anything” or things like that.

Perhaps that’s also because I was bothered by Skye as a whole. She seemed very young, much younger than a junior/senior in high school. I thought she was spineless and needed to handle her best friends’ issues a little better. And I think my biggest issue is that I felt like she couldn’t stand on her own – she had to have Seth to be her own person. I get that that is what it’s like in high school and first loves, but it was quite annoying. I want a character that can stand on her own, that finds her way into being an individual, a character I can want my little cousins to look up to; and unfortunately, Skye was not it.

However, I did quite like Seth! He too seemed a little young for being a college guy, but I could handle him better.  I thought he had real issues, and maybe it’s because I went through college much more recently than high school (obviously), I was able to sympathise with him more. Especially when it came to being uncertain about his major and following his passion for art.

Let’s talk writing. We all know I love me some dual narratives (do you know that? Because you should. Give me a dual narrative any day of the week and I will be a happy reader.), and I quite liked it here, too. The jumping timeline was a little startling at first, and I started getting a little iffy about all the fast-forwards, but it’s fine. I really liked getting the reactions of both Skye and Seth when important things happened. This story would not have been bearable without them.

However! I had problems with the writing itself—it felt so young, so very juvenile fiction. And I tried to read it with that mindset, except the content was not juvenile – it was about college and gross roommates and sex! It was a terrible mash up for the writing not matching the content, and I couldn’t take it.  I want to recommend this for the younger set, as maybe a great bridge to the YA world from MG, because it would be! Except I’d have to censor a few of the chapters, because it was definitely not just-past-MG material.

All I Need was a fine contemporary, and one I don’t really regret reading – but it had too many issues for me to recommend it. I really like Susane Colasanti’s books, but I’d definitely go for Keep Holding On or When It Happens over All I Need.

2.5 Stars

Review: Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti (eARC)

Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti
Penguin Teen, 290 Pages
Expected US release date: May 31, 2012 (I think...NG still says June 14. And I've already seen it out at my BN!)
Format: e-ARC
Source: Penguin Teen, via NetGalley (thank you!)

Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself--and for the love that keeps her holding on.
------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

School would be way more tolerable if everyone wasn't so afraid to be who they really are. And if everyone else would let them.

hugs for everyone!

I just want to hug everyone in this book, you guys. All of them. Even the bullies (sometimes...maybe just a pat on the back). I want to take them all home with me and feed them and read them stories and reassure them that life gets better.

My heart is so broken over the idea that this book isn't just a story to someone - it's THEIR story. This is their reality. And I hate that so much. I couldn't help it but feel that some of this could be an extreme version - but then it makes me feel guilty that it's "extreme" to me because I was so, so fortunate to never go through this. It's absolutely shattering to know that someone is probably relating to this, going through the exact same thing.

The secondary characters were the best. I mean, I liked Noelle, the main character: she was a solid teenage girl, going through the paces and making my heart contract when she didn't fight back. She grew and evolved really well. But all those around her were amazing. Sherae was the best friend we all want, I'm so in love with Simon (lit mag editor?! Yes PLEASE!), and I want to marry Julian. I want someone to say "I'd do anything for you, don't you know that?" to me. That line literally made my heart skip. Ms. Scofield was quirky and jumped right off the page for me, recalling several favourite teachers from my past. And even though I just wanted to shake Noelle's mom until she came to her senses, I thought she was done well, too.

I really liked that Susane Colasanti gave lovable characters in this. That she gave Noelle lifelines, that they were true friends to her throughout her ordeal. I liked that Noelle was the block for most of the novel, not being able to get over her own humiliation and embarrassment to reach out to those there for her. The story itself is woven really well. Bullying is often about the internal and the external, how those around you can affect what's inside you, and I think Susane told this brilliantly.

Keep Holding On is also very well rounded and reasoned. I'm not sure I'm saying that correctly - what I mean is that it's inevitable for you to start questioning things when you're reading. Why doesn't Noelle tell Julian? Why doesn't she dump Matt? Why doesn't Sherae tell? Why does Carly suck so hard? Why would Audrey do what she does? What is wrong with Noelle's mom? The book answers every single one of those. For everything that happens, there's an explanation that goes with it - and I really love that. It makes the novel real, and full, and sweeps me right along into the drama and emotion of it since I feel like I really understand everything.

There's more I want to talk about, but it would spoil some of the book - if you've read it, let me know! We'll chat on Twitter or something :)

So, there's really not much much else to say about this book, except that it's an important one. I want to pass it out to every high schooler in the world. I encourage everyone to read it, and share it with others, and to talk to each other.

PS. Her reference to The Outsiders was all sorts of win.

PPS. My dream cast of Keep Holding On.

5 Stars / 5

Review: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (or, WHY?!)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Dutton (an imprint of Penguin Teen), 313 Pages
Released: January 10, 2012

Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge


Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.
------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

(I can't tell you how hard it was for me to not just paste the ENTIRE GODDAMN NOVEL here)

"I love you present tense."

I'm starting this review not even 20 minutes after I finished reading the book, and that's probably a big mistake because my eyes are still that sort of blurry and my face is still wet and my nose is still in that awkward snotty-drying-up phase that makes me all sorts of sexy, but I'm feeling all the feels and want to type now. I'll probably do a Save Draft and come back later to make this coherent and worthy of being read by the public, for now, this'll have to do.

There were a lot of ways I wanted to start this review:
1) I wanted to say how I'd heard so many things about it already and knew it was a complete sobfest that alters your world, and that was weighing heavily at me as I began. And I even tweeted this:

And it was like 15 pages in I was laughing and falling in love with Gus already and all I could do was whimper after every laugh because I could feel that all these giggles were at the brink of something else, too.

2) I wanted to start with a series of "Why" questions, such as: WHY JOHN GREEN, WHY?! and WHY, Gus, WHY?! and Why did this end?! and Why did I do this to myself?! and Why can I not stop wanting everything from this book?!

3) With that quote that every reader immediately picked out of the first 40 pages as an Absolute Truth:

“‎Sometimes you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.  And then there are books which you can't tell other people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal.”

4) or tell you how I actually did not want to read this book because I feared how much it would make me feel. I was so scared that it would reach into some of the most hidden corners of my mind and turn me inside out and make me cry and scream and yell and love so hard it would ache (which it did, but I'll get to all that later.)  In fact, the only reason I did finally read it is because I wanted to participate in Tracey's YA Book Club (thanks Jon for posting about it!) and their pick was TFIOS.

Truthfully, I, too, believe in that quote from #3, and I know I'm going to do it a disservice by talking about it. I didn't even want to call this a "review" so much as a "discussion" (perhaps even a "coveting") because sometimes there are words that are grouped and placed together in such a beautiful, special sequence that they can make a novel that speaks directly to the deepest recesses of your soul and you know that nothing will ever possibly come close to expressing how it makes you feel.  This book is an Emotion in itself.

You should really read the book. I don't want to say much more because...you just have to experience it.  And I will pitch it like this:

The Fault In Our Stars will fill your heart with love, and make you feel so privileged to get to know Hazel and Augustus, and make you laugh as you see their relationship build and what it means to their lives as Cancer Kids. And this book will make you bawl, it will tear your heart out and make you question humanity and mortality and oblivion and infinities and what it really is to be a grenade in neither the Jersey Shore nor Bruno Mars* way.  You will close the book often while reading it because it positively overwhelms you to the point you have to consciously tell yourself to breath; and then you will open the book back up just as quickly because it feels wrong to not keep going with Hazel. You will feel lucky, as though your own lifeline has expanded, to befriend Hazel and Augustus; you will be grateful to have witnessed their time together; and you will weep as you understand just how sincerely that they do not have "if"s, only "when"s.

And it is perfect.

Rating The Fault in Our Stars feels insufficient because it's so much more than stars, but because I am nothing if not consistent:

5 Stars / 5

(and thousands and thousands of constellations more)

PS. A note on the actual writing of it, John Green is a freakin' master. How he writes through the characters as though he is speaking directly to the reader is brilliant. I felt like Gus was apologizing to me for hiding it, I felt like Hazel was texting me why she couldn't hold his hand, I felt like I was listening to Van Houton spew asswad things to me. A MASTER, I tell you.

PPS. While I'm happy for John Green that this has been optioned as a movie, I am so unhappy with that. I cannot imagine this as a film because part of experiencing this story wholly was reading the descriptions and just following along with it. I feel like having the visual clues and environments will...detract from it all. But you know, I'll see it of course, and hopefully it's done in a different way that I'll also love.

*in the interest of full disclosure, I do not watch Jersey Shore, and I absolutely abhor Bruno Mars. So yeah, I'm making A LOT of fun of them. :)

What did you think of the book? Love it? Didn't like it?  What was the first line you cried at?

Review: the sky is everywhere by Jandy Nelson

the sky is everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Dial Books (a Penguin imprint), 272 pages
Released: March 9, 2010

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

I try to fend off the oceanic sadness, but I can't. It's such a colossal effort not to be haunted by what's lost, but to be enchanted by what was.

I miss you, I tell her, I can't stand that you're going to miss so much.

I don't know how the heart withstands it.

I'm unsure how to review this book because there are really only so many ways I can call it brilliant and beautiful and wonderful.  This book is...it's everything. 

It's been awhile since a book made me cry and clutch at it, but here it is: I wept. I carried this book with me everywhere as I paced around the house, reading it and trying to slow down to savor and process.  I could feel Lennie's grief just emanating off the pages, her feelings of loss and being so lost and confused and searching for meaning among everything.  When I first read the book jacket I kind of assumed I'd be mad at her (like Sarah) for turning to Toby since he was her dead sister's boyfriend, y'know? But it's so beautifully crafted and makes so much sense that I felt proud of Lennie when she knew it was wrong and started resisting - something I have no idea if I'd be strong enough to do if I was in her position.  

This entire novel is just...beautiful. It's emotional and poetic and filled with such wonder and is so heartfelt and raw that I can't tell you fast enough how much I want the entire world to read it and know its beauty.  It's so well-written; Jandy Nelson's words just pop off the pages and paint the brightest, most evocative pictures. I feel like I know Joe Fontaine, can see his flailing hands and lightbulb-wattage personality.

I don't know what else to say. Just trust me when I tell you I recommend this more than anything right now, that you will never regret letting these words and this story come into your life.

5 Stars / 5

and millions more!

Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

A Million Suns (Across the Universe, Book 2) by Beth Revis

Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin Teen), 386 pages
Released: January 10, 2012

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

------------------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

"Because here's the simple truth--if I hadn't taken the ship off Phydus, people like Jordy and Ellemae would still be alive. And while I could say that a shorter life with feelings is better than a longer life without, the dead can't tell me their side."

**Possible spoilers, but I did my best to be vague and/or muddled enough where it would only make sense to those who read it :)

I named Across the Universe (Book 1) as one of my absolute favourite reads of 2011, and possibly one of my favourites ever.  So naturally, I was a bit scared about A Million Suns. I had high hopes and high expectations for it, as well as a general sense of what I hoped to happen in the plot - any reader knows that's a dangerous mix.  Plus, I learned the series would be a trilogy, and it's a generality that I make that book 2s tend to be...not so great.  They always seem to be more of a bridge, informative but not quite engaging.  It's like they're a set-up and nothing more.  So of course, I went into A Million Suns excited, but worried.

Well, rest assured that all my worries were COMPLETELY pointless.  A Million Suns is a fabulous book, filled with the hope and excitement and terror and breathlessness I was hoping for.  It is incredibly informative as I expect any second book in a trilogy to be, but it maintained action and forward movement.  All the questions and concerns I had after I finished Across the Universe were within the book, too, which is nice.

I did feel like it was slightly less exciting than Across the Universe, if only because I can't really pinpoint one thing from A Million Suns that really stands out to me as heart-pounding, stress-inducing terror like the Season scene in ATU.  AMS had its fair share of suspenseful moments, but it was never something that I couldn't get through.  I will admit that I felt much more sad in Book 2 than I did in ATU, though probably because I cared about the characters much more as well.

I'm also surprisingly frustrated with Amy and Elder.  I understand why she resists being with him, why she's scared and what it would mean if she admitted to loving him.  But it feels so...wasted. Like even though her reasons are fairly valid, it still seems like it's nothing that would really stop a teenage girl.  Probably because I just want them to step up already and be together and live happily ever after, but I had a distinct feeling of them not officially getting together just for the sake of keeping a reader strung along to see what would happen.  Even though I know the end, that little barrier of Orion still feels like it's there to simply make a reader question what could happen enough to ensure they'll read Book 3.  Almost like a literary manipulation, I suppose.

But that doesn't mean I still don't love the book!  I felt like I was part of Godspeed, looking at the stars and trying to take everything in, almost overwhelmed but unable to stop wanting more.  A perfect entrance into Book Three!

(But seriously, I have to wait A WHOLE YEAR for the last book?!  I don't know if I can make it. Someone give me a phydus patch and take me off when it's here, ok?)

4.5 Stars / 5