Review: Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Bunheads by Sophie Flack
Poppy Books, 294 Pages
Released: October 10, 2011

As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah's universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other "bunheads" in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life?

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

Notable Quote

My reasons for accepting aren't entirely clear to me, and honestly I don't feel like figuring them out. Sometimes you just want to say yes. As Otto always says, "Don't think, just do."

As a wannabe balletomane (if only I had the money...) and a childhood ballet dancer, I was so excited to read this book it was ridiculous. Dance and movement are magical, and I couldn't wait to read about this experience and get a backstage look at it all. I've had a small peek since I lived with dancers for awhile, but an actual company member? Yes please.

As a whole, I really liked the book - it was detailed and created such a vivid world. I loved how real the competitive friendship between Hannah and Zoe was, and I was quite pleased with the polarity of Matt and Jacob. I'd read a few reviews who didn't like how much they contrasted, but I thought it was actually quite accurate; in such an insulated world, there really is a separation between those who can understand it and who can't.

The access to a mysterious world of company ballet was also incredible. Like I mentioned, I lived with dancers for awhile so I knew some things; but it was amazing to actually see the life laid out in the book, how changes in wings and schedules posting were done. How driven each dancer needs to be and how much is demanded of them was also fantastic to read about, and I still can't believe that people can dedicate an entire life to this singular thing. I understand it in my own ways, but how it overtakes your mental, physical, social and personal life is absolutely insane.

But truthfully, I found the book to be a bit...boring? I don't mean that in the "oh my god it was so hard to get through this" sense, because it wasn't. I was engaged in it and wanted to know what was going to happen. But I felt like it was all story-telling description (of which was great!) and very little action. The parts that were supposed to be the action and the rise and fall weren't actually very exciting, and I found most of it to be fairly predictable.

But I definitely don't regret reading this. I enjoyed it, and think that any little ballet dancer or anyone who has an interest in the world would enjoy it, too. Even if you don't know anything about ballet, the book does really well in creating an understandable world and opening it up to "pedestrians."

As a small note though, the book does use all the terms for dance moves and positions - something I didn't mind as a former dancer and the knowledge of what it all means. I could see it being a small turn-off, but I urge any reader to push through.

PS. I also happen to love the cover! I think it's very odd in an interesting way.

3.5 Stars / 5

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
HarperCollins, 470 Pages
Released: March 2, 2010
Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge

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.

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

Notable Quote

"I wonder idly how long I can go without sleep before I flip my shit and start running down the street in my underwear, hallucinating purple spiders."

This is a very odd review for me, because it was just...I'm a bit mixed about the book, to be honest. I'd heard some great things, and I did think there were some great things - but I also had a few issues with it.

First though, I really, really loved Lauren Oliver's writing.  It's fabulous.  It's lyrical and humorous and filled with imagery and elicits emotions in your chest as you're reading. I felt like I could hear Sam's hummingbird heart when she was in the car with Kent; and could smell Rob's boozy breathe; and was flung into group hugs with Elody, Ally and Lindz; and my heart was in my throat tearing after Juliet, too.

I was also really caught up in the story. It's an interesting concept in itself, and it makes you think about how you live and what your life looks like and the motivations behind actions.  It examines friendships and how much you can really know a person, and what you are to other people - negative or positive. 

My main issue was with Samantha; I just didn't like her very much. At the beginning I found her to be a horrible, weak, mean girl who takes advantage of her status and doesn't care about the aftermath. I actually didn't really feel bad when she died (not to be cruel, of course) - it's unfortunate, but it happens to the best of us, and she wasn't even the best! As she went through each repeat day, I just didn't feel like she improved much. She was still selfish, she was still only trying to save herself, she was still just all about her.

I took into consideration that maybe the reader isn't supposed to like Sam in the beginning so her inevitable learning and "turn-around" mean that much more, but it just never happened for me. Yes, she actually turned out to be a decent girl in the end, doing what was right but it was very...lacklaster. It didn't wow me, I guess.

Somehow, I believed in all the supporting characters much more. They were strong in what they were and what they did and represented in the novel. I'm also a little in love with Kent, but that is because he's framed to be a quiet knight. I'm totally sold on him.

Even though I felt a little detached and slightly underwhelmed, the writing and story itself are entirely worth the read.  A very solid

3.5 stars / 5

Waiting on Wednesday: Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, meant to spotlight an upcoming release we're eagerly anticipating!

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
Farrar, Strauss and Giroux; 384 pages
US Release Date: May 8, 2012

Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.

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

I know this has been popping up on a lot of people's WoW, but I'm joining the masses: look at that cover! Read that summary! Doesn't it sound so interesting? It sounds unlike anything I've ever read before, and I can't wait to get my hands on it.


What are you eagerly waiting for? Leave me your link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

Completely Contemp Challenge; or, WHY DIDN'T I START THIS SOONER?!

When I was setting up my blog at the end of last year, I promised myself I'd finally do reading challenges. I kept seeing them pop up on other book blogs and so many of them seemed so appealing. I mean, what better way than to motivate us to read that number of books or to finally start reading a genre we might usually skip over?

Well, aside from plugging in the number of books I wanted to read in 2012 into a super simple Goodreads widget, I massively failed on signing up with them. I had the challenges I wanted to join saved, I had the challenges I wanted to look into bookmarked in my browser...but yeah. I launched on January 1, without challenge buttons on my blog.

Today, this changes!

I should have signed up for this at the beginning of the year since many books I've read would have satisfied this challenged, but that's ok - of course I don't mind reading more! Chick Loves Lit is hosting the Completely Contemp Challenge where you pick a number and then read that many books published in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

I chose 5. It seems more accurate to what I'd read, but still a bit daunting to realize that's 15 books of a hopeful 100 in my year.  But that's the fun of challenges, right? Right!

These are my choices so far, pending library availability and all.  I've left a few blank and would love some suggestions of books to read! (All books listed have never been read before.)

2010:

1. Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

2. Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver

3. Not That Kind of Girl - Siobhan Vivian

4. Split - Swati Avasthi

5. ????

(Forget You? Five Flavors of Dumb?)

2011:

1. Back When You Were Easier To Love - Emily Wing Smith

2. Catching Jordan - Miranda Kenneally

3. Saving June - Hannah Harrington

4. Other Words For Love - Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

5. ????

(Cross My Heart? The Probability of Miracles? Ten Things We Did [And Probably Shouldn't Have]?)

2012:

1. The Fault In Our Stars - John Green

2. Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley

3. Take A Bow - Elizabeth Eulberg

4. ????

5. ????

(The Disenchantments? Wanderlove? Second Chance Summer?)

Any ideas which book I should read first? Any suggestions?

Top Ten Books I'd Give to Non-Readers

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! This week's topic is:

Top 10 Books I'd Hand To Someone

Who Doesn't Like to Read

(gasp! blasphemy!)

For the younger readers:

1. Diary of A Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

Even though I actually don't think Greg Heffley is wimpy so much as a jerk, the book is perfect for younger, reluctant readers: it's humorous and appealing and the drawings are adorable and so appropriate.

2. His Dark Materials series - Philip Pullman

I put this on the young reader section because I read The Golden Compass when I was 8 years old, right when it was released, and I fell in love. Lyra's world is magical and so enticing, I couldn't help but love her and Pan. I remember I used to wish I had my own daemon, looking around and trying to see what kind of animal I had. It was like a precursor to Harry's Patronus.

3. Sweet Valley Twins - Francine Pascal

Because these were my savior when I was a child. I still think I'm Elizabeth Wakefield.

4. Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling

It's pretty obvious.

5. Percy Jackson Series - Rick Riordan

Similar to Harry Potter, it's adventure and strong, likable and relatable characters that are just so much fun. Plus, you really do learn some mythology from it!

For the not-so-younger readers:

6. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Again, no real explanation needed.

7. The Outsiders - SE Hinton

This book was the turning point of being a reader to wanting to be a writer. How much it spoke to me in 7th grade was just...it was everything to me. There was such a connection at the time even though it was absolutely nothing like my life - it was shocking, and I knew I wanted to reach people the same way.

8. The Illustrated Man - Ray Bradbury

Kind of an odd choice, and I admit that most of my 9th grade English class didn't like this book - but it's fascinating and interesting and different and I loved it. I think it has an appeal.

9. If I Stay & Where She Went - Gayle Forman

Because if ever a book to touch your heart and make you understand and yearn the power of words and story telling, it's these.

10. Nick & Norah or Dash & Lily - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

I love these books. Because they're fun and a little whimsical and make me wish for more in my life.

In My Mailbox (4)

Hosted by The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is a weekly meme to spotlight the book we acquired this week (via purchase, library, ARC, etc)!

I think I'll be doing this every other week since I don't purchase books too often - I visit 4 separate libraries weekly, but have so many books out or in queue that I do my best to keep them on a strict schedule, so I don't have too much to show each week.  Anyway, all the following have been from the past 2 weeks!

From the Library

The Future of Us - Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff

Gone - Lisa McMann

Back When You Were Easier To Love - Emily Wing Smith

I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore

Purchased

the sky is everywhere - Jandy Nelson

I fell so in love with this book that the same morning I finished reading my library copy (my review is here!) I ran out that afternoon and bought it! I wish I could find the hardcover since I love that cover, but this'll do :)

If I Stay - Gayle Forman

Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

I actually have never read this but I loved Lola so much I figured I would love Anna too.

Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

(read my review here!)

From A Friend

(She leant it to me when she saw me reading Sloppy Firsts - thanks Amanda!)

Second Helpings - Megan McCafferty

What books did you get this week? Leave me your link and I'll come check it out!