Review: The Trouble With Destiny by Lauren Morrill (ARC)

The Trouble With Destiny by Lauren Morrill
Delacorte Press, 272 pages
US Release Date: December 8, 2015
Format/Source: ARC, via NetGalley - thank you!

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey... 

With her trusty baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm—the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize. 

Liza can’t imagine senior year without the band, and nothing will distract her from achieving victory. She’s therefore not interested when her old camp crush, Lenny, shows up on board, looking shockingly hipster-hot. And she’s especially not interested in Russ, the probably-as-dumb-as-he-is-cute prankster jock whose ex, Demi, happens be Liza’s ex–best friend and leader of the Athenas, a show choir that’s the band’s greatest competition.

But it’s not going to be smooth sailing. After the Destiny breaks down, all of Liza’s best-laid plans start to go awry. Liza likes to think of herself as an expert at almost everything, but when it comes to love, she’s about to find herself lost at sea. 
------Goodreads Summary

If you don't know, Lauren Morrill is one of my auto-read authors. Meant To Be was one of my favourite books I'd read in 2012, and every book she's written since has been a delight. The Trouble With Destiny was right up there. MTB will always be Tops, but Lauren does an excellent job creating a unique setting with lovable, enjoyable characters and movement. Are parts predictable? Sure. Did the bitch really surprise me with her bitchiness? Not really. But there's always something to Lauren's writing that makes me feel like I'm hanging out with a close friend. It's warm and receptive and interesting, and I can't wait to see what is coming next.

3.5 stars

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (eARC)

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Delacorte Press, 240 Pages
Expected US Release Date: May 13, 2014
Format/Source: eGalley via NetGalley - thank you!

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. 

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.
-----------------------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

What if we could stop being different colors, different backgrounds, and just be in love?

There are so many ways I want to write this review, so many things I want to say and feel need to be said. The first and only things I’ve ever heard about We Were Liars is how brilliant, how amazing it is—and when you open up the eGalley, there’s a whole page about how moving it is but you can’t say much without giving away things.

And that’s the easiest and hardest part.

You really can’t say much about this book without giving away what’s inside. I can tell you the characters are memorable—some not in a good way, but that’s how they are meant to be so it is ok—and I can tell you that the story moves at this fantastically poetic pace. But I can’t tell you how they are Liars, what makes them the Liars, what moves them through the novel, what creates them.

I can tell you that there is an island, and they are a family. Some by blood, others by love. I can tell you that you are reading with mystery, with a cloud over you because you can feel in every word, every sentence, that there is more to the story and that you may not like it. But I can’t tell you who they are, really. I can’t tell you how the bond can go deeper than blood, deeper than love. I can’t tell you what makes her sick, what makes her tick, what causes her headaches.

But I can tell you that I read this book with bated breath. That I suffered and loved through every page, every single moment. I can tell you that this book will grip you, and shake you, and reach out to you and into you and you will know, with a  certainty, that this is a meaningful book.

I can tell you that while I didn’t cry (since it seems every other person who read this did), I felt it. I felt why, I knew why, I probably should have cried. I can tell you that even though I actually am not as huge a fan as a lot of others are with this book, there is an undeniable attachment and brilliance to it. The lyricism of the words, how they are strung and hung and linked together, make it an experience to read.

And I can’t give you concrete reasons why, but I can ask you to trust me, to trust that this is a worthwhile journey to go on, that you will never regret meeting the Liars and getting inside her head.

4 stars

[Blog Blitz] Review: Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Delacorte (an imprint of Random House), 352 pages

US Release Date: January 7, 2014

Format/Source: eARC via NetGalley - thank you!

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

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

Notable Quote

"Wannawatchamovietonight?" I say it so fast it all comes out as one long, newly invented word (country of origin: Swoonistan; meaning: "to swoon so hard as to b rendered incapable of enunciation").

So I have to admit, I had really high hopes for Being Sloane Jacobs. Meant To Be was one of my favourite books of 2012 (and 2013, let’s be real--read my review here!) and I seriously still refer to it probably on a weekly basis. So I went into BSJ a bit…reserved. And while it didn’t blow me away like MTB did, Sloane Jacobs can hold her own in my love of contemporary YA fiction.

First, let it be known that I am obsessed with figure skating. I had a poster of Nancy Kerrigan on my wall when I was 8. I watch it religiously—and not just during Winter Olympics seasons. I may even know all the different types of jumps (I still get a couple confused, but generally). And I had a minor obsession with the Mighty Ducks movies when I was younger*, so I do happen to know a bit about hockey. 

Which set up Being Sloane Jacobs quite nicely. Not that you have to love or know the sports in the slightest to—it’s just that I immediately went in with a connection, and it was wonderful to visit these worlds again. I thought Lauren did a great job explaining certain aspects of each sport, conveying how certain things are difficult or intermediate level. There’s such an open, accepting quality to the writing, and it worked so well.

Enough of the technical mumbo-jumbo – this book was so darn cute! You completely understand why both Sloane’s want to escape their lives, you even commiserate with both of them. My life is nowhere near either of theirs, but I felt for them. The underlying core of their lives is the pressure to be someone, to live up to expectations set to them—earned or given or otherwise. And I think that’s something every person can relate to, no matter what. Lauren really has a nack for creating relateable characters and situations, and I love it.

I also happen to love all the boys in this novel…really all the characters. Each one has a bit of fun and serious, a bit of jokester and a bit of hard-worker. There’s dimension to the ones that need it, and it’s believable to me. Every interaction was so enjoyable - even the pranking parts ;). Plus, the setting was so much fun! I've always wanted to go to Montreal (Canada, really), and there's really a sense of the city woven throughout this book. I was surprised how much I felt like I was really there, since the settings always seemed to be skimmed over--but Lauren's got this way of description that sticks with you even if it's background.

Something I’m always delighted to see in novels is the element of family, and BSJ really incorporated that—to every extent, in all facets. There are some baddies in families, some good ones, some friends, some that you’d expect to be as they are, and others who surprise you. And all of it is so, so good.

Being Sloane Jacobs is one of those perfect contemporary novels, filled with lessons and hardships about friendship, family and love—and while it didn’t make me squeal or fall so hard in love like Meant To Be did, it definitely made me appreciate Lauren Morrill even more. She’s got a permanent spot on my To-Read shelf.

*ok fine, I’m still obsessed with Mighty Ducks. Do I own the box set of MD1-3? YOU KNOW IT.

4 stars / 5

Connect with Lauren!

Website | Twitter | GoodReads

Purchase Being Sloane Jacobs!

Amazon | BN | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Review: Meant To Be by Lauren E. Morrill

Meant To Be by Lauren E. Morrill
Delacorte BYR, 304 Pages
US Release Date: November 13, 2012 (Go buy!)
Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher, via NetGalley - thank you!

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.
---------------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

Point is, maybe some people wouldn't want to be around me all day, but there are people out there who would. And they're smart and funny. And they like some things I like and hate some of the things I hate, but they also introduce me to all kinds of new things. That's as close to 'meant to be' as I can imagine.

I feel like someone sat down with the author and was like: Hey Lauren. There's this girl in California named Ashley, who dreams of travel and a wacky amazing adventure in London with a few of her classmates and a frustrating but ultimately adorable and sweet boy. She's looking for love in a quiet and sometimes shy way, but still knows what she likes and lives by her own set of rules. She's a bookish nerd, likes The Beatles, and Shakespeare, and has a tendency to talk in acronyms with her friends. Have at it.

And BOOM: Meant To Be was born.

I actually think this may be the perfect book. It's funny and sweet and adventurous and filled with fantastic little wisdom to boot. I saw someone on Twitter call it a Romantic Comedy, and it really is the definition of it. Everything we love about classic Rom-Coms - You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, Love Actually, Two Weeks Notice, Serendipity, etc - can be found in this book.

One of the things I liked best (and trust me, it was hard to choose!) was how surprising the story was! When you read the summary, you pretty much have an idea what's going on. A mystery text, and suddenly help from the cute boy? I mean, c'mon, we can all put that together, right? Wrong. I love love love how the story turns out, how everything progresses and what it all becomes in the end. Even though some parts are minorly predictable, it's not exactly what you think, but still just as plausible and even better than I imagined.

Something I thoroughly enjoyed was the writing. Meant To Be has a fantastic tone, and it flows and moves so well. There's just the right amount of joking and hilariousness and the sarcasm came across perfectly. A reader can immediately form a picture of the setting and scene, and I swear it felt like I was watching the story happen in my head at the same time as reading. If I were to choose an author to write my life, I'd choose Lauren Morrill; I think she'd capture the wryness I approach everything with and mix it perfectly with a seriousness -- and then make me really interesting, too!

The characters were also brilliant in their own ways. Julia is such a great main character, who's still a little lost but also a lot sure of who she is and who she think she is and should be. I know a ton of people like her, and I know I found a lot of myself in her, too. Jason was hilarious and playful, and I'm not even joking when I tell you one of my notes is "Oh crap. I'm in love with a ginger." Because yeah, he's obnoxious and rude and so cocky that you can't help but roll your eyes; but as the pages continue, you slowly get to see who he really is and just how sweet and adorable he can be. And suddenly, I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him yes, that should be our song and please just kiss me already.

I really can't sing enough praises for this book. It's just so much fun, and I want to live it. I loved all the places Julia and Jason go around London and find, the music is fantastic, I love the incorporation of The Beatles (though seriously, Julia, don't ever trust a boy who doesn't know the difference between The Beatles and John Lennon! No!), I loved the entire search for her Meant To Be. The entire concept of Julia's Meant To Be was also perfect, it was something my high school self totally did and believes in. The deeper stories to both Julia and Jason were also compelling, and it really brought a fantastic realness to them.

Usually I try to round out a review with at least one negative, but I just can't think of anything! It's perfect. It is everything I want to read, everything I want to live, everything I want to be. Read it. I promise it'll be your MTB, too.

5 Stars

and millions more for being my MTB

Review: Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Clair

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Clair
Delacorte Press, 368 Pages
US Release Date: July 10, 2012
Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher, via NetGalley (thank you Random House and NetGalley!)

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father—and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.

In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billionaire—if usually absent—father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating . . . and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.

But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie.

So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?

The choice isn't as simple as you think.
-----------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

You know, you might be one of the luckiest people in the world. You get to see both sides and make a choice.

Random House is one of those publishers I trust implicitly to put out fantastic books, especially the Delacorte imprint (hello, Wanderlove is one of theirs! Instant trust). So while I had reservations that Don't You Wish would be predictable, I went ahead with it anyway. Though I do think it was on a few things, I was surprised by the plot layers and quite glad to have picked it up!

The story opens with Annie Nutter, in a rather heartbreaking scene exemplifying how she's unpopular and a bit plain and awkward. Even though her family was trying to be set up as embarrassing and unorthodox, I actually found them to be quite endearing - the imagery was great with her inventor dad and gross little brother. I felt like I could picture all the "Nutter Clutter" in the house, her mom's exasperation with Mel Nutter, all of it. I do think that I saw it in an endearing light because I'm older though; if I were 15 and the Nutters were my clan, I'd probably be ashamed of them as well.

Through a quick and slightly confusing event, Annie wakes up the next morning as Ayla Monroe, fantastically wealthy queen bee at her private academy and Grade-A Bitch. Though she's got the same mother, her father is different, and that's what's changed her story. I was pleasantly surprised how they set up Annie's "alternate" life - it wasn't just some typical "wish I had a different life" and POOF! situation; it was thorough, reasonable, and thought-provoking. I mean, how different would your life be if your mother ended up with a different guy? It's an interesting area to explore.

Truthfully, I'm not really a fan of either Annie or Ayla - both have a lot of flaws that never really turn better. And while normally I wouldn't be put off by negative facets (we all have them, it'd be quite horrible if I held it against her), I just felt like she was missing redemptive qualities. She didn't seem to grow as well as I would have liked, and what little she did seemed a bit abrupt or forced. The polarity between her two lives was also one of the areas I felt a bit predictable and extreme; some of the situations felt far-fetched or obvious.

I'm also split on the secondary characters. I really liked Annie/Ayla's mother, she was fabulous in both universes - I can picture her as a real mom. Even though I hated Jim Monroe with a passion, I liked his character and how he was built; he's almost like Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter: you hate her with a passion, but kind of admire how horrible she is. Trent turned out to be ok, but I didn't ever come around on Theo. Lizzie was an ok best friend: faithful and true, but lackluster. I could NOT stand Jade, Bliss, or Ryder though; they were all so one-dimensional and flat I wanted them to shred them up. They were just a little too easy to dislike, you know?

However. Charlie Zelinsky? YES. I loved him. I 143'd him (get it?!). I liked how we got to know him, how little bits were revealed as we went along, how he turned out to be this lovable geeky dude with a heart and a purpose. Sometimes he's a bit too perfect of course (did he even have a flaw?!), but amongst all the other characters, he shined brightest. There is another character I liked too, but...I can't say about him/her/it/mysteriouscharacter without minorly spoiling something, so just rest assured that there is one more redeeming person/place/thing/generalnoun.

Something entirely surprising about the book was that Roxanne St. Clair actually explained the alternate universe - definitely did not expect that! Sometimes I felt like it was out of place, because the summary and overall tone seems like some social commentary on the rich not being the happiest or things like that, and then BOOM: science. But really, I loved it. I loved that the plot took all it's time to actually explain a possibility, to really explore how an AU could happen. I'm definitely nowhere near understanding the physics of it, but it was approachable and explained well. I'm not sure I'd have been interested in it as a young reader, but right now, I thought it was unexpected and fresh.

Overall, Don't You Wish was a bit predictable and a little flat on characters; but there were enough plot lines and moments that surprised me entirely that I enjoyed it quite a bit. If you're looking for a small twist to the normal "I wish I were someone else" story, check this one out.

3 Stars / 5

Review: Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
Delacorte Press, 320 Pages
US Release date: March 8, 2011
Challenge: Local Library Challenge

It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin.

When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town's animal-head trophies, and searching for someplace magic. Grace plays along when Mandarin suggests they run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds plaguing their Badlands town.

Because all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin's unique beauty hides a girl who's troubled, broken, and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, no friendship can withstand betrayal.
-------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

While it's smart to plan for the future, we won't find real happiness if our eyes never leave the horizon.

When I was reading this, I had to keep reminding myself that Grace is only 14-years-old -- so many instances I wanted to shake her and tell her to come to her senses! She was just so impressionable and naive, and it absolutely killed me.

I did not like Mandarin at all--but she's a great character because of that. She's a lost 17-year-old who needs to act out and chooses to do so in bad ways; when she finds Grace, a girl willing to do and be just about anything for or with her, how could Mandarin resist? I'm nothing like Mandarin and I don't think I would have been able to.

Their friendship is infuriating to me, because it's just such a bad thing and I wanted to step in and be the mother that Grace doesn't have in her own. I wanted to forbid her from seeing Mandarin and tell her all the wrong ways she was going about standing out -- even though I knew it would make Grace go faster. It was a very obsessive devotion from Grace, which was a bit disturbing to me. I was surprised at such a strong reaction I was having, actually, which is a testament to how well and consistent the characters and stories were.

Everything that happens in this novel makes sense, and as long as you remember the ages and circumstances, you'll enjoy it. The supporting characters were done really well, especially Taffetta, and each one has an integral part to the ending third of the book.

Truthfully, I was a bit underwhelmed by the book, and I can't quite pinpoint why. I don't think I had too many expectations after Wanderlove since it is such a different premise, and I don't think I went into it expecting anything. The first half felt a bit slow, but I powered through the last half. And while there's nothing bad at all about this book, there was nothing I was completely gushing over, either.

3.5 Stars / 5

Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard - in which I implore you to read this book RIGHT NOW.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
Delacorte Press, 352 Pages
US Release Date: March 13, 2012 (TODAY! GO BUY IT NOW!)
Version, Source: eARC, via NetGalley
Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.
----------Goodreads Summary

Notable Quote

Wanderlove is about forgetting the bad things and focusing on the good.

Out with the old and in with the new.

Not even joking: this book gave me a panic attack.

Not in a bad way, really (who knew panic attacks could signify good?) - it's just that it made me feel so many things all at once that were so personal and so deep and buried in me that it all came out in weird, gasp-y breaths and dizziness and all-around general overwhelming emotion.  It is that good.

Like many others, this book made me want to grab a pack and run out my door, booking the first ticket to anywhere immediately.  I grew up traveling, a byproduct of a Navy dad who moved his family with him around the world for every relocation, and I've never lived in any one place longer than 3-5 years. My life is a far cry from backpacking Central America (mine was more...suburban European life), but the travel bug hits you all the same: go, and see.  And see.

Told through Bria, an 18-year-old high school graduate searching for escape from a bad relationship that had unfortunate echoes in every other aspect of her life, Kirsten Hubbard creates perhaps one of the most relatable characters in literature today: lost, and hurt, and snubbed, and searching in that miserable period of recovery and discovery. An artist who feels everything, a teenager who wants everything, and a newbie traveler who learns to risk everything, every reader is going to find a little (or a lot) of themselves in Bria.

In my case, it was a lot. Because it's a lot of personal things that don't necessarily belong in a review, I won't get into it: but let me just say that there were moments on every single page that had me loving Bria more, rooting for her, wanting for her.  I wanted to absolutely kill Toby the moment I started reading about him, and I applauded Bria's sensibility in regards to Rowan (I don't think I'd be able to resist!).  Even Starling, who is entirely a girl who I would not like and would be annoyed by in real life, made me like her.

And even though I feel like I'm walking the lines of creepy in relation to Bria, she is probably one of my favourite female characters in literature: because she's real. I loved that even though she is a bit bruised and broken and struggling, it didn't make her less STRONG. She had personality and conviction, and a hell of a lot of travel balls whether she realized it or not. She was insecure and willful and brave and confused and it is absolutely glorious.

I was also so in love with Rowan and Bria's friendship. I mean, I'm completely in love with vagabond Rowan as well, but more so with them as travel companions. I was surprised to realize halfway through the book that I wasn't even sure if I did want them to be together (something I assumed would happen, I legitimately had no idea!) because they had this tenuous, fragile friendship and understanding. I loved that Bria wouldn't hear about Rowan's past from anyone but him, I loved that they had moments of true honesty despite all the hidden pasts. Like the rest of the book, it felt real, like I was watching a relationship form into a very solid, very trusting partnership.  The little snaps of flirtation were icing on a perfect cake.

Honestly, I just beg everyone to read this book.  It's a beautiful book, filled with heart-wrenching meaning and yearning and understanding love and wanderlove and how sometimes, the past really does belong in the past; and that, even more, sometimes things really are worth fighting for.

If I could give more, I would:

5 Stars / 5

Review: Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Juliet Immortal (Juliet Immortal, #1) by Stacey Jay
Delacorte Press, 307 Pages
US Release: August 9, 2011
Challenges: Local Library Challenge

"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume."
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.
---------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

I can never love him, no matter how much I might fear the hell he describes. Fear can force obedience, but it can never transform a heart.

Normally when I finish a book, I sit down and write the review as soon as possible - it's all fresh in my head, I can use the lingering emotions and put them to the paper (or screen, as the case may be).  But not with Juliet Immortal.  I was very...mixed...when I closed the last page, and had to walk away and spend the evening thinking about it.

Here's the thing: I adore Romeo & Juliet. I'm a big Shakespeare fan (Taming of the Shrew will always be a favourite), and I totally buy into the tragic love story of Romeo & Juliet. I'm not going to go as far as saying I want that kind of love (living would be preferable), but...you know. I'm a big romantic. I want the love worth dying for, the grand gestures and that thrill.

So wrapping my head around the idea that not only is all that a lie, but that Romeo is a douchebag of epic proportions and Juliet has a burning (and well-deserved) hatred for him; and they're locked in eternity to forever work against each other for the sake of love and humanity?  It's weird, yo. Weird.

And I admit that that was a driving reason why I didn't really like it. I tried hard to let it go, but just seeing the names "Romeo" and "Juliet" make you feel something - so it was difficult. Plus, I don't really read fantastical novels often. Magic and forces and spirits don't do much for me.

Let's talk plot: the concept is really interesting. That these eternal soul mates are fighting for Good (Ambassadors) and Evil (Mercenaries), inhabiting bodies while they try to influence two others to either commit to their love (Juliet) or break them forever (Romeo).  It was intriguing and filled with action and a little creepy and, I'll admit, I was hooked into it from the very beginning. Opening with that little chase scene was...fabulous. And it never really comes down from there. It's high intensity, it plays with your thoughts and emotions, and you start to wonder if maybe Romeo isn't as terrible as the book plays him out to be, maybe Juliet is just a mistrusting selfish person seriously lacking in self-awareness.

So, characters: I had some problems. Juliet was perfect, in my opinion: just the right amount of confused and loving and doing her job and tormented.  Ben was easily the favorite, and very easy to fall in love with. Gemma fell flat with me though, despite that she was supposed to be this hot-and-mostly-cold best friend who is actually terrible towards Ariel. Romeo was probably the worst: I just couldn't feel anything other than disgust towards him. He was a sociopath and a psychopath with absolutely nothing redeeming - and it's tough to read a novel where you just want to kill off a character from page 2. Especially this novel, when it feels like you're supposed to want to believe in him at some parts. I just couldn't.

Some of the writing is cheesy, but nothing that's off-putting. And I also liked the framing of Ariel and Melanie.  Their relationship is a bit heartbreaking, but hopeful; and it was surprisingly the thing I was rooting for most.

When I first finished the book, I knew my star rating was going to be a 3. I was having problems with the storyline, I disliked Romeo so much I just couldn't take it, I wasn't too thrilled with parts of the ending or Nurse and all the secrets.

But then I realized that I'd read the book in about 3 hours. And I was sucked into it, and I enjoyed most of it, and I was a little in love with Ben and had held my breathe for the last 100-or-so pages. And most of all, the book had made me ache: for a past love, for the missing love I have, for all the future and the hoping and the wishing I know I've got in my future regarding love. It made me consider soul mates (something I steadfastly do not believe in), it made me want so hard to believe in enduring love and the realness of love and in the power of it.

And even though I may have had some problems with it, the writing made me feel, and think, and want -- which is what we all kind of want from a novel anyway.

4 Stars / 5

In My Mailbox (8) - an exciting one in my book blogger "career"!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, meant to spotlight the books we've acquired this week (via library, purchase, review, etc).

YOU GUYS. This week was HUGE for me!  Not only did I get some pretty phenomenal books from my library that I'm incredibly excited for, but I was gifted one from a generous book blogger that I have been waiting for so impatiently.  AND: I received my first ever copies for review!

Library

Saving June - Hannah Harrington

Scored - Lauren McLaughlin

The Way We Fall - Megan Crewe

The Survival Kit - Donna Freitas

Winter Town - Stephen Emond

Chopsticks - Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral

Purchased

I didn't mean to purchase any books this week, but I stumbled on this at Target and saw the price tag:

I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore

A hardcover for less than $5?! How could I pass that up?? 

It almost makes it ok that it's a movie cover (almost...)

Review (!!!!)

From Publisher:

Yes, Chef - Marcus Samuelsson (thank you Erika @ Random House!)

Even though I generally don't read memoirs, I've said before I will if I happen to love the person - and I love Marcus Samuelsson! Food Network is a staple on my TV (watching now! Anyone seen Sweet Genius? I can't figure out if I like the series or not...), as are food-related shows, and I've loved Chef Samuelsson since the first day I saw him on Top Chef Masters. His story has always been fascinating to me, and I'm so excited to read more in depth about his life!

From NetGalley:

Wanderlove - Kirsten Hubbard (thanks Delacourte/Random House!)

I've heard such wonderful things about this book, I'm so excited!

Gifted/Won

I AM SO FREAKING OUT ABOUT THIS GUYS. If you saw my WoW this week, you know why.

Gilt - Katherine Longshore

My every thanks to James at BookChicClub for gifting me his ARC!
(Gifted/Won, to be more accurate - I happen to be on Twitter at the right time when he tweeted to give them away. Yay for right place at the right time!)

So yes, a fabulous week for me - I have so much good stuff I hardly know where to start!
(except not really, I'm simultaneously reading Wanderlove, Gilt and Winter Town alongside the 2 others I'm still on from last week...)

What's in your mailbox?

Leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!