Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Review: Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard


Hardcover, 320 pages

Released: March 8, 2011

Publisher: Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

ISBN13: 9780385739351
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.

My Rating: 4 / 5

My Thoughts:

It took me a good chunk, maybe 100 pages, to be convinced that this book was worthy of all the buzz I'd heard. For those of you that follow my blog, you will know I like happily ever after and to be honest, a majority of this book isn't. I thought I had gotten in over my head but when I finished that last page, I was floored, the arc of the story was beautiful.

Grace and Mandarin couldn't be any different. Grace is the naive, smart, reads books and collects rocks. Mandarin is the town slut, works at her dad's bar, is failing school, beautiful and full of attitude. What do they have in common? They are both teenagers growing up in boring old Washokey, Wyoming and being teenagers they are searching for themselves.

Grace comes from a loving family that includes her mom & little sister. The fascination with having the girl's win Pageant shows is her mom's life...and ultimately what draws Grace and her apart. Mandarin is who Grace admired from afar, literally. It is a school project that pairs Grace & Mandarin and from which their eyes are opened & they discover a bit of who they are.

Dark and raw, this book portrays teenage innocence perfectly by contrasting two polar opposites. Everyone knew Mandarin and Grace was in awe of that. It doesn't matter if the attention was good or not, it was attention. Grace had lost herself trying to hide under the radar for so long, trying to blend in and not stand out. I think we can all relate to this. As much as Grace saw freedom and confidence in Mandarin, she discovers that what you see can be skewed by your personal desires & soon comes to realize that Mandarin is vulnerable.

Like watching a loved one fall, sometimes this story was hard to read. Knowing that Grace was making up for lost time, trying to get out there and live a little bit, but with Mandarin's influence you knew it was a lesson to learn the hard way. I didn't connect that well with the characters, (well unless you count the fact that I despise Mandarin for being totally selfish) but the message of the story is clear..and growing up never is easy.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Tuesday Teaser - March 29, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published March 8th 2011 by Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

ISBN13: 9780385739351
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.
"I let myself fade into the collage of faces and hallways. And I pretended I didn't care." (page 33)

I loved this line! I think it perfectly sums up what it feels like to be lost during those ackward teenage years when you are trying to find yourself.

Care to share a line or two from a book you're reading?

Monday, March 28, 2011

Review: Wither (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano

Hardcover, 356 pages

Released: March 22, 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

ISBN13: 9781442409057
What if you knew exactly when you would die? Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home. But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.
My Rating: 4.5 / 5

My Thoughts
:
It's post WW3 and and the destruction has left only North America, oceans & uninhabitable islands. Seventy years ago scientists thought we had perfected the human race. There were cures for cancer, immune systems boosted & the old way of natural conception stopped in favour of perfectly engineered embryos. The only problem, the children of the first generations came with a major flaw...their life span was limited (males didn't live past 25, females past 20). This is the story of Rhine, a 16 year old kidnapped so that she can be one of three wives to Linden, an architect but more importantly the son of a wealthy scientist on the hunt for the antidote that will lengthen lives again.

The intense beginning of this story keeps you captivated throughout. It appears humanity is lost with nothing being natural anymore, including love, the first generation is on a mission to find the cure at all cost. Life is now full of illusions, holograms are your entertainment, what was once real and beautiful is now fantasy. From the get go, Lauren makes the reader fall for the illusion of a better life by engaging all our senses: sight (the bedroom full of color), smell (the aroma of soaps), touch (satin sheets) sound (the unforgettable gunshots) and taste (the candy).

Although the plot appears depressing, Lauren has brilliantly created a contrast that provides hope and makes you question yourself. For the last 4 years, Rhine lived with her brother, worked factory jobs. The fear of being robbed forced them to hide in the basement at night, taking sleep shifts. Now, she lives in a mansion, lush and full of color, a pool, gardens, an orange grove and is waited on hand over foot, in what she calls her 'lavish prison'. Is this 'perfect life' so bad? Her sister wives are quite different, one older than her, Jenna, accepting of life as is but not going down without a fight, while the other girl, Cecily, is younger and fascinated with her new life & so eager to please. Just as Rhine struggles a bit, I found myself sympathetic to Linden. He does what his father asks of him, is naive & clueless, and practically a prisoner to his father just like Rhine...but he is also the one who stole her.

Hope is not lost though, as Rhine befriends her attendant, Gabriel. It is Gabriel that she can confide in...until their closeness is discovered. They both dream of the outside world, the freedom and plans of escape are made. But even if they make it out, what will they find? Just like Christopher Columbus proved that the world is not flat, there has to be more to this world, right? This is where you can't help but cheer them on!

Full of great characters, a few twists and turns and an eerie plot (are we not a pro-science society trying to perfect everything?), Wither is a superb debut by Lauren. I am curious to find out more about the science and Gabriel, and can't wait to continue Rhine's journey!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday - March 23, 2011

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I can't wait to read Shut Out by Kody Keplinger! I still smile, months after reading her debut so can't wait to get my hands on this. Seriously, if you haven't read The DUFF you really NEED to.



Expected publication September 5th 2011

Publisher: Poppy

From Goodreads:
A contemporary reimagining of the Greek play, "Lysistrata," in which high school senior Lissa decides it's time to end her school's ridiculous sports rivalry once and for all by starting a hook-up strike.





What are you waiting on?

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Teaser Tuesday- March 22, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


He had been leaning against the door frame; now he stood up straight. "How should I have kissed you? Is there another way you like it?" (page 179)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Review: Afterlife by Claudia Gray


Hardcover, 368 pages

Released: March 8, 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

ISBN: 9780061284427
The fourth book in this electrifying vampire series has all the romance, suspense, and page-turning drama that have made Claudia Gray’s Evernight books runaway successes.

Having become what they feared most, Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They must return to Evernight Academy, Lucas as a vampire and Bianca as a wraith. But Lucas is haunted by demons, both personal and supernatural. Bianca must help him fight the evil inside him, combat the forces determined to drive them apart—and find the power to claim her destiny at last.

Readers have fallen in love with Bianca and Lucas, and they will be thrilled to read this exciting conclusion to their romantic adventure.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

My Thoughts:
The most painful thing when you love a series is waiting a year for the next book. By the time the book is released, you have built up your own hype and can't wait to dive in. This is what Afterlife was like for me. This review is hard because on one hand the ending to the series left me a tad disappointed (because of my own expectations) while on the other hand, Claudia brings the series full circle and we find out the true reason behind Evernight Academy.

As always, I loved the cast of characters: Ranulf and Vic are the best friends anyone could ask for, Balthazar is yummy and Patrice makes me giggle. So what were my expectations? Well, I feel in love with Bianca and Lucas, their love and devotion against all odds. Although this continues and there is closure here, I found a good chunk of the final book focuses on explaining the role of wraiths and vampires as well as Mrs. Bethany's motivation behind Evernight Academy. As Lucas adjusts to his new life as a vampire, he isn't as strong, physically and emotionally, in this book. I think maybe I wanted more Bianca & Lucas and that happily ever after.

My dilemma: The more I think about it, the more I appreciate this final book, as Claudia follows through on her world building, we learn so much about the wraiths. It's a bittersweet ending that seemed perfect. Now to wait another year for Balthazar's book :) If you love this series & know what to expect going in, I think you will be left feeling way more satisfied.You can read my review of Hourglass (book 3 of the series) here.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Review: To Defy A King by Elizabeth Chadwick


Paperback, 560 pages

Released: March 1, 2011

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

ISBN13: 9781402250897
A story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel.The privileged daughter of one of the most powerful men in England, Mahelt Marshal's life changes dramatically when her father is suspected by King John. Her brothers become hostages and Mahelt is married to Hugh Bigod, heir to the earldom of Norfolk. Adapting to her new life is hard, but Mahelt comes to love Hugh deeply; however, defying her father-in-law brings disgrace and heartbreak. When King John sets out to subdue the Bigods, Mahelt faces a heartbreaking battle, fearing neither she, nor her marriage, is likely to survive the outcome ...
My Rating: 4.5 / 5

My Thoughts:
Politics were played out quite differently in the Marshall & Bigod families. Mahelt Marshall grew up trying to keep up with her two older brothers, she is strong willed & would be considered rebellious for this time period. Although her family stands behind the King, they also seek that fine balance between loyalty to king & family. After her arranged marriage to Hugh Bigod, Mahelt's outspoken behavior is not as accepted. Her father-in-law is strict and does what he feels is necessary to appease the King, even if he may not agree with it. As noted in the author's notes, not much is known of Mahelt's personality, but Elizabeth Chadwick brings her alive! What I especially loved to see was how Hugh took to accepting Mahelt for who she was, he did not try to tame her & you can see a little bit of her had rubbed off. One character you will love to hate is the selfish, Longspee who happens to be Hugh's half-brother as well as one of the King's favorites.

Elizabeth Chadwick is one amazing storyteller! To Defy A King shows us how loyalty and honor are more then just obeying a tyrant King. This is not a fast paced novel, but rather one to be savored. Elizabeth has also previously written a few books following the life of the Marshalls & Bigods The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion and The Time of Singing which I am eagerly hunting down. If you are like me and love travelling back in time, I think you'll want to devour Elizabeth Chadwick's books.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis


Hardcover, 398 pages

Released: January 11, 2011

Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)

ISBN: 9781595143976
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.
My Rating: 4 / 5

My Thoughts:

I have to admit that the premise of this one sounded odd but with so many rave reviews, I knew it was something to read. The book is written in alternating points of view and from both a female and male perspective. There's Amy, who is from present day who is woken up in to find herself in the future but not at their destination yet and thrust into what is like a whole new world aboard the ship. Then there's Elder, learning to be the leader of the next generation and finding out the real truth along the way.

Beth's ability to make the ship come alive is phenomenal. After I had gotten about 100 pages in, I just happened to take the dust jacket off the book & discover the ships blueprints 'hidden' on the other side! Let me tell you, it was not needed but boy did I enjoy the chance to see what I had been picturing in my head all along. It has been years since I have watched any sci-fi shows like Star Trek but this is exactly what came to mind.

The beauty in this book is in what you are left thinking about long after you've finished reading. Along the way, we learn a lot about how the ship has 'evolved' over the years. We discover that the roles on the ship have been created, the purpose of having a leader, the importance of having a cohesive group...and just how this is achieved! After processing this, one can't help but think of the nature vs. nurture debate, how does a person really become who they are? Can knowing the effect of something change your beliefs and make you act in a way you never thought you would? Yes, there's a philosophical angle here & I loved it! I'm looking forward to continuing with the trilogy to see just how Amy & Elder handle the information they've been given.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday - March 9, 2011

This weekly event is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I can't wait to read City of Fallen Angels by Cassie Clare, 27 days and counting! This is such an addictive series, Cassie's world building is amazing & sucks you right in...and then of course there's Jace :) I'm sure I'm not alone in anticipation of this one, have you read the series yet??



Release date: April 5, 2011

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

From Goodreads:
City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in the bestselling series The Mortal Instruments.

“City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.”

Watch for the book trailer to be released later today! Follow Cassie on twitter @cassieclare

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Review: Clarity by Kim Harrington

Hardcover, 242 pages

Released: March 1, 2011

Publisher: Scholastic Point

ISBN13: 9780545230506
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

My Rating:4.5

My thoughts:
Well, I'm not really sure how to classify this book: crime/mystery/paranormal/romance, it really had a little bit of everything...and I loved it! What I think also makes it stand out is the crime solving element, maybe it's just me but I haven't read many YA books that deal with this. As I was reading, I kept thinking Kim has really got something here! Here's why:

The setting makes me want to pick up and move to the East Coast. Clare lives in a tourist town of Eastport, think walking around the boardwalk eating ice cream watching the waves roll in...I think I could handle that!

The characters were all great but Clare, darn I loved her & her snarkiness. Considered a 'freak' by her peers for her paranormal ability, she is rock solid and takes no bull! She knows what is important, is very family oriented, loveable, intelligent..I could go on & on.

The plot keep you guessing. Kim offers up twists & turns, leads you astray but it all wraps up nicely in the end.

This is a book to devour in one setting, I am so eager to follow Clare again next year when book two, Perception, comes out! As much as I enjoy Temperance Brennan in Kathy Reichs series, I could totally see myself following Clare for years to come, it has that potential to be a series to love..an awesome Debut by Kim!

Monday, March 7, 2011

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? March 7, 2011



It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week. Feel free to join in this weekly event if you'd like as well as use the picture above. Thanks Sheila for hosting!

Last week:

I reviewed Timeless by Alexandra Monir.

In preparation for City of Fallen Angels, I read City of Bones by Cassie Clare.

I reviewed The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown, as well as posted an interview with Eleanor!

This week:
I finished Across the Universe by Beth Revis on my way in to work this morning & instantly dove into Afterlife by Claudia Gray (I'm so excited for this book, though a tad sad that it is the end of the series). I think after this I'll switch back to some adult fiction & read Elizabeth Chadwick's To Defy a King

What are you reading?

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Interview Time with Eleanor Brown

If you stopped by yesterday, you will know that Eleanor Brown's The Weird Sisters won me over. (You can read my gushing review here.) Every once in a while, there is that perfect book that leaves you so satisfied after you turn the last page, and this book did just that. I was so excited after I devoured it, that I had to ask for an interview...my fan girl moment LOL. Thankfully Eleanor agreed, I hope you enjoy! Please give a warm welcome to Eleanor...

I found that I was comparing myself to bits of the three sisters but gravitating toward Rose, who are you most like?

I'm a little bit like all three sisters. Actually, I think most of us are. There's a little bit of us that wants safety and security, and a little bit that wants adventure. A little bit that loves drama, and a little bit that's happy to stay home with a good book. In writing each sister I was playing with those conflicting parts of myself and I hope readers enjoy finding those bits of themselves in Rose, Bean, and Cordy.

That said, I'm thrilled you saw yourself in Rose - she was tough to write because she could so easily just have been bossy and unsympathetic and I wanted other people to love her as much as I do. So I'm happy to hear that you related to her!

As a book lover, I love stories that share my love of reading (though the Rose in me came out when bookmarks weren't used!). How bookish were you growing up?

Oh, I'd drive you crazy....I'm a terrible non-bookmark-er.

I was ridiculously bookish. Always have been, still am, always hope to be. I grew up in a family where reading was the most important thing we did - individually and together. I was allowed a half hour of television a week, but I could read all the books I wanted, and, a few temper tantrums aside, that was just great. I have always loved escaping into a story - nothing brings me greater joy.

What was the draw to writing a book with Shakespearean elements? The book not really about the plays themselves, rather incorporating lines into the plot which was so unique!

Wow, thank you! There were a couple of things that drew me to Shakespeare - the first was the idea of our names and how they affect the people we become. So I wanted to give the characters names that had belonged to other people, so they would feel forced to live up to them in a way. The second was the way families communicate. Every family has its own language, and I thought this bookish family would be very likely to communicate in the words of literature they loved. Shakespeare was rich enough and I was just enough of a fan that it was the obvious choice to me.

You found the perfect lines for scenes in the book, are you that familiar with Shakespeare's works or was this aspect a huge research project on it's own?

It was an enormous research project! I think there's a certain amount of Shakespeare many of us get through cultural osmosis, and then I did a limited amount of study, particularly in graduate school. But when I decided to write the book, I did a lot of reading and re-reading and watching and re-watching and research and note-taking. A lot of that ended up not being anything but background knowledge, partly because I wanted to make the book really accessible, and partly because I realized these characters have been hanging around with Shakespeare for so long they don't need to have conversations about motifs of light and dark in Hamlet. They would have had those conversations ages ago and moved on. But there are notebooks full of research I did happily sitting on my bookshelves in case I need them again!

Having tackled anthologies, journals, magazines, newspapers & most recently NY best selling novel, what's next?

I'm really enjoying writing novels, so I think I'll stick with that for a while. I'm very superstitious about talking about works in progress, so I'll just say I've been doing a lot of thinking about love and marriage and divorce and how all those things fit together. We'll see how it goes!

Thanks for stopping by Eleanor, I can't wait to find out more about your next project!

Thank you so much for inviting me for a visit!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Review: The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

Hardcover, 336 pages

Released: January 20th 2011

Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam

ISBN: 9780399157226

The three Andreas sisters grew up in the cloistered household dominated by their Shakespearean professor father, a prominent, eccentric academic whose reverence for the Bard left its imprint on his daughters' names: Rosalind (As You Like It), Bianca (The Taming of the Shrew), and Cordelia (King Lear). The siblings eventually left home and escaped their ponderous monikers with nicknames, but their mother's medical maladies brings them back. Before long, their unwelcome reunion reveals that they all have problems: Rose is force-feeding a troubled relationship; Bean is entangled in a big city case of embezzlement; and unmarried Cordy is pregnant. Eleanor Brown's first fiction has justly won praise as "thought-provoking... poignant... sparkling and devourable."

My Rating: 5 / 5

My Thoughts:

I am confident to say this is going to be one of my top reads for 2011...it's THAT good. A book about a family that loves to read is win, win! Ok, so now you've been warned this is going to be a gushing review :)

After returning home to care for their ailing mom, we get a glimpse into the lives of three sisters. In The Weird Sisters Eleanor Brown has captured what it means to be family - both the love and the frustration. I must admit it was odd at first having the story be told in first person narrative from three different perspectives, but it works as each character is so unique making it easy to follow along. Within each sister, you will find a bit of yourself: Rose the mother hen, Bean the party animal and Cordy the easy going one. Maybe it is the fact that I am in the same age group, but I found it comforting to read about their struggle in finding the perfect life they had expected. What sets this book apart from anything else I have read is how the author seamlessly weaves Shakespearean lines throughout the story and thankfully one does not have to be a scholar to enjoy them all. (Can you guess what I am buying later today? The Collected works, thank you Eleanor for reminding me how beautiful his plays are.)

There were two simple messages that I was reminded of after reading The Weird Sisters: not all families are perfect and things always work out in the end. This is a story to savor and leaves you warm that fuzzy feeling of satisfaction, go read it now!

Join me again tomorrow for an interview with Eleanor Brown!