Book Review: If You're Lucky by Yvonne Prinz

Quick Facts

My Rating: 3 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: June 12, 2015

Source: Free review copy from Netgalley

Publication Date: October 20, 2015

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Genres: Young adult, contemporary

Goodreads

Review

When Georgia meets Fin, a friend of her dead brother, Lucky, she feels that something is off about him. He's charming, much like Lucky, and perhaps that's the problem: He's kind of taking over Lucky's life. First, his girlfriend; then, his dog, his family. Georgia is the only one who isn't fooled.

As time goes on, Fin's behavior becomes even more suspicious. Georgia, who is schizophrenic, stops taking her medication. Everyone else seems to think that her mind is playing tricks on her - but is that true? Or is Fin exactly who she thinks he is?

This sounded like a fast-paced, action-packed book. I really expected it to be mysterious, intriguing, and wonderful. And it took me a long time to accept that this was not the book I expected. It took me even longer to figure out what, exactly, did not sit right with me.

When we first meet Fin, he is very charming, bordering on love interest. Georgia really likes him, and he has a way of making people feel special and understood. Rather than talking about himself, he focuses on the other person - which, as Georgia observes, is not only a great way to make people like you, but a fantastic strategy when keeping secrets.

I liked the beginning of the book well enough, although I kept waiting for the action. But when things took off, the story seemed to go even further downhill. It's not that the story wasn't interesting, because it was! I love the concept of someone completely taking over the life of someone they murdered, and I love stories about mental illness. The highlight of the story, I think, was getting into Georgia's mind and seeing things from her point of view.

But everything felt predictable. Perhaps it was just me, but I knew what was happening throughout most of the book. I may have doubted it a couple of times, and there was one small twist in the middle that I especially enjoyed. The thing is, there was just not a lot of mystery going on, at least for me.

The writing also felt just a bit lacking. I couldn't figure out just what I didn't like, and I don't think anything was technically wrong with it. I just kept wishing it were more. I felt the same way about Fin's character - I wanted to be more charmed by him. I especially wanted to be more afraid for Georgia when she began questioning him and getting into dangerous situations. But I didn't. When Fin was supposed to be charming, it almost worked. When he was supposed to be creepy, I couldn't feel that at all.

Lastly, the ending. This was what caused the most trouble for me - it didn't feel realistic. And I kind of ended the book thinking that's it? The last chapter kind of started some new plot lines, rather than simply wrapping old ones up. And I'm sure this was meant to give new hope for the future - but I don't think it was handled well. The new bits felt forced and not a part of the story at all, and left me wondering why I should care, especially about a character who was introduced within the last five pages.

So maybe this one just wasn't for me. I'm sure others will pick it up and love it. But I couldn't get past thinking it was okay, nothing more or less.

Book Review: How to be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, & Lauren Myracle

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: June 24, 2015

Source: Purchased ebook

Publication Date: May 1, 2008

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genres: Young adult, contemporary

Goodreads

Review

When Jesse finds out her mom has cancer, she's desperate to leave and escape the reality she doesn't want to accept. Her plan is to go on a road trip with her friend, Vicks, to visit her boyfriend at college. She doesn't expect Mel, the rich new girl at work, to invite herself along -- but she offers to pay, so how can Jesse say no?

The three girls set off in Jesse's mom's car, each with their own secrets and issues to deal with. Vicks' relationship isn't quite as perfect as she made it seem, and she hasn't really heard from her boyfriend since he left. Jesse is keeping her mother's cancer a secret. And Mel just wants to feel like she belongs somewhere, but she knows she's really only there because the other girls wanted her to pay.

I really enjoyed this book. The dynamics between the girls were so interesting -- they were all so different, and I enjoyed every one of their perspectives. I will admit that I preferred Mel's point of view to the others in the beginning, but towards the middle I didn't care who was telling the story. I just wanted to hear more about the girls and their trip!

This book also did a great job at balancing a realistic aspect with a fun, summery read. It does deal with a pretty deep topic -- cancer -- but it isn't covered much throughout the book, due to Jesse's reluctance to talk about it.

That said, and I'm probably being contradictory: I wanted something more. I was so interested in the girls, I could have read so much more about their lives. Maybe this is just a sign of how well-developed they were, but when I reached the end I wanted more. Maybe a bit of a deeper story line. Or maybe just a longer book?

I didn't hate the ending -- in fact, I thought it was a really great place to leave off. At the same time, I would have liked to see more of the girls daily lives, more of their friendship, everything else that happened after the trip. (Maybe what I'm saying is that I wouldn't mind a sequel? Even though this does work fine as a standalone?)

Anyway, I would completely recommend this to anyone looking for a great summer read. It has so much fun, so much girl power, and such excellent relationships. And it's a road trip book -- which might be my favorite trope, ever.

Book Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: June 6, 2015

Source: Purchased ebook

Publication Date: July 2, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Genres: Young adult, contemporary, romance

Goodreads | Author's Website

Review

Elise doesn't really like rich people. Through working at her mother's doll shop, she sees enough of them, and knows that they tend to be obnoxious and self-centered. And when Xander walks into the store, she can tell he has money. She treats him like any other customer, until he keeps coming back.

Although Elise rather likes having him around, she still tries to keep him away. Her mother has warned her about the rich often enough that Elise should know not to fall for Xander, but what if she can't help it? What if money doesn't automatically make a person bad?

My biggest praise for this book is that all of the characters are fantastic - not just Elise and Xander, but Elise's best friend. The best friend's boyfriend. The adult characters. I love seeing great adults in YA books! I love seeing great people in books, generally. It's one of my favorite things.

The romance here didn't disappoint, either. I think it's been too long since I last found a light romance where I truly enjoyed both characters, and really wanted them to be together. While, yes, Elise's rich people stereotype felt kind of petty, I felt their romance was true and so well done, hugely because the characters themselves were so well written. I loved the love in this book!

The story was also near-perfect. It was light and fluffy, without being entirely made of fluff. The characters had their issues that added to the story, and the combination made this nearly impossible to put down. I read it so, so quickly! 

This was my first Kasie West book, but I decided before I even finished - it definitely won't be my last!

Book Review: The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: June 5, 2015

Source: Purchased ebook

Publication Date: February 27, 2007

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genres: Young adult, contemporary, romance

Goodreads | Author Site

Review

When Jade's grandmother died, she developed a panic disorder - not because they were especially close, but because Jade realized then that people could die. This left her incredibly anxious and afraid to take risks.

After her family moved to the city, Jade began visiting the zoo near her house. She became attached to the elephants, finding them calming to watch, and then started to watch them at home, from a webcam the zoo set up. This is where she first sees the boy. He wears a red jacket, holds a baby, and Jade knows in her gut that he will become part of her life.

I took so long to pick up this book. Back in 2013 - two years ago! - I read the beginning chapters through an excerpt that iBooks provided, and immediately wanted the rest of the book. I must not have had the money on my account at the time, because I didn't buy it. And then I went forever thinking about this book, but not picking it up. Even once I had the full thing, right there to read on my tablet, I didn't get around to it.

I'm a little regretful of that, because not only was it a super quick read, but it was so good. I always hesitate to pick up a book about mental illness, but I think Jade's anxiety was handled well here. Stories like this are so important.

That said, I do think Jade's coping with her anxiety could have been handled better. Despite all Jade does for herself - volunteering with the elephants in the zoo, sending applications to colleges that aren't five minutes away, falling in love - only one of these was given credit for making her less anxious. While her relationship with Sebastian was super important, love is not a treatment for mental illness. It was only one of the things she did to face her fears and to put herself out there, so I kind of hated that Jade mentioned only that when thinking about how much better she felt. I don't feel she was able to 'forget' to be afraid because of their relationship, but because she began to live her life fully and didn't have so much alone time with her thoughts.

Despite my slight problems where it intertwined with Jade's anxiety, though, I really enjoyed the romance. I admit I had my doubts at first - Sebastian had a child, Jade was pretty immature, and there were a couple of secrets kept that left me wondering if they could actually work things out. However, I really adored Sebastian and his son, Bo. And Jade grew so much through the book,

Another great aspect was that so much of Jade's growth involved her family. I love books that focus on family relationships, and I don't read enough of them. (They can be hard to find!) Both Sebastian and Jade had interesting families and I was glad they were included as pretty consistent characters, rather than only being mentioned once or twice. Jade's understanding of her parents grew as she did, and that was wonderful to see. I was rooting for her in every way - not only for her and Sebastian, but for her to repair her relationship with her mother, and to help her little brother through his own problems.

Lastly, the animals in this book were actual characters. Family interactions constantly included the dog - from his reaction when everyone was outside without him, to his sadness with the rest of the family when they're hurting, to Jade simply taking him for a walk in hopes of running into 'the boy in the red jacket.' The elephants also had their own personalities and problems to deal with, and I just really liked this. The little elephant facts that began each chapter were great, too!

Overall, this is a book I waited way too long to read. I had very few issues with it, and the positive aspects far outweighed anything negative. It was such a beautiful story.

Audiobook Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: Snow Like Ashes, Book 1

Date Read: May 15, 2015

Source: Purchased audiobook

Publication Date: October 14, 2014

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Genres: Young adult, fantasy, romance

Goodreads | Author Site

Review

Meira was left an orphan after her kingdom, Winter, was conquered. She is one of the eight survivors now left, and is training to be a warrior. If Winter can only get the locket back, the one that holds the kingdom's magic, they might finally be able to restore their kingdom.

Though her memories of the place are few, Meira has always wanted to do more for Winter - more than she is currently allowed. So when she has a chance to go after half of the locket, she takes it, no matter the risk.

This starts a whole flow of events that Meira couldn't have planned for. Magic is a mysterious thing, and the kingdom of Winter has some secrets itself. 

I thought this was a solid start to the series. The writing was excellent, and I enjoyed hearing about the different kingdoms. The magic system also worked really well, and might have been my favorite aspect of the story.

Throughout the book there were twists, but I found most of them predictable. That's not to say I didn't enjoy them and the story - but I did see a lot of things coming, sometimes way before they actually happened. In that aspect, the story wasn't super original.

There was definitely romance here - a love triangle, actually - but it did not take over the story. Since there were so many more important things for Meira to focus on, it was great to see that she wasn't too caught up in potential love interests.

And Meira did have a lot to focus on. She grew so much, and I found myself cheering her on and feeling proud as she did what was needed for her kingdom. From beginning to end, she definitely matured and found her place, and I felt so happy for her. The story arc was really great, and Meira felt believable all the way through - her doubts, her impulsive attitude, her confusion and realizations. It felt very natural and believable.

Lastly, the ending seemed to wrap things up perfectly. There were definitely enough loose ends to leave room for a sequel, but things came together well enough to make this book satisfying on it's own. (And there wasn't a huge cliffhanger, which is a relief when you have to wait for the next book to be released!) 

Book Review: Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: May 11, 2015

Source: Purchased ebook

Publication Date: September 9, 2014

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Genres: Young adult, contemporary

Goodreads

Review

Liz is in the hospital after a failed suicide attempt. Through a not-quite third person, mystery narrator, we get to see the people in Liz's life both before and after the crash. We also get to see the events that led up to Liz's decision to end her life.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book is that it made me care so much about Liz, although on the surface she's an incredibly unlikable character. Even deep down, she has her reasons for what she does - but they aren't good enough, and she knows that. It was really difficult to see her bullying progress, and to see her do things she knew were wrong from the start. But I still wanted her to make it out of the hospital alive, and the credit for that goes to the amazing writing in this book. I liked Liz - and the entire cast of flawed, unlikable characters - so much that I was on the brink of tears while reading.

The mystery perspective was really cool as well. It kept me guessing most of the way through the book, and it symbolized so much for Liz. This really was the perfect way to tell the story. There were also 'snapshots' between some of the chapters, in which we got to see a brief few paragraphs of Liz as a child. They were so great that I kept hoping there would be one at the end of each chapter, and was a bit disappointed when there wasn't!

Going back to the characters, I do have to say that I wish Liam - who is a rather minor character - were more flawed. Everyone else made mistakes and had major flaws, but Liam's greatest flaw was stereotyping people. Since everyone in the book did this (and everyone in real life does too, to an extent), I wish he had another defining flaw. I'm guessing he was written that way to make him seem more likable, and it worked, but he could have been more human while still being a good person.

The ending also felt a bit sudden. After spending so long with the characters, and with Liz in the hospital, I would have liked to see more details regarding what happened.

I should also say that this book reminded me a lot of If I Stay. There were many parallels - a girl in the hospital after a car crash, a (potential) love interest who plays an instrument, the best friends who hated each other in the beginning. Both books also switched between past and present tense. Of course, along with that there were differences - the characters here were much different, and more flawed. The suicide aspect added a lot to the story, as well as the bullying that happened before the suicide attempt. They are two different stories, and I loved each equally, but I'm not sure I would recommend this to someone who did not enjoy If I Stay. I also think that the similarities might bother some readers who have read both books, while other readers (like me!) will be excited at the similarities and enjoy both.

Overall, this was a great story with deep, heartfelt writing, and I enjoyed every bit of it. The characters were most definitely the best part of the book, and their abundance of flaws made them seem human and real. The short chapters and various story lines kept me hooked all the way through, making the book almost impossible to put down.

Book Review: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

Quick Facts

My Rating: 5 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: May 25, 2015

Source: Review copy from Edelweiss

Publication Date: June 2, 2015

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Genres: Young adult, contemporary, romance

Goodreads | Author Site

Review

Elyse and her twin sister, Natalie, began singing together when they were little. Nobody had to ask the sisters what their futures held - it was obvious. But when the sea takes Elyse's voice, her future is ruined. Not wanting to face her immediate family, she moves to the U.S. to live with her aunt in Oregon.

Here she meets Christian, a boy who isn't afraid to ask questions. After finding Elyse on his boat, he takes an interest in her. And when his father makes a bet, risking his family's summer home and her Aunt Lemon's rented house, the two become even closer. Elyse has to help Christian get his boat ready to race - because if he loses, they both lose their homes in Atargatis Cove.

I went into this with false expectations that, admittedly, I wouldn't have hoped for if I read the book's summary. I expected mermaids, due to the title, not a realistic story. And I regret that, because it did slow the book down for me. I had to adjust my expectations to what the book really was.

I've also seen this in a couple of fairytale retelling lists, but I wouldn't go that far - if it's a retelling of The Little Mermaid, it's a loose one. Elyse has many sisters, and loses her voice. There are some repeated names (Ursula, Sebastian). But I think those who go in for a retelling will probably have false expectations.

That said, this book is a new addition to my favorites shelf. It is a fantastic book, with great characters and such a strong, important message. Elyse lost her voice literally, but so many people (her included) suffered from loss of their voice. There was Christian, who couldn't stand up to his father. His little brother Sebastian, whose young voice was too small for most people to consider. Elyse's Aunt Lemon, whose voice went unheard in matters regarding her own home - because she was renting, and the house was not technically her own property.

In the Cove, two men had voices. The mayor, a sexist man who wanted to bring in tourists even if it meant changing the quiet, calm atmosphere of the Cove, and Christian's father. And they used these voices to silence others - most of whom allowed themselves to be silenced.

It's difficult to stand up for something that seems impossible, and I think this book touched on that really well. Nobody saw the point in standing against the people who obviously had more control and, for that reason, their voices went unheard. And Elyse, loud and outgoing as she used to be, had lost her voice - how could she speak up?

One of my favorite parts of the book (and the parts that made me cry more than once) were Elyse's conversations with her Aunt Lemon. She was a fantastic woman, always encouraging Elyse to heal and find her voice again. She let her know that the sea might have taken Elyse's speaking voice, but ultimately it was her own decision to go unheard.

Another important thing was the acceptance in this book. Girls and women were portrayed wonderfully - not one of the characters was a stereotype. (Which meant no 'blonde, jealous ex' that we usually get when the main character falls for a player - you can't imagine how excited I was when I couldn't find her!) Christian did not fall for Elyse for the typical reason, either - not because she 'wasn't like other girls.' Elyse was very much like the other girls in this book, because they were all realistic, well-rounded people.

None of the teens in this book were shamed for having sex, either. Or for not having it. The adults in this book (namely Lemon who, again, was fantastic) handled that well and it was refreshing to see the topic treated as just a normal thing - because that's what it is.

And then we get to Sebastian, Christian's little brother. He had a mermaid obsession that his father, and quite a few others, found issue with. He was told again and again that mermaids 'weren't for boys,' basically, and his persistence - and the support he received from his brother, Elyse, and friends - was so great.

Even the awful characters were human. Even those who made huge mistakes were not shamed for this in the writing, and I liked that even smaller characters had their stories told and personalities shown within the story. It fit well with the message of the book, to speak up and not let yourself be silenced.

Overall, I hope nobody kept reading this in hopes of finding criticism - because while I usually try to share the good and bad parts of a story, I can't find any fault with this one. If I could have left this review at 'perfect book, go buy it!' I would have.

Book Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Quick Facts

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Series: The Mortal Instruments, Book 1

Date Read: May 17, 2015

Source: Purchased ebook

Publication Date: March 27, 2007

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 

Genres: Young adult, paranormal

Goodreads | Author Site

Review

When Clary sees people nobody else can, she ends up following them - and witnessing a murder. She is told the dead boy was a demon, and his body did disappear, so she doesn't know what to think. From then on she is absorbed into the world of the Shadowhunters, as they want to know what gives her the ability to see them - and Clary needs their help to find her mother, who disappeared from their home and is nowhere to be found.

For a long time, I have had no interest in continuing this series. After reading book one way back in 2012, I didn't remember anything, and I'm not much of a re-reader. But then I hit a bit of a day-long reading slump when none of my current reads interested me. I began picking up books at random. I don't know what made me choose this one - I already had it in my head I would never be reading this series. For whatever reason, I ended up reading the first few pages, then getting pulled into the story - mostly because I didn't remember hardly anything!

Although it was a long time ago, and I knew my memories of the book were vague, I thought I would recognize the words, the entire story line. Instead, the first few chapters were like reading a brand-new book. Once things got going, I began to remember most of the plot details - but it still amazes me just how much I could forget about a book in the span of three years.

Of course, I'm also a much different reader now than I was three years ago. I remember my initial reaction to this story - I was wowed by it, as I was most books. I wanted the rest of the series right away. (Which is silly, isn't it, when you think that I still haven't read them three years afterwords?) While I don't feel quite the same anymore - my previous five star rating has gone down. Still, I think this is a solid beginning for the series, and I do plan on reading book two very soon.

Another interesting thing during this read, besides my realization of having a terrible memory, was that I have now read Harry Potter. I heard the talk of the similarities before, and this time I was really able to see what people had been talking about. Of course I saw the parallels, although they have their differences as well. Most notably, to me, was the tone. This book felt more fun, fast-paced, and dramatic. Harry Potter, to me, was a more serious, quiet type of series.

Getting into the book itself, I think most of its appeal comes from the fast-paced plot. I picked it up in need of something quick and easy to read, and it definitely was that. The characters were alright, but I can't say I felt a lot for them - this was just so plot-driven. I did think their character arcs were done nicely, and especially liked how even side-characters got the chance to change and grow. But until the very end, the story never slowed enough to really let the changes - or much of their personalities - show. I do hope to get to know them better throughout the series, but this first one is a bit disappointing on that level.

The writing, while it flowed easily in most places and was easy to read, did have its flaws as well. It's probably because I write myself, but some parts distracted me, especially when it came to dialogue - at times I would sit back and ask myself, would anybody actually say that, though?

Still, I feel like I've pointed out the flaws in this review far more than the good aspects - and this was definitely an intriguing story. I read it in two sittings, although they were about a week apart from one another, and it was nice to have such a spontaneous, non-stress read for when I needed it, between review books and my monthly TBR. I'm eager to keep reading the next books as well, despite the fact that I've seen far too many spoilers!

Joyride by Anna Banks

Quick Facts

My Rating: 3 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: May 14, 2015

Source: Review copy from Netgalley

Publication Date: June 2, 2015

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Genres: Young adult, contemporary, romance

Goodreads | Author Site 

Review

Carly is just trying to fly under the radar until she and her brother earn enough money to bring back their parents, who were deported to Mexico years before. Arden is trying to do anything he can think of to make his father, the sheriff, angry. When these two come together, their goals obviously clash.

Arden, who used to pull pranks with his older sister, is seeking another accomplice. Amber has been dead for some time, and he didn’t realize how lonely he felt until Carly entered his life. He knows that she is holding herself back and that she wants to have fun, he just doesn’t realize why.

Carly tries to avoid Arden, but he makes it difficult. And as Arden refuses to give up, she realizes that she might not want him to.

Part of me wishes I didn’t finish this book. I went into it expecting less romance, and for more of the issues in the book to be touched on. Instead, I feel like the romance took over the plot - or maybe it felt that way because I did not like Arden.

From the start, Arden was too forceful. Him being right about what she wanted doesn’t excuse that he forced Carly into a lot of situations she told him she didn’t want to take part in. He stalks her home from school - while thinking that it would sure look like he was stalking her, even though he “wasn’t” - and even steals her bike to get her to talk to him, although she’s made it clear she doesn’t want to. He gets her a higher-paying job, which was nice of him - except then he wants her to quit working her other job on week days, and spend time with him instead. It seems that, no matter how many times Carly explains that she needs the money, he doesn’t believe her.

He’s not an unrealistic character, though. I understand that his privilege would get in the way of him understanding Carly’s money issues, and that he has his flaws which create his problems with being so pushy - he isn’t just that way with Carly, but also with his uncle at the beginning, and his pranks show that attitude often as well. But it was difficult for me to get past his flaws, and I really did not want him and Carly together.

One thing I did like was the balance in this book. It switched easily between cute and real. I did try to like Arden, and it worked sometimes. A scene that stuck out to me was when he mentioned ordering black coffee in front of Carly because sugar and cream did not seem “manly.” He did go out of his way to impress Carly a number of times and, although he went about it wrong (The girl doesn’t care how you like your coffee, Arden!), the emotions there were still sweet to read about. Right after this scene, though, he gets a phone call from his depressed mother, asking him to pick up the medication she’s very dependent on after her daughter’s death. Then he goes straight to work helping his alcoholic uncle with housework.

At the same time, I feel like all these issues were more interesting than Arden and Carly’s relationship. It would have been nice to read more about their family life, and to have all that more fleshed out than it was. And many of these things resolved too quickly, and often unrealistically, at the end. There was also a bit of a time-jump once we did get to the interesting stuff, which felt really disappointing - the plot was finally picking up, and then most of the action was skipped or glossed over.

Overall, I think this would be a better read for those who enjoy the romance. It really was the main plot of the book, and this will likely be a great read for those who like Arden, or who like the idea of him and Carly together. I just didn’t enjoy the romance much, and saw so much potential in the side-plots here, very little of which seemed to follow through.

Book Review: From A Distant Star by Karen McQuestion

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: April 29, 2015

Source: Review copy from Netgalley

Publication Date: May 19, 2015

Publisher: Amazon Publishing

Genres: Young adult, science fiction

Goodreads | Author Site

Review

When Emma's boyfriend, Lucas, was diagnosed with cancer, people seemed to give up on him right away. Even his own mother seemed determined he would not make it, especially as things grew worse. Lucas entered a coma and doctors said he had very little time left - perhaps a couple of days. 

Emma just knows that Lucas is strong enough to make it through. They had too many future plans, too much love, for him to just die. So she goes to see a woman who is known for magic. She gives Emma a potion to cure Lucas and a warning that he might not be the same, after coming back from the brink of death.

She could not have expected that her boyfriend would actually turn into a different person - or that his body had been taken over by an alien who was trying to make it home.

I have to be honest and say that I felt kind of awful and spoiler-y when typing that summary. The truth is, all of that information is given within the first few chapters. But should it have been? I don't think so. Books with multiple points of view can either be benefited from it, or harmed, and I think that seeing from the alien, Scout's, eyes did more harm than good. If the three or four chapters that were not in Emma's point of view had been left out, it would have left space for some more mystery in the story - instead of knowing the truth, readers would have been left guessing.

Setting that aside, though, I really enjoyed this book. It was difficult to put down, so much that I planned about a week's reading time (I've been an awfully slow reader lately), but read it in two days. The writing was great and very easy to read, and I really enjoyed the fast pace. It kept up throughout the book and made for a really fun, addicting read.

The characters were also great. I liked the contrast between Scout and Lucas, and seeing each character develop. It was especially nice to see Emma, who had been so dependent on Lucas before the cancer, learn to take charge and use her strengths. Scout had a wonderful personality overall, and his empathy made me stop and wonder at times what people would be like if we could read each others thoughts and emotions like those on his planet could. So many of the characters, Emma included, had a strong sense of love and caring for others, and that was so admirable and nice to see.

Overall, although it had a few faults, I really enjoyed this one. It's an enjoyable, fast-paced read that I would definitely recommend, especially to those who like science fiction and books that feature aliens. I'm pretty sure this was the first book I ever read with aliens in it, though, and I have to say that it was a nice introduction for me, although I'm not sure any others could compare to Scout's sweetness and compassion for others.

Book Review: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Quick Facts

My Rating: 4 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: April 15, 2015

Source: Purchased ebook

Publication Date: April 1, 2014

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Genres: Adult fiction, contemporary

Goodreads | Author Site

Review

A.J. is a rather grumpy man, especially after the death of his wife. Although he runs a bookstore, he keeps a distance from the locals, even those who are attempting to help him. This changes when a baby is left in the store, along with a note asking the owner to take care of her. Because A.J. knows little about children, but quickly grows attached to this one, he finds that he is forced to take the help offered to him.

I have mixed feelings about this one, because I really loved the first half of the book. Unfortunately, the second part felt dull and almost unnecessary in comparison, like an unneeded sequel to a perfectly good standalone. While part one could not completely stand on its own, I still felt like I would have enjoyed the book more if it ended there.

I have to admit that a lot of that has to do with my own preferences, though. Part one could have been written just for me - I love the trope where a child comes into someone's life who knows nothing about kids, and I loved the bookish references made throughout the story. Authors and books are discussed frequently, and I am a writer (and of course a reader/book blogger). So it matched really well with both my interests and my reading preferences. A.J.'s character was the kind I enjoy reading about - the kind that come across as grumpy and tough, but are actually great people on the inside.

So when part two began, it just felt lacking. I don't know how to be more specific without going into spoilers, but it went in a direction I wasn't fond of, and I think it made me pickier about everything else. Things I took easily and actually really liked about the first part, suddenly felt sort of unrealistic and I was constantly aware that I was reading a book. (Which of course I was, but most times when a reader is absorbed in a story, they can forget that they're reading instead of experiencing, which is how I felt during the first half.)

I really enjoyed the chapter openings, and into the second half they became one of my favorite parts. But when someone would, for example, go into detail about their reading preferences in casual conversation, including even tropes and character types they liked, I then saw it as something that would never happen - when before, I just took it as something that happened, and enjoyed seeing into the character's personalities through the books they enjoyed.

So I'm not saying that things like that didn't work for the book - they definitely added to the experience, until I began thinking too hard. As I said, I felt much less attached to the story during part two, and I think my mind started wandering to other things, making me more critical than I had been at the beginning.

Despite my complaints, I did not hate part two or think it was awful - just that it wasn't for me. In the end, I still think this was a good book and don't regret reading it at all. While I had my own issues that stopped it from being a five-star book for me, I can see how others would really love it the entire way through. The character development and the writing really were spot-on, and I think most book lovers will appreciate the story if only because the characters are book lovers themselves, and the story as a whole is quite bookish.

Audiobook Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Quick Facts

My Rating: 5 stars

Series: N/A

Date Read: April 25, 2015

Source: Purchased audiobook

Publication Date: May 24, 2011

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Genres: Young adult, contemporary

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Review

After their plane crashes, thirteen beauty queens are stuck on an island. They start off panicked and mostly still pageant-centered, as many of the girls have dedicated their entire lives to beauty and competition. They wait for someone to come and save them. As time goes by, they begin to worry more about survival - if they aren't found, how will they make it on their own?

Ultimately, this book is about realizing that, while society has a million expectations for people - especially girls - we each have to make our own choices. Some will go out of their way to be pretty whether it's expected or not, and some prefer not to put in the effort. And sometimes, beauty only gets you so far anyway.

I really enjoyed the variety of characters in this book, not only for the diversity but the personalities. Each girl was so different from the others, and they all felt like real people. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to get into the heads of so many people, and to do it right. Beauty Queens gave readers insight into so many of the characters, as it was told in third person and changed perspective quite often.

The format of the book was also brilliant. I'm not sure how it would look in print format, as I listened to this one on audio, but this wasn't only a straight-forward story line. The plot was broken up occasionally by facts about the girls, sheets filled out by them for the pageant, that gave so much insight into their lives and their thoughts, despite being pretty short. There were also "commercials" from time to time, and I don't think any of them failed to make me laugh.

This book managed to be both very funny and incredibly honest. Sometimes things the girls would say or think broke my heart, and other times I couldn't hold back laughter. I'm not sure I've ever reacted to another book quite the way I did this one, and it was just really fun. It definitely brightened my day listening to the audiobook, and I found myself cleaning just so I had something to do while I listened longer. (I spent hours doing that. I was so productive that day.)

Overall, I cannot think of one negative thing to say about this one. I'm already wondering when I can pick up Libba Bray's other books, because I'm almost positive I will enjoy them as well. I can't believe I didn't read this sooner!