Review: You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin

You Killed Wesley Payne

Author: Sean Beaudoin

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Series: N/A

Pages: 368

Genre: Mystery

Release Date: February 1, 2011

How Received: Publisher

Summary: He’s come to do a job.
A job that involves a body.
A body wrapped in duct tape found hanging from the goal posts at the end of the football field.

You killed Wesley Payne is a truly original and darkly hilarious update of classic pulp-noir, in which hard-boiled seventeen year-old Dalton Rev transfers to the mean hallways of Salt River High to take on the toughest case of his life. The question isn’t whether he’s going to get paid. He always gets paid. Or whether he’s gonna get the girl. He always sometimes gets the girl. The real question is whether Dalton Rev can outwit crooked cops and killer cliques in time to solve the mystery of “The Body” before it solves him.

My Thoughts:

You Killed Wesley Payne is among my list for “most unique books ever read”. We follow the storyline in Dalton’s perspective as he enters Salt River High to solve a mystery. Salt Water High is one of the most interesting high schools I’ve ever read about. Teenagers used to carry guns in the hall ways, and the school system is so corrupt that you need to pay people to get anything—even your own school schedule. I’m not sure about you guys, but I have never encountered any high school like Salt Water in real life. I’d be broke a hundred times over if I went there.

That being said, the novel was highly entertaining and very humorous. Something was always making fun of something else, and a lot of the ideas in the book are far-fetched. (See above paragraph for crazy high school). There were a couple of times where I laughed out loud (in a good way) from the absurdity of some of the things/ideas in the book.

In Salt River, there are a ton of cliques. And when I say a ton, I mean a toooon. I had a bit of troubling remembering which clique was which, and which clique was a sub-clique of a clique. There is a sort of glossary of cliques in the front of the book, but each clique had a description that I can only describe as a wall of text. Normally, I don’t mind reading stuff like that. However, when I’m in the middle of the story, I just want to focus on the story. My mind tends to wander, so after having read a big description on a clique, I’ll forget why I was looking it up in the first place. The cliques are a very important factor into the book, because everyone seems to take their cliques very seriously. Once you’re in a clique, you live and breathe just your clique.

Like cliques, there were also a ton of references in You Killed Wesley Payne. That may not seem like such a bad thing, but there were so many references that the glossary-of-references was about 12 pages long. I could guess what most of the references or slang were because of the context they were used in, but someone else might get confused by that – especially since I personally didn’t know there even was a glossary until I finished the book.

As far as characters go, I think I enjoyed reading about Dalton and Ronnie Newport the most. Dalton was a generally good guy, and I enjoyed reading the way he rationalized about things. He always did his best, even though it seemed like he was doing nothing at all. Ronnie, well... Ronnie was just Ronnie. Out of all the characters, he was the coolest and the least cold-hearted of the bunch.

And lastly, the mystery... All I’ll say about the mystery is that everyone is not who you think they are. Predictability-wise, I was able to guess who killed Wesley Payne the moment they were introduced, but I think that was just pure luck with a wild guess based on previous mystery novels read.

Cover Musings: It’s alright. I love the outline for Dalton. But as far as attention catching goes, I’m not sure I’d pick it up based on the cover alone.

Memorable Quotes:

“Or haven’t you noticed? The only thing that matters is to act like you don’t care. And don’t say a word. Something really bad happens? Pretend it doesn’t exist. Move on. Keep working the rackets. I mean, there’s people shooting off the rooftops, for Bob’s sake, and it’s like, hey, just another day in geography class.” (pg. 64)

Dalton peered over a cardboard box full of disassembled Christmas tree parts. In the back corner, a large, dark shadow flickered, moving slightly. It was hard to tell if the thing was ducking between boxes, or if it was the effect of the bare bulb hanging over the utility sink.

The one that Dalton hadn’t turned on.

Run. Scream.

There had to be a better option.

Pee pants? (pg. 106)

Mole pulled the Kia next to Dalton’s scooter and revved the engine. “Love you, man.”
“Okay,” Dalton said.
“Okay? Okay, guy? What’s that all about? Where’re the warriors expressing their true feelings in a manly but totally expressive way before going into battle?”
“We’re not going into battle.” (pg. 249)

He wanted to ask what you did when you thought you knew someone, when you let down your defenses and let them see a part of you that you didn’t even know was there, and then it turned out you didn’t know them at all. He wanted to ask what you did when there was no way to scream loud enough or run fast enough or punch something hard enough. When there was just another morning and just another lawn and not a single thing to look forward to. Ever. (pg. 301-302)

“Mom says the doctor says I have ADD. You know what that stands for?”
“Attention Deficit Disorder?”
“No. It means Absolute Dictatorship, Dude. It means I was born to be in charge.” (pg. 309)

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: Overall, You Killed Wesley Payne was a highly humorous novel that’s loaded with mystery around every corner. Not everyone is who you think they are, and alliances between cliques can go from friendly to assaultive in the matter of minutes. It isn’t the best book out there, but I did enjoy reading it a lot. There were a ton of references and cliques that were hard to grasp during the first 100-or-so pages, but there’s a glossary provided for both in the front and back of the books. If Dalton’s stories were made into a sequel, I’d definitely pick another one up!

Rating: 4/5

**I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry

Secondhand Charm

Author: Julie Berry

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Series: N/A

Pages: 352

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: October 12, 2010

How Received: Publisher

Summary: Deep in the forest, in a secluded village, a young girl has become known for her unique powers as a healer. Even gypsy charms—mere trinkets when worn by others—seem enchanted when Evie ties them around her neck. The love charm may be especially potent, since Aidan, the handsome stonemason’s apprentice, has been unusually attentive lately. But Evie wants more than a quiet village and the boy next door. She longs to travel to the city, to study at University.

When His Majesty the king pays an unexpected visit for the town’s annual feast day, Evie gets her chance. He awards her a scholarship, and suddenly—accompanied by both Aidan and her best friend, Prissy—Evie is on her way. But this story is no simple fairy tale. Her journey takes unexpected twists, from the high seas to the royal palace. And Evie will discover not just intrigue, adventure, and romance, but a most incredible legacy... a magic within herself she is only beginning to understand.

My Thoughts:

Secondhand Charm is a cute story that appealed to my love of fantasy and fairy tales. Not only was this novel cute, but it was wildly creative. I found myself unable to guess where Julie was taking us with their tale, so I had opened myself up to expect anything. The magical elements in the book were so intriguing – I found myself wondering more about the magical side of the book than of Evie’s story. For a standalone, Secondhand Charm presented its world very simply, and when you’re working in the fantasy genre, it’s always best to remain simple when presenting an entirely new world to someone.

Evie, the main character, was every bit as charming as her story. While she was a bit clueless at times and didn’t think with her head, she was a very driven and passionate character. I loved that she was so goal-oriented that she knew what she wanted from the very beginning, and even as she grew unsure of her future, she remained steadfast on wanting to help and heal people. This was also a bit frustrating, as well, because as soon as the magical element came into play, another huge door opened for Evie and she rarely thought about deviating from “the plan”. I would have jumped on the new opportunities. To add to my frustration, Evie didn’t even ask or ponder about her newfound life-mate. It was days before she even thought about inquiring about Clair. I would have been asking questions nonstop at the very moment I could have.

Clair, Evie’s leviathan (I won’t expand on that, so that’ll give you incentive to read it and see what that’s all about!), was my favorite character. He reminded me of a puppy sometimes. The way he was so happy to have found Evie was adorably sweet, and all he did was want to make her happy. I wanted to know more about him and his brethren – he grew on me that much!

The romance in the book was very sweet and cute, much like the rest of the story. In fact, the romance sort of took a back-seat to the plot, but it still reminded us it was there every few chapters or so. Evie had bought a gypsy love charm that attracted men to her, but her real interest was with Aidan, her neighbor in Maundley. Like any good romance, it had its ups and downs. Evie was never sure about Aidan’s feelings, and Aidan was never sure about Evie’s feelings. The pair had to overcome obstacle over obstacle, it seemed. But nevertheless, it was very cute watching the Evie’s relationship develop right before our eyes.

Secondhand Charm’s predictability was a bit all over the place. For the first 3/4^th’s of the book, everything about the plot was so fantastical that it was hard to be sure what to expect, so I took all the “plot twists” in stride. Highwaymen, a shipwreck, a sea serpent? Sure, why not. But then the end pulls up and plot twist after shocking plot twist was thrown at us. Everything we assumed to be true before was suddenly up in the air to guess at. I loved that while this book is a fantasy tale and I was in a mindset to pretty much accept everything that was thrown at me, Julie still was able to shock me.

The only thing that bothered me about Secondhand Charm was the spaced out scenes of the villains. At the beginning we get glimpses of a potential evil plot arousing. But then too much happens between the first glimpses of the evil plot to its actual execution. By the time that the betrayal and bad guys came out to do their thing, I almost forgot all about them. I understand why it might have been written that way – to lull us, as readers, into a false sense of security, just as Evie was – but it almost seemed like the bad guys’ story was tacked on there at the end.

Cover Musings: My very first thought was that it was a cute cover. But then I looked closer and got a bit critical. If you look closely at the cover, the snack-like trinket looks so out of place on the string. It looks like a photo that was pasted onto an entirely fairy-tale like cover – in fact, the snake isn’t even resting on the string, it looks like it’s hovering in mid-air. And the string looks fake next to the snake. But the colors, especially on the blues on the jacket flaps and the binding, were absolutely gorgeous. The pastel like feel from them was lovely. 

Memorable Quotes:

For shame, scaring me like that in the woods!

“Aren’t you going to say something?” I said. “Or are you waiting for other young ladies to pass by so you can terrify them too?”

“Not a bad idea,” he said. “I could easily make a sport of this. But seeing as you’re unprotected, I may as well walk you home. I can always come back and lurk more later.” (pg. 13-14)

He sighed and shook his head. “With my luck, if I parade you around as my wife I’ll meet a beautiful girl somewhere, one that I would have liked to court. But she’ll never have me, no matter how many times I go back and explain, because she’ll be convinced I’m a bigamist.”

I averted my face to hide my bafflement. Was he teasing me?

“I’ll take you, Wife,” he said, “as far as Chalcedon, but then I’m seeking an annulment.” (pg. 73)

So soft, so sweet, so surprising, as if all the stars in the night sky were bursting out from inside me. How could I have known?

Aidan. And me.

What are you doing, Evelyn Pomeroy? said a small, bookish schoolgirl voice in my head.

Dying, I told it. Go away. (pg. 103)

Did this creature wish to hurt me? It had seemed pleased to find me. Was that only because I was its favorite meal? (pg. 107)

I have waited so long for you, the leviathan whispered, yet you don’t know me at all.

Without looking back, it slithered into the waves and disappeared under the water. (pg. 119)

There’s no one more important than you, Mistress. Especially no man. I told you. They’re just food.

What kind of bloodthirsty brute was I stuck with? (pg. 145)

I had endured an agonizing hour of having my hair set in place by Dorothy, who took our her frustrations with life upon my scalp. (pg. 179)

“Knowledge is your initiation,” she cried. “Knowledge of what you can do, and showing the courage and faith to do it. Throw yourself into the water.”

“But I can’t swim!”

“Yes, you can.” (pg. 208)

The bench, the ground, the castle gardens fell away from under me as his warm lips drew mine in and held me. Nothing, not even riding the ocean waves, felt this thrilling, or this free.

Clair awoke in my purse. Fish? he said. Nice fish? (pg. 341)

Before we entered, though, he paused to finger the charms around my neck. “Your love charm is gone,” he said. “You never needed it, you know.”

I thought of King Leopold, and Alfonso and Rudolpho, and the lads back in Maundley. “You can’t deny that it worked.”

“Not on me.” (pg. 342)

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: Secondhand Charm is a cute, light fantasy novel that was able to absorb me into the world and intrigue me with the magic. The concept of serpentina’s was so interesting – I almost wished there was a side novel dedicated to them solely. Evie was as charming as the novel was, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying reading her perspective. I always seem to mention this in my reviews of fantasy, but I’m a stickler for world building. While Julie’s world in Secondhand Charm isn’t as defined as other fantasy novels, it’s presented simply in a way that is easy to understand and remember.

Rating: 4/5

**This book was provided for review by the publisher, Bloomsbury, in exchange of an honest review. 

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe

Author: Beth Revis

Publisher: Razorbill

Series: ??

Pages: 398

Genre: Science Fiction

Release Date: January 11, 2011

How Received: Publisher

Summary: A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

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 Thoughts:

The science part of the book was absolutely fascinating and riveting. I’ve watched a ton of movies and read tons of books dealing with space travel, so I decided that I had to read this book.

Across the Universe is a slow book. By slow, I mean pacing-wise. The first 250 pages or so are pretty much leading up to the conclusion (which is about 50 pages or so). There was no intensity or action from start to finish. It was just slow, which isn’t a totally bad thing – the pacing left a lot of room open for development and for the reader to get to know Godspeed.

As far as predictability goes, I had guessed everything from the moment we were presented with the facts. From the murderer to the big reveal, I already knew what was going to happen. I’m actually pretty pleased with myself that I guessed correctly. But at the same time, while I had guessed what was going to happen, Beth would sort of lean the story a different way and I kept second-guessing myself. So even though I knew what happened, I was still a bit unsure and that’s why I wasn’t so disappointed by the easy predictability.

The narrative switches from Amy’s point-of-view to Elder’s point-of-view. I have never been so upset with this point-of-view style until this book. All the scenes that would have involved feelings or more insight to a situation were in the other person’s perspective.

Amy was not really a pleasure to read about. Her character seemed stagnant throughout the entire book – she doesn’t grow, she doesn’t change, she’s just Amy. She came off as really dependent and whiny. I realize that it’s a scary thing to wake up completely alone after however many centuries, but it’s something that already happened and that she can’t change. Instead of having attitude and being petulant, she could have worked to at least assimilate into her new situation. Elder was a bit more fascinating to read about than Amy because he’s learning that he basically lived an entire lie. He at least strives to better himself, for the good of his ship and his people. He realizes how tyrannical Eldest and decides that’s not how he wants to rule. And while Elder remained somewhat stagnant as well, his perspective was more interesting.

For being a proclaimed love story, I came into this book expecting a sweet romance or at least development of feelings. However, I didn’t feel any chemistry between Elder and Amy. Besides the fact that Elder was obsessing over Amy’s difference, I just didn’t see it. There was more romance involving Amy and the boyfriend she left behind on Earth, Jason. In the middle of the book, there was one scene where the two kiss. But I couldn’t see why Amy would kiss Elder – she hadn’t had any prior feelings for him.

I’m not entirely sure if this is a standalone or a series – I’ve heard differing sources say one thing or the other – but if it were a standalone, then I’d have to say the ending disappointed me. I had expected the ending to feel more conclusive, but I was just left feeling empty.

Cover Musings: It’s really, really pretty. I absolutely adore astronomy, so I was more interested in the stars than on the models.

Memorable Quotes:

My eyes slid to the exit, past all the cyro equipment on the other side of the room. Beyond that door were my aunt and uncle, who I loved, who I could be happy living with. And beyond them was Jason. And Rebecca and Heather and Robyn and all my friends. And the mountains, the flowers, the sky. Beyond that door was Earth. And life.

But my eyes drifted to the little doors on the wall. Beyond those doors were my momma and daddy. (pg. 8)

“The builders of the ship knew this; that’s why they named her Godspeed.”

I mouth the name with him, tasting it like metal on my tongue.

“It’s an old Sol-Earth expression for good luck.” Eldest snorts. “They shot our ancestors into the sky, wished them all good luck, and forgot about us. They can’t help us. We lost com with Sol-Earth during the Plague, and have never been able to regain communication. We can’t go back. All the people on Sol-Earth could give us was Godspeed.” (pg. 29)

I have been frozen in ice for centuries. And yet, I never have felt more alone than I do right now, at this moment when I realize that I am alive and aware and awake, and they [her parents] are not. (pg. 90)

She starts crying. Not soft, sad tears, but the angry sort, like she hates the whole world, at at least the ship that’s now her world. So, I do what any reasonable person would do when faced with a crying girl.

I get the frex out of there. (pg. 91)

I don’t realize I’m crying until the tears splash on the coffin. “Daddy, I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t get up, Daddy. They were too strong. If it wasn’t for Harley—” My voice cracks. “Daddy, you said you’d protect me! You said you’d always be there for me! I need you now, Daddy, I need you!”

I pound my fists against the cold hard glass surrounding the ice. My hands crack and bleed, smearing crimson across the glass. (pg. 234)

And even though there are so many stars and they look so close together, I know they are light years apart. The glitter in the sky looks as if I could scoop it all up in my hands and let the stars swirl and touch one another, but they are so distant, so very far apart, that they cannot feel the warmth of each other, even though they are made of burning.

This is the secret of the stars, I tell myself. In the end, we are alone. No matter how close you seem, no one else can touch you. (pg. 390)

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: Across the Universe was a good, decent read. It satisfied my love for the science fiction genre. If this were a series, I could easily see myself becoming to like it more than I did. As it is, though, it was a bit too predictable and had stagnant characters with a flat romance. It’s saving point is the intrigue it inspired in me. I love science and I love astronomy, and I found myself wanting to unlock more and more of Godspeeds secrets. I would definitely recommend this book, especially to young adult lovers, but it wasn’t OMGamazing.

Rating: 4/5

*This review was submitted in the 2011 Debut Author Challenge!
**This book was provided for review by the publisher, Razorbill, in exchange of an honest review. 

Review: Entice by Carrie Jones

Entice

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Series: Need #3

Pages: 264

Genre: Paranormal

Release Date: December 14, 2010

How Received: Publisher

Summary: Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that’s not quite how things have worked out.

For starters, well, Nick is dead.

Supposedly, he’s been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it’s taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla?

And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there’s that other small problem: Zara’s been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn’t just turned... she’s Astley’s queen.

My Thoughts:

I was almost tempted to quit the series after how disappointed I was with the second book, Captivate. But I am so glad I decided to stick with it. Entice’s saving point was its plot. Zara is trying to save Nick, but at the same time also has to transition from turning into a pixie.

One thing Entice did that Need and Captivate did not was keep me hooked. In Need and Captivate, I had to put the book down several times to fume or just go do something else. I only did that once for Entice, at the end when Zara reunites with Nick. Is it a coincidence that the only time I disliked Entice was when Nick was around? I think not. Anyway, back to the being hooked thing... I was surprised to be really absorbed into the story. I kept wondering what was going to happen, and turned the pages fervently, and the next thing I knew I was done!

Zara, as with the rest of the books, pissed me off again. I go into reading these books knowing I’ll be pissed off whenever Zara or Devyn are talking. However, I was able to stomach Zara this time, which I couldn’t in Need or Captivate. She made some sound decisions and she didn’t completely piss me off. That made me wonder... perhaps she is changing right before my eyes. Maturing. I mean, I naturally can’t see it because she still does a lot of stupid things, but the number of stupid things she’s done has dwindled a lot. One thing, though, was that I hated her one-track mind with saving Nick. I understood that it was important to her, but at what cost?! I had to agree with her mother, when she said, “No boy is worth this,” in regards to all of the people that died trying to get one person back.

Astley was a huge reason that I loved this book so much. He went from being an extra to being a forerunner as one of the leading secondary characters. He’s so charming and sweet. The best thing about Astley? He is not one dimensional. He has depths to him – he can put up a strong, sweet, caring front, but inside he’s also very sorrowful. He has a history of sadness and knows what it feels like to lose someone. But he doesn’t let it get him down. While he can easily break down, there’s another part of him that will just as easily rush to protect everything he believes in.

Not only does Astley bring life to the book, but he also delivers the standard love-triangle in paranormal romance. Zara is tied – bound – to Astley, because she is his Queen. Yet she loves Nick. But she also has conflicting feelings about Astley. I hate love triangles – I despise them – but this was one that I could handle. This is a triangle that both frustrates and excites me. It frustrates me because Zara is so set on Nick, yet it excites me because Astley has a chance. Nick and Zara can’t be together, not completely, anymore because Zara is a queen, and she needs a king.

Lastly, I think it’s safe to say I’m Team Astley. I have been since Captivate, and will probably remain so for the remainder of the series. Screw Nick. :P I said it before, and I’ll say it again: Astley is probably the reason why I wasn’t so annoyed with this book/why I loved it so much.

Cover Musings: Soooo... I think we’ve already established that all of the covers for the Need series are absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking and can grab attention while on the shelf from a mile away.

Memorable Quotes:

He swoops me into his arms before I finish my sentence. He dances formally, gracefully, not like a high school guy at all, but I guess that’s the pixie king in him. He’s more like a professional dancer on one of those dance competition reality shows. His posture is straight and his movements are fluid. He is nothing like Nick, who dances like a big goofy dog, really. Dancing with Astley is easy. It feels like I’ve been doing it forever. (pg. 14)

We stand there a moment, staring down each other as the rest of the people in the cafeteria swirl and swoon and fall in love. We are at a stalemate. His eyes soften. He lets me go, dropping his arms away, and I feel suddenly, terribly alone. I almost kind of want to dance with him again, which is so wrong, I know. (pg. 15)

We are all silent. We drive through the darkness on crazy roads, bumping from potholes and frost heaves. Roads are meant to be smooth paths, straight lanes to destinations, but they aren’t like that at all, are they? Life isn’t like that either. (pg. 28)

He continues talking. “Do you know how hard it is to be king? To always have to try to be good, to be perfect? Do you have any idea how hard it is to help you go after your stupid idiot of a were, all the while thinking you should just be satisfied with me, because that is how it is supposed to—” (pg. 52)

“I will find your wolf. I want you to want me because you want me, not because of grief, not because he is not here. I want you to love me for me. I want you to kiss me first and not because you need me to help you, but because you need to kiss me.” He lifts he eyebrows just a little bit and his lips open. I drop my head, reach for him, but he steps back and whisks away, dodging behind cars before I have a chance to say that I don’t want to lose him too. (pg. 201)

“I have arranged a meeting of our pixies so that—”

“In the graveyard again?” I interrupt.

“No. I think that was a bit—”

“Emo? Melodramatic?” I suggest.

Tilting his head, he smirks at me and makes eye contact. “As a species we have a weakness for drama. Thank you for reminding me,” he teases. (pg. 201)

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: Out of all the books so far in this series, I have loved Entice the most. It was infinitely better than the previous two novels. I think its saving grace was the newest addition to our cast of characters, Astley. Astley took a major role in this book and that really made listening to Zara and her human friends a lot better. He added more depth to the novel than any of the other characters. And while I disliked the plot to save Nick (I seriously think he should be killed off and done with, but that’s just me being bitter), I appreciated it because it spoke volumes for Astley’s character. How many guys do you know that will go to such lengths to save the “other guy” in a love triangle? I have so much Astley love that it hurts. :P

Rating: 4/5

**I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review! 

Want to see what I thought about the first two books in the Need series? Check out my reviews of Need and Captivate.

Extras:

Carrie's Website
Carrie's Twitter
Entice's Book Trailer: I'm seriously digging on the song in the background. What IS it?

Review: Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Choker

Author: Elizabeth Woods

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Series: N/A

Pages: 240

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: January 4, 2011

How Received: GalleyGrab

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.

Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and the next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in.

But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect--including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger? 

My Thoughts:

If I could describe Choker in two words, they would be: twisted and disturbing. That pink cover really threw me for a loop – I hadn’t anticipated how twisted this book would be. (I mean, really, poisoning a poor dog?! And that isn’t even the end of it!) Or how much of a psychological aspect would be involved in the book.

Cara, the main character, is a very quiet girl. She doesn’t speak up for herself and she’s mostly left on her own most of the time. She has to endure very harsh bullying from several people in highschool. It was disheartening to watch her go through with that. While I’m a quiet girl and could identify with her through that aspect, I also knew how to stand up for myself (more or less). It was a bit aggravating to see Cara going through all the crap she went through; I wanted to shake her, or at least stand up for her. No one stood up for her.

Zoe, Cara’s best friend, was just plain creepy. Even from the beginning. I mean, if my best friend that I haven’t seen for years showed up in my dark bed room (the house was locked), I would have freaked the hell out and probably kick her to the curb. You can tell right from the get-go that something isn’t quite right with Zoe. Half of the things she says or does are just plain twisted, creepy, and any other adjectives there are for creepy. She’s definitely the strong one in the friendship, and the strength she brought Cara was one of Zoe’s redeeming aspects.

The title, Choker, plays into the book in so many ways. Cara ends up choking on a piece of carrot and has to get CPR. She nearly dies in front of a lot of people, and what do they do? Start calling her “Choker” and mock her by pretend-choking. They claim she choked just to get some attention. It was really sad, actually.

The plot to Choker is pretty predictable. I ended up guessing a lot of what happened early on, but that surprisingly didn’t take away from the book. I still wanted to know what happened in between the gaps. The mystery and suspense for this book was really killer (no pun intended). It was built up overtime: we’d get a few scenes away from all of the suspense, and then a few suspenseful chapters, and vice versa. There were a couple of times when this slow build up drove me crazy – I wanted to know what the heck was going on!

I am a wuss. Truly. Anything even remotely scary terrifies me. Choker ended up terrifying me, because I was reading it at 2AM and there were unexplained noises going on in my house. Just thinking about what happened in Choker gives me goosebumps. A couple of the scenes were so suspenseful that I had to do double-checks that no one was behind me or in the room. And my god, that ending! That ending really blew me away. I gasped, my jaw dropped, a couple of flies flew in, my eyes bulged – yknow, the whole shabang.  It was crazy. I could see it coming (though I didn’t think the entirety of it), but it still blew me away because it was unexpected. Does that make sense? It’s something easy to predict, but it caught me off guard.

Cover Musings: The fact that such a dark and disturbing book has a pink cover is... (for lack of a better word) disturbing. I mean, I like it and all. It’s pretty. I love the font, the rose (thorned), and the POV of staring up to the top of the trees. But seeing this cover for this book is just... really disturbing. Misleading, as well. But I love how you could probably break this cover down and actually attempt to interpret it (as my old english teachers probably would). Like the contrast of the light, pale colors (goodness, purity), and the darker color of the title (evil, darkness). But since I'm a lazy sod (I have Brodie to thank for that term :P), I'll just leave it at it was pretty, if only disturbing. 

Memorable Quotes:

Her lungs were sending distress signals through her body. She could feel her chest tightening. Her eyes bulging, she waved her hands. Choking, I’m choking, she tried to telegraph. She tried to retch, but she felt the carrot lodge even more firmly in her throat. The noise around her swirled in a colorful chaos.

I’m dying, and no one’s going to notice. (pg. 12)

“Oh my God,” she said to the ceiling tiles. An entire conversation with Ethan Gray—and he saw her in her sports bra—and he gave her two compliments. Cara rose from the mat and made her way toward the showers on unsteady legs. Next Prince William was going to call from England and ask her to marry him. (pg. 73)

"I just feel out of place. It’s actually kind of like what you were talking about before, how you felt in middle school. Except it’s still happening to me. Like I think people are watching me, but I don’t know how to act or what to say. It just seems easier to stay out of the way.” (pg. 110)

Cara forced a little laugh. “Listen, Zoe. Did you have anything to do... with... Alexis going missing?” Just then, she felt a searing pain on her neck. She screamed and jerked away violently, knocking over her chair. She clapped a hand on the back of her neck as if to protect it. Zoe stood there, holding the burning flatiron.

“I’m sorry,” she said, but she didn’t look that sorry. “I must have had it up too high.” (pg. 186)

I did something bad, Cara. But it’s not anything worse than what he did to me. (pg. 210)

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: Choker was so messed up and twisted, but it was also such a great book. Reading about Cara and her every day troubles and her progressing relationship with Ethan was very realistic. Then watching as the glory she had just gained disintegrate was so disheartening. The ending was... Holy crap, the ending was... it left me speechless. I sort of saw it coming, but I hadn’t anticipated the depth of my prediction. Very twistastic. There were two, and I only guessed one. And despite the fact that there were murders and that animals were harmed in the reading of this book, I would definitely recommend it!

Rating: 4/5

*This review was submitted in the 2011 Debut Author Challenge!

**I received a digital copy of Choker from the publisher, Simon and Schuster, through GalleyGrab. 

Review: Lodestone: The Sea of Storms by Mark Whiteway

Lodestone Book One: The Sea of Storms

Author: Mark Whiteway

Publisher: Virtualbookworm.com

Series: Lodestone #1

Pages: 278

Genre: Science fiction

Release Date: April 12, 2010

How Received: Author

Summary: Shann, an orphan with a fiery disposition, witnesses a battle between a Keltar and a stranger bearing a similar flying cloak. She tracks down the stranger, learning of the technology behind the Keltars’ power and joining him on a mission to free the slaves and cut off their supply of lodestones.

Meanwhile, Keris, a Keltar is sent on a mission to track down the rebels. She is attacked by a flying creature and saved by the enigmatic Chandara. At their Great Tree, she learns that a mysterious “Prophet” is out to destroy the Kelanni people. Their only hope is a powerful instrument hidden in the distant past.

Pursued by the Keltar, the party will encounter bizarre creatures, ancient technologies and terrifying dangers. Finally, they must seek to cross a massive storm barrier in order to reach the other side of their world, where a world-shaking revelation awaits.

My Thoughts:

Initially, it was very difficult for me to get into this book. I felt like I was being bombarded with new customs and everyday life, and it was very slow (despite its action-packed pacing). In fact, despite all the action that was in the beginning, the book didn’t really pick up for me until about ¼ of the way in. The beginning was pretty much getting introductions to the characters done, and weaving a plot to get them together. However, when all of the members of the “team” joined forces with one another, the book picked up the pace considerably. Once this happened, I was done – I was totally hooked.

I never anticipated how absorbed I would become into the novel due to the initial slowness of the book. But the world of the Kelanni was so intriguing. There’s unknown terrain and a lot of land to explore, as well as new creatures (like the Chandara and graylesh). There were so many customs and society norms to get accustomed too. The Kelanni themselves were an enigma we had to figure out – they are the “alien” race of the planet Kelanni, with animal-like tails and ears. (I kept picturing them as a scaled down version of Viera from Final Fantasy). They worship the 3 suns (yes, three suns!), Ail-Mazzorth, Ail-Gan, and Ail-Kar, and never see nighttime (or at least, the nighttime that we know of).

All of these customs are a bit overwhelming, actually, which happens to be one of the downfalls I found with this book. With any fantasy or science fiction novel, the authors need to ease their audience into the new world – explain things, hold their hand, etc. With this book, only a few things were explained (like the suns and their “religion”). I suppose that gave me a lot of leeway with my imagination, but I would have liked to have more things explained to me.

The characters were mostly enjoyable. I wasn’t able to connect with any of them, with the exception of Keris, but they were very fun to read about. Alondo was the “comedian” of the group, and I absolutely loved every time he spoke. Keris was a Keltar (one who is sworn an oath to the Prophet), but renounced her ways after an incident (vagueness is vague!). She had never been one to form close bonds to others, ever since she was a kid, and preferred to working alone than in a team. Lyall is haunted by his past and strives to actively change Kelanni for the greater good.

Shann is a young rebellious spirit that annoyed the crap out of me. I can appreciate her braveness and her spirit, but she had this unfounded vendetta against Keris that I saw was stemmed from jealousy and pettiness. Shann hated being treated like a child, but her actions and mistrust of Keris was the very epitome of childish. I can appreciate the doubt she had with Keris (since the group wasn’t sure of where Keris’s allegiance lay), but she doubted Keris too much. So much that it was unbelievable. And annoying. Time and time again, the “evidence” on Keris would be cleared, yet Shann remained doubtful. Ugh! Lastly, Boxx, the Chandara, is the last of the group, and my personal favorite. Chandara don’t have names or genders, but Boxx was called Boxx (“The Key”), and I always associated it as a him. He (in my mind, at least) was a cross between a centipede and a pillbug (roly poly) and had a different way of speaking that was adorable.

Despite my few misgivings with characters, inconsistencies, and lack of detail, this book was so entertaining after the beginning. The book is pitched as science fiction, and while it does retain a lot of sci-fi elements, I felt it had a more fantasy vibe to it.

Cover Musings: I love the colors on the cover. The cover almost seems like a painting, with a lot of colors merging with one another. It’s exactly how I depicted Kelanni in my head: colorful.

Memorable Quotes:

Once you understand the source of a tyrant’s power, you can use it against them. (pg 46)

Alondo turned to lead the morgren forward and Shann noticed his instrument was slung over his shoulder. She turned to Lyall, speaking in low tones.

“If we meet up with any dangerous beasts what does Alondo intend to do—serenade them to death?” (pg. 50)

“Keris?” it asked again in its odd accent.

“What is it?”

“Your People. Kelanni. They Do Not Like Me.”

“It’s not that exactly...” She struggled to find the words. “People are sometimes afraid of things that are unfamiliar, things that they do not understand.”

There was a pause as if Boxx were digesting this. He added, “Does Keris Like Me?”

She found herself unexpectedly flustered. “I will be back as soon as I can.” For the first time in as long as she could remember, Keris retreated. (pg. 75)

 She raised the makeshift club, and brought it down o nthe back of the Keltar’s neck. [...] Crack! The Keltar staggered forward from the impact. He turned, his left hand clutching the nape of his neck, and her eyes widened in disbelief. “Lyall! What are you doing here?”
His face was screwed up in pain. “Trying to rescue you. Although right now, it feels more like I need to be rescued from you.” As if to emphasize the point, he massaged his neck. “Oww!” (pg. 88)

 “I don’t have any answers for you, Shann. I hold myself responsible for a lot of things that happened. But I cannot change the past. I can only try and work for a better future—and to change the person I used to be.” (pg 260)

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: A very well-done science-fiction and fantasy novel! The beginning is slow, but the pace began to pick up after all of the characters joined forces. There is tons of adventure and action packed into this book, as well as new creatures and lands. Kelanni was an interesting place to read about, and I found myself constantly wanting more! I was almost outraged at where Mark decided to cut the book off – I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

Rating: 4/5

**This book was provided for review by the author in exchange of an honest review. (Thank you so much, Mark!)

Review: Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw

Anxious Hearts

Author: Tucker Shaw

Publisher: Amulet Books

Series: N/A

Pages: 272

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: May 1, 2010

How Received: Library

Summary: “Evangeline,” he repeated, calling at a whisper. “Evangeline.” He was not calling that she may hear, he was calling that somehow her soul might know that he was devoted entirely to her, only to her. “Evangeline, I will find you.”

Eva and Gabe explore the golden forest of their seaside Maine town, unknowingly tracing the footsteps of two weens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who once lived in the idyllic wooded village of Acadia more than one hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were to be wed, their village was attacked and the two were separated. And now in the present, Gabe has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.

A dreamlike, loose retelling of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous love poem “Evangeline,” Anxious Hearts tells an epic tale of unrequited love and the hope that true love can be reunited.

My Thoughts:

I sat on this review for a while, because I had nothing other than “beautiful” to describe it as. Here I am, a week later, and still only have that one basic adjective to describe such a profound and heart-breaking story.

Anxious Hearts is a retelling of the poem “Evangeline” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I mention this because I have not read the poem (though I have every intention to because of this book), so my only understanding and interpretation of this story is based on what went on in the book.

At first, I treated Anxious Hearts as I do with any other book: with harsh criticism and a questioning mind. I had to go back several times in a few passages and remind myself that what I was reading was primarily historical fiction, and that the characters and personalities weren’t going to be as realistic as some other books. Because truly, there were a number of things I could have complained about: the lack of description around Gabe’s absence, the implausibility of his personality, and Eva’s odd, barely realistic attraction to him all were at the top of my list. But this book isn’t about realism or character development.

It’s about love. Short and simple. It’s about the beauty of love and the desperation two people will endure to remain together. It’s also about overcoming all odds and reuniting with the one you truly belong with. These two stories were so descriptive and emotional – I was really moved by it. I personally enjoyed Evangeline and Gabriel’s romance more, because it was more fleshed out and their passages were longer than Eva/Gabe’s. Not only that, but Evangeline/Gabriel were the 18^th century couple, and you could tell from Gabriel’s character that he respected and adored her, and reading about their love for each other was definitely sweet.

The story of Anxious Hearts covers two different narratives – one from Eva (present) and one from Gabriel (past). I personally liked the dynamic of this narrative, but it left so much to guess about with Evangeline (past) and Gabe’s (present) characters. Then again, that might have been its purpose: to keep the readers guessing, because that’s essentially what this book does. Every time I thought something was finally going to be explained, more questions arose. But on the other hand, this type of narrative made it slightly awkward. Gabriel’s passages would pick up where Eva’s left off storyline wise, and vice versa, and you’d have to piece two and two together. Other times, Gabriel’s story would end, and then Eva’s story would begin, and then we’d get back to where Gabriel’s story left off last time. Does that make sense? No, I didn’t think so. It didn’t while I was reading, either.

My highest praise for this book (aside from the love/romance) was in the descriptions and prose. It wasn’t the most wonderfully descriptive novel out there, but I felt like I was in that “golden” forest filled with birch trees and yellow wood lilies, and could smell the ocean air atop the cliffs. If there was one color I could describe this word as making me feel, it’d be yellow. Or golden. The prose also wasn’t the best I’ve come across, but it was up there. Tucker Shaw had a knack for making me feel both as if I was in the story, yet as if I was also detached from it as well. I think the summary describes it best – it was very dreamlike. His writing captured the mood well, and he used it to his advantage for the story.

Cover Musings: I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this cover. So I won’t even try. I just love it. The yellow, the leaves, the models hair and eyes, the mood is sets. (I don’t think you can tell without a copy in front of you, but the model has a tear-drop plummeting down her face). Also, on the back is what I’m guessing the rendition of Eva (the front is Evangeline), and it was equally as pretty. But it was blue. Oh, I found a picture of it. Like so:

Memorable Quotes:

Gabriel knew he should go. He wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place. He would see Evangeline later tonight for the signing of the contract, and then, after tomorrow, they would be together, always, forever, and his ever-tossed heart would be peaceful at last. But Gabriel had meager faith in tomorrow. Life had taught him well: Tomorrow doesn’t exist until it arrives. (pg. 11)

“Cry, Evangeline,” he says. “Cry today.”

And I do. I cry.

I cry, hard at first, then softer with short, baby-girl sobs, Gabe’s hand resting on my cheek. I have always imagined what it would feel like to cry and not have to explain why. Now I know. It feels like home. (pg. 34)

All I know is that I’ve never felt anything better in my life.

It takes over everything in me, and I wonder if I’ve ever felt anything at all before.

What I’ve wanted so badly that I couldn’t say it out loud was to be connected to Gabe. And in this moment, I am. I feel alive. Not happy, really, because there is so much sadness in him, in his eyes, his voice, his lips. But he is so alive, and I am so alive.

“Home,” I say, when our lips finally separate. (pg. 62)

“And do you so promise, forever?” Asked Pere Felician. He stood behind the flower-strewn alter.

“I so do,” answered Gabriel, kneeling before Evangeline. “Forever.”

Gabriel stood up and gingerly lifted Evangeline’s veil. Every corner of her face smiled at him. He kissed her, and the crowd cheered. Michael’s bow hit his strings, giving rise to a cheerful tune.

And Gabriel, proud and complete, his beloved aside him forever now, finally knew what it was to be alive. (pg. 101)

A twig snaps in a glade of birch trees. You turn. Is that a shadow concealed in the wood? A deer? A man? A ghost?

The sea breeze, salty and pure and whispering, fills your lungs and mind with memories you haven’t formed yet. You inhale deeply. The yellow wood lilies at the edge of the forest beckon you back to the path in the woods, back through the pines, back to your old life. You wonder how long you’ve been here, and worry how you’ll get home.

Another breath, deeper now, and your anxious heart slows again. You are not alone. Many have disappeared down this path, struggled, and found their way home again. Many stories surround you.

Perhaps you will linger here atop the bec awhile longer, lying on your back and tracing the sun’s path against the sky, and waiting, watching, listening, hoping for the return of the distant tide. (242)

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: I loved this book. I thought it was beautiful and very emotional. I have to admit that I did cry at the end – I didn’t even know I was so attached to the story that I’d start crying; I didn’t even anticipate crying about it, even though I knew where the story was headed. The descriptions and prose in the book were lovely, and I absolutely loved the varying fonts they used for Eva’s/Gabriel’s chapters, and the designs on the sides of the pages. I don’t know what else to say other than it was beautiful and it played with my moods, and it made me feel “golden”.

Rating: 4/5

Review: Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Jumpstart the World

Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Series: N/A

Pages: 192

Genre: Lgbt

Release Date: October 12, 2010

How Received: Author

Summary: Elle is a loner. She doesn’t need people. Which is a good thing, because she’s on her own: she had to move into her own apartment so her mother’s boyfriend won’t have to deal with her.

Then she meets Frank, the guy who lives next door. He’s older and has a girlfriend, but Elle can’t stop thinking about him. Frank isn’t like anyone Elle has ever met. He listens to her. He’s gentle. And Elle is falling for him, hard.

But Frank is different in a way that Elle was never prepared for: he’s transgender. And when Elle learns the truth, her world is turned upside down. Now she’ll have to search inside herself to find not only the true meaning of friendship but her own role in jumpstarting the world.

My Thoughts:

There is so much I want to say about this novel, but I don’t want to make this too long, so I’ll try to keep it as brief as I can.

Jumpstart the World is about acceptance and learning to adapt and to trust. A huge chunk of the book revolves around the way Elle reacts to and deals with finding out her neighbor, and crush, Frank is a transgender. She does a lot of thinking and reevaluating her beliefs, because that revelation shocks her so much and she has no idea how to handle it. The narrative is honest – as honest as a sixteen year old can get – and full of interesting and different perspectives on everyday issues.

Elle really surprised me. I started out disliking her (because she sounded too similar to me, but more harsh), but over time, I felt myself loving her for her personality. She starts out as a loner – as someone who pretends that being alone is okay and that she needs no one. In the end, she blossoms into this independent young woman who knows how to count on others and to let people in and wants to be directly involved in activism. Her transformation is visible – you can see she makes an effort to make friends and struggles with transforming the ideals she’s held from the beginning. She adapts to her situations as needed. She doesn’t always make the best decisions, but that’s what’s great about her: she’s sixteen and totally flawed.

One very prevalent aspect of this book I noticed was the similarity between Elle and her cat, Toto. It was almost as if Elle was the embodiment of Toto’s personality. Toto wasn’t beautiful, no one wanted him, and he shut everyone out/hid all the time. Elle could relate to this – she stated that she did not need people. Yet both Elle and Toto made amazing transformations – they just needed someone to love (Frank with Elle; Elle with Toto) them for them to flourish, thrive, and break out of their shells.

There was no romance in the book, per se, but Elle was always dealing with her feelings of love with Frank. Frank, of course, never returned those particular feelings – he had a girlfriend – but they shared a different kind of love, one that was comfortably settled between friendship and romance. And it worked that way – you could tell they both loved each other very much, just not in the way Elle would have liked, and it was very tender reading about their more-than-friends-but-not-lovers exchanges.

Cover Musings: Red is always a great color to attract someone’s attention. On a cover that only includes gray, black, and white, I give them props for being able to grab my attention. Now, people who haven’t read this won’t really understand why there’s a cat on the cover (or maybe you will? I’m not a cat owner; I wouldn’t know how cats behave!). But having read this and knowing it’s Toto’s personality to hide/shy away from others, this cover makes absolute sense and I’m glad the image of a cat was chosen instead of a model.

Memorable Quotes:

“I’m taking that cat. I want the black one. You can’t talk me out of it, so don’t even try.” I was already starting to understand him. To feel for him. Or maybe even to feel with him. He was scared. He was not cuddly. He was not beautiful. If I didn’t take him, he was as good as dead. He was about to be given the death penalty for not being beautiful. Someone had to come along and love him just the way he was. I was that someone. (pg. 3)

 It’s not like I didn’t appreciate his help. And it’s not like I was judging him for his life choices. It’s more like... If I could just have more time to swallow things. Or maybe have things hit me in smaller pieces. I felt like life was always pushing too much down my throat too fast.

It was giving me serious indigestion. (pg. 96)

 We would never treat anybody like shit if we knew they could be about to die. I mean, anyone we care about even a little. If we knew they could die, we would just freaking get over all the petty crap, because losing someone you love is more important than any of that. But, now, here’s the part that actually took up some of the hour: Anybody could be about to die. Every single person we care about is going to die. And we have no idea when.

So how can we afford to treat anybody like shit? Well, that’s the easy part. We can’t. But here’s the harder part: Since we all know for a fact that we’re all going to die, why don’t we all treat each other like we could lose each other at any minute? (pg. 124-125)

 I was hugging my cat.

We sat that way for a long time. Maybe an hour. It meant more to me than if I’d gotten a friendly cat. If a friendly cat had done this with me, that wouldn’t have been such a big thing. But this was Toto.

“Poor Toto,” I said. “See? That’s not so hard. You just have to take a deep breath and let somebody love you.” (pg. 181)

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: Jumpstart the World is a novel that surprised me, really. I didn’t think I’d like it as much as I did – I had initial reservations because Elle seemed so close-minded, whereas I’m more open-minded, so I wasn’t sure how that would work well. It did, though. The pacing was great and the narrative was honest; I genuinely enjoyed experiencing Elle struggle with her ideals. The issues involved with sexuality were very interesting, but I thought they could be developed a bit more. I loved the similarities between Elle and her cat, Toto, and the idea that all you need is someone to love you for who you are.

Rating: 4/5

**This book was provided for review by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Catherine! :)