artsy musings of a bibliophile

young adult

Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

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GFJOD

ABOUT THE BOOK

Just One Day by Gayle Forman
young adult contemporary published by Dutton on January 8th, 2013
first book in Just One Day duology

When sheltered American good girl Allyson first encounters laid-back Dutch actor Willem at an underground performance of Twelfth Night, there’s an undeniable spark. So when fate brings them together a second time, Allyson takes an uncharacteristic leap, changes course, and follows Willem to Paris. After just one day together, the spark bursts into a flame. . . until Allyson wakes up after a whirlwind day shocked to discover that Willem is gone.

A life upended in one day turns into a year of self-discovery as Allyson embarks on a journey to break free from a lifetime of limits in order to find her true passions, and maybe even a true love.

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Review: How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

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JSDHMSWUIF

ABOUT THE BOOK

How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
young adult contemporary road trip published by Simon Pulse on May 7th, 2013

 

First she lost her heart. Then she lost her mind. And now she’s on a road trip to win back her ex. This debut novel’s packed with drama and romance!

Rosie’s always been impulsive. She didn’t intend to set her cheating ex-boyfriend’s car on fire. And she never thought her attempts to make amends could be considered stalking. So when she’s served with a temporary restraining order on the first day of summer vacation, she’s heartbroken—and furious.

To put distance between Rosie and her ex, Rosie’s parents send her on a cross-country road trip with responsible, reliable neighbor Matty and his two friends. Forget freedom of the road, Rosie wants to hitchhike home and win back her ex. But her determination starts to dwindle with each passing mile. Because Rosie’s spark of anger? It may have just ignited a romance with someone new…

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Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

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KSTDBU

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
young adult contemporary published by HarperTeen on July 2nd, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she’s beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

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Review: Uprising by Jessica Therrien Blog Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK
Uprising by Jessica Therrien

Click the image for
the blog tour schedule.

yound adult fantasy published by ZOVA on 28 May 2013 

second book in the Children of the Gods series

Elyse has done everything she can to protect her friends from The Council’s reach. As long as they believe she’s dead, she has time to rest and train for war. And war is inevitable. 

When Kara arrives with the news that Anna and Chloe have been captured, Elyse is faced with the realization that no one is safe until The Council is stopped and Christoph is destroyed. She doesn’t need a prophecy to tell her to lead an army. Christoph has done the one thing that ensures she’ll fight to the death. He’s threatened the people she loves. 
It will take more than the words of an oracle to help them fight against the most powerful Descendant alive. To break The Council’s oppression and rise up against a plot so many years in the making, Elyse will need to get dangerously close to her enemy. So close, in fact, she may not survive.

THE RATING
THE REVIEW
Being one of the most anticipated books of 2013, I wanted Uprising to blow me away. And it definitely did. Jessica Therrien’s talent of weaving Greek mythology into Elyse’s story is so enchanting that I couldn’t stop reading. The book is a little short of going over 400 pages and so a lot of things happen. The plot was unpredictable and dangerous if I say so and so I never knew how it it would all turn out. In the end, that what made Uprising such an enjoyable read for me.
Elyse is definitely one of those characters who changes gradually and to see her go from a shy and reserved person to a leader who will ultimately might be the most important is amazing. I liked her strong will and how she acted under all the pressure and expectations of the other Descendants. Her life isn’t made to be an easy one and it only goes on to show her strength and capacity to handle herself in the worst of times. And boy, what worst of times they were!
William is a solid rock for Elyse to lean on at all times but it is war and anything can happen. It was interesting to read about William’s strong will fight over his protective one. He definitely wants Elyse to be the leader but when it means that she could get hurt, it tortures him. But I have to admire his character the most, he has definitely grown since Oppression and I was relieved to know that he doesn’t fall into any cliched scenarios.
The war is inevitable and with Christoph determined to get his way, it is clear that he wants something from Elyse. As the story progresses, more and more of Christoph’s intentions are revealed and the whole picture is a true face of evil. It also weakens Elyse’s into thinking that it’s all a futile cause and she’ll end up either alone or dead. But there are people who want out of the oppression, people willing to help Elyse with her cause.
And so it goes. The story is action-packed and the secondary character play important roles especially Kara and Alex. It’s also interesting to read about the abilities of Descendants introduced in the book. The war, the new oracle, the betrayers all come together in this explosive continuation of Children of the Gods series. I loved it! Three kudos to Jessica Therrien! So cannot wait for book three, mythology for the win.
THE QUOTES

‘I don’t think his love is the kind of thing that just goes away.’

‘Every nerve seared with sharp unrelenting pain. My bones felt like they were splitting and splintering inside my body. I went into shock. I couldn’t stand or fall or breathe or cry.’

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica Therrien is the author of Oppression and Uprising, book one and two in her YA paranormal romance/adventure series, Children of the Gods. Oppression was published by ZOVA Books in February of 2012 and Uprising was released in May of 2013.
Jessica is a graduate of San Diego State University. She lived in Taiwan for a year where she learned Chinese, but she lives in Chula Vista now, where everyone speaks Spanish instead. Although she spends most days in a cubicle at her day job, her alter ego is a writer, who loves the arts with a passion.
Jessica is currently writing book three in her Children of the Gods series.

Jessica Therrien can be found at
Buy Uprising (Children of the Gods, #2)
Thanks to Jessica Therrien and ZOVA for providing me a copy of Uprising for review.

Review: The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

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ABOUT THE BOOK
The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston
young adult contemporary mystery published by Disney-Hyperion on 14 May 2013
first book in the The Rules for Disappearing series

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.
But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters — survival.

THE RATING

THE REVIEW
Mystery always pull me in so it’s no surprise that I wanted to read The Rules for Disappearing. It’s like a book about multiple personality disorder without the actual disorder. It made me think and think hard about life on the run. It isn’t always glamorous. It isn’t always oh-so-cool. The reality hit me hard and left me on the floor, my mouth gaped open.
There is irony in the way each chapter begins with a rule, the rule that Meg then simultaneously breaks. I felt her pain and I kept thinking why did Ashley Elston chose a rural town for all hell to break loose? Why did it took six identity changes for Meg to finally hit rock bottom, emotionally and physically? These questions kept me going.
It’s clear from the narrative that life as Meg is as far and opposite from her original life as it could be. Nondescript clothing, hair that makes her look like a boy, dull brown eyes and riding in a school bus as a senior is almost too much to bear. And it doesn’t help that she meets Ethan Landry in her first moments on the first day of school. The new-girl-in-the-middle-of-school-year is bound to attract attention and she does attract attention. Of the most popular girl in high school (as popular as one can get in Natchitoses anyway).
For most part of the book, Meg is at the edge of her nerves and it shows. Her mother is an alcoholic, her father is being way too mysterious and acting suspiciously and Teeny is on the verge of a breakdown at only eleven years of age. It seems Meg is the only one keeping it together. Or at least the one trying the hardest.
But I was waiting for a twist to arrive, a hand to pull back the curtain on the mystery a little bit. So I was a little disappointed when it came in the form of a nightmare on Meg’s part. Clichéd. Then she gets paranoid by thinking that someone is out to get her. And oh, she also owns a secret notebook in which she writes her thoughts and feelings.
Meg knows that the only way out is to go back to the beginning and then it gets crazy. We did get glimpses of her past life, her crush and her BFF betrayal throughout the book but the reality is pretty twisted. I got to say, I was not expecting that kind of a mystery at all. But it wasn’t the ohmiGod-is-this-really-happening kind of a mystery at all, it was more low-key and oh-so-that-was-what-we-were-getting-at one. The book also has a little road trip which made my heart soar a little bit. So yay for that.
Ethan is a sweet farm boy and I liked how he kept coming in the pizza place where Meg took a job. They have a hot-and-cold thing going on because Meg knows that getting attached only leads to hurt and Ethan has no idea what he is getting into. Teeny is a great character, I loved the sisterly relationship she has with Meg.
Overall, The Rules for Disappearing is a dynamic read. I’d still recommend it to readers because it offers a good character development, well-placed plot and is a quick read. It’d be interesting to see how the series proceed now that we finally know her real name and the mystery.
THE QUOTES
‘But there is one part of this that hurts. The carefree, normal part. The part of me that was lost when we first moved and that I’ll never get back.’
‘Rules for Disappearing by Witness Protection Prisoner #18A7R04M: Don’t fall into a routine. Shake things up. Doing the same thing over and over makes you feel comfortable. And feeling comfortable is bad.’
Thanks to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for providing me an eARC of The Rules for Disappearing for review.