Book Review: Watersong by Amanda Hocking

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Author: Amanda Hocking
Published on: January 1st 2012
by: St. Martin's Press

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets. (Source)

I apologize for the huge list of topics I want to hit for this review. They're not all negative, but they all effect my feelings and rating of this book. Let's dive in.

There's the length and split up of the book, while barely breaking 300 page long, yet there's a new chapter every 10 pages. At first I found it annoying, then I realized it's how the author choose to have the story move from scene to scene, from character to character. Without realizing it for about half the book, I was hearing two sides of this story.
While Gemma is the main character, most of the spotlight on her, as the story grows her sister Harper begins to have her own place of importance as well as development. (I felt silly that I can't really noticed the shift sooner.)

However, I feel that these characters are very sallow and immature. This is the story of 16 year old Gemma and 18 year old Harper. Their view points and arguments don't have much of a foundation.
Harper has that role of "I'm your stand-in parent", who is of course more control then her actual parent. Being hugely responsible for my own well being since I was a teenager, I really couldn't relate to Harper. She has a true complex about control, with a small town mind frame. Stating she wants to escape, going off to college, but I look at her going "Do you really? Because it doesn't seem like it." She completely content staying in a home and town where she knows everything and has total control over her life. (Or so she thinks)
While Gemma is struggling for/with her independence.. when it's all she's ever had? Her father doesn't cage her, quite frankly he lets her do more than Harper would approve it.

Personally I didn't feel much heart into who they were or why.

One of the biggest annoyances is the way they refer to, the Quartet, as "those girls".
"those girls" "those girls", "oddly pretty girls", "pretty girls"
We get it, they're weird. They give you this odd feel, they have this unsettling aura about them.
Please, find another way to refer to them. "Penn and her gang", "Penn and her followers", "Penn's girls" YOU KNOW THEIR NAMES. Use them please.
I understand, they are part of the story that has to be introduced. They have to be creepy, alluring, mysterious and yet always around especially when weird shanantics are about to go down.
(Personally if they bothered me so much I would have given their group a nickname. It's something me and my friends would do.)

A large plus is the short mythology lesson and most of the information being pretty accurate, given lots of versions of mythology in general.. But I won't say too much on that.
It's a large sort of spiderweb of possibilities to come in the series, that I'm unsure of. There's no point to start trying to figure out where it may go or what parts of old stories and mythology apply to these girls.

The largest negative factor... Is about how the image of the Quartet changes the more we get to know about them. After awhile they're seen as these vicious monsters. Giving no care to who they hurt or the damage they do. It makes little sense of them to sudden change that, in only one scene other than to have the story left open. Yes I am talking about a cliffhanger ending.
It does leave the story open on the ability of continuing the story from Harper's view-point, but speaking plot and character traits wise... it doesn't add up.

With all said and done, I also feel it should be taken into account that this book is part of a series. Given this, standing alone, didn't cover much of a time frame, I think it books may need to be looked at as a whole. The possibility they flow as a collection is there.
Which also plays into my rating. It's not a writing or story style I recommend, if you can't keep readers hooked for one book, you can't expected them to read the next one.

That is probably the heaviest weighing factor of my review.

It's a horrible blow to make, but I felt this story was juvenile. In the characters, their development, the story, and it's telling. It's kind of disappointing for me to admit.

Recommend: Light reading, light mythology, paranormal

Goodreads

Book Review: The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata, Julia Kuo

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Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Illustrator: Julia Kuo
Published on: January 4th 2013
by: Atheneum Books for Young Reader

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Children's
Literary Awards: National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (2013), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2015)

Summer knows that kouun means "good luck" in Japanese, and this year her family has had none. Just when Summer thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents away to Japan, right before harvest season leaving Summer and her little brother, Jaz, in the care of their elderly grandparents, Obaachan and Jiichan.

Obaachan and Jiichan are old fashioned, very demanding, and easily disappointed. Between helping Obaachan cook for the workers and with all the other chores, and worrying about her little brother, who can't seem to make any friends, Summer has her hands full. But when a welcome distraction turns into a big mess, causing further disappointment, Summer realises she must try and make her own luck as it might be the only way to save her family. (Source)

This book caters to one of my favourite things to read, coming of age. Summer is pretty lost in her world as a young girl trying to understand the aspects of becoming a young adult. With her parents off to Japan, meaning their major source of income is disrupted, Summer and her brother Jaz find themselves in their strict grandparent's hands for the summer.
Meaning, they're have to work hard to  help make ends meet or as the adults say, "save the mortgage" which Summer doesn't fully understand.

There's a few topics I feel should be addressed in regards to my likes and dislikes of this book.

It was interesting how bit of Japanese culture and language play a part in this story and the lives of the characters, which I liked. I even learned a few terms and their meanings I hadn't before.

"In Japan, things that don't last called tsukanoma. Tsukanoma very beautiful, like cherry blossom." - Jiichan
tsukanoma - for a moment or brief time (Source)

Which is basically the understand that not all things last. There are somethings that are only able to withstand or exist for a moment. It's interesting there's not only a word for it, but the concept is pretty widely accepted and relatable.

Wabi-sabi; represents Japanese aesthetics and a Japanese world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete". It is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence, specifically impermanence, suffering and emptiness or absence of self-nature. (Source)

Whereas wabi-sabi is more about imperfections and accepting them. I considering it pretty interesting stuff.

The negative side of this review.. the books pace was irritatingly slow. I easily made it over 1/3 of the book feelings as if no story has developed. Half way, still wondering when the plot is going to pick up and grab my attention. As well as wondering how this was going to pull a thoughtful story or lesson together. Sadly, it never happened.

I ended up forcing myself to finish the last 100 pages of this book (it was only 270 pages total) in order to finish, telling myself I'd invested enough to deserve to know what happened.
Then the last few chapters set in, BAM action, pace starts moving along. Then the story... ends. Right in the middle of what I felt was an interesting twist and when development in the plot.

You're left hanging with how everything works out, both for their summer, their parents (and family), as well as Summer's possible change in behaviour and views on friendships and romantic relationships.

I also did not enjoy the writing or story telling style, largely due to feeling the style occasionally jumping. Summer goes on these, tangents. That are very loosely related to what prompted them, as well as usually unrelated to where they end.
She has a fear of mosquitoes. Which we're reminded about, once, twice, twenty times. It's what most of her rambling revolves around.

There's also the issue, and question, of her brother Jaz. From what I picked up on, I can only assume he's autistic. But outside of outbursts, obsessive details, and being particular about things in his life, it's never directly addressed. They just refer to him as "different". Something about that, bothered me. Because they view him as lonely, irrational at times, and very misunderstood without trying to really understand it farther.

My low review for this may also be part of my own hang up, as much as I'm into inner development and progression, I also like problems being tackled. Storytelling to "physically" move forward and changing.

Recommend: Not. Sorry, I can't recommend this book.

Goodreads

Book Review: Eating The Cheshire Cat by Helen Ellis

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Eating The Cheshire Cat
by Helen Ellis

Release: February 13, 2001
Author Info: Website
Publisher: Scribner
Age Group: Young Adult/Adult
Source: Bought (Thrifted $.25)

"Eating the Cheshire Cat" lures us into a world of perfectly planned parties and steep social ladders, where traditional rites of passage take unpredictable and horrifying turns as three girls and their overbearing mothers collide. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, beauty is as beauty does, with axes and knives and killer smiles. Sarina Summers and her mother will stop at nothing to have it all. Nicole Hicks harbors a fierce obsession with Sarina, which repeatedly undermines Mrs. Hicks's ambitious goals. Bitty Jack Carlson, a nice girl from the wrong side of the tracks, is caught in the crossfire but struggles to succeed outside the confines of this outrageous yet eerily familiar Southern community. It's survival of the fittest. Which girl will come out on top?

Covering everything from summer camp to the University of Alabama's Homecoming game, this fast-paced and unforgettable novel will keep readers guessing until the bitter end. (Source)

Warning: Mild Spoilers!

Apparently, the subject and style of this book is meant to be dark humour. Whereas I, didn't find it funny. At all.

I had almost no idea what I was walking into starting this book, if I had known, I wouldn't have ever picked it up. All I knew was the story was about three girls that unexpectedly cross paths throughout their lives, each time having more effect on them than the last.
There is so much more to it than that; webs of lies, deceit, trauma, mental illness, obsession, harassment, bullying.
I found this story in a simple phrase to sum up my opinion "Seriously messed up". This book was difficult for me to read, not the book it's self (under 300 pages, took me two sittings), but the issues and situations that were addressed and encountered; most of all, how they were dealt with.


This is a changing narrative book, between three characters; Sarina, Nicole, and Bitty Jack. Each section of the book, 3 total (Through the Looking Glass, Down the Rabbit Hole, and Off With Her Head), serve as a sort of time lapse and the level of seriousness as to what issues the girls have in their lives. (Starting with middle school, high school, and finally college which starts to look into their futures.) From kids, to teens, and finally "(young) adults".

Each time we meet the characters time has passed. Starting at 16 with Sarina, and flashing back to the age of 13, back to 16, from there ages start to blur and school is used as a sort of age gauge. 10 grade, first year of college, second year of college, occasionally playing catch-up to fill in some blanks. Finally the book ends around the 3rd year of college.

Sarina is always the #1 it girl. Miss Popular, Miss Cool, Miss Everyone-else-falls-in-line-behind-her.
Top of the food chain, perfect, perfect, perfect! Sadly only her image is perfect. (Of course) Her personal life is beyond messed up, always plotting, always scheming, always out to turn things into her favour. She will do what she has to, lie, cheat, and manipulate; for what she wants. She is pure evil, if you can even imagine.
But at the same time, I feel bad her, in a twisted way. Most of what she does and thinks, was taught. Thanks to her jaded mother and her failed marriage, and living her life for what she wants, regardless of who she hurts to get it, including herself
What she does, is all she knows. It's all about getting what she wants and living with the thrill of achieving the results, however short lived they might be.

Nicole is Sarina's #2, always. Nicole mother is beyond controlling, always pushing her to be the best, try harder, be better. To the point she completely smothers her daughter. To the point her daughter fails in most areas of her life just to prove her mother wrong. "Push me all you want, but I still control the outcome" even if it ultimately makes her more miserable.
Nicole is crazy about Sarina, while through most of the book it's unsure if she see Sarina as 'more than a friend' but over time the issue becomes addressed. Throughout most of the book, she just adore Sarina, to the point of obsession.
She wants nothing more than to be there for her. To be the one Sarina trusts with everything, to tell everything, to do everything with her. To have someone in her life that cares for her just the way she is, without trying to change or control her. That just wants her in their life.
Once again, in a twisted way, I feel bad for her as well.

Bitty Jack, the daughter from a low-income family in a small 'never heard of it' town. They live and work on a summer camp site where do to their work and living arrangements (able to live on site if they become care-takers of the place) Bitty Jack used to attend as a kid and eventually becomes a counselor during the summer season.
Out of all the girl Bitty Jack as the best grasp on reality and how to work for what you want, not cheat, lie, or steal to get it. Nothing has been handed to her. She understands you can only accomplish through hard work, and while life isn't always easy, it's better to go through it with a bright outlook and positive attitude.
However she sadly crosses paths with Sarina more than a few times, who continues to cause havoc on her life and threats to tear their lives apart. Over time there are negative changes and actions from Bitty Jack as a result of her not-so-easy life.

Each one of them is selfish to a fault. At the end of the day, out for themselves.
While this isn't true for Bitty Jack, life and situations sometimes force her into a corner, and she makes a few horrible decisions, more than once.


All in all this book is just... twisted. At the same time it's like a train-wreck, I couldn't stop reading it to see what would happen.

I can not recommend this book. I can't. I can't even tell you the level of "What the.." I have towards this book.
Which I apologize, is why the "review" is fairly short. (Although it's more like a detailed synopsis, I couldn't find much else to say or explain without entirely ruining the book.)

Recommend: Not recommended, unless you really enjoy what's apparently meant to be 'dark humour' and extreme teen social issues along with questionable mental state.

Shelfari | Goodreads

Book Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

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The Help
by Kathryn Stockett

Release: February 10, 2009
Author Info: Website
Publisher: Penguin Books
Age Group: Adult
Source: Bought (Thrifted $.50! Featured)

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't. (Source)

Excuse me while I make a few notes. People have had many things to say on the topics of this book, both in the intentions of good and bad. I'd rather say what I have to, and be done with it. You can skip down to the review if you'd like, but I can't bear to cut out my personal opinions on the issues of the book and the topics addressed within the story.

Notice: Given the fact there is a movie based on this book, I intend to stay as far away from the topic of those differences and my preferences. This is strictly a book review.

Warning: This book does have quite a bit of language and deals with the topic of race during a time of segregation in the South during the 1960s.
Frequent usage of the N-word and some adult situations.

I recommend for 18+.

Personal Note: I know there are people that feel a story such as this is nothing but fluff, hiding behind or using topics such as the ones touched on in this book as a way to write something 'greater' than they might have produced on their own. Using 'controversial' issues as a way to make their stories more important and launch them into a more serious sort of spotlight. Personally, I think that's a bunch of bull. Someone's going to do it no matter what you think or say, the issues are there, the topics will be discussed, get over the possibility of judging someone for it, and judge the product of it. Which at the end of the day is the point, they aren't telling you what opinion to have, they are merely presenting the idea.

The idea of African-American domestic house-workers in the early 60s, and their view of things. It may not be 100% accurate, but I feel presenting the idea and possibility is what brings this story attention. And it should, what were things like back then, how did African-American women live, what did they think of the world, they family they worked for, and the children they cared for? The world was beginning to change, and they were in the middle of it all, living most of their lives (working) in a white household.

I find stories such as these interesting, because of how I've been raised. Let me briefly explain.. I'm from California, where my both of my parents were born and raised, issues such as a race where never an issues even in my parents lives. It was something I never witnessed until I was 5 and had moved to Tennessee. Moving to the South at an early age was a culture shock for me, going from never judging anyone to having everyone judge everyone else, from the colour of their skin, to what accent they had, their native language, to what church you went to (which was never the right one). I spent almost 18 years of my life there.. I can't believe the way some people think and still live. But some people do, it's sad and appalling. /end

Hopefully I didn't bore everyone to death, with that out of the way, let's begin our review!

This book uses the changing of narrative, which is an amazing literary tool when used correctly. While fairly common I feel it takes a very good writer to pull it off well, Kathryn Stockett did more that than; this is by far one of the best changing narrative books I've ever read. I always find the concept interesting, reading from more than one character perspective, however I rarely enjoy it. I can't imagine this book written any other way.
What I appreciate most was, the lack of repeating situations over in different narratives that often, because it does happen. There was also very brief moments of playing 'catch up' between characters to get them up to speed, but it never took long or dragged. Whenever mentioned it added to the situation and what information was being shared.

Let's talk about the characters because they are each different and you see from each of their views, I'll try to avoid saying too much as the summary introduced them decently.

There's Aibileen who is wasting her life away because she sees no other means to providing for herself.
When she's introduce she's beginning to come to the end of her rope, working as a maid all of her life. She specialize in babies, until they start going to school and becoming more like their mothers/fathers. At that point she moves on because she can't stand to see everything she's taught them be over-turned by a women that hasn't paid them any attention or taught them until it's time to 'correct' what they've learned and know about the world.
Aibileen is a fairly quiet, calm, level-headed, loving character. Always ready to give some words of wisdom or bring some reason to the chaos. She put a lot of value into teaching children to feel good about themselves, along with overtime learning she can teach them things about the world before the roles of race begin to set in.

Minny is.. a sass-mouth. She's known for saying what's on her mind and finding herself without a job because of it. At the beginning of the story she crosses paths with Miss Hilly, the ring-leader of anyone-who's-anyone in Jackson, by working for her mother, Miss Walters, who's starting to lose her mind a little (probably more than that..). Hilly sets her up to be out of a job, in planning on taking Minny for herself, as she's known as the best cook in Jackson and Hilly has to have her. Only, everything falls apart and Minny does indeed find herself without a job, and on the wrong side of the worse possible person in Jackson, Miss Hilly.
At home she's got 5 kids, two of who are already old enough to work (and doing so) and an alcoholic husband who is border-line abusive, and only getting worse with time.
She's stuck between a rock and a hard place, putting on a tough act trying to keep her life together, with only Aibileen who sees through her and knows how bad things are.

Miss Skeeter, is that different breed of women that didn't go off to college for her "Mrs." She went to school for an education and a chance to make something of herself in the world, only to find herself back in Jackson, back on her parents farm, and not knowing who the women in Jackson are anymore, especially the ones that used to be her friends. She finds herself no longer able to relate or even enjoy speaking to her old friends, who are more concerned about being married, having babies, and keeping their help in line.
Skeeter dreams of being a writer and gets her chance when someone for a publishing company in New York gives her the time of day, to write her a letter that starts communication on what she needs to do in order to be 'a writer'.

I felt the flow of the characters and their differences worked. There's friction, that never quite boils over, and conflict that is met with reasoning as time goes on. For the most part Miss Skeeter and Aibileen get along, it's Minny that's the problem. Trusting no one, wanting no on in her life, but feels she has to look out for Aibileen, even if she won't admit it.
At the end of the day Aibileen and Minny only have each other to rely on, they know all their worried, dreams, and concerns, they know how to balance each other, even though their personalities are so different. Aibileen knows the times to wave Minny off and when to calm her down, Minny knows when to act up and when to quietly watch. Adding Miss Skeeter to the mix is found to create tension at first, although over time it begins to fade as Minny warms to her. Again, even if she'll never admit it.

What I enjoyed the most, was the differences in the people in Jackson, from the workers to their employers. How you learn more about a person when you talk to their help. Everyone in Jackson has an imagine and reputation to maintain, you don't get close to your help or people see you a 'sympathizer' (to put it simply). That doesn't stop people from treating their help better than some and worse then others.

This book is about there being more to the world and what it holds, most of all when it hasn't been talked about. Things happen, even if no one says anything. How you're raised does effect you, but it doesn't decide who you are or how you see the world.

The few downsides I have to state are the speed of the book. There are moments, around the middle, that the story sort of lulls, waiting on someone or something to set everything back in motion. Going through the characters everyday lives, while interesting, I felt like I was waiting on the main plot line to pick back up.
Along with the passing of time jumping around without being mentioned that often. One side character announces she's expecting, only to be 6-7 months along the next time we see her, followed by a few months after giving birth.


I suppose that's what I like about this book, while the location and the time you assume how things are going to be, after reading you find that things aren't always as they appear. There are people and their families that are different from the rest, that care for their help and treat them better than is ever discussed.
(Anybody that knows anything knows Mississippi was one of the worst places to be African-American during segregation. Although it's not like there was much of a safe place in the South during that time.)

Recommend: Issues of race, segregation, personal stories, drama.

Shelfari | Goodreads

Book Review: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

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Ella Enchanted
by Gail Carson Levine

Release: July 16 1998
Author Info: Website
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: 8 and up
Challenge: Dusty Bookshelf Challenge

At birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her the "gift" of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. Another girl might have been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella: "Instead of making me docile, Lucinda's curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally." When her beloved mother dies, leaving her in the care of a mostly absent and avaricious father, and later, a loathsome stepmother and two treacherous stepsisters, Ella's life and well-being seem to be in grave peril. But her intelligence and saucy nature keep her in good stead as she sets out on a quest for freedom and self-discovery as she tries to track down Lucinda to undo the curse, fending off ogres, befriending elves, and falling in love with a prince along the way. (Source)

Note: Given the fact there is a movie based on this book, which is up for debate after reading it, I intend to stay as far away from the topic of those differences and my preferences. This is strictly a book review.

The story is rather simple in my opinion, which doesn't leave me with much to say, although I will try.

There is no denying that as the book mirrors the story of Cinderella, while in a slightly different light. I expected as much, but was also semi-disappointed to notice as the story went on, just how much it followed. Ella Enchanted is considered to be a re-telling of Cinderella, being a re-telling, most everyone knows the story; what else can I say?

There however is a twist to this story, Ella has to do what is asked of her, no, what is commanded of her. From birth she was given the gift of obedience, taken to an extreme. To forever live doing what she is told.

I enjoyed watching Ella's clever nature shine through her curse. There are moments and times when she can fight against it. If there isn't a time limit ("Now" "quick"), she can delay a command, although she will suffer in time if she doesn't give in and do as she is told. She can occasionally twist the meaning, if they are too broad, but when issued a strict command, she must obey. Sometimes, commands can even rule over her emotions and her mind; if she is told to be happy, she must be happy and she can not feel or think any other way. Can you imagine living in such a way?

Ella is forever at the mercy of what is commanded of her, or rather, of those who command her. Leaving her to live in constant fear and distance of others, even more so if she is found out. It's a rather sad way to live and maybe that explains why we are introduce to so few people in Ella's life, most of which who have no real importance. From her father, her mother, their cook, Maddy, Lucinda, Lady Olga and her two daughters, Hattie and Olive, and  Prince Char; that's it for characters. One or two might show up for a chapter only to disappear at the end.
I found myself thinking about how small Ella's world was and asking why this is so? Sometime we are overwhelmed by how large a fictional world can be, but we can also be left thinking one is too small. Which I felt was the case here.

I felt the beginning of the story was fairly slow, telling of Ella's everyday life and those close to her. Though that it does explain much about Ella, which makes her more understandable and relatable in the long run.
After some time she is sent to boarding school, which again I found to be slow. I suppose that is the way it's meant to be, but I was half way through the book and wondering when something would happen.
Finally, Ella decides to embark on a journey, only to leave me feeling that the adventure was short.

Given the fact that Ella's life takes place in an enchanted world I expected to have more interaction with, well everything; monsters, creatures, magical mythical beings! To say my hope weren't meant, is an understatement. There are a few moments, such as where Ella is captured by ogres at one point, which plays out pretty well. There's a big of a twist on centaurs which was interesting.. but not much else. Mostly I was left asking myself why there wasn't more detail and exploration.

The only real comments I have to make are on Ella and Char. The moments between the two of them are delightful. I loved Ella's character (pun intended!) and personality. She is a wonderful mixture of silly, clever, light-hearted, and genuine. Which is rare to come across in a time where marriage and money are the facts your entire life revolves around; both having them, acquiring them, and being defined by them.

If I have to recommend this book for any reason, it would be to read about Ella and what a wonderful character she is. Which I suppose is why I find myself wondering if I liked this book or not. Although it is Ella's story, I felt so much of it was missing.

I should note that the writing style is odd. At first it bothered me but over time I came to enjoy it.

Overall, sometimes I like change, sometimes I do not. In the end it all depends on the story it's self and how it plays out. I'm not sure if I liked this book or not; I do know I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. I mostly felt frustrated with almost every aspect of this story. Bottom line, something large was missing to keep me hooked and having me falling in love with Ella's world.

I found this to be a nice light read but not much more. It will mostly likely bring a smile to your face, underdog stories tend to do that.

Recommend: Fairy tale lovers, light read, romance.

Shelfari | Goodreads

Book Review: The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

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The Catastrophic History of You and Me
by Jess Rothenberg

Release: February 21, 2012
Author Info: Website
Publisher: Dial
Age Group: Young Adult
Challenge: 2012 Debut Author

Rating:  1/5

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces? (Source)

Please, prepare yourself for a negative review that is lengthy, and I completely understand if you skip to the bottom for my overall opinion. That said, the length of this review is based around qualities of the book I felt should be addressed. In an attempt to make this simpler, I have separated the review into sections for better understanding of my reasons for a negative rating and review. Thank you.

 May Contain Spoilers!

I did try to avoid spoilers but due to the nature of a negative review there are some I could not simply leave out in order to state my opinion.

First let's sort a few things out.

The overall idea and plot of this book, I thought it sounded very unique and interesting. Sadly, it was hidden under a lot of a bad qualities that I felt overall didn't live up to my expectations. The more I read, the more I was let down by generally poor decisions, back story, and writing. I'm sorry, but I found the level of writing in this book very poor.

The entire book walks along a fuzzy line of the past and present that never seems to stop colliding, leaving me feeling very confused about exactly what's going on, when, and where. I understand Brie is dead, that a lot of her time is spent reliving her past and memories, but it seems a lot of the time the story just took a detour and got lost somewhere along the way of a memory and sudden snaps back in an attempt to return to the present. It kept leaving me with whiplash trying to figure out what was what and which point in time we were trying to address.

With that out of the way, I would like to split this review into three sections: Writing, Characters, and Story.

Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

(Source)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
by Jennifer E. Smith

Release: January 2, 2012
Author Info: Website
Publisher: Poppy
Age Group: Young Adult
Challenge: Completely Contemporary

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. (Source)

This is the sweetest book I have read in a long time; sweet to the point it hurts but in warm fuzzy feeling kind of way. Which I personally found enjoyable.
This book is wonderfully written, it is both moving and thoughtful. Making it hard to believe the entire story takes place in the span of just 24 hours.

But it's strange, how so much can change in that amount of time. Once you're thrown out into the world. When you're given a chance to step back, think about your problems, and more importantly share them with someone. You might start to view things differently, once you discover other people have their own troubles.

An airplane is the one place you can feel at ease, maybe not in the sense of flying, but in being more open with yourself and someone else. Typically, you sit there for hours doing nothing, having no sort of interaction; everyone too focused on themselves in their in their own little bubbles. Although there is that rare occasion when you find yourself in conversation with the person you're next to. Farther more, feeling that you can be with your life and share it with them/someone. Finding yourself okay with that because you won't see them again. The moment the plane lands you will both go your own ways only looking back on a great conversation and a chance meeting.
But what if you find yourself longing to see that person again, to share more about your life and wanting to spend more time with each other. What do you do then?

There's a big mixture of past and present in this book. What's currently going on and looking back on things that have already happened. I, for one, love flashbacks. I love hearing detailed stories and looking back on things, only to have them explain so much more. Taking the past and relating it to what's presently going on, it's brilliant.
This book did an interesting take on. Some of the flashbacks happen as the story is going on (aka 'the present') but are skipped over, only to be brought up later. (I don't see that much.) Interesting, although a little confusing at times. ("Wait, when did that happen?")

Most of them were simple yet wonderful moments in Hadley's life. It's the way they are written that stands out to me. I honestly felt like I could have been standing at the train station waiting as my mind wandered. It was very well done.
That said, I didn't enjoy all flashbacks. I don't know why, but the little ones bugged me. Smaller things the author felt to explain through a story. Such as, there was one about birds, which had a very valid point, but I just.. I don't know, felt it was a little silly to be explained that way.

I personally love the idea of talking to someone on a plane. I still remember the longest trip I ever made I only had one person (in the 5 odd planes I was on in that day) talk to me, I mean really talk to me. It was a young man and his father who were interested in where I was from, as I had a different accent than them. (I was in another country.) I remember trying to explain what state I was from because they'd never heard of it.
It made for a much more enjoyable 4 hours all person the person next to me bothered to treat me like another person. I suddenly didn't mind (as much) being cramped next to them because they were friendly to me. It's a great feeling.

I highly recommend this book. It's a quick read, 200-something pages, but nonetheless a wonderful book that should be read.

Recommend: Romance, quick read, heartfelt.

Goodreads | Shelfari

Book Reveiw: Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampire #1) by Rachel Caine

(Source)

Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampire #1)
by Rachel Caine

Release: October 3, 2006
Author Info: Website
Publisher: NAL Jam
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Challenge: Dusty Bookshelf Challenge, Morganville Vampires Challenge

Warning: This book does have quite a bit of language and violent content.
I recommend for 17+.

Welcome to Morganville, Texas, where you would be well advised to avoid being out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they come out fighting when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood... (Source)


Claire's life in nothing bug a big mess; from crossing the wrong people, to having the wrong friends, and learning more than any outsider should know.

Let's back up a bit..
From page one Claire is being hazed and I don't mean innocent jokes and pranks, I mean full on beat down, making her scared to be alone. Which she is. She has no friends, no boyfriend; an advanced student, 16 almost 17 already in college, off on her own for the first time. She more than a little afraid.

Deciding that things will get better if she moves out form her dorm and is away from school (other than going to class) she begins looking through the classifieds. Finding only one decent listing, with little hope but no other options she finds herself on a door step, beaten up, tired, scared, and unsure of what she's doing [in her life]. While at first she is turned away, being under age and all, they do let her stay for a few days to "sort things out". However she never really gets the chance to leave.
As time goes on, things only become more and more complicated, for everyone.

I don't think I have to beat around the bush to say what this book is about, it's a clear as the name of the series; Vampires.

If there is one thing I don't understand, which that really bothers me.. WHY PEOPLE NEVER LEAVE?! I mean in a town like that, I would MOVE. Even with nothing in my pockets. Of course that doesn't make for a good story. As time goes by reasons pop up, excuses are made, and finally things happen that makes them (Claire mainly) unable to leave town. But in the beginning it just doesn't hold together as well.

First Claire doesn't think the hazing will be bad if she moves away, but then it gets worse. Then she doesn't believe vampires exist, only to learn they do. Through all of it she is too focused on not leaving school because she sees it as "quitting" and admitting she shouldn't handle it, is something she couldn't live with. Yeah, IF YOU LIVE THROUGH THE YEAR.
Seriously, that kind of logic made me want to slap her across the face -- but at the same time, it's what I love about her as a character. Not with that applied to school, but how she views her friends, family, those important to her and what matters to her. She will do anything for them and that means not running away, leaving them with the mess she helped me.

I also didn't enjoy that their plans constantly changed. Yes I understand that things don't always go the way you want and once in awhile you have to 'wing-it' but at every turn something changed and everything kept getting more complicated. It's a love hate relationship; kept things exciting but also drove me insane because I didn't know what was coming, couldn't stand it all falling apart at any moment.

I also feel I should point out what I think is Claire's biggest moment of weakness. How everyone finds out the biggest secret going in the house. She gets tired of being the only one that knows, and blurts it out. Then leaves for everyone else to do with it. I was not very happy with that.

By far the biggest thing I couldn't handle, all the psycho characters. I have never met so many insane people in one book. I have no idea what I would do if I met some of them in a dark alley, other than need a new pair of pants. If this is them in the first book, I can't even imagine what they might be like later on.

I love the quirky personalities and the batter between the characters. It's one of those great moments where your characters all fit together but are still strong enough to stand on their own, and you still enjoy it.
One in awhile they did go for a cheap laugh or bad reference, but I'm happy to over look it, given most of the conversations are great.

Thought I'd share a few of my favourite lines.

"Magic was just science misunderstood." - Claire

"Things happen. Things that physics and math and crap that gets measured in a lab can't explain." - Eve

"People aren't just laws and rules, Claire. They're . . . sparks. Sparks of something beautiful and huge. And some of the sparks glow brighter." - Eve

"I'd feel a whole lot better about the two of us if you didn't think I was the go-to guy for breaking and entering." - Shane

I can not tell you how much I enjoyed reading this. I mainly picked up for the Dusty Bookshelf Challenge. This book because it's been sitting on my shelf for longer than I care to admit, I also haven't read a vampire book in awhile, I thought I would give it a chance.
Going in I wasn't sure how I would feel, but I LOVE this book! I enjoyed this book a lot. I would happily read it again and hope to continue reading the series.

I gave it a 4/5 although it's more like a 4.5.

Recommend: Vampire lovers, paranormal, suspense, action, quirky characters.

Goodreads | Shelfari

Book Review: Old Magic by Marianne Curley

(Source)

Old Magic
by Marianne Curley

Release: February 26, 2002 (Reprint: December 22, 2009)
Author Info: Website
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Challenge: Dusty Bookshelf Challenge

"Jarrod Thornton is mesmerizing, but Kate Warren doesn't know why.


The moment the new guy walks into the room, Kate senses something strange and intense about him. Something supernatural. Her instincts are proven correct a few minutes later when, bullied by his classmates, Jarrod unknowingly conjures up a freak thunderstorm inside their classroom.


Jarrod doesn't believe in the paranormal. When Kate tries to convince him that he has extraordinary powers that need to be harnessed, he only puts up with her "hocus pocus" notions because he finds her captivating. However, the dangerous, uncontrolled strengthening of his gift finally convinces Jarrod that he must take Kate's theories seriously. Together, they embark on a remarkable journey -- one which will unravel the mystery that has haunted Jarrod's family for generations and pit the teens against immense forces in a battle to undo the past and reshape the future." (Source)


This summary does not do the book justice! It only hints at the fact this is a TIME TRAVEL book. Which I myself didn't realize till it was happening. I suppose it could give away the story, but in reality it doesn't. It makes the book more exciting.

I can't explain this book any other way then, slow. The build up took forever. For more than half of the book Kate is trying to get Jarrod to even accept that magic exists in the world, let alone that he might have a power of his own. Every time something happens he chalks it up to having bad luck or just something strange happening. He forever refuses that magic is real and that Kate is just slightly crazy.

The two of them do however share a bond, which seems to only grow with time. Kate is attracted to Jarrod, even though she hates his character and can't stand that he refuses to listen to her. She finds herself unable to leave him alone, reasoning that it's because she's afraid he might hurt someone. (Oh please girly.) While Jarrod thinks Kate is crazy and is afraid of her, because she is everything he isn't (Confident, sure, strong, determined, etc.). He can't help but be pulled in by her different personality, although he has no idea how to deal with (or her!). He even finds himself to be protective over her at times.

The book is split into three parts; Part one: Wind, Part two: Journey, and Part three: Return. There are no chapter numbers, only narrative titles which change almost every 'chapter' (Kate, Jarrod, Kate, Jarrod, etc). The book does favour Kate over Jarrod. Her point-of-view gets more 'chapters' (during one part she had 3 in a row) and longer sections with much more detail then Jarrod's 'chapters'.

While I do enjoy the change in narrative, I'm not sure how I feel about it here. I found most given information was repeated to the point I felt it beaten to death. I suppose to make an impact but it seemed unneeded. Then towards the end of the book things starting happen, the story began to get exciting but all we saw was Kate's point-of-view. Everything going on with Jarrod was left out, no insight at all. I found it very frustrated.

One of the things that made me pick this up, was the fact it was written by an Australian women and took place in Australia. It even noted this and put a little glossary in the back. Most of which I already knew (I was obsessed with Australia for awhile.) but still found interesting.

Over all, the book does contain a lot of good ideas, twists, turns, and surprises. However, I didn't find it an enjoyable read. May of the choices and actions just didn't make sense to me.
I felt the book could have been much better. (I can't explain how long I've been fighting to get through this book.)

I picked this up for under $2 at a local used book store. Knowing what I know now, I probably wouldn't have.
The book just didn't have enough kick for me.

Recommend: If you enjoy those extra details of characters, time travel, and slow build ups.

Goodreads | Shelfari

Book Review: Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1) by Kiersten White

(Source)

Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1)
by Kiersten White

Release: August 31, 2010
Author Info: Website
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult

"Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal." (Source)

From the first page we are thrown into this world of paranormals, a place where Evie, the only personal able to see through their 'glamour' (their fake exterior appearance) and see what they really are. Making it easy for her to tell who is and who isn't human. Evie travels around looking for to then put trackers tags on them, "bagging and tagging" as they call it.
Everything about the world felt rushed, greater detail into anything was rarely given. As a reader, are simply meant to go with the flow. The Paranormalcy world it's self is interesting. However through the entire book more questions are raised then answered; little light into the workings and understanding of all it contains, as Evie doesn't know much or cares to.

Evie is.. a girly-girl that tries to have a tough feel to her, I personally didn't buy or enjoy it. In short, she is pretty much what I hate seeing in a heroine. She is constantly impulsive, fairly childish, always single-minded, and by far the most annoying thing, she doesn't learn! She's so naive to the world around her and doesn't bother to educate herself. Only to then feel stupid when she doesn't know something that's common knowledge. She knows close to nothing about paranormals and solely relying on being able to see through them.
She only does what she wants and thinks little of how it effects anything else. That said, she is a very lonely isolated person. Spending most of her life by herself and with very little human interaction. She knows nothing beyond the walls of The Agency. There is some understanding with how her life has been.

Every time she dealt with a Faerie I wanted to tear my hair out. I assume that was to enforce the tricky and mischievous traits they are so commonly known for. She never took her time, never tried to actually figure them out. She merely passed them off as doing what they what (which they do) and going with the mindset you couldn't stop them even if she wanted (which she probably couldn't). But she never tried to listen to them or to figure out the riddles they spoke in.
Everything she did around them was fuel by the single-minded "must get out of this current situation" thoughts in mind, which generally only made things much worse.

I will say there are romance elements to the book, which I for one always enjoy. The romance it's self bothers me a little. My concerns are the same as Evie's, that the romance is because of convenience. Which might be true. When you are locked up, cut off from the everyone else in the world, you grow fonder of those who are there.
Although there are some seriously strong factors in favour of the relationship, but I can't say much more.

While I might sound as if I'm giving this movie a negative review, I do believe it could have been better. I do take into account, this is only the beginning. I feel that with Evie's first brush of being thrown out of her comfort zone she will wise up, real quick.


As a whole, I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this book. It's very, iffy. I didn't like it but I didn't hate.
After everything said, I do plan on reading the next book the series.

Recommend: If you enjoy young adult, paranormal, romance, and a little cheesiness.

Goodreads | Shelfari