Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Goodreads: What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.
Have you ever read a book and wanted to review it but had no clue what to say? That there is nothing you can add, or no way to get your point across without revealing the twist or the ending? I am having this problem with Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall. I want to scream from the rooftops read this book, alas how do I say it coherently or professionally?
We follow Sam reliving the same day over and over Groundhog Day style. She is the popular girl, the pretty girl with the perfect boyfriend. She is a bully, and she dies. She dies seven times over and is rewound and gets a new chance at making amends. Can Sam figure out what to change in her life and how important her actions are in time?
This book is written perfectly. You know the characters immediately and even if you dislike their mean-girl attitudes, you cannot put this book down. The ending was shocking and poignant. I had mixed emotions. I was in awe, I was angry, then I was in awe again. I never saw it coming.
I love that Sam learns her actions have consequence and bullying is wrong. There is some drinking, there is some drugs, there is some sex. Trust me people your teens aren’t as impressionable as you think. This book is more about discovery, and learning how to treat others.
If you like Laurie Halse Anderson, or Gayle Forman you will love Lauren Oliver!
Book Trailer for Before I Fall:
Young Adult Community Thanksgiving
Adele from over at Persnickety Snark is holding a YA Community Thanksgiving today where we can post on our lovely community and what we are thankful for. I for one am thankful that I have found Adele’s blog. It is chalk full of awesomeness. Reviews, community education, and brilliant snark. I am sure you have been to her blog, but if you haven’t you might wanna head on over and check it out. I am going to be reading everyone’s posts and commenting on them today by following the linky that Adele has posted on her blog that I linked to above.
I am thankful for all the amazing bloggers I have met this year. Adele mentioned Catherine Haines and I have to give her a mention as well. Amazing reviews, great friend and all around bookish person. I also have found that the YA community tends to be great at educating others who have the misconception that reading YA somehow makes you less intelligent or not such an eclectic reader. YA has such a mix of books, and so many topics are written that you can find just about any subject that interests you.
The YA authors are amazing at promoting their books, being active in bookish communities, and connecting with their fans. It is amazing to see these authors such as Michelle Zink, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Heidi King, Julie Kagawa, and more reaching out to their fans and having real contact with people who have read or loved their books.
I am thankful that books are now being written that touch on the hard subjects. That seek to educate teens on subjects such as eating disorders, bullying, suicide, being gay, and other important issues that teens today have to deal with. I am in a constant state of disbelief and horror that people want these amazing books taken off the shelf. If one doesn’t seek education, especially on the hardship and cruelty of life how can one live and make the right decisions?
I am thankful for the readers of YA who read our blogs and leave comments and find new books to devour. I am always happiest when someone who doesn’t blog comes to my blog and says they read a book due to my recommendation and loved it as much as I did! That is what makes blogging about books worth while.
I love that in our community we can disagree on which books we like, which characters we are in love with and discuss our series predictions. I love that the YA community seems so real, and most bloggers aren’t afraid to give a negative review and if they did give a negative review, it is a thoughtful and understandable look into why exactly they didn’t like the book.
I am proud to be a YA blogger and happy to be in a community that is fun, and energetic and full of amazing people. Thank you Adele for giving me a soap box to stand up on and shout my thankfulness from!
What are you thankful for in YA?
Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.
If I had to sum this review up in one word, that word would be ‘refreshing’. It was pretty awesome to read a new YA that implements a creative writing style and a very interesting plot and story line. I was sent this book last year from HarperTeen, and I devoured it in one day of reading and the story and characters have stuck with me all this while.
With the imminent release I today pre-ordered my hard copy to have on my shelf. The cover art is gorgeous, there is no person, place or thing there to distract me. I got to know the characters in the book in my own way. Kimberly gives you a basis to go on and your imagination can take you on the rest of the journey.
The two main characters Violet, and Jay are so fun. Through-out the book you are practically mentally screaming at them “HE LIKES YOU VIOLET” or “SHE LIKES YOU JAY”. Violet grew up a bit traumatized from finding a body of a girl her age in the woods when she was a small child. Her family and friends looked the other way as she went into the woods behind her house hearing echos of animals and bringing them home to bury properly.
Violet can also sense an echo on the murderer. Most people have some sort of echo attached to them, the more violent the death they caused (I assume even running over a squirrel would mark you) the louder the echo becomes. So when girls start going missing, Violet takes it upon herself to find the killer by looking for their fresh and distinct echos.
The book is fast paced, very fun, as I said refreshing. If you like mysteries, a little fun romance, and a good YA read then I urge you to pick this up.
Top 15 books of 2009
2009 has been an awesome year for young adult books. I have had the pleasure of this being my first year book blogging as well. I have poured over my list of books I have read this year (around 200 in all), and my top ten quickly became a top twenty. Since all my favorites can’t be mentioned I had to stop the buck somewhere and leave some off.
In no certain order:
Cashore had a hit with me in this novel. A prequel to Graceling which I did like but not really love, Fire follows a girl through finding safety and love while dealing with her past. A father who was literally a monster and what that meant to the way she wanted to live her life. It also explains how the Graced King in Graceling came to be what he was.
I can relate so much to Ethan, oh so much. Growing up in a small town in the very southern tip of Virginia. Ethan’s town of Gatlin sounds like a big city. We had one stop light, civil war reinactments, and the sign coming into the town even says “Welcome to Saltville the salt capitol of the confedercy”. Oh the ways I can relate to a teenager who loves to read growing up in a confederate town. However Gatlin has something Saltville never could, beautiful creatures known as casters. Lena doesn’t know anything about herself but is coming to the realization that her sweet sixteen is (I can’t resist, gonna throw some southern at ya) gonna be a doozy of a birthday. Will she strive for what is right or take her fate with the dark?
First things first, I cannot gush enough about the cover of this book, it still leaves you with some room to imagine the character. While all the time drawing you to those perfect lips. Also I have to say, my husband being Dutch and ‘van’ being in my name there is a problem with this book. Any Dutch name with van in it the van will always be lowercase. It is a prelude to the last name, and unimportant part of it. Mine is van Hylckama Vlieg, and the van in van Alen should also be lower cased. Now that I have had my mini rant about proper Dutch form. Hello! The fourth installment of the Blue Bloods books by de la Cruz are amazing. I could not put this book down. I stayed up a whole night, I had to know what was going to happen next. If you didn’t read this in 09 or you haven’t picked up the series I suggest you do, vampires with a HUGE twist. Heaven Hell, Fallen Angels and Lucifer, blue and silver blood. Amazing.
Gayle Forman has a masterpiece in this one. Not the same old teenage angst novel here. The main character was completely stable in her mental state, and loved her parents and thought they were awesome. Normalcy to the max and I ate that up like strawberries and cream. It was so refreshing to have a story which turned to be pseudo heartbreaking, while also showing a strong sense of family. If I stay is not to be missed.
On this one I should probably just say “SQUEEE” and move on. I mean we have all surely read and loved the latest Suzanne Collins? Nod your head if you are with me? Catching Fire is just as if not even more amazing than it’s predecessor The Hunger Games. I didn’t want to read either of these books, I told myself they are too wildly popular you will never like them, it will just be a dissapointment and you will have to tell all your tweeps (that’s the language of cool for twitter friends) that you didn’t like it and everyone would be like 0_o at you. However I read The Hunger Games mostly do to Michelle over at GalleySmith.com and loved it. I was crying about having to wait a month for Catching Fire when Trish from Hey Lady let me borrow her awesomely pristine ARC. Please if you haven’t read it and you read nothing else from this list let it be Catching Fire.
The end to one of the most lovely series ever written. Clare wrote a trilogy so haunting, and so real it was like you could feel yourself developing battle wounds. The characters were likable and well thought out and although I would have loved for it never to end the way she sewed up even the smallest of plot made me dance for joy. If there is one thing I cannot stand its the end of a series with gaping holes that will go unanswered for eternity. Keep an eye out for a new trilogy from Clare set in Victorian England.
If you read this blog on a regular basis you will know that LJ Smith is a staple here. From The Vampire Diaries, Secret Circle, Dark Visions, and Nightworld. This series is my definitive favorite. LJ has so many fun creatures running around these books with the main focus of course being vampires. The apocalypse is nigh and there are only a few wild powers around to right the wrongs of the Nightworld residents. Sabotage is the name of the game and with the next installment we will know who wins!
I guess this is more middle grade but I just cannot get enough of Septimus Heap and his little band of misfits! This spot was a toss up between Percy Jackson and the Olympians and this, but not every one of the books I have read can make this list. Septimus always has a good sense of right and wrong and a lot of empathy for those less fortunate. The stories read fast and have a good pace. I usually cannot wait to finish the book once I am started. The books feature adorable little illustrations and maps of the lands Septimus and friends will visit.
Another Middle Grade book, again about a wizard but Bran Hambric is much more than wizardry. Bran lives in a town where magic is feared to the point of hatred and finding out he is a mage himself and how to deal with that are the focus of the books. Can Bran race against time and find out about his real parents and right the wrongs they unleashed into the world, or will Bran himself create more evil and not worry about the cost to his soul? A really great read. To the point, quick, and with little plot twists all through out the novel.
Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble was quite the little delight. A teen historical fiction focusing on the last Tsar family of Russia it was full of historical content as well as folk tales and stories from the region. Told chapter by chapter by a teen-aged boy and girl protagonists Dreaming Anastasia deals with love, magic, fate, and death in a neat little package. If you like YA fiction and you like it historical and missed this one than I suggest you running out and getting a copy to read over the holiday break.
I admit I am a little late to the game with Laurie Halse Anderson. I found her this year, with this exact book that I won from Get Glue. I have since back read her entire catalog and I cannot say enough wonderful things about this author and the issues for teens that she tackles. Constantly battling her books from being banned in libraries through out the nation. Anderson is a beam of light that sheds truth one book at a time and deserves an award for helping our children learn more about the world and themselves, rather than the fear mongering and banning she faces almost daily. The disturbingly delicious plot of Wintergirls follows two teen girls on their quest to be a true winter girl. The girl who is so skinny she is almost dead but not quite. Hovering in the borderlands. This book also gets the best book trailer of the year award from me. A powerful read.
I have this thing about zombies. I dislike them horribly. I do not like zombie movies. I thought I would not like zombie books. Watching everyone’s tweets did however make me pick up this book. I am so glad that I did. I was late in reading it and late reviewing it but it really is a must read of 2009. Don’t get me wrong, this book has major disadvantages. Their are plot holes the size of an ocean in this book but I think the next book will take care of those. If you can get over that fact the story in its own right is amazing. Growing up in a post zombie apocalyptic setting Mary really has only known one life. You do not marry for love, you marry to procreate. In kind of a communist setting, everything is given and taken away by the sisters, a fanatic religious group that keeps the town in order. No one knows what lies beyond the fence until ‘the fast one’ shows up and ruins the only life that Mary knows. She dreams of seeing the ocean but does the ocean really exist anymore?
There is one thing you may (or may not) know about me and that is I love The Grimm Brothers. So a retelling of one of their classics already has a negative vibe from me. George floored me with her telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. She took the greatest things from the original tale and elaborated and sewed in so many beautiful and heartbreaking plots that the reader ends up in tears. The author took my negativity and turned me into an absolute fan of her retelling and made me wonder why the Grimm Brothers didn’t add so much of the creativity into their story. A fantastic read.
One of my favorite covers of the year. I love when the author and publishing company leave absolutely everything to my imagination. I really do not need you to slap faces and towns on the cover for me. Reading is my creative escapism, learn a lesson from this cover and let me be the pilot of what I envision from your words! Another post apocalyptic novel. This time however magic and faeries have ruined our planet. Again a small town who is scared of magic, and any children born with magic in their veins are immediately killed when the parents are certain. Magic is left everywhere in this world. In the bushes and grass, constantly afraid of being bled to death by an apple tree is really no way to live. The character however manages to find her way in this overly religious and over zealous community and I love her spunk and style.
Another great understatement of a cover. Oh how I loved this book. It took me through so many deep and dark twists and turns I didn’t know which way was up anymore. The love story was phenomenal and how the characters met and what they didn’t know about each other said it all. The end of the book had me a complete mess on the couch in tears wish a plague of locusts on the author when she bumps it around and has me singing her praises all over the living room. A wonderful quick paced read.
So there we have it my top 15 posts. My top adult read of this year goes to Follow Me by Joanna Scott. Some of the runner ups that got left off mostly for plot holes or just because they didn’t move me the way these did are Blood Promise, Warrior Princess to mention a couple. I hope you made it through this meandering post and that you read and liked some of the same. If you have a top books of 2009 post please link me to it on twitter or here in the comments I am curious to see the favorite reads of all of you. If you do not have a blog just write in the comments your favorite books of this year.
Review: Thirst No. 1 by Christoper Pike
I picked this up on a whim at a bookstore, I wanted a fun read that didn’t require too much thinking while I had some family from Holland around. I started reading and as always started doing some research and this is another one of those 3 for 1 rebound and repubbed books from the 90′s that I seem to favor a lot. I loved immediately the ideas that Pike had for the book, the last of her kind Sita is 5,000 years old and has had of course quite an amazing life. Meeting Krishna and doing his will and being very religious at the same time as being a vampire who has no qualms about killing was a fun niche. However the dialogue left a lot to be desired and the characters other than Sita were half formed at best. Just when you think you are delving into something more substantial with a secondary character the door is closed in your face and you are left wondering exactly how that happened. The books flow well into one another and I will pick up Thirst No. 2 when it comes out in January to continue the story. I am interested in how everything ends.
I am not too crazy about the cover. I never really like when a person is on the cover of a book, I like to make my own decisions about the look based on the description the author gives. I think I would have imagined Sita differently if given the chance, and I think that took away a bit from my enjoyment of the book.
All in all if you love rebound 3 in 1 books, vampire stories, L.J. Smith, and fast tracked ancient past recounts then you will definitely enjoy parts of this novel. Worth picking it up for the fun value.
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