Teaser + Giveaway: Summerfall by Claire Legrand

Hey, do you guys know about SUMMERFALL by Claire Legrand? Y'know, the prequel novella to WINTERSPELL (also by Claire Legand - duh, Gaby, duh). WELL. It comes out today.

Epic Recs Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Feature created by Amber and Judith, Graphic created by Judith

So Lisa and I picked books for each other at the beginning of this month and, now, at the end of this month, we present you with our thoughts on the books we Epically Rec'd to each other. To check out Lisa's thoughts on my pick for her (Also Known As by Robin Benway), click HERE.

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Release Date: May 4th, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 352
Source: Purchased
First Reaction: I've never wanted to go on a road trip and eat lots of burgers more in life.

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road - diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards - this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

Review: Ex-Mas by Kate Brian

Title: Ex-Mas
Author: Kate Brian
Release Date: October 6th, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 224

Source: Borrowed from the New York Public Library
Rating: A snow-tastic book full of road trips and runaways.

Seventeen-year-old Lila Beckwith's parents just left for vacation, and Lila's all set to throw the holiday party of the season. But when her Christmas-obsessed little brother, Cooper, discovers that global warming is melting the North Pole, he and his best friend, Tyler, take off on a runaway mission to save Santa.

Lila has to get Cooper safely home before her parents get back on Christmas Eve. But the only person who can help her is Tyler's older brother, Beau — a.k.a. Lila's musician, anti-everything ex-boyfriend.

It'll take more than a Christmas miracle for Lila and Beau to overcome their differences and find their fugitive brothers. But could a journey destined for disaster help these polar opposites fall in love...all over again?

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

Waiting On: Fire with Fire by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian (29)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn #2)
Author: Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Release Date: August 13th, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.

Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

I definitely enjoyed the first book in this series. From the way the summary sounds, it looks like book two will dig a bit deeper into this paranormal aspect, which I'm interested in. I might not be so big on paranormal, but my real issue with book one was that it only sort of touched on the paranormal and didn't really go into it. I'm more of an all-in kinda gal. So. Fire with Fire. Let's go all in, shall we?

I'm REALLY excited for the second book of this series to come out. Mostly because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. Do you ever feel like that? All the time? How about for this series? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Title: Burn for Burn (Burn for Burn #1)
Author: Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Release Date: September 18th, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 358
Source: ARCycling
Rating: A can't-put-it-down, edge-of-your-seat, must-see-it-through kind of book.

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

THE REVIEW

Lillia, Kat and Mary are all pretty angry. Lillia at her friend Alex for being a skeeve, Kat at Rennie for being a witch with a capital B and Mary at Reeve for being the world's biggest jackass. So these three girls band together and decide to quit the high road and get even. It's kind of weird for Lillia and Kat, because they used to be friends. And it's also kind of weird for Mary since she has PARANORMAL POWERS. Oh wait. One of these things is not like the others... But I thought I should point out that little tidbit about Mary RIGHT NOW since I totally didn't know that going into this book and I think everyone SHOULD. Know that, that is.

Let's break this down:

Yeah. So. There's a paranormal factor here. I mentioned this AGAIN because I didn't know that was going to be a thing in this book when I started and I didn't love the surprise. I mean, when I blot out the paranormal, this book is GREAT. I love it - even the insanity at the very end. But the paranormal IS there (albeit in a halfhearted kind of way) and I'm fairly certain it would have been better for me to go into the book knowing this. Although, not telling me was some sneaky genius, since you all know how less likely I am to pick up a paranormal book unless said book is recommended to me.

All of that aside, I think all of the revenge in this book is amazingly phenomenal. I ESPECIALLY love the revenge against Alex, considering what we find out about his skeeziness later on (SPOILERS). The book would be totally boring if the girls got their way every time, so, really, perfection all around. Also, Reeve and Rennie are so completely detestable and disgusting that I just can't even. Basically: punishments to fit the crime.

And, for the record, remind me not to cross Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian because I definitely don't want to end up the way Alex, Rennie and Reeve end up. Like even a little.

So how do I feel about our protagonists? I always loved the wronged girl with a backbone, which means Kat is my favorite person in the book by far. Despite my love for Kat, I will say I'm fairly pleased her romantic prospects turned out they way they did. Girl's got things to learn and she's on her way to learning said things, she just needs a couple more books (GOOD THING SHE HAS THEM TOO).

I also love Mary because, as a youngin' who was bullied, I love seeing her get her life back. I dunno where this paranormal shizz is coming from. I don't love it. And I don't love how passive Mary's being from a non-paranormal standpoint. It almost feels like she's letting Kat and Lillia take care of things for her. I want her to do more. I hope she'll do more in the coming books. And I really hope that what she does only comes from her paranormal outbursts. I also hope there are explanations for her paranormal outbursts. Please. Don't leave me hanging here. Please.

As for Lillia, I like her. I'm always interested in the best friend of the mean girl who goes along for the ride and lets the mean girl get away with shit. I want to know what's going on in their brains. Like, are they confused? Stunted? Stupid? How do they ignore the terrible, awful things their best friends do? Rennie really is terrible, so there has to be something there if I'm going to believe Lillia's a good protagonist worth my attention. And this is another thing Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian do well. By which I mean to say, they do make me care about Lillia despite her relationship with Rennie.

All in all, I totally buy this book. Except for the paranormal thing. Mary, get it together.

The long and short of it?

Plot: I enjoy a good, entertaining revenge story. Again, for the millionth time, I'm afraid this paranormal thing is gonna make the story too convoluted and crazy for my tastes, but I'm gonna keep going here.
World Building: I'm sitting squarely on the "I don't buy this paranormal thing" train. Everything else totally works for me. Especially the spoilers on the Alex front.
Character Development: Love where Kat and Lillia are going. I definitely need a little more from Mary though.
Prose: Some freaking SOLID storytelling.
Would I Recommend This Book?: Seriously. For the billionth time. Paranormal. If you're gonna pick up this book, remember this. Be ready for this. It's not a major theme in book one, but I can't speak for the sequels. So. Read at your own risk if you're like me and don't read so much paranormal.

What did you think of this one? Did the revenge plots work for you? Did you want more? Less? Also, can we please just talk about my interest in Alex and my extreme hatred of Reeve? Yeah. Please. In the comments below.

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1)
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Release Date: September 27th, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 452
Source: Borrowed from the New York Public Library
Rating: Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

THE REVIEW

So there's this gigantic accident that kills 3 teens and leaves one in the hospital. That one teen who survives is Mara Dyer. (Or at least that's what we're told her name is. It's not really, supposedly.) Mara wakes up with no memory of what happened and is so traumatized by the whole thing that she convinces her family to move all the way to Florida to escape her past. But, like, obviously that's not going to happen. Throw in a hot guy and a little paranormal activity and we've got ourselves a story.

Let's break this down:

After I finished this book I messaged Judith freaking out. If it weren't for spoilers, I would just screenshot the whole conversation and post that in lieu of a review. Alas. SPOILERS. BUT I will quote a few of my gut responses because, well, they're pertinent.

"I do not understand this book."

"Help me."

"WHY DO I HAVE NO ANSWERS AFTER 450 PAGES?"

All of that sounds promising, doesn't it?

None of this is to say I don't like this book. I did like this book. I liked Noah and Mara and everyone else involved in this story. I liked the writing style and I even liked the plot. I just think there was a lot of STUFF going on and all of this STUFF made it very hard for all of the excellent elements of this book to properly hold their own.

First, there's Mara's memory loss. Then there's the development of her paranormal powers. Okay. I'm down. Then there's Noah and all his shenanigans. which I'm also down with. I don't totally understand the paranormal powers here - there's some bizarre nightmare/vision portion to it that leaves me feeling all: "huh say what now?" But in general, I got it. But then things get a little wonky crazy with Mara's father's case and what happens to Mara's little brother towards the end of the book. I get the end game of doing all of this but I really just felt like the baby was being thrown out with the bathwater (almost literally, I think, in this case) and it was just too much for me.

But as much as I wished there'd be more fewer plot points and more answers, I really did find my little jaunt into paranormal enjoyable. Mara as a protagonist is really interesting. She's struggling with a lot - I repeat, A LOT - of things and she manages it all admirably. Yeah, there were times when I wanted to shake her, but I think I'd be more worried if there weren't. But she's totally been through a lot of person-shaking moments.

I also really enjoyed Mara and Noah's relationship, as well as their personal relationships with their friends and families (although Mara's token black/bi/Jewish bestie was a little much for me). And that twist at the end? Well, that's one plot point that I liked. A lot. As much as I hate cliff hangers, I love a good sucker punch at the end of a book - especially if Book 2 in the series is already out. (I will say I'm probably going to wait until Book 3's out to dig into Book 2. It just seems like a really bad idea to not have the last book in the series ready to go if I'm going to finish this one.)

The long and short of it?

Plot: Maybe a little too plot-y for me.
World Building: I have no idea where any of the paranormal in this book comes from. I'll worry if I don't know by the end of Book 3. That's generally how paranormal works, right? (I'm just praying I'll one day know.)
Character Development: Poor Mara. Poor Noah. Poor everyone, really. This book really puts its characters through their paces and the characters, well, they handle it well.
Prose: Smooth sailing.
Would I Recommend This Book?: If you like paranormal with a hot guy, unstable girl and way more questions than answers, this is a pretty good series to start. However, if you're interested in a little less mystery and fewer WHAT THE FREAKING WHAT moments, you might want to skip this one.

I read this book because my friends couldn't shut up about it (*cough* Noah). Did/do you have similar motivations for reading or do you binge paranormal books on the daily? Talk to me about your genre preferences (and Noah) in the comments below!

Waiting On: Linked by Imogen Howson (24)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Linked (Linked #1)
Author: Imogen Howson
Release Date: June 11th, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Elissa used to have it all: looks, popularity, and a bright future. But for the last three years, she’s been struggling with terrifying visions, phantom pains, and mysterious bruises that appear out of nowhere.

Finally, she’s promised a cure: minor surgery to burn out the overactive area of her brain. But on the eve of the procedure, she discovers the shocking truth behind her hallucinations: she’s been seeing the world through another girl’s eyes.

Elissa follows her visions, and finds a battered, broken girl on the run. A girl—Lin—who looks exactly like Elissa, down to the matching bruises. The twin sister she never knew existed.

Now, Elissa and Lin are on the run from a government who will stop at nothing to reclaim Lin and protect the dangerous secrets she could expose—secrets that would shake the very foundation of their world.
Riveting, thought-provoking and utterly compelling, Linked will make you question what it really means to be human.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

I listed this book on my Top Ten Debuts I Can't Wait to Read back in January. Unsurprisingly, I'm STILL excited. I love debut authors - and not just because I'm doing the Debut Author Challenge this year. It just sound so DIFFERENT from all of the dystopians-type books I've been reading recently, so yes. YES I WILL HAVE IT.


Are you also looking for more debut authors for your DAC? Maybe you're just interested in a different kind of dystopian. Let me know why you're interested in this one (or even something else - I'm ALWAYS looking for books!) in the comments below!

Waiting On: Golden by Jessi Kirby (19)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Golden
Author: Jessi Kirby
Release Date: May 14th, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.

Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.

Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

I liked In Honor by Jessi Kirby and everyone's already buzzing about this book, so I'm INTERESTED. Not to mention, this one doesn't sound like your typical YA contemporary story. There are a lot of layers - at least by the way the summary sounds. I just hope the many plots it sounds like this book has doesn't ruin what sounds like awesome.

Have you guys heard anything about this one? Better yet, have you read it? Tell me, tell me in the comments below! 

Review: Sever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Sever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #3)
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Release Date: February 12th, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 384
Source: ARC provided by Lauren's literary agency because I interned there last summer. But I PROMISE that has nothing to do with why I love this series so much.
Rating: ★★★★★

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

THE REVIEW

THIS IS THE END YOU GUYS. THE END OF THE GREATNESS. *Takes deep breath* Okay. I'm ready. I'll try and keep my feels together. But no promises.

Let's break this down:

So the story picks up where the last book left off (just like it did between Wither and Fever): Rhine in the hospital, plotting how she's going to get back to her brother. It's kind of been the plot of this book since minute one, but the motives are different now. Rhine might WANT to go back to what once was, but she now knows that's not possible. Actually, she now knows it probably wasn't ever possible and it's time to move forward, not try and go backwards. Which is some serious character growth.

But that's not all for Rhine's character growth. This series isn't one of those loud, comic book onomatopoeia type series. The action doesn't smack you in the face. Instead it kind of creeps up on you in the form of Lauren DeStefano's lush, velvety prose, wraps itself around around you and overwhelms the I don't even know what outta you. As such, Rhine's growth in this book is similarly slow and soft. It's kind of like when you're trying to do some awful terrible math problem and you keep trying different ways to solve it but it's just not working. Then suddenly the teacher walks over, explains that they taught you how to do this one thing wrong and is sorry for not being more clear in class. Then you have this quiet "aha moment" in which you're not embarrassed, per say, but upset that you'd wasted all this time being frustrated for no reason.Your understanding might have changed, but every time you think of that math problem, or Rhine thinks of the similar-to-math-terrible situation she's been put in, that sadness returns and you wonder how things got so colossally messed up in the first place.

(Was my math metaphor a little dramatic? I don't even care. I hate math.)

But not only was Rhine's development wonderful. Rowan, her twin, also provides a very compelling story arc. He's probably got the fewest lines in the book, but we know him because Rhine shows us him (I like to think she's not biased because she really sees him, the way she believes he really sees her). I also really enjoy Linden and Cecily's transformations. It's so hard to believe they're the Linden and Cecily of Wither but they are and the development is truly gradual and logical in such a way that they feel like people I know in real life instead of characters on a page.

The rest of the characters in this book flourish wonderfully as well. They're all interconnected in the most bittersweet of ways. I was totally surprised at how Madame fits into everything, when we found out the truth about Jenna and when it became VERY clear what Vaughn's been up to for the entire series. I guessed how the world building issues I had with the first book would be solved, but I never thought Vaughn would be so involved with that solution. What a sneaky man.

But all of these very important factors aside, I think I loved this book most because of the larger theme: Utilitarianism. When I studied philosophy in college, I hated Utilitarianism. It drove me crazy (I loved that class and professor, though, for the record). But the way this series - and especially Sever - deals with this concept is truly gut wrenching. I honestly felt conflicted the whole way through. And like I said earlier, this book isn't an epic. I wasn't pulling my hair out and writing strongly worded letters to Lauren DeStefano. Instead I sat silently, just thinking about the world in a way I haven't since that philosophy class two years ago. This really is one of those series where being against the whole "the many over the few" idea becomes so difficult to wrap my head around. 

Oh man. I think that's as specific I can get without spoiling the book. I will say that I'm a LITTLE sad there isn't more Gabriel in this book, but ultimately I'm not so much because I like that this book (and series as a whole) is more about the sibling relationship than the romance. That's what should be important right? Blood's thicker than water and all that.

Uhm. So. On that note. This series is DONE. I'm sad, I'm happy, I'm I DON'T EVEN KNOW. But I will say that I think it's gonna be okay because Lauren DeStefano's next trilogy was announced today and IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE AMAZING. So check that out, yeah?

The long and short of it?

Plot: The whole thing just makes sense at the end of it all in a way I never thought it could.
World Building: Utilitarianism at it's best. Or worst >.<
Character Development: A delightful build I absolutely adore.
Prose: Do we really have to review my love of Lauren DeStefano's writing again?
Would I Recommend This Book?: If you like dystopian, philosophy or excellent plots twists, read it. The whole series. Please.

It's over. I cry. Do you cry? Were you as excited about this one as I was? Did you love it as much I did? PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FEELS!

Review: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Fever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #3)
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Release Date: February 21st, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 341
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★★★★

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

THE REVIEW

This book was a seriously wild trip. And I do mean trip, considering Rhine and Gabriel took turns being all drugged up throughout. You'd maybe think this would be a negative, but honestly, this book is pretty brilliant, SO IT'S NOT.

Let's break this down:

Can I just start by saying that Lauren DeStefano's writing style is brilliant? I could sit here all day writing down all the gushy adjectives to describe how amazingly lyrical her prose is, but I really feel like that would be a giant waste of everyone's time. I mean, you've all at least read Wither, right? So you should know. And, y'know, if you haven't read Wither, I'm not exactly sure why you're reading this and not that, or at least my review of that.

Anyway, now that I've gotten all dramatic and shirty over HOW MUCH I LOVE Lauren DeStefano's writing style, I think we can move on. 

So this book. A lot of second books in series start a few months after the first book, or at least show a sign of a break in between books. But this series? Where Wither ends, Fever begins. And y'know what? I'M GLAD because I don't want to miss a single second of Rhine and Gabriel. Their story is just so INSANE. Okay, I'll admit it, I was a little thrown by the carnival, but as I kept reading, I realized that every pit stop and plot point in this book is VERY IMPORTANT. Sure, Wither explains the basics with the disease and the gatherers and whatever else, but Fever makes everything seem so much more real - likely because the second installation of this series FINALLY takes us out of Linden's mansion. Fever shows us the first bit of outside world and expresses the idea that, no matter what, Rhine is always somehow caged. And that's when you begin to realize that this disease isn't just something that dictates death, but something that dictates life, too. It has so much shaped society that there's really nothing else.

And guys, as amazing of a job as I think Lauren DeStefano did with the world-building, the way she develops basically all of the characters in this book is just stellar. Linden really takes a stand in this one. Cecily, oh little baby Cecily, how I suddenly want to hurt you so much. And Housemaster Vaugh is like 10 times the psycho he was a book ago. We also gain a lot of insight into Gabriel's personality. I think we all kind of knew he wasn't so street smart, but the juxtaposition between him (the boy who grew up inside) and Rhine (the girl who grew up outside) is well developed and truly shows us more of  our leading man than we've ever seen before.

Of course, this brings me to Rhine. This whole book sort of just kind of happens to her, but not in a bad way. She obviously does what she can to reach her goal, but she's totally thwarted at every turn. So instead of making progress with her external goals, the book becomes about her internal development. Honestly? I'm glad that's the case. This book wouldn't be half as emotional and meaningful if we weren't in Rhine's head as she felt all of the confusing feels.

All in all, this book is kind of hard to pin down in a review and I think that's because of the weight of the characters emotions. This book isn't about the action, it's about the development (both world and character). It's because of this that everything in this series is built up to the point it all just feels so solid and real. All I can really say now is that the end is nigh, everything is set up for it and, thankfully, we only have to wait one more month.

The long and short of it?

Plot: A brilliant use of the second book in a trilogy.
World Building: Wither showed us the cozy, sheltered side of this world, but Fever vividly describes the terror of the outside world.
Character Development: Rhine, along with everyone else, really grows into themselves.
Prose: Guys, it's Lauren DeStefano. Do I really have to talk about this?
Would I Recommend This Book?: Go read Wither and then pick this one up. You won't regret it.

This book made me feel all of the feels. How did you react to it? Did you love it as much as I did or was something missing for you? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Title: In Honor
Author: Jessi Kirby
Release Date: May 8th, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 240
Source: Borrowed from the New York Public Library
Rating: ★★★★☆

Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn’s celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn’s last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn . . . and ruggedly good-looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

THE REVIEW

So when I started this book, I was working off the summary on the book jacket, not the one provided by Goodreads. I would recommend that anyone who wants to pick this up read the latter, as the former doesn't really explain the plot. Normally a bad book jacket summary wouldn't matter, but for such a slim contemporary novel, I think it's pretty important to know exactly what's about to happen so you don't have to spend precious pages trying to orient yourself in the story.

Let's break this down:

I really like this book. I do. I just feel like the beginning is a little clunky. 

First there's the funeral, which is as awkward as that hug the army general guy gives Honor at the end of it all. Then the book kind of rushes a bunch of the pertinent details - the letter from Finn, Honor's decision to road trip, how Rusty ended up going with her and a couple of other bits and bobs. Part of my irritation at the beginning of the book is definitely because of the rushing and the fumbling to put the story in motion. The other part, unfortunately, is due to the previously mentioned vague plot summary on the book jacket. I just didn't realize what the driving force of the book was and when I found out it was a popstar's concert, I was a little concerned at the fluffiness of that event juxtaposed with a death of a soldier and brother. But it works in the end. Which is pretty amazing, I think.

Anyway, despite the rocky start, I kept going. Good thing, too, because the rest of this book was absolutely wonderful. Once all the distractions are gone and the book becomes about Honor and Rusty's amazingly nuanced relationship, Jessi Kirby's meaningful story and lovely prose are given a chance to really show the reader exactly what this book is capable of.

The loss in this book is meaningful and profound - from both Rusty and Honor perspectives. Both of their relationships with Finn, the deceased brother, are so terribly sad, each for their own distinct reasons. And y'know what? Even though we only really get to hear about Honor's feelings, since the book is written from her POV, there are these tiny little windows into what Rusty's going through that really hit me hard. I absolute love these moments and wish there were more of them - but at the same time, I'm almost happy there aren't because this book is really about Honor.

I like Honor. She's the kind of girl who says what she thinks, regrets it and then tries to reign it all in, which results in her not saying enough. She does what she thinks she needs to do to make everything right in her world and even if she's wrong, she keeps plugging on. She's sheltered and even when Rusty forces her to see it, she's honestly tries to deal with it, even though she knows it's not something she can necessarily change, but instead something she'll have to own and incorporate into her life. Honestly, I think she and I would be friends.

And then there's the backdrop of this whole story. I think Jessi Kirby could write about frozen tundra and I would still want to go visit. The vivid descriptions of everything, from the Texan/New Mexican desert to the Californian sea side are just beautiful. Y'know what? I think it's time for a road trip. Who wants to come?

The long and short of it?

Plot: There's just enough tragedy, good fortune and bad luck to make the whole thing work.
World Building: A devastatingly unfortunate scenario that Jessi Kirby really brings to life.
Character Development: Once I got past the slow start, I really began to feel for Honor and Rusty.
Prose: Again, once I made it through the first few chapters, the writing is earnest, clear and emotive.
Would I Recommend This Book?: If you can push yourself through the first 20 pages or so, the rest is definitely worth it.

Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither (The Chemical Garden #1)
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Release Date: March 22nd, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 385
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★★★☆

In the not-too-distant future, genetic engineering has turned every newborn into a ticking time bomb: Males die at age twenty-five, and females die at age twenty. While scientists seek a miracle antidote, young girls are routinely kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When sixteen-year-old Rhine is taken, she enters a world of wealth and privilege that both entices everything she ever wanted--except freedom.

Soon it becomes clear that not everyone in her new husband's home is how they appear. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to escape... before her time runs out.

[Summary Source: Book Jacket]

THE REVIEW

There are a lot of dystopian novels out there. A lot of them are really good. This is one of those really good ones.

Let's break this down:

If I was born in Rhine's generation, I would be dead. A large majority of my friends would be dead. THINK ABOUT THAT and try not to freak out.

You can't? Okay good, you're human. Read on, human person.

And then, beyond all of this talk about freaky human cures for ailments that end up causing the worst ailment yet, there's theft, kidnap, human trafficking, child prostitution and a whole host of other terrible, awful things. Not to mention, America's all that's left. Bye bye every other continent. Peace out ice caps. Catch you later world. Granted, there's a technical issue here (I know you've all seen Day After Tomorrow--Dennis Quaid and the beautiful Jake Gyllenhaal covered this topic adequately. Feel free to re-watch for a refresher). But the thing is, I'm not so irked by the world building holes here. I'm mostly interested in the fact that there's this one generation that's well into it's 70s and then a bunch of orphaned ticking-time-bomb-kids running around trying to survive even though they KNOW they have an expiration date. That's really gotta mess with a person's head, don't you think?

And then there's Rhine Ellery. She's the girl who really jumps off the page--the girl you want to pay attention to.

Rhine is one of those characters who seems just as real as anyone else in the world. Even though I'm sure her life perspective is VERY different from mine, I still get where she's coming from. I get why she needs to get back to her brother. It totally follows that she's angry about being kidnapped and forced to marry some guy. I can even understand why she begins to make friends with the people in the mansion. Everything she does makes sense. Which is great, because if you want a story to really work, the main character has to work as well.

But it's not just Rhine who's super real-feeling and make-sensical. Lauren DeStefano is such an incredible writer that every single character she creates is somehow totally relatable. I want what all of them want, even though most of their desires contradict one another. And it's because all of these characters make sense that the plot around Rhine moves with the fluidity it does. So not only does Lauren DeStefano manage to create a wonderfully complex main character to push this wickedly warped dystopian trilogy forward, she's also managed to build a supporting cast that fleshes out the plot around Rhine, creating a truly amazing story worth telling (even if the world building isn't entirely sound).

The long and short of it?

Plot: Creeptastic (in a GOOD way)
World Building: Not so great
Character Development: Stellar
Prose: Drool-worthy
Would I Recommend This Book?: Yes. Well, maybe not to those who get stuck on the world building details, but to everyone else? Yes.

**You guys should all follow Lauren DeStefano on Twitter. For every follow she gets until 2013, she's going to donate $1 to her local animal shelter--up to $2,000! If I didn't already follow her, I assure you I'd be on that like yesterday.**