Waiting on Wednesday: My Life Next Door

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight books we can't wait for.

My Life Next Door

by Huntley Fitzpatrick

14 June 2012

The GoodReads summary:
The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive?

Set among the haves and have-nots of a coastal New England town, My LIFE NEXT DOOR captures the angst, the heartache, and the raw-nerve emotions of first time love—and biting loss.

While I'm a little worried that this book might have some insta-love going on, overall it just sounds like its going to be a really good, slightly more serious contemporary YA. Just how I like 'em.

Review: Texas Gothic

Texas Gothic, by Rosemary Clement-Moore. The GoodReads summary:

Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.

Even though the reviews I read about this book were kinda mixed, I still knew that it would be a book I would totally enjoy. Isn’t it weird how that happens sometimes? And I was proved right about liking it from the first sentence: “The goat was in the tree again”--I don’t know what else I could ask for in a first sentence. The whole first chapter is probably one of my favorites that I’ve read recently. Let me give you a teaser: it involves Amy chasing a cow out of her yard in her underwear and (of course) running into a hot cowboy while she’s doing it.

I loved Amy so much. She’s one of those characters that I know without a doubt I would be friends with if she were real. She’s funny and sarcastic and level-headed; she’s confident and brave without doing completely reckless things (and the reckless things she does do she has a reason for). Ben is a hot cowboy, so that’s pretty much all I needed to know to fall in love. He’s cranky and uptight (for fairly good reasons), but he’s always a gentlemen and he’s there when it counts. And hooray for no insta-love! Amy and Ben argue a lot throughout the book, but it’s, you know, the sexual-tension-building kind of arguing, so I was on board.

This book was a mystery/ghost/witch story--which I was so, so happy about. I love mysteries, and I’m always glad when they pop up in YA. This was more of a Scooby-Doo or Nancy Drew kind of mystery though, so don’t go into it expecting a complicated and suspenseful mystery where you don’t know who the bad guy is until the very end.

Overall, I really liked this book. Amy was such a great character (and she graduated from high school, so it’s older YA--yay!) and I never got tired of her or annoyed. The mystery was a lot of fun and I loved that Amy and her sister are witches. Basically, this book was a win all around for me.

Review: The Reluctant Heiress

The Reluctant Heiress (previously published as “Magic Flutes”), by Eva Ibbotson. The GoodReads summary:

Being an heiress in 1920s Austria with nothing but a broken-down castle to your name and nary a penny in your purse could be frustrating for anyone but the Princess Theresa-Maria of Pfaffenstein. “Tessa,” however, is thrilled with her situation, as it allows her to concentrate on her love of the arts—and no one in the Viennese opera company need know that their delightful and charming under-wardrobe mistress is really a princess. But when the dashing self-made millionaire Guy Farne arrives at the opera in search of suitable entertainment for his high society guests, Tessa realizes that there may be more to life—and love—than just music. But while the attraction between them in undeniable, Guy’s insufferable snob of a fiancée only solidifies Tessa’s determination to keep her true identity a secret. Yet, after a chance meeting with the handsome Englishman, Tessa’s reserve begins to melt, and she starts to wonder if it’s not too late for a fairytale ending…

Have you ever started a series or read a book by an author you haven’t read anything by before and just wanted to smack yourself for not reading the book earlier? That’s pretty much how I feel about “The Reluctant Heiress.” I read Ibbotson’s children’s books (Which Witch, Island of the Aunts, Secret of Platform 13, etc.) when I was in elementary school, but I never got around to reading her YA-ish ones. And now I’m kicking myself, because “The Reluctant Heiress” was so great and I have a feeling that Ibbotson’s other ones are just as good.

I think what I came away with most of all from this book is a reminder of what a fantastic storyteller Ibbotson is. There are books that are so realistic and current that you feel like you’re in the story yourself, and then there are books like this one--books that have you wanting to curl up with some hot chocolate and just get lost in the skill of the storyteller. Ibbotson tells a story in a way that’s interesting and clever but at the same time completely comforting. And when I say “clever,” I’m not kidding--this book had me smiling at the constant wittiness of the description.

I also loved how Ibbotson created a world where I felt at completely at home, even though I know next to nothing about 1920s Austria. And she somehow managed to do it without an overabundance of description.

I loved the characters so much. Tessa is perhaps more kindhearted and selfless than anyone would ever be in real life, but she’s so humble about everything that you can’t help but adore her anyway. Guy reminded me a bit of Mr. Rochester from “Jane Eyre”--which is a good thing, but like Mr. Rochester, his faults were pretty easy to see (like his annoying tendency to jump to conclusions). But even more than I liked the main characters, I loved the secondary ones. Tessa’s aunts and Guy’s foster mother are some of the most likeable backup characters I’ve seen in a while. And I admire how skillfully Ibbotson is able to gently mock and make fun of her characters without detracting from their good qualities--that takes a lot of talent as a writer, I think.

Overall, I adored this book--Ibbotson is just such a skilled storyteller. And I guess it’s a good thing after all that I’m just now getting around to her YA books--it means I have a bunch of great already-published books to read.

Friday Favorites: Little Women

So I’m going to try out something new and see how it goes. On Fridays I’m going to start posting a little shout out to one of my favorite books and explain why I love it so much. This will give me the chance to fangirl over books I never reviewed on this blog and let me post about some non-YA books I love.


Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. The (really short!) GoodRead’s summary:

In picturesque nineteenth-century New England, tomboyish Jo, beautiful Meg, fragile Beth, and romantic Amy come of age while their father is off to war.

When did I first read it?
I read it for the first time in elementary school--probably around 4th or 5th grade.

Why did I first read it?
I don’t really remember. I think it was probably one of the books my teacher had in the classroom “library.” I seem to remember reading it at the same time as my friend.

What did I think about it then?
I loved it, and it became my favorite book up through high school. But I think at the time I liked it mostly because it made me feel smart. It was the first classic I’d read, and it made me feel superior to my classmates, who were reading Goosebumps or whatever. (I was way more of a book snob back then than I am now.) My favorite character was Jo--I felt like I could really relate to her, although now I’m not sure why, since I’ve realized since then that we’re not all that similar.

What do I think about it now?
I still adore this book, but I think it’s more of a nostalgic love than anything else. I mean, it’s been 10 or so years since I read it last. But despite the time that’s passed, there are still a bunch of scenes that I remember perfectly. In fact, this book was such a part of my reading identity growing up that I remember parts of the book practically as if they’re my own memories--like Amy falling through the ice, Jo taking Beth to the seaside, the girls playing Pilgrims Progress, etc. I’m kinda scared to reread this book actually, because I don’t think it could possibly live up to my memories of it.

Have you read “Little Women”? What did you think?

Review: Don’t Breathe a Word

Don’t Breathe a Word, by Holly Cupala. The GoodReads summary:

Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

Every once in a while after I finish a book, I have no idea what I’m going to say in my review. I just sit there thinking about the book and drawing a blank. And that’s how I felt about this book. Don’t get me wrong--it was an amazing, powerful book, but I just feel so . . . out of my league or something. I mean, what do I know about homelessness and abuse and chronic illness? Pretty much nothing, that’s what. So this book kinda overwhelmed me a bit, just because there wasn’t much I could relate to.

The writing was fantastic, though, and maybe that was part of my problem. It all felt so gritty and real, and it made my stomach hurt to realize that all the terrible things that happen in this book happen in real life. I never quite connected to any of the characters--it’s not that they weren’t likeable, it’s just that their lives are so hard I think I was worried that it would break my heart to get attached to them.

Apparently this is going to be a really short review, because I’ve been sitting here in front of my computer, just staring at the screen, trying to put my thoughts into words. But I’m failing miserably. Don’t take that to mean that this book isn’t worth reading--in fact it’s the opposite. This book is so worth it. Just, I don’t know, brace yourself or something, because it’s going to hit you like a punch in the gut.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Golden Lily

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight books we can't wait for.

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)

By Richelle Mead

19 June 2012

The GoodReads summary:
Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.

But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age-old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.

Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?

Yes, I came a little (a lot!) late to the Vampire Academy game, but I think I made up for my tardiness with the depth of my obsession with it. And so I was freakin' ecstatic that Bloodlines was really good too. So guess what? I'm dying for The Golden Lily to come out. Cuz I want to hang out with Sydney and crew some more.

Review: Catching Jordan

Catching Jordan, by Miranda Kenneally. The GoodReads summary:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

Contemporary YA is my favorite, but I haven’t been reading much of it lately and the ones I have read I haven’t had much luck with. So I was a little wary going into this one, especially since it had been getting such rave reviews--we all know how dangerous the hype monster can be. But while I’m not saying this is my new favorite book or anything, I will say it’s the best contemporary I’ve read recently.

The thing that got me from the very first page is Jordan’s narrative voice. She’s so down-to-earth and blunt and funny--she just sounded like a real person. And I loved her personality too. She’s a total tomboy and completely “one of the guys,” but she’s also compassionate and kind and a great leader. She’s a confident and kick-A quarterback, but she has her own set of insecurities and worries that keep her easy to relate to.

One of the things I liked most, besides Jordan, was her friendship with her fellow members of the football team. I only have one brother and not that many guy friends, so seeing Jordan’s easy friendship with her teammates was like getting insight into a whole new world for me. Plus, the guys, while still being, you know, pervy high school guys, are such solid friends--they’re there for Jordan when she needs them and aren’t the sexist jerks football players are so often portrayed as in YA.

There’s kind of a love triangle, but not really. I don’t really know how to explain it, but if you’re the type to avoid books based on love triangles, you don’t need to worry about it bugging you in this book. Neither Ty or Henry really won me over completely--they both had a few too many characteristics that annoyed me--but I’m happy who Jordan ends up with.

Overall, this was a great contemporary YA. If you’ve been in a bit of a reading slump recently, I’d definitely recommend this one. And don’t worry if you’re not a football fan--I’m not, and I still had a perfectly lovely time with this book.

Review: Stork

Stork, by Wendy Delsol. The GoodReads summary:

Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.

I think what I liked best about this story was how unique it was. I mean, the usual elements of YA were there (new town! insta-love! mean popular kids!), but it was based on Nordic folktales, which made it feel different from the plethora of mythology-based YAs that have come out recently. I found the whole stork society (yes, “stork” as in the storks who bring babies) fascinating. I do wish we could’ve spent a little more time with the society, and that Kat could’ve learned more about her role, but I’ll just have to take the time I got, I guess. I also loved the quirky old ladies in the society--nothing livens up a book for me more than quirky old people, as oxymoronic as that may sound.

I really enjoyed Kat--I think we could be friends in real life. She was sarcastic and funny and not annoying at all. She managed to take all the changes life threw at her in stride, without getting all mopey and woe-is-me. Yay!

Her relationship with Jack wasn’t my favorite ever--mostly because it was one of those “yes, I hated you yesterday, but today I love you!” situations. Plus, Jack acted really weird for most of their time together. There was definitely a reason why he was acting like that, but I don’t know why Kat never thought his behavior was strange--I would’ve been like, “Dude, what is going on with you?” pretty much after the first time he freaked out.

The big, climactic end scene seem really random and out of the blue to me. At the end of it, I was kinda like, “Wait. What just happened here? And WHY did it happen?” I have the feeling it was the author’s way of leaving something open for a sequel, but I would’ve appreciated it if she had worked up to the climax a little better.

Overall, the book wasn’t perfect, but I ended up really enjoying it--mostly because I liked the Icelandic folktale aspect and thought Kat was a fun character. Basically, there were enough things that I liked that I was willing to overlook the things that I didn’t. So if you see the book, pick it up--I think it’s worth a read.

Review: The Sweetest Thing

The Sweetest Thing, by Christina Mandelski. The GoodReads summary:

In the world of Sheridan Wells, life is perfect when she’s decorating a cake. Unfortunately, everything else is a complete mess: her mom ran off years ago, her dad is more interested in his restaurant, and the idea of a boyfriend is laughable.

But Sheridan is convinced finding her mom will solve all her problems--only her dad’s about to get a cooking show in New York, which means her dream of a perfect family will be dashed.

Here’s the thing--it was kinda hard for me to concentrate on the things that I liked about this book, because Sheridan annoyed me SO much. She’s honestly one of the most self-absorbed main characters that I’ve seen. She never thinks about anyone other than herself . . . ever. It’s always me, me, me. Yes, her life has challenges--her mom abandoned her and her dad wants to move away from the town where Sheridan grew up, but seriously, Sheridan never once tries to see anything from anyone else’s perspective--she doesn’t realize that other people have struggles too. She made me want to scream.

Okay, so now that I’ve gotten that bit of whininess out of my system, I’ll move on to other, more positive things. I generally liked the other characters. Her grandma is pretty great, even though everything out of her mouth is a Texas cliché. It took me a little while to understand Sheridan’s dad and why he was acting the way he was, but once I did, I liked him a lot. He makes some mistakes, but it’s clear that he really loves Sheridan. Jack, Sheridan’s best friend, felt a little flat to me, but he was sweet and a good friend, so it didn’t bug me too much. I really liked that Ethan, the boy Sheridan starts dating, isn’t automatically a jerk just because he’s popular--he has some jerk-ish qualities but he has some good ones too.

I loved the whole bakery/restaurant thing the book had going on. It made me so hungry while I was reading. And I like that Sheridan decorates cakes. I feel like, for some reason, not many YA characters have hobbies, but Sheridan does, and she totally rocks at it.

Overall, I think that if I could overlook Sheridan’s selfishness, I would’ve thought it was a cute book that does a pretty good job at dealing with family dynamics. But . . . I really cannot get over my dislike of Sheridan, so I probably won’t ever be re-reading this one. I’d read something else by the same author though.

Waiting on Wednesday: Froi of the Exiles

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight books we can't wait for.

Froi of the Exiles

by Melina Marchetta

13 March 2012

The GoodReads summary:
Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home . . . or so he believes. Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been taken roughly and lovingly in hand by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper with a warrior's discipline. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds in its surreal royal court. Soon he must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad princess in this barren and mysterious place. It is in Charyn that he will discover there is a song sleeping in his blood . . . and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.

So I'm not super fond of the cover, but who cares?--it's a new Melina Marchetta book, for crying out loud. I just read Finnikin of the Rock and totally loved it. So believe me when I say I was ecstatic to find out that the next book is coming out in only a month and a half. And I'm really curious to see how it goes, because Froi was kinda a love-hate character for me.