Tag: Book Review

Book Review | With Malice by Eileen Cook

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

With Malice by Eileen Cook

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on June 7, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 316

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

It was the perfect trip…until it wasn’t.

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital room, leg in a cast, stitches in her face and a big blank canvas where the last six weeks should be. She discovers she was involved in a fatal car accident while on a school trip in Italy. A trip she doesn’t even remember taking. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident…wasn’t an accident.

As the accident makes national headlines, Jill finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. It doesn’t help that the media is portraying her as a sociopath who killed her bubbly best friend, Simone, in a jealous rage. With the evidence mounting against her, there’s only one thing Jill knows for sure: She would never hurt Simone. But what really happened? Questioning who she can trust and what she’s capable of, Jill desperately tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life.

REVIEW

I picked up With Malice by Eileen Cook shortly after its release because I kept hearing so many positive reviews. This young adult mystery novel follows teenager Jill as she wakes up in the hospital not knowing how she got there. Jill spent the last six weeks studying abroad in Italy, but she was in a horrific car crash in which her longtime best friend Simone died. If that wasn’t bad enough, Jill is now accused of purposefully causing the crash to kill Simone. With Malice follows Jill as she tries to remember what happened in Italy and discover if she is Simone’s killer.

What I really liked about this book is the fast pace and addictive writing style. I flew through this captivating read because I just had to know if Jill was a killer or not! Jill is our first-person narrator, and I think that is a great choice. I wanted to instantly trust her, but I had to remind myself that she is unreliable because of the memory loss she suffered.

Unfortunately, the author takes a lot of liberties with the way she depicts the legal process in With Malice. While I know this is a fictional novel and written for entertainment purposes only, it was clear to me that either the author did not care to be legally accurate, or she simply failed to do proper research. For example, in one scene Jill’s lawyer mentions that the opinion of a lay witness would not be admissible because it pertains to the speed of the car during the crash. Anyone who has taken an evidence class in law school knows that is completely wrong – lay witnesses can give opinion testimony in this situation. I even did some research to make sure this is the same in Italy! Those without a legal background probably will not be as bothered by the plethora of inaccuracies, but it did take away a lot from my reading experience, as I do have a law degree.

Similarly, I was also disappointed with the way the ending of With Malice is written. All of the action takes place in the last 30 pages, rendering much of what was presented in the preceding 280 pages moot. While I did like the ending itself, it was quite frustrating that it had to be so rushed. The ending would be much more effective if it were longer and better explained.

Nonetheless, I am really impressed by the plethora of discussion topics that are brought up in this book. With Malice is perfect for a book club because the author brings up a lot of issues without giving strong conclusions to any of them. For instance, friendship plays a major role in the novel. Some of the questions that crossed my mind are: when is friendship true? Can you ever really trust your friends? Should we hold onto friendships simply because we’ve been in them a long time? I think these are questions that can be discussed with others for a long time!

Another topic that I found prevalent in the novel is that of the role of the media. Multimedia plays a role in With Malice, as readers get to see blogs, articles, police interviews, etc. and make their own conclusions as to what is true. This book really demonstrates how things can become twisted so easily. Does the media tell the truth, or are we supposed to find the truth based off of what the media presents? How does social media help or hinder the news? How does social media change the lives of others? Is anonymity online good or bad? I asked myself these questions upon finishing the novel.

Probably the most intriguing topic in the book, however, is truth. Jill is constantly trying to find the truth – did she really kill Simone, or is she being framed? With Malice helped me realize how we can almost never know the truth about something, and this goes for nearly everything in life! While scary, this is also fascinating. I’m grateful that this book evoked this curiosity within me!

All in all, I did enjoy my read of With Malice by Eileen Cook, even though there are some things about it that didn’t sit well for me. It certainly is a thought-provoking read, and I recommend it for any book club. I think it is also a great pick if you are looking to break into the mystery or thriller genres, as it reads very quickly. If you’ve read With Malice, I would love to know your thoughts on it! There is so much to discuss, so please leave me a comment!

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Book Review | Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

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Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

Published by Dutton Juvenile on April 5, 2011

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 264

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★

It’s been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam’s life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard’s rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia’s home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future – and each other.

Told from Adam’s point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

REVIEW

I was very excited to pick up Where She Went, the sequel to Gayle Forman’s If I Stay, as soon as I finished the first book in this duology. If I Stay ended quite abruptly, and I just had to know what would happen next in Mia Hall’s life. Where She Went is told from Adam Wilde’s perspective, Mia’s high school boyfriend, three years after Mia decides to stay. Adam is now a famous rock star, and is struggling in a plethora of ways. Fame is not treating him well, and he is dealing with the grief he feels after Mia breaks up with him when she moved away to college, and after losing her family, too.

The story begins with Adam in New York City for his band. He is about to leave for a European tour, but he decides to go for a walk in the city, and finds out Mia is playing a concert at Carnegie Hall. The two reconnect after the show, and discuss the changes in their lives since they last spoke. Where She Went is written both in the current time, and in flashback scenes as well. This format helps to shed light on the events that Mia and Adam went through since the end of If I Stay.

Right off the bat I could tell Where She Went has a different tone than the first book, and not just because Adam is the narrator. This book is definitely more raw and sad in ways that If I Stay is not. For example, Adam suffers from depression after Mia dumps him. It is heartbreaking to see how much pain he is in, and how he had no one to truly comfort him besides his parents. I really admire Forman for being able to write about such devastating topics in a realistic way.

Similarly, I think Forman does an amazing job at capturing fame from the inside. It is eye-opening to see what Adam goes through on a daily basis as a rock star. He has absolutely no privacy, and he gets mobbed wherever he goes. I think Where She Went is a must read solely for this look at how celebrities are treated in our society today.

Moreover, I also really liked how this book incorporates the setting of New York City. It is rare that I read a book in which the characters interact so much with their setting. In Where She Went, Mia takes Adam around the city to visit her favorite places. Whether you are familiar with New York or not, I think you will feel so pulled in by the city’s atmosphere while reading.

There are a few things about this book that I did not enjoy so much, mostly a few aspects that seemed a bit too ridiculous. First, despite Adam being super famous, no one knows about his relationship with Mia. The couple was together over two years, and I’m sure Mia’s accident was publicized. I find it extremely hard to believe that this could be kept a secret from the media. In the same way, Adam, Mia, and Mia’s friend Kim all turn out to be famous. Sure, it could happen that three high school friends all become famous, but it seemed a bit outlandish to me, and detracted just a bit from the book’s credibility.

Overall, I still really liked Where She Went, and am glad I read it to receive the closure I did not get from the first book. I highly recommend picking this sequel up if you have not done so yet. Forman writes so beautifully, and she creates well-developed characters that will stay with me as a reader for a long time. I will definitely be picking up Forman’s other books in the future!

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Book Review | If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman

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If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman

Published by Speak on April 2, 2009

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 261

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★ 1/2

The critically acclaimed, bestselling novel from Gayle Forman, author of Where She Went, Just One Day, and Just One Year.
Soon to be a major motion picture, starring Chloe Moretz!

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family. Now a major motion picture starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia’s story will stay with you for a long, long time.

 

REVIEW

I was hesitant to pick up If I Stay by Gayle Forman for a very long time after hearing such mixed reviews about this young adult novel. I finally got to it during this year’s Booktube-a-thon, and I am so glad I did. If I Stay follows teenager Mia when she and her family are in a devastating car crash. Her parents die in the crash, and her younger brother is critically injured. Mia is in a coma, but is having an out-of-body experience where she can see everything that is going on in the hospital, but cannot communicate with the friends and family members who come to visit her. Mia must decide whether she should stay and continue living without her parents, or whether she should let go and die. Readers follow Mia as she reflects on this decision, and shares moments of her life from the past to help make her choice.

When I first began the book, I was a little underwhelmed. I liked the characters and the story, but the writing seemed a bit simplistic. However, as I continued reading, I quickly became emotionally attached to the characters in the novel. Forman is an incredible storyteller. She has the ability to put so much feeling into the book without needing flowery writing. I teared up several times throughout If I Stay because of how well written the book is.

Similarly, I think the back-and-forth in time format works really well for this novel. It helped put me inside Mia’s headspace more, as I could understand her feelings by going into the past and reliving her memories. For example, I especially loved Mia’s grandfather, whom she calls Gramps. He is a quiet and gentle man, but one who plays a huge role in Mia’s life. I really connected with his character, and because we got to see him interact with Mia in her memories, what he does in the present is even more meaningful. Mia has a very special relationship with all of the people in her life, and it was really interesting to see these connections through her memories.

Moreover, I liked the way music plays a role in this novel. Mia is a classical cellist, and is very passionate about the music she plays. Her parents loved punk music, and her boyfriend plays in a punk band. Not only does music help the characters strengthen their relationships, but it also helps to build emotion in the reader. I think Forman used this element well in the book, because music is something many of us can connect with on a personal level, no matter what type of music we enjoy.

As for the ending of If I Stay, I did really enjoy it, but it also stops quite abruptly. I would have really liked just a bit more, perhaps in the form of an epilogue. There is a second book called Where She Went, and I will be reading that very soon to see if I get any answers.

Overall, I am surprised by how much I loved reading If I Stay. It is a short book, but it packs an emotional punch. I did watch the movie adaptation on Amazon Prime shortly after reading the book, and I liked that a lot, too. I highly recommend picking up the book first, though, as you get to know the characters a lot more. If you liked The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Album, I think you’ll enjoy this book as well. It created the same feeling within me as a reader, and gave me an inspirational and hopeful message on life. I will definitely be reading more books from Gayle Forman in the future!

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Book Review | The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter

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The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter

Published by Philomel Books on March 15, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 352

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★★

Cassie O’Malley has been trying to keep her head above water—literally and metaphorically—since birth. It’s been two and a half years since Cassie’s mother dumped her in a mental institution against her will, and now, at eighteen, Cassie is finally able to reclaim her life and enter the world on her own terms.

But freedom is a poor match against a lifetime of psychological damage. As Cassie plumbs the depths of her new surroundings, the startling truths she uncovers about her own family narrative make it impossible to cut the tethers of a tumultuous past. And when the unhealthy mother-daughter relationship that defined Cassie’s childhood and adolescence threatens to pull her under once again, Cassie must decide: whose version of history is real? And more important, whose life must she save?

A bold, literary story about the fragile complexities of mothers and daughters and learning to love oneself, The First Time She Drowned reminds us that we must dive deep into our pasts if we are ever to move forward.

REVIEW

The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter is one of those rare books that I think everyone should read. It follows eighteen-year-old Cassie as she checks herself out of the mental hospital where she’s lived for the past two-and-a-half years, and embarks on what she hopes will be a normal college life. Not only was I extremely intrigued with this premise, but I was immediately sucked in upon discovering that Cassie claims she doesn’t belong in the hospital. Instead, Cassie says, her mother put her there against her will for no reason.

I was absolutely sucked into this book from page one because of this gripping story. Part of me thought Cassie was hiding something, for what kind of parent puts her child in a mental hospital if there is nothing wrong? The other part, however, wondered if Cassie’s mother was truly the one with mental health issues. I flew through this book trying to piece together the truth.

In addition to the story, I fell in love with Kletter’s writing style. The First Time She Drowned is carefully crafted, and written both in the present and in flashbacks. The author paid very close attention to the role of water in this novel. Many of the metaphors have to do with water, and I am amazed with how well she used this tool to her advantage. The writing is quite lyrical, and at times very haunting. It created the perfect atmosphere for the story.

Moreover, The First Time She Drowned is a true family tragedy. Readers get to know Cassie and both her immediate and extended family as the story evolves. While there are many characters that I didn’t like, I empathized with them. I won’t go into detail about the family history, as I think it is better discovered through reading the book, but what I will say is that every character is suffering in his own way. My heart broke not only for Cassie, but for her mother as well.

Finally, the ending of the book took a different turn than I was expecting. However, that is not a bad thing. While The First Time She Drowned isn’t wrapped up in a pretty bow at the end, it left me hanging in a way that made me think. This is a very rereadable book, as the next time I pick it up I will have an entirely different mindset from the start. I truly appreciate how The First Time She Drowned discusses mental health in a raw way, and demonstrates how important it is to care for those around you while also taking care of yourself.

As you may be able to guess, I highly recommend picking up The First Time She Drowned. It is one of the best young adult contemporary novels I’ve read this year, and one of my few five-star ratings. If you love emotional books with unreliable narrators, then you will absolutely love this book. I know I will be reading whatever Kletter writes in the future.

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Book Review | If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

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If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

Published by Flatiron Books on May 3, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 288

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school in Lambertville, Tennessee. Like any other girl, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret. There’s a reason why she transferred schools for her senior year, and why she’s determined not to get too close to anyone.

And then she meets Grant Everett. Grant is unlike anyone she’s ever met—open, honest, kind—and Amanda can’t help but start to let him into her life. As they spend more time together, she finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself…including her past. But she’s terrified that once she tells Grant the truth, he won’t be able to see past it.

Because the secret that Amanda’s been keeping? It’s that she used to be Andrew.

REVIEW

If I Was Your Girl is a debut young adult novel following teenager Amanda as she moves in with the dad she hasn’t seen in years to start at a new school. She leaves her mom and everything familiar behind to escape the bullying she’s experienced throughout her childhood. Amanda hopes that she can stay undercover at her new school, because she doesn’t want anyone to know her secret – that she is a transgender girl. I picked up this book because I wanted to read an Own Voices novel, written by a transgender woman. While I really enjoyed the story and think it is a good debut, it did fall a bit flat for me in some places.

First, I want to talk about the writing style, which is the most important aspect of any book for me. I found Russo’s writing to be very strong and well done. I always appreciate when an author can write in a realistic and age appropriate voice without sacrificing quality. However, I did notice that the pacing of the novel seemed a bit off in some places. For example, one of the early scenes in the book features Amanda eating at a diner with her father. They leave the dinner with “half-eaten” plates, but the plates were just set down with no break in the dialogue. These rushed scenes occur in a few places throughout the novel, and need to be flushed out more to create better pacing for the story.

Moreover, I really loved the relationships we see in this book. Amanda builds and grows familial relationships, friendships, and a romantic relationship, too. I especially enjoyed seeing Amanda’s father learning to accept her, and provide support for her when she needs it most. Of course, it is also nice to see strong female friendships in young adult literature, and I really liked the scenes where Amanda is hanging out with her new group of friends. There are lot of interesting dynamics within this group, including some juicy secrets, that were fun to see played out.

In fact, secrets play a very important role in this novel. The entire plot of If I Was Your Girl revolves around Amanda keeping it a secret that she is transgender. As a reader, I was essentially waiting for this secret to be revealed for the entirety of the book. While I did wish that wasn’t the main point of the story, it did make me think about all of the secrets we each have in life, whether big or small, and how disclosing them is not always a simple thing do to.

I want to close out my review with what I hope will be a sensitive and respectful discussion of Amanda’s gender identity. I am so glad that this book is about a trans girl, and I picked it up to learn more about what someone like Amanda goes through in life. I know I cannot properly critique the choices Russo made while writing this book, as I am cisgender, but I am a bit uncomfortable with how If I Was Your Girl represents the trans community. Russo writes in her Author’s Note that she is a storyteller, and not an educator. However, I do think this book would be much stronger if it did include more educational aspects. For instance, there are some aspects with the trans experience that a cis reader may not understand, such as the role of hormones and dilation in a trans woman’s life. While Russo does not need to go into detail about these things, it would be helpful if she quickly explained what they are to the audience.

Moreover, I also think it is a bit damaging to write Amanda as the “perfect” and stereotypical trans girl on purpose. I can understand that Russo is trying to introduce cis readers to a trans girl that passes easily and is, in a way, easier to relate to, but I also think that readers cannot learn from this book if we are provided with the stereotypes we already see in pop culture. I think it would be better to provide readers with a true representation of a trans woman, and not one based on our false stereotypes. Of course, I know that all of us, whether trans or not, are extremely different, and there is not one “true” representation. Nonetheless, I wish Russo provided us with a character who she felt represents a more genuine trans story, and not the story cis people want to read. In the same way, trans readers might feel as if their experience isn’t being represented because Amanda is written in a stereotypical manner.

All in all, I did enjoy If I Was Your Girl, and I think it is a good debut for Russo. The book would be much stronger if it was longer, as more detail could be added to the story. Nonetheless, I do recommend it as an LGBTQIA+ read, and I look forward to what Russo writes next.

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Book Review | Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu

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Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu

Published by Roaring Book Press on September 20, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Format: eARC

Pages: 320

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads: ★★★★

When Caroline’s little brother is kidnapped, his subsequent rescue leads to the discovery of Ethan, a teenager who has been living with the kidnapper since he was a young child himself. In the aftermath, Caroline can’t help but wonder what Ethan knows about everything that happened to her brother, who is not readjusting well to life at home. And although Ethan is desperate for a friend, he can’t see Caroline without experiencing a resurgence of traumatic memories. But after the media circus surrounding the kidnappings departs from their small Texas town, both Caroline and Ethan find that they need a friend–and their best option just might be each other.

REVIEW

After reading Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu earlier this year, I knew I had to read her new release Afterward, and was very excited to receive a review copy from the publisher. Afterward immediately gripped me with its story. We follow a dual perspective between two teenagers, Caroline and Ethan. Caroline’s younger brother was kidnapped, and when the police find him, another boy, Ethan, who had gone missing four years ago was discovered in the same home. Caroline desperately wants to find out what happened to Dylan, her brother, during the days he was gone. Dylan is autistic, and cannot communicate with words, but it is clear he suffered from something very traumatic. Thus, Caroline makes it her mission to befriend Ethan to see if she can help Dylan.

When you pair this fascinating story with Mathieu’s writing style, you are in for a real treat. I really love how Mathieu’s writing captivates me as a reader. There is something so easy about the writing – it is not overly flowery, but it’s also not too simplistic. The writing flows really well and keeps me turning pages quickly to find out what happens next in the story. Plus, I was sucked into the plot from page one because I, just like Caroline, wanted to know what Ethan and Dylan went through with their kidnapper.

Moreover, I really appreciate the research that I can tell went into this novel. I can feel how the story comes to life with the careful attention to detail, and the effort Mathieu puts in to create an authentic story. For example, it meant a lot to me that Dylan has low-functioning autism, and that it is represented very well. It is rare to see autistic characters in books, and I think it is important to create awareness and build empathy through the stories we read. Similarly, I think it was great that we got to see how Ethan and his family are rebuilding their lives with the help of therapists. Although what Ethan goes through is extremely rare, getting a glimpse into his therapy sessions normalizes it for others who may be afraid to seek help.

The only thing I did not enjoy so much about Afterward is the ending. I was a bit underwhelmed with it, as I expected the story to go one way, but instead it focuses on something else. While I won’t discuss this in detail due to spoilers, I do want to mention that I wish the book went a bit deeper into what Ethan went through during his four years in captivity.

That being said, I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it. If you are looking for a gripping young adult contemporary that is not focused on romance, Afterward is a great choice. I fell in love with the characters and cared so deeply for them from page one. I know I will continue to pick up the books that Mathieu writes in the future, as they are truly something different in the young adult section today.

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Book Review | Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

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Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Published by Delacorte Press on April 5, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: ARC

Pages: 336

Source: Giveaway

Goodreads: ★★★★

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

Julie Buxbaum mixes comedy and tragedy, love and loss, pain and elation, in her debut YA novel filled with characters who will come to feel like friends.

REVIEW

Young adult contemporary novels are definitely one of my favorite genres to read, especially in the summer months. I absolutely loved the synopsis of Tell Me Three Things, and was beyond excited when I won a giveaway for a copy of the book. The story follows teenager Jessie as she starts at a new school. Her father recently remarried, and Jessie has to deal with moving across the country all while she is still coping with the death of her mother. Jessie begins receiving anonymous emails from a Somebody Nobody (SN) with advice on how to navigate her new high school, and she needs to decide whether to trust this mysterious person.

I really enjoyed my read of Tell Me Three Things. The story idea is a lot of fun, especially Jessie’s emails with SN. Unfortunately, I found the story to be extremely predictable. I knew who SN was the first time we meet him in the book, but I was still glad for Jessie to discover who he is. I also felt like Jessie trusted SN much quicker than she should have. At first she is quite hesitant, but then she suddenly begins texting him personal information. I wish we saw SN gain Jessie’s trust a bit more.

Moreover, I think the author does an excellent job of writing the high school experience, as it was done in a very realistic way. Bullying does play a role in the book, and I think it was handled really well. In addition, we see Jessie struggling to keep the relationship with her best friend from home alive all while making friends at her new school. Overall, Buxbaum handles high school culture well, and I think any reader of this book will notice and appreciate that.

My favorite part of Tell Me Three Things is definitely the relationships Jessie has with the people in her life, and how they grow and change over time. Jessie’s familial relationships with her dad, stepmom, and stepbrother all evolve over the course of the novel, and so do Jessie’s friendships. Of course, Jessie gets herself in some romantic situations as well. I loved seeing how she related to all the other characters.

All in all, Tell Me Three Things is a quick and enjoyable read, and one that I recommend if you like contemporary stories. While I do wish it wasn’t as predictable, I think the story is so cute and heartwarming. I will definitely keep my eye on any books that Buxbaum publishes in the future!

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Book Review | When We Collided by Emery Lord

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When We Collided by Emery Lord

Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on April 5, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 352

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★ 1/2

We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know…

Jonah never thought a girl like Vivi would come along.

Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.

Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.

In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever.

REVIEW

My love for young adult contemporary prompted me to pick up When We Collided by Emery Lord shortly after its release this year. This book chronicles two teenagers and is written in a dual perspective format. Readers follow Vivi and Jonah as they meet one summer in Jonah’s hometown, and begin a whirlwind relationship unlike any other. I absolutely loved this book, and the characters we meet in the pages.

When We Collided is very character driven, and there is not much of a plot whatsoever. We know that Vivi is struggling with something that happened in her past, which is the mystery that kept me engaged throughout the book. While I did feel like I was wandering around without direction for much of the book, the story worked in the end. I especially enjoyed Lord’s writing style. She does an amazing job at capturing the voices of both Vivi and Jonah at all times throughout the book. I was very impressed when the tone of the writing changed to match each character’s current mental state.

In addition, I absolutely adored Vivi and Jonah’s relationship. I know it is critiqued by other readers as insta-love, but for me it was very realistic. Both characters need one another in this moment, albeit in different ways. They cling to one another naturally, and their romance progressed quickly because of their unique situation. I think many of us can relate to relationships that form immediately, whether they be romantic or not. Vivi and Jonah come together at the perfect time, and I love how it is portrayed in the book.

Similarly, I also really liked how family plays a role in When We Collided. We see how important it is to care for those around us, even when it seems too difficult to handle. All of the side characters in this book really help to round out the story, too. For example, Vivi befriends a rough-around-the-edges police officer that many townies avoid. It is nice to see how Vivi is affected by this friendship, and how she then encourages others to see the officer differently as well.

Of course, I also appreciate the mental health aspect of the book. It appears to be very highly researched and written in a realistic and sensitive way. I learned a lot about Vivi’s particular disorder, which is revealed later in the story, and it helps me empathize more with people in real life. I think it’s great that fictional stories can help shed light on issues that aren’t talked about much in everyday life.

Overall, I really enjoyed When We Collided and highly recommend it. If you liked All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, you will like this one as well because it has a similar storyline but is executed in a new way. I know I now plan to read Emery Lord’s other books, and look forward to giving this one a reread at some point in the future.

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Book Review | The Sound of Us by Julie Hammerle

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The Sound of Us by Julie Hammerle

Published by Entangled Teen on June 7, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Coming of Age

Format: eARC

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

Kiki Nichols might not survive music camp.

She’s put her TV-loving, nerdy self aside for one summer to prove she’s got what it takes: she can be cool enough to make friends, she can earn that music scholarship, and she can get into Krause University’s music program.

Except camp has rigid conduct rules—which means her thrilling late-night jam session with the hot drummer can’t happen again, even though they love all the same TV shows, and fifteen minutes making music with him meant more than every aria she’s ever sung.

But when someone starts snitching on rule breakers and getting them kicked out, music camp turns into survival of the fittest. If Kiki’s going to get that scholarship, her chance to make true friends—and her chance with the drummer guy—might cost her the future she wants more than anything.

REVIEW

When I heard that Entangled Teen was releasing a book that takes place at opera camp, I knew I had to read it. I love when music plays a role in the novels I read, and The Sound of Us by Julie Hammerle definitely piqued my interest. Readers follow teenager Kiki Nichols as she goes away to a prestigious opera camp to compete for one of seven scholarships to college. Kiki is a shy girl who spends most of her time watching TV and talking with her Twitter friends, and hopes to break out of her shell at camp.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Sound of Us. The story idea is great, and had me turning pages to find out what would happen next. I loved the competitive aspect of Kiki’s opera camp, and could relate to everyone vying for one of the seven scholarships. Plus, there was an added mystery element to the novel, because one of the students is a mole, and will tell the teacher if any of the kids break the rules. Of course, it is also great to see Kiki grow in the short time she is away at camp.

Similarly, I liked the writing style and think it is very well done. Hammerle does a great job at maintaining a realistic teenage voice, while at the same time not compromising the quality of her writing. I’ve read a lot of young adult books that speak just as a teenager would, and for me that detracts greatly from the reading experience. The Sound of Us is easy to read, but not cliché.

Unfortunately, there are several things about the book that I did not enjoy. First, I was very uncomfortable with the role of underage drinking in the novel. Yes, some teenagers do drink in real life, but I think the way it is handled in the book does not send a good message to the readers. Not only are the repercussions for the drinking very minor when the students are caught, but Kiki makes a statement that really caused me to take a step back. In one scene, Kiki says: “The beer is a license to make bad decisions.” Kiki never seems to realize why it is not okay to use alcohol as an excuse. While drinking does play a small role in The Sound of Us, it definitely impacted my enjoyment of the novel.

In the same way, I also felt very uncomfortable with how cheating is portrayed in the book. I won’t discuss this issue fully due to spoilers, but I did want to mention it because I know many people will not read a book if they know it involves cheating. Just as the drinking issue is not fully resolved, the cheating isn’t either. At the end of the book, it’s basically swept under the rug without being dealt with head on.

Moreover, there are a few little things about The Sound of Us that detracted from my reading experience. For example, I really loved how pop culture plays a role in the book. Kiki loves TV, and often talks about how the people she meets in real life remind her of actors or characters in pop culture. However, Kiki is a big fangirl for a fictional show called Planet Earth. At times I was confused between the fictional references versus the real life ones. There were some instances where I didn’t know if I just missed a reference, or if it was based on something fictional.

The author also uses a slang word quite often in the book that I had to look up to get the meaning. It turns out the word is British slang, which I found surprising, as the book is set in America and none of the characters in The Sound of Us are from the UK.

Finally, I got a bit annoyed with how often Kiki talks about how she doesn’t want to be seen as the ‘aunt’ in her friend group. Apparently, being seen as an aunt is a bad thing to her, as it seems to mean she is the side character that no one likes. As a proud aunt myself, I thought this was frustrating and quite insulting, especially because it is repeated so much in the book.

Thus, while I did really enjoy The Sound of Us for the most part, there are definitely things along the way that I wish were not included in the novel, or were handled in a different way. This is Julie Hammerle’s debut novel, and I would definitely consider reading books from her in the future if the story sounds like something I would like. I do recommend this book if the premise sounds interesting to you. It is a quick and fun read, and great for music lovers.

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Book Review | After Alice by Gregory Maguire

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After Alice by Gregory Maguire

Published by William Morrow on October 1, 2015

Genres: Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Format: eARC

Pages: 273

Source: Edelweiss

Goodreads: ★★

From the multi-million-copy bestselling author of Wicked comes a magical new twist on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Lewis’s Carroll’s beloved classic

When Alice toppled down the rabbit-hole 150 years ago, she found a Wonderland as rife with inconsistent rules and abrasive egos as the world she left behind. But what of that world? How did 1860s Oxford react to Alice’s disappearance?

In this brilliant new work of fiction, Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings — and understandings old and new, offering an inventive spin on Carroll’s enduring tale. Ada, a friend of Alice’s mentioned briefly in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is off to visit her friend, but arrives a moment too late — and tumbles down the rabbit hole herself.

Ada brings to Wonderland her own imperfect apprehension of cause and effect as she embarks on an odyssey to find Alice and see her safely home from this surreal world below the world. If Euridyce can ever be returned to the arms of Orpheus, or Lazarus can be raised from the tomb, perhaps Alice can be returned to life. Either way, everything that happens next isAfter Alice.

REVIEW

After Alice by Gregory Maguire is a retelling of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. While I’ve not yet read the beloved classic, I did read and enjoy Maguire’s Wicked several years ago. Unfortunately, After Alice was not my cup of tea, and I struggled to get through the novel despite its short length.

The main reason why I had a difficult time with After Alice is the flowery and complex writing. I’ve been reading so much young adult literature lately that it can sometimes be hard to transition back to adult. I did settle into the book’s pace after a while, but I honestly never got into the writing style completely. The vocabulary was difficult to follow, partly because this is a historical fiction book. This dense writing slowed down the pace of the book, and I even put it down to read another book at one point.

Moreover, there are a few things I really did enjoy about After Alice. First, I thought the setting was really interesting. The book takes place in Oxford, England in the 1860s, and follows two families of the time. Ada is the daughter of a vicar, and suffers from a physical handicap that makes it difficult for her to walk. Her only friend is Alice, of the original Wonderland story, who lives nearby. I really enjoyed learning about the society of the time when it comes to family, race, the class system, and more. I did learn quite a bit, and it’s always nice for fiction to teach a thing or two about history. Charles Darwin is even a character!

In addition, I kept reading the book because I wanted to know what was going to happen. Ada ends up falling into Wonderland, and she is trying to find Alice so she can bring her home. Ada meets many of the familiar Wonderland faces along the way, so I was intrigued to find out if she would find Alice after all. Unfortunately, the ending was a bit lackluster to me, and a bit of a let down in the end.

Thus, while there are a lot of aspects of After Alice that I did enjoy, my reading experience was not a great one. I think it would have improved significantly if the book was constructed in a different way. For example, the point-of-view, though always in third-person, changed randomly throughout the story. Sometimes we are following Ada in Wonderland, other times her governess Miss Armstrong and Alice’s sister Lydia. This constant switch did create suspense in the story, but it also was quite confusing. I also found that many aspects of the book were skimmed over when I wish they were explored more.

While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend After Alice, I think if you enjoy retellings of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland this might be more your style. I did enjoy the book I read by Maguire in the past, so I’m not giving up on his writing completely. One day I want to return to his Wicked series, and I would also love to hear your thoughts on his books in a comment.

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