Tag: Books

Book Review | The Heir (The Selection #4) by Kiera Cass

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The Heir (The Selection #4) by Kiera Cass

Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books on May 7, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Format: Ebook

Pages: 400

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★

Kiera Cass’s Number 1 New York Times bestselling Selection series has enchanted readers from the very first page. In this fourth romantic novel, follow Illéa’s royal family into a whole new Selection – and find out what happens after happily ever after.

Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series has enchanted readers from the very first page. In this fourth romantic novel, follow Illéa’s royal family into a whole new Selection—and find out what happens after happily ever after.

Eighteen years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story…but as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she’s always thought.

A new generation of swoonworthy characters and captivating romance awaits in the fourth book of the Selection series!

REVIEW

I was a bit hesitant to jump into The Heir by Kiera Cass after hearing such hit and miss things about it from fans of The Selection series. This book takes place about twenty years after The One, with our main character being Eadlyn Schraeve, America and Maxon’s daughter. While Illéa’s caste system has been disbanded, the provinces are still in trouble. Maxon and America decide that Eadlyn should hold a Selection to provide entertainment for the country while they decide how to solve the political problems. Eadlyn is not a fan of this idea, but decides to go along with it for three months. Of course, the Selection brings more problems than solutions.

If you’ve been following my reviews of this series, you’ll know I have a love-hate relationship with it. I love that these are fun and fast reads, and that is definitely true with The Heir. I find Eadlyn to be a great character and first-person narrator. She is going to be the first woman ruler of Illéa, and has been training for the role her entire life. This makes Eadlyn very confident, knowing she is a powerful woman. While Eadlyn can be a know-it-all, she is actually very naive, and has built a lot of walls around her. I’m quite impressed with how well-developed her character is, and I’m excited to see her growth in the next book.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few things I did not like about this book as well. First, there are still grammatical issues in this series, which really need to be edited. Similarly, I found a few instances where big vocabulary words are used in order to enhance the writing, but they didn’t fit well with the story. The Heir is also extremely predictable, with the exception of a cliffhanger ending. I closed the book feeling as if we only got half of the story. I don’t think it is necessary to split The Heir and The Crown into two books.

Moreover, I also found that the side characters are written in a hot and cold way. I loved how we got to see how the original characters from The Selection are today, but I do want to know more about what happens to all of America’s siblings (we only learn about two of them). Similarly, we also don’t get to meet all of the young men competing in Eadlyn’s Selection. This makes sense at the beginning when there are 35 men, but when the book closes and there are only a handful left, I still don’t know all their names. I find this lack of detail a big weakness of the novel.

Let’s talk a bit about the societal aspects of this book. I am overjoyed that Cass finally alludes to the fact that people in Illéa can be something other than heterosexual. This topic is still not discussed, but it is at least mentioned. I can also tell that Cass is attempting to include a bit more female empowerment in this novel, as Eadlyn is an indpendant woman. However, it’s quite disappointing that female characters typically resort to being the ‘traditional’ woman, and I can see that happening to Eadlyn. I know this series takes place in a dystopian society, but this society is only a step away from our own, and when the series is written for young adults, I think it’s very important to read between the lines and see what teenagers are going to get out of the novel.

Overall, I think The Heir was a good installment in The Selection series. I do enjoy Eadlyn as a main character, and I liked seeing the characters from the original trilogy again. I do recommend this if you really enjoy this series, but otherwise it’s not a must-read. I will be picking up The Crown to complete my read of this series. I just need to know how our time in Illéa will wrap up overall!

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Book Review | My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh

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My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh

Published by Amy Eichorn Books on February 10, 2015

Genres: Adult, Literary Fiction, Mystery

Format: Paperback

Pages: 306

Source: Giveaway

Goodreads: ★★★★

“It was the summer everything changed….”
“My Sunshine Away” unfolds in a Baton Rouge neighborhood best known for cookouts on sweltering summer afternoons, cauldrons of spicy crawfish, and passionate football fandom. But in the summer of 1989, when fifteen-year-old Lindy Simpson–free spirit, track star, and belle of the block–experiences a horrible crime late one evening near her home, it becomes apparent that this idyllic stretch of Southern suburbia has a dark side, too.
In “My Sunshine Away,” M.O. Walsh brilliantly juxtaposes the enchantment of a charmed childhood with the gripping story of a violent crime, unraveling families, and consuming adolescent love. Acutely wise and deeply honest, it is an astonishing and page-turning debut about the meaning of family, the power of memory, and our ability to forgive.

REVIEW

My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh is a book that doesn’t neatly fit into any genre, but one in which the writing is so beautiful I think anyone interested should read it. The story is about a girl named Lindy Simpson, who was raped at the age of fifteen in her Baton Rouge neighborhood, and is told from the point of view of one of the suspects, who just happens to be in love with her. Yet while this is a mystery novel to discover who the culprit is, it’s much more than that. My Sunshine Away gives readers an inside look to a southern neighborhood that is replete with fascinating characters and somewhat unbelievable events.

I first want to discuss the age group for which this book is appropriate. I’ve seen My Sunshine Away listed in both the young adult and adult sections of bookstores. While the story does follow the protagonist’s teenage life, for the most part, I personally consider this an adult novel. There are many graphic scenes, and I think the content is more appropriate for an older audience. That being said, I would recommend the book for the ages of 16 and up, but, as always, that’s a choice every individual reader has to make.

In terms of the story itself, I have to say I’ve never read anything quite like this before. The writing is very well done. I felt as if the protagonist was speaking directly to me, but in a way that is more poetic than colloquial. There are many quotable passages, and there is a depth to the writing as well. I don’t read literary fiction often, so I did struggle to find some of the metaphors and how they connected to the story. My paperback edition contains a discussion section, and I found that really helpful. It added to my understanding of the book, and also increased the story’s rereadability.

My Sunshine Away did have a slow pace, especially at the beginning, despite being a short book of about 300 pages. I think this is mainly due to the way time is used in the book. Instead of following a linear format, the protagonist jumps forward and backward in time. This does help to create a vivid picture of his childhood, but also made me slow down to ensure I got all of the details in order.

My favorite part of the novel is definitely getting to see inside a neighborhood in the south. I’m from the northeast, and am so interested with the southern culture that is in some ways quite different from my own. The characters in the novel are so richly written, and they are beyond unique. The author does an amazing job at mixing in shocking and disturbing moments with the normalcy of everyday events. It balanced out the story well to have a rape on page one, and then childhood games between the neighborhood children for the following chapters.

Similarly, I loved how real life events, such as the Challenger explosion, are included in the book. This makes everything seem so real and vivid. I had an easier time picturing our characters as real people, and that made my emotional connection to them grow strong.

Finally, the ending was a bit hot and cold for me. I do really love how the book wrapped up, but I was let down by the mystery’s resolve. I recognize that Lindy’s rape is not the sole focus of My Sunshine Away, but I almost feel like she wasn’t given the respect she deserved when the rapist’s identity was just glossed over in the end. It’s definitely something to think about after completing the book.

Overall, I did really enjoy My Sunshine Away, and I highly recommend it. I think this is a good book for those who want to break into the mystery genre, and those who love family dramas. You will get all of that and more in this novel. I look forward to reading more form M.O. Walsh in the future, and giving this one another read at some point, too.

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Book Review | Happily Ever After (The Selection 0.4, 0.5, 2.5, 2.6) by Kiera Cass

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Happily Ever After (The Selection 0.4, 0.5, 2.5, 2.6) by Kiera Cass

Published by HarperTeen on October 13, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 416

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★

Meet Prince Maxon before he fell in love with America, and a girl named Amberly before she became queen. See the Selection through the eyes of a guard who watched his first love drift away and a girl who fell for a boy who wasn’t the prince. This gorgeous collection features four novellas from the captivating world of Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series, as well as exclusive, never-before-seen bonus content.

This series companion is a must-have for any Selection fan, and includes:

The Prince
The Guard
The Queen
The Favorite
Exclusive new scenes from The Selection, The Elite, and The One
Introductions to each novella from Kiera Cass
A map of Illéa and other illustrations
And more!

REVIEW

After completing the first three books in The Selection series, I decided to pick up this bind-up of all the novellas and bonus content that goes along with the original trilogy. Happily Ever After should definitely be read after the first three books, and if you haven’t read them I would not read my review here today. I will be sharing my non-spoiler thoughts on each novella and story included, but there will be spoilers for the original trilogy. Because this is a bind-up, I will share my thoughts on each section individually, and give a star rating for each section.

The Queen | ★★

My biggest disappointment in Happily Ever After is The Queen. I absolutely loved the character of Amberly in The Selection, and this story definitely tainted her. The Queen takes place during Clarkson’s selection, and I liked seeing what another selection was like. It was also really interesting to learn more about Clarkson’s parents, and Honduragua where Amberly is from originally. However, I was extremely disturbed with the ending of this novella. I don’t want to spoil it, but it goes with one of the themes that really disappointed me with The Selection as a whole, and that is how women are viewed. It’s such a shame that women are seen as submissive to men in this world, and I think it’s quite damaging considering these books are geared towards young adults.

The Prince | ★★★

Thankfully, Happily Ever After improved immensely after the first novella. The Prince is from Maxon’s perspective and takes place right before his selection begins, and continues through him meeting all the girls. I liked reading from Maxon’s point-of-view, as I sometimes questioned his intentions in the original trilogy. I was disappointed that most of this novella is basically just a rewrite of scenes in The Selection. That felt like a cop-out to me, as it didn’t add too much to the story. I also felt like we weren’t fully in Maxon’s head, but skimming the surface of his emotions. Nonetheless, I did enjoy this novella, it just wasn’t amazing.

The Guard | ★★★★

I was really excited to read The Guard, which is from Aspen’s point-of-view. This novella has a lot of original content, which I really appreciate. I also loved how we got to learn a lot more about the palace in this novella, as we follow Aspen and some of the other guards and maids. Plus, I was happy to delve into Aspen’s mind to see if he had good intentions. I do wish Cass tapped into Aspen’s emotions a bit more, but this was a solid novella.

The Favorite | ★★★★★

My favorite novella in Happily Ever After happens to be The Favorite, which is from Marlee’s perspective. This novella takes place right after Halloween, when Marlee is caught with Carter, and sharse about the couple’s life together in the palace.  I absolutely loved learning more about their relationship and what went on behind the scenes. This novella is nearly all original content, and while it was quite cheesy, I just loved it.

Scenes from Celeste | ★★★★★

I was also eager to learn more about Celeste. She had such an about face in The One, and I found it quite unbelievable that she would change character so quickly. These scenes really helped me understand Celeste as a person. The scenes are quite sad, in a way, considering her ultimate demise, but they are very enjoyable and add a lot to the overall plot.

The Maid | ★★★★ 1/2

The Maid is a short story from Lucy’s perspective, and begins on the plane ride home from Carolina after America’s father dies. Surprisingly, we learn a lot about Aspen in this story, which I wasn’t expecting. I did like learning more about Lucy and Aspen’s relationship. Of course, it was a bit cheesy, but I’m letting that slide because this book is called Happily Ever After! I deducted a half-star because the story does lack believability.

After the One | ★★★★★

After the One is a short story that takes place two years after the end of The One. It is written from America’s point-of-view, and takes place during a birthday party for Maxon. This is the most adorable story ever, and while I could predict the ending of it, I still loved it a lot. I think this story sets up the next two books in the series well, and I’m excited to continue on with The Heir next!

Where are They Now? | ★★★★ 1/2

Where are They Now? checks in with the three other Elite and shares how they end up in life. I thought it was really interesting to see how being in the selection affected their lives. I felt like this was Cass’s chance to include more diversity into the series, and while she did do one thing that surprised me, I wish she went for it a bit more. Nonetheless, I felt satisfied with these scenes for the most part.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed Happily Ever After. I don’t think it is necessary to read this book, but if you are a big fan of The Selection, or if you’re curious about what happened to the characters, I highly recommend it! I really loved learning more about Illéa, and I loved the map and illustrations included in this book. I’m so glad I decided to give it a read!

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Book Review | Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

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Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Published by HarperCollins on March 10, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Format: eBook

Pages: 368

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★★

New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara’s beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it’s too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

REVIEW

It is always very exciting when I am able to recommend a five-star book to all of you, and that is exactly what Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver is for me. This young adult mystery follows two sisters, Nick and Dara. As young children they were absolutely inseparable, but as they grow older they begin to grow apart. Everything changes when they are in a car accident together. Nick was at the wheel, and escaped with minor injuries, but Dara’s injuries are much more extensive. Vanishing Girls seeks to uncover the truth behind the accident. At the same time, a young girl named Madeline Snow goes missing from Nick and Dara’s town. The book explores whether these two mysteries are really as different as they seem.

I was absolutely blown away by Vanishing Girls. I love a good thriller, and although I was pretty disappointed with myself that I didn’t figure out the plot twist, I was amazed with how well Oliver crafted this story. A lot of readers criticize Vanishing Girls because it is similar to other books out there. That is definitely true, and even I have read a book with the same ending. However, the journey leading up to the conclusion is what allows Vanishing Girls to truly stand alone.

Oliver is an excellent writer. This is the third book I’ve read by her, and in each one she develops a unique voice. Not only is her writing poetic, and filled with beautiful descriptors, but she carefully crafted Vanishing Girls. It really takes talent to be able to weave together a mystery like this one. For the majority of the book things don’t seem important or connected, but in hindsight they are. I am so impressed with the writing and storytelling.

Similarly, Vanishing Girls becomes a very rereadable novel because of this sort of writing. I want to pick it up again in the future to really key in on the clues I missed along the way. I read Vanishing Girls as an eBook, but next time I will get a physical copy. That is because intermixed with the prose are mixed media elements such as photographs, online news articles, and more. I would like to see those in print form, as I think that will add more to the reading experience.

Moreover, I wanted to quickly discuss the character development in this novel. Part of me wishes that I knew the ins and outs of the characters more, but I understand why we only see characters in a limited way. The story needs to have a certain type of narration in order to be successful, so I’m glad Oliver was able to accomplish that. This will make more sense once you read the book, so I encourage you to still read it even if you usually like fully developed characters.

Overall, I am so happy I finally got to Vanishing Girls. It is a very quick read, and one that is quite impactful. I absolutely love books like this one, and find them a lot of fun. I understand that not everyone likes a psychological thriller, but I highly recommend this one if you do! I will be continuing to read Oliver’s books – she hasn’t let me down yet!

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Book Review | The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass

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The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass

Published by HarperTeen on May 6, 2014

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 323

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★1/2

The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants.

REVIEW

I was hesitant to continue on with The Selection after being quite disappointed with the second book in the series, but I had to find out what would happen! I’m so glad I picked up The One, because it is my favorite book in the series thus far. Originally, this was a trilogy, and so The One completes the original story of Prince Maxon’s selection. I was ready to find out if America would be the chosen one after all!

I was really excited when The One focused more on the politics of Illéa than the other books in the series. We get to learn more about the Northern and Southern rebels, and some really awesome action takes place. I still wish I knew more about this world, but I am very happy that the focus in this book was not just a love triangle.

My biggest critique of The One, however, is with believability. Yes, this is a dystopian novel, but I had a very difficult time believing everything that happens. For example, America tells the reader very early on in the book that she’s realized she won’t choose Aspen over Maxon, yet there is never an explanation as to why. I was glad her indecisiveness was over, but I had no idea why she made this decision out of the blue. There are several instances throughout The One like this, where I had to suspend disbelief in order to enjoy the story.

In terms of smaller critiques, I did notice that there were grammatical mistakes in this book that were fixed in book two. I’m guessing this is a copyediting issue, and perhaps the comma rules just weren’t followed this time around. I also deducted a half-star from my rating because there is a scene where a man slaps a woman without any sort of reason whatsoever. It is never okay for anyone to physically hurt another person, and in the specific scenario in the book it really bothered me. While this is a very small part of the book, it was quite shocking for me to read.

Overall, this is definitely the best book in the series so far, and a solid conclusion to the original trilogy. I really liked the ending of the book, and found it quite powerful. I do wish the cheesiness was toned down a bit, but in the world of Illéa with princes and ball gowns, I have to say it does fit the theme. If you read The Elite and you were unsure whether to continue on in the series, I definitely recommend doing so!

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Book Review | The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

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The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

Published by HarperTeen on April 23, 2013

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 336

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★1/2

The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon’s heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America’s chance to choose is about to slip away.

REVIEW

I picked up The Elite, the second book in The Selection series, right after finishing the first book. The story continues with America and Maxon on a date, just shortly after book one comes to a close. America is still struggling to decide whether she can fall in love with Maxon and one day become Queen, or whether she wants to be with Aspen after all.

At first I was really enjoying The Elite. The writing clearly matured, and the grammatical mistakes I noticed in The Selection were fixed. In addition, I was loving how the story was deepening. There are some really interesting twists and turns in this novel, and I enjoyed learning more about the politics of Illéa. Unfortunately, as the book continued I became more and more unhappy with the direction of the novel.

While I recognize that this series is heavy on the romance, it does bother me that the main plot of The Elite is the love triangle between America, Maxon, and Aspen. There is so much going on in this world, and yet all we get to focus on is America’s indecisiveness. I really enjoyed America’s character in The Selection, but in this book she became extremely unlikeable, and doesn’t act in accordance with her described qualities. For example, Cass tells us America is very stubborn. Yet America is very gullible, and believes what others tell her. She also can’t make a decision, so I’m not seeing this stubbornness executed in the story. Similarly, we are told America is intelligent, but America is constantly acting emotionally rash, and makes poor decisions without thinking. Her character just didn’t seem to be flushed out well.

Moreover, I did notice a few plot holes in The Elite, which greatly detracted from the quality of the novel for me. A small plot hole is when America and Kriss are talking in the gardens. Kriss makes a comment about how America and Maxon like to spend time in the garden, and America has no idea how Kriss would know that. America assumes Maxon told Kriss, but in the first book, America announces on the Report that she and Maxon spend dates in the garden. While this is a small continuity issue, it is a plot hole nonetheless.

The larger plot hole is one that I cannot discuss without spoiling part of the story. However, it is one that greatly affects the series as a whole. I spent a lot of time skimming through the book to see if I could find the answer to this otherwise gaping hole, and I even did an online search to hopefully solve the issue. No matter how much searching I did, it seems like I did find a huge plot hole, and that is really disappointing.

Overall, I felt very let down by The Elite. It started off really well, but then got progressively worse as I continued reading. I feel like this book focuses way too much on the love triangle, but what confuses me is that we could have a really great and solid story if the love triangle was resolved in book one. I also feel like the selection itself should have ended in the first book, so we could now focus more on the world and the politics in this dystopian society. I will still continue on with the series to see how the selection ends, but I was quite disappointed with this book.

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Book Review | The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

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The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

Published by HarperTeen on April 24, 2012

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 327

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

REVIEW

I debated whether or not I wanted to read The Selection by Kiera Cass for a couple years, and I finally decided to give it a try after finishing a book that took me three weeks to read. I needed some book candy. In other words, I wanted to read something that I knew wouldn’t be the best book out there, but would allow me to indulge in something sweet. The Selection definitely fits that description.

I’ve heard this book described as The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games, and I agree with that categorization. In this book we follow teenager America Singer. She lives in a country called Illéa, which is geographically located in North America, post the Fourth World War. America comes from a poor family, and receives the opportunity to enter a competition in which one girl from every province in Illéa will vie for the chance to marry the prince. Of course, America enters the competition at the suggestion of her mom and secret boyfriend, and the story unfolds from there.

I really loved how fast-paced and fun The Selection is. I read this book in a 24-hour period, and really enjoyed the storyline. While the book is extremely predictable and a bit derivative of The Hunger Games, I had a fun reading experience. I absolutely love reading about books where a competition is at the forefront. There is just something about a good game that really excites me, and The Selection is no exception.

Unfortunately, I do have a lot of troublesome thoughts about this book. I recognize that this is a dystopian world, and it is purposefully written to be a world in which we would not want to live. However, I worry that a lot of young girls will read this novel and not take that into account. For example, women are subordinate to men in Illéa, and are required to conform to certain standards of beauty at all times. Chastity is extremely valued, and it is against the law to have premarital sex. Even more troublesome is the fact that all romantic relationships in Illéa are heterosexual. There is never a mention of anything but a relationship between a man and a woman.

As an adult reading this book, I can see this is a fictional world. A younger reader might associate Illéa’s customs with a guide on how to act, especially since women in America today are still struggling for equality. I mean, it would be a ton of fun to live in a palace and have beautiful clothes and amazing food. Wouldn’t it be fun to marry a prince, even if that meant being his submissive wife? If this was an adult novel, I wouldn’t have these same hesitations, but in a book aimed towards young people, I think it might do more harm than good.

Moreover, the writing in The Selection was a bit lacking for me. There are a plethora of sentences that end in prepositions, and while I recognize that a teenager is the narrator, I wish such improper grammar was limited to dialogue if it truly had to be included. There are also comma rule issues, which I know is a small detail, but one that I expect to be perfected throughout the editing stages of every published novel.

Nevertheless, I did really enjoy the characters in this novel. America is a very likable protagonist, and I was rooting for her from page one. She does have that cliché personality where she is different from all the other girls, but I think that works in this book. I also love Prince Maxon. He is a bit of a mystery, but always goes above and beyond to be a kind and caring person. I would love to read from his perspective at some point in the short stories that accompany this book series.

Overall, The Selection is the book candy I was looking for, and I immediately am continuing on with this series. Perhaps I am taking the book a bit too seriously when I look below the surface and see what effect it could have on society, but I am interested in hearing your thoughts if you’ve read it as well. I do recommend it if you’re looking for a fun and fast-paced read, especially if you love a good competition story as much as I do. Make sure to stay tuned for my thoughts on the other books in this series very soon!

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Book Review | ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

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‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

Published by Signet on October 17, 1975

Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal

Format: Paperback

Pages: 427

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★

Something strange is going on in Jerusalem’s Lot … but no one dares to talk about it. By day, ‘Salem’s Lot is a typical modest New England town; but when the sun goes down, evil roams the earth. The devilishly sweet insistent laughter of a child can be heard echoing through the fields, and the presence of silent looming spirits can be felt lurking right outside your window. Stephen King brings his gruesome imagination to life in this tale of spine-tingling horror.

REVIEW

I continued on with my Stephen King project in March by reading ‘Salem’s Lot, his second published work. I went into this book blind, and I’m glad I did because there is a big build-up to the story. ‘Salem’s Lot opens with a man and a boy escaping to Mexico from a town in Maine called Jerusalem’s Lot. The reader knows they are both scared, and that they must return to the Lot in order to solve a problem. The book then rewinds to the start of the story when the man goes to Jersulam’s Lot for the first time since his childhood. This is a haunted house book that turns into a paranormal story, and one in which the writing is excellent.

Here’s the thing about my experience with ‘Salem’s Lot – it took me nearly three weeks to read the book, which is three times my normal pace. I had to force myself to continue on with the story, and at times I felt downright bored. That’s because King is creating a new world. Jerusalem’s Lot is a fictional town, and the true protagonist of this book. King writes in exceptional detail, describing characters in the setting in such a realistic way. So even though I didn’t like how slow the pace of this novel is, I can appreciate the work it took. I am really amazed at King’s ability to write such a developed novel so early on in his career.

In regards to the characters, I did struggle a bit in keeping up with the large cast featured in ‘Salem’s Lot. It became more difficult because so many of the characters have similar names, such as Mike, Mark, and Matt. Nonetheless, once I got into the story I was better able to keep track of everyone. If you have trouble with names, I would recommend keeping a character list nearby when you read, and simply jot down a quick note of each character’s role in the story.

Moreover, I was a bit disappointed that I never felt scared by this book. King is known for his horror novels, but I just was never creeped out or on the edge of my seat. I did find some of the real life scenes quite disturbing, but none of the paranormal elements got to me. Perhaps King is trying to make a point here, as I did sit back and wonder what was happening in my own town. Not including the paranormal elements, I’m sure people go through the same things that the characters in Jerusalem’s Lot do, and that is disturbing in and of itself. I’m interested to see if King’s next book The Shining will incite fear in me.

Overall, I’m glad I pushed through the slow pace of ‘Salem’s Lot. I did enjoy the story, and I think the book got better and better as I continued reading. The third-person narration was very well done, and I’m very impressed with King’s writing. If you are looking to get into King’s novels, I do not recommend starting here as it is a very long book. However, if you are familiar with his work, or really enjoy adult paranormal, this is a good book to read. I would love to hear your thoughts on ‘Salem’s Lot if you’ve read it, too!

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Book Review | Magonia (Magonia #1) by Maria Dahvana Headley

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Magonia (Magonia #1) by Maria Dahvana Headley

Published by HarperCollins on April 28, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 309

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

Aza Ray is drowning in thin air.

Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live.

So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn’t think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia.

Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—and as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war is coming. Magonia and Earth are on the cusp of a reckoning. And in Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

REVIEW

Magonia is one of those books that I kept hearing about, but had no idea of the plot before I picked it up at the library. The beautiful cover definitely sucked me in, and while perhaps I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, Magonia’s does an excellent job representing the story.

This book follows teenager Aza, who has been sick with a mysterious lung disease her entire life. She is about to celebrate her sixteenth birthday when doctors find a feather in her lungs. Before she can have her exploratory surgery, Aza dies en route to the hospital. Her family and best friend Jason are left behind to pick up the pieces, and Aza may not be dead after all.

This book is truly baffling to me, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Magonia is a very imaginative story written in a dual perspective between Aza and Jason. This format made the book a real page-turner, because I just had to find out what was going to happen next. There was never a time when I could predict the story, and I really appreciated that about Magonia.

The writing, however, was very difficult for me to adapt to reading. Headley has an almost stream of consciousness style, and there are some experimental aspects to the writing as well. Once I got into the flow of the story, I was able to follow along better, but I was still confused for the majority of the book. I found the world-building in this fantasy novel to be quite weak. I first thought the world would be revealed step-by-step, and in some ways it is. However, I never got a clear picture of the world, and struggled to keep up with what was happening.

Similarly, I think Magonia should come with a glossary! Headley uses a lot of vocabulary words that I’ve never heard before, and I had difficulty keeping up with the different creatures in her fantasy world, as well as the different places. I think a map would have also been extremely helpful to me as a reader.

My last thought on this book isn’t necessarily a critique, but something I wanted to mention because I think it would affect your decision on whether or not to pick up this book. I found Magonia to be quite preachy at times. It often discusses the environment, and how humans are polluting the Earth. I found this to be a bit too blatantly done, especially for a young adult novel. That being said, I did enjoy the discussion of what is good versus what is evil. I never knew which characters to trust, and there was never a ‘right’ answer.

Thus, Magonia was an okay read for me. While I did enjoy the interesting storyline and appreciated a unique fantasy world, I found the writing a bit confusing and the world-building lacking. This is the first book in a series, and I might continue on with the second book when it releases in October of 2016. The ending of Magonia does wrap up nicely, but there is definitely room for the story to continue, and I do have an interest in what happens next. I would recommend Magonia if you’re looking for a young adult fantasy unlike all the rest.

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Book Review | More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

Published by Soho Teen on June 2, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Science Fiction

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 293

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★

In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving debut—called “mandatory reading” by the New York Times—Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx.

In the months after his father’s suicide, it’s been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again–but he’s still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he’s slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron’s crew notices, and they’re not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

Why does happiness have to be so hard?

REVIEW

After hearing a good amount of buzz for More Happy Than Not, I picked it up from the library without knowing much about the plot. I highly recommend going into this book without knowing too much, and my summary will be purposefully vague. More Happy Than Not follows teenager Aaron Soto. He lives in the Bronx, and when the book opens readers find out that his father recently committed suicide, and Aaron attempted suicide. Now we are following his life in his apartment complex, and seeing how Aaron is dealing with the life he’s been dealt.

More Happy Than Not is a contemporary novel with a science fiction twist. Aaron lives in our time, but there is a new medical procedure called Leteo that can alter our memories. If you get Leteo, you will be able to forget something in your life, and you’ll never know you even got the procedure. Aaron’s neighbor had Leteo before he moved away, and Aaron’s not sure if he believes the procedure even works. I really enjoyed this sci fi element in the book, as it really made things interesting.

As for my critiques of the novel, I will begin by saying that the first 100 or so pages were quite boring for me. There was no clear direction for the novel, and I even considered putting the book down without finishing it. That all changed at a certain point in the book. Things begin happening quickly, and I was sucked into the story. The slow beginning does make sense as the book continues, so I didn’t detract from my rating because of it. However, I tell you so that you can push through the beginning if you find it boring at first. Trust me – it’s worth it!

I also found that the ending of the novel was a bit rushed and not explained as fully as I would have liked. More Happy Than Not is a short novel under 300 pages, and I think expanding the ending a bit would have really helped the story. I also noticed some editing mistakes and grammar issues throughout the book, which will hopefully be fixed in later editions.

Nonetheless, I absolutely loved the story within More Happy Than Not. I know it might not seem that way based on this review, but I really don’t want to give anything away. Trust me when I say that Silvera creates a plot that is detailed and carefully constructed. This is the kind of book I want to read over and over to catch his hints for a later reveal along the way. More Happy Than Not makes an excellent book for a book club, because there are so many elements to be discussed, including memory, mental health, and whether we can change who we are.

I also wanted to quickly mention that I loved the setting of the book. I did live in the Bronx for a semester in college, so I was a bit familiar with where the book took place. However, I really enjoyed being taken inside Aaron’s community. His neighborhood functions in a really interesting way. I loved how Silvera incorporated all of the neighborhood games into the novel, and showed Aaron’s so-called friends as familial yet toxic at the same time.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed More Happy Than Not, and highly recommend it. This is Silvera’s debut novel, and I am impressed with how well his writing is already. I will be picking up his other books for sure, and I hope you’ll give this one a try. If you’ve already read it, please discuss it with me! There are many interesting conversations that may be had from reading this book.

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