Review: Past Perfect

Title: Past Perfect
Author: Leila Sales
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 322
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Format: eGalley via Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.

Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it….—Goodreads

THIS BOOK IS SO STINKIN' GOOD. 

It honestly might be the most perfect YA contemp I've ever read. It's silly and girly and rings very true to a typical teenage girl's experiences. And it is just SO MUCH FUN to read. 

Now, I will be honest. I was apparently pre-destined to like this book because it is mostly set in a historic colonial village à la Colonial Williamsburg. I have an undergrad degree in American History and before that, DEEPLY IDENTIFIED with Felicity from the American Girl series. Now, I do realize that I am not unique in this—there are many, many girls my age who loved Felicity and hold American History degrees. And all of those girls need to read this book. Because they will love it as much as I do. 

So, ok, you probs want to know why I like this practically perfect little book so much, right? Leila Sales just does such a good job creating characters, especially the main character, Chelsea, that are just likable. Chelsea seems very, very real and very, very normal and the situations she finds herself in are also very, very real and normal. She's nursing a pouty heart, and around the time that she thinks she can FINALLY get away from her ex (aka, summer break), she realizes he's taken a job at the historical reenactment village where her parents work full-time, and where she works every summer. Because boys are awful. 

And if that weren't enough, it turns out that there is a Civil War reenactment village DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET from the colonial village (I know, hilarious, right?!), and the teens who work there wage prank wars on each other every summer. It is AWESOME and HILARIOUS. OMG, y'all, my  geeky, history-loving heart adored this part of the book so dad-gum much. I read this book on a plane and kept giggling and squealing in delight, and I'm pretty sure my seat mates thought I was bonkers. But I did not CARE because I was having so much fun with this book. Anyway, it turns out that there's a very cute guy who works at the Civil War place, and of course my girl Chelsea finds herself attracted to him. 

Now, one might think that this would breed a love triangle type situation. But it didn't!!!!!! Sure, Chelsea was still getting over her ex and started having feelings for someone else, but it never became a soul-crushing, OMG THIS IS LIFE OR DEATH kind of thing. And it definitely wasn't the only thing Chelsea thought about throughout the book. Because she isn't crazy.  

Overall, the beauty in this book is that it is honest and realistic in its depiction of being a teenage girl who has been hurt and is trying to move on. No matter who you are or what your age is or whether or not you even like history, you should pick this book up. It will make you laugh and cheer and smile and want to hug your best friend and maybe want to ask Miss Leila Sales to be your best friend. Or maybe that's just me. Regardless, Past Perfect is a book I definitely have a crush on. And NOT because of the boys. 

But don't take just my word for it! Check out these other reviews from awesome bloggers:

Anna at Anna Reads

April at Good Books and Good Wine

Ginger at GReadsBooks

Melanie at Reclusive Bibliophile

Video Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Author: Laini Taylor

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Pages: 420

Release Date: September 27, 2011 (aka, the day EVERYTHING AWESOME comes out.)

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. 

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. 

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. 

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. 

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?—Goodreads

Behold! My first video blog!

Review: Legend

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 336
Release Date: November 29, 2011
Format: ARC via Good Choice Reading Blog Tour

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.—Goodreads

I'm not normally one for dystopian stories, but I'd heard great things about Legend and wanted to give it a try. And I am so so so glad I did because, y'all. This book is great.


June is incredibly cool—smart and sexy with observation skills that are straight up Sherlock Holmesian. And, of course, she's special. Having made the only perfect score on record of the test that all children in the Republic are required to take to determine their future, she's basically a celebrity. But she's not nearly as famous as Day, a sly criminal who is a Robin Hood figure for the plague-ridden citizens of the Republic who live in next to deplorable conditions and are denied upward mobility. When she's assigned to find and kill Day once she joins the military, the two meet each other and then things go crazy awesome. 


I love the way the story unfolds—I was never quite sure who to trust or what the next moves might be. There was one character in particular that I just couldn't get a good read on and whose motives I was constantly trying to figure out. Though that may have bothered others, I really dug it—it kept me on my toes while reading. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Legend. It's a fast paced, methodical, smart, and really entertaining murder mystery/conspiracy novel. Additionally, the descriptions of the clothing are all a little steampunky, which is always welcome. (Bring on the goggles, that's what I say!) So whether you're a die hard dystopia fan or a person looking for a good read, I highly, highly recommend picking up Legend when it comes out in November. Ooh! November! That means it could be a Christmas present! So, there ya go. A copy of Legend for everyone you know. Christmas shopping=finished. :)

Review & Author Interview: Geek Fantasy Novel

Title: Geek Fantasy Novel
Author: E. Archer
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pub Date: April 1, 2011
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover

What happens when a science geek and magic collide?

Be careful what you wish for. Really. Because wishes are bad. Very bad. They can get you trapped in fantasy worlds full of killer bunny rabbits, evil aunts, and bothersome bacteria, for example. Or at least that's Ralph's experience. He's been asked to spend the summer with his strange British relatives at their old manor house in order to set up their Wi-Fi network. But there's much more to it than that, of course. It's just that nobody told Ralph. He's a gamer, sure. But this game is much stranger--and funnier--than anything to be found on his xbox.

He is a geek. This is his story. -- Goodreads

This book is not AT ALL what I expected. I thought it was going to be a cute little foray into geek culture, (with which I am very well-acquainted) a romp through a world full of comic book in-jokes and World of Warcraft references. While Geek Fantasy Novel has those, as well as fire-burping bunnies, the book is soooo much more than that--it's smart and meta and inventive and full of SAT words and freakin' layered--there are TWO narrators! Not that it's a hard book to read; it's definitely not that. It's just, well, to be completely honest, waaaay better than I thought it would be.

The main plot is that Ralph, a super geeky kid living in New Jersey with parents who are anti-wishing, is recruited by his aunt to come to England for the summer to help set up their WiFi network. While there, he reconnects with his cousins, Cecil and Daphne, and his half-cousin (is that a thing?) Beatrice. He also meets his other aunt, Chessie, who, as it turns out, has the power to grant wishes. However, these wishes have to be acted out via a quest that the wishee must complete.

Sounds simple enough, right?

Well, as is normally the case with magic, not everything is what it appears to be, and loopholes are abundant. With Ralph attempting to save each of his cousins from their careless wishing and terrifying quests, he wreaks havoc on the age-old profession of narrating quests and causes quite the stir in his family's otherwise quiet life.

After I read this book, I could not stop thinking about it. I enjoyed it so much that I just had to speak with the wonderful, talented Eliot Schrefer, who is, in fact, E. Archer, about the book! So I did! Check out my interview with Mr. Schrefer after the jump!

Review: The Last Little Blue Envelope

Title: The Last Little Blue Envelope
Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub Date: April 26, 2011
Pages: 304
Format: ARC

*IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIRTEEN LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPES, THIS WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS* 

Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions.--Goodreads

If you are anything like me, which is sick of being stuck inside due to rainy weather and full of wanderlust, then Maureen Johnson's The Last Little Blue Envelope (LLBE) is both a blessing and a curse. While it's so much fun to spend some time with Ginny in London again, it's torture to read about her trips across Europe. I. Want. To. Go. To There. NOW. 

In fact! I think some enterprising travel business type person should create a Little Blue Envelope tour company so all of us crazy book people can go on a scavenger hunt throughout Europe.

But I digress. 

When I heard that there was going to be a sequel to Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes (TLBE), I was actually surprised. It seemed as if TLBE ended where it needed to--Ginny completed as much of the task as she was able to, she found her Aunt Peg's artwork even without the last envelope, and everything seemed hunky-dory. Regardless of my reservations about the sequel, I do love Maureen Johnson, so when the ARC of LLBE landed on my desk, I squealed loud enough for my boss to come out of her office to investigate why I made a crazy high pitched noise. 

Despite my girl crush on Ms. Johnson and my love for Europe and my severe wanderlust, I never loved TLBE the way I wanted to, and while reading, I found that clouding my thoughts about LLBE. Don't get me wrong--they are both wonderful books. The writing is great, the story is amazing, and the books are super-duper fun to read. But there was always something about them that kept me from just loving them completely. It wasn't until I reached the almost the very, very end of LLBE that I realized what that thing was. 

Ready for this?

That thing is Ginny. Yes, she's the main character, but she isn't necessarily the easiest character to know. Sure, you know her likes and dislikes and taste in boys, but, at least for me, she always had different reactions than I expected her to have--not that a character should always act the way I think they should; I just found her reactions totally baffling and her rationale totally unsound. What I realized while reading LLBE is that there's a reason for that.

We are meeting Ginny as a teenager--she is still figuring out who she is! Lucky for us, we have Aunt Peg, from beyond the grave telling us who Ginny is. This crazy, brilliant, eccentric woman gives us more insight to Ginny than Ginny does because Ginny doesn't know herself yet. But Aunt Peg did know her, and she saw not only who Ginny was, but who she had the potential of becoming. It's a truly beautiful thing.

By the end of LLBE, Ginny has not only traveled most of Europe, but has met a wide array of characters--some good, some not so good, some we already know, some who are new--and can say that, if nothing else, she now knows way more than how to avoid getting a backpack stolen on a beach. She has started to know herself.

So, despite the fact that I didn't think Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes needed a sequel, I'm so glad that Johnson wrote The Last Little Blue Envelope. It's the rest of a story you didn't even know you wanted the rest of. There are few things as satisfying as that. 

Review: Bumped

Title: Bumped
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper Teen)
Pub Date: April 26, 2011
Pages: 336
Format: Galley via Net Galley (Thank you!)

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. 
Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job. 
Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from. 
When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common. -- Goodreads


When I first heard about this book, I was intrigued and disgusted and totally into the idea of it. I'm one of those girls who has never, ever wanted to be a mom. I don't like little kids--I don't know how to deal with them or talk to them or act around them. I personally find the idea of pregnancy revolting. (Think about it--there is a person growing inside of you, living of off you for nine months of your life. Like a parasite.) Now, you can probably imagine how I feel about all of those horrid reality shows about pregnancy--from "I didn't know I was pregnant!" to "Obese and Pregnant" to "Teen Mom." 


So, imagine my complete and total delight when I read the "Dear Reader" page of this book, in which McCafferty states that her disgust with how pregnancy, particularly teenage pregnancy, is constantly either glorified or vilified made her want to write a novel exploring the question, "What would happen if only teenagers could reproduce?" 


I did a happy dance, and immediately fell in love with the book. 


McCafferty takes a seriously believable look at how society as whole views and treats pregnancy, celebrity, and technology. In her novel, becoming pregnant as a teenager is the best thing that could happen to you because, more often than not, both "parents" are getting paid to give birth. Compensation comes in the form of thousands of dollars toward college tuition for both the girl and boy involved, plastic surgery for the "mom," and the best, most comfortable pre- and post-natal care possible. Then on the flip side, religious  people (called Churchies) who are against "pregging for profit" are so radically conservative that they, for the most part, have isolated themselves so far from society that there is almost no way someone raised in that environment could leave and function in "normal" society. 


While reading the novel, the events taking place don't necessarily seem that extreme. Sure, it's weird to think of girls signing contracts at the age of 13 to produce kids for a couple, but the girl is doing it because she wants to--no one is forcing her. For me, it wasn't the idea of "pregging for profit" that was uncomfortable, but the social pressure surrounding it. McCafferty does a superb job of creating a culture that crudely celebrates both sex and pregnancy--for example, tween girls run around wearing shirts that proclaim "Born to Breed," or sport "FunBumps," bellies that make the wearer look and feel pregnant. The girls in high school who aren't preggers idolize those who are. In one particular scene, a male "celebrity" shows up, and teenage girls throw themselves at him, quite literally begging him to get them pregnant. It's both darkly comedic and truly terrifying. 


Another major player in this novel is technology. Everyone is connected to the MiNet, which allows everyone everywhere to know exactly where and what and who everyone else, everywhere else is doing. It's basically like streaming reality TV that's actually, you know, real. In fact, at no point does anyone in the novel talk about watching TV or movies or reading for pleasure--they just log into the MiNet for entertainment purposes. 


Although Bumped is very obviously a satire, and has many laugh out loud moments, it's also a little bit terrifying. It's a supremely intelligent look at society's obsession with celebrity, pregnancy, and technology, and is a dystopian world that is much more realistic than many others I've read. If you're the kind of person who likes your dystopia satirical yet believable, you'll definitely enjoy Bumped.

Review: Two Moon Princess

Title: Two Moon Princess
Author: Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban
Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Pub Date: June 16, 2010
Format: Galley via Net Galley (Thank you!)

In this coming-of-age story set in a medieval kingdom, Andrea is a headstrong princess longing to be a knight who finds her way to modern-day California. But her accidental return to her family's kingdom and a disastrous romance brings war, along with her discovery of some dark family secrets. Readers will love this mix of traditional fantasy elements with unique twists and will identify with Andrea and her difficult choices between duty and desire.--Goodreads

Sometimes, I find myself craving a good romantic fairy tale. In times like these I usually turn to movies or television, but I had heard pretty good things about Two Moon Princess, and decided to give it a go, expecting it to be pretty run-of-the-mill--you know, something I could mindlessly read, that would satiate my fairy tale appetite. What I ended up getting was straight up lovely coming-of-age story with a really sweet romance intertwined in it.

When I first started this one, I was a little nervous--the tone is a little, well, naive. I tend to like my leading ladies sassy and cynical, and while Andrea is definitely courageous and daring, she's not that great with the one-liners. But after reading for awhile, I realized that subtly-pointed zingers don't really belong in a medieval kingdom. Once I readjusted my expectations of the book, I realized just how much I was enjoying it.

In fact, Two Moon Princess is very reminiscent of a lot of the stories I read when I was younger. Not that this is a childish book, but the prose are very simple and the vocabulary is very accessible. It's definitely a book that anyone with the ability to read could enjoy. I don't feel like there are too many books like that out these days.

Overall, this book not only quenched my fairy tale thirst, but exceeded my expectations. If you're in the market for a well-plotted, well-imagined story, with a little bit of soul-searching and a lot of action, definitely check this one out.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton Books (Penguin Teen)
Release Date: December 2, 2010
Pages: 384
Format: Purchased

I bought Anna and the French Kiss on a whim. I'd heard it was really cute, and it's set in France, and Stephanie Perkins has blue streaks in her hair; all of those things combined sounded pretty good to me, so I said "What the hell," and just bought the book before I'd read it. This probably doesn't seem like a big deal to some of you, but for me it's a huge deal. I typically only buy a book if it's a) by an author I super like or b) I've read it before and know that I like it. 

Lucky for me, I'm glad I bought the book. 

Despite the sort of confusing, but cute title, Anna and the French Kiss isn't really about kissing. (I mean, there is kissing, but it's not the focus of the book.) The plot is that Anna Oliphant, a fairly typical American girl, is suddenly yanked out of her fairly typical American life and sent to boarding school in Paris. She is upset by this. I did not understand that reaction. I would have been jumping for freakin' joy. But, I've always been a Francophile and don't understand those who aren't. Anyway, she's shipped off to Paris, and then the book follows her throughout her senior year, adjusting to life in France. (le sigh)

During Anna's first lonely night in the dorm, she ends up befriending her neighbor and is adopted by her group of friends, which includes the French-British-American guy with a girlfriend, Étienne St. Clair. Anna and St. Clair become fast friends, and Anna grapples with what her real feeling about him are--Is he just a friend? Is she in love with him? Does it even matter since a) he has a girlfriend, and b) they'll both be headed to college next year? Although that sounds a little cloying, I promise you it is not. In fact, it's a surprisingly realistic portrayal of senior year, despite the oh-so romantic location. 

Sooo let's talk about the eponymous Anna. She is a main character (MC) that I actually really, really like. Many times, I find myself sort of bored with MCs, and liking the supporting characters much more. I'm not sure why this is, but it is. However, that was not at all the case with Anna. She's a female character who is funny, smart, confident, and career-oriented. She's not perfect by any means, but she's someone who felt real. 

In fact, I think Perkins did an amazing job when writing all of the characters in keeping them feeling like people the reader could actually meet and know in real life. I deeply appreciate that all of the characters have flaws, both in physicality and personality. Anna, though described as very pretty, has a large gap between her front teeth and a bleached white streak in her dark hair. (Not that that is unpretty, it's just not typical of a female MC.) And the love interest, Étienne, is a short dude who is deathly afraid of heights. Although these are little details, they really made the characters memorable for me. 

Another part of the book that really resonated with me was when Anna returned to the States for Christmas break and realized just how much she had changed since going to Paris. If you've ever studied abroad or gone to camp or to college or had any kind of experience that was pivotal in your life, and then tried to share that with your family and friends who haven't experienced that, you'll know exactly what I mean by this--it's that moment where you're desperately trying to make them understand just how great a story is or how amazing these new people in your life are, and it just isn't translating. Perkins did an AMAZING job in capturing this and I felt that those chapters were when I really decided to like the book. 

Despite the fact that I really enjoyed this, I did feel that it ran a little too long--not that I was ever bored with the book, but I remember thinking, "Okay. This book could go on forever. There's no end in sight!" And this is a REALLY minute thing, but it really bothered me that Anna, an aspiring film critic, had no idea that Paris is the city where film criticism was born. I know that most 17-year-olds don't know that, but...still.  You'd think that someone who wants to be a film critic would have at least Wikipedia'ed it? No? I'm being too harsh? Okay. I am mollified.

Overall, this book is delightful and charming and will ignite your wanderlust in a very, very intense way. I was seriously looking up airline prices by the middle of the book. (Le sigh) So if you're looking for a fun, contemporary read, I wholeheartedly recommend this one. And when the travel bug starts calling your name, let me know--we can be travel buddies! 

Review & Giveaway: Where She Went

Title: Where She Went
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Books
Pub Date: April 5, 2011
Format: ARC, sent from publisher (Thank you SO MUCH!!)

This is one of those books that I don't even really know how to "review." I don't even really think of it as a book--it's more of an experience. It's emotional, it's physical, it somehow reaches down into your body and demands a reaction. I didn't even realize I was giving it a reaction until I was crying so hard I couldn't read for the tears.

Yep, people, this is a book that will make you emo. But also warm and fuzzy, in a weird, teary way. And despite the fact that I have no idea how to convey how beautiful this book is, I will try.

The sequel to the heart-wrenching If I Stay (told from Mia's perspective), Where She Went (told from Adam's perspective) picks up the story of Mia and Adam three years after the accident, after the grief has been accepted, and after the pain has dulled. Or at least, that's what Adam thinks. But when an aggressive and enterprising reporter tries to find out who the "real Adam Wilde" is (his band, Shooting Star, is now legit and he is super famous), she digs around in his past and makes the connection that he and Mia went to the same high school and were more than just friends, a fact that both he and the band have bent over backward to keep out of the press. After a response in typical rock star-style, Adam storms out of the interview and into the streets of Manhattan.

As Adam walks to blow off steam and clear his head, he just so happens to find himself in front of Carnegie Hall, where Mia just so happens to be playing that very night as part of the esteemed Young Artists Series. And because Adam is a masochist, he buys a ticket to see her play, and then she invites him backstage, and then. *eyes glimmer with knowing*

I refuse to tell you, because you, reader, are hereby charged to get thee to the nearest bookstore and buy at least two copies of this book, because you will WANT to give it to someone. And you'll want your own copy. (Duh.) Anyway, to give you a hint of what was going on with me while I was reading, here are my tweets from the night I read this book. (read from the bottom up. Or don't. You choose!)

Yeahhhhhh. This one is a doozy. I read both If I Stay and Where She Went in one sitting each, and for some insane reason If I Stay didn't affect me as much as Where She Went did. It's a perfect sequel. I mean that. And I really don't know what else to say.

Oh, yes I do! If you are in or around NYC tonight, the brilliant Gayle Forman is having a release party at the Brooklyn Barnes & Noble from 7-9. Yes, TONIGHT! I will be there, with bells on. Rachel from Bookshelf Lust will be there toooooo. So, come hang out with us. We're fun.

Review: Red Glove

Title: Red Glove
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: April 5, 2011
Format: Galley via S&S Galley Grab


Y'all. Holly Black is awesome. I loooved White Cat, the first book in the Curse Workers series, and couldn't wait to get my hands on Red Glove. When it came up on Simon & Schuster Galley Grab I squealed and hit download so quickly Superman would have been impressed.

Red Glove launches the reader back in to the gritty, slick, double-crossing world of New Jersey, where Cassel is helping his mom run cons. He's disgusted with the whole set up, and particularly with his mom, who, at the end of White Cat, cursed Lila Zacharov (aka the girl he's desperately in love with, who happens to be the daughter of a worker mob boss) to love him. Unfortunately, Cassel doesn't want forced, fake, blind love. He wants the real thing. But that worry takes a back seat to the rest of his problems when his brother Phillip is murdered by a mysterious lady wearing red gloves.

Shortly after the funeral, both the Feds and the elder Zacharov start courting Cassel, who is the rarest form of worker--a transformation worker, to work for them. Then, just for funsies, his middle brother, a memory worker, proposes that the two of them go into business with a different worker mob. Instead, Cassel decides to outsmart them all, and solve Phillip's murder, just to spite them.

That all sounds like a whole bunch, right? Right. But while reading, it's obvious that Cassel, like most high school seniors, is struggling with two BIG decisions. 1) What to do about Lila, whom he desperately wants to be with, and 2) What to do with his future--does he go to college? Join the FBI? Join a mob? Although most seniors aren't juggling the last two, Black writes it in a way that is reminiscent of the future-decision-making-process everyone has to face. Sure, the decision Cassel is grappling with is grittier, but, in truth, it's really no different than the issues any other high school senior is facing. That quality helps keep the book feeling real instead of paranormal or fantastic (in the fantasy genre sense of the word.)

So, now let's talk about Lila. I think Lila is awesome and compelling and great. Even under a freakin' love spell, she tries her best to remain her own person, she tests boundaries, and she pushes buttons. You just can't help but love a girl like that. And though through the entire book I wanted to bonk Cassel on the head with something heavy and tell him to stop being mean to Lila and give them a chance, because--who knows?!--maybe after the curse wears off, she'll still love you (Yep, I'm definitely a romantic. Not really sure when that happened, but there it is.) and you can live happily ever after, running a worker mob, [THIS IS ABOUT TO GET A LITTLE SPOILERY] I liked what happened after the curse wore off even better. If Lila and Cassel can't be together, then they should be nemeses. Yeeeessssssssss.

Stylistically, I find it fascinating that Black writes the Curse Workers books in a way where the plot escalates and thickens and twists, without the reader realizing exactly how escalating and thick and twisty the plot really is. It wasn't until I was trying to explain the plot to my mom that I figured out "Hey. This book is freakin' complicated." Normally I can feel the pacing or the action accelerate, but in this series, I just read along and then all of a sudden I'd find that I had been holding my breath or turning pages (well, pressing the turn page button on my eReader) so rapidly that I had cruised through 50 pages in less than that many minutes. I don't know how she does it, but I looooove that she does.

Overall, Red Glove is a fantastic sequel. It moves the series along in the direction I thought it would go, but in an unexpected way, and the character development is phenomenal. When I reached the last page, I thought "It's gonna be a long, loooong year waiting for the next book."

Random Observations
1. I looooove that Black adds in nods to her fellow authors in her books. In this series, there is a very minor character named Jace and a major character whose last name is Wasserman.

2. I own a pair of red gloves. While reading, every time the gloves were mentioned, I could only envision my gloves. 'Twas creepy.

3. There's a character who goes to ARKANSAS in this book!!! I'm from Arkansas! *hugs self in glee*

4. There's a character named BETHENNY in this book!!! My name is Bethany! Different spelling, but still!!!! *jumps up and down*

Review: Falling in Love with English Boys

Title: Falling in Love with English Boys
Author: Melissa Jensen
Publisher: Speak (Penguin Group)
Pages: 272
Pub Date: December 23, 2010
Format: ARC (pilfered from ARC shelf at work...shhhh!)

Sixteen-year-old Catherine Vernon has been stranded in London for the summer—no friends, no ex-boyfriend Adam the Scum (good riddance!), and absolutely nothing to do but blog about her misery to her friends back home. Desperate for something—anything—to do in London while her (s)mother’s off researching boring historical things, Cat starts reading the 1815 diary of Katherine Percival her mom gives her—and finds the similarities between their lives to be oddly close. But where Katherine has the whirls of the society, the parties and the gossip over who is engaged to who, Cat’s only got some really excellent English chocolate. Then she meets William Percival—the uber-hot descendant of Katherine—and things start looking up . . .--Goodreads


When I picked this book up, I figured it'd be a mindless, formulaic, chick-lit read. You know, one where girl goes somewhere new, girl meets charming boy, charming boy likes her, they have some sort of fight, and then at the end things are hunky-dory by some bit of fateful magic that doesn't really exist. In some ways, that's what Falling in Love with English Boys is. But I don't want to trivialize it, because it's better than that. 


What saves this book from being just another teen chick-lit is debut author Jensen's humor, wit, and command of two very different writing styles. Although the story is primarily about Catherine Vernon, it is also the story of Katherine Percival, an 18-year-old girl living in 1815, and believe you me, the girls have WAY more in common than just their first name. 


My favorite aspect of this book is that it is told in diary form throughout. Jensen writes as both Catherine in present day and Katherine in 1815, and she handles the stylistic transitions brilliantly. She also does a fantastic job of bringing a girl from the oh-so Romantic-seeming era of the early-1800s, where everyone is supposedly demure and charming and Elizabeth Bennett-y, and made Katherine Percival seem like a real person who gets mad and is insecure and a little more boy-crazy than she probably should be. It was really refreshing, actually, and made me feel like less of a basket-case. (Ha!)


Now it's time to talk about the boy: William Percival. Will is British. Will is smart. Will is funny. Will is caring. Will will inherit a title. (!!!!!!) Will is sort of perfect. Okay, I'll stop with the short sentences. Overall, Will did the job as the leading man just fine. And though he had all the requisite characteristics and charms, I wanted more . . . I don't know, edge or passion or a motorcycle. Hell, I would have settled for a drum set. I like my boys a little rough around the edges, and I think Will could have used just a dash of that "you-know-I'm-bad-for-you-but-you-just-can't-say-no" salt. 


Anyway, the book is bouncy and light for the most part, but Jensen also throws in some plot curveballs that remind us just how random and unfair life can sometimes be--this is esepcially showcased in Catherine's friendship with Elizabeth, a gorgeous and politically-minded girl from a Muslim family and in Katherine's brother, Charles, who is among the troops who fought the Battle of Waterloo. Although both are minor characters, you learn to love them, and their stories bring a sense of reality and weight to the otherwise plucky story. 


Overall, Falling in Love with English Boys is surprisingly fun and extremely charming. It's a little reminiscent of Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicholson series, which I am still mourning the finale of, and made me laugh a lot. It's a quick, light, but worthwhile read if you're in the mood for a little British romance, both modern and Austen-ish. And let's be honest, girls (and boys!) like us are almost always in the mood for a little British romance.

Review: Revolution

Title: Revolution
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 472
Pub Date: October 12, 2010
Format: Library book

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break. 
PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape. 
Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.--Goodreads


While reading Revolution, I was awestruck. Donnelly spins an intensely tragic, raw tale of two girls in two different times, but whose stories are the same. Both are hurt, angry, and desperate in a way that I hope to never know. Both want to act, want to make a mark, and want to go out with a bang. I couldn't get enough of it. I was racing through this book, praying my lunch breaks at work wouldn't end so that I didn't have to stop reading. But, of course, they would end.

So last night, I canceled my plans so I could go home and finish this book. (I'm not joking about that.) I read and read and read, and then, about 100 pages from the end, something happened. All of a sudden, Donnelly was using my LEAST FAVORITE narrative technique--the historical time travel.

I know what you're thinking--'But, Bethany, did you not read the summary of the book? It plainly states that "the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present."' Yeah, I got that, but I didn't think it was going to be literal. I mean, Andi is crawling around in the mothereffing Parisian catacombs while reading a diary from the French Revolution. That's pretty terrifyingly present if you ask me.

Anyway, after spending so much time and energy and emotion with Revolution, I found myself getting angry. The book had been so informed and smart  and tonally solid and heart-wrenchingly beautiful that I didn't think it could go wrong. But when I got to the part where Andi enters the catacombs and starts talking to the "hot goth guy," I found that a conversation I'd had with a co-worker was coming true--she asked me how I was liking this book and I said, "I love it. I'm a little obsessed with it. But I'm afraid it's going to go to a weird time-travely place, and I really, really don't want it to go there." And as I sat there, at 1:00 AM, devouring this book, I realized that that's EXACTLY where it was going.

I was pissed.

I called my boyfriend and RAILED against it. I cussed the book in English, French, and maybe Pig Latin. He said, "Wow, you must really like this book to be so mad about this. Just calm down and finish it." [Mr. Bethany is sort of great.]

So that's what I did. And as I kept reading, I realized that while Donnelly did use the hated historical time travel technique, she also did something different with it, something that left it open to interpretation. So I'm going to interpret it as NOT historical time travel, and that makes me a much, much happier Bethie.

Overall, this book is fantastic. It's beautifully crafted, extremely well-researched, and has a V for Vendetta vibe to it. So, if that's your thing, or if you're a historical fiction nerd and Francophile like me, then you will adore this book. But I'm warning you, this book is not for the faint of heart (or stomach)--Donnelly spares no disgusting detail when describing the conditions of the French Revolution and there are a couple places that were a little hard for me, the girl with a History major and French minor, to get through. But hopefully that won't stop you from RUSHING to get this book. And if you do, clear your calendar. You won't be able to put it down.

Review: Wings

Title: Wings
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 294
Pub Date: April 6, 2010
Format: Library book

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.--Goodreads

Faeries have never been my thing. I honestly don't know that much about them or their lore, and, if I'm being completely honest, I probably wouldn't have ever picked this book up if it wasn't for the Goodreads book group I'm in. This was their pick as a group read for March, sooooo I read it.

So, okay. The basic plot here is that the main character, Laurel, has moved to a new town when her parents decide to open a book store. Then she discovers that she is a faery--this happens when Laurel all of a sudden sprouts petals, that look like wings, from her back. It's important to note that they are petals, because in this series, *SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT* faeries aren't genetically people--they are plants who look and act and feel like humans. Anyway, Laurel befriends a very sweet and scientifically-minded boy named David who thinks that she's the cat's pajamas, and she doesn't really know what she thinks about him, at least romantically speaking. All the while her parents are trying to sell their old house/land and are having difficulty getting a buyer. Then when they do get a buyer, Laurel has a weird, weird, super weird feeling about him, and turns out that--surprise!--the land she grew up on belongs to the faeries and she has to make sure it isn't sold to someone who is not a faery. Get it? Goooood.

I found the first half of the book achingly slow. It was all about Laurel adjusting to life in her new high school (she had been home schooled), and it was literally "Laurel sucks at biology," "Laurel has weird eating habits" [OMG major sidebar--Her eating habits are this: she eats raw fruits and veggies and drinks Sprite. No, the play on words is not lost on me here. Anyway, while reading all about her raw foods diet, I was scarfing down chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and enjoying every second of it. I did not once feel guilty.], "Laurel is really pretty," "Laurel is still getting used to this whole school thing," "David is paying Laurel attention and she's not sure why," for about half the book.

That would be a-okay with me if the main character was interesting. Laurel is definitely different, but there's just something so squeaky clean about her--there's no edge, and once you realize that she's a faery (which is never really a mystery) there's nothing all that mysterious about her.

Things finally started to heat up when Laurel meets another faery, Tamani (boy!), who is the first character in the book that isn't completely vanilla. Although I like David, and find him very sweet, he's boring. I assume that in the trilogoy, that's his role--he's the sweet, safe choice while Tamani will be the edgy, more seemingly-exciting choice.

Anyway, the book kept going, and I kept reading, and then finally there was some much-needed action thrown in about 3/4 of the way through.

But my favorite part was when Tamani briefly (so briefly!) explained the history of faeries to Laurel. This included Avalon (!!!), King Arthur (!!!!), Merlin(!!!!!), and King Oberon (!!). Like I said earlier, faeries aren't really my thing, so maybe this is typical in the faery-canon and is old hat for all you faery genre readers, but I TOTALLY DUG this part. I really wished that all of that had come earlier in the book. In fact, I wish the editors had cut out a lot of the adjusting to the new school, sucking at biology stuff, to insert more faery history stuff. But then again, I was a history major in undergrad, so maybe I'm biased. ;)

As the book started to wrap up, the last couple pages kind of force a love triangle--not that it wouldn't have come by itself--I'm sure that it would have. While reading there is definitely a discernible romantic tension between David-Laurel and a more sexual tension between Tamani-Laurel, but I figured the love triangle would come to fruition in the second book. Instead, it was thrown in at the end of the first book, and to me, felt very very awkward.

Overall, Wings was a quick, light read, and since finishing it, I've found myself wondering about where Pike took the story in the next book. I'm not necessarily in a rush to read the next one, but I'll definitely put it on my list of things to-read.

In the meantime--if you are a faery genre lover, I would love to have recommendations for some books! Leave 'em in comments s'il vous plait!

Review: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Author: E. Lockhart

Publisher: Hyperion

Pages: 342

Pub Date: March 25, 2008

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14: 
Debate Club. 
Her father’s “bunny rabbit.” 
A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school. 

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15: 
A knockout figure. 
A sharp tongue. 
A chip on her shoulder. 
And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston. 

Frankie Laundau-Banks. 
No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer. 
Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society. 
Not when her ex boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places. 
Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them. 
When she knows Matthew’s lying to her. 
And when there are so many, many pranks to be done. 

Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16: 
Possibly a criminal mastermind. 

This is the story of how she got that way.--Goodreads

This is the first book I've read  by Miss E. Lockhart's and OMG IS IT GOOD. I love everything about secret societies and find boarding schools fascinating--there's just something so romantic in the notions of both, don't you think?--so because of my already established love of the subject matter, I felt like I was preternaturally destined to like this book. However, the quality of the writing and the vividness of the characters exceeded my I'm-going-to-like-this-no-matter-what expectations, and made me crave this story. I seriously couldn't put it down. (I mean that. I didn't even take bathroom breaks. TMI?)

 Before cracking the spine, I thought The Disreputable History was going to be a story about a girl who inadvertently found out about a secret society, and then exploited her knowledge of it to blackmail the members. But what I got was an intelligent story about a girl who refuses to have her ideas and knowledge ignored. Which is so much better than what I thought I was getting in to.

The book is essentially about a girl, Frankie, who returns to her fancy-pants boarding school for her sophomore year, after a summer of physical change so drastic that Matthew Livingston, the perfect senior she crushed on throughout freshman year, doesn't even remember her. She finds herself being pursued by Matthew, and upon her invitation to a by-invitation-only event that paired her with Matthew, is welcomed into his friend group, including the charming, yet poisonous Alessandro "Alpha" Tesorieri.

After about a month, Frankie realizes that Matthew and his friends are part of a secret society called the Basset Hounds, a group that her father was also a part of. After learning that she knows something that the Bassets don't, she seizes the opportunity to slyly insert herself into the group.

In a lot of ways, this book really reminded me of A Separate Peace. But more than that, it reminded me of one of my favorite episodes of Gilmore Girls. In it, Logan (who is very much like Alpha, but has a little Matthew in him too) tricks Rory into joining a secret society at Yale called The Life and Death Brigade. Not only did the plot of The Disreputable History remind me of this episode, but many of the male characters in the book reminded me to Logan and his group of care free, gallivanting, word-obsessed friends.

But, in the character of the eponymous Frankie is where the genius of the book really lies. I love that Lockhart crafted a smart, crafty, assertive, strong female character, who doesn't let institutions or men or boyfriends or even other women dominate her or change her ideas. But more than that, I love that Lockhart inserted Frankie into a good ol' boys institution and in the middle of a friend group with the good ol' boys mentality. However, despite her gumption and wisdom, Frankie is still a teenager with a boyfriend whom she is obsessed with, so there are moments when she is submissive and does exactly what he wants her to do, but overall, she stands her ground. And when she decides she's had enough of being lied to, she takes matters into her own hands, and leaves an impression on everyone in her life that is absolutely not delible.

If you haven't read this book, I highly, highly suggest it. It's the best book I've read thus far this year! 

Review: Angelfire

Title: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 464
Pub Date: February 15, 2011
Format: Galley via NetGalley

In the first book of Courtney Allison Moulton's Angelfire trilogy, we're introduced to Ellie, a seemingly normal high school girl who is struggling with her classes, her relationship with her father (whom I've decided is pure evil), and her intensely vivid nightmares. But other than that, her life is pretty normal--she has friends, she goes to parties, and she loves to shop. Then she meets Will, the mysterious and gorgeous new guy in town. As she keeps running into him, she can't shake the feeling that she knows him. 


Then, on the night of her seventeenth birthday, all of Ellie's nightmares come to life when she goes for a midnight stroll. Will activates her powers and her sight of The Grim plane, and she is thrust into a world of killing demonic reapers, creatures that kill humans and send their souls to Hell. 


The basic premise is very Buffy--girl is chosen, girl's powers are activated, girl struggles to hone her powers,  girl is awesome. But where Ellie differs from Buffy is that she will always exist--not that she can't be killed, but that her soul is reincarnated every time she is killed, and Will always finds her  to awaken her powers on her seventeenth birthday. But Will expects Ellie to just remember how to fight and kill the reapers and sundry other demons, as well as the history of her past lives. Unfortunately for Ellie, and  for Will, her memory is not intact, and the lack of it turns out to be problematic. 


Which brings us to darling, sweet, amazing Will, who is (get ready for Buffy references!) Giles and Angel all rolled into one yummy character--he is Ellie's intensely loyal guardian who also happens to be in love with her, despite the fact that he is forbidden to be in love with her, which makes for some deliciously angsty moments between the two of them. But Will isn't an entirely glum character--though he can be super brooding, he can also be pretty funny and is seriously sexy. 


When Will and Ellie find out that Bastian, this trilogy's big bad, is trying to find the Enshi, a super ancient evil something-or-other than can destroy souls, the two of them take it upon themselves to find it and destroy it before Bastian gets ahold of it. Which creates A LOT of demon drama. 

The book is primarily centered around the balance of good and evil. The supernatural characters in this series are sprung from either Heavenly angels or Fallen angels, and the divide  between Heaven and Hell is discussed often. However, the book doesn't take itself too seriously--there are several teenage parties, including one of the most kick-ass sounding Halloween parties ever, and the dialogue is witty and believably teenaged. It's a fun read, and if you like Buffy and The Mortal Instruments, then this is a book you'll definitely enjoy.