Beauty Queens by Libba Bray: Review

Beauty Queens
By: Libba Bray

Format: Hardcover, 390 pages
Published: May 24, 2011; Scholastic Press
Source: Received at BEA

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Synopsis (from Goodreads): From bestselling, Printz Award-winning author Libba Bray, the story of a plane of beauty pageant contestants that crashes on a desert island.
Teen beauty queens. A "Lost"-like island. Mysteries and dangers. No access to email. And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives underground in girls, a savage brutality that can only be revealed by a journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Oh, the horror, the horror! Only funnier. With evening gowns. And a body count.

My Review: Like a master juggler, Libba Bray manages to keep track of a large cast of characters, tackle some serious issues, and inject some seriously funny satire in Beauty Queens.

I read this book after a rather serious read, and it took a few chapters for my brain to shift into the mode that would allow me to see this book for what it was. It starts out with a pretty serious satire against commercialism and corporate control. Much of the dialogue (both inner and outer) between the characters is extremely entertaining and surprising.

I am absolutely fascinated by the dynamics of women when they are in a group. It takes just a matter of moments for a pecking order to be established. Libba absolutely nails this dynamic in a way that is both funny and very real. Once I got into this book, I breezed through the next three-quarters of the book.

And then it's like the story kind of started to fall apart. I felt like many of the social issues that Libba was trying to tackle became overdone. The sexuality became much more overt. And the story just started to lose its luster. There were a few funny passages here and there, but overall, the last 100 pages just weren't impressive. I ended up skimming most of it.

I was specifically bugged by the not-so-subtle comparison of Ladybird Hope to Sarah Palin. Without getting really political in this review, I'm just really tired of Sarah Palin. I'm tired of the bashing, making fun, and media attention. I'm tired of seeing her on the news and will she run for president, what will she do, OMG what's in her email?! So, instead of just taking Ladybird Hope for what she was, I was just annoyed.

I know that many readers have adored this book, and while I think that it had some redeeming qualities, I think it's best if we just remain friends.

My rating:

Profanity: Frequent
Sexuality: Lots
Violence: Death is pretty frequent
Drugs and Alcohol: One of the fruits eaten on the island gets the beauty queens high, and there is underage drinking

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen: Review

What Happened to Goodbye
By: Sarah Dessen

Format: Hardcover, 402 pages
Published: May 10, 2011; Penguin Young Readers Group
Source: Received at BEA

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Synopsis (from Goodreads): In the past two years, Mclean Sweet has moved four times. At each stop, she assumes a new persona, but it never quite works. Whether she's an effervescent cheerleader or an intense drama queen, nothing can permanently dispel the turmoil and rage at her mother since her parents' divorce. Sarah Dessen's novel about a teenager and her restaurant manager father captures the vulnerability that young people often experience after the dissolution of their family. A compelling story; strong characterization; and with a touch of romance.

My Review: This is the first Sarah Dessen book that I have completed, and after finishing it (teary-eyed), I wondered why I hadn't read her books before. I started reading this on the last day of BEA and was immediately sucked into Mclean's story. What Happened to Goodbye is a marvelous story about a girl that is desperately searching for an identity after her parent's tragic and public divorce shattered her world.

I loved the dynamics of the parents in this book. Mclean's father is busy with his restaurant duties and while he loves Mclean, he really lets her do her own thing. Her mother on the other hand, wants so desperately to be close to Mclean again, and does anything she can (including getting lawyers involved) to see her. Mclean wants the distance that her father gives her, but also needs the closeness that her mother offers. No wonder she is so conflicted.

The romance in this book is very secondary. So much so that it may bother some readers. Even once you think the romance has gotten off the ground, it kind of sputters and dies. I am personally okay with that. It's real, and I much more enjoyed learning about Mclean and who she really is. with that said though, I do wish that more time had been spent exploring Dave's character and how he really feels about his family. But, I suppose that's for another book to tackle.

Like many of Sarah's other books (that I've started and have yet to finish), I would very heartily recommend it to teens that I know because of it's great voice, and fantastic characters. If you love Sarah Dessen's work, you aren't going to be disappointed by this book.

My Rating:

Blood Red Road by Moira Young: Review

Blood Red Road
By: Moira Young

Format: E-Book
Published: June 7, 2011; Margaret K. McElderry
Source: Received E-Galley from publisher
Challenges: Debut Author Challenge; E-Book Challenge; Dystopia Challenge

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Summary (from Goodreads): Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

My Review: I couldn't believe that this was a book by a debut author. I kept looking around, sure that she had other books out somewhere. The writing quality is amazing, and is reminiscent of a more experienced author.

The summary mentions a poetically minimal writing style. There are no quotation marks, and the words are spelled phonetically. This gives an element to the story that will turn some people off, and others will love it. I loved it. Which is saying something, because prose or different formatting will sometimes turn me off to a story. I didn't find the writing style distracting, but found it a very unique way to show a part of Saba's character. She is uneducated, but is very smart.

Saba's struggle is made evident early in the book as she searches for her brother after he is taken by cloaked horsemen. She doesn't know where to begin looking for him, and she's never ventured outside her home, but she shows remarkable courage in her determination to find him. No matter the cost.

That doesn't mean that Saba is without her faults. She despises her younger sister Emmi, and does not want her tagging along. However, throughout the book, their relationship develops, and Saba learns to forgive Emmi for many of the things that she (wrongfully) holds her responsible for.

With all of these inner conflicts, there are many external forces trying to rip Saba apart as well. I was absolutely glued to this book, and had to know how things worked out for Saba. Her journey is terrifying and romantic all at once. And, in reference to romance, be advised that our love interest is not introduced until much later in the story.

This is a title that I think many who love dystopian fiction will love. If the actual formatting on the page and spelling doesn't work for you, I'd suggest giving the audio book a try. I listened to the first couple chapters on Simon and Schuster's website, and the narrator is very good.

If you've read the book, let me know what you thought of it. Does prose bother you when reading a book?

My Rating:

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain: Review

The Lost Saint
By: Bree Despain

Format: Hardcover, 404 Pages
Published: December 28, 2010; EgmontUSA
Source: Purchased E-Book
Challenge: 2011 E-Book Challenge

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Summary (from Goodreads): A family destroyed. A love threatened. An enemy returns.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger - in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her - not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bree Despain delivers sizzling romance and thrilling action in the heart-pounding sequel to the The Dark Divine.

My Review: Bree Despain was on panel during Life, The Universe, and Everything all about writing sequels. And it's apparent that she knows what she's doing with The Lost Saint.

There were a lot of things that were done very well with this book. The absolute meltdown of Grace's mother, and the desire of her father to try and reconcile his family are heartbreaking and very real. The life that looked so perfect from the outside in The Dark Divine crumble and show how thin the facade was.

Daniel and Grace's relationship develops, and along with the excitement of a new relationship, there are boundaries that are defined, and a lot of betrayal of trust. So much so, that there were times where I found it just a little bit frustrating that they were in a relationship and yet unwilling to share important details about their nature and whereabouts with one another. Given the situation that Daniel and Grace are in during the second book, it seemed out of place that they would just not tell each other what they are up to.

While many of the events of the book were pretty predictable, the one that absolutely threw me was the interaction between Grace and Jude. Without getting into the details, it absolutely threw me. And I loved the surprise.

I wasn't in love with the cliffhanger ending, but all in all, I thought that it was a solid second installment to the trilogy, and I'm excited to read the third.

My Rating:

Wither by Lauren DeStefano: Review

Wither
By: Lauren DeStefano

Format: Hardcover, 358 pages
Published: March 2011, Simon and Schuster
Source: ARC from publisher, ebook from publisher
Challenges: Debut Author Challenge; E-book Challenge; Dystopia Challenge

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Summary (from Goodreads): Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

My Review:  This book touches on so many subjects that are fiction taboo: slavery, polygamy, and teenage pregnancy. I was nervous when I started the book, because it would have been very easy for the story to be very, well, not suitable for teens. I was pleased that even with the mature themes, this is a book that I'd be comfortable giving to my sisters.

When you read this book, you'll be left thinking, 'what would I do in this situation?' Rhine is obsessed with freedom. Amy from My Friend Amy compared Rhine to Mary from The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and I absolutely agree.  She will do anything to get free and return to her brother. She knows that she doesn't have much time left, and even though she has access to anything she wants, she is deprived of what she needs. They say that money can't buy everything, and that is certainly the case for Rhine. Her basic needs are taken care of. She has food, entertainment, everything. But instead of just living up short amount of time that she has left, she chooses to focus her energy on getting free.

My biggest complaint about the story is that there were some serious problems behind the science that brings about this disease. I had a hard time coming to grips with the idea that genetic engineering is to blame for everyone dying. However, the story was compelling enough that I was able to overlook some of the science.

I am very excited to read the rest of the series. If you like dystopian fiction, pick this one up.

My Rating:
 

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: Review

Between Shades of Gray
By: Ruta Sepetys

Format: Hardcover, 338 pages
Published: March 22nd 2011 by Philomel Books
Source: ARC from Publisher
Challenges: 2011 YA Historical Fiction

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Summary (from Goodreads): Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

My Review: I've been recommending this book all over the place since I read it.  It is incredibly hard to push a book about the mass deportations and murders carried out by Stalin in the 1940's. The reason being that many people just don't know that this happened. It's not taught like the holocaust is in US high schools. I took an AP European History class and it was really only brushed over in our curriculum.  However, my parents took it upon themselves to make sure that I knew about the atrocities committed by Stalin and his regime.

This book will break your heart. You will be shocked and horrified by the lack of humanity showed by the Soviet Union. People die. They are ripped from their families. Treated like animals.

What amazed me most was the desperate attempt by those that were being held captive to hold on to their dignity. Especially on the part of Lina's mother. I can't even imagine the courage that would be necessary to keep your children calm and comforted during this horrible experience.

Most of what I read is for entertainment. I recommend books because I like them. This book I recommend because it is a story that needs to be told. Because knowledge is power, and we as a society should do all we can to prevent something like this from ever happening again.

My Rating:
 

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: Review

Anna and the French Kiss
By: Anna Perkins

Format: E-Book, 372 pages
Published: December 2, 2010; Dutton
Source: Purchased for Nook
Challenges: 2011 E-Reader Challenge

Author Website | Author Twitter | Author Blog

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Summary (from Goodreads): Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

My Review:
Who would have thought that a book so simple could be so captivating?

I have a story to tell you all that should explain why I liked this book so much. One time, I was a confused, 19 year-old girl. I thought I knew a lot about life and love, when really, I knew nothing.  I was attending college at a university 30 miles away from my home, and I thought I was a big shot.  I met a guy, we hung out a lot, and a romance ensued. Because I was naive and lacked compassion, I didn't end the relationship when I knew I should have. I didn't love him, but our relationship continued because I thought that was what I was SUPPOSED to do.

My parents became concerned by the seriousness of our relationship and did all the could to knock it off course. This only furthered my resolve to make the stupid thing work.  Then, one day, my dad called me into his office (he was a professor at the university I was attending). He told me that they (my parents) had a proposal for me. They wanted to send me to college for a semester in Hawaii. My tuition and housing would be paid for. I just had to go. And I could no longer speak to my boyfriend.

I took the offer.

Hawaii changed a lot of who I was. For the first time in my life, I was in the minority. I didn't understand the culture. I couldn't go home when I wanted to. I didn't know anyone. It rained all the time. I was surrounded by the empty vast ocean instead of the high, comforting mountains. Slowly I gained friends, and had experiences that I will never forget.  I came home a different person. A better person.

That's what Anna and the French Kiss is about. Yes, there is a romance (which I didn't have in Hawaii, thankfully). There is a cute boy. But there are friends that accept and help Anna through an important and scary time in her life.  And I could absolutely relate. Although I didn't know it at the time, Hawaii was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

I know I haven't talked about much of the characters or specifics about the book. But, I think that everyone who reads this book can probably relate it to some other time in their life when they felt just like Anna. Alone. Longing for the familiar and having the courage to break out and try something new.

My Rating:
 

Violence: None
Sexuality: Mild
Profanity: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild

A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull: Review

A World Without Heroes
By: Brandon Mull

Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
Published: March 15, 2011; Aladdin Books
Source: ARC from Publisher

Author Website | Author Twitter

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Synopsis (from Goodreads): Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable--until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he's ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail.

In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor, and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes.

My Review:

First of all, if you haven't read my post about the launch party for this book, check it out. It was awesomely wild. (link)

My brother read Fablehaven and loved them. I read the first one and felt really lukewarm about it.  But, I love fantasy, and after reading the synopsis of this book, felt like it would probably be a better fit for me than the Fablehaven series was. And I was correct.

The message in this book was clear: heroes can come from anywhere.  In Lyrian, heroes are mocked, laughed and, and treated like they are crazy.  Those that would try to oppose the Emperor are bought out and sent to a place where they are treated like royalty and don't have to worry about hard things like honor, glory, or doing what's right.  Jason and Rachel end up in Lyrian and in a situation where the only way to go home is to stand up to the emperor.

The creativity in this book is astounding. At first I found it a little jarring. Near the beginning of the book, Jason accesses the secret portal to Lyrian through a hippo's gullet. I have to admit, that was really strange for me. I kept thinking, "How did he [Brandon Mull] come up with this stuff?" But, for a book that is written for younger readers, that's exactly what you want to do, and that's why the Fablehaven books are so successful.  Once I got a little further into the book, the hippos and people falling off cliffs incidents were fewer, and I felt a little more comfortable, and intrigued.

I definitely feel like there is a great story here.  Even though the creatures that Mull has created for this world are imaginative, they are not unreasonably weird.  Rachel got on my nerves a little bit at times with her constant need to assert herself and make sure that she was equal in EVERYTHING. Thankfully she toned down a bit by the end of the book.

This is a book that I know boys 9-13 will love. Give your reluctant readers a copy of this book. They will eat it up.

My Rating: