Review: Just One Day & Just One Year by Gayle Forman

Just One Day series by Gayle Forman
Reviewed by Maggie: October 23, 2013
Published by Dutton Juvenile on Jan 8, 2013 and Oct 10, 2013
Goodreads • Buy Just One Day at Amazon • Kindle • Indie
Goodreads • Buy Just One Year at Amazon • Kindle • Indie



Gayle Forman became one of my auto-buy authors after reading If I Stay and Where She Went. I loved that If I Stay stood on its own, with so much heart in its 196 pages, and I loved that Where She Went brought even more to the story.

After finishing Just One Day at 3:08 am on January 7, I could not wait to see what else Forman would bring to the story in Just One Year. Nine months later, after finishing Just One Year, my reaction was, "Lovely. But that's... it?"

Just One Day was a story that grew on me as the main character grew on herself. Allyson Healey, like Anna Oliphant before her, is begrudgingly in Europe. Her situation is temporary as she is just on an extracurricular trip before starting college in the fall. To Allyson, it seems like everyone is having fun on the trip except her -- because it's true. Things start to change though when she catches the eye of an actor in a Guerrilla Shakespeare production of Twelfth Night. After another chance meeting, she takes the biggest leap of her life as "Lulu" and agrees to go to Paris with him for the day. Yada yada yada, she wakes up alone the next morning. When she gets back to the States, her life post-Willem de Ruiter takes a Bella Swandive. She's stuck in that moment in Paris despite now being at college. After months of stagnation and blank pages in her life, she finally starts to wake up from her stupor.

Just One Year is the B-side of this story. Willem de Ruiter is on his own journey of self-discovery after Paris. Actually, he's been on one since before Lulu. The death of his father 3 years earlier upended his family and he's been unmoored ever since. I love that Forman gives Willem's character an arc that is as emotional and messy as Allyson's. Willem has a lot of growing up to do and he gets the full YA treatment, which is really nice to see done to a male character.

With both of these books, I loved how travel played such a huge role in the characters' development. I believed the intense feelings because it's such a heightened experience when you're young and alone and in Paris! (90s flashback: Remember when Brenda almost ran off with Rick?) I don't think you need to travel to find yourself, but while you're out there discovering what the world has to offer you, you may find yourself being asked what you have to offer the world.

Here's the thing. I did enjoy reading these books and would've probably rated them 4 stars. However, after finishing Just One Year and considering the books together, I'm actually giving it 3 stars. Why? This should've been one book. Just One Day is an unfinished story that ends in the last two pages of Just One Year. Just One Day ends on a cliffhanger because it's the middle of a scene! This is really one 692-page book, and a bloated one at that. What I loved about If I Stay was the economy of language. Forman expressed so much with a single gesture. Adam blowing on Mia's cold hands to warm them up tells Mia's mom everything about how he feels. I know Cath Crowley and I are the only fans of dual points of view, but I wish this was one book with dual perspectives, or one book with two parts. Unlike Where She Went, which continued the story after the first book, Just One Year mirrors the first book and then gives you one scene more. As much as I liked reading about Allyson and Willem in their sprawling, individually published stories, I would've loved reading a tighter, complete, single volume.

Series Rating: 3/5 stars.

Review: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Reviewed by Maggie: September 23, 2013
Published September 10, 2013 by Disney Hyperion
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First, this isn't Code Name Verity.

To me, Rose Under Fire was a harder read than Verity. Verity was one of my favorite books last year. It was a heartbreaking and beautiful story about friendship and courage set during World War II that I compulsively read in a day. However, I never forgot that it was a work of historical fiction. With Rose, even though I knew it was also a work of Elizabeth Wein's ability and imagination, it felt so much like a memoir. It was so much harder to take knowing that all these atrocities were based on actual events. It's not a quick read nor is it an easy read. The experiences of the women at Ravensbruck were so horrible and beyond imagination, it's no wonder that people at the time didn't believe the stories coming out of Europe. It's also for that reason, though, that I think a book like Rose Under Fire is so important.

Rose Justice is an eager American pilot who learned flying at the knee of her father, the owner of a flight school in Pennsylvania. She goes to England to join the Air Transport Auxiliary and assist the Allied cause. Her uncle uses his connections to get her a flying assignment to France and it is on the return back to England where she disappears. No one has a clue where she or her plane is -- because she has been captured and taken to Germany. She ends up in Ravensbruck, a women's concentration camp, along with women from France, Poland, and Germany. She encounters a group of Polish women who have been nicknamed the Rabbits because they were subject to horrible experimental medical procedures. One of the Rabbits, Roza, was only 14 when she was captured by the Nazis.

What I love about Wein's writing is her ability to take historical events and facts and use them to buttress her story. It's not so much about Nazi medical experimentation as it is about Roza. And Izabela. And Aniela. And all the other women whose names Roza forces Rose to memorize in case something happens to them so that their stories, their names can be told.

This story is also about hope, when it's not that thing with feathers.

"Hope is the most treacherous thing in the world. It lifts you and lets you plummet."

It's about maintaining hope while surviving a reality that is harsher than most people can imagine. It's about surviving a place that was designed to systematically dehumanize and purge its prisoners. For Rose, her poems help keep her from becoming a schmootzich, someone whose desperation has turned her into a savage. Something else that helps Rose are her friendships with the other prisoners. It wouldn't be an Elizabeth Wein story without powerful relationships. The friendships in Rose though are different because they are born of circumstance -- horrible circumstance. It is unlikely that the prisoners would have even encountered each other in the outside world, and yet they now depend upon one another to make it through another day. Sometimes, though, the most powerful bonds are the ones forged in fire. It's what keeps you standing when hope plummets. It's a tiny strip of Cherry Soda nail polish that stubbornly clings to your toes even when your head has been shaved and your clothes stripped off.

I was a bit undone by this book. I honestly expected to finish it in a day or two, but I had to take breaks when the historical aspect overpowered the fictional. At the same time, I wanted to learn more about the very real women who inspired this story. This book is a testament to their endurance and bravery, and one that I think everyone should read.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

Review: Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen & Faith Erin Hicks

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen and Faith Erin Hicks
Reviewed by Maggie: May 15, 2013
Published May 7, 2013 by First Second
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Nerds. Jocks. Cheerleaders. Epic battle. Sounds like your typical high school story, right? Enter the killer robots!*

I knew there was a high propinquity** that I would like this because I loved Faith Erin Hicks' Friends with Boys (my review / Noelle's review) and Prudence Shen's /report podcast is a must listen in my book club.*** After flying through the first 50 or so pages on the official website, I ended up breaking my months-long NetGalley ban to request it. And it was totally worth it.

Charlie is the popular captain of the basketball team. Nate is the much less popular president of the robotics team. They're neighbors and best friends though they are on opposite sides of the social spectrum. Nate is usually worked up about something while Charlie is laid back. The latest outrage in Nate's life: the school has decided to let the student council determine which extracurricular club gets money. The science club was going to get it so they could enter the national robotics competition, but then the cheerleaders said they needed new uniforms. Enter Holly, head cheerleader and Charlie's ex-girlfriend. Nate's solution is simple: run for student body president and make sure the science club gets the money. Yeah, that idea doesn't fly with the other members of the club either. As Ben disbelievingly tells Nate, "You're literally trying to win a popularity contest!" Holly counteracts Nate's move by entering Charlie into the race. Even though Charlie is an unwitting challenger, it's game on for Nate. Friendships, loyalties, and robots are tested.

To begin with, this book has my favorite depiction of cheerleaders ever. I mean, look at Holly's entrance in the book:

Image from the Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong website.

She enters the story like freaking Beyonce! And she has the attitude to back it up. These aren't your stereotypical cheerleaders. Nate calls them the "Pom Pom Gestapo" for a reason. They are fierce, ruthless, smart, and organized. Holly is a formidable opponent, but she is by no means a villain in the story, which I loved.

Charlie, oh Charlie. Do you remember Jake Ryan from Sixteen Candles? Jake was one of the first boys my heart Teen Beated for, and he will always hold a special place there. Well, Charlie reminded me of him. When the basketball team finds out Charlie's dad is out of town and decide to invite half the school over to his place, Nate finds Charlie hiding under his bed reading a book. Nate tells him, "You really are the worst cool kid ever." Also, since this is a graphic novel, we don't just have to imagine Charlie shirtless. Ahem, shoulders.

Before you think this is just about the popular kids, remember that Prudence Shen wrote this book. In her /report bio, it says:

"She has written, much to her chagrin, hundreds of thousands of pages of bad-to-slightly-less-bad fanfic in everything from anime to Smallville to shows that lasted three episodes to children's books."

The nerd voice is well represented. And it's not just nerd boys. Joanna is a key member of the robotics team. I love that one added touch to the KILLER ROBOT is a little, stenciled bow.

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong combines a fun story with clever illustrations, or maybe it's a clever story with fun illustrations. The result is a book that will appeal to even those who don't consider themselves graphic novel fans. I think this was even better than Friends with Boys, and I can't wait to see what Faith Erin Hicks and Prudence Shen come up with next.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

--
*Okay, so they're not technically killer robots in the Michael Bay sense. But really, do you want to live in a world where Michael Bay makes sense?
**Quinto/Pine Challenge: To use one of the words that made Chris Pine's head hurt.
***Confession: I've only listened to the episode about Korean dramas. But it was hilarious.


I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. 

Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Reviewed by Maggie: April 25, 2013
Published June 12, 2012 by Balzer + Bray
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I first heard about this book a year ago through Catie's fantastic review. As a fan of Persuasion, I figured this was an automatic skip. I mean, come on, Wentforth? And why is Coco Rocha modeling a dress on the cover? In space? Fast forward a year later, I saw this was available at my e-library and thought, Why not? Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the DNF Shelf. I loved it. And the thing is, objectively, I still agree with the points Catie made -- but sometimes, you have to go with your gut. In my case, my stomach was doing backflips as I read the scenes between Wentforth and Elliot.

In Persuasion, Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth are kept apart by class differences and societal expectations. I thought Peterfreund's approach of creating a feudalistic dystopia was brilliant. It's a modern take that makes the antiquated values that kept Anne Elliot in her place relevant. In For Darkness Shows the Stars, the world as we know it was destroyed by people who tried to go too far with scientific and technological advancements. In trying to unlock the secrets to the genetic code, people began experimenting on one another. The ERV procedure was given to babies to make them better, faster, stronger. However, the procedure resulted in generations of people being "reduced," their brains turned to mush. This became known as the Reduction. The people who refused ERV, called Luddites, ended up rebuilding in the aftermath of the Reduction and taking power. They blamed the reduced for trying to play God. The Norths are a prestigious old Luddite family. The Wentforths are CORs who live on the North estate. CORs are the children of the reduced, people who have finally escaped the effects of ERV generations later.

Diana Peterfreund knows her source material. Rather than try to compete with THE LETTER from Persuasion, she gives us a bunch of letters from the time Elliot and Kai are young. The Luddite baron's daughter and the COR mechanic's son can't be seen socializing so they leave letters for each in a knot in the barn wall. The absence of these letters once Kai leaves the North estate is felt as much as the absence of Kai himself. Elliot always glances at the knot when she enters the barn even though Kai has been gone for years. It's a detail I love so much. It's a longing for something that's long gone combined with a tiny hope of maybe.

One other significant change that I thought worked really well for a modern YA audience is the character of Elliot. There were things Anne Elliot couldn't do or be because of the times, her station, and her family. Elliot North is still under the thumb of her father but she has some independence from running the farm. She also chooses to stay behind, though it hurts her, because the responsibility she feels to the farm and everyone living on it. However, that's not to say she doesn't feel the loss of Kai acutely.

"His shadow fell across her lap, and she traces its edges with her hands."

That's all she allows herself. It's such a heartbreaking gesture.

A few years ago when Noelle was trying to get me to read Persuasion, she called Wentworth "a secret handshake." Diana Peterfreund goes one step further and makes him sleek and modern.

For Darkness Shows the Stars surprised me with its creative retelling of a classic. It's the remake I didn't know I wanted but now I can't wait for the next one. I am half agony, half hope.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Review: This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Reviewed by Maggie: April 22, 2013
Published March 27, 2002 by Viking Juvenile
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon • Kindle • Indie Bound



It feels almost sacrilegious to run a Young Adult blog without having read Sarah Dessen. She's one of the biggest names in YA with a massive, devoted following. I wasn't sure where to start but when Anna suggested This Lullaby and threw in Veronica Mars as a selling point, I couldn't resist.

This book definitely surprised me. I expected Dessen to be light and fluffy. However, instead of The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, I got The Sisterhood of the Traveling Diet Zip and Cigarettes. I know it's chic to be geek right now, but I love that Remy, the main character, drinks, smokes, cusses and has sex. And she still got into Stanford! She's not the girl standing in the corner hoping that the boy will notice her. She's the girl guys crash into hoping she will notice them. Believe me, I was not that girl, but there were other elements of her personality I related to, like when she says,

"The only I can't stand more than seeing something done wrong is seeing it done slowly."

Preach! She also does her crosswords in ink. Basically, she's a Type A personality. This is what got her into Stanford while her mother flitted from husband to husband. She also has Chloe, Jess, and Lissa, her core group of friends. Though they are all friends, they don't necessarily all get along.

This Lullaby starts right after Remy graduates from high school and right before her mother's fifth wedding. While waiting at her soon-to-be stepfather's car dealership, a guy named Dexter clumsily enters her life.

I really liked Dessen's portrayal of family and friendship, but with all the dramatic exits and declarations and breakups, it felt more like a romance book. It was like a YA version of a Kristan Higgins book, aka Type A Bitches Deserve Love Too. (Not that there's anything wrong with being Type A. Or a bitch.) There's even a dog! Dexter was so sweet and rumpled and lovable and his dog, Monkey, just killed me, but there was such a quick turnaround from first meeting to True Love. A lot of issues are brought up and not really explored. It was all very dramatic -- and very high school. Sometimes, like with Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty, it works for me. Sometimes it doesn't. In the case of Sarah Dessen, I liked This Lullaby and can see her appeal, but I'm okay with being one and done.

Rating: 3/5 stars. 

Review: 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma
Reviewed by Maggie: April 17, 2013
Published March 21, 2013 by Dutton Juvenile
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon • Kindle • Indie Bound



I spent most of this book confused. Like the main character, I wasn't sure what was going on or what was going to happen next. And then it all came together. It's unfortunate that discussing how it all came together is a huge spoiler because it's such an important topic, but luckily, Nova Ren Suma addresses more than one worthwhile issue.

17 & Gone is about in-between girls at that in-between age. They're not legally adults but they left the protection of childhood long ago. If these girls disappear, it's noted but not particularly noteworthy. Expected even. Lauren isn't one of those girls. She lives with her mother, goes to school, and has a boyfriend. Yet one day, she finds herself drawn to a flyer of a missing girl, Abigail Sinclair. She knows without a doubt that Abigail actually went by "Abby." She knows this because Abby is talking to her.

This is a book that could've easily turned into a public service announcement or after school special, but instead Nova Ren Suma weaves her message into a taut thriller. Even when I was confused, I couldn't put it down. The first part, where Lauren obsessively tracks down details of missing girl after missing girl, was heartbreaking and staggering. There's a "ripped from the headlines" feel because they probably were. At one point, Lauren wonders,

I was 17.
I was a girl.
Didn't we matter?

The second part deals with a topic I wish was explored more. I'm being purposefully vague but wanting more is just a testament to the quality of the writing. I expected a straight criminal procedural, but 17 & Gone surprised me with its creative depiction of relevant and serious issues.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Extracurricular Review: Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews

Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
(Kate Daniels World #1 / Kate Daniels #5.5)
Reviewed by Maggie: April 12, 2013
Published July 31, 2012 by Ace
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon • Kindle • Indie Bound



Do you remember that episode of Arrested Development where GOB goes to work for Stan Sitwell (Season 2, Episode 7: Switch Hitter)? While trying to impress Sitwell, GOB runs through the entire backlog of Michael's ideas in one meeting and then goes back to Michael and asks for more.

Michael: There were 34 proposals in there.
GOB: You'd be amazed how fast they come out when you read them all in a row.
Michael: That was 6 months worth of work. You can't just blurt them all out at once.

Well, Ilona Andrews, I'm sorry I blurted through 6 years worth of Kate Daniels novels back to back ... to back to back. And thank you for knowing we'd ask for more after Gunmetal Magic and throwing in the Magic Gifts novella (and setting some of it in a Korean restaurant!).

I kind of wish I had read Magic Gifts first. Both stories take place at the same time, Magic Gifts from Kate's perspective and Gunmetal from Andrea's, but since Gunmetal is full length, it goes beyond the events of the novella and references some of it. When I was reading Gunmetal, I thought I had missed a story or my brain had finally turned to mush after a week of choosing Curran over sleep.

Gunmetal Magic shifts the focus of the story over to Kate's partner-in-crime, Andrea Nash. Andrea was always such an interesting character to me because she's a lethal weapon who constantly allows herself to be sheathed by the Order and Ted Moynohan. Her loyalty to the Order is unflinching and it costs her in Magic Bleeds. She lives by a code that revolves around the Order first, herself second, her beastly self last -- at all costs last. Who she is without the Order?

Girl. You slapped Aunt B once and survived. You're an ass kicker!

I felt for Andrea so much in this because after learning more about her childhood, I understood how much the badge meant to her. For a girl who was abused by people bigger and stronger than her for the first 11 years of her life, the Order badge was a sign that declared, "You will not fuck with me. You will not touch me." The badge was a symbol that demanded respect. The Order was also a place she could feel at home. It was her pack, no boudas allowed. She always knew the Order was only her home so long as she hid who she really was, but it still hurts to be proven right.

I liked this book a lot but some of the Andrea-Raphael scenes reminded me of the Alpha & Omega series, ie super romancey and drawn out. And I hate, HATE to say this, but the Kate and Curran scenes made me think of Anna and Etienne in Lola and the Boy Next Door. Perfect couple is perfect! Kate would GAG at that. I missed hearing Kate gag at that or mentally threatening to punch Curran in the face. I loved Andrea's scenes with Ascanio the teenage heartthrob, and Ascanio and Julie. Ascanio and Julie -- I'm calling it now! I loved seeing a more serious side to Raphael, although he most definitely could've used a punch in the face too. The characters in this more than held their own without Kate calling the shots... but I can't wait until Kate is back.

Rating: 3.5 stars.

Extracurricular Review: Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews

One week ago, I fell into the world of Kate Daniels. 5 books and 3 novellas later, I'm finally resurfacing -- and only because there aren't any more books until July 30. This series has completely wrapped me up in its magic, its world, and its characters. Kate redefines badass. She is woman, hear her make Curran roar. Smart and smart-ass, this series is everything I could have asked for.

My review for Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) can be found here.

Magic Burns
(Kate Daniels #2)
Read from April 4-5, 2013
Published April 1, 2008 by Ace
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon • Kindle • Indie Bound


For the first quarter of the book, I thought this was heading toward 3 stars. I liked it and it explained the world much better than Magic Bites, but there were more new characters and creatures when I'd barely managed to wrap my head around the ones already introduced. But then, but then, there was the soup and the please and the thank you and AH. And then Noelle sent me this gif for Curran:

...and well, I was walking around murmuring Curran all day.

Starbucks barista: May I have a name for this drink?
Me: Curran.
Barista: Karen?
Me: CURRAN. Wait, what are we talking about?

I haven't been this wrapped up in a world since last year when I zoomed through all the Mercy Thompson books. Full review to come.



Psych. I'm getting some coffee (coffee) and reading the next book. And if you like The Princess Bride, you need to read this.

Rating: 4 stars.

• • •

Magic Strikes
(Kate Daniels #3)
Read from April 6-7, 2013
Published March 31, 2009 by Ace
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon • Kindle • Indie Bound


5 SIGNS THAT YOU'VE BEEN INFECTED WITH THE KATE DANIELS VIRUS

1. That knife you used to butter your toast? It now has a name.

2. You relate everything in the real world back to the Kate Daniels world and start making the cheesiest jokes.

3. You said "Katelanta." Even once.

4. Lions. How hot are they?! --> This is a legitimate thought.

5. You're panicked that your Kindle battery will run out mid book because you usually charge it while sleeping but you haven't been sleeping because of this series!

There is so much MORE in Magic Strikes. We get more of Kate's back story, more of Curran's back story, more of Kate and Curran's present story... Hold on while I go back and reread EVERY scene with them.

Derek has quickly emerged as a favorite character as well. He's like a mix of Warren and Ben from Mercy Thompson wrapped up in a pretty package. And Doolittle! Who doesn't love Doolittle!

As in the previous books, the word/foreplay in this is off the charts. It's a slow, simmering burn and yet the effect is scorching.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Okay, on to Book 4. Curran is a hell of a drug.

• • •

Extracurricular Review: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Kate Daniels #1
Reviewed by Maggie: April 4, 2013
Published March 27, 2007 by Ace
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon • Kindle • Book Depository



When your entire blogroll recommends a book and your co-blogger threatens public shaming until you read said book, what do you do? Well, you fall asleep the first two times you try to read the book. I mean, the main character was drinking Boone's Farm Hard Lemonade. FFS. How am I supposed to take a mercenary seriously when she drinks something that high schoolers barely get drunk off of? Not only that, it takes place in a future Atlanta where people are driving buggies with horses? Because of magic? What in Boone's Farm hell?

However.

Noelle, I never doubted you. For too long. The third time was a charm. Remember the dynamic between Veronica and Logan in Season 1 of Veronica Mars? Now instead of a tiny blonde, picture all that tension and animosity in these two:

Source: Celebitchy

Kate Daniels is Veronica Mars in the body of former MMA fighter Gina Carano. And Curran... RAWR... Curran is Logan Echolls in the body of Superman Henry Cavill.

I usually complain about all the world building in fantasies, but in this one, we're just dropped into a world of vampires and shapeshifters and ley lines without much explanation. Despite feeling kind of lost in the beginning, what kept me engaged was the dialogue. Kate is snarky as hell. After she finds out that her guardian has been killed, she tries to get involved in the investigation. When asked whether she knows anything about investigative work, she replies,

"Sure. Annoy the people involved until the guilty party tries to make you go away."

Annoy like the wind, Kate! In the course of her investigation, she has to meet with the Master of the Dead and the Beast Lord. While the world and the rules of magic were kind of vague to me, I really liked Ilona Andrews' take on the supernatural. Vampires are mindless, hairless, glitterless bodies that are piloted by necromancers. Shapeshifters aren't limited to the usual werewolves, but there are 337 different varieties, including were-rats, were-bobcats, and were-bears. Fingers crossed that there is a cameo from Magenta the were-hamster from Sky High at some point in the series. There are strict rules in the pack and clear consequences for breaking those rules.

Kate is such a compelling character. She's tough and physically fit -- she has to be since she fights for a living. Whenever she's feeling vulnerable or outmatched, she hides behind a smart-ass bravado. She acknowledges she is not the feminine ideal, but she left any wallowing about her appearance behind when she was 14. Why?

"Survival took precedence over fashion."

Bravo. She's not entirely certain about how she's handling the investigation, but she's determined to bring her guardian's killer to justice.

The verbal sparring between Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord, is fantastic. Curran is someone who demands instantaneous respect. Kate chafes at authority figures. Put them in a room together and you don't get any insta-love. I highlighted at least one line from each of their interactions and cracked up over the rest.

Magic Bites is a supernatural version of Criminal Minds meets Veronica Mars. There are a lot of dead bodies and a lot of snark. I finally found an urban fantasy series to challenge Mercy Thompson. Round one goes to Mercy, but I can't wait to start round two.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars.

Review: Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
Reviewed by Maggie: April 3, 2013
Published May 9, 2006 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Originally published Oct 5, 1992 by Puffin/Penguin Australia
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The first Marchetta. The only one I hadn't read. It was as precious to me as a last born in Charyn and I kept it hidden away for as long as I could. And then Carla declared that it was time to break the emergency glass on this book.

Josephine Alibrandi had me from the beginning. I knew I was dealing with a kindred spirit when on page 5 she says,

"Believe me, I could write a book about problems. Yet my mother says that as long as we have a roof over our head we have nothing to worry about. Her naivete really scares me."

Josie is whip smart, a scholarship student at a fancy private school who dreams about being a lawyer. She's been raised in the loving bosom of her single mother, Christina, who got pregnant at 16, and the suffocating bosom of her grandmother, Nonna Katia, who moved to Australia from Italy at 17. She knows her father is Michael Andretti, the boy next door, but she's never met him. Then one day, Michael Andretti shows up to visit her grandmother. Suddenly, the HSC (High School Certificate), mean girls, and her overbearing Nonna are the least of her problems. And then there's Jacob Coote, the boy from Cook High who caught her attention with a speech about voting and who dances pretty well too.

Guys, I never realized I was Italian-Australian. Okay, all joking aside, I know it's Marchetta and she speaks to me as few authors do, but still, imagine my surprise that as an ethnic Korean born and raised in the US, Josie Alibrandi is a character I related to on such a personal level. I can't even think of another character who comes close. Growing up, I remember thinking how much easier it would be if my family was European instead of Asian. It's not that I disliked who I was, but oh, to not have to prove my Americanness or my ability to speak English, to not have to worry about people pulling their eyes back and telling me to "go back to my country." I knew other immigrants and minorities dealt with their own prejudices, but I was convinced that Europeans, who didn't look so obviously foreign, had an easier time. Actually, scratch that. I was convinced they had an easy time, period. Josie's opinion of rich students like Ivy Lloyd and John Barton reminded me of that. She was sure their privilege cocooned them from her harsh reality. As a young girl, she was ostracized for being a bastard child by other Italians. As a student, she was called out for being on scholarship by other wealthy students. However, when someone says they would hate to be Italian after listening to her, she says,

"No. You can't hate what you're part of. What you are. I resent it most of the time, curse it always, but it'll be part of me till the day I die."

This. A thousand times this. I don't think you can sum up the immigrant experience in a few words, but this is pretty damn close.

I know I'm making it sound like an issue book because I was so impressed with Marchetta's portrayal of it, but it's not -- or it's not just that. I'm not surprised it's considered a modern classic in Australia and studied in school. Josie actually reminded me of another classic character. Remember when I was talking about gumption?

"I'm not ready for heaven yet and I don't think heaven is ready for me."

Josie, the spitfire, reminded me so much of Anne Shirley. They're both dreamers who won't settle for the status quo. Or personal attacks. Slates are nothing compared to modern science books. Jacob Coote, though, is no Gilbert Blythe. Still, Josie's interactions with Jacob, and her decision whether or not to sleep with him, and her regret at said decision, and her regret at her regret were so honest.

I don't think this is the best Marchetta (that honor goes to The Piper's Son and Froi of the Exiles), but it's the one closest to my heart.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Review: The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty
The Ashfield/Brookfield Series #2
Reviewed by Maggie: April 1, 2013
Published February 1, 2004 by Arthur A. Levine Books
Originally published as Finding Cassie Crazy on
November 1, 2003 by Pan Macmillan Australia
Goodreads • Available at Amazon • Kindle • Book Depository



Every four years, I turn into this crazed figure skating fan. I remember the 2002 Winter Olympics in particular because I lived and died with Michelle Kwan four years earlier and 2002 was going to be HER year. In the long program, Sarah Hughes (aka Sarah Who?) skated first and threw down a flawless performance. Triple toe loop-triple loop, triple salchow-triple loop -- technically and stylistically, it was pretty damn perfect. However, with Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen and Irina Slutskaya still waiting to skate, I figured Hughes's performance was just the beginning and I was waiting to be blown away by something even greater.

I read The Year of Secret Assignments, aka Finding Cassie Crazy, last year and immediately placed it on my I Have Just Read You and I Love You shelf. This was before Noelle and I started blogging so I rated it 4 stars and moved on to my next read. However, after revisiting Feeling Sorry for Celia last week, I decided to reread and review Secret Assignments. Well, knock me over with a Sarah Hughes triple salchow because not only did it hold up on reread, it was even better than I remembered. I knew it was good, but after a year of blogging and reading too many Sasha Cohens, this time I let myself be blown away by the skill and artistry of Jaclyn Moriarty's writing.

As with Celia, Secret Assignments is written in epistolary form. Mr. Botherit is back spreading the Joy of the Envelope between rival schools Ashbury and Brookfield. Emily, Lydia, and Cassie are Ashfield girls and best friends. Emily, daughter of two lawyers, wants to be a lawyer herself even though she regularly butchers the English language. I nearly spit out my coffee when she wrote, in all seriousness, that something was "non d' scrip." Lydia wants to be a writer and often uses her creative energy on her friends. She's the instigator behind their secret assignments, tasks that they must complete no matter the peril or potential for punishment. Cassie wants to sing, though her stage fright prevents her from singing in front of anyone other than Em and Lyd. She also lost her father last year and she doesn't know why people keep saying "lost" as if he's been misplaced. Em, Lyd, and Cass have been best friends since elementary school and it shows -- learning about one means learning about them all.

I'll get to the Brookfield boys in a minute but first, how much do you love that the girls are characterized by their goals?? The book starts off with an entry from Lydia's notebook. The Notebook™ is supposed to help aspiring writers achieve their dreams. It is so patronizing and ridiculous. It reminded me of all the mind-numbingly tedious assignments I had to do in high school that were supposed to either get me into a good college or prepare me for adult blah blah blah. Lydia gives The Notebook™ the respect it deserves.

Second, I adored the portrayal of the parents, especially Emily's dad and Cassie's mom. The girls all have at least one lawyer parent who is friendly with the others because they attended law school together. Emily's dad routinely calls her down to dinner via a summons delivered by her younger brother. Em's parents are away a lot for work, which she resents, but whenever they are present, they are so clueless but with good intentions that they never fail to crack me up. The memories of Cassie's dad though will squeeze your heart. ("Now you're cooking with gas!")

Are you ready to meet Charlie Taylor and Seb Mantegna? I love good banter and the letters between Charlie and Emily and Seb and Lydia are so witty and fun. The chapters are set up perfectly so you get some scenes with Charlie and Em, then Seb and Lydia, and then Matthew Dunlop and Cass. I put the Charlie and Seb section of my notes on the left. Considering the notes I usually take, it shows how much I loved them. They are both such decent guys. There's no brooding loner bullshit with them. You will be charmed before you can say VERSHOOM.

There are six different letter writers and six different points of view and each one has an individual voice. I could always tell who was doing the talking/writing without having to flip back. On technical merit, Moriarty is solid.

Presentation is where Moriarty really shines. The letters are such an original and fun way to tell this story. There's so much energy in the story and the characters. She captures the indignities that come with being underaged as well as all the potential for mischief. There is a lot of humor in this book but like the relationship between Emily, Lydia, and Cassie, it is based on heart. You don't need to read Feeling Sorry for Celia to read this book, although Celia is worth a read. The Year of Secret Assignments, though, is a perfectly executed triple-triple combination.

Rating: Sarah Hughes. 5 stars.

Review: Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty

Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty
The Ashbury/Brookfield Series #1
Reviewed by Maggie: March 28, 2013
Originally reviewed on February 10, 2012
Published January 10, 2002 by St. Martin's Griffin
Originally published May 1, 2000 by Pan Macmillan Australia
Goodreads • Amazon • Book Depository • Book Closeouts



The screech you heard on Monday was me finding out JACLYN MORIARTY is coming to LA. She's one of the most unique, creative, and hilarious voices in YA. I read her debut, Feeling Sorry for Celia, last year and immediately had to get my hands on the rest of her books. I loved her latest, A Corner of White, but Celia will always hold a special place in my heart. If you're in the mood to read about friendships instead of love triangles, give this a try. And then if you decide you want some boys thrown in with those friendships, give The Year of Secret Assignments a try. Get ready to discover the Joy of the Envelope -- and Moriarty!

• • •

Dear US readers,

Do not be alarmed by how accessible this book is to people living in the States. This does not diminish the awesomeness that we've come to expect from Australian authors. Nor do you have to jump through hoops or swim through the rings of Fishpond hell to get it!

This book is a series of letters to and from Elizabeth Clarry. Her new English teacher decides to revive the Lost Art of Letter Writing and has his students write letters to the rival high school. Elizabeth's penpal ends up being Christina Kratovac. Through the letters between Elizabeth and Christina, Elizabeth and her mum (THE HILARIOUS ALL CAPS OVER-EXCLAMATION POINTER!!!!), and various unsolicited letters, we get a look into the lives of our characters. The Celia in the title refers to Elizabeth's lifelong best friend and potential missing person -- potential because she often chooses to go missing.

This book was first published in 2000 so there are some dated references, like Walkmans. Remember those? But in this age of Twitter, Goodreads, and blogs, where we (or at least I) spend a good portion of my day chatting, tweeting, and emailing people I've never met but formed solid relationships with, this book is actually rather timely. I totally related to how Elizabeth and Christina's friendship began and grew, how you can feel like you know someone without being able to recognize them on the street. Sometimes I find it's easier to share things with someone you don't have to see everyday. You can also find people who share your very specific interests (Melina Marchetta + San Antonio Spurs + Friday Night Lights + Graffiti Moon + GIFs of waving bears + Tom Hardy's ass), which is an instant basis for friendship.

Basically, I really enjoyed this book. And you can too! Really available, not Fishpond available, at IndieBound, B&N, and Amazon.

Yours sincerely,
A dues-paying member of the We ♥ Aussie YA Association

Back to the Future: Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Welcome to Back to the Future, a newer feature at YAA where we revisit young adult books from back when we were well, young adults.  Sometimes we'll be reading these books for the first time, sometimes we'll be rereading to compare how our adult selves interpret the book and sometimes, we'll be doing a bit of both.  

Noelle read Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery about 100 times during her youth.  (Her mom laminated the paperbacks in a futile effort for book preservation to give you an idea).  Maggie just read it for the first time last month.  Did Maggie appreciate it enough that Noelle is able to remain on speaking terms with her? Only one way to find out---To the DeLorean!

            

Goodreads • Buy the book (heck, buy the whole set!) • 99¢ Kindle edition (includes all 8 Anne books, 3 more books and 1 books of poetry by Lucy Maud!)

Book Description: 

As soon as Anne Shirley arrived at the snug, white farmhouse called Green Gables, she knew she wanted to stay forever...but would the Cuthberts send her back to the orphanage? Anne knows she's not what they expected—a skinny girl with decidedly red hair and a temper to match. If only she could convince them to let her stay, she'd try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes or blurt out the very first thing she had to say. Anne was not like anybody else, everyone at Green Gables agreed; she was special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreamed of the day when she could call herself Anne of Green Gables.

Foreword by Noelle:  I could write a million word ode to Anne Shirley (is that a challenge? IS IT?) but I'll try to keep this short and sweet. Basically, Anne is a bright shining memory from my childhood, a personal hero, a lifetime lunch table place of honor holder and one of my favorite heroines of all-time.  I probably would have blog-divorced Maggie (grounds: irreconcilable differences) if she hadn't immediately promised to read Anne of Green Gables after I discovered she somehow never had!  So no pressure, Maggie (heh) but what did you think of Ms. Shirley?

DRAMATIS PERSONAE ...................................... Anne Shirley

It's not often that a book lives up to its public-shaming-if-you-haven't-read hype. This book lives up to its 104 YEAR HYPE. I almost divorced my childhood for not reading this then. So many of the words that describe Anne are ones that too many girls are running away from today -- imaginative, impertinent, outspoken, smart, driven. If you have a problem with them, you can take it up with the slate being cracked over your head. She's a scrappy little hustler who convinces Marilla Cuthbert to keep her at Green Gables, changing both of their lives. 

I absolutely loved this now and would've adored it back in the day. Like Judy Abbott, another feisty orphan, Anne has so much gumption. Gumption seems like such an old-fashioned word... Is it an out-of-date characteristic? Why don't modern characters have more gumption?! Be the badass you wish to see in the world, girls!

One of the reasons Anne grows up to be badass and not just an ass is Marilla. Marilla was old school 100 years ago. Her strict parenting style would probably be crucified along with Liz Lemon's on Urban Baby, but Marilla Cuthbert does. not. care. I admit, my appreciation for Marilla, like my own mother, came in hindsight. While reading, I sympathized with Anne and her non-puffed sleeves. However, Marilla was as fair as she was tough, and her devotion to Anne was unwavering. 

This brings me to another favorite character with unwavering affection for Anne -- Matthew Cuthbert. Matthew, who knew nothing of fashion or puffed sleeves but knew how important they were to Anne, was soft where Marilla was rigid. His kind and gentle manner brought tears to my eyes. 

Now about Gilbert Blythe. Ah, Gilbert. If only you were my boy next door. A love interest isn't someone who completes you or who you have to change yourself for -- it's someone who challenges you and makes you better and, here's the important part, VICE VERSA. Gilbert is Anne's pace car. Whenever she finds herself slacking in her studies, she mentally checks herself against Gilbert to push herself to work harder. I like that though Gilbert isn't in every scene or even a majority of the scenes, he sneaks in through Anne's subconscious.

"But, oh, Matthew, I'm so sleepy. I can't go to school. I just know I couldn't keep my eyes open and I'd be so stupid. But I hate to stay home for Gil--some of the others will get head of the class..."

Gilbert's scenes made me grin so much, and not just because I was picturing Henry Cavill.

I was worried when I started this book because it seemed, well, old timey and nothing makes my attention drift faster.* I ended up picking up the audio version from the library and put it on while I was stuck in traffic. This worked out really well because I could zone out through some slower parts early on and by the time I was home, I couldn't flip through the pages fast enough. I can't wait to follow Anne to Avonlea and beyond. I'm in complete agreement with Miss Barry when she says,

"That Anne-girl improves all the time. I get tired of other girls -- there is such a provoking and eternal sameness about them. Anne has as many shades as a rainbow and every shade is the prettiest while it lasts. I don't know that she is as amusing as she was when she was a child, but she makes me love her and I like people who make me love them. It saves me so much trouble in making myself love them."

If you haven't ventured to Prince Edward Island yet, just open this book. Anne will do the rest.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

--
*That is until I started Infinite Jest.

Review: Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood
Reviewed by Maggie: March 15, 2013
Originally reviewed on August 19, 2011
Published August 1, 2010 by Pan Macmillan Australia
Goodreads • Buy at Fishpond • To be published in US




I first read Six Impossible Things in August of 2011 after seeing Cath Crowley's review. When one of my favorite authors loves a book, I seek out said book. I'll stop at nothing, including 3 international calls to Australia, a PayPal Australia account, and begging. It all worked out in the end because I adored this book. This past Christmas, it was the book I chose to give out to members of my book club.

I am so thrilled it will be published in the United States later this year, and that more people will be able to read it -- without international begging even! I reviewed it on goodreads in 2011 and I'm reposting it here.

• • •

Meet Dan Cereill.

Fourteen, smart, and totally adorkable.

He’s also dealing with:
1. His parents’ divorce
2. ...on account of his father being gay.
3. Having to move and start a new school
4. ...because dad lost their savings.
5. Trying to shed his loser image and impress the girl next door
6. ...as he ends up answering to ‘dickhead’ in front of her on the first day of school.

Needless to say, things aren’t going well. After moving into his deceased aunt's house, the person he talks to the most is Howard, the judgmental poodle who came with the house.

Still, he has a list of six things, six seemingly impossible things, that he revisits and uses as a reference point to get through each day. For example, in order to cheer up his mom (#3 on the list), he confronts the school bully, Jayzo, about crank calling his house/mom's business.

Yeah, it doesn't work for Dan either.

Even as I cringed for him, I just wanted to give Dan a hug. I was cheering for him the whole way through and hoping that he'd end up taking the girl to the dance at the end.

This was so witty and heartwarming. I would be surprised that this is a debut novel except that the author is Australian. I appreciated how she tackled social issues such as homophobia without being heavy-handed or having her character rant on and on. Dan is also prone to typical 14-year-old petulance, but I loved his character's development. There was such a sweetness to how he liked Estelle.

This book took me some effort to get (Don't even get me started on Paypal vs Paypal Australia!), but it's definitely worth it. Dear Dan, Love you big time!

Rating: 5/5 stars. 

Extracurricular Review: Alpha & Omega Series by Patricia Briggs

  

Cry Wolf • Published July 29, 2008 by Ace • Buy at Amazon • Kindle

Hunting Ground • Published Aug 25, 2009 by Ace • Buy at Amazon • Kindle

Fair Game • Published March 6, 2012 by Ace • Buy at Amazon • Kindle

Reviewed by Maggie: March 4, 2013, ie one day before the release of FROST BURNED

• • •

Do you have a younger sibling? If so, you know the feeling of euphoria that comes from hearing, "Of course you can go," followed by the deflation from, "...as long as you take your brother with you." Why, parents, why? I resented my brother so much for being my skinny, little ball and chain. I hated feeling handcuffed to him and having to be a package deal if my friends invited me over. Likewise, I typically loathe spinoff series, especially if they poach a favorite character or involve a storyline that affects the original series. I hate feeling like I HAVE to read/watch this other series for the sake of the original. When Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice did their crossover episodes, I had a flashback to as long as you take your brother with you and post-traumatically deleted Grey's from my DVR. Even in the recent Lizzie Bennet Diaries when Lizzie talks about going back and watching all of Lydia's videos, I was like, "I know what you're doing. YOU CAN'T TRICK ME."

So it's with this pleasant mindset that I went into the Alpha & Omega series, Patricia Briggs' spinoff of the Mercy Thompson series, my one urban fantasy love.

Surprisingly, I liked it. Unsurprisingly, not nearly as much as Mercy. Still, I marathoned these books over four days, much like I did with the Mercy books.

Cry Wolf is the first in the series and the weakest. It felt like one sidelong glance after another. Does he like me? Does she like me? Mind you, this is after Charles Cornick and Anna Latham are the werewolf equivalent of engaged so yes, you do like each other. Get over it. There wasn't a love triangle, but a lot of the book felt like two people going around in circles when an honest conversation would've cleared the air. If it hadn't been for Noelle's hints of BIG THINGS TO COME, I probably would've dropped the series and waited impatiently for the next Mercy.

Hunting Ground reminded me of the birds in Finding Nemo.

Charles to Anna: Mine! Anna to Charles: Mine! Bran to wolves: Mine! Also, werewolves and vampires loose in Seattle? We've been there, done that.

Fair Game, aka Criminal Fae Minds! Charles and Anna are their own were-BAU. And yes, it's as awesome as it sounds. A serial killer targeting supernatural victims is loose in Boston. Bran sends Charles and Anna to assist in the investigation. This is a nice change for both because Charles the emo wolf has been super emo lately. Due to his role as Bran's enforcer, he's had to carry out harsh punishments that he doesn't agree with. (He's kind of like Katsa in Graceling actually.) Boston is the territory of local alpha, Isaac. What I liked about this book that wasn't in the previous two books is how established the world is. In Cry Wolf, Anna is new to town and she and Charles spend most of their time in Charles's house and then the mountains. In Hunting Ground, they end up traveling to Seattle to oversee a werewolf summit with wolves from all over the world. Aside from a few local wolves, everyone is an out of town guest and it feels like that in the book setting as well. In Fair Game, the characters from Isaac to FBI Special Agent Leslie Fisher are fully drawn supporting characters. I actually wouldn't mind if Charles and Anna stayed in Boston and Isaac and Leslie became regular cast members instead of guest stars. Aside from Bran and Asil, there haven't been many consistent characters throughout the series. One of my favorite aspects of the Mercy books are the wonderful supporting characters like Warren, Kyle, Stefan, etc.

There are BIG THINGS in Fair Game, but after reading the chapter sampler for Frost Burned on Patricia Briggs' website, it seems like you can get away with not reading the Alpha & Omega series. However, after a shaky start, I think I'm going to stick with the series. I really liked the direction of Fair Game and Patricia Briggs' writing is so addicting. I want to see what new reason Charles will have for being morose.

If you haven't read either series, I'd definitely recommend starting with Moon Called. If you are a Mercy fan already, Alpha & Omega will help you pass the time til the next Mercy book (2 more hours!!) but thankfully, it's not a forced package deal.

Rating:
Cry Wolf: 3/5 stars
Hunting Ground: 3/5 stars
Fair Game: 4/5 stars

Review: The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding

The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding
Reviewed by Maggie: February 8, 2013
Published February 5, 2013 by Entangled Teen
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon • Kindle • Book Depository



What do you do when you're sad? Me? Les Miserables (Original London Cast), Disc 1, Track 5: I Dreamed a Dream
Upset about a boy? Wicked, Track 8: I'm Not That Girl
Outraged over something? Ragtime, Disc 2, Track 15: Make Them Hear You
Getting ready to parrrrty? Rent (Original Broadway Cast), Disc 1, Track 14: Out Tonight

Why yes, that is a Korean edition of the Les Miserables Original London Cast.
I needed emotional support on my first trip to Korea after being castigated
for not speaking Korean well so I demanded my mother buy it for me. 

If the soundtrack to your life is found on soundtracks to shows, this book is your kindred spirit.

Here are some things to know about Devan Mitchell:
1.  She loves to sing and perform.
2.  Her father just died.
2a. But it's mitigated by the fact that:

"Kids in musicals without parents always ended up okay -- Annie got Daddy Warbucks, Cosette got Jean Valjean, Christine got stalked by the Phantom though she did get to make out with Raoul."

3.  Her stepmother can't stand her.
4.  She found out about her birth mother through a book dedication.
5.  She's never met her birth mother.
6.  She's never kissed a boy.

"Also, ugh, really? Dad is dead and my long-lost mother would have totally preferred to stay long-lost, and I'm feeling sorry for myself about boys?"

Two of those things will change when she moves to Los Angeles to meet and live with her mother, award winning author Reece Malcolm.

The Reece Malcolm List is like an alternate world version of Gilmore Girls, exploring what would have happened if Lorelai had given up baby Rory and Rory focused on musicals instead of Harvard. Like the show, the book is a mix of humor and heart with snappy dialogue and a cast of memorable characters.

I liked Reece immediately. She's moody and socially awkward, and the only reason I don't mock the way Devan talks (like, like, like) is because Reece does it first. Okay, that also makes her kind of a bitch, but she's my kind of bitch. At 32, she's a successful writer but I love that she doesn't have her shit together. She's not only someone I would hang out it, but probably someone I already do hang out with. Devan never really fit in at her old schools but transferring to a performing arts high school finally gives her a place where she belongs. I mentioned the way she talks (like, like, like), but her voice is so authentically 16. I love that she's a bit timid and unconfident in real life but the minute she's on stage and in character, she unleashes everything inside. For a girl who's constantly apologizing, the one thing she doesn't apologize for is her talent. Reece tells her,

"When you sing you're this force of nature, all fearless and bad-ass. Then you switch off, and it's weird. It's like you really are in a musical, where you can only express yourself through song or whatever."

No wonder Reece is a best-selling author because that's the perfect analogy. Or whatever.

Of course, I have to mention the boys. There's the guylinered one and the Indian-Chinese one, which HELLO, but the one who held my attention was Brad, Reece's boyfriend. He's the most together person in the book and such a warm character. However, there are no perfect characters in this, and the realistically drawn characters are one of the strengths of the book.

You don't have to love musicals to enjoy this book, but if you are a theater geek, HANDS IN, A-CA-BITCHES! This book is your song.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

I received an ARC of this from the author but waited so long to read it that I bought and reviewed the finished copy instead. Because that's how I do.