Book Review: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Saving Francesca
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publication Date: May 9, 2006
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA Contemporary
Page Length: 243 pages
Goodreads

A compelling story of romance, family, and friendship with humor and heart, perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Lauren Myracle.

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys' school that pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas, who specializes in musical burping, to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling of who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

Book Review: Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Made You Up
Author: Francesca Zappia
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Genre: YA Contemporary
Page Length: 428 pages
Goodreads

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion.  Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college.  She's pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles.  Didn't she imagine him?  Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers.  But Alex is used to being crazy.  She's not prepared for normal.

Book Review: Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Finding Audrey

Author: Sophie Kinsella
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: June 9, 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Press for Young Readers
Genre: YA Contemporary
Page Length: 288 pages
Goodreads

With her genuine gift for comic writing, Sophie Kinsella blends comedy, romance, and psychological insight in this contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and delight.

Audrey loves her family, even if they are a bit off-the-wall.  When Audrey develops an anxiety disorder as a result of an unpleasant incident, her family is there to help.  Audrey now wears dark glasses whenever she feels the need to protect herself, but she's also making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah.

Then Audrey meets Linus, her brother's gaming teammate, and she is energized.  She can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she's never been able to do with anyone before.  As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

Better Than Perfect - Melissa Kantor

Better Than Perfect

by Melissa Kantor

Series: Standalone

Publication: HarperTeen on February 17, 2015

Format: Hardcover, 336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Family

Jacket copy:

Juliet Newman has it all.  A picture-perfect family; a handsome, loving boyfriend; and a foolproof life plan: ace her SATs, get accepted into Harvard early action, and live happily ever after.

But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she's always lived by.  Suddenly it's difficult for her to remember why she cared so much about rocking Latin exams or snagging elite internships . . . or if her family was ever as happy as she thought they were.  And then there's Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous - and who's totally off-limits.

Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn't all it's cracked up to be?

After reading Melissa Kantor's Maybe One Day last year, I was eagerly awaiting her next title, Better Than Perfect.  Once again, the public library came to my rescue, and I found Kantor's newest release waiting patiently for me on the library's "new book" shelf!

Let me start off by saying I know a lot of people didn't particularly like or enjoy this book.  I however, much to the contrary, did.  Other reviewers said they couldn't relate to the main character and her sometimes very impulsive, rash decisions.  Others said they hated the slow pace of the story.  And others just simply couldn't stand the main characters, as they were sometimes annoying to the reader.

I'm not going to completely disagree with all of those claims.  Juliet was quite honestly, your typical high school overachiever.  She was extremely rash in certain circumstances, and as a reader, her impulsiveness caught me off guard at first, making me blink twice and having to reread the page.  I also felt at first, it was a bit difficult to get perfectly comfortable with the book and fall into the story.  However, as I continued reading on, I definitely fell into the storyline and craved each page.

And unlike a number of others, I could relate to Juliet.  Besides the two of us having quite similar names, I also feel as if I am, like Juliet, on the "overachiever" side, always striving, always wanting perfection.  For this reason, I loved reading about Juliet's story.  Though I am only a high school sophomore, I can completely relate to her SAT woes, her having to maintain her grades in school, and then, having to juggle everything else life unkindly throws at you.  Since I could relate to the main character on such a better level, it undoubtedly contributed to how I felt about the story.

Oh, and I love Melissa Kantor's writing.  I do.  Like Maybe One Day, her true gift with words was showcased in Better Than Perfect.  She can make you laugh, she can make you cry, she can make you want even more of her writing.  

The ending was perfect in my opinion.  Better than perfect.  Melissa Kantor is always able to nail the very last page, the very last sentence.  And she did.  She has once again.

I don't know why this book is receiving such low ratings.  I quite obviously disagree.  

Read this book.  It's another Melissa Kantor novel you can't live without.

The Program (The Program #1) - Suzanne Young

The Program

by Suzanne Young

Series: The Program (#1)

Publication: Simon Pulse on April 30, 2013

Format: Paperback, 405 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Mental Illness, Dystopia, Romance

Jacket copy:

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone.  

With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment.  Sloane's parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they'll do anything to keep her alive.  She also knows that everyone who's been through The Program returns as a blank slate.  Because their depression is gone - but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can.  The only person Sloane can be herself with is James.  He's promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything.  But despite the promises they made to each other, it's getting harder to hide the truth.  They are both growing weaker.  

Depression is settling in. 

When I took a visit to Barnes and Noble the other day, The Program Series by Suzanne Young was being heavily advertised on shelves.  As I now know, her second book in the series, The Treatment, had just been released in paperback the previous month.  I, however, did not read the first book, The Program, and so, wanting to judge the book for myself, bought a copy to take home.

By now, I'm sure the majority of you YA book lovers have already read this book.  For those like me who haven't, hopefully my book review will be able to help you decide for yourself whether or not you want to add The Program to your shelf.

I think what makes prospective readers a bit hesitant to pick up The Program is due to the fact that the storyline circles around depression.  I for one, didn't necessarily want to immerse myself in a depressed dystopian society for a couple of hours.

Be prepared: this book is no "buttercream roses and pink frosting," so do take heed from the jacket copy.  The world Sloane lives in is sickeningly flawed and absolutely terrifying.  Though the text may be quite disturbing at times, the storyline always keeps readers captivated and absorbed.  And if you're one of those hesitant to pick up your own copy, I say just go for it.  You'll be continually engrossed.

Something about the plot that was a bit different from the norm in YA novels was the romance factor.  Unlike the majority of YA novels in which a vital part of the storyline is about meeting someone and falling in love, from page one in The Program, Sloane is already wholly in love with James.  This only makes the book all the more despairing when both Sloane and James are thrown into The Program themselves, and for this reason, I felt it worked well for the storyline.

The reader goes on a frightening emotional roller coaster with Sloane as she tries in all her capability to fight against "the cure."  As the story goes on, the reader is slowly exposed to memory after memory of Sloane's, and though James is not present during Sloane's "treatment," the reader fully falls in love with him through her memory.  What's quite ironic about this, is that while the reader is gaining Sloane's memories, she is gradually losing them one by one.

All in all?  Read The Program.  The plot is riveting, the characters and their relationships are spun together skillfully, and though the story revolves around depression, the "darkness" only helps to emphasize the "light" and to spark hope in the reader.  

Now having read The Program, I have still to determine whether I want to pursue the next installment in the series, The Treatment.  As much as I enjoyed this first book, I have my reservations about continuing on to book two.