Book + Movie Review: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders
Author: S.E. Hinton
Genre: YA Fiction
Goodreads

Ponyboy can count on his brothers and his friends, but not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids who get away with everything, including beating up greasers like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect--until the night someone takes things too far.

Written forty-five years ago, S. E. Hinton's classic story of a boy who finds himself on the outskirts of regular society remains as powerful today as it was the day it was written.

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: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Carry On
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: YA (Contemporary) Fantasy
Page Length: 522 pages
Goodreads

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

Book Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows 
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Six of Crows #1
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Length: 465
Goodreads

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker.  Ka is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams.  But he can't pull it off alone . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts.  One impossible heist.  Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction - if they don't kill each other first.

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.

Book Review: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #4
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Pages: 656
Goodreads

Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series reaches new heights in this sweeping fourth volume.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her.  But she's at last returned to the empire - for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again.  She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison.  And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena's epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe.  This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena's story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter the world.

Book Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Length: 562 pages

The king's assassin takes on an even greater destiny and burns brighter than ever before in this follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Crown of Midnight.

She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak - but at an unspeakable cost.  Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life - and her future - forever.

Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world.  To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength to not only fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed.

Book Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

The Wrath and the Dawn
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Series: The Wrath and the Dawn #1
Publication: Putnam's Children on May 12, 2015
Genre: YA Fantasy Retellings
Page Length: 388 pages
Source: Purchased

One Life to One Dawn.

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer.  Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise.  So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid.  But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls.  Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she's falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls.  Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle one and for all.

Book Review: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Series: An Ember in the Ashes #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Page Length: 443 pages
Publication Date: April 28th, 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Purchased

Laia is a slave.
Elias is a soldier.
Neither is free.
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death.  Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother.  The family ekes out an existence in the Empire's impoverished backstreets.  They do not challenge the Empire.  They've seen what happens to those who do.
But when Laia's brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision.  In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire's greatest military academy.
There, Laia meets Elias, the school's finest soldier - and secretly, its most unwilling.  Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he's being trained to enforce.  He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined - and that their choice will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Book Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars
by E. Lockhart
Series: Standalone
Publication: Delacorte Press on May 13, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 225 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Family, Romance

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends - the Liars - whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution.  An accident.  A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

Book Review: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Saint Anything
by Sarah Dessen
Series: Standalone
Publication: Viking Juvenile on May 5, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 417 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Family

Sydney has always felt invisible.

She's grown accustomed to her brother, Peyton, being the focus of the family's attention and, lately, concern.  Peyton is handsome and charismatic, but seems bent on self-destruction.  Now, after a drunk-driving accident that crippled a boy, Peyton's serving some serious jail time, and Sydney is on her own, questioning her place in the family and the world.

Then she meets the Chatham family.  Drawn into their warm, chaotic circle, Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance for the first time.  There's effervescent Layla, who constantly falls for the wrong guy, Rosie, who's had her own fall from grace, and Mrs. Chatham, who even though ailing is the heart of the family.  But it's with older brother Mac - quiet, watchful, and protective - that Sydney finally feels seen, really seen, at last.

Saint Anything is Sarah Dessen's deepest and most psychologically probing novel yet, telling an engrossing story of a girl discovering friendship, love, and herself. 

Book Review: We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

We All Looked Up
by Tommy Wallach
Series: Standalone
Publication: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on March 24, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Contemporary, Dystopia, Coming of Age

Before Ardor came, we let ourselves be defined by labels - 
the ATHLETE,
the SLUT,
the SLACKER,
the OVERACHIEVER.
But then we all looked up, and everything changed. They said the asteroid would be here in two months. That gave us two months to leave our labels behind. Two months to become something bigger than what we'd been, something that would last even after the end. Two months to really LIVE.

Book Review: Wildlife by Fiona Wood

Wildlife
by Fiona Wood
Series: Six Impossible Things/Wildlife #2
Publication: Poppy on September 16, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Friendships

A semester in the wilderness?
Let me survive it.
Hey, let me enjoy it.

During a semester in the wilderness, sixteen-year-old Sib expects the tough outdoor education program and the horrors of dorm life, but friendship drama and love that gets complicated?  That will take some navigating.

New girl Lou has zero interest in fitting in, or joining in.  Still reeling from a loss that occurred almost a year ago, she just wants to be left alone.  But as she witnesses a betrayal unfolding around Sib and her best friend Holly, Lou can't help but be drawn back into the land of the living.

In this tender, funny story of first love, good friendship, and going a little bit wild, Fiona Wood introduces two unforgettable girls who discover that before you can be true to yourself, you have to figure out exactly who you are.

Book Review: Like It Never Happened by Emily Adrian

Like It Never Happened
by Emily Adrian
Series: Standalone
Publication: Dial Books on June 2, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Drama

Rebecca Rivers wishes she were known only for being a great actress, and not for the (untrue) rumors that have followed her since middle school.  Landing the lead in her school's play changes everything: Rebecca casts off her old reputation; grows close with her four rowdy cast-mates to form the "Essential Five"; and gets to kiss the extremely handsome Charlie Lamb onstage.  Even Mr. McFadden, the play's critical director, can find no fault with Rebecca.

Though the Essential Five vow never to date each other, Rebecca can't help her feelings for Charlie.  But the on- and off- stage theatrics of the cast are eclipsed by a life-altering accusation that threatens to destroy everything . . . even if some of it is just make-believe.

Love, drama, and destructive gossip collide in this whip-smart story about stereotypes and standing up for the truth.

"I had thought that falling in love was a decision.  Like first you noticed a boy was cute and smart and had good taste in movies.  He kissed you and it occurred to you to love him.  If a certain amount of time passed and nothing went wrong, then congratulations: love.

But apparently that was not how it worked at all.  Apparently love happened accidentally, and without warning, and at the exact moment you were supposed to get out of the car."

Book Review: All the Rage by Courtney Summers

All the Rage
by Courtney Summers
Series: Standalone
Publication: St. Martin's Griffin on April 14, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 321 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Abuse

The sheriff's son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact.  Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything - friends, family, and her community.  After she's been branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy's only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town.  No one knows her name of her past there; she can finally be anonymous.  But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn't speak up.  Nobody believed her the first time - and they certainly won't now - but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women in a culture that refuses to protect them.

All the Rage will knock you out.  A heavy, highly emotional read, this well-written 2015 standalone by author Courtney Summers manages to tackle and put out in the open what's often left unsaid.

Series Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before & P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before
by Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Publication: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on April 15, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 355 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Family, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary

Jacket copy:

Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.  They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written.  One for every boy she's ever loved - five in all.  When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only.  Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

This book review was originally written in 2014, prior to my blog's creation.  However, with the recent May 2015 release of To All the Boys I've Loved Before's sequel, P.S. I Still Love You, I decided to post both members of the series together as one compilation.  Here goes:

Book Review: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

The Start of Me and You
by Emery Lord
Series: Standalone
Publication: Bloomsbury on March 31, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Death

Jacket copy:

It's never too late for a second chance . . .
It's been one year since it happened - when Paige Hancock's first boyfriend died in a swimming accident.  After shutting out everyone except for her family and three best friends, Paige has decided it's finally time to rejoin the real world . . . and she has a plan:
1. Date a boy: Her old crush Ryan Chase is the perfect path to normalcy.
2. Attend parties: With her friends by her side, doable.
3. Join a club: Simple, it's high school after all.
4. Travel: Well, a girl can dream.
5. Swim: Terrifying. Yet possible?
The new Paige feels ready for anything, but when Ryan's sweet, nerdy cousin Max moves to town and recruits Paige for the QuizBowl team (of all things!), her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop.  Starting over isn't easy, but Paige knows the scariest things are usually the most difficult.  Can she face her fears and finally open herself up to life and love again?

Book Review: All Fall Down by Ally Carter

All Fall Down
by Ally Carter
Series: Embassy Row
Publication: Scholastic Press on January 20, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Adventure, Espionage

Jacket copy:

Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things:

1. She is not crazy

2. Her mother was murdered

3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.

As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her - so there's no one she can completely trust.  Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador.  Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row.  Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts.  But they can't control Grace - no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do.  Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt.  Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

Okay.  Confession time: I'm pretty much the only person in the world who hasn't read Ally Carter's other popular series (the Gallagher Girls, the Heist Society, etc.).  (Sorry, I'm terrible, right?)  Anyway, All Fall Down was my first taste of this author's writing . . . and it was a pretty good taste!

All Fall Down is considered YA, but it was definitely on the more juvenile side of the genre.  However, I immediately loved the book for this one, tiny little reason: the setting.  Grace lives on Embassy Row among the powers of the world.  I mean, Russia's next door.  Germany, France, China, Israel, Brazil?  Just a walk away.  Ally Carter is brilliant for thinking up such a setting.  I've never read about anything like Embassy Row before, so definite props to the author for earning that hard-to-get creativity factor.

So, I entered the book with my expectations high.  (I mean, awesome setting = awesome story, right?)  Well, in all honesty, I thought the author could have done so much more with the story.  A good portion of the book just felt stagnant, and though the book claims ACTION! ADVENTURE! MYSTERY! it really wasn't all that interesting until the reader neared the end.

I wanted to love the main character, Grace, but she was a bit on the annoying side.  Though I do admire her perseverance and her drive, it became a bit too much at times.  What drove Grace's actions throughout the story was her adamant, unwavering belief that "The Scarred-Face Man" killed her mother a couple years back.  And spoiler alert! (not really) basically the entire storyline is Grace embarrassing herself in public as she pursues this "Scarred-Face Man."

In All Fall Down we were only given glimpses at the multitude of characters living on Embassy Row.  There's Alexei, friend of Grace's older brother, the Russian boy next door.  There's Noah, the half Israeli half Brazilian boy down the street who claims the title of Grace's best friend (quite literally).  There's little, unassuming, gymnast Rosie.  And there's of course, Grace.  Honestly, there wasn't a whole lot of character development to this first installment, but I'm sure we'll be able to get past the acquaintance stage in the Embassy Row books to follow.  I'm excited to get to fall in love with all of these full-of-personality characters.

All Fall Down was an appetizer, appeasing to the reader's taste, but its main purpose was for setting up the main course.  Ally Carter was able to leave off on a high note, and I have no doubt that with each Embassy Row book released, the storyline will continue to grow better and better.

Mini Reviews - Throne of Glass & Cinder

Throne of Glass
by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass
Publication: Bloomsbury on August 7, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 406 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Fiction

Jacket copy: 

When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle.  She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom.  If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the King's Champion and be released from prison.

Her name is Celaena Sardothien.  The Crown Prince will provoke her.  The Captain of the Guard will protect her.  And a princess from a foreign land will become the one thing Celaena never thought she'd have again: a friend.

But something evil dwells in the castle - and it's there to kill.  When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival - and a desperate quest to root out the source of evil before it destroys her world.

This was the very first Sarah J. Maas book I've read.  I honestly don't know how I went so long without reading Throne of Glass, one of the book blogosphere's greatest loves.  Prior to reading, I had only heard good things about Sarah J. Maas and her writing, so I entered the Throne of Glass realm with fingers crossed for a good read that wouldn't disappoint.

And it didn't!  Throne of Glass was a book filled with excitement and thrill, and that for the most part, kept readers on their toes.

My favorite part of the book?

Celaena Sardothein herself.  I totally appreciated how different Celaena was from other main characters.  After reading a lot of similar books with similar characters and plots in the genre, everything just begins to blur together.  Sarah J. Maas created a character, Celaena, who really stands out above the rest.  Celaena is an assassin.  She's such a kick-ass main character with loads of personality and wit, one that I loved to read about.  Celaena was strong, fierce, and independent - qualities we all try to strive for.

And though there was that love triangle we've come to slightly despise over the years, it thankfully wasn't written terribly.  There was no annoying drama or cheating - nothing like that.  This book focuses on Celaena's relationship with The Crown Prince, Dorian, for most of the story, but begins to shift more in favor of The Captain of the Guard, Chaol, towards the end.  (This love triangle totally reminded me of The Selection, though.)

All in all, Throne of Glass lived up to its praise!

Cinder
by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles
Publication: Feiwel and Friends on January 3, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 387 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fairy Tales, Romance

Jacket copy:

Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time . . .

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing.  A deadly plague ravages the population.  From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move.  No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . .

Sixteen-year-old Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg.  She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past and is reviled by her stepmother.  But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction.  Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.  Because there is something unusual about Cinder, something that others would kill for.

Cinder, the first book in The Lunar Chronicles, is a book practically everyone has both read and raved about.

However, before I get into the review, I have to apologize if you're a fan, because I've taken up the unpopular opinion here.

Unfortunately, Cinder just wasn't for me.  Cyborgs and lunar people sound interesting and all, but I didn't enjoy the story Marissa Meyer pieced together.  Prior to reading, I heard it took a few chapters to really get immersed in the book, but it took me, honestly, the entire book.  The ending was pretty much the only part that interested me.

What bothered me most about this book was the "jaw dropper."  Like all other readers, I want to actually be surprised.  Just because Cinder is a fairy tale retelling, it doesn't mean the entire plot has to be see through.  And . . . it was.  Only a couple chapters into the book, I honestly read this one sentence and knew exactly what the jaw dropper was.  That was just disappointing for me.  Knowing the jaw dropper only a handful of pages in really inhibited me from being able to enjoy the story.

I still stoically read on until the end, and fortunately, the story improved.  However, even though Cinder was able to leave off on an exciting note, I don't think I'll be continuing on with the series.