Review: A Sudden Light by Garth Stein

Published September 30, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Synopsis: In the summer of 1990, fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant, whole trees, and is set on a huge estate overlooking Puget Sound. Trevor’s bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with his sister, Serena, dispatch Grandpa Samuel—who is flickering in and out of dementia—to a graduated living facility, sell off the house and property for development into “tract housing for millionaires,” divide up the profits, and live happily ever after.

But Trevor soon discovers there’s someone else living in Riddell House: a ghost with an agenda of his own. For while the land holds tremendous value, it is also burdened by the final wishes of the family patriarch, Elijah, who mandated it be allowed to return to untamed forestland as a penance for the millions of trees harvested over the decades by the Riddell Timber company. The ghost will not rest until Elijah’s wish is fulfilled, and Trevor’s willingness to face the past holds the key to his family’s future.

Review: How would I describe this book? A family drama, ghost story and historical fiction all rolled into one. The characters are rich and dramatic, the plot line interesting with twists and turns, lies and deception, mystery and emotion. I really liked the flow of this story, there was some repetition of themes and ideas but they were purposeful and helped to build the plot. This story was very different than anything I have read and that's a huge plus for me. 

What a smart 14 year old Trevor is! First off, he starts seeing ghosts and doesn't panic. Um, I am well past 14 and if I saw what he did, I would hid under the bed. Seriously. He pieces together so many different parts of a puzzle and comes to the real conclusion. But will anyone believe him? 

Serena really made me angry throughout this story. She is rude and crazy from the get go. And the way she treats Grandpa Samuel was really what made me the most angry. Probably because I work with the dementia population, but I had to skim over certain sections of her text because I was annoyed. This was all a part of her character that develops and makes more sense as the story goes on. 

All in all, I would recommend this read. This was my first Garth Stein book despite having The Art of Racing in the Rain on my bookshelf for a while now. Looking forward to my next Stein book!

* I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Girl in the Road by Monica Byrne

Publish Date: May 20, 2014
Publisher: Crown

Synopsis: Meena, a young woman living in a futuristic Mumbai, wakes up with five snake bites on her chest. She doesn't know how or why, but she must flee India and return to Ethiopia, the place of her birth. Having long heard about The Trail -- an energy-harvesting bridge that spans the Arabian Sea -- she embarks on foot on this forbidden bridge, with its own subculture and rules. What awaits her in Ethiopia is unclear; she's hoping the journey will illuminate it for her.

Mariama, a girl from a different time, is on a quest of her own. After witnessing her mother's rape, she joins up with a caravan of strangers heading across Saharan Africa. She meets Yemaya, a beautiful and enigmatic woman who becomes her protector and confidante. Yemaya tells Mariama of Ethiopia, where revolution is brewing and life will be better. Mariama hopes against hope that it offers much more than Yemaya ever promised.

As one heads east and the other west, Meena and Mariama's fates will entwine in ways that are profoundly moving and shocking to the core. Vividly imagined and artfully told, written with stunning clarity and deep emotion, The Girl in the Road is a true tour de force. (from goodreads.com)

Review: When I was choosing my next book, I pulled this up on Goodreads and saw a 3.75 average rating and so many people raving in their 5-star reviews. I thought to myself, well this must be a good book! It finally came in the mail and I dove right in. I wanted to love it, I really did. But, alas, I did not. I closed this book feeling unsatisfied and confused.

This book follows Mariama and Meena, two different girls living in two different time periods that share a common goal of getting to Ethiopia. Meena takes The Trail, a dangerous path of metal conductors strung across the ocean. Mariama takes a more logical approach, stowing away in a caravan, hiding between oil drums. And that is about the extent of my ability to tell you the plot of this book. I was having a hard time keeping characters straight, the names were very exotic and I couldn't remember who was who most of the time. They were not likable characters for me, I made no connection with them and couldn't engage in their struggles/journeys. 

The plot in the middle of the book was good, I will admit that much. Throughout this portion of the story, I really did want to see what happened next. The adventure/plot line was building for both characters and you really just want to know what the outcome of their stories are. However, it lost me again, the characters got dull again, and I just wanted to get to the end of the story for the sake of finishing it.

I'm disappointed. The plot of this book had real promise. Some of you out there may still love it, but for me this book fell quite flat. 

Recommended For: Dystopian fans. I know I rated this book low but other people raved about it.

*I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Review: Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian

Publish Date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Doubleday Books

Synopsis: Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is the story of Emily Shepard, a homeless teen living in an igloo made of ice and trash bags filled with frozen leaves. Half a year earlier, a nuclear plant in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom had experienced a cataclysmic meltdown, and both of Emily's parents were killed. Devastatingly, her father was in charge of the plant, and the meltdown may have been his fault. Was he drunk when it happened? Thousands of people are forced to flee their homes in the Kingdom; rivers and forests are destroyed; and Emily feels certain that as the daughter of the most hated man in America, she is in danger. So instead of following the social workers and her classmates after the meltdown, Emily takes off on her own for Burlington, where she survives by stealing, sleeping on the floor of a drug dealer's apartment, and inventing a new identity for herself -- an identity inspired by her favorite poet, Emily Dickinson. When Emily befriends a young homeless boy named Cameron, she protects him with a ferocity she didn't know she had. But she still can't outrun her past, can't escape her grief, can't hide forever—and so she comes up with the only plan that she can. 

A story of loss, adventure, and the search for friendship in the wake of catastrophe, Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is one of Chris Bohjalian’s finest novels to date—breathtaking, wise, and utterly transporting. (from netgalley.com)
Review: This was my first Chris Bohjalian book and I don't know why I waited so long to pick one up! The writing in this story was raw, real, and graceful. Told in first person narrative, it really made you feel connected to the main character. I stayed up far past my bedtime many nights in a row because I just couldn't put this book down! Phenomenal read, I really won't be able to say that enough!

I cannot even imagine being in Emily Shepard's shoes. The only surviving member of her family, not allowed back into her own home or even her own town, and feeling hated by everyone just because of her name. Though this story is narrated by a teenage girl, I never got a whiny, high school voice through the writing. She is very adult in very real and very scary situations. Sure, a handful of times the way she acted screamed immature, but these were few and far between. I loved seeing her maternal side as she cares for Cameron and the desperation she had to keep him safe and cared for. 

The title of this book was perplexing. You start to read and assume that it will weave into the story somehow. When it is finally revealed, it is extremely hard hitting. I had to re-read this paragraph a few times to grasp the severity and the correlation from the title to the character's situation. As Emily said, "It seems to me that if you didn't know the context of those words, they were kind of pretty."

This has to be one of my favorite reads of the year so far. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
Recommended For: Fans of contemporary novels, adult fiction. Even young adult contemporary fans though it does contain some adult content. Everyone should pick this book up!

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. 

Review: Hexed by Michelle Krys

Publish Date: June 10, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Synopsis: A stolen book. A deadly plan. A destiny discovered.

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won't stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn't want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie's world, she learns that her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn't get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that's seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she's a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie is about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid. (from goodreads.com)

Review: This book was essentially just as described. I have been seeing a lot of mixed reviews since its' release and it seems that the reasons that some people love this book are the same reasons that other people dislike it. For me, it took some looking past the high school drama occurring throughout the story to like the book.

The main characters of this book are teenagers. The main character, Indigo, is a senior in high school. Like a typical teenage girl, she is self-absorbed and a little whiny. Her biggest concerns, before the whole witch/sorcerer thing starts, are cheerleading and her social status. Will bringing a nerd to a party be social suicide?! Yeah...no. Bishop, though also an 18 year old, was less annoying to me. He seemed wiser beyond his years. Maybe it is because of his family situation, maybe because he's been doing this warlock thing for a while and understands the implications of being chased around by sorcerers. But either way, he didn't get under my skin too much. The third main character, Paige, is a nerdy girl who just wants to be friends with Indigo. She doesn't care about social status or what anyone thinks of her. I found myself relating with her throughout the story.

Indigo's mother owns an occult shop and has always wanted to be a witch. Though it seems that Indigo thinks it a bit strange, she goes with it. And she knows about the secret book that is stashed in the shop. Then Bishop comes along and says "Hey, you might be a witch. You will find out in a few days at the stroke of midnight." And everyone is cool with that. Indigo's mom arranges a seance type thing, Paige brings candles, and the three of them sit around waiting until midnight to see if she comes into her powers. This part of the book seemed to move fast for me- it was a matter of days until she found out and after she did, nobody seemed to think it was a big deal. That is, until the sorcerers start showing up more and more frequently. Indigo's teenage girl attitude really bugged me throughout this course. Who cares what you are wearing?! You are being chased, girl! By people that can kill you literally with the blink of an eye. Just shut up and run! 

The end of this book seemed to be wrapping up nicely. Knowing it was the first book in a series, it was wrapping up too nicely. I was thinking to myself "How is this going to continue on? Where's the cliffhanger?" And then...boom. There is was. Everyone breathing a sigh of relief that the situation is over until omg what happened to so-and-so? I can't get a hold of them on the phone, that's strange. Oh crap...*End of book* 

I will be picking up the second book when it is released to see what happens!

Recommended For: Fans of paranormal books, witch books. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

*Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Coin Heist by Elisa Ludwig

Publish Date: June 10, 2014
Publisher: Adaptive Books

Synopsis: The last place you’d expect to find a team of criminals is at a prestigious Philadelphia prep school. But on a class trip to the U.S. Mint – which prints a million new coins every 30 minutes – an overlooked security flaw becomes far too tempting for a small group of students to ignore.

United by dire circumstances, these unlikely allies – the slacker, the nerd, the athlete, and the "perfect" student – band together to attempt the impossible: rob the U.S. Mint. The diverse crew is forced to confront their true beliefs about each other and themselves as they do the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Elisa Ludwig's Coin Heist is a fun, suspenseful, and compelling thriller, told from the revolving perspectives of four teens, each with their own motive for committing a crime that could change all of their lives for the better—if they can pull it off.

Review: **Some spoilers may be present** When I first heard the synopsis of this book, I was instantly intrigued. 4 teenagers devising a plan to rob the U.S. Mint?! That sounds awesome! I couldn't wait to read it. But once I did, it fell a bit flat for me. Now, don't get me wrong. I read this book in 2 sittings. I really did want to know what happened next and if they pull off the heist. But that's where I had the problem.

First off, let me say that I really did enjoy the 4 separate points of view and how it rotated through each one in a row. However, I found that they all sounded very similar. I would be halfway through a chapter and have to flip back to the beginning to see which character was narrating. You would think that for such diverse characters, they would have different attitudes. The diversity of the characters is why I had heard this reminded some of "The Breakfast Club"- there was the princess, the nerd, the jock, and the class clown. Together they cause a ruckus. Flashback to the 80s!

Now, moving onto the main plot of this book- a heist at this federal building in order to get enough money to save their school. Now they are high schoolers, not to say that high schoolers are not intelligent. But it is a little far-fetched that they could flawlessly plan this down to the minute and it goes pretty much exactly the way they planned. Minimal to no bumps in the road, the plan just works. I would have enjoyed this story more if they were challenged more. If there was more suspense over the outcome of their plan. What I was most taken aback by is that they pull off this heist, get caught, get turned over to an administrator of the school and nothing happens!! They saved the school, their original goal. Yay!

All in all, this book was just okay for me. I imagine that if I had read this during my middle school years, I would have been a bigger fan. 

Recommended For: Fans of middle grade/early young adult

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Review: We Are The Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

Publish Date: May 27, 2014
Publisher: Random House Children's- Wendy Lamb Books

Synopsis: When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellaya. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.

Review: This was a quick read about two sisters and their changing bond. Nell and Layla were always like one person growing up however now that they are both in high school, things are changing. Layla, who is older than Nell, is becoming very secretive and pushing Nell away. As you can imagine, Nell doesn't like this one bit. But then you find out more about what is going on in Layla's life and that's where the plot thickens (no pun intended.)

I did find that the plot fell flat for me however the characters and relationships made up for it. Though I did not grow up with siblings, I imagine that the older sibling growing up and leaving the younger one behind is a common occurrence. You could sense Nell's feelings of hurt throughout this book. Another relationship that seems to ring true is the parent/child relationship. So often you see the older child portrayed as the "favorite" of the two children. Luckily Nell has Felix, which is a complex relationship in itself!

I also enjoyed that this book was written in the form of a letter from Nell to Layla. This technique made the book seem more personal. It was a well written book, a fluffy contemporary that pulled a bit at the heart strings.

Recommended For: Fans of contemporary YA fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

*Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Review: A Bird on Water Street by Elizabeth O. Dulemba

Publish Date: May 7, 2014
Publisher: Little Pickle Press

Synopsis: A Bird on Water Street is a coming of age story about Jack, a boy growing up in a Southern Appalachian town environmentally devastated by a century of poor copper-mining practices and pollution. Jack is opposed to the mine where so many of his relatives have died, but how can he tell that to his Dad who wants him to follow in the family trade? Jack just wants his dad safe and the land returned to its pre-mining glory with trees, birds, frogs, and nature—like he’s learning about in school. After Jack’s uncle is killed in a mining accident and the Company implements a massive layoff, the union organizes and the miners go on strike. It seems Jack’s wish is coming true. But the cost may be the ruin of his home and everything he loves.

Review: The premise of this book sounded great! Jack, a boy hero, who wants to save the day, save his father, save his town! However, it fell flat for me. It is based on a real place with a real situation in which a mining company destroyed an entire town. I couldn't help but ask myself frequently throughout this book "Why don't you move away?" This might be a snobby response to these folks' struggle as this was their livelihood. Definitely a case of me taking what we/I have for granted.

The character development in this story was satisfactory. You learn enough about Jack and his friends and family to build a loose bond with them. I really felt for Jack and his yearning for nature because I feel that is what I would be like as well. The plot, though, felt like it dragged on without a flow. You kept thinking something great was going to happen, but nothing ever really does.

Not to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't read this, but the ending was the flattest disappointment. It had the potential, in my mind, to be great. But it just...ended. Like, I went to flip to the next page and there wasn't one. Abrupt. Made me sad. Like I said, you build a bond with the characters and want to see them succeed and then they are done and gone. I think the ending totally left the author open to a sequel however it does not appear to be planned this way. Overall, this was just an okay read for me.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose edited by Gillian McCain

Publish date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Synopsis: Go Ask Alice was a hoax. But Dear Nobody is a true teen diary so raw and so edgy its authenticity rings off every page.
"I am a freak."
The words and drawings of Mary Rose present a gritty, powerful, no-holds-barred true experience of a teen girl so desperate to be loved, so eager to fit in that she'll go to extremes that could cost her her life.
This is not a story about addiction. Or sexual promiscuity. Or cystic fibrosis. It's the story of a young woman with a powerful will to live, who more than anything wants to be heard...and loved.
This compelling, emotional account ensures her voice will not be forgotten.

Review: This book is hard for me to review. I mean really, who am I to judge someone's real words/feelings/emotions?  But alas, I must review! I usually like true story, diary type stories. Raw emotions, thoughts, and judgements- I usually eat those up. In this books case...I guess I can say this is 50% true.

I had a hard time finishing this book. Reading this, I could not believe everything that Mary Rose was putting herself through all of these detrimental events and activities!! What I couldn't believe more was that no one was really trying to stop her! Where is mom? It tore at  my heart that Mary Rose had no friends that were looking in her best interest. All these people she so desperately craved approval and friendship from were toxic to her. Through all of it, I just wanted to yell at her, ask her what she thinks she is doing and tell her she needs to take care of herself!

Keep in mind that I am familiar with the Cystic Fibrosis population. Not to generalize (I'm not meaning to offend, I'm just speaking from personal experience), but these individuals tend to be somewhat rebellious and strive to have control of some aspect of their lives as they have no control over their condition. I saw so much of this in Mary Rose.

So as a wrap up, this book was very raw and real. Might be too real for some to really relate and get attached. But like I said, I'm not here to judge this girl and her feelings.

Recommended For: Contemporary fans. Those that like non-fiction, diary type novels.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Adaptation by Malinda Lo

Synopsis: Across North America, flocks of birds hurl themselves into airplanes, causing at least a dozen to crash. Thousands of people die. Fearing terrorism, the United States government grounds all flights, and millions of travelers are stranded. Everyone knows the world will never be the same.

As Reese drives home along a stretch of empty highway, a bird flies into her headlights, causing her to crash. When she and her friend David wake up in a military hospital, the doctor won't tell them what happened.

For Reese, this is just the start. She can't remember anything from the time of the accident to waking up in the hospital a month later. She only knows one thing: she's different now. Torn between her longtime crush David and new girl Amber, the real question is: Who can she trust?

Review: I had a like-hate relationship with this book. Note I did not say love. Half of me wanted to keep powering through to find out what happens next and to answer the question that couldn't help to get stuck in my brain- What the heck is with these birds?! The other half of me was struggling to comply with this wish because while it seemed like a lot was going on, the plot and characters were not carved out very deep.

You have barely met the protagonists when the bird fiasco begins and the following series of events do not lend to much character development. Though there appears to be a love triangle of sorts occurring (second plot line), it's hard to tell who truly feels what because the character focus is on the bird situation and less on their feelings. I will admit there was a section of pretty intense feelings from the Reese/Amber relationship however when you find out further facts about the situation, it leaves you wondering if those feelings were there in the first place.

You do find out, in a sense, what is making the birds crazy but you don't find out why. Obviously this is because the author knew this would be a series and couldn't tell us everything at the end of the first book. I may pick up the sequel just to see if more of these questions are answered.

Recommended For: Science Fiction, Young Adult fans

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Be sure to check out the sequel to this novel, Inheritance, currently released in the US, being released in the UK September 2014. 

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Throwaway Girl by Kristine Scarrow

Synopsis: Andy Burton knows a thing or two about survival. Since she was removed from her mother's home and placed in foster care when she was nine, she's had to deal with abuse, hunger, and homelessness. But now that she's eighteen, she's about to leave Haywood House, the group home for girls where she's lived for the past four years, and the closest thing to a real home she's ever known. Will Andy be able to carve out a better life for herself and find the happiness she is searching for?

Review: Wow...just...wow. I completely devoured this book. I mean, read it in less than 3 hours type of devouring. This book dealt with so many difficulty topics in such a graceful, relatable way. The main character, Andy, has always lived a rough life, completely unfair for a child. Just when it seems to be looking up for her, her first experience at happiness gets snatched away in the blink of an eye. She then experiences so many heart wrenching, tragic events that you wonder how much more she can endure. However, throughout everything it never seems that her hopefulness falters. Is it predictable that this will all have a happy ending? Maybe. But with all the events that unfold throughout the novel, it is what the reader remains hopeful for. 

The characters in this book are well developed and relatable. The plot offers a glimpse into what the foster care system can be like for so many children that don't have a family or a home to call their own. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend picking it up!

Recommended For: Fans of contemporary YA novels. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publish Date: September 29, 2014

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review: By Any Means by Chris Culver

Synopsis: At the end of a particularly grueling summer day, Ash Rashid is heading home to his wife and kids when he discovers a pair of bodies, shot execution style, in the front seat of a crashed vehicle. As the first officer on the scene, Ash finds himself and his department 20 minutes behind a killer in a race where every second counts. With two victims down and a third unaccounted for, the clock is ticking and Ash must find the killer before he strikes again.

Review: This book was middle of the road for me. It started off as a typical police mystery. The plot then split and for the majority of the book, it switched back and forth between two characters and their stories. Without giving too much detail, these two characters had one thread that connected them both to each other and the case. This kept me intrigued for the first third to half of the book. However, it got to be too many characters and story lines to keep track of, at least to me.  Some sections of this book were suspenseful however the story mostly flowed with the details of the case. The end wrapped up fairly quickly. I will admit I'm curious to see what happens to Ash Rashid next.

As an aside, this is the first Chris Culver book I have read. There are 2 other Ash Rashid novels and I wonder if reading these first would have made any difference.

Recommended For: Fans of crime fiction, murder mysteries.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Publish Date: May 6, 2014


*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.