For review:

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Yes! *fist pump* Thank you, Netgalley! The only downside is that there was no Kindle option, and since I don’t have a Nook, I can only read this with Adobe Digital Editions on my laptop. Boo. Does anyone know if there’s a way to remedy this? From what I’ve read it looks like it’s impossible to convert an .acsm file into a .mobi or .epub.

Bought:

Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins

A $.99 Kindle steal which I devoured in one night.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Finally! It is with trepidation that I will be picking this up.

As is clearer from the plot synopsis than the cover, Something Like Normal by Trish Doller is about Travis dealing with the stresses of returning to normal life after the battlefield has left him irrevocably changed. The straightforward, subtle romance that develops is secondary, but that doesn’t detract from the book overall. Rather, it adds weight and sweetness to the relationship. After the vicious untrue rumors spread in middle school – which Travis was in a position to disprove – Harper will not stand for Travis’ untruths again. Embarrassing nonetheless, having one person that Travis can bare witnessing the full extent of his brokenness is exactly what he needed. Speaking of Travis, I loved his voice. The serious issues stemming from the trauma of watching Charlie die intermixed with his dry humor made the heavy subject matter palatable and the read easy. As I began rereading sections in preparation for this review I couldn’t help getting sucked back into his reality. I ended up rereading nearly half the book. At 224 pages Something Like Normal is a on the short side and while this isn’t always the case, the brevity left me wanting more. I couldn’t help feeling that the wonderfully nuanced setup of Travis’ traumatic episodes and family problems was slightly disproportionate to the resolution. Travis and Harper are well written and deserve all the page time they can get. Other than this small complaint, I heartily recommend Something Like Normal as a strong and timely YA contemp to check out come June 19.

Second Opinions
Anna Reads Review
Angieville Review
Chachic’s Book Nook Review
Reclusive Bibliophile Review
See Michelle Read Review
Y.A. Love Review

What about you, are you a finisher or do you occasionally stall or bail on a book? If you do stall, do you ever get back to it or if you DNF do you have any page or other rules that you follow?

Guys, I have been giddily anticipating this book since I first read the words “post-apocalyptic Persuasion retelling” on Diana Peterfreund’s blog. The excitement only intensified when I saw the dreamy cover for the first time. As many of you know, I never hesitate to answer the dreaded “favorite book” question with Jane Austen’s Persuasion. I’ve been rereading it once a year since I fell head-over-heels in love with it during graduate school. I identify with quiet, sure Anne and her deep regret every time. I also hold my breath every time I hear Anne defend her gender on the topic of who loves deepest and longest and die a swoon-death each time I read the utter romantic perfection that is THE LETTER. High expectations much? But despite the height of its pedestal I was confident Persuasion could be retold just as compellingly, especially in the separating guise of post-apocalyptic/sci-fi YA.

I liked so much of For Darkness Shows the Stars, starting with the post-apocalyptic premise. Because I didn’t explain it above the Reduction was a genetic enhancement gone wrong years ago that decimated humanity leaving only the upper class Luddites; those who rejected technology and genetic tampering, and the Reduced; those severely mentally impaired as a result, behind. This is a great impossible love setup for Elliot, a Luddite, and Kai, a Post-Reductionist, or child of the lower class Reduced yet unaffected by the curse. Their story happens at a time when Posts are leaving the large Luddite estates to become free and decide their own fates. As is expected Kai jumps at his chance for a better life. Though there is the possibility he will not be able to find work, a possibility that will haunt Elliot in the years to come, his life is more likely to improve. Elliot, though she will have Kai, stands to lose everything if she leaves, not only the family estate she runs but also the lives of the Posts and Reduced workers the land supports. Being the responsible person she is, it was no contest for Elliot, and while she may not have the same regret that Anne feels for refusing Wentworth’s proposal, her agony after losing Kai is just as great. Kai and Elliot’s first stilted meeting after four years is palpably painful. I felt the thick awkwardness that crowded the sitting room of the boathouse. In my opinion this is what a successful retelling does – it becomes a work of its own while evoking similar emotions felt in the original. I liked the little things which set it apart – the letters Kai and Elliot leave in the barn knot hole growing up; strong, capable Elliot; and the ancient North “star” cavern. The writing is easy to read yet meaningful and many who haven’t read Jane Austen before should be inspired to read the source material after finishing. Unfortunately, this is where For Darkness Shows the Stars started missing for me. Because of my deep love for and close acquaintance with Persuasion I couldn’t stop comparing the two, which made, for no fault of its own, this retelling predictable. I read on, waiting to be amazed in the same way I was the first time I read Persuasion and I couldn’t help feeling letdown when I wasn’t surprised by the plot or moved by the romance. This isn’t to say that I was completely unsatisfied by the latter half or the conclusion, only that the book was hit and miss for me after Kai and Elliot first meet. For example, the letter did not nearly have the same effect as the original and I was left uneasy by Elliot’s easy acceptance of the new Kai, but one of the final scenes between Kai and Elliot was unexpectedly sweet in the way it contented me. While overall this didn’t work for me, I am in the minority and I would still recommend For Darkness Shows the Stars to Jane Austen newbies and (with reserve) to Persuasion groupies as a well-written retelling, individual yet true to the characters and the overall feel of the original novel.

For Darkness Shows the Stars is due out on June 12.

Second Opinions
Angieville Review
Bibliopunk Review
Book Flame Review
Hippies, Beauty, and Books, OH MY! Review
Pure Imagination Review
The Readventurer Review

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (for Book Club #1 – can anyone tell where I purchased it?)

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga (for Book Club #2)

Hounded by Kevin Hearne

What did you get this week? Feel free to link to your books acquired posts in the comments.

Languishing on the to-be-read list for I’m ashamed to say how long, I’ve always earnestly meant to read Marcelo In The Real World by Francisco X. Stork. Little did I know that I would be the fortunate recipient of a signed copy this year, which made my excuses for not picking it up disintegrate almost immediately. Still, I let its lovely cover, which reminds me of one of my favorites covers of last year (I’ll Be There) unobtrusively stare in my direction until I felt that the timing was right. And as is often the case, I’m so glad that I did.

I wasn’t sure what to think when I first met Marcelo during his semi-annual brain test with Dr. Malone in the opening chapter. For something as incomprehensible as the IM, it’s understandable that thoughtful, usually precise Marcelo is at a loss for words. But then he comes up with the watermelon metaphor to describe his relationship with the IM, and I was both impressed by his wit and left anxious for the growth which would follow. Marcelo’s contrasting child-like innocence and superior cognitive skills make it difficult for any reader to not become completely endeared to him. While he may be a math whiz, he has a hard time reading facial expressions or understanding figures of speech. I fell in love with this voice, which is unique and memorable. As you can expect it made for some interesting relationships between Marcelo and the people around him. Jasmine and Marcelo’s friendship, despite a somewhat rough beginning, is simple and sweet, exactly the sturdy foundation he needs. Upon closer inspection Marcelo’s relationship with his father is complicated, and I appreciated the gray shades of Arturo’s character. Although it can be heartbreaking to watch Marcelo experience the harsh realities of life it was rewarding to see him finally touched by the suffering of one girl and be inspired to action. He has a long way to go but for someone who’s lived a protected life Marcelo develops tremendously throughout the novel. I will not forget his strength and courage nor his compassion. Overall Marcelo In The Real World is sensitive, unsentimental, and beautifully real, a YA contemporary novel I would never hesitate recommending. I can’t wait to read more from Francisco Stork.

Second Opinions
Angieville review
bookshelves of doom review
Forever Young Adult review
See Michelle Read review
The Cheap Reader review
Write Meg! review

I just wanted to take a minute and let you know about the gift ideas and giveaway going on now at GoneReading International, a philanthropic company that markets products for book lovers and donates 100% of its profits to fund new libraries in developing countries. To make things interesting in the countdown to May 13, GoneReading will be revealing a new gift idea every 2-3 days featuring new and bestselling products.

And now for the giveaway! GoneReading will be giving away $100 in gifts from their store and a $25 gift card to Amazon. All you have to do is fill out the form here. Either way, I’ve got my auto-buy eye on “The Reading Women” boxed notecards, for me and/or one of my moms, and I know some of you may find resistance is futile with the postcard version.

The giveaway ends on May 12. Good luck, and happy shopping!

     

Regularly scheduled programming coming soon.

My contemporary romance/chick lit reading choices have been fortuitous of late, and Seeing Me Naked is no exception. Liza Palmer’s sophomore novel transcends its lightweight appearance, surprising with layered characters and overall emotional depth. Elisabeth is well drawn as a driven woman with a routine that beyond being stuck in, works, despite the added length to her career path. She thinks Will’s hot but brief semiannual visits are healthy for both her heart and her schedule. But then Daniel wins the bid on her cooking class, and Elisabeth is charmed by his utter cluelessness in a kitchen. More importantly, he likes her for her, not her famous family or her profession. But there’s much more to this novel than Will-Elisabeth-Daniel, which is thankfully a far cry from the traditional love triangle. As most chick lit is, with whom Elisabeth ends up isn’t meant to be unpredictable, but it’s how she gets there that is. The Page family has quite the messy dynamic. Elisabeth’s father Ben has for lack of a better word, issues that have affected the entire family since Elisabeth and Rascal were young. Daniel, who is unschooled in the etiquette of the charity dinner so common to the high society Pages, has a lot of new territory to traverse. Even when I expected them there are no simple, easy solutions, and I liked the complicated realism the t gray areas lent the novel. Naturally some things are just fun, like Elisabeth’s career opportunity, and a scene involving a blanket, the beach, conversation, and kisses. Happily, Daniel and Elisabeth’s relationship develops at a steady pace, gradually enough to enjoy the getting-to-know-you phase. I would be remiss not to mention the writing, which stood out but is hard to define. Effortless and subtle, I loved the wit and hints of figuration. I sighed happily as I turned the last page and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Seeing Me Naked to casual and seasoned readers who like complex, multivalent chick lit.

Second Opinions
Booking Mama Review
Chachic’s Book Nook Review
See Michelle Read Review
S. Krishna’s Books Review