Book Review: Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer

In alternating narratives, Sara Bennett Wealer tells the story of two talented teens--Kathryn and Brooke. Both girls are exceptional singers and, though they used to be very close, they have a rivalry that has spiraled out of control.

Brooke seems to have it all. She is the most popular girl in her class, she has talent, money, and people generally look to her to decide who's cool and who's not. Of course, life is not as perfect as it seems. Brooke is lonely and desperately wants her absent father's love and attention. She is surrounded by people who want to be near her so that they can be popular. None of her friends care about her passion for singing; they only care about parties and dances. Brooke finds a true friend in Kathryn during her junior year, but by their senior year their bitter enmity has completely clouded over any friendship they might have had.

Kathryn is more content in the shadows than in the limelight when it comes to being popular. That is, until she gets a taste for the spotlight when Brooke invites her to a sleepover their junior year. After that fateful night, Kathryn is kept busy with parties and activities and shows with all of her new friends. In particular, Brooke seems to want to hang out with Kathryn and talk about music. But, when Kathryn unwittingly betrays Brooke, their friendship crumbles and so does Kathryn's new popularity.

In the end, the only thing these two unlikely friends have in common is their desire to win at the Blackmore--a prestigious singing competition. And, it seems that both girls are willing to crush the other in order to win.

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Rival is an excellent debut for Sara Bennett Wealer.  It is always a risky venture to write a book where the main characters are complex and not always sympathetic. There were points in this book where I didn't like either of the main characters, but this dislike was because the girls are presented as real people who make real mistakes and use poor judgment. It would've been much easier for Ms. Bennett Wealer to present one of the girls as "right" and the other as "wrong." It's much more difficult to make each girl complex in their own way. 

In addition to the characters, I loved the format of this book. It alternated between main characters and from their junior to senior years. In all of this, I was not confused in the least by which character was speaking and when the scene was taking place. It was interesting to flip between the girls' senior year, when they hated each other, and their junior year, when they were inseparable. Through the shifting time periods, the relationship and the motives behind the girls' actions becomes much more complex and interesting. 

I loved that this rivalry was based, for the most part, on singing. There were some jealous moments based on boys and beauty, but that was not the crux of the girls' conflict. That story has been played out, in my opinion. In this book, the girls are vying for something real and based on hard work and merit. This focus on singing took away from some of the catty, stereotypical competition over looks that is often portrayed in YA lit. This story was far more serious and interesting than a typical girl-hates-girl story. 

This is an awesome debut novel and I cannot wait to read more from this author. I can imagine that there are several students in my classes, particularly those girls involved in chorus and one of our school's music programs that will understand the richness of this book.

**Thanks to The Teen Book Scene for providing this review copy**

Book Review: Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

Corrinne lives a charmed life. Her parents own a posh apartment in NYC and a house on Nantucket. She has credit cards galore and goes out for sushi and (illegal) drinks with her best buds almost nightly. She plans to attend an exclusive boarding school in the fall and life is generally wonderful for cynical, whiny Corrinne.

Really, she is a little hard to like at first. But, when her life's station falls dramatically after the collapse of the economy and once her parents find that they've fallen victim to a Ponzi scheme, Corrinne joins the real world and becomes a much more human. But, it doesn't happen quickly. First, her whole life as she knows it has to disintegrate and crumble before her very eyes. This includes: the sale of the apartment, her father moving to Dubai, and Corrinne and her brother moving to Texas in order to live with her very Texan grandparents. Even worse, no more private school, no more sushi, no more credit, no more friends.

What she does find in Texas is lots of hot weather, twangy accents, public schools filled with (gasp!) public school students, and food with lots and lots of carbs. Basically, she's on an alien planet.

With the help of some of the locals, though, Corrinne adjusts. It takes time, but she is nothing if not a survivor. And, the fact that the town is home to a couple of extremely hot guys (see book cover) does not hurt matters.

Corrinne is truly a round character. I love her for this. Even as she's complaining and melting down, she has an endearing quality to her story. We can al identify, I'm sure, with having to change our habits after the recession hit. I know I have. I haven't had to move to Texas, but I have had to give up some of the extras. And I know how hard but ultimately rewarding this has been for me. By the end of the book, I was super proud of Corrinne and respected her as a person.

This is not a heavy book or one that's full of mystery and intrigue. You basically know what's going to happen throughout. But, it doesn't really matter. Because debut author Gwendolyn Heasley isn't really trying to develop an entirely new character, but improving on the existing character archetype. I think it's pretty successful in it's attempt at romance and realistic characters. I can't wait to pass it on to some of my romance-loving, cowboy-wanting teen students!

Book Review: Memento Nora by Angie Smibert

In a futuristic world, Nora and her family live as sheltered as possible from the terrorists that threaten their safety. Lucky for Nora and her mother,  Nora's father is a wealthy business man with great connections and lots of resources. So, when Nora and her mother witness a horrific terrorist bombing while shopping one afternoon, they are instantly given appointments at the Therapeutic Forgetting Center, or the TFC.

Once there, Nora watches her mother take a little white pill--One that will erase any memory of the terrorist attack. For Nora, this is her first time at the TFC. She doesn't want to he haunted by the memories of the violent explosion, but she also does not want to completely forget them and be "glossy." While in the waiting room of the clinic, she sees a rebellious classmate leaving the doctor's office. He spits out the little white pill right in front of Nora, making a point for her to see him doing so. Nora follows suit, and an unlikely but revolutionary friendship is formed.

This entire novel is narrated by three lead characters: Nora, Micah (the rebel teen), and Micah's friend Winter. These three teens start a small uprising, which has a huge impact on their world. Each of the teens has their own motivation for creating an expose of the real group behind the terrorist attacks and the Therapeutic Forgetting Center. United by this common interest, they work to create a "memento" or a reminder of the events that everyone is supposed to forget in comic book form.

Don't be fooled by this tiny little book. It contains less than 200 pages, and it's small in stature, but it packs a huge punch. I feel like I could have read more about the world that's created in this story, but I was satisfied and left thinking big huge wonderful thoughts once I had finished. I love a book that doesn't answer all questions for me, but allows me to think for myself. Which is probably the point of a story like Nora's. We need to be allowed to interpret and deal with our own memories in a way that works for us.

I can see lots of connections to other books in the dystopian genre, but I still feel like this is a fresh take on the future. Certainly, there are definite links between the world of this book and the one we currently live in: Out of control advertising, gated communities, conspicuous consumerism, the culture of pills, and the use of underground tactics to expose governments. Good, old fashioned protests. Almost like the ones in Egypt. But different.

For all of these reasons and more, I'll definitely purchase a copy of this book for my free reading shelves in my classroom. I know that this story will appeal to some of my up-and-coming revolutionaries and the size will lure more than a few reluctant readers. And, once they're in, they'll want to find out what happens.

**ARC Review Copy Provided by Jen Bigheart of Banned Book Tours**

Want to hear more about the dystopian genre? Check out Presenting Lenore's 

Dystopian February Celebration!

Book Review: Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

In every way, Grace is a wallflower. She is a former child pageant star, who had one shining moment of retaliation where she lifted her dress in front of her entire town. That ended both her days on the pageant circuit and her rebellion.

Since this one memorable outburst, Grace has faded into the background. Not that she's not worthy of notice. She is an awkward beauty, an honors student who has skipped a grade and may skip over another, and is brilliant about science. But, none of this compares to the mystery and larger-than-life, rumor-laden legend that is Mandarin Ramey.

Though the stories that surround Mandarin's life are not exactly savory, Grace is entranced by her. Everything about her confidence and beauty seems exotic, unaffected, and mature to Grace. Wherever Mandarin walks, Grace (and many others in the town) follows with her eyes.

When a teacher places Grace and Mandarin together for a school project, Grace cannot believe her luck. She is obviously uncomfortable around such an experienced, legendary figure, but her curiosity gets the best of her. This is Grace's chance to get to know the girl behind the legend, and to be noticed. Trouble is, Mandarin's life is not as exotic as it seemed and Grace may not like the type of attention she gets. But, either way, her life will be forever changed.

*   *   *

This was a great book. It wasn't as full of YA drama as other books I've read, and it felt like a true-to-life teen story. I think that Grace's life (and possibly Mandarin's) are more common than not. What smart girl living in small town America doesn't dream of a different life? What uncommon girl living in small town America doesn't have a trail of rumors following her? 

This read was perfectly paced, not too fast and not too slow. I thought that the relationship between Grace and Mandarin was touchingly real and sad all at the same time. I can think of a few Mandarins who live in my town and know more than a few Graces. They felt like real girls to me. 

Also, I couldn't help but be reminded of John Green's Looking for Alaska as I read this book. Grace and Miles have the same starstruck, naive love for their larger than life idols. And, in both books, the idols retain much of their mystery and seem to be truly untouchable. Distant. Unreal. 

I am happy to have read another engaging and well-written Contemps Challenge book. I have another one waiting on my TBR and cannot believe how awesome they all have been. Seriously. Love Ms. Hubbard's writing and characters and I can't wait to read more of her work. Cause there will be more. I just know it!

**Read as part of an ARC Tour from I Read Banned Books**

Book Review: Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

Lost Voices is a story of a group of lost girls who have reclaimed some power over lives that have been ruined through abuse, torture, and neglect. Each of the girls in this group has a story and each one is shocking and painful in its own right.

We start this story with Luce, the main character. She's living with her uncle after her mother has died and her father disappears at sea. He uncle is cruel and abusive, but Luce has found ways to skirt his anger and to hide from his violent outbursts. That is, until the night that he hurts her in a different way--a near rape.

In a scene full of magic and surprising calm, Luce transforms from a broken, bloody girl to a gorgeous mermaid. She finds herself in the ocean, surrounded by a group of mermaids who are all former victims of some sort of abuse. The leader of this tribe, Catarina, tells Luce about their mermaid code, the "timakh." It's a pretty simple code, consisting of two rules: you cannot knowingly hurt another mermaid and you cannot have any sort of contact with humans.

Quickly, Luce begins to see that the timakh is not going to be the greatest of her undersea worries. To seek retribution for the crimes committed against them, the mermaids sink ships and kill every human on board. No survivors. As angry as Luce is about her human past, she has a difficult time reconciling her new job as a hunter of men (and women and girls and boys). And, she is blessed with an unfortunately alluring siren's song. When she sings underwater, sailors happily commit suicide. How will Luce begin to heal from her childhood pain if she is forced to kill for centuries to come?

*   *   *

This is my first book involving mermaids. Initially, I was drawn to this book because of gorgeous cover and the interesting description of its plot. I have read many YA books that deal with the subject of abused and neglected teens, but this one seemed to come from such an original place. I had to read it. 

And, I read it in one sitting. It had some slow areas, and it was definitely difficult at times to set aside my disbelief about some aspects of this book, but overall I thought that it was entertaining and interesting. I was drawn in by Luce, and intrigued by some of the other mermaids, Catarina in particular. She is the leader of this tribe of mermaids and is definitely hiding some secrets from the girls, even while demanding that they be open and honest with her. 

More than the paranormal aspect of this book, I am left thinking about the true lost girls and lost voices in this world. There are so many lives that are lost to us from child abuse and there is so much that needs to be done to fight against it. At the beginning of the book, before Luce became a mermaid, her character was so realistic that I felt extremely connected to her. I couldn't help but be reminded of girls that I've worked with in the past who displayed a lot of the same characteristics as Luce. 

I don't know that I love reading about mermaids more than my usual paranormal creatures--werewolves and the like. But, this is an interesting new(ish) segment of the YA paranormal world that I'm interested in reading more about. And, lucky for me, there are two more planned books in this series. This book will be released by Harcourt in July of 2011 and it is the author's debut novel.

**ARC sent to me by Book It Forward ARC Tours**

 

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

I feel like I want to scream and yell and whoop and jump off of something. Why? Because I have just finished debut author Veronica Roth's Divergent. And, it's one of the best YA books I've ever read. For real.

The world of Divergent is broken up into factions. Literally. There are five of them: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Everyone in this dystopian society belongs to one of these five factions. Unless, of course, you're Divergent. Then you could belong to more than one faction and you're considered dangerous. And you could be killed for it.

Beatrice, the main character, is about to turn sixteen, when she will go through the simulations that will recommend her to one of the five factions. She was raised in Abnegation, but can choose whichever faction she wants. If she chooses a faction other than Abnegation, she will not see her family but maybe a few times for the rest of her life.

Which is on her mind. She loves her parents and her brother, Caleb, but cannot stand the idea of staying in the Abnegation faction for the rest of her life. She is sick of denying herself basic pleasures--good food, wearing colorful clothing, looking in the mirror--and of having to always put others first. When her simulation results are inconclusive and she learns that she is Divergent, she has a decision to make. She now knows for sure that she could enter into Abnegation or Dauntless, a daredevil faction filled with tattooed adrenaline junkies.

Once she chooses, she cannot go back. Her life will change forever and as the peace of the five factions erodes into chaos, she will find that her Divergent personality is more of a help than a liability.

I don't want to give away too much of this story, especially since it's not out until May. But, holy man. If you're at all a fan of dystopian reads, of the Hunger Games, if you need a new Katniss Everdeen in your life, if you love great, dynamic characters and strong female leads then this read is for you. The world that is developed in this book is solid and interesting to think about on so many levels. I can see using this book in my classroom (afterall, how long can I continue to teach the Hunger Games when more and more of my students are reading it well before their junior year!).

I read this book as part of an ARC tour (Book It Forward) and cannot wait to purchase my very own copy. I am so very excited by this new series and this new author. It's amazing. When you read it, come back and tell me what you think!

Book Review: Those That Wake by Jesse Karp

Something has happened to New York City. The normally vibrant city streets are filled with people who act like drones. And, for Mal and Laura, their whole world has changed. For some reason, no one seems to remember who they are. Their parents, their friends, no one. It's like they never existed.

At first, this novel is told in alternating chapters between Mal, a tough city kid who is fights at the local gym and is in foster care now that his father has died and his abusive mother has disowned him. He loves his brother, but they aren't close because of horrible incidents that happened in their childhood. Mal receives a phone call from his estranged brother, Tommy, late one night. When he tries to find Tommy soon after, he's no where to be found. Fearing foul play, Mal starts looking.

Instead of finding Tommy, he meets Laura. She is a seemingly perfect girl. Great grades, all of the right clubs and such for her college application to Yale, only child of doting parents. That is until she tries to call her parents who are vacationing in New York City for the weekend. At first it seems like a joke, because her parents don't recognize her when she calls. They say they have no children. Laura leaves the suburbs and heads into the city to find prove to her parents that she exists.

And that's when she meets Mal. Both are having strange dreams and are finding that no one remembers who they are. They form an instant connection and have a shared purpose--To reclaim their lives and the people who are supposed to know them.

Sounds really good, right? Hm. I just didn't love it. At first, with the back and forth narration, I was pretty into Laura's story, but once the two stories combined and the book got weirder and more crazy, I lost interest. I kept reading just to find out what happened. but didn't have a ton of feelings for the characters or their plight. Which is unlike me. I usually connect with characters fairly quickly and stay with them throughout a novel. Not so much with this one.

I am a little scared. This is the second dystopia that I've read this month and I have not loved it. Have I entered some sort of parallel universe where I still appear to love this genre, but can't find a single book that will satisfy my tastes? Naw. That can't happen! Or can it...

So, I did not love this book. I didn't hate it, but I will not be gushing about it to other lovers of this genre. You're all welcome to go ahead and read it and love it and disagree with me. That's fine. I can take it.

**ARC Received from Book It Forward ARC Tours**

The Persnickity Snark FIVE Challenge: The Great Debuts of 2010

I've decided to join the Persnickety Snark in her FIVE Challenge. Basically, there she has established a list of categories for each day leading up to the new year. Here are the lists that she has planned:

December 21 - 5 Great Debuts
December 22 - 5 Great Covers
December 23 - 5 Great Series
December 24 - 5 Great Re-Reads (books you've LOVED so much you went back for more)
December 25 - 5 Most Anticipated (2011 titles)
December 26 - 5 Hopes for YA in 2011
December 27 - 5 Great YA Movie Deals
December 28 - 5 Great Author (in the flesh) Moments
December 29 - 5 Great YA Bloggers
December 30 - 5 Great Miracles that Occurred to Get Me Reading More (choose your genre)
December 31 - 5 Best Titles for 2010 (which I double because 5 is too hard)

Here are my FIVE selections for Great Debuts 2010:

 

 

 

 These are some of my favorite debuts of 2010. I definitely had others, and there was a bit of a tough choice that I made in choosing this top five. I am content with this list, but wish that I could choose a few more! And, even if it were a top ten, I'm sure that I'd be wanting more. That's just me.

If you're interesting in linking your top FIVE lists, visit the Persnickety Snark!

2011 Debut Author Challenge: The Story Siren

Kristi at The Story Siren is hosting her Third Annual Debut Author Challenge. I entered late this last year (and won for July--woot!) and have decided that I always need to take part in this challenge. It's a great way to learn about up and coming authors, the newest titles, and to meet all sorts of book bloggers. I love it.

And, Kristi has already put together a handy-dandy spread sheet of novels that qualify for this challenge. I have already signed up for tours for Julia Karr's XVI and know that I'll be reading books like Across the Universe and The Water Wars. This challenge is super fun and easy--you just try to read one new author per month, but if you miss a month it's no big deal.

If you need more info or would like to sign up for this challenge, visit The Story Siren.

The 2011 Debutante Event from Badass Bookie

2011 is going to be an exciting year. There are so many great and intriguing books that are going to be released, it's hard to keep track of them all. Luckily, the generous and thoughtful Badass Bookie is planning to host a huge celebration for 2011's incoming debut novels and authors.

Of course, there are prizes and all-out awesomeness planned. Head over to her blog to check out some of the gorgeous books she's planning to giveaway for this event!

Book Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Ever since I first laid eyes upon the cover of this book, I knew that I had to read it. I was hoping that it would be a creepy, Edward Scissorhands type of read. In several respects, I got exactly what I'd hoped for in this novel, but there was also more than I had bargained for.

The main character, Mackie, is a replacement. Simply put, a human baby was stolen from his crib one night and Mackie was left behind in his place. He looks, acts, and feels like a human but there are many differences that keep him from fitting in with the rest of the people in the small town of Gentry.

For starters, Mackie is deathly allergic to blood, iron, and consecrated ground. Whenever he needs to get a haircut or eat in the cafeteria, he gets sick and starts to turn blue. Every day chores and routines become deadly for Mackie if any blood or iron happens to come near him. It's a tough life to maintain and it isolates him from many of the people in his town.

Why? Because Mackie and his family are trying to keep his replacement status a secret. You see, the people of Gentry have long dealt with the creatures of the underworld, who exist in a realm called Mayhem underneath Gentry. The people of Gentry know that their children are being killed and taken away, but they choose to ignore this to keep a quiet balance between good and evil in their world.

It hasn't always been this way, though. In other times the people of Gentry rebelled against the replacements and violently killed them. Mackie and his family know this, so he lives a sort of double life. His sister and his parents protect him from the thousands of debilitating objects that surround him and the stares of the curious in the town. But, despite all of their efforts, Mackie is getting sicker and sicker. His skin is pale and he has very little energy.

When his sister ventures into the underworld looking for a cure for Mackie's illness, she sets of a chain of events and unwittingly unravels a mystery that may rock the balance of the two worlds forever.

If you're into picking up a creepy, dark read, this may be for you. I can't say that I was absolutely riveted to it while I was reading, but it was entertaining and thought-provoking. Mackie was an interesting character and the imagery in this book was enough to turn my stomach (in a good way) at times.

I'd say that this is a successful first novel for Brenna Yovanoff. I look forward to reading whatever she comes out with!

**Received from the Book It Forward ARC Tours**

**Counts toward the 2010 Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren**