Slide: A Chick Lit Wednesday Review

Sylvia “Vee” Bell has passed out often enough in class for everyone to know she’s narcoleptic. What no one would believe is that Vee doesn’t just pass out during her episodes.

When Vee loses consciousness she can slide into someone else’s mind. Most of the time when Vee slides she discovers secrets she’d rather not know like seeing her sister, Mattie, cheating on a math test or watching a teacher sneak a drink before class.

When Vee slides late one night she sees something much worse: the murder of her sister’s best friend, Sophie. While everyone else believes that Sophie killed herself, Vee knows the truth. Even if she has no way to prove it.

As Vee learns more about her sliding and unearths secrets about her friends and family, she’ll have to try to stop the killer herself before they strike again in Slide (2012) by Jill Hathaway.

 Slide is Hathaway’s first novel.

In this sharp mystery with a sly supernatural twist, Hathaway introduces a heroine with equal parts candor and spunk. Vee’s narration is frank and unapologetic making her easy to identify with and even easier to love.

At a slim 256 pages, Slide is a finely tuned page turner filled with unexpected surprises for Vee and readers alike. Vee’s father and sister are well-developed characters with their own flaws and, more troubling for Vee, their own secrets. Similarly Vee’s best friend Rollins is an admirable foil to Vee and adds another dimension to the story as he and Vee try to untangle their newly-complicated friendship.

While Vee works to use her sliding to uncover the killer, Vee also comes into her own as she learns more about how she slides as well as how to simply be herself. Slide finishes with an ending that is as shocking as it is satisfying. Hathaway skillfully completes most story threads while leaving room for future installments in what will hopefully be a long running series.

Possible Pairings: Clarity by Kim Harrington, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan, The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten

Check back June 1, 2012 to see my exclusive interview with the author!
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Sound good? Find it on Amazon: Slide

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom: A Review

Everyone has heard of Prince Charming. But did you know that Prince Charming isn’t just one guy. True story: There are four Princes Charming. And those dumb bards never even bothered to get their names right in their songs.

Sure, Frederic didn’t do much beyond dancing quite well with a girl named Ella at a ball. And maybe Gustav didn’t come off all that well after his attempted rescue of Rapunzel since she actually had to save him. But Liam is a hero through and through; he had to fight to overcome a lot of obstacles to rescue Briar Rose. Even if his kingdom might not appreciate it. Then there’s Duncan. Maybe he was really just in the right place at the right time with seven dwarves to tell him what to do, but sometimes that is all it takes to save the day and get the girl.

Despite their heroics–or at least their important roles–each prince is relegated to the anonymous title of “Prince Charming” when their deeds are immortalized in song. Worse, the princes might not be so charming as each and everyone of them loses their princess.

Jilted and disgraced, each prince sets off in search of redemption. Along the way they stumble upon each other and an evil plot that will need all four Princes Charming (and some help from some other familiar characters) to foil.

At the beginning of the story these four princes don’t have much in common. Before the story is over Frederic, Liam, Gustav and Duncan might finally become the heroes they were meant to be in The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (2012) by Christopher Healy (with illustrations by Todd Harris).

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is Healy’s first novel.

With a breezy, humorous narrative Healy creates a quirky take on a lot of traditional fairy tales. Healy recreates these heroes, heroines, and villains in a fresh style all his own. Readers familiar with the original texts will find a lot of funny new touches while others will be introduced to the fairy tales in a fun new tale.

While some of the changes to these stories have the potential to frustrate readers* most of them amp up the opportunities for hilarity and action–sometimes at the same time. Because of the silliness the characters sometimes read as younger than they actually are, but with so much humor that’s easily ignored. Filled with adventure, The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is also a truly funny story sure to entertain readers from start to finish.

Although the ending is rushed in some aspects (perhaps to leave room for a sequel?), the overall journey of each prince is a sight to behold. As Frederic, Liam, Gustav and Duncan each conquers their own shortcomings these unlikely heroes also discover the importance of good friends and that it takes a lot more than fancy swordplay to really be a hero. The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is an ideal choice for readers who like their fairy tales fractured, their stories amusing, and their adventures entertaining.

*By readers, I mean me. It took me most of the story to get over Healy’s reinvention of the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Before getting into slight SPOILERS explaining my frustration let me also point out that I literally watched the movieSleeping Beautyevery day for at least a year when I was little. My mother was terrified the tape would break. So, I am understandably very invested in these characters. That said, I was dismayed that Sleeping Beauty’s prince was named Liam instead of Philip. Worse, Briar Rose is a truly horrible person. While I greatly enjoyed Gustav and Rapunzel’s updated storyline it was very hard to let Sleeping Beauty go.

Possible Pairings: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley,Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale and Nathan Hale, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, We Are Not Eaten by Yaks by C. Alexander London, Don’t Expect Magic by Kathy McCullough, The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde, Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
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The Selection: A Chick Lit Wednesday Review

At seventeen years of age, America Singer already knows exactly what life she wants. She also knows, without doubt, that taking part in the Selection will do nothing to help her get that life. While every other girl in her province dreams of being chosen as one of the girls to compete for Prince Maxon’s affections and the chance to be Illea’s next princess, America is desperate to avoid the Selection altogether.

But with her mother desperate for America to have a chance at becoming a One instead of a lowly Five and her boyfriend insisting she will regret not entering on his account, America’s own wishes go overlooked. Worse, America’s hope of the Selection passing her by proves impossible when American is chosen as one of the lucky girls Prince Maxon will be courting with the entire country watching.

At the castle, it isn’t as easy for America to remember exactly what she wants. In her new surroundings she finds unexpected friends and a life she never dared to imagine. Circumstances beyond America’s control brought her to this point. Now, America will have to decide for herself whether or not she wants to stay in The Selection (2012) by Kiera Cass.

The Selection is the first book in a trilogy. It is also already being adapted into a television series.

Cass brings together the unlikely elements of a dystopian setting and a Cinderella-like fairy tale story in this delightful story. America’s narration is frank and candid providing excellent details about Illea’s past and its rigid caste system as well as more personal details about her family and the Selection itself.

Superficially The Selection is a story with a love triangle and beautiful settings. However its artfully developed characters and a compelling world built with just enough details to pique interest and make way for lots of revelations later in the trilogy, The Selection becomes a novel with more depth.

Well-paced and immediately engrossing, The Selection has already gotten its fair share of buzz. With its clever world and appealing characters,The Selection is also a would-be fairy also with some definite staying power.*

*And a really neat cover that, for me, really captured America.

Possible Pairings: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, Legend by Marie Lu, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Bachelor

Exclusive Bonus Content: I felt a bit strange compiling the “possible pairings” for this one since it felt like I was just throwing every recent dystopian at it that I could think of and waiting to see what stuck. But, truly, I think the pairings work. This is a great read for anyone who loved how Catching Fire focused on what happens after a Tribute wins the Hunger Games. It’s as much a Cinderella story as Cinder. The caste system is very similar to Divergent’s factions. Hopefully you get my point. And it is definitely, strikingly appropriate for readers who want a read alike for Princess Academy but with older characters.

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Sound good? Find it on Amazon: The Selection

Frost: A Chick Lit Wednesday Review

Leena Thomas is thrilled to be starting her senior year at boarding. Although she is nervous about what her future away from the close-knit community of her school might look like, Leena is ready for a memorable year in the school’s best dorm ever: Frost House.

Instead of dealing with the ugly, impersonal dorm buildings Leena and her closest friends will have Frost House to themselves; it will be their own little refuge away from the pressures of school and the uncertainty the future holds.

Then Leena finds out about a surprise change of roommates. Instead of a semester with a room all to herself, Leena has to deal with Celeste Lazar the school’s resident eccentric–not to mention the center of her own little drama-filled world. Exactly the kind of thing Leena hoped to avoid by living in Frost House.

Celeste’s presence brings the added bonus of her cute brother David hanging around. But Leena isn’t sure a cute guy is enough to make up for her derailed plans, strained friendships, or listening to Celeste’s insane talk about a threatening presence in Frost House.

As Leena struggles to rediscover the refuge she knows Frost House should be, she finds herself gravitating more and more to the closet in her room and the calming presence she feels there. Something is clearly wrong in Frost House but the closer Leena gets to the truth the harder it is to see whether the problem really is a mysterious threat, Celeste herself, or something else entirely in Frost (2011) by Marianna Baer.

Frost is Baer’s first novel. It was also a finalist for the 2011 Cybils in Young Adult Fiction.

With equal parts thriller and ghost story Frost is a suspense-filled journey through Frost House and Leena’s own troubled world. Baer expertly spreads information throughout the story to keep readers guessing as their understanding of both the house and Leena herself constantly change.

The tension between Leena and Celeste mirrors the tension of the narrative itself as Frost works up to its shocking finish. This tension works well here adding an eerie ambiance to the story with Leena’s ominous foreshadowing throughout the narrative and the constant push and pull between the logical and the fantastic in the story.

While some of the characters are under-developed, Baer more than makes up for it with a fully realized setting that brings Frost House to life on the page. The writing here exemplifies what a creepy, atmospheric story should look like.

This book is ripe for discussion and open to many interpretations depending on how the story is perceived. The beauty of that, and the best example of Baer’s masterful prose, is that every interpretation is correct. Frost is a mysterious, sometimes sinister read guaranteed to hook readers and keep them guessing.

Possible Pairings: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Liar by Justine Larbalestier, Dark Souls by Paula Morris, Bliss by Lauren Myracle

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The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers: A Valentine’s Day Review

“In the beginning, there was Lucy Wrenn, standing all alone out in front of her school on the first day of sophomore year, with a seductive little message written on her stomach in Sharpie marker.”

But it turns out what Lucy saw at the beginning of something much more is actually the end of everything when her boyfriend breaks up with her. Right there. On the first day of school. Even after seeing the message on her stomach.

Lucy doesn’t understand how Alex can suddenly stop loving her this way. She knows her feelings haven’t changed even if her heart is now broken in painful, sad, pieces. She knows she needs to get him back. Even if that seems an impossible feat there in the beginning on that first day.

By the second day, Lucy has a plan. Recruited by three mysterious, beautiful girls at school, Lucy has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If Lucy can make a guy fall in love with her and break his heart in the next week, Lucy can become one of them; a part of their secret sisterhood of heartbreakers.

Suddenly Lucy’s chances of winning back her boyfriend are looking up. The girls offer to help Lucy find the right way to win and break a heart with their own special brand of advice and a little something extra–a little something magical. With that little bit of magic, Lucy won’t need to break a heart at all. She can just win back her boyfriend and have things go back to normal.

The only problem is that nothing about becoming a heartbreaker is normal. Or easy. Some of it isn’t even very nice.

In the beginning Lucy Wrenn had her heart broken. By the end, Lucy Wrenn might not have a broken heart but she also might not recognize herself in The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers (2011) by Lynn Weingarten.

The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is Weingarten’s second novel. It is also her first fantasy.

From the very first page, Weingarten creates a compelling narrative voice for the novel with a tone commonly found in fairy tales or folk stories. The prose aptly captures the strange blend of magic and mischief Lucy encounters as she delves into the world of the Heartbreakers.

Despite the pitch perfect voice, some moments in the novel stand out as too crude, too modern, or simply too mean. Breaking hearts is a messy business and leads to some tough decisions for Lucy and some heartless behavior from all of the characters.

While The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is light on the fantasy in some respects (the actual “magic” of being a Heartbreaker comes up more in the second half of the story), this story remains an interesting commentary on what new relationships look like as well as what it really takes to get a guy while staying true to yourself.

Lucy’s transformation throughout the story is handled well and extremely interesting. Though the story is fully resolved many questions about the Heartbreakers’ purpose, the arc of the story, and Lucy herself are left unanswered. With so much world building and setup, readers are definitely left hoping for a sequel to see what becomes of Lucy and her new friends.

Possible Pairings: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman, The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith , Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee
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Under the Never Sky: A Chick Lit Wednesday Review

Aria has lived most of her life in the Realms, a virtual environment designed to offer every comfort and luxury with just a thought. No pain, no fear. Just fun. Why waste time in the real world when the Realms are so much better than real?

All of that changes when her mother goes missing. Soon after, Aria’s world changes forever. Exiled from her comfortable home, Aria is thrown into the wilderness with little hope of survival–the outside world is called the Death Shop for a reason.

When Peregrine, an Outsider, finds Aria wandering in the desert he knows she will be nothing but trouble and he certainly already has his share. But somehow Aria is also his only hope of atoning for the horrible mistakes he’s made.

Aria is less than thrilled to be working with a Savage. Perry has little use for a pampered Mole. But if either of them ever want to get home this unlikely pair will have to work together–an alliance that will change everything in Under the Never Sky (2012) by Veronica Rossi.

Under the Never Sky is Rossi’s first novel. It is also the first in a trilogy.

This book is an unexpected blend of science fiction and fantasy complete with a Dystopian setting.* These elements do not always blend well, particularly in the beginning when the main characters are separated. Told in chapters alternating between Aria and Perry’s points of view, the story picks up when the characters meet and the disparate elements (and storylines) have a chance to gel.

Perry and Aria similarly come into their own as the novel progresses as they move from less-interesting, naive characters to more fully developed protagonists. The romantic aspect of the story also moves along a natural progression and is quite fun to follow.

Rossi creates an interesting world with some unique elements but little explanation in the way of world building or history.** A lot of ideas or events are referenced but little to no explanation is given. Similarly characters are mentioned, repeatedly, over the course of the story only to have literally no role in the story.*** That said, what is presented in Under the Never Sky is an original premise that will appeal to readers or pure fantasy and straight science fiction alike.

*I say unexpected because the jacket copy makes no mention of the “Realms” aspect of the world making the story read more like straight fantasy when really there are a lot of science fiction elements as well.

**Being a trilogy perhaps this information will eventually come together in bits and pieces throughout the series.

***Will they turn up in book two or three? Time will tell.

Possible Pairings: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Unison Spark by Andy Marino, Divergent by Veronica Roth, Extras by Scott Westerfeld
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Shatter Me: A Chick Lit Wednesday Review

She has been locked up for 264 days with nothing but a small notebook, a broken pen and the numbers in her head to keep her company. It has been 6,336 hours since she touched another human being. The last time she did, it was an accident murder.

264 days and she gets a roommate cellmate. Not just any cellmate, but the boy she remembers from before everyone knew she was a monster. The boy who could be her undoing. Or maybe the boy who can change everything.

She spent her entire life trying to be better, to be safe. But now it is time to fight in Shatter Me (2011) by Tahereh Mafi.

Shatter Me is Mafi’s first novel as well as the first book in a trilogy.

Shatter Me is the interesting if somewhat scattered story of a heroine whose touch is lethal. Narrated by the heroine, the story is filled with crossed out text to show thoughts she either does not want to have or acknowledge. The strike-throughs made for an interesting, multi-layered reading of the story but there are a lot of them and it does become hard to take after a certain point.

The narrative style is also unique and used to good effect conveying the narrator’s isolation and her growing fascination with the changing world around her. At times the writing verges into long sentences and scattered thoughts more commonly found in stream-of-consciousness pieces. Unfortunately the writing becomes so extremely intricate at times that it often swallows the plot whole in favor of ornate prose.

Even without the elaborate writing, Shatter Me has a slow plot. The story starts with the heroine on her own in a cell. And although the story has a fast pace, pieces of the plot do not begin to fall into place until the middle of the story with many twists not being revealed at all until the last fifty pages.

Without revealing too much, there is also a romance that sometimes sizzles on the page. Sometimes it also just felt unconvincing. While the premise is quite clever, it was frustrating to read through an entire book only to get an unsatisfying conclusion setting up the next installment in the trilogy.

Mafi’s writing is beautiful; she makes her heroine’s isolation and her desperate desire to be touched, for any physical affection, palpable. She introduces a winning heroine and a compelling world in Shatter Me that will appeal to readers looking for an exciting sci-fi/dystopian read–as long as their willing to ride along for the next book in the trilogy too.

Possible Pairings: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Eve by Anna Carey, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Divergent by Veronica Roth, Alphas (television series), X-Men (any media format)

*This book was acquired for review from the publisher at BEA 2011

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Sound good? Find it on Amazon: Shatter Me

Eve: A (Rapid Fire) Review

Eve by Anna Carey (2011)

Eve is the first book in a dystopian trilogy. Eve’s mother died in 2015 when she was five. That was twelve years ago. Now she looks forward to finishing School and moving on to learn her trade and contribute to New American society. Except that isn’t what happens when School ends. Everything Eve thought she knew is actually a lie and she has no choice but to escape.

While the premise sounds compelling, I had several issues with the plot right from the beginning. Raised to be dependent on School for safety and to fear men and boys, Eve is such a passive character that it never felt true or right that she would so readily doubt School or its truths after years of indoctrination. She also felt more like a “gateway” character (used to introduce readers to the world of the story) than a heroine. I couldn’t help but wonder what the story would have been like if it had followed Arden instead of Eve.

Other basic tenets of the story also bothered me. The plague ravaged society in 2015. Ninety-eight per cent of the population died. So who was running around protecting books like Winnie the Pooh and albums like Let It Be while the plague ran rampant? If there are no cities left standing, nothing of the old society, how do Eve and her classmates know about artists like Frank Lloyd Wright and Frida Kahlo? Ultimately it was this issue that never let me fully immerse myself into the plot. As necessarily fantastical as a post-apocalyptic novel is, that basic premise never rang true in the slightest for me.

Eve is an interesting addition to the growing world of dystopian fantasy novels but it never comes together quite as well as some of the other more well-known books in the genre. Eve seems very similar to Wither by Lauren DeStefano to name just one example but somehow lacks the immediacy or urgency of the latter’s plot.
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The Girl of Fire and Thorns: A Chick Lit Wednesday Review

Sixteen-year-old Elisa barely feels like a princess, much less the latest bearer of a Godstone–a sacred and powerful stone in her navel that marks Elisa as one chosen for a specific and probably dangerous act of Service. Her graceful, clever sister would make a much better bearer, she is certainly the better princess.

Why is it, then, that Elisa is the one being whisked off in a secret wedding to a neighboring king?

Caught up in the intricacies of noble life, secretly married to a man she barely knows, Elisa soon finds herself at the center of a revolution that will change her world forever in The Girl of Fire and Thorns (2011) by Rae Carson.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is Carson’s first novel. It is also the first in a trilogy.

Carson has created a rich, vibrant world with a complex history and an even better realized faith system. With its desert climate and Spanish influences, The Girl of Fire and Thorns is an original fantasy with a climate, culture and background not often seen in traditional fantasies.

Elisa is a fiery and astute heroine who, throughout the course of the book, learns that it takes more than outward appearances to create a strong leader as Elisa moves from a privileged princess to fierce fighter.*

While the story starts in the vein of palace intrigue and court politics, the focus soon changes almost abruptly to a more action-packed journey through a harsh desert landscape as Elisa helps turn a rag tag group of refugees into revolutionaries. Then, again somewhat abruptly, the last third of the book shifts again to court politics. Aside from the sharp changes in focus, Carson rains down twists and turns galore.**

While Elisa is not always the cleverest with clues, especially later in the novel, she is a fun heroine who is grounded and very authentic throughout her journey. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is an original fantasy that will appeal to anyone looking for a pure fantasy in a unique, well-realized world.

Possible Pairings: Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones, The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley, A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

*I didn’t love the correlation between Elisa losing wait and gaining confidence. Her journey was great and realistic but it bugged me that she only really came into herself when she slimmed down though I might be reading too much into the whole thing. Either way, that issue does little to detract from Elisa’s numerous positive qualities as a heroine.

**This includes the treatment of some secondary characters. While some got a very cursory treatment–to the point that I wondered about their presence in the story–others were very well-developed to the point that one can only hope they will play a more prominent role in later books.

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A Tale of Two Castles: A Review

Elodie comes to the town of Two Castles with one goal: to become a mansioner. Her greatest hope, her only actual plan upon arriving in town, is to apprentice herself to a mansioner that she might become an accomplished performer in her own right.

When Elodie’s hope is dashed she is forced to look for another plan or starve in Two Castles with none of her family at home even knowing about her plight.

Help comes in the unusual form of a dragon named Meenore.

Mysteries (and cats) abound in Two Castles, which makes the town an ideal place for a dragon like Meenore to peddle ITs powers of deducing, inducing, finding missing things and missing people. Two Castles is also a fine town for a girl like Elodie to proclaim said dragon’s numerous talents and even to assist such a dragon in the solving of mysteries.

One of the castles in Two Castles belongs to the king, of course. But the other houses an ogre who might be in great danger. Or he might be preparing to devour townsfolk. One way or the other Elodie will have to help her Masteress Meenore make sense of the secrets in Two Castles. Together dragon and girl will have to induce, deduce and use common sense (and perhaps some mansioning) to separate the kind from the cruel and ultimately determine who can be trusted in A Tale of Two Castles (2011) by Gail Carson Levine.

A Tale of Two Castles is Carson Levine’s first mystery–inspired partly by the story of “The Puss in Boots.”*

With our intrepid narrator Elodie being twelve years old, the story is essentially a children’s read but Elodie is strong enough as a character and the plot is exciting enough that it can easily appeal to older readers as well.

Carson Levine creates a well-realized world in Two Castles complete with its own customs and vocabulary. (Dragons always being called IT because only a dragon knows its own gender was a particularly nice touch.) In addition to creating an exciting whodunnit of sorts, A Tale of Two Castles is a simply a funny book. Elodie is completely out of her element and watching her make her way in the strange surroundings of Two Castles makes for several good laughs and a fair bit of drama besides.

As readers of her Newbery Honor title Ella Enchanted will expect, Carson Levine includes a lot of traditional fairy tale elements here and turns them completely upside down–mysteries are everywhere and nothing it as it seems. Elodie is a delightful narrator who, though she might stumble along the way, eventually finds the truth and a place for herself in this rollicking and winsome read.

*She explained this at her event last month at Books of Wonder. She is quite a funny and charming speaker so if you ever get a chance I STRONGLY recommend going to see her in person. You won’t regret it!

Possible Pairings: Murder at Midnight by Avi, Gideon the Cutpurse (AKA The Time Travelers) by Linda Buckley-Arhcer, Rise of the Darklings by Paul Crilley, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Exclusive Bonus Content: How great is that cover? Illustrator Greg Call did a great job capturing the look of both Elodie and Meenore. Love it.
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Sound good? Find it on Amazon: A Tale of Two Castles