(ARC) YA Book Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

Release Date: 31 January 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Goodreads description:

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

My Thoughts...

This book started out fairly solid with well-crafted descriptions of lush scenery, inner-turmoil, and the shock of being the "new girl," but rather quickly devolved into something that I found myself both liking and hating at the same time.  The writing really pulled me into the story at the beginning and it was really the writing with its quick pacing that truly kept me turning the pages.

I'm generally a stickler for characters--9 out of 10 times that is a make or break issue for me with a book.  I'm not saying that I have to "like" the characters, but I have to feel something for them--even if that something is hate and loathing.  The characters in New Girl fell flat for me, which contributed greatly to my sense of disappointment with this story.  The "new girl" MC (whose name isn't revealed until the end and I won't use so I don't spoil it) is a fairly relateable character and I honestly felt bad for the situation that she was thrown into at Manderly. I felt like her reactions to most situations felt authentic.  She wasn't really my problem character.  For me, the other characters (basically all of them) fell flat for one reason or another.  The two main love interests didn't capture my imagination and I couldn't see liking either one of them.  Dana was simply crazy, and while I wanted her craziness and mystery to evolve into a genuine interest in her, it never happened for me. She was simply annoying.  And don't get me started on Becca, who I couldn't even really make myself feel sorry for even though she was clearly dealing (or, really, NOT dealing) with intense personal stuff that no one knew about.

I can't put together my thoughts on this novel without at least mentioning the sex and alcohol use. Generally, I'm someone who overlooks this kind of stuff in novels because let's face it--teens DO drink and have sex.  My issue with this particular storyline is that it seemed like that was all they really did--it seemed way overdone. And then all the sex scenes fade to black?  I know that seems like I'm taking a weird stance but if you're characters are promiscuous--it's part of their personality--then in my mind making every sex/make-out scene completely fade-to-black seems out of character.

The writing is overall not bad.  There were moments where POVs switched or time jumped that caught me off guard but overall the story flowed fairly smoothly and held my attention. Also, as someone unfamiliar with Rebecca (which this is a retelling of), I did a little research (read: I read a Wikipedia article) on the original story and in my estimation, Ms. Harbison has put together a successful retelling, moving it into a YA-appropriate setting, maintaining basic plotlines, and creating a new story that could appeal to both readers familiar and unfamiliar with the story.  I enjoyed getting both Becca and the new girl's POVs as it added depth to the story that would have been significantly lacking otherwise.  In the end, however, this book was simply not as fabulous as a read as I had hoped it would be...

YA Book Review: Variant by Robison Wells

Release Date: 4 October 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Goodreads description:

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive. Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

My Thoughts...

WOW.  Fresh, exciting, and completely unique, Variant is truly the type of book that will hook you on page one and then throw surprise after surprise at you.  There was so much intrigue in this book and it definitely kept me guessing from chapter to chapter, which I LOVE in a book.

When Benson Fisher arrives at his new school, he's looking for a new start--new opportunities, new friends, a new LIFE.  What he gets is a school without adults run by gangs of students locked in an eternal power-struggle. Not exactly what he had in mind when he applied for the scholarship! Benson is determined to escape the confines of the school, something no one has successfully done before.  What he discovers along the way--well, let's just say it's although unexpected and a bit terrifying.

Benson is a likeable character from the get-go.  He's got this fresh, positive attitude as he looks forward to starting school at Maxfield Academy that is almost instantly destroyed by what he discovers there. However, his determination to escape is never destroyed by the pressure of others and even after finding a girlfriend, he is focused on escaping.  I enjoyed his exploits throughout and his near constant planning for his eventual escape.  Each day and new experience seems to bring new insights into his escape plan.

The plot of this book is seriously awesome.  I loved the twists and turns that Robison Wells wove into the story.  You couldn't ever really guess what was going to happen next.  It had the perfect combination of mystery, action, and adventure that all leads to a mind-blowing ending.  Seriously, this ending will SHOCK you.  (And I'm going to warn you, it's quite the cliffhanger.)

Really, all I can say is that this is definitely a book to check out! It's a fabulous read for fans of YA action/adventure fans with a certain atmosphere that will appeal to YA dystopia fans as well.  Everything comes together smoothly to make this a quick-paced read that will appeal to even your most reluctant readers.

(ARC) YA Book Review: Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Release Date: 26 July 2011
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

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Goodreads description:

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school, Ash discovers a chilling secret about the school--one that affects her. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

My Thoughts...

Wildefire was an intense ride of a book that brought into play so many things that I like in a YA novel - a kick-butt heroine, action, suspense, mystery, monsters, and, oh yeah, a little romance.

From the very beginning, action runs this story.  You start with a bang: Ashline beating up a girl in the school parking lot over a boy. It was the kind of beginning that makes you stop and say "What in the world is up with this chick?!"  From that point on, the story takes off and leads you in directions that you didn't even imagine it was going.  After a couple of intense encounters with her sister, Eve, Ashline takes off for a secluded boarding school where she meets an interesting cast of characters.  The story continues to zip along, exploding with action, romance, and some super creepy and intriguing dreams. I found myself desperate to know more about those dreams!

Each and every character in this book felt vibrant and well-developed.  Their personalities take on lives of their own in each and every scene.  And beyond the characters, their origins and the mythology that Knight uses is unique and intriguing.  I loved that this story explores mythology beyond the more heavily explored "traditional" mythology (i.e. the Greek mythology).

There were a few plot developments that I wish had been fleshed out a bit more (like Serena with Jack...?) but overall I really enjoyed this read. I will be waiting on pins and needles to read books 2 and 3 because the holes that were left open have got me jumping to find out what happens next.

(ARC) YA Book Review: The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

Release Date: 6 February 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
Source: Around the World ARC Tours

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Goodreads description:

When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn't do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that's been given to her, she's now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don't add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

My Thoughts...

I was incredibly excited to have the opportunity to review The Rivals courtesy of Around the World ARC Tours! The Mockingbirds was one of the first books that I reviews on this blog back in February, so it naturally has a special place in my heart.

The Rivals picks up the next school year after The Mockingbirds.  Our MC, Alex, is now head of the Mockingbirds, and she's finding that being the leader of the groups brings with it a whole new set of unexpected complications and difficulties.  As she struggles to define her world with the group at center stage, she must learn what the most important things are and that sometimes things aren't always as they seem.

Alex is a character that you can easily connect with because she is a very real character--one with real problems, one who makes bad decisions and suffers the consequences.  In short--her life's not some storybook tale of boarding school perfection. She really struggles in this book with the things that she "has" to do as well as continuing to recover from the events of The Mockingbirds.

I also LOVE the romance in these books because it's not some perfect, insta-love relationship.  Alex meets and starts dating Martin in the first book (and there are definitely some bumps in the road involved there!). Their relationship continues into and through this book, and they deal with a lot of emotional stuff throughout.  Martin is there for Alex as she continues to process last year's events and never pushes her when she's not comfortable.  They also deal with arguments and jealousy throughout, which makes them seem like that much more real of a couple.

Finally (because I know this is getting long), I loved how this one ended.  Alex really grows up throughout and I was really happy to see how things developed towards the end.  Without giving too much away, it was nice to see the group changing a bit from its somewhat vigilante nature, even if that changed was force upon it by outside forces.

Ms. Whitney deals with serious issues facing teens in a realistic way that doesn't glorify the negative actions or attempt to scare teens into submission.  In this second novel, she has also taken on the role that adults can play in the lives of teens and given her characters a positive role model (even if she doesn't really materialize as such until the end).  This two book series is a phenomenal read that I highly recommend.

You can read my review of The Mockingbirds HERE.

I received this book from review from ATWT.

YA Book Review: Evernight by Claudia Gray

Release Date: 10 February 2009
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Bought (Amazon Bargain Books!)

Goodreads description:

Bianca wants to escape.

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

My Thoughts...

I have to honest and upfront with you and say that it's going to be really hard to review this book without being all spoilery.  So...you've been warned. I'll try really hard but I make no promises!

When Bianca's parents move her to the prestigious Evernight Academy, she's not exactly smitten with the boarding school's atmosphere. And who can blame her?  Gray does a great job of creating an dark, eerie setting--a school that would probably send shivers up the spines of many a student. The images of the dense woods surrounding the school and the gargoyles that always seem to be peering at you were surely enough to give me the creeps.

Biana herself is an interesting character--one that I had a little trouble deciding how I felt about.  She seems so out of touch with the reality that her classmates (the "normal" Evernight students) live, yet she can't/doesn't quite fit in with the non-Evernight "type" students--except Luke (once they get past the awkwardness).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well-developed as was the world and story-line.  The only issue that I had with the book was the "big reveal."  The moment when you find out what is really going on seemed...anti-climatic.  The shock of revealing the nature of the students was deadened a bit by the way that the main character reacted....or didn't react.  The knowledge that she knew all along had less impact than it might have otherwise.  Maybe it's just me, but I definitely had a major "WHAT?" moment at this point.  However, I felt enough of a connection with the story and the characters that I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, especially since they are sitting on my shelf waiting for me!

YA Book Review: Immortal by Gillian Shields

Release Date: 1 August 2009
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: HarperTeen "Browse Inside"

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Goodreads description:

Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming. When Evie Johnson is torn away from her home by the sea to become the newest scholarship student, she is more isolated than she could have dreamed. Evie's only lifeline is Sebastian, a rebellious, mocking, dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance. As Evie's feelings for Sebastian grow with each secret meeting, she starts to fear that he is hiding something about his past. And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl—a girl who is so eerily like Evie, she could be a sister. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control. And as the extraordinary, elemental forces of Wyldcliffe rise up like the mighty sea, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian, and her own incredible fate.

My Thoughts...

While Immortal isn't the kind of book that surprise and blew me away, it was a pleasant, fast-paced read.  Shields' writing is well-crafted and her gothic abbey boarding school setting, complete with ruins, was well-put-together and vividly imagined.

Evie is sent to boarding school when her grandmother becomes too ill to take care of her.  From the beginning, Evie has a very "poor me," self-deprecating attitude.  I found myself quite a bit annoyed with her at the beginning because I felt like she didn't really even attempt to make herself at home at the school.  Her "whiny" nature made it difficult for me to connect with her as a reader/friend/acquaintance. 

Evie's instant and immensely strong bond with Sebastian also through me for a bit of a loop.  Where Evie is whiny, Sebastian is the epitome of teenage boy angst. The two of them together made sense only in so much as they could wallow together.  The reader sees very little in the way of relationship development and a solid reason for the strong connection between the two.  (And I say these things as a reader who generally accepts the whole "insta-love" thing pretty darn well.)  I just couldn't figure out why Evie was so determined to be with Sebastian.

Overall, the redeeming quality in this book truly is the pacing.  The story moves along at a quick pace and keeps the reader engaged.  It was easy to read the book via HarperTeen's "Browse Inside" feature during work breaks and such.   I liked the magical element to the story and the way that it wove together the past and present.  Agnus' journal entries were also a welcome addition to weave together the past and present and help the reader begin to piece things together. I did like this one enough that I've checked out the second book from the library in hopes that Evie steps up a bit!

This is my second "HarperTeen July" post! (4 of 5)

Haven by Kristi Cook

From the cover:

Violet McKenna isn’t a normal girl with normal teenage issues; she has more to contend with than most people could handle. Violet thought she was just crazy when she had a vivid vision of her dad’s murder. Her life started falling apart when her premonition came true. She’s had flashes of other events too. The problem was nobody believed her until she found a new school: Winterhaven.

At Winterhaven, Violet finally feels like she belongs. She quickly finds a close group friends and discovers that they too have psychic ‘gifts’—as do all the students at Winterhaven. But as soon as she feels settled she discovers the most intriguing and alluring boy she has ever met, and things quickly go awry. As the attraction between them grows, intense visions of the boy’s death start to haunt her. In her premonitions the secret he is unwilling to share begins to reveal itself. And to Violet's horror, she learns that their destinies are intertwined in a critical--and deadly--way. 

When Violet McKenna's step-mom, Patsy, decides to take a  job in NYC, it's up to Violet to either stay with her aging grandmother in Atlanta or move to New York...and pick a boarding school there.  When Violet sees the brochure for Winterhaven, she's inexplicably drawn to the school and chooses it instantly.  At Winterhaven, the reader is introduced to a cast of characters with special gifts, including Aidan--the ultra-hot boy that everyone loves but no one can seem to "get."  Well, apparently, he was just waiting for the right girl--Violet.  The novel follows Violet, Aidan, and her friends through a seemingly ordinary high school boarding school existence..until it suddenly becomes not quite so normal. Plot twists and turns are around every corner.  With a good blend of the unexpected and predictable, the story is one to get lost in.

Cook is a new YA author for 2011 and I'd say that she's debuted on quite a good note. This story really had it all--a solid plot, a cast of likable characters, a swoon-worthy love-interest, and a little life-death action on the side. While I'll be the first to admit that Cook's story wasn't overly original, I thought she did a good job making it her own and adding enough twists to make it interesting.  It was definitely a well-written storyline that pulled me in.  It was a read that I simply couldn't put down once I started. (Ask my husband. I think he was a tad annoyed.)

The main character has the "cluelessness" trait that I have found to be quite prevalent in this genre right now.  There are so many clues that lead you to the obvious (and even not so obvious) conclusions that she just didn't get.  Cook pens her as another very intelligent young woman with little common sense.  If you've read other YA paranormal romance, you know what I'm talking about.  I think authors need to give their female teenage characters a tad more credit...but maybe that's just me.

At the opening of the novel, I was a tad worried that the book was going to be too much like other books that I've read in the genre lately.  However, I will stand by this book and say that in the end it was a good book in its own right.  The comparisons may be legit, but I felt that Haven was able to stand its ground as a well-written story with well-developed characters.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I would normally say I'm not into cheesy YA chick lit. I don't have an abundance of Meg Cabot or Kate Brian or Sarah Dessen under my belt...because they don't particularly interest me.  So, why did I pick up this book? Because I saw it on NPR Books.

In a somewhat stereotypical storyline, Anna is sent to boarding school (against her will) in Paris (because obviously just being in Paris breeds culture). There, she meets a cast of friends and enemies and instantly falls for the cutest guy there...who is (obviously) taken. Anna is not too impressed with Paris and French culture to begin with...not until Etienne swoops in and shows here around. While she learns to embrace French culture (particularly through classic movies at French theaters), she is also quickly and totally falling for Etienne.  I won't ruin the ending here, but let's just say that Etienne is quite reluctant to leave his steady girlfriend and much conflict ensues.

So, my intro may have seemed less than optimistic about this one, but I have to admit that I loved it!  The storyline may seem nondescript but Perkins has created a fantastic story that really sucks you in and doesn't let you put the book down until you are done. The ups and downs, joys and disappointments, are all themes that readers of any age can relate to.  While this novel may be about teen love, it resonates as a story of true love--where love is won on a battlefield. So there you have it: no vampires, werewolves, faeries, dragons--real characters, a real story, and a fantastic read.