Library Book Review: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Blurb:
Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose during lunch at one of London's fanciest restaurants. But when his big question involves a trip abroad, not a trip down the aisle, she's completely crushed. So when Ben, an old flame, calls her out of the blue and reminds Lottie of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. No formal dates;just a quick march to the altar and a honeymoon on Ikonos, the sun-drenched Greek island where they first met years ago.

Their family and friends are horrified. Fliss, Lottie's older sister, knows that Lottie can be impulsive;but surely this is her worst decision yet. And Ben's colleague Lorcan fears that this hasty marriage will ruin his friend's career. To keep Lottie and Ben from making a terrible mistake, Fliss concocts an elaborate scheme to sabotage their wedding night. As she and Lorcan jet off to Ikonos in pursuit, Lottie and Ben are in for a honeymoon to remember, for better . . . or worse.



I'm actually kind of confused about how I want to rate this. On the one hand, this book was very much in Kinsella's usual style. Miscommunications and hi-jinks ensue throughout the novel. However, I did not really like any of the primary characters.

Lottie and Fliss are basically sabateurs of, not only their own lives, but others around them. In a bad representation of Sense and Sensibility-esque sisters, Fliss is reserved, and frankly quite bitter, about relationships. Meanwhile, Lottie is too flighty, too emotional, and too self-absorbed.

The male characters aren't any more likeable or relatable. What I did like was the dry British humor, the laugh out loud "situations" orchestrated by Nico and Georgios (honeymoon hotel employees), and the snappy pace of the novel. So, though I first thought, 3.5 stars, I also felt that what I disliked overshadowed enough to give it some weight. Therefore, I reconsidered my final rating.

My Rating: 
Worth Trying
2.75 star
C+


I obtained this book from my local library. No compensation from anyone was given for this review.

Book Review: The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Book: THE WATER WARS
Author: CAMERON STRACHER
Genre: YA FANTASY/SPECULATIVE FICTION/DYSTOPIAN
Published: January 2011, SOURCEBOOKS FIRE

Series: none
Source: Publicist, no other compensation given for an honest review

From Good Reads:
Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations.



My Review:
I read the premise for THE WATER WARS and it basically hit every spot that I like when I think about reading a dystopian or post-apocalyptic YA. What really caught my eye was that, although the girl meets boy was there, it seemed as if it would be more of an adventure story as opposed to a romance, that inevitably would introduce some kind of love triangle. I’m over love triangles, just for the sake of bad boy versus good or best friend that’s been ignored for years. But, I digress from my review.

This book started off really well. Cameron Stracher sets up a world that has experienced catastrophic environmental change, and now water is the most valued commodity. I liked the included inherent friction of humanity that occurs when something that everyone needs is in short supply. The government and even private citizens were not above damming rivers to the detriment of other citizens, and even clouds are taken from the sky for the water they hold.

One thing that went wrong for me was the convenience of rescue that Vera, Will and Kai encounter during their adventures. I don’t want to include any specific spoilers here, but it just seemed as if there was too easy an out whenever they were in danger. In this type of story, I don’t mind if the protagonists and her (or his) companions get a little hurt; in fact it helps with the idea that they have to really overcome some terrible obstacle. I like to see them work their way out of the problem, not just miraculously have a savior.

I liked Kai, the boy that seems to have an unlimited supply of water, know the government’s secrets about the water shortage, and gets himself kidnapped, which sets off Vera and Will on their journey. Kai was an interesting character, but unfortunately Vera was not as captivating. Something was missing with her, that I was just unable to connect fully with her as a character. There was no defining event that made me want to care whether she survived the trials, and perhaps because there was always a convenient rescue, I didn't need to entertain the idea that she might be in real danger.

I read this whole novel in just under 3 hours. I’m a fairly fast reader, but even for a moderate or slower reader, the action sequences keep the book moving. As well as the pace, the chapters, which are just long enough that I found myself reading more pages than I thought, but just short enough that I kept saying, “I’ll just read one more”, make this a book that I would suggest for a reluctant reader. THE WATER WARS is kind of science-fiction, dystopian, and post-apocolyptic lite.

While THE WATER WARS seemed like it just missed being a great book for me, I also think that there are plenty of readers who would enjoy it. There are pirates and government conspiracies and a great journey with a brother and sister relationship. The premise posits a future that we could all be facing sooner rather than later, and as a YA it is appropriate for younger teens, as well as opening up a contemporary fantasy world to readers that doesn’t have the world-building over taking the plot.

3.5/5 for plot
2.5/5 for characters
3.5/5 for language

My Rating: 9.5/15 (3 stars) Worth Trying


Challenge Participation:

Book Review: Dark Souls by Paula Morris

Book: DARK SOULS
Author: PAULA MORRIS
Genre: PARANORMAL YA
Published: August 2011, SCHOLASTIC

Series: none
Source: Around the World Tours, no other compensation given for an honest review.

From Good Reads:
...Miranda Tennant arrives in York with a terrible, tragic secret. She is eager to lose herself amid the quaint cobblestones, hoping she won't run into the countless ghosts who supposedly roam the city. . . .

Then she meets Nick, an intense, dark-eyed boy who knows all of York's hidden places and histories. Miranda wonders if Nick is falling for her, but she is distracted by another boy -- one even more handsome and mysterious than Nick. He lives in the house across from Miranda and seems desperate to send her some sort of message. Could this boy be one of York's haunted souls?

Soon, Miranda realizes that something dangerous -- and deadly -- is being planned. And she may have to face the darkest part of herself in order to unravel the mystery -- and find redemption.

My Review:
DARK SOULS is a very atmospheric book that incorporates much of the history of York between its pages. Not your typical ghost story, it drew me into the life of Miranda Tennant and her family. While DARK SOULS is in a contemporary setting, it has a bit of a historical feel. Perhaps because the basis of the plot deals with Miranda, a person who can see ghosts, now living in what's reputed to be one of most haunted cities in the world. Perhaps because ghost stories necessarily have to harken back to the past. Either way, the plot was entrancing. As a self-professed anglophile, it was also in a setting that piqued my interest.

However, I found that several things drew me out of the story and had me shaking my head in exasperation. Without giving spoilers, it's hard to adequately express why I felt this way, but there was one occasion when Miranda's ability was clearly at play, and she herself knowing that she had this ability, reacted in a ridiculous way around her family.

There was also some dialog where Miranda was either exaggerating for effect or humor, or the author hadn't done research that would have shown up in 2 minutes on Google. Because I couldn't figure out which it was, and because I had to even make the consideration, I was utterly pulled out of the book.

Ultimately the plot, the reactions of most of the characters, and their motivations were fairly predictable for me. While this won't always make me dislike a book (I have a knack of predictions that most people wouldn't see or seem too outlandish to occur), there needs to be something there to keep me reading the book. With DARK SOULS, it was the descriptions of present York, the history described, and the over all idea of a “ghost-whisperer” being amongst so many ghosts.

I'll be honest, I wasn't bowled over by this book, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes a ghost story, mixed with history and mystery.

3.5/5 for plot
3/5 for characters
3/5 for language

My Rating: 9.5/15 (2.5 stars)

Worth Trying, if you liked:
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Find the author at:
Website | Blog | GoodReads

Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Available formats: NookBook, Paperback (trade), Kindle

Challenge Participation:



Tour Participation:

Book Review: The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Book: THE MOCKINGBIRDS
Author: DAISY WHITNEY
Genre: YA CONTEMPORARY


Published: November 2010, LITTLE, BROWN BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS

I received this book for review through Star Book Tours, in exchange for an honest review


From Good Reads:
Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers...


My Review:
THE MOCKINGBIRDS was one of the first books this season that I pretty much knew the entire plot before I read the story. I tend to find out as little as possible about the books that I want to read for review, so that I won't be unduly influenced one way or the other. But, the premise of THE MOCKINGBIRDS was too much for me to pass up. I truly wanted to read the book. Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed by the feeling I was left with, at the completion of the novel.

For one thing, I never fully connected with the main character, Alex. I know that she was probably drugged and date-raped. Of course, this is an ugly, and far too common occurrence for young, female college students. But, her attitude from start to finish made her a hard character to sympathize with. She herself, seemed totally detached from the events. I wanted her to be a stronger character than she was, and I wanted her to make a statement! I wanted her to be a mix of Veronica Mars, investigating the details of the attack to find the truth! and Jodie Foster from The Accused, facing her attackers!

Or even on the flip side, Melinda from Speak having the courage to call the police, and then making a powerful weapon out of silence, but finding her voice in the end! And yes, I know that the two former plots were in movies, but they were still the standard up to which I held THE MOCKINGBIRDS. And, though the bar was set high, I somehow fixed in my mind that this book would meet that standard. But, it didn't.

While I applaud the idea of The Mockingbirds- a group that seeks justice for those who would not otherwise get it- the group ONLY seemed to seek justice and not truth. The other students were allowed to vote on whether the boy's crimes should be considered, but not on whether he actually committed the crime. I do think that rape is a serious crime, and the victims should never have to go silent, or the perpetrators not be made to account for their actions.

I also applaud Daisy Whitney, a date-rape victim herself, for overcoming this type of ordeal, and also having the temerity to be able to put pen to paper, and exorcise her own demons. Having a character that is able to take back her own power is a fantastic standard to set, and I think it is an important premise to broadcast, not just to the YA community, but also to any female that might have to encounter or suffer through this situation.



3.5/5 for plot
2.5/5 for characters
3.5/5 for language

My Rating: 9.5/15 Worth Trying (2.75 stars)

Advance Review: Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Book: CLOAKED
Author: ALEX FLINN
Genre: YA FANTASY

Published: February 2011, HARPER


I received this book for review through STAR BOOK TOURS (ARC edition)


From Good Reads:
Johnny works after school in a shoe repair shop in a swanky hotel in Miami. He loves shoes and is talented; he even aspires to be the next Manolo Blahnik. But the real reason that he is working so hard is because his dad left when he was a baby and he needs to help his mom pay the bills. At least he has his friend, Meg, who works at the hotel coffee shop, to keep him company.
When beautiful Princess Victoriana comes to stay at the hotel, Johnny is thrilled when Victoriana invites him to her suite. There she tells him that her brother has been turned into a frog, and that she needs his help finding him in the Florida Keys. Johnny thinks she is crazy and does not believe her,
until she gives him a magical cloak that immediately transports him to another location. Armed with the cloak and a magical earpiece that can help him talk to other transformed humans Johnny sets out to save the Prince ...


My Review:
I've heard so much praise about Alex Flinn, as an author, and her fresh take on classic fairy tales. Also, her previous release, BEASTLY, is on my wishlist, but I haven't actually had a chance to read any of her work. So, when I had the opportunity to get an early look at CLOAKED, I was pretty excited.

Right from the beginning, I liked the premise of the novel. Johnny is the type of character that I would like to read in books more often. One that isn't super-wealthy, doesn't drive an expensive car, or doesn't have an ambiguiously large (impossible) NY (or other large city) apartment. A character that, in fact, I might truly be able to connect with.

The dialogue was snappy, and at times -the right ones- even a bit snarky. I loved the encounters that Johnny had with the talking animals, especially the swans in the hotel. And, all of this is a more technical review of the book than I usually do. Because, I thought the book was good...

BUT. I didn't engage with CLOAKED the way that I expected to. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. But, I didn't fall in love with it. I wanted to. The story kept me reading, because I did want to see how Flinn was going to take the book to its conclusion. And, I wasn't disappointed in her "fresh" take on the fairy tale. I'm not sure what I was disappointed in. Myself, a little, because I suspect that I was in a reading slump, and nothing might have satisfied me at the time.

3/5 for plot
3/5 for characters
3/5 for language

My Rating: 9/15 Worth Trying


Find out more about the author, Alex Flinn, and her work from the following links:

Alex Flinn's website
Bio
Blog
Speaking Engagements