Category: Book Review

Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski (Mini Book Review)

Posted October 9, 2013 by Jana in Book Review / 3 Comments

Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on July 2, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Sixteen-year-old Samantha D’Angelo has death on the brain. Her summer internship at the local newspaper has her writing obituaries instead of soaking up the sun at the beach. Between Shelby, Sam’s boy-crazy best friend; her boss Harry, a true-blue newspaper man; and AJ, her fellow “intern scum” (aka the cute drummer for a band called Love Gas), Sam has her hands full. But once she figures out what—or who—is the best part of her summer, will she mess it all up?

As Sam learns her way around both the news room and the real world, she starts to make some momentous realizations about politics, ethics, her family, romance, and most important—herself.

Famous Last Words is a cute, light, contemporary read that made me smile. I loved the idea of a newsroom setting, which reminded me of the Mary Tyler Moore show on TV, and I was very excited to read about a quirky teenager who writes obituaries. What a unique idea, huh? While I did enjoy it, there was nothing extremely special or memorable about it.

Sam is a pretty funny girl. She’s an aspiring journalist who lands a job at the town newspaper writing obituaries. I had fun learning right along with her, how life in a newsroom is and what it’s like to be a journalist. It was also fun hearing about the stories of the people she got to write obituaries for. Probably my favorite thing about Sam is that she would write obituaries for people who annoyed the crap out of her, and for herself when she did something stupid or embarrassing. Of course, she would delete them, but her venting was endearing and it made her unique. She’s also clueless when it comes to guys, which I could not help but adore about her. As she wrote about dead people, she figured out how she wanted to live. I liked watching her transition from a silly little girl to a somewhat less silly girl. Haha.

I really liked the guy Sam works with, A.J. He’s nerdy and quirky just like she is, and they’re pretty great friends. He looks out for her, gives her rides, and helps her with her feature obit stories when she needs it. His snarkiness and desire to protect her from the jerk of the office, Tony, was really cute and I ended up liking him a lot. I would have liked to learn more about A.J., as he was my favorite character in the book. Sam’s boss, Harry, reminded me so much of Lou Grant (from Mary Tyler Moore) that I had to laugh about it. And the fact that the copy editor called Sam Moronica was perfect.

All in all, Famous Last Words was a fun little read. I enjoyed it while I read it, but am already forgetting some of the details. Definitely read it if you’re an aspiring journalist and want to see what the newsroom is all about.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (Book Review)

Posted October 7, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 8 Comments

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Series: Ruby Red Trilogy #1
Also in this series: Sapphire Blue, Emerald Green
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on May 10, 2011
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Pages: 322
Format: Hardcover
Source: Won
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Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

You know a book is bound to be awesome if it was translated from German to be published in the USA! I was really excited about Ruby Red when I found out, and even more excited when I discovered it’s all about time travel. As alway, my main points are bolded. :)

1. I was really impressed by the translation. We all know how easily wittiness and the beauty of descriptions can be lost in translation. Not so with Ruby Red! The writing is beautiful, the characters witty, the current way of speaking taken into account without seeming out of place. I can only imagine how amazing the writing is in German, if it is this good after translation. I applaud the translator, and I applaud the author for writing a story that is amazing even in another language!

2. I’ve got this thing with real people in history being woven into fictional stories. It brings a completely different kind of awesomeness to the table, and makes a story so much more believable if people like Sir Isaac Newton are brought into the story. He plays a significant role in Ruby Red, even though he is not a character in the book. It made things really interesting.

3. I loved the clever, witty dialogue between the characters. Lesley, Gwyneth’s best friend, is particularly fun to read. She knows all about Gwyneth’s ability to travel through time, and watching her drink it all in is pretty great. Gwyneth’s ghost friend, James, is also highly amusing. He died years ago, but does not know it. So he hangs out around the school and teaches Gwyneth about how things are in his time, mostly regarding manners and how to be a proper lady. I love that Gwyneth can see and talk with ghosts. It allows for a lot of side stories to come into play, like with Robert, the little boy who hangs around his dad all the time.

4. The entire cast of characters is great, but I really like Gideon. He’s a snarky, experienced time traveler who is a complete nuisance to Gwyneth. At the same time, though, she blushes when he’s around. She hates that. Hopefully we get to learn more about him in the next few books.

5. The approach to time travel is pretty cool. Across history, there are 12 time travelers (all born with a time traveling gene), all of whom are called a different precious stone. Gwyneth, the ruby, is the 12th and final stone in the circle of twelve. The main goal of the characters in this book is to go back in time to get a blood sample from each time traveler so they can read it into the chronograph (their time machine, essentially) and unlock a secret. Some people want to unlock it, and some feel it would be very dangerous to do so. Gwyneth and Gideon get to travel back together, meet old ancestors, try to figure out what’s true and what’s not, and deal with some obstacles. It’s really exciting, mysterious, and full of history that is totally believable.

Basically, Ruby Red blew me away in a subtle way. The more I think about it and let it marinate in my mind, the more I discover I really liked it! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. :) Definitely read this if you’re looking for a unique spin on time travel. I see romance in this series’s future as well, so that’s another plus for it!

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill (Book Review)

Posted October 4, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 9 Comments

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Series: All Our Yesterdays #1
Published by Disney Hyperion on September 3, 2013
Genres: Science Fiction, Time Travel
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

I almost passed on All Our Yesterdays, just because I had not heard very much about it, but then I learned it’s a time travel book and that changed my mind completely. I love time travel books. Love them. And… Oh. My. Gosh. You guys! It’s amazing!! AMAZING! My mind was blown, and when I closed it I immediately thought, “How in the world am I supposed to review this?” I’ll do my best, but I can’t guarantee it won’t be just a bunch of fangirl. As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. The story itself is so amazingly unique, and I can’t tell you why because that will spoil everything. There are so many twists and turns, each giving you bits and pieces of information until you figure out what’s going on. And once the picture is completely painted, and the blanks are all filled in… your mind will be blown.

There’s really no better way to describe my thoughts on the book, actually. Your mind will be blown, and your eyes will get huge, and your brain will try to comprehend it but it’s really wacky. And amazing.

2. I loved the explanation of how time travel works, and the paradoxes and all that great stuff. I kind of felt like Sheldon Cooper was teaching me a science lesson at times, and it was really fun to read all the ins and outs.

3. All Our Yesterdays goes back and forth between the past and present/future. We read all about Marina and her life with James and Finn before the world took a turn for the worst. I loved the sweet relationships between Marina and James. To me, it kind of felt like Corey and Topanga from Boy Meets World. They grew up as great friends, leaning on each other during hard times, and then things start to change into something on the more romantic side. James is so unbelievably caring, and Marina is devoted to a fault and secretly insecure. And then we have Finn, who is just like Sean–the goofy friend who tags along with James and drives Marina crazy.

We also get to read about Em and Finn, who are from the future. I liked Em a lot. She’s strong and realistic. And Finn is daring and romantic. They have been through a lot, and are out to save the world no matter what.

4. James is a very complex character. He’s a prodigy, comes from a wealthy and famous family, and seems to have everything going for him. But there’s just something in there that’s not quite right, and he ends up being a ticking time bomb. He fights with his emotions, is scared about his future, and wants everything in the world to be perfect. His intentions are good and true, but he teeters on the edge of insanity because he does not know what to do with himself. He captivated me, and I was very interested in his story.

5. The romance was so special and unique, even though it was a very small part of the story. I can’t give much away, but I loved seeing different relationships changing in different ways throughout the book. Romance blooms, romance fades, new feelings grow, old feelings are explored. People flip flop. Lots happens. In the midst of all of it, the characters learn a lot about themselves.

6. I loved the constant feeling of hope that was presented. The future is dark and dreary, the present is a little crazy, and through it all everyone is optimistic that things will turn out for the best. I loved that. So often, books like this tend to be downers. All Our Yesterdays is a book that makes you wish good things on everyone, even the villain.

7. So. Much. Action. I could hardly handle it, but I loved every second!

8. Cristin Terrill tackled a majorly hard subject for her debut, and did an amazing job! I’m not sure I could wrap my head around writing a book like this one. With shifts in time, shifts in characters, and shifts in emotion, I never got lost. I always knew who I was reading about and what was happening. That’s true talent, right there. Her writing is amazing, too.

All our Yesterdays is an amazingly wonderful and unique addition to the time travel genre. Things felt fresh and exciting, and the writing was perfect. I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would, and I cannot wait for the next book! Luckily the cliffhanger is not too heart stopping, since I have a while to wait!

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano (Book Review)

Posted September 30, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 11 Comments

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
Series: The Internment Chronicles #1
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on October 1, 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction
Pages: 356
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

I’m always on the lookout for unique story lines, especially in the dystopian genre. I love reading about new worlds that authors have created, so of course I gravitated right to Perfect Ruin. I was not the biggest fan of Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, but I really, really enjoyed this first installment in the Internment Chronicles. I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to read it! As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. Internment is a huge chunk of Earth that has been RIPPED out of the ground and placed in the sky by the Sky God. Because the island is so small, people have to apply to have babies, and are exterminated when they reach a specific age in order to keep the population under control. Babies are betrothed before they are born. There’s a strong wind just off the edge of the island that keeps people from jumping off. People who venture there anyway go insane, and are labeled as Jumpers who have to go to therapy and take medication. Morgan’s brother, Lex, is a Jumper. Thus, the entire family is watched for signs of rebellion. If that’s not a crazy unique and exciting sounding story, I’m not sure what is.

2. Even crazier, people are turning up dead on this happy little island in the sky. The first one is a girl who was murdered and left on the train tracks. The entire population is now in this constant state of paranoia, not to mention they are under even more surveillance by their oppressive king. Everyone knows everything, but only a couple people know the truth.

3. I really love this cast of characters. Morgan is not content with her small life. She knows the world has more to offer her than the rock she’s living on. She begins questioning everything especially after she comes across Judas, the boy who has been accused of murdering the girl on the train tracks (his betrothed), and is convinced he’s innocent. She also comes upon the mysterious sister of the murdered girl, and begins to learn things that make her question her life even more. She confides in her brother and tries to convince herself that she will not end up a Jumper like he is. She also holds on tight to her betrothed, Basil, who is so caring and understanding with her. We also meet Morgan’s best friend, Pen, who is outwardly reluctant to be with her betrothed, but secretly adores him. All these characters are strong, dynamic, and unique.

4. I loved learning about the inner workings of this city. There are so many laws and cultural elements. I can’t wait to read more about these people.

5. There are some really amazing twists and events that had my jaw dropping. The story is go, go, go, and I did not want to put it down. And the cliffhanger!!!!!!!!!! Oh man. I can’t even handle it.

6. Lauren’s writing and worldbuilding skills have improved so much! I was completely invested in this story and these characters. I loved her descriptions and her writing style.

7. As is typical with the first book in a trilogy, Perfect Ruin brought up a lot of questions. There is so much going on here, with so many layers of secrets that I’m still not sure I know what’s going on. I actually really loved that. I’m usually a control freak when it comes to books. I want to know everything all at once. With Perfect Ruin, I was left in the dark a lot. It’s perfect for the story, though. I felt just like the characters did, I learned with them, and I really could picture myself living in their world.

I feel like this review is really unorganized and pointless, but there’s so much I just don’t want to say for fear of spoiling things! I went into Perfect Ruin knowing only two things: it’s about an island in the sky, and there’s murder going on. That was it. And I think because I knew so little, I loved it so much more. Bottom line, I’m a new fan of Lauren DeStefano. She has created an amazing story that had me gasping for air and wishing for more. I can’t believe I have to wait a million years to find out what happens next! Definitely read this book.

Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone (Mini Book Review)

Posted September 23, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 6 Comments

Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone
Series: Time Between Us #2
Also in this series: Time Between Us
Published by Disney Hyperion on October 8, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Time Travel
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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Calling Anna and Bennett’s romance long distance is an understatement: she’s from 1995 Chicago and he’s a time traveler from 2012 San Francisco. The two of them never should have met, but they did. They fell in love, even though they knew they shouldn't. And they found a way to stay together, against all odds.

It’s not a perfect arrangement, though, with Bennett unable to stay in the past for more than brief visits, skipping out on big chunks of his present in order to be with Anna in hers. They each are confident that they’ll find a way to make things work...until Bennett witnesses a single event he never should have seen (and certainly never expected to). Will the decisions he makes from that point on cement a future he doesn't want?

Time Between Us was one of my absolute favorite books last year, and kept me thinking for a very long time. I loved the unique take on time travel and the wonderful characters. I was immediately hungry for more of Anna and Bennett’s story, but did not know yet that there was going to be a second novel! I was delightfully surprised to learn of Time After Time, and was even more excited when I received an eARC from the publisher. It’s an amazing story, and I am so happy I got to read more about what’s in store for these two love birds.

This time, we get to read the story from Bennett’s point of view. I have always loved books that place us in the hearts and minds of the male character, so this was a treat. Bennett’s voice is so strong and full of emotion and longing. I love the lengths he will go to for Anna, and the sacrifices he makes to make her happy. Even though traveling has become even more of a challenge both physically and mentally, he is committed to spending as much time with her as he can. The love these two feel for one another is so sweet, and the fact that it can withstand the parameters of their relationship is amazing.

Because Bennett is doing the narrating, we get to learn a lot more about his life in 2012, his family, his talent, and how he feels about everything. He has to make some pretty serious decisions for himself, and I loved the bewilderment he went through as he tried to decide what was right and what was wrong for him. We get to travel with him a lot more, and we are with him when he witnesses an event that makes him question everything he thinks he knows about his an Anna’s future. This deep insecurity and doubt he feels is so real and so heartbreaking! I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything would be ok. The turmoil he goes through is tangible. I also loved the tender moments he shares with his dad and his sister, two characters who really grew in Time After Time. I ove Bennett so much more than I did in Time Between Us, and appreciate that Anna was taken out of the spotlight this time around.

The romance is sweeping and swoony. We still get to travel to exotic places and read romantic exchanges between Anna and Bennett. At the same time, though they know this entire relationship is unconventional and has its risks. They are realistic, and act very mature about the trials the relationship is causing them. They are forced to make hard choices. I appreciate that the author did not make things all rainbows and sunshine for them. Struggle builds character, and I really respected both of them as they worked things through.

I loved the ending. Everything ends up as it should, and I’m fully satisfied. :) Definitely pick up Tamara’s books, especially if you love time travel and amazing romances!