Review: Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Title: Since You've Been Gone

Author: Morgan Matson

Rating: 4 Stars

The weakest part of Since You've Been Gone is its beginning. From the start, this novel feels all too much like an ode to a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, Sloane. Our protagonist, Emily, is shy--she lives in the shadow of her best friend, Sloane, rather happily, content to follow in her footsteps and stretch her limits, but only just barely. When Sloane up and disappears in the beginning of the summer, Emily is lonely and lost--why did Sloane leave? So when Emily receives a list from Sloane, she's determined to finish it--to cross off every item on the list, no matter how scary--because maybe, just maybe, it will bring her closer to Sloane.

I really enjoyed this novel. Not as much as Matson's latest, The Unexpected Everything, but pretty darn close. Emily is the type of protagonist I can get behind--reserved, confused, but determined to push forward. I mention that the beginning of this novel is the most difficult to get through but that's because Emily is still a shell of a person. Not only is she fixed upon an idea of herself that is inexplicably linked to Sloane, but she remembers Sloane as a Wild Thing, full of life and light. I'm so tired of that romanticized Manic Pixie Dream Girl who seems to float through life effortlessly but is secretly hiding a deep pain. But, the story quickly changes direction, becoming more about Emily and less about Sloane.

It's easy for me to read this book with a heavy dose of disdain, only because I am no longer the shy, reserved teen I used to be. Perhaps if I had read this when it released two summers ago I would have been shocked and inspired by Emily's dares to go skinny-dipping or wear a backless dress. After two years in college, I am quite the different person and I found myself both sad that Emily--and Past Me, really--was so reserved and proud of the growth that Emily undergoes throughout this novel. She finally finds herself--who SHE is--without Sloane or anyone else to define herself by. It's so hard and so important to tear yourself away from the friends who "know" you and really know yourself on your own and I appreciate that Matson puts so much emphasis on that.

The friends Emily makes are unlikely, from class president Frank to his desperate-for-a-girlfriend cousin and Dawn, the girl who works at the pizza place around the corner from Emily's ice cream store job. Each of them shape her and motivate her in different ways and I always like how Matson's novels feature lots of time for growth and simple interaction. Emily's family is eccentric and her younger brother is daring and though she doesn't have any issues with them, I enjoyed how they were incorporated into the story in a meaningful way.

And, of course, the romance. Morgan Matson writes the perfect slow-burn romances and this one was no different. Frank and Emily start off as friends and they don't even realize when they begin to blur the line between best friends and something more. It's a little messy because Frank has a girlfriend, but fear not, the drama is minimal. What I enjoyed most about their friendship is that it's not just Emily who is re-defining herself this summer; it's Frank, too. We don't have as much of a insight into his psyche as we do Emily's but I really enjoyed how Emily went from thinking of Frank solely as class president or by his accolades and instead began to see him as a person.

My one qualm with this novel remains Sloane. We see her through Emily's eyes for almost all of this novel and she is painted as the classic Manic Pixie Dream Girl (as I've mentioned). By the end, though, there are a series of events that catapult us to learn more about Sloane--the full extent of her affection for Emily, her "secrets", why she moved, etc.--but I felt as if it was too much far too quickly. I wanted more time to process Sloane and her friendship with Emily before this novel abruptly cut to an end. Moreover, I felt as if there were a few dangling threads and while I can guess what would have happened, it would have been nice to get an epilogue or just a little something more after such a huge bomb is dropped in the last couple of chapters.

I think it's safe to say, though, that I've found a new fave in Morgan Matson. Though this isn't a favorite of mine, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it without hesitation. It's a thoughtful look into re-defining who you are and I'm sure that if I had read this a few years ago I would have been floored. Present Day Me is a little more mature and a lot more extroverted so while I can still appreciate this book, I won't be clutching it to my chest with tears. But, regardless of where you are in your life, give this one a try--I don't think you'll regret it.

Review: Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

Title: Ramona Blue

Author: Julie Murphy

Rating: 4 Stars

Ramona Blue has been making internet waves well before its release date. A poorly written summary led readers to believe that Murphy's latest is about a lesbian who is "cured" by a straight male--that she finally meets the one guy who helps her see that she's been heterosexual all along! Well, let me put those worries to rest: Ramona Blue is not about homosexual-shaming in the least. In fact, Murphy's latest is a story of a young girl growing to realize that her sexuality is a lot more fluid than she originally thought it was--and a lot of other things in her life are, too.

Ramona has always known exactly who she is. She's been out of the closet as a lesbian since the 9th grade, she's always been by her older sister Hattie's side, and she's been working multiple jobs alongside high school just to keep afloat. Ever since Hurricane Katrina devastated her small town in Mississippi and her mother moved out--and stayed out--her family of three has been living in a trailer park, struggling to make ends meet. But now, on the cusp of Ramona's senior year about to begin, everything is changing. Her sister is pregnant and the father of the child, Tyler, has moved in to their already too-small trailer. Her summer fling, Grace, is not yet out of the closet and, to make things worse, she's returning home to her boyfriend an hour and a half away. And, Ramona's childhood best friend, Freddie, is moving back to Eulogy, Mississippi.

I loved this book. Ramona's voice is so easy to slip into and her group of friends is impossible not to love. Ramona Blue charts Ramona's entire senior year, from its beginning to its end, and her growth over the course of the novel is remarkable. I love that Ramona feels so comfortable in her skin and in owning exactly who she is. When Freddie moves back, their friendship bounces back after years apart and I loved watching as he integrated himself seamlessly into her life and just fit in. Ramona doesn't lead an easy life--she's constantly working and can't help thinking of what her life could have been like if Hurricane Katrina hadn't wrecked it--but she makes the best of it and has pillars of support that get her through the toughest of times.

I admired Ramona from the beginning, simply for her resilience and hard work, but I soon grew to care for her since she never bothered to care for herself. With her sister pregnant, Ramona is scurrying around to save money for the baby, help her sister get the prenatal care she needs, and is making plans for post-graduation--not to go to college, but rather to be there for her sister. It broke my heart that Ramona didn't see a future for herself past Eulogy, Mississippi and I wanted her so desperately to be selfish, just the once, and put herself ahead of her family. The family and friendship dynamics are all written so realistically, though, and I admire Murphy's sense of characterization--I despised Hattie for being someone Ramona was willing to give up her future for, but I also loved the bond between these two sisters.

Freddie also becomes a huge part of Ramona's life, mainly because his grandmother and him encourage her to begin swimming at the gym and become such huge sources of support for her. But, Freddie is not only a best friend to Ramona--he's something more. And that scares her. She's never had feelings for a guy before, but Ramona knows she likes Freddie--a lot--and her journey to accept that and figure out any new label she might want for herself is written with aplomb. I especially love Freddie. Not only is he a swoon-worthy love interest, but he's such a good friend and I adore that he's a good guy to the core. We need fewer "bad boys" in YA.

Ramona Blue faltered for me towards the end, when Ramona does a lot of quick growing up and makes a bunch of decisions about her future, all in the span of a few pages. I really needed to see Ramona put herself first, after being such a selfless friend and sister, and I didn't feel like I got that time with her to see her accept that it was OK to be selfish and have a future outside of Eulogy. I also really wanted more discussions of race. Freddie is black and he has a brief, but important, conversation with Ramona about how being black in the South is an experience she can never understand, but I totally wanted more of this. Murphy definitely sacrifices a few of these harsher conversations for a lighter novel, and she does do complete justice to Ramona's journey in discovering that she doesn't just like girls, but I do wish we had seen more of an explicit discussion of this, and even of privilege which is mentioned quite a few times but never spoken about by any of the characters. That being said, I was totally immersed in this novel from start to finish and surprised myself by how much I enjoyed it. I've never picked up anything by Murphy before, but this book just called to me and I'm glad I listened.

Review: Noteworthy by Riley Redgate

Title: Noteworthy

Author: Riley Redgate

Rating: 4 Stars

Noteworthy took me by surprise. On the surface, this seems to be yet another girl-passing-for-a-guy book, but the differences are what make Noteworthy so, well, noteworthy. Jordan attends a prestigious high school for theatre, dance, and music students and over the past three years, she has struggled to land a role in the school musical because of her voice range. On a daring whim, with nothing to lose, she auditions for the Sharpshooters, an all-male a-capella group with a rich history dating back to Kensington Academy's earliest days.

It's when she gets in, though, that Jordan's life truly begins to change. Her transformation to Julian causes her to question everything from her sexuality to the manner in which she's appropriating the lives and feelings of the trans and LGBTQIAP+ community at large. For me, Noteworthy stands out because of the smaller moments--scenes where Jordan will scour the internet for ways to make herself appear to be a man and stumble upon an article intended for trans-men. Or how her status on campus as Julian changes her dynamics with women--and not just on a surface level.

I feel like these are such important consequences of cross-dressing that somehow never come up in a lot of other novels with this trope. Another aspect I love of Noteworthy is the fact that Jordan is a scholarship student--and despite her scholarship, her family is still struggling to support her, financially. Her strained relationship with her parents, who live in California while she's on the East Coast, spoke volumes about the immigrant experience, the class gap that students feel when attending an elite academy on financial aid, and life living on the poverty line. This incredible article by the Huffington Post, Asian Americans Have the Highest Poverty Rate in NYC, but Stereotypes Make the Issue Invisible reminded me of Jordan and her family's struggles and I love that Redgate captured that in such a seamless manner. It isn't an overwhelming part of the plot, but it's integral to Jordan's life at Kensington and her growth.

Redgate packs a lot into this novel, but Noteworthy is still a light, immensely readable story. Jordan's integration into the Sharpshooters, her slow-build romance with one of the members, and the ensuing a-capella wars are all a delight. Her recent break-up with her ex-boyfriend, Michael, was a slight aspect of the novel that I had trouble connecting with, but the large majority of this novel is an absolute hit. Don't miss it!

Review: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Title: Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King, #1)

Author: Tricia Levenseller

Rating: 4 Stars

I didn't ever expect to enjoy a novel whose title began with the words, "Daughter of the...". Those of you who have been reading YA for long enough know that these titles had their phase and I truly believe that ship had sailed. But, Levenseller's debut, despite its title hearkening to previous YA literature, is wholly unique. Daughter of the Pirate King introduces many tropes we're familiar with, from a beautiful and headstrong protagonist to a cocky, utterly charming love interest but Levenseller spins it into a tale I just couldn't put down.

Alosa, our titular heroine whose red hair gives her away, allows herself to be captured by her enemy ship and sent to their prisons. There are three pirate lords who rule the sea, but only one Pirate King, and he is determined to put together pieces of a map each of the pirate lords own and hunt down a fabled treasure that will make him rich beyond measure. Naturally, he sends his daughter to infiltrate the enemy ship and Alosa's mission is clear: find and steal the missing piece of the map, without alerting the enemy of her plan. But, the first mate Riden makes her job increasingly difficult. If only he would stop pestering her with questions, showing her unexpected kindnesses, or flashing that handsome smile of his...

This story is just pure fun and I read it in a single sitting. Alosa is fiery and smart, a combination I love, and her banter/love-hate relationship with Riden is at the core of this novel. The plot is fast-paced, swiftly making us support Alosa in all her endeavors, from making Riden believe she wants to escape the ship to her stubborn refusal to help the crew, to her ingenious plans to escape her cell. But, the heart of the story lies in her evolving relationship with Riden. Their friendship reveals so much about their pasts and the plot twists are a pleasant surprise. I, especially, love that their romance is drama-free and constantly keeps the reader on their toes.

Of course, this story isn't without its flaws--too many "special redhead" mentions, far too few female secondary characters who take the limelight in this, a strong case of Missing Parent Syndrome--but I suspect a lot of these minor flaws are about to be dealt with in the sequel. This is the first, not of a trilogy but of a duet, and the characters and their journeys are just too much fun to miss out on. The fantasy and lore in this, combined with the world-building, all make me eager to return for more. Believe me, Levenseller is an author I'll be looking out for in the future, off-putting titles be damned! ;)

Mini-Reviews: London Belongs to Us by Sarra Manning, Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama, and The Next Together by Lauren James

Title: London Belongs to Us

Author: Sarra Manning

Rating: 4 Stars

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did, but I should have known better because Sarra Manning. This entire book is a crazy roller coaster of an adventure as our heroine, Sunny, finds out that her boyfriend has another girlfriend from his previous school and has been two-timing her for the entire duration of their "relationship." Sunny starts off wanting to forgive him, but as she searches London for him, she begins to realize that she deserves a lot better. The plot doesn't seem all that revolutionary, but the people Sunny meets on her night--girls who encourage her to stand up for herself, friends who tell her that self care is not selfish, buddies who support her for who she really is, and even other girlfriends who prove that women support each other instead of putting each other down--make this a wonderful story. I love these types of strong friendships and this book passes the Bechdel test ten times over. It also has so many meaningful conversations about class, privilege, and race. Just... I love Sarra Manning. Can every YA book be this nuanced and yet still so much fun?

Title: Monstrous Beauty

Author: Elizabeth Fama

Rating: 2 Stars

Oh, this book had so much potential. I want to start by saying that, whatever my reservations with this story, I did really love the mermaid lore. Fama's mermaids are deadly and savage and I loved them. However, the story, which alternates between present-day where Hester, a young teenager, begins to investigate her family history where every woman has passed away after giving birth, and between a time years ago when Syrenka, a mermaid, fell in love with a human, Ezra, and left the ocean to be with him, leaves a lot to be desired. 

Syrenka's story is vastly more interesting than that of Hester's. For one, Hester has sworn off of dating because she doesn't want to end up like her mother and grandmother before her, which is rather faulty logic because dating someone very rarely equates automatically having a child with them. What's more, Hester's storyline undergoes some vast changes, with some rather late insta-love happening and weird details seemingly explained away such as her absentee parents and her far-too-understanding-best-friend Peter. It just never came together for me and I wasn't able to love Hester as a heroine, either.

Syrenka, though, I adored. Her story is expertly told but the mystery plaguing the novel and subsequent solution is all a little too flimsy for my liking. I'm not one for strange supernatural tales, so perhaps this is just a case of "me-not-you", but Monstrous Beauty is a novel I'd skip, fascinating folk lore and all. Take my advice and read Fama's sophomore novel instead: it's brilliant.

Title: The Next Together

Author: Lauren James

Rating: 3 Stars

I had heard a lot of praise for this novel before launching into it, but it wound up falling seriously short for me. I really love the premise of this one--a couple, separated by circumstances in every generation but they keep managing to find each other again in their next life. It's done quite well, too, with James slipping between eras seamlessly as she makes us swoon for this couple. But, where the issue crept up for me was in the final third of the novel. Our main era, essentially present-day-ish, features Katherine and Matthew as high school students. As we learn how they fell in love in previous lives, present-day Katherine and Matthew are investigating their aunt and uncle, respectively, who were married and then labeled as terrorists. Of course, they realize that they are their reincarnations but their love story, based completely upon their recollections of past lives, is flimsy at best. I couldn't root for present-day Katherine and Matthew, despite loving all of their past incarnations.

What's more, the explanations for how Katherine and Matthew remember their past is essentially non-existent. The book is written in such a way that it seems as if there is some higher time-traveling power that is watching over Katherine and Matthew and reincarnating them to save the world, for some purpose or the other. But, none of this is ever explained. I suppose I have to pick up the sequel, but I'm so confused and rather irritated by the lack of answers that I won't be launching into the companion novel. The Next Together is well-written and I'm impressed by the multiple historical fiction love stories bound together in this one, but the ending doesn't pull off this intriguing premise as much as it promises to and, by the end, I was only left disappointed.

Review: The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone

Title: The Loose Ends List

Author: Carrie Firestone

Rating: 4 Stars

This book had so much packed into it that I honestly just feel like I need to re-read it because I'm concerned I might have missed something. And I don't want to have missed anything about this debut. It's strange and bizarrely unique but I can't deny that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Loose Ends List is about a family whose matriarch is dying of cancer. When she decides that her last wish is for her family to join her on a cruise around the world, they are helpless in the face of her disease. Maddie, our protagonist, loves her Gram and it's difficult for her to not only see her health slowly deteriorate, but it's equally hard for her to come to terms with the fact that the other members of the cruise are also dying. For a novel with such a morbid premise, there is a palpable sense of humor underlying these pages. It isn't bogged down by its subject matter but rather it celebrates the life of its characters and I commend Firestone for walking this fine line with aplomb.

Surprisingly, this book is about traveling and discovering new places and putting yourself out there, no matter how much time you have left. It's about family and holding on and learning to forgive and move on. It's about facing your fears and owning who you are, regardless of your sexuality or relationship status. There isn't a lot of friendship drama, here, but Maddie and her cousin are as close as sisters and their evolving relationship passes the Bechdel test with flying colors. Maddie's family dynamics, not just with her Gram but with her mother and father and brother, are all sources of thoughtful, remarkable characterization. Her romance with Enzo, the son of the cruise company owner, is deep and heart-breaking, but also open, trusting, and full of growth for both of them. Maddie forces Enzo out of his shell and, in turn, Enzo shows Maddie what a relationship built on equality and trust can be like.

But there is so much more that I loved about this novel. I loved its honest, open conversations about sex. I loved its inclusion of an older generation of characters who we often overlook and like to pretend don’t exist in YA. I loved the difficulty with which Maddie makes bonds with those dying on the cruise ship and has to cope with that grief. There is so much grief, in this book, but there is also so much to be thankful for and to celebrate—Firestone really, truly doesn’t make this a tragedy and for that, I loved it most of all. It’s a really different, unique novel and not everyone will love it, but I certainly did. A re-read is in my future, not to mention a close stalking of Firestone’s future releases. You can bet I’ll be pre-ordering them at the first chance I get.

Series Review: Nameless by Jennifer Jenkins

Title: Nameless (Nameless, #1) & Clanless (Nameless, #2)

Author: Jennifer Jenkins

Rating: 4 Stars & 2.5 Stars

NOTE: This joint review contains NO SPOILERS for the series that are not already mentioned in the synopses of these books.

Clanless was a mixed read for me. Nameless seemed like a promising start to a new fantasy series--fast-paced, slow-burn romance, and plenty of plot twists to keep readers guessing. I loved the world Jenkins had created and, more than that, I enjoyed the secondary characters and the originality of failing to fall for typical YA tropes. But, Clanless was a far cry from the sequel I was expecting after the cliffhanger ending of Nameless.

In Nameless our heroine, Zo, infiltrates the Ram territory to spy and pass on information to her clan, the Wolves. Her plan goes for a toss, though, when her eight-year-old sister, Tess, follows her in. Now, Zo is determined to escape the impenetrable fortress with her sister instead of risk her life for the Allied, an agreement of clans to unite against the Rams. The Ram clan is ruthless, training their young for battle from the start and killing anyone and everyone who doesn't pass their tests. Now, their numbers have dwindled and the territory they've amassed is failing. They don't have enough food and their captured slaves, the Nameless, outnumber the Ram. As they make plans to attack the Wolf and the Raven clans for food stores, the Nameless gather in rebellion and Zo passes on information. But Zo doesn't expect her life to become intertwined with Gryphon, a Ram striker whose father deserted the clan, making him work twice as hard for everything he's achieved.

Nameless works because of Zo and Gryphon, individually. They're both battling with their loyalty to their clans and the new information they're uncovering about each other but I love that Zo never loses sight of her goal and Gryphon allows himself to be open to new ideas. Ideas like realizing that the Ram attack the weak, would kill his best friend's newborn child for a slight lip deformation, and that Ram can fall in love with other clans, too. The secondary characters, namely Gryphon's foster brother, Joshua, are fleshed-out characters in their own right and I loved the large host of characters that accumulated as the story went on.

In Clanless, Jenkins continues to prove that she is an expert at action, never losing the fast-pace that she has set in Nameless. But, where Clanless falters for me is in its portrayal of male and female roles. Early in the story, Zo and Gryphon are separated and believe that the other is dead. This drives the entire plot of the story forward as Zo fights for Joshua and Tess and Gryphon sets out to fulfill Zo's desires for him. While I continued to enjoy their individual story arcs, particularly because the world-building is so well-done in this sequel, I grew annoyed by the very stereotypical gender roles.

For me, the best aspect of fantasy is the fact that it isn't our world. Not our world, not our rules, and it doesn't have to be our gender stereotypes, either. This was such an incredible opportunity for Jenkins to use Zo and Gryphon's independence from one another to build their individual characters for the first time. Instead, I felt as if so many key moments in this plot became Zo fighting off unwanted attention because of her beauty (again), Zo falling and crying and breaking apart because Gryphon wasn't there, Gryphon having to nearly yank up a tree to express his grief, etc. This world is far more patriarchal than it needed to be, especially because it's fantasy. All of these clans have different customs, religions, languages, and fighting styles. They all look different and have different builds and skills. But they can't have different gender rules? I didn't buy it.

The world-building expands significantly in this novel and though I am quiiiite sure I've predicted a "major plot twist" in the final novel, I'm still planning to pick it up. I love the concept of this world and especially the way that the differences between clans and the misunderstandings about clans are a mirror of the way we misunderstand and stereotype other cultures and races in our own world. But, I do feel like Clanless is a huge missed opportunity for Jenkins, despite the action of the plot and the expanded world. If you're not as critical of fantasy or gender roles, though, I suspect this is going to be a hit. If I recommend the series remains to be seen with the release of Book 3, but so far, it's a mixed bag of high highs and low lows.

Review: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Title: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

Author: Leslye Walton

Rating: 4 Stars

Why did I wait so long to read this book? The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender is equal parts amusing and heartbreaking. The first half of the novel follows the tale of Ava's great-grandfather, his journey from France to Manhattan, her grandmother's subsequent trials and tribulations as she loses her three siblings, falls in love three times, and finally relocates to Seattle. Then, the story of her mother, known as the "witch's daughter" whose childhood sweetheart leaves her with twins, the winged girl Ava and her silent brother Henry.

It doesn't seem like much of a tale, but the first-half of the novel, despite its slow start, is captivating in its unfolding of family history, drama, and lore. The Lavender's are a weird bunch, from the start, and with the birth of Ava and Henry, their small family becomes weirder still. But Walton's writing is dream-like, her prose utterly haunting, and I found it impossible to put this book down once I became sucked into it. I wanted each of these three generations of women to find their own happiness and the distinct personalities of each shone through the page.

The secondary characters were no less brilliant, each thoroughly developed and realized, and the magical realism elements were compelling and enchanting; I am sure I have missed the symbolism Walton wants her readers to understand but I loved the fantasy nevertheless. My only qualm with this story is that the last few chapters--beautiful, heart-breaking, lovely--contain some extremely sudden and graphic imagery that I feel may be startling and a trigger to some readers. It's an explicit spoiler, but if you feel as if trigger warnings may apply to you, I want to offer that to readers. Trigger Warning/Spoiler (highlight to view): RAPE/CHILD ABUSE/VIOLENCE

Anyhow, if you have somehow let this novel collect dust on your shelves, as I have, for the past two years, now is a good time to get it out. It's the perfect holiday read, embodying everything I love about family and hope in a package of magical realism. I only regret that Walton is yet to publish her next novel, but I sincerely hope she returns to magical realism--there aren't enough gems in this genre, and especially not enough Young Adult ones.

ARC Review: A Crown of Bitter Orange by Laura Florand

Title: A Crown of Bitter Orange (La Vie en Roses, #3)

Author: Laura Florand

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: January 24th, 2017

NOTE: This review is spoiler-free for the entire La Vie en Roses series. Every book can be read as a stand-alone and are simply companion novels to each other, i.e., previous characters/couples return briefly. You can read my review of Once Upon a Rose and my review of A Wish Upon Jasmine, the two previous novels in this series, as well as my reviews of Florand's previous series, Chocolat et Amour (#1, 2, 4, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7), and Paris Nights.

Laura Florand writes magic. I adore her prose and A Crown of Bitter Orange, for a fan like me, does not disappoint in the least. Her latest follows Tristan, the youngest Rosier cousin, and his high school crush, Malorie Monsard. The Monsards have long been enemies of the Rosiers due to a series of actions during WWII, but Tristan has never let that be a deterrent to his affection. When Malorie returns to Grasse to re-open her family business, Tristan sneaks in his chance to win her over...finally.

All of Florand's romances are careful character studies. While their tone shifts--playful, serious, romantic, heart-breaking, etc.--her characters never lose their wonderful charm. These are full-bodied humans that seem to step off the page, so very real with their flaws and their insecurities. I love how seamlessly Florand switches third-person perspectives so that a situation which seems impossible from one character's perspective, suddenly makes sense as we more fully understand each character and their relationship dynamic.

Tristan and Malorie have known each other for so long, but the narrative is never bogged down by annoying flashbacks, which I appreciate. We really get to know these two as they are, now, the qualities that have changed since high school and those which have only intensified since then. Malorie, for one, is among my favorite Florand heroines. Her family history is one she is deeply embarrassed by and she has worked hard to not let that deter her in any way, despite the emotional scars that the men in her life--namely her father and grandfather--have left behind. I really enjoyed the strong woman-power element that her narrative brought because Malorie is, truly, a matriarch and looks up to other successful women as her inspiration.

In fact, her relationship with Tristan--despite his patriarchal upbringing--is an extremely even-footed dynamic and I really enjoyed that tropes we often see associated with women in romances, like insecurities and shyness were actually present in Tristan, instead. He's a sensitive soul, and what's more, he isn't afraid to show that to Malorie. He genuinely cares for her and his ever-upbeat nature made this a delight to read as he wasn't worried about his fragile masculinity except in front of his cousin brothers. And, that's something else I love about this series--male friendships! These are so, so rare and I really like seeing another side to all of these men as they relax and become themselves around their family members.

While the women in this particular series are all alone, seeking a place to belong, which is a trope I don't always love, Florand makes it work since her relationships have this wonderful push-and-pull as the two characters attempt to find their footing and establish an equilibrium. A few things about this latest narrative that did grate on me a little, though, were the constant "vetting" of Malorie by just about every member of Tristan's family--his aunt, his cousin, his grandfather, his mother--and I felt as if some of these conversations became repetitive. Another thing that became repetitive were the constant allusions to the "big drama" of the story--the fact that would cause Tristan and Malorie to briefly break-up before all was patched up again. But, these are minor quibbles to have with this novel, utterly remarkable and charming in every other way. Florand keeps outdoing herself with each new installment in this series and I am so excited to see what's next! (Although, please, can we either have some diversity in this series or a homosexual romance? I would LOVE to see that--a very pleasant change to the South of France heteronormal lifestyle!)

Review: The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

Title: The Serpent King

Author: Jeff Zentner 

Rating: 4 Stars

The Serpent King is the type of book you hear everything and nothing about, simultaneously. It won't stop cropping up on your newsfeed or hitting those "Best of 2016" lists, but no matter how many reviews you read or how many times you re-read the synopsis, you still have no idea what it's about. Having finished the Zentner's debut, I finally get it: The Serpent King is a difficult book to pin down and explain away with a brief synopsis. Its strength lies in more than its plot and it seems a disservice to try and reduce this story to a few sentences; but I will try.

Dill, the grandson of the "Serpent King" and son of a preacher who is behind bars, believes he is doomed to live out his life in Forrestville, Tennessee, a small town named after the founder of the KKK. His mother is a Good Christian Woman but instead of encouraging Dill to apply to college, she is convinced that his path lies in staying home to pay off the mountain of debt that his father left them with when he was dragged to jail. Dill's two best friends, Lydia and Travis, don't have the burden of their father or grandfather's legacy upon their shoulders. Though Travis is entirely misunderstood by his father, who often beats him and has only become worse after the death of his older brother Matt, it is Dill who is spat at and ridiculed in his hometown. Lydia, in comparison, is the only one of the trio heading off to college. Her parents are supporting and loving, her online fashion blog is an enormous hit, and there is very little doubt in anyone's mind that NYU will accept her early decision. She doesn't have Dill's debts, Travis's father, and either of their religious teachings burdening her.

The Serpent King alternates between the point of views of these three characters as they navigate their senior year. The final year of high school is equally nostalgic and exciting; for people like Lydia, it means finally leaving her small town to experience the world but for people like Dill and Travis, who are staying to work in Forrestville for the rest of their lives, it is a bittersweet moment as they realize that their trio is going to be broken up. For me, the strength of this novel lies in the honesty with which Zentner writes this tale. Though Dill and Travis, in particular, have a whole slew of problems that mark them apart from a typical high school teenager--after all, Dill has to visit his father in the Nashville prison more frequently than he'd like and Travis lives in constant fear of his father--The Serpent King is very much about their fears and worries and longings which are exceedingly normal. They want to be kissed, they want to figure out their future, they want to pursue their passions, they want to stay together as this perfect trio forever, they want high school to end, they never want high school to end...I could relate, even though my upbringing has never been anything like theirs.

I rarely give much thought to students who graduate high school and work. I'm fortunate enough to have grown up in a town where the very vast majority of my high school class graduated and went to college. The fact that Zentner paints Dill and Travis just as normal and utterly relate-able as Lydia, who works on her college applications late into the night and is both excited and upset to be leaving Forrestville for New York City, is what makes The Serpent King pack a punch. We grow to care for these characters, even Dill whose parents believe that judgement comes from being able to touch snakes or Travis who lives for his favorite fantasy series and is perfectly content working in a lumberyard. The plot isn't fast-paced or action-filled, but I loved being in Dill's head as he struggled to come to terms with his passion for music and dream of pursuing it in college, as Travis realized that he loves fantasy so much that maybe he could write it, as Lydia grew to confront her love for her friends alongside her desire to leave behind her old life.

I'm not quite sure why The Serpent King has gotten the rave reviews it's gotten; it's excellent, but I didn't love it. I do appreciate that it puts lower-income students into a wonderful spotlight that never makes it seem that their privilege (or lack of privilege) is depressing. I also enjoyed the nods to religion that never overpower the storyline. Zentner perfectly captures what it's like to want to become a completely different person from your parents while also seeking their approval. There is much to love in The Serpent King and I recommend it whole-heartedly. It's the type of book that is extremely readable, despite its veneer of being an "issue" novel. But, here's my caveat: don't expect the "Best Book of 2016" and perhaps you'll be even more pleasantly surprised.

Review: The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes

Title: The Distance Between Lost and Found

Author: Kathryn Holmes

Rating: 4 Stars

The Distance Between Lost and Found is very much a novel where we know, roughly, the structure of the story. Hallie has been mercilessly bullied and ignored by her peers for the last six months, ever since her ex-crush, Luke, spread nasty rumors--all lies--about her not only to the entire school but also to her church. When Hallie is finally allowed to return to a church retreat, she has no friends and keeps to herself, hoping to avoid Luke as much as possible. Rachel, someone who doesn't attend their high school but has joined the retreat, knows nothing of Hallie's past and tries to slowly befriend her. But when Hallie scares her off and the rest of the students at the congregation ignore her for even trying to speak to Hallie, Rachel decides to go home. Hallie, feeling guilty over her role in making Rachel want to leave, decides to follow her. And lastly, Jonah, Hallie's close friend pre-Luke follows them both as well. Before long, however, the three teens find themselves lost on Hannah Mountain with limited supplies and no cell phones. Can they find their way back before it's too late? Or is this just another trial that Hallie is going to endure post-Luke?

For such a simple story, I became very quickly invested in these characters. We don't find out what happened to Hallie until roughly the half-way point of the story, but that doesn't mean that I didn't feel for her at every step of the way. Hallie hasn't told the truth to nearly anyone and finds it easier, now, to simply stay silent rather than speak up. This journey--getting lost in the forest--is such a transformative experience for Hallie. Not only because it gives her friends, but because she realizes that she is capable of so much more than she thought. And if she can survive rainstorms and near-starvation then surely she can finally make her voice be heard and tell everyone the truth about Luke, the preacher's "perfect" son?

The secondary characters, though, are not to be outdone. Rachel is energetic and lively but she has her own baggage that she brings on this trip and Jonah, Luke's best friend, has been shunning Hallie for months when he finally discovers the truth and is desperate to atone for his past behavior. It's a complicated web of emotions that accompanies these three and I really enjoyed watching them maneuver their pasts alongside their present where they must work together to survive. Jonah and Hallie, especially, have so many pent-up feelings towards each other and their relationship made me want to smash a vase and smile beatifically; both. That's not to say that I didn't love the strong female friendship between Rachel and Hallie, but Jonah's relationship with Hallie is so complex and interconnected with so much else so I especially loved how Holmes wrote it; slowly and with such finesse.

I'm not someone who gravitates towards survival stories but I will say that this seemed believable to me, throughout, and I definitely found myself doubting whether these three would make it out okay. Holmes is a masterful weaver of prose and passion, combining the plot and emotional arcs of these three characters perfectly. I'm excited to pick up whatever she writes next and am hopeful that more will read this remarkable debut.

Review: Cam Girl by Leah Raeder

Title: Cam Girl

Author: Leah Raeder

Rating: 4 Stars

I never know what to say about a Leah Raeder novel. It made me uncomfortable. It was difficult to read because I kept wanting to stop, to leave these messy, unlikable characters with their dark flaws in the pages of the book. It made me think, late into the night, unable to make sense of myself, the characters, or the world. And all of these are good. It is so rare to find a book that makes me reflect, that forces me to take a long time anguishing over the language, that genuinely shoves me outside of my comfort zone.

I both love and hate Raeder for her ability to do this; I relate to aspects of her novels, always, but I always want them to be a little less dark and messy and them so they can fit into the tropes I know and am comfortable with. I am so very glad that Raeder does not do this disservice. Not to me and not to her readers. She writes the stories she wants to write--the stories she wishes were being told--and I applaud her for that. Plus, her prose is gorgeous and the topics she tackles are hard-hitting and challenging to understand and discuss in a complex manner, which she always manages to do. It's so rare to see queer characters--those who identify along the spectrum of "queer" and do not always fit into the categories of LGBT but rather LGBTQIA--and I am so grateful that Raeder writes the diverse stories she does.

This doesn't mean that I loved Cam Girl without reservation or would even read it again--I wouldn't--but it does mean that it made me re-consider a wide range of topics I simply hadn't spent too much time thinking about. Whether it be gender, sexuality, or the sex trade, Raeder covers so much in this novel--densely packing it with meaning and feeling--and I can't really describe or fully discuss it without ruining the story. Raeder almost has too much going on--Vada, the main character loses function of her right hand in a car accident, disabling her for life and ending the career she thought she had as an artist. But Vada is also in love with her best friend, Ellis, yet she clings on to the hope of a future where she marries a man. And then Vada and Ellis have a falling out--over Vada, the accident, the true story of that night--and Vada is approached by two young entrepreneurs to cam for them. From there, the story only gets more complicated--Vada's empowerment and agency through her role as a cam girl, her feelings for Ellis which won't abate, her involvement with Max, the father of the boy who was killed the night of the accident, and then her late-night chats with "Blue" who pays her for her time and thoughts, not her camming skills.

It's intense, it's messy, and I wish Raeder had taken on a little less, only so that I could fully wrap my mind around it all. But, it works. It definitely works and its message is strong, beautiful, and full of hope. Needless to say, for readers familiar with Raeder's work and her brand of dark--as in mentally, emotionally dark, going to places you won't be familiar with, necessarily--and fans of Black Iris, Raeder's latest is definitely up your alley. I'd suggest readers new to Raeder's work to pick up Unteachable first--it's the most heteronormative and familiar of her works to other New Adult tropes--but if you're looking for New Adult that explores disability and difficult topics of LGBTQIA then this is a must-read. I don't look forward, necessarily, to what Raeder is putting out next but I'm eager to pick up yet another thought-provoking, emotional read by her.

I just want to add a quick note that I am aware that Leah Raeder now goes by the name Elliot Wake and that Elliot also now uses the pronouns he/him/his. However, when I wrote this review it was before Leah had begun publishing books under the name Elliot, hence the different pronouns/names in this review. I mean absolutely no disrespect to Elliot Wake but as Elliot has continued to use his previous name on the covers of his older titles, I assumed it would be alright to use the name Leah and the pronouns she/her/hers, as when I wrote this review. If anyone knows otherwise, let me know and I will absolutely change it.

Review: Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

Title: Girl Against the Universe

Author: Paula Stokes

Rating: 4 Stars

Stokes is one of those authors who can write anything. The light tone of this, combined with the deep and thoughtful subject matter (not to mention stellar romance) really reminded me of her debut, The Art of Lainey, which is an absolute favorite of mine. I think this might even be better. 

Girl Against the Universe is about Maguire, a girl who believes she's cursed. Ever since she became the sole survivor in a car accident which killed her father, uncle, and older brother, Maguire has kept to herself. She has a "Luck Journal" in which she chronicles all the events in which she has escaped unscathed while those around her suffer. The only commonality that Maguire can find is herself so, she does the only reasonable thing and withdraws into herself. 

Our story begins, though, in a therapist's office. I loved how Stokes chose to tell Maguire's story through her challenges with therapy. Maguire not only believes that she's bad luck, but she has OCD tendencies in which she watches for accidents that could happen around her and surrounds herself with "lucky" objects. It's heart-breaking. I was instantly rooting for Maguire to battle her inner demons and her journey throughout this novel is phenomenal. It's realistic, paced well, and most importantly it stems entirely from Maguire. It isn't motivated by romance or fear or any other type of catalyst. Maguire has her goals and no matter how hard they are or how many times she fails, she picks herself back up and tries again. I love this girl.

I particularly want to point out that Girl Against the Universe breaks down so many barriers and stigmas in YA. Not only against mental illness, but it also defeats the trope of mean-girl-cliques and girls-"competing"-for-a-guy (all silly, absolutely false constructions with no basis in truth but somehow we all think that these are the "norm"). Maguire joins the tennis team and while some members seem hostile at first, the situation isn't at all what it seems on the surface and my heart gave a little leap of joy every time Maguire opened herself up to someone new. Moreover, Maguire isn't the only character struggling with a mental illness of some sort and I liked that she had someone to talk to about her challenges and didn't feel isolated the way so many teens can feel (and how she did feel for so long).

The guy in question is none other than junior tennis star Jordy and their friendship won me over even more than their romance did. Jordy is such a sweetheart. He's not a perfect guy--there are rumors flying around him from the start and he's had his fair share of mistakes--but he respects Maguire and doesn't push her, instead taking baby steps until she's comfortable with him. I enjoyed how their relationship played out with minimal drama and lots of honest, open dialogue. Plus, Jordy's presence isn't solely to be the romantic interest or Maguire's therapy buddy, it's also to show that there are more than one type of mental illness. Jordy struggles with staying true to himself in the face of his fame and fortune and I think a lot of teenagers struggle with the first part of that and can really relate to Jordy. I know I could. 

Gosh, this book is just so good. I want everyone to read it. It has fantastic friendships, a swoon-worthy romance, step-fathers who slowly become allies, families who become support systems, and a kick-ass heroine who overcomes her own fears. Girl Against the Universe is inspiring and wonderfully written and, perhaps best of all, you'll learn some tennis from it. I hope now I won't be among the few readers who actually watches tennis with an equal passion as I read books. (Note: key word being watch.)

ARC Review: Interference by Kay Honeyman

Title: Interference

Author: Kay Honeyman

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: September 27th, 2016

Even though it was released three years ago, Kay Honeyman's The Fire Horse Girl remains among the best debut novels I have read. Needless to say, I was fangirling all over the internet when I found out about Honeyman's sophomore novel, Interference, and she was sweet enough to send me an advanced copy. Where Honeyman's debut was a burst of diversity, color, and flair, her sophomore novel is an intelligent, wonderfully crafted modern-day re-telling of Jane Austen's Emma. It's a loose re-telling, omitting a handful of characters that we know and love to develop other relationships that weren't as prominent in the original, but unsurprisingly, they work, especially for YA.

Our heroine, Kate, is the type of headstrong, no-nonsense protagonist I wanted to be in high school. She stands up for what is right, even when the system privileges her, and she doesn't allow herself to be cowed, beaten, or taken advantage of--in other words, she's exactly who and what I'd envision Emma to be if she lived in modern-day society. Kate is the daughter of a politician and after she finds her boyfriend cheating on her in D.C. (not to mention posting photos of her online that undermine her relationship with her parents and specifically her father's campaigns), she finds herself in a small town in Texas where football reigns supreme and everyone knows everyone else. I'm the type of person who resists change at all costs, which is why I admired Kate so much, even from the beginning. Although she believes she's the reason for her family moving away from D.C., she makes the best of her situation and resolves to be better, work harder, and get the recommendation letter she so desperately wants for art school.

Honeyman ticks off so many boxes in her characterization of Kate. Here is a heroine who is confident--why is this so rare among YA protagonists??--and, what's more, she has passions that define her and is constantly pushing herself to discover more. Kate falters and make mistakes--so many mistakes!--but she always picks herself back up, owns up to her faults, and tries to make amends. I loved the way in which she kept in touch with her best friend from D.C. while also making new friendships and ingratiating herself into Texas life. Kate's life is so realistic and balanced, from her rocky relationship with her father to her tentative new friendship with Ana to her casual conversation with her former best friend Tasha and especially to her respect for her yearbook photography teacher who inspires her to be better. I find that adult role models are usually absent from the lives of so many fictional teenagers and this just breaks my heart because teachers, professors, coaches, etc. have always played such a huge role, not only in my life but in the lives of so many of my friends. It's refreshing to see Kate similarly affected by a teacher, especially since her relationship with this teacher starts out as disdain--since Kate can't see how a teacher in charge of the yearbook club could improve her photography--and shifts into awe and admiration.

While Kate is the star of this novel, and rightly so, I found myself charmed by Hunter, Ana, and a whole host of secondary characters from Kate's father's new campaign manager to her aunt who grudgingly allows her to volunteer at her animal shelter. Ana, the "Harriet" of Interference, is kind and talented, the type of photographer Kate aspires to become. It's an interesting take on their relationship because unlike in Emma, Kate doesn't hold all the cards, here. There's is a give-and-take, with Ana helping Kate assimilate and improving her photography while Kate tries to instill more confidence in Ana. Hunter, too, is a surprise from the "Mr. Knightley" we may all expect. For one, he hasn't known Kate all her life, so while that familiarity takes awhile to build, the growth and change in their relationship is fascinating to watch. Hunter is serious and steady, always looking out for Kate in the best of ways, but he's also still a teenager with his own problems and prickly nature to boot. I enjoyed his and Kate's interactions, from their banter to their genuine apologies, and I only wish we got to see more of them as a couple.

Honeyman excels at creating the atmosphere of this small Texan town, from its focus on football to the warmth and intimate understanding that they all have of one another. The politics, too, plays a large role in the plot of this story as Kate's father campaigns for a seat that has been held in his family for generations and Kate, as the politician's daughter, gets sucked in. Where this story differs from other political novels like The Wrong Side of Right is in that Kate has been on the campaign trail her whole life. She knows this drill like the back of her hand and she also knows the consequences of missing up and how to spin the story so that she comes out the victor--in other words, Kate knows how to win. I loved seeing how her father's political anecdotes made their way into her day-to-day life and thinking. Moreover, I really enjoyed her relationship with her father and the steady, but mature, manner in which she gains back his trust.

Interference is such a delight: a capable, imperfect heroine against a backdrop of politics as she learns to navigate her own aspirations alongside those of her father's. While I will say that I missed the presence of Kate's mother in this novel, sorely, for she seems to be nothing more than a prop for her father, and I also wanted more of Hunter's mother, whose storyline I don't feel as if I got enough of, Honeyman's sophomore novel is a definite hit and a very successful re-telling of Emma. It's certainly up there with "Emma Approved," the YouTube modern adaptation that I love. While Honeyman strays from the original plot quite a bit more, the main elements are all there, as is the heart of this tale. Emma isn't a character most readers love, at first, and I think that may translate to Kate, as well, but she's a heroine I want to emulate--her confidence, her bravery, and her stubborn will to never give up. If nothing else, she's the type of protagonist I want more teenage girls to read about because, maybe then, they won't be so afraid to be confident, own their personalities, or shy away from their intelligence.

Review: Undecided by Julianna Keyes

Title: Undecided 

Author: Julianna Keyes

Author: 4 Stars

Undecided is a sexy, smart, love-triangle-free New Adult novel. Nora, the protagonist, is a sophomore in college desperately trying to get her life back on track. She partied during her freshman year and after losing half her scholarship after a series of infractions, Nora is determined to study and avoid attending a single party all year. When she winds up rooming with Kellan, a frat guy who is best friends with Crosbie--easily the two guys who sleep around the most on campus--she tells herself she isn't going to fall for them. But she can't get Crosbie out of her head; he keeps sneaking past her boundaries and turning out to be a much person than she originally bargained. But Nora's past is sticky and sordid and as much as she tries to escape it, she can't...

I really enjoyed Undecided because of its focus on college--the mistakes you inevitably make and the journey to fixing them. I loved Nora from the first page itself, mostly because she wasn't perfect. Nora is the goody-two-shoes who blended in and never stood out in high school and for her, college was a time to let loose and become a different person. It turns out that for Nora, though, there isn't a middle-ground between partying and studying. I admired Nora for owning her mistakes, though, and making a conscious effort to change her habits. I also appreciate that Keyes doesn't sugarcoat the college experience. Nora has to work hard, forgoing parties and friendships from time-to-time to keep up with her school work. Plus, she works outside of her regular classes and as a college student myself, I felt as if Nora's lifestyle was authentic.

There's also a gaping double-standard in the college party scene when it comes to hook-ups that Keyes addresses very tactfully. Nora is terrified that her growing regard for Crosbie is going to make her a "Crosbabe," the name given to the long list of women that Crosbie has been with over the years. This list is literally posted on the bathroom stalls and numbered so the last thing Nora wants is to become #26. But Crosbie, too, hates that there is a list of women he has "conquered" floating around the college. Although he benefited from his frat boy status last year, as he, too, tries to turn over a new leaf he finds that his past poses problems in any future he may have with Nora. Though I appreciates that Keyes discusses the issue of college hook-up culture, both the agency it gives women and the power it takes away from them, I wish that she had focused a little bit more on this issue, merely because it was central to the storyline and I think this is an important discussion to have in a New Adult setting.

But, the true highlight of Undecided is the romance. Crosbie and Nora have a slow-burn romance that is all kinds of delicious tension and hot chemistry. I really loved how the two of these characters approached any type of relationship with preconceived notions about one another and, as they began to know one another better, peeled back the layers to their personalities. Moreover, Crosbie and Kellan's bromance is a factor that doesn't change, which I appreciate. Undecided is low on the drama and the emphasis on friendship isn't lost, even for Nora. Both Nora and Crosbie have active lives outside one another and their ability to balance their school work alongside their relationship and other activities is realistic.

If you're looking for a New Adult romance that doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth, Undecided is your best bet. While I think it could have benefited from more than just one encounter with Nora's parents and I would have liked to see the discussion about Nora picking a major and coming to terms with the double-standards erected by hook-up culture expand, I found this to be a thoughtful and mostly accurate portrayal of college life. Nora is a heroine that isn't hard to root for, despite her flaws and past mistakes, and Crosbie will win your heart over in a heartbeat. I devoured this novel in an afternoon and would do it all over again if I could. Recommended.

Review: The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Title: The Rose and the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn, #2)

Author: Renee Ahdieh

Rating: 4 Stars

It's no secret that I loved Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn. It was one of my favorite books of 2015 and though I had high expectations for The Rose and the Dagger, I was not disappointed. This sequel picks up roughly a month after where we ended The Wrath and the Dawn, with Khalid and Shazi on opposite ends of the country. Though these two are separated for a good portion of the novel, I loved that their growth throughout this novel was linked to the confidence and strength they had gained from their love. As a fan of Shazi and Khalid's union, the romance in this sequel did not disappoint in the least. It was beautifully written and, as before, Ahdieh made me fall in love with their romance. Both Shazi and Khalid continue to change one another and their story arcs, though often separate, were powerful.

Shazi, especially, comes into her own in this installment. Not only does she embrace her magical powers, but she becomes a true calipha. Khalid, too, learns to control his temper and for perhaps the first time, we see him accept his role as the caliph of Khorasan. Khalid helps his people, deals with diplomatic negotiations, and does everything in his power to prevent more bloodshed, leaving behind his fears of the curse and dealing with the hand he has been given. Ahdieh builds the curse over the course of these two novels and the new places Shazi must travel to, the people she must befriend and learn to trust, are all unique and exciting. I really enjoyed the new characters introduced in this installment, particularly Irsa, Shazi's younger sister, and Artan, a mysterious but powerful ally. Irsa has a much larger plot line than I originally anticipated but her growth throughout this novel and her own love story play an important role. I mostly enjoyed her interactions with Khalid--the manner in which he wins her over and becomes family to her, even over such a short period of time. Hands down, I'd read a spin-off series with Irsa as the heroine any day. She's no Shazi but she's strong and capable in a completely different way.

Tariq is a character I worried a lot about prior to the release of this novel but the pacing of his growth was perfect. Tariq is hot-headed and jealous, unable to believe that Shazi would fall in love with a murderer, so while his actions do not mark him out as heroic, I still respected him immensely. He tries his best to push aside his personal feelings for the best of Khorasan and though his journey was hard and often slow-going, it was rewarding all the same. Tariq is embroiled in the politics of this novel--of which I was pleasantly surprised!--and there are plenty of plot twists to keep readers on their toes. A handful of betrayals combined with age-old political scars made the conclusion of The Rose and the Dagger intense. While the resolution of the curse felt a little too neat, this ending is anything but easy and I appreciated that Ahdieh showed that the complexity of the curse was not quite linked to the curse itself but to its ripple-effect throughout the land.

Where this installment faltered for me was in its inclusion of too many characters and plot lines. We sadly don't see much of Jalal, who is an all-time favorite of mine, and instead of focusing on Irsa's romance I would have liked to see more of Jalal and Despina. Yasmine is another fascinating character and I wish that the ending would not have been so rushed so that we could have had more time with old secondary characters. The Rose and the Dagger flits between many third-person perspectives effortlessly, though, and the conclusion of this duology is nothing short of perfect. I'm glad this didn't become an unnecessarily long trilogy and though I want for more of these characters and their world, I am excited to hear what Ahdieh's future writing endeavors will be. This installment doesn't lack in terms of story-telling and of all the re-tellings I've read of "A Thousand and One Nights" this is by far my favorite. It isn't quite loyal to the original but the deviations, the care spent on this epic love story, and the political world beyond the palace are all highlights. I stayed up till 2 AM to finish this and despite my drooping eyelids, I have no regrets whatsoever. Take a chance on this series--you might just fall in love.

ARC Review: Vicarious by Paula Stokes

Title: Vicarious (Vicarious, #1)

Author: Paula Stokes

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: August 16th, 2016

Paula Stokes is full of surprises. When her debut, The Art of Lainey, burst onto the scene, ticking off all the right boxes for Contemporary YA, I thought for sure that I had discovered a new go-to author for the genre. Imagine my surprise when her sophomore novel, Liars, Inc. was full of mystery; a thriller featuring diversity in multiple ways. I knew her next contemporary novel would be stellar, but Girl Against the Universe surpassed my wildest expectations. So, when Vicarious fell into my lap, I knew only one thing: I would not be disappointed. And I was absolutely right.

Stokes's latest is a far cry from any of her previous novels. And, I suspect, to a large degree it's wildly different from most other YA novels out there, even within its genre. Winter, our heroine, owes everything to her older sister, Rose, and foster brother, Gideon, who helped her escape North Korea and, later, trafficking in California. Now, Winter works for Gideon, recording dangerous activities to create ViSEs. With a ViSE, not only can you see from the eyes of the recorder, watching as they bungee jump or escape the cops, but you can feel their neural impulses--the adrenaline, the fear, the excitement. While Rose spends her time in clubs, dealing with her past the only way she knows, Winter trains, making herself impenetrable and working her body to withstand even the most deadly of actions. But when a ViSE of Rose's murder turns up in Gideon's office, Winter is determined to find and avenge her sister's death--no matter the cost.

Winter is a completely bad-ass protagonist. She's focused and no-nonsense, so while some may dislike her serious nature, I appreciated her upfront honesty about her own personality. Her past is a vicious monster--and not just the fact that she escaped from North Korea. There's also the immense debt she feels she owes to both Rose and Gideon for making sure she escaped the trafficking situation they were caught up in in California. The combination of these two make Winter's past a depressing part of the novel. But, Stokes is careful to accompany Winter's darkness alongside plenty of action, not to mention lighter scenes and even humor from other, secondary, characters. Winter's relationship with her sister isn't perfect--after all, Winter doesn't understand why Rose uses her sexuality and is constantly seen with different men--but she adores her older sister as well. Even though Rose dies early in the novel, I still felt as if I knew her character, and most importantly her relationship with Winter, very well.

One of my favorite aspects to this story, though, is the romance. It takes a backseat throughout the novel but it's a slow-burn that utterly won me over and had me swooning from the beginning. Jesse is a friend of Winter's, someone who also works for Gideon and has had a tough past of his own. But he genuinely cares for Winter and watching as he breaks down her barriers and convinces her of his affection, despite her past and the demons she carries, is a highlight of the story. Their friendship is rock-solid, the trust between them a pillar for Winter to find support upon in the face of her sister's death. I also love that their relationship isn't always easy--not for Winter and certainly not for Jesse. But it's so rewarding and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it develops in the sequel.

Vicarious is a thriller from start to finish. I found myself flipping these pages, wondering at who could have killed Rose, where she was at the time of her death, and the people she spoke to. As Winter interrogates those in her life, she uncovers secrets about her sister that she never even suspected and the influx of clues and leads, not to mention dead-ends, makes for an exciting read. Add in the complex personalities of Winter--and Jesse's utter charm--and I'd have been sold. But Stokes also has another trick up her sleeve--the ViSEs. And, damn, they are cool. I love how the ViSEs were an integral aspect to Rose's death but, also, we get to see them filmed and in action later in the novel. Clearly, they're going to be playing an even bigger role in the sequel and I loved the futuristic tint that the ViSEs provided to this world, which is otherwise identical to ours.

The best part about Vicarious are all the twists and turns that you won't see coming. I was shocked and reeling by the end of this novel and though it is a part of a duology, with this portion of the story wrapped up, I want the sequel--now. Yet, for all its seeming perfection, I will say that I had a few sliiight issues with Vicarious. Namely, that I found it to drag a little in the middle. There are a lot of back-to-back sequences with lots of action, whether it be Winter tracking down her sister's body or haunting the places she frequented or visiting people that only Rose knew. There are also a lot of really intriguing ViSEs that we get to see--ViSEs that Winter finds of Rose and her adventures. But then, somewhere in the middle, I found myself flipping the pages and wondering when the action would pick up again. I think that with so many fast-paced scenes, the slower moments feel a little too slow. Thankfully, it doesn't seem that way for too long and Stokes regains her momentum, stunning readers with more action-shots, ViSEs, and plot twists.

Thus, all-in-all, I'm totally impressed and utterly in love with this book. It is clear that Stokes's research is impeccable and her incorporation of diverse characters, their heritage and their struggles, is admirable. Even if you're not looking for more diversity in YA, the mystery, the plot twists, and the thrills will keep you glued to your seat. And for fans of deeper connections, complex personalities, and tough relationships--Stokes delivers on that as well. Vicarious has something in it for everyone--read it, at least so that I'm not counting down the days to its sequel by myself. ;)

If you're interested in my GIF-ridden pre-review of the novel, you can find it here.

Review: The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Title: The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1)

Author: Marie Lu

Rating: 4 Stars

In the back copy of this novel, Marie Lu writes that her protagonist is a villain, not a hero. It is this fact that makes The Young Elites stand out from a sea of fantasy-lite YA fiction. When we first meet her, Adelina is in prison for the murder of her father. Right off the bat, our heroine is not a good person--and I loved this. Lu wrote Adelina as a flawed, deeply dark individual and though she's not usually correct, I found that I could understand and relate to her, on some human level, and that has made all the difference.

The world of The Young Elites isn't wholly unique--after all, the main conflict of this book lies in the fact that a fraction of the community is gifted and a group of them rebel against the government to end discrimination against their kind--but the surrounding backstory to this set-up certainly is. When a blood fever sweeps across the entire nation, killing off all inflicted adults, the children who survive are changed. They return alive, but with certain features marking them out to be malfetto, some of whom even have magical abilities which make them Elite. Thus, the Young Elites. When the crown prince, Enzo, also survived the blood fever, the kingdom decides that he is unfit to rule. Enzo, however, is determined to have his throne and forms The Dagger Society, consisting of Elites who use their powers with the intent of saving others like them. When he saves Adelina from her execution in the brink of time, Adelina joins their cause, training her powers for the first time in her life. But Adelina's magic is dark--she is an illusion-weaver--and the Inquisition who captured her still holds her younger sister, turning her a spy for the only organization that has ever taken her in and treated her like family.

The Young Elites is so well-crafted. This entire narrative is sprinkled with Adelina's childhood memories; growing up in a household where her beauty was deformed by her missing eye and changed appearance; where her father resented her and loved her beautiful, unmarked younger sister; where at times Adelina resented her sweet younger sister for escaping the fever unscathed and for currying her father's favor in the wake of their mother's death. It's a painful past, but one that gives Adelina purpose and for all her swirling darkness, I found her to be instantly relatable. I was caught between her loyalty for her sister and her devotion to the Daggers just as she was and, truly, cannot say that I would have acted any differently had I been in her shoes, with her past. Lu makes us understand Adelina on a deep, nearly psychological, level and I appreciated those glimpses into who she truly was.

What makes The Young Elites such an impressive novel is its development of Adelina's powers. Training sessions in Fantasy novels can be a chore, at times, but watching Adelina hone her abilities, which remained hidden throughout her childhood, was a highlight of the novel. Further, the schemes of The Young Elites and their plans to put Enzo on the throne, alongside their flaws in only rescuing Elites and ignoring the plight of non-Elites, drew me into the politics of the world. Further, ever small tidbit of information that Lu gives us in the first three-quarters of the novel all comes back, tying together this piece and ending it all with a series of plot twists and conclusions I could never predict. It's been so long since I read a YA novel whose ending I didn't see from a mile away so I applaud Lu on her superb plot-crafted with this novel. It's just remarkable.

The secondary characters, consisting of Adelina's sister and father and Enzo and the Daggers, not to mention the Head Inquisitor Teren, are all so well-developed. I knew nearly all of them just as well as I knew Adelina and that is no easy task. The romance, which feels more like a character development choice than a true romance, was unique and intriguing in a way I haven't seen too often. There's a spark between Enzo and Adelina from the beginning but the complications that exist in their relationship are too great for anything to truly blossom between them. But, Enzo's affection is a huge turning point for Adelina's own growth and I loved watching as her attachment to the Daggers changed her, fundamentally.

This sophomore series from Lu impressed me immensely. I thought her debut was a little too familiar--similar enough in plot and characters to so many other dystopians that I lost interest--but I dare you not to be wholly entranced by this world and characters. I have no idea what will happen in the sequels--this is one of those series!--but I am confident that it will surprise me at every turn.

Review: And I Darken by Kiersten White

Title: And I Darken (The Conquerors Saga, #1)

Author: Kiersten White

Rating: 4 Stars

I've never disliked White's novels. I thought her Paranormalcy trilogy was unique in defying the kick-ass heroine trend by presenting a protagonist who cared about her appearance, dresses, and the color pink. The plot itself never stood out, but it wasn't a BAD debut. Her more recent endeavor, Illusions of Fate, proved that she could write a well-developed fantasy and I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed it. But all of those novels had some distinct characteristics that were classic White. In comparison, And I Darken feels as if it was written by someone else entirely. Needless to say, I am thoroughly impressed by just how far White has come in her writing career and this book--this book!--is absolutely stunning.

In truth, And I Darken is a simple story. It is a historical fiction novel set during the time of the Ottoman Empire. Lada, the second legitimate child born to Vlad Dracul and his only daughter, loves her country Wallachia. Growing up alongside her younger brother Radu, Lada idolizes her father and does everything she can to be indispensable to him. It is Lada, not Radu, who learns to fight and hold her own. It is Lada who rides like a man and swears like a sailor. Radu, gentle and sweet with the face of an angel, grows up in the shadow of his older sister, ignored by his father and bullied by Lada who tries to toughen him up in a world where he sobs for every difficulty. Theirs is an interesting relationship for Radu and Lada love each other very much but the way in which they express that love is defeated by one another. When the two siblings are roughly thirteen, they travel to the capital of the Ottoman Empire and are kept there as collateral, their lives dependent on their father obeying the sultan. While Radu embraces his new home, turning to Islam and finding his place in a way he never found before, Lada never forgets Wallachia and swears she will return, no matter the cost.

And I Darken alternates between Lada and Radu's third person PoV from their birth roughly to the age of thirteen. Their childhood relationships with each other, their father, their friends and Wallachia itself are important to understanding these two protagonists and their vastly different natures. Once they arrive in Edirne, Lada and Radu begin to change over the course of the next three years into people they can barely recognize. Radu learns to fight, not with his hands and fists but with his cunning. His handsome face is trusting and allows him to enter circles that Lada cannot, making him indispensable as a spy. Of the two, it is Radu who understands human nature; who can watch and learn from body language the truth of what is being said. Lada, meanwhile, continues her studies, both educationally and physically, training day and night. The evolving relationship between these two siblings broke my heart time and time again because there is a great deal and love and affection between them but there are also misunderstandings--a pattern that anyone with siblings will understand (I know I did).

What I love most about Lada and Radu, though, is that they don't take on traditional gender-roles. In fact, you could argue that Lada is more of a man than Radu because of her brute strength and Radu uses his appearance to his advantage in a way that Lada perhaps should have learnt. Watching Lada, especially, navigate the different types of power structures that her gender can take on--whether it be the power that comes from being a woman in the harem or that of a servant girl rising the ranks--she is shocked and surprised to learn that she can use her body and men to her advantage instead of constantly trying to imitate them. There's also a fascinating discussion, here, of privilege--of the fact that Radu can be soft and gentle but is still afforded an education and can chose to marry whomever he wishes because he is a man. Had Lada acted the way he does, she would not have been given the education she possesses and, what's more, she would have been married off at the first opportunity. It's a really subtle, but important, message of gender roles that White imbibes throughout this narrative and I must applaud her for it.

I cannot lie--there is a love triangle to be found within these pages--but before you run away from this novel, let me tell you that I absolutely loved this love triangle. In a masochistic kind of way because it hurt, but it also hurt so good! I've been waiting for YA to get off its heteronormative high horse and embrace love triangles where not all members are necessarily straight and nor do all members put their love above all else. And that's exactly what we get here. Lada and Radu befriend Mehmed, the third in line for the throne, and their friendship grows and develops into something much more. But it's so much more than a simple romance. It's an affection that changes Lada and Radu's relationship and, further, it makes Lada question what she truly wants from life. Mehmed, as a sultan, will own a harem and have many wives--a concept that Lada rejects entirely. There are so many intricacies to the relationship between these three--their friendship and romance and reliance on one another for Mehmed trusts few others the way he trusts these two siblings--and I love that their story arc is intertwined with politics and passion, equally.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect, though, about this novel is its discussion of Islam. Radu embraces Islam and eventually converts, an action that Lada, who has little love in her heart for God, condemns. But White writes about Islam in a positive light, never preaching but rather teaching a few of the basic principles and how they bring Radu and Mehmed peace. It's a bold move, especially in a time period that is fraught with anti-Muslim sentiment, but she couldn't have done justice to the Ottoman Empire without writing about Islam. Moreover, the Ottoman Empire spans many different nations and I enjoyed getting to meet characters from all parts of the world with allegiances that didn't always lie with the Ottoman Empire or the sultan himself. White's world-building in this historical fiction piece is well-researched and flawless. I don't know how accurate it truly is, but it certainly felt extremely authentic.

I'm curious to see how this narrative progresses and am terrified for the future of these characters. White has made me care about Lada, Radu, and Mehmed immensely and to see them get pieces of what they've always wanted is going to be an interesting journey. Lada's story arc, especially, is inspirational and touches so close to home for it is the journey of a girl who is struggling to find her place in a world of men. For me, the only downfall of this novel is that I didn't love Mehmed with the passion that Lada and Radu did. I understood why they loved him, but I didn't share their sentiments and that distance made it slightly difficult for me to root for Mehmed, in this narrative. But perhaps I am not meant to cheer on the sultan who has nearly everything. Lada and Radu, the two royal siblings of Wallachia who, against all odds, are thriving in the Ottoman Empire, are my heroine and hero. I will follow them to the ends of the earth.

ARC Review: A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Title: A Promise of Fire (Kingmaker Chronicles, #1)

Author: Amanda Bouchet

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: August 2nd, 2016

A Promise of Fire fell just short of being truly remarkable. This debut romantic fantasy, straddling the line between New Adult and Adult more than anything else, is impossible to set down. I read it in a single setting and am thoroughly impressed by Bouchet's writing, world-building, and characters. Are we sure she's a debut author? I've been burned far too often by new-to-me authors this year, so color me surprised that Bouchet lived up to my expectations--and then some. But, as most of you will know, fantasy is my favorite genre. I am nearly impossible to please when it comes to a fantasy novel--everything has to be just perfect in a way it doesn't with nearly every other genre--and in that regard, A Promise of Fire fails. Yet, though it may not be a favorite, or even close to one of the best fantasy (and even romantic fantasy) novels out there, it's still really damn good.

Cat, the protagonist of our novel, hails from Fisa, the northernmost kingdom, home to powerful magicians and a bloodthirsty monarchy. She is a Kingmaker, a rare breed born only once every hundred or so years, and has spent much of her life regretting her powers. Tortured as a child, escaping with only her life, and now living with a circus troupe in the southernmost kingdom of Sinta--safe--for eight years, Cat has learned to let down her guard and, grudgingly, allow other people in. Until, that is, she is kidnapped by Griffin and his crew of three other men. Griffin and the majority of his people are non-magical and, against all odds, Griffin has placed his sister on the throne of Sinta. But he needs magical aid to keep her there and there is no one more powerful than Cat to help him. Cat, however, is stubborn and dangerous--a deadly combination--and there are people and forces scarier than Griffin after her blood. If she can escape unscathed, it will be a miracle. If she falls for Griffin and drags him down with her...there might be war.

The sparks between Cat and Griffin are flying off the page from their first encounter. Cat has grown up tortured and terrified and, as such, she's skeptical of love, trust, and friendship. Griffin slowly, but surely, gains all three from her over the course of the novel. Their constant verbal sparring, false barbs, and hate-to-love story arc makes up the majority of this novel--and I loved it. Both Cat and Griffin are perhaps a little too similar to work well together, but they match one another and challenge each other in a way that few others are able to. Without a doubt, their romance is the highlight of this novel and though this slow-burn is painful, at times, the pay-off is completely worth it.

The world-building of this realm, ruled by three kingdoms, is also expertly written by Bouchet. While it takes awhile for the full extent of the world-building to come to light, it all eventually does. Everything from tales of the lost princess of Fisa to the manner in which royals murder one another for power, not to mention the worship of Greek Gods and Goddesses, is fascinating and unique. I'm not completely certain why these people worship Zeus, Hades, Poseidon and the likes, but seeing as they're a violent and warring people, perhaps it makes sense. All this, alongside two factions of people--those who can perform magic and those who can't--with some tid-bits of Greek mythology, such as an Oracle, make this a fascinating realm. The politics, in particular, between these three realms are well-done but I definitely believe that Bouchet has a ways to go in expanding this world and making certain distinctions--or blendings, rather--of Greek mythology and magic a little clearer. Yet, with the romance as the central aspect to this novel, not to mention the character relationships between Cat and Griffin, plus his close friends and teammates, the world-building was satisfactory, to say the least.

Where this novel falters, for me, is in its--rather unnecessary--prolongation of events. Cat isn't the most mature 23-year-old in the world and her stubborn nature causes her and Griffin to want very different paths for their future, mostly because Griffin doesn't know the whole truth about Cat's past. It's a harmless and rather easy-to-guess plot twist that is heavily hinted at, roughly half-way through the novel, but Bouchet keeps her lips sealed and is sitting on this "reveal", probably for the sequels. I get rather easily irritated when characters fail to communicate or can't guess at obvious secrets, so I found myself exasperated with Cat and Griffin towards the end of this novel. It doesn't help that Bouchet could have easily turned this novel in a more political direction and rather fails to, opting instead for more near-death experiences and romantic moments.

Like I said, this novel thrives on the romance. And it's a well-written, remarkable love story--don't get me wrong--but by the conclusion of this story, I wanted more politics and plot twists and something more to prove that this trilogy had a backbone of fantasy alongside the romance. It is inevitable that the sequels will have to bring on the politics at the heart of this story--I hope--and Cat is a strong, capable heroine--one who is powerful and can hold her own, as shown multiple times throughout this story--so I will, without a doubt, be picking up Bouchet's sophomore novel. A Promise of Fire is at its best when the sexual tension between Cat and Griffin sizzles, the slow-burn romance dominates, and the world-building is developing. It's un-put-down-able as Cat conquers her inner fears and her past, learning to love and trust and find her own family. Only towards the very end, when it explodes in romance did it let me down, slightly. For lovers of YA Fantasy, A Promise of Fire is better than fantasy-lite, and for those who adore a healthy dose of romance, Bouchet's debut can't disappoint. For those hard-core fantasy lovers like me, I think this novel will strike a cord--and definitely prove read-able. And, who knows, perhaps the sequels will have even have my heart.