ARC Review: Marco Impossible by Hannah Moskowitz

Title: Marco Impossible

Author: Hannah Moskowitz

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: March 19th, 2013

I read this novel and my heart didn't break. Yes, it's true. I read a Hannah Moskowitz novel and did not emerge from it a sniveling ball of snot, tears running down my face because of my broken heart. I didn't think it was possible to read a Moskowitz novel and not be heart-broken on some level, but it is. Folks, Marco Impossible is the time that Hannah Moskowitz wrote a novel with a happy ending. And we all cried anyway.

Marco Impossible is my first Middle Grade novel from Hannah Moskowitz but, despite writing for a younger audience, Moskowitz manages to retain both her depth of feeling and complexity in this tale. Stephen and Marco are best friends, gearing up for high school in just a few months. Marco, however, is moving away to a private school and will never see the love of his life, Benji, ever again. Thus, Stephen and Marco are forced to make an elaborate plan to break into senior prom where Benji will be playing with his band, all so that Marco can confess his true feelings to Benji. Granted, there isn't a bomb involved in the plan like the cover may lead you to believe, but this book is just as spectacular without it.

From the very first page, it is clear that Marco Impossible is an incredibly fun ride. Marco and Stephen are wildly different characters, but together, they can take on the world. Stephen, who narrates our story, has a large family and has grown up in the shadow of Marco, who is loud, boisterous, and witty. Unlike Stephen, Marco is an only child, tentative about having siblings despite the fact that his parents are adopting a child overseas. It is obvious that although Marco relies on Stephen just as much as Stephen relies on Marco in this friendship, there are deep secrets between the two, whether it be Stephen who is still upset at having found that his father was cheating on his mother through the detective games that him and Marco played or Marco, who has dark secrets he won't part with.

Marco Impossible chronicles the plethora of difficulties Marco and Stephen face as they plan, and later execute, the adventure that will lead to Marco confessing his love for Benji, but it is also the tale of their friendship. Moskowitz brushes upon many subjects in this novel that are all serious and prevalent today, but best of all, she deals with them in an accessible and friendly manner, all while conveying the horror of the situation. In addition to that, though, the sibling relationships prevalent throughout the novel are masterfully written. With the number of siblings that Stephen has, it would have been easy to make at least a few of them similar, but instead, each of these secondary characters is well-rounded in their own right, all suffering through their own problems.

Yet, best of all, this is a story of friendship. It is the story of two friends who think they know each other, but not fully. Both Marco and Stephen are disastrously flawed characters, but it is impossible not to fall for them and their crazy adventure. Moreover, throughout the novel are short excerpts from the detective log that Marco and Stephen keep: hilarious momentums certain to delight the reader. All in all, Moskowitz really has written a funny, meaningful, and unforgettable story - once again. With authors like her around, finding excellent novels doesn't seem quite so impossible anymore.

Review: Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Title: Front and Center (Dairy Queen, #3) 

Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock 

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I just want to say, before I start this review, that if you plan to read this series, or just one book from this series, on a read-along...DON'T. I kid you not, but the Dairy Queen Series is THE WORST book you could pick for a read-along because you just cannot. Stop. Reading. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! I know because I've tried...for THREE BOOKS! It's HOPELESS! *throws hands up and stalks away*

Anyway, that being said, this is also one of those series you just HAVE to read because it is simple amazing. I love it. D.J. Schwenk is a heroine who is compelling, unique, and her voice is so relate-able, despite the fact that she lives on a farm, wakes up early morning to milk cows, and is the only girl to play football on her team. Front and Center, I can assure fans of the series, does not disappoint in terms of a conclusion at all. In fact, I found the romance to be resolved perfectly and it was heartwarming to see the full circle the Schwenk family had made since the beginning of our time with them.

BUT, I will say that out of the three books in this series, The Off Season, Book 2, is the strongest. It was heartfelt, deep, and truly brought together the bonds of the Schwenk family and D.J.'s maturity. In many ways, I still feel as if the ending of The Off Season is perfect in a bittersweet way - because, you know, I like those endings. While I still did enjoy Front and Center immensely, I do think that it failed to impress me as much as its predecessor.

For one, I have to admit to being disappointed by a certain lack of family in this story. Murdock's trilogy has been so well-loved, by me at least, because of its strong focus on the Schwenk family, their growth, development, and realistic tendencies. While I hasten to reassure readers that all this is still very much prevalent in this last novel - including some utterly heartwarming mother-daughter bonding scenes - I still came away unimpressed. With The Off Season, Murdock had established a strong relationship between D.J. and her two older brothers. Win and Bill are still strong presences in this novel who had a huge impact on D.J.'s life decisions, especially the former, but I didn't feel this bond as strongly as I wished. It's not that it wasn't there, but simply that it wasn't as deep as I remembered.

Next, I really do have a fight to pick with the unrealistic portrayal of college in this story. As an American student undergoing the process of finding colleges and applying to them, D.J.'s journey is simply too convenient, unrealistic, and a little grating for teens to read about. In Front and Center, D.J. is vying for a basketball scholarship and, after getting an article published about her in People magazine, she has floods of letters from colleges, requesting her to contact them, and even has Division-I college coaches actively seeking her out in her school itself. (Note: D.J. is a junior while this is happening and she hasn't even written her SATs yet when she begins to receive scholarship offers! Yeah, this doesn't happen in America. I wish.)

While all this is a vastly unrealistic experience to go through, I do have to commend Murdock for making D.J.'s reactions to these events as realistic as possible. You see, D.J. is still confused and distressed because although she has a variety of options before her (and never even had to research colleges with the programs she wanted), she still faces a drastic inner battle. Despite being an incredible basketball player, D.J. is unsure of joining the competitive Division-I league of players. Although Murdock writes about sporty kids who are athletically talented, I find that I can relate to their issues, which I love. Plus, D.J. really gets out of her comfort zone in this novel, learning to talk to other people and make friends [who are, you know, not just Amber or Brian or Beaner or other guys who play sports but actual GIRLS who maybe like to do math in their spare time (although what kind of person LIKES to do math??)].

Front and Center is a great novel and a fantastic conclusion to a delightful trilogy, but I did wish for more family bonding in this one, not to mention a more realistic portrayal of colleges and going about the college process. It seemed a little convenient, in my eyes. Plus, it's also so nice for D.J. that because colleges don't care about her SATs or grades she can just skip school to visit colleges while the rest of us have to schedule college visits when we don't have AP Bio Lab or AP Physics Tests or, you know, a composition for AP French. (Sorry, I am seriously SO BITTER that my life isn't as easy as D.J.'s is! >.< )

Bottom Line? Read the series. Murdock's writing is impeccable, her characterization spot-on, and her books sure to put a smile on your face. I find that this is one series that simply does not disappoint and its originality makes it stand out from the usual contemporary read. If you skip out on this series, believe me when I say you are missing out - majorly.

Review: Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott

Title: Shadows on the Moon 

Author: Zoe Marriott

Rating: 3.5 Stars

If you've been following my status updates for this book, you can probably understand why I am so conflicted over my rating. On one hand, Shadows on the Moon is an incredible story. Although it is marketed as an Asian re-telling of Cinderella where our princess must avenge the death of her beloved father, it is less of an Edmund Dantes-eque revenge story and more of a contemplative tale of self-growth.

If you read the synopsis of this story, it easily leads you to believe that Marriott's tale follows the general outline of a well-known fairy tale. Contrary to popular belief, however, very little of this actual story is centered around any type of Cinderella-type story. It has its main players, but everything else is left up to the imagination of the author.

Now, this is both a good thing and a bad thing. On one hand, the narration never feels forced or stifled by the fairy tale it is based on, much like Marissa Meyer's Cinder did for me. Yet, at the same time, I found that this story lacked plot for much of its length. For a little over half of the story, the true emerging plot was hard to find. We journey with Suzume as she watches her father killed before her eyes, as she discovers her powers as a shadow-weaver or one who can weave illusions, as she cuts herself, dealing with her grief the only way she knows how, as she falls in love with a handsome foreigner, as she commits acts of indescribable cruelty and runs away from her life. Only then is she presented with an opportunity for revenge and she cultivates herself to become Yue, the most beautiful woman, so she can win the favor of the prince and, in turn, seek her vengeance.

Nevertheless, I cannot disregard the fact that the beginning of this story is slow and hard to get into. It is a chore to pick it up, especially without any goal seemingly in sight. Once it really gets going, though, it utterly sucks you in. Despite the near insta-love of the romance in this novel, I utterly fell for it. It is sweet, caring, and perfect without unnecessary misunderstandings or drama. Suzume's growth throughout the novel, her careful exploration of her grief, and the detail to aspects of the society in this fantasy world is all masterfully created. Each of the secondary characters serve a larger role and have their own depth and truly, I loved this story.

BUT, I must warn readers not to jump on board with the revenge scheme too much. In the end, it is all rather anticlimactic, the villains I once thought to be complex, gray figures revealed to be nothing more than stereotypical black-and-white characters to end the story quickly. Suzume easily wraps up what should have been a long ordeal and all in all, the resolution to the revenge that fueled Suzume's life for so long was massively disappointing.

I did enjoy it immensely, but I can't say if I really recommend it for a lot of other readers. You need to be patient and possibly not a fan of The Count of Monte Cristo. Or, you know, if you are, just don't expect epic revenge adventures from Asian girls that are on the sword-fighting, cunning level of what Alexandre Dumas can write. I honestly went into this book expected Suzume to turn into a shadow-weaving ninja assassin, but sadly, this doesn't happen. Shadows on the Moon is very much unexpected and while this isn't a bad thing, it wasn't always good either.

Review: Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Title: Crown of Embers (Girl of Fire and Thorns, #2) 

Author: Rae Carson

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I have to admit, I am a little upset. Not because of the cliffhanger ending, but because I was expecting one and it never came. Seriously. I pre-ordered this book and have been staring at it longingly on my shelves for MONTHS, refusing to be subject to a terrible, heart-wrenching cliffhanger, only to have an ending that leaves me jumping up and down for joy, completely satisfied and happy. Needless to say, we all need to re-affirm our definition of a cliffhanger ending.

Does Crown of Embers leave you wanting The Bitter Kingdom as soon as you can possibly get your hands on it? Yes. Actually, ALL good books should leave you wanting to continue the series. So, really, Rae Carson was only doing her job. NOT writing a gut-wrenching cliffhanger that left me sobbing on the floor. (Yes, I am looking at YOU Sarah Rees Brennan. Will I ever forgive you? Only if Kami and Jared make out like crazy in Untold.)

Nevertheless, I suppose that the ending of Crown of Embers can be construed as a cliffhanger. It does, after all, end in the middle of plans for an epic journey. BUT, more than anything else, I ended this book elated.

With The Crown of Embers, Rae Carson writes a sequel that is far stronger than its predecessor - a feat only few other authors have managed to do so far while writing a trilogy. Although I must admit that I am sure Carson has lost faithful fans with this installment, for it is far more introspective, character-driven, and political than the whirlwind adventure her first book was, it was the perfect piece for this story arc and made me fall in love with her writing, characters, and settings even more than before.

Crown of Embers excels simply because of its politics. It details the many assassination attempts on Elisa and her growth to becoming the queen she is meant to be, all while dealing with backstabbers in her court, is a slow and steady climb, rewarding in every step of the way. Furthermore, Elisa is no longer the simple princess we knew from The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Seeing her become politically savvy was a journey of its own and while she'll never have the cunning it takes to run a country the way Irene and Gen from The Queen's Thief Series do, she's pretty darn close.

What Crown of Embers lacks in adventure, though, it makes up for with its romance. The Girl of Fire and Thorns told the sweet, blooming story of first love, but Crown of Embers chronicles the passionate, burning love of a woman. One of my favorite things about this novel is that Carson isn't afraid to talk about sex. We do have sex in YA Literature, but do we ever really have discussions about it? No. Rae Carson, however, makes it normal for her characters to discuss sex, their passion and lust for another, all in a way that makes it seem right and natural and loving. Why can't more authors do this? Why is it seen as wrong or disgusting or dirty to want to have sex with a man? Why is it seen as embarrassing to talk about sex with your friends? If you can't talk about sex with them, if you can't tell the person you love that you want to have sex with them, then who can you tell?

Crown of Embers isn't all about sex, but considering this is one of the ONLY novels I've come across that incorporates this aspect of growing up so seamlessly into its text, it stood out to me. Needless to say, Rae Carson really does cover every aspect of Elisa's growth as a woman, as a monarch, and as a person. Stunning.

Nevertheless, what makes Crown of Embers a novel that really does not have a cliffhanger ending is the fact that the entire book is a whirlwind journey of emotion. Rae Carson, you have thoroughly messed my heart. For the first half of this novel, I was quite literally dying of anticipation because the sexual tension in this book is notched up like nothing else is. It is sweet, slow-to-burn, and oh-so-genuine. It is actual, tender, caring love, but mixed into that, is an immense amount of longing that simmers in your heart.

Well, if you thought the sexual tension is bad, wait until the romantic couple in this novel - Hector and Eliza - finally kiss because then the million reasons why they can't be together pops up. For once, this isn't simply an issue that exists for the sake of drama. Instead, it is a very real problem. You see, a romance isn't built upon power - it is built upon mutual understanding, love, and respect. If you are in love with a queen, though, power is nearly always at play. I admire Carson for bringing up such a prevalent issue with her love story because power imbalances exist in relationships even today and even in nations that aren't ruled by a monarch. Furthermore, though, Hector is just such a swoon-worthy hero. We know he'd give up his life to save Elisa, but as we learn, he's given up so much more than that too. Moreover, he understands Elisa like a best friend, knows her at her strongest and weakest times, and appreciates her for who she is inside, not the position of power she holds.

Finally, though, Rae Carson ends this book perfectly. We finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, the way for our romantic couple to finally be together and granted, they are separated at the end, but we finish this novel knowing that they will find a way to be together, that Elisa has finally become the queen she was meant to be, and that this is going to go down in history as one of the best trilogies ever.

Unless, of course, Carson kills of Hector, which would make her lose all her fans and everyone would hate.

So, you know, she won't do that.

Or if she does, she'll write an alternate ending novella where Hector and Elisa will make out all day in the sand.

If you haven't already picked up this series, then, please, don't wait. It's amazing. It has rich world-building, incredible characters, astounding growth, simmering romance, and truly makes you think and question everything you know about faith, inner-belief and self-growth.

Rae Carson, just write an amazing third novel, okay? We'll be best friends after that. I promise.

Novella Review: The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer (Salute Your Shorts, #2)

Salute Your Shorts is a weekly (ish) feature hosted by Heidi at Bunbury in the Stacks. It highlights and reviews short stories and novellas, both of which don't receive too much attention in the blogosphere. 

Title: The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles, #1.5)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Rating: 4 Stars

The Queen's Army is one of two good e-novellas out there, the other being Roar and Liv by Veronica Rossi. While I am always exceedingly curious to pick up novellas, I tend to find that they are massive disappointments, focusing on unrelated aspects of the plot or simply written poorly. Whatever the case may be, I have more or less sworn off of YA Novellas. In Marissa Meyer's case, though, I'll be making an exception. The Queen's Army was short, but sufficient enough to give the reader new - and deeper - insight into the world Meyer has created and by the end of it, you'll be itching for more of her writing for sure.

Z is a twelve-year-old Lunar when he is recruited by the Queen to serve in her army. After being forced away from his family, he undergoes surgery, emerging as a human boy with wolf instincts - sharp smell, heightened hearing, better vision, and, of course, canines. Now, in the army, Z has only one goal in mind - to be strong enough, fast enough, and good enough that his Queen doesn't see fit to turn him into the pro-type for future soldiers - one that is more beast than man.

With The Queen's Army, Marissa Meyer cleverly shows us a chink in the seemingly perfect plans of Queen Levana. As a villain, she is formidable, intelligent, and cunning, but she also cannot always control everyone and everything. Although the wolf-human soldiers she creates are bound to the will of their leaders, the struggle Meyer has shown is one that is shockingly easy to feel for. Z lives on in the hope that he will remain the half-mutated boy he currently is, fearful of his beast tendencies and despising the thought that he may have fur in the future if he doesn't prove himself good enough. It is this drive that makes Z such an endearing character. Unlike the others, Z isn't utterly fixated upon serving his Queen, but rather keeping his humanity. When you're turned into a beast, how far can you go to preserve the moral standards that you once retained as a human?

Although I read The Queen's Army after Scarlet, I do not entirely think it makes much of a difference when you read this short story. While it does, quite obviously, give away a plot twist in Meyer's sophomore novel, many of my friends have enjoyed Scarlet just as much - if not more - than I have despite it. In fact, this short e-novella gives the reader a deeper insight into one of Meyer's new characters. Without this background knowledge, though, the reader is transported directly into Scarlet's head and she discovers her new companion, along with any betrayals that may come her way. While I thoroughly enjoyed the plot twists that I was able to experience as a result of not having read this novel before Scarlet, I do think it'll make for a more enriched, although predictable, reading experience.

Either way, the point remains that this e-novella is a must-read for fans of Marissa Meyer and the Lunar Chronicles. It takes up only fifteen minutes of your time, but manages to make you think, question, and fall in love with an original character. If that isn't worth reading for, then I don't know what is.

You can check out my review of Cinder, the first book in this series HERE and my review of Scarlet, the second book in this series HERE.