ARC Anthology Review: My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins

Title: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

Author(s): Stephanie Perkins, Holly Black, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Matt de la Pena, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, Kiersten White

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Release Date: October 14th, 2014

5 Star Reads --> "Midnight" by Rainbow Rowell and "It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown" by Stephanie Perkins were solid 5 Star reads from me. "Midnight" charts a best friend romance on the night of New Year's Eve over the span of a few years and Rowell's prose, perfectly highlighting the depth of subtleties in this relationship, is utterly perfect in this instance. I almost wish this were longer. Almost. "It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown" is, conversely, a love story which takes place over the course of just a few hours. Yet, Perkins possesses a talent for crafting true love romances; capturing the essence of love within a span of just minutes. I completely fell for the couple outlined in this tale and their chemistry was simply off-the-charts.

4 Star Reads --> Laini Taylor's "The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer" was lovely, obviously, and Gayle Forman's "What the Hell Have you Done, Sophie Roth?" was a far cry from the typical Forman read but no less thought-provoking. I found "The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer" to contain a dreamy atmosphere, which I enjoyed but didn't completely fall for. Still, Taylor's imagination knows no bounds and the creativity with which she created a fantasy winter tale was truly stunning. "What the Hell Have you Done, Sophie Roth?" is a novel that focuses on the stark differences between a couple rather than their similarities as most love stories tend to do. Sophie Roth is Jewish, living on a small campus in the Mid-West where her religion isn't as common, and she winds up spending the day with an African American boy who isn't a scholarship student, even though she is. I really enjoyed how their initial misconceptions of one another grew to shift as the story progressed but I didn't feel their chemistry as acutely as I would have liked, perhaps, and the tale itself was very focused on their religious/economic/ethnic differences more than any personality traits. Still, definitely one of the better editions to this anthology.

3 Star Reads--> David Levithan's story was interesting and memorable, primarily because it features an LGBTQ couple and additionally because it seemed to contain many undertones--most of which I feel went over my head, hence the lower rating. I felt thrown into this tale and desperately needed a larger backstory to thoroughly comprehend the layers to Levithan's characterization. Carter's story, too, proves to be intriguing as it features a protagonist who switches plane tickets with another young girl and winds up in the middle-of-nowhere, pretending to be a native from Iceland. It isn't as much romantic as it is sweet but the tale takes on a turn for the strange when we discover the true reasons for our protagonist's decision to abandon her original flight. Ultimately, these two stories felt as if they needed more development, sadly, and didn't work as well--for me--as short stories.

I did briefly read a few more tales in this anthology but I didn't find them to be as memorable as I'd have liked. You must read Rowell, Perkins, Taylor, and Forman's pieces from this. As for the rest, I'd be comfortable skipping them--you aren't missing much at all.

Showcase Sunday (#35)

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicki at Books, Biscuits and Tea. Its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.

For Review:

Bought:

It's been awhile since my last Showcase Sunday and I definitely received quite a few more books than just these but I can't possibly remember them all so here are the most recent. I already devoured Blue Lily, Lily Blue and loved it, and am so looking forward to Havoc, I'll Give You the Sun and Princess of Thorns. I've also heard excellent reviews regarding The Goblin Emperor so I'm hoping to find time for that sometime in October, though with all the releases I'm holding my breath for I doubt that will happen. But, a girl can dream, right? ;) What have you received this past week? 

A Life Update...(Because I've Been MIA For Waaay Too Long!)

I miss blogging.

I was walking back from the Science Center this evening, having been let out of my three and a half hour lab five minutes early, and instead of planning a complex schedule which would involve me eating dinner while reading Acts I and II of Much Ado About Nothing before sprinting to choir practice, I found myself missing the act of blogging. Of physically putting into words the emotions I felt while reading. Of not writing an essay on the form and meter of sonnets, of not writing responses to French literature from the Middle Ages, of not writing down homework but instead simply writing to impart a part of my soul.

Ever since beginning college a month ago, I've been meaning to put into words the experience of uprooting myself and beginning anew. It's thrilling. It's exciting. But it's also a lot more fearful than many let on. It's weird, really, how much I miss the little things. Opening the door for my younger brother when he got off the school bus. Seeing what outfits my mother would put together for work every morning. Loitering in the hallways with my best friend before class began. Running my hands across the spines of novels on my bookshelf just to feel their edges on my fingertips. Curling up with a lone book all weekend, just a blanket and a mug of coffee my constant companions.

I miss blogging. I haven't truly written a review I've felt proud about since arriving on campus. I just haven't had the time. If I haven't been studying or throwing myself into organization after organization, I've been socializing in the mad rush to find my best friend for life (because, apparently, college is where to find these people!). But, from now on, instead of leaving a post online for a week I do promise to regularly go back to posting new content. For myself, more than anything else. I need the break that blogging provides, perhaps just as much as I need the pleasure that reading gives me. I haven't found it difficult to read at least a novel a week since coming here but sitting down to discuss that novel? Now that I haven't been able to do as successfully.

Ultimately, this is a simple life update and a pledge to blog, to post, to read, to comment, to re-instate myself within the blogging community I've felt distant from this past month. Even if it's just to comment on blog posts and update my twitter account, I want to be apart of this. I've loved it, now, for two years, and I don't plan on giving it up. I apologize, truly, for being so absent this past month but I hope--and will sincerely be trying--to be present. And if you sense me slipping off the tracks, resorting to my state of reclusive reading and writing merely essays regarding French literature, do not hesitate to shoot me an e-mail and re-direct me to this post.

For those of you who began college recently, I hope you're adjusting as well as I am and are even half as in love with your campus and community as I currently find myself. If you aren't there yet--don't worry. It takes time. God knows I'm still adjusting and likely will be for the next two years (at the very least). For all my readers, friends, and the kind souls who've sent me encouraging messages this past asking me to keep up with blogging--thank you! Seriously, thank you for following me, for sticking with me, and for waiting for me to figure out--partially--this whole college-life-adjustment...thing. ;) You rock. And I'll be posting more often. Promise.

And to compensate for my absence, here are pictures!

Clearly, I've got my priorities straight and visited Wellesley Books, the local indie bookstore just a five minute walk from my dorm, during Orientation Week. This is their YA section...heaven! :) 

On the left you'll see sunflowers I was gifted by my Big Sister on Flower Sunday. Flower Sunday is a tradition where first-years are welcomed into the school and given a Big Sister since I'm attending an all-women's college and it was such an incredible ceremony. I don't have any more pictures since I was singing with the choir but I wish I did...it really was so special. On the right is my campus during sunset. It's gorgeous and the Galen Tower you see chimes every morning with music from the bells. It's kind of like that scene from Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" when Quasimodo is playing the bells and the entire city can hear the music. It's gorgeous. 

Again on the left you can see my campus, like side from the other side of Lake Waban. It's a three-mile walk around the lake--which is beautiful to kayak in, by the way--and the view of the campus from a distance is breath-taking. On the right is the sole picture I took of my first night out in Boston where I attended an improv-comedy show. It was also the night the Northern Lights were visible to the naked eye here in the Northeast (not New Jersey, my hometown, but definitely up here in Wellesley) so that was quite a sight to see as well. 

Last, but not least, on the left is Platform 9 3/4. (Yup, I attend Hogwarts. BE JEALOUS.) ;P And on the right is a gorgeous pond I pass nearly every day.

I totally should have taken more pictures while on the lake and kayaking and during Orientation week but...for now I hope this will do. I hope you're all having a wonderful day and I will be posting again very, very soon. :D

ARC Review: Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios

Title: Exquisite Captive (Dark Caravan Cycle, #1) 

Author: Heather Demetrios

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: October 7th, 2014

Where Heather Demetrios's Something Real battered its fists on my radar for weeks--the media onslaught of this novel breaking through the tiniest of crevices--Exquisite Captive practically slipped under my notice entirely. Something Real failed to entice me with its reality television plot line--likely because my idea of television is the Food Network--but Exquisite Captive captured my imagination from its cover and title alone. The Arabian Nights and other Middle Eastern legends have gone unexplored for too long, so for Demetrios to break down that barrier and weave a fantastical tale of her own, drawing from ancient lore and myth, was to break down the barrier into my heart as well. While Exquisite Captive is certainly not without its flaws, its original storyline, complex characterization, and truly exquisite world-building allow this novel to transcend its limitations.

Exquisite Captive is told primarily from the third-person perspective of Nalia, a young jinni princess who has been captured and sold into slavery. Malek, her ruthless master, uses Nalia to further his large clientele, all the while holding her freedom out of reach as he refuses to make his third--and final--wish. In her homeland, Arjinna, Nalia is the last of her kind--a jinni race who can control all four elements--and thus the rightful heir to the throne. After witnessing the dark fire jinn slaughter her family and take over the crown, Nalia barely escaped with her life only to be shackled to the dark caravan where thousands of jinn are sold to human masters, serving their lords on Earth. Nalia would do anything to regain her freedom and return to Arjinna--not to reclaim her throne but to find her younger brother who she loves dearly. Anything, including seducing her master, Malek, and striking a bargain with Raif, the leader of the Arjinnian revolution. Raif represents the castes of other jinn in Arjinna--jinn whose magic only extends over one element. For years, Nalia's kind has ruled, withholding valuable training from the other jinn in Arjinna and looking down upon all those not royalty. Thus, the last thing Raif wants is to see the throne reclaimed but he needs Nalia's help--and can secure Nalia's freedom if she wrests her bottle away from her master. With the rumors of a live Arjinnian princess, an assassin is painstakingly hunting for Nalia across the Earth and the clock is ticking. Now, the only question left is who will kill Nalia first: the assassin, or Malek when he discovers her betrayal?

Demetrios has created such a rich, tangible world in Exquisite Captive. What I appreciated about her prose is the fact that she never resorts to info-dumping. Instead, with short, selective flashbacks and believable dialogue she creates Arjinna, a fictional realm which feels all too real. Yet, more than the complex backstory of a coup, social injustice, and violence Demetrios also discusses the dark caravan. Nalia, as a victim of the dark caravan, yearns for her freedom with an aching pain that is all to sharp. It is impossible not to pity her, empower her, and watch as she struggles to break from the chains of slavery that hold her back from her true destiny. With such a compelling background itself, it becomes impossible not to dive into this novel with our hearts in our throats, waiting to see if Nalia can overcome the odds stacked against her. 

As a heroine, Nalia is impeccably written. On one hand, she's fiercely loyal to her younger brother--her only remaining family--and though we only know of him through brief flashbacks, the love she feels for him bleeds through the page. It is his face that keeps her enduring the tough situations she finds herself in and her courage, bravery, and strength are all admirable. Of course she is immensely powerful and her magic is a tool, but it is her inner-strength that this story allows us to see and it is that which makes her such an endearing protagonist. We know she isn't perfect--we've seen her perform unspeakable acts--but the double-edged sword of morality with which she does them cast her character in a different light. With all the blacks and whites swirling together to create so many shades of gray, it's impossible to wholly love or despise any one character in this tale, which I love. 

Malek is, hands down, one of the most intriguing characters I've come across in fiction. In many ways, he reminds me of Javier Bernal from Karina Halle's The Artist Trilogy. As a master, Malek has tortured Nalia and been cruel to her, but he has also never forced himself upon her and she lives a lavish Hollywood lifestyle with him by her side. Moreover, Malek is slowly changing in his attentions towards Nalia; from master to lover. As he displays a tender, sweeter side to Nalia, she is all the more confused by her master's behavior. No matter what Malek may believe, Nalia is still forced to be subservient to him; obeying his orders, working with his clients, and chained to his side. Yet, as Nalia discovers more and more about who Malek is, what his motivations are, and everything that drives him, both she and the reader cannot help but become more sympathetic towards this "villain." With his drop-dead good looks, charisma, and not-quite-a-villain personality, Malek is a force to be reckoned with both on the page and in our hearts. I could not bring myself to hate him, though I could not love him either. Nevertheless, his presence throughout the novel is unpredictable and keeps us on our toes, which I love. Out of all the characters I am most eager to re-visit in the sequels, Malek makes the top of that list--easily. 

When Raif first burst onto the page, I stiffened up in alarm. After all, the presence of two handsome men usually screams "love triangle" in blaring neon lights. Yet, it quickly became apparent that the focus of Exquisite Captive was not on the romance, but rather the countless political issues plaguing these characters. Raif dislikes Nalia on sight as her claim to the throne represents everything he's been fighting, but he needs her help--desperately--and a bargain is struck between the two. Neither Nalia nor Raif trust one another but, as they grow to understand each other better, they cannot help but dissolve their first impressions. For me, Raif felt similar to a typical male protagonist in the sense that he's caring, his motives are largely selfless, and he forces the protagonist to witness her life through a new lens. Yet, it is the swirling darkness in Raif that sets him apart as, at a young age, he is carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire nation on his shoulders. It is practically impossible to dislike Raif, what with him being such a likable hero and all, but his presence in the story thankfully transcends that of a mere romantic interest. 

Granted, there is a love triangle of sorts at play here but, because of the manner of Nalia's relationships with these two men, we know exactly which love story is doomed from the start. It's still a treat to watch everything play out, but it becomes clear just who Nalia wants by the end of this novel. If it's going to work out in the future is still largely unclear, but who Nalia's heart belongs to isn't murky in the least. Nevertheless, I do feel as if the main romance arc played out a liiiitle too quickly for my liking; at least in the sense that it jumped from "like" to "love" really fast. Another quibble came from the perspectives of the assassin sent after Nalia--after a point, each chapter featuring the assassin's hunt for Nalia across Earth began to read a bit too similar. Moreover, the jarring presence of these chapters interrupted the flow of the story, at times, which was a bit disappointing. 

With those exceptions, however, Exquisite Captive contains a fascinating growth arc, even more intriguing characters, and a world heavy in darkness but not without hope. I, for one, cannot wait to see where this story continues in the sequel and its unpredictability is an aspect I've really enjoyed of it. I will say, however, that this is a tale where emotional connection is key. Having been emotionally embroiled in this novel, I found it impossible to set down and my heart bled for each of these characters; for the loss they'd sustained from the past and for the loss they'd continue to sustain in the future. It straddles the line between young adult and new adult (though I'd have loved for this to be more strongly new adult, in some departments) and, as such, the growth is so relevant and realistically drawn. Without a doubt, Exquisite Captive is one of the more surprising reads of the year and Something Real cannot fall into my hands fast enough; if it has even a quarter of the heart and soul that Exquisite Captive contained, I know I'll fall in love. 

The Next Big YA Book Event!

Calling all YA authors!

If you have ever hashtagged #amwriting, #MSWL, or #IWantToBePublishedSoBadlyMyEyeballsMightPop, than pay attention.

From September 17^th through October 1^st, Hipso Media Publishing and Jenny from Supernatural Snark will be hosting the ‘Next Big YA Book Event.’

Why is this good news for #amwriters?

Here’s how the event works. Most publishers work exclusively with agents, which makes it difficult (more like close to impossible) for up-and-coming writers to get their work seen. Well, Hipso Media Publishing will be opening their doors to all YA writers who dream of traditional publication, but can’t seem to catch a break. Writers who have mountainous ideas, along with an actual mountain of rejection letters. Hipso wants to pick one of those writers, and treat them like the literary rock star they are, showering them in every publishing perk someone of their caliber deserves:

-  Publishing contract with a generous royalty program

-  Custom cover from Seedlings Design

-  Candace Book Blog Book Tour

-  Exclusive front-page podcast on AuthorsOnTourLive, iReadBooksRadio and iHeartRadio (which gets an average of more than 1 million hits a year)

-  Novel as an eBook on all major retailers – Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, around the world

-  A featured post on Supernatural Snark

-  Awesome book swag, and more…

Once the winning manuscript is picked, Jenny from Supernatural Snark (Owner of Seedlings Design) will work with the author to create a custom cover that will be sure to shout, “NEXT BIG YA BOOK”. And then she’ll do a featured post on Supernatural Snark, to make sure the world hears.

No agents, hoops, or hassles. The only criteria are that your YA manuscript be finished, you must believe it’s great, and it must not already be published somewhere else.

Here’s the link to the submissions page and contact info:

http://www.hipsomedia.com/the-next-big-ya-book/

Good luck and happy writing!
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I honestly wish I was talented enough (or, really, just had the time and creativity!) to be one of those people who hashtag #amwriting. (Instead, I'm pretty all I ever hashtag is #tired or #collegestudentproblems or #bibliophile.) I think this event is simply fantastic so I encourage you all to participate, especially if you get your cover designed by Jenny @ Supernatural Snark who is just phenomenal. ;)

Well, that's all for today! I hope you're having a great week, not dying with back-to-back quizzes and tests, and getting a lot more reading done than I am. (Although, I do have to say, I finished Blue Lily, Lily Blue and AAAHH if you haven't pre-ordered your copy then stop reading this and go pre-order it!) :D