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June 28, 2013

Review: Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Famous Last Words
Title: Famous Last Words
Author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Publisher:
 Henry Holt & Co. 

Publication date: June 25, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Source: Publisher (Raincoast)
Format: ARC
Pages: 288
Sixteen-year-old Samantha D’Angelo has death on the brain. Her summer internship at the local newspaper has her writing obituaries instead of soaking up the sun at the beach. Between Shelby, Sam’s boy-crazy best friend; her boss Harry, a true-blue newspaper man; and AJ, her fellow “intern scum” (aka the cute drummer for a band called Love Gas), Sam has her hands full. But once she figures out what—or who—is the best part of her summer, will she mess it all up?

As Sam learns her way around both the news room and the real world, she starts to make some momentous realizations about politics, ethics, her family, romance, and most important—herself.
Famous Last Words is the second book I read by Jennifer Doktorski, the first being How My Summer Went Up in Flames, a road trip contemporary that I immensely enjoyed. I was very excited for Famous Last Words and overall it was enjoyable, however I felt it appeals to a younger age group in comparison to her previous book. 
This book is all about Sam and her internship at the newspaper. Sam loves to write however she is stuck writing obituaries till the end of summer. We are introduced to AJ, another intern, but a college student. You can instantly sense that there will be a romance however do not expect much, it is not a major part of the book. This book centers more around Sam finding her passion as well as her independence from her friends and getting over the limits she usually sets for herself. I liked how dedicated she was and how she went after whatever she wanted. That is a great aspect in an aspiring journalist. What I didn't like is the way she treated her best friend.. and I know her best friend is a bit ditzy and somewhat shallow at times, she is still her friend and the way she always ignored her didn't bode well with me. 
There is a big story that Sam uncovers throughout the novel, however it isn't a personal one. Sam's life isn't messed up, she has two loving parents as well as a happy home life. You also get to see some banter from time to time between Sam and AJ but in the end, it is all about Sam's realization of what her true passion is as well as the direction she ends up taking in her educational life. Honestly, it wasn't a novel I was really invested in since I just didn't feel that there was much to invest in to. Overall, Famous Last Words was an enjoyable read, however don't expect too much depth from it. 
Other books by Doktorski:

June 26, 2013

Review: Ink by Amanda Sun


Title: Ink (Paper Gods, #1)
Author: Amanda Sun
Publisher:
 Harlequin Teen 

Publication date: June 25, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Fantasy/Mythology)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 377
On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.
Being a major fan of the Japanese culture and art, I was very excited to start Ink. Katie Greene had to move to live in Japan with her aunt after her mother died. For Katie, it was all new to her. She felt homesick, and she couldn't wait to get out of Shizouka. The book started off with Katie at school, witnessing a break up between Tomohiro (senior) and his girlfriend Myu. Myu saw a sketch of a pregnant girl in his notebook, and that made her question his faithfulness towards her. What Katie couldn't believe was that she saw the sketch of the pregnant girl actually move! When she immediately asks Tomohiro why it moved, he just told her to leave. The story then unfolds, and we learn so many things about Tomohiro's powers, and how it is all connected to Katie. Tomohiro being the bad guy with his copper red hair, Tanaka and Yuki (Katie's friends), told her to stay away from him because he is mixed in a lot of trouble. Katie was still determined to figure out why these sketches move.
What I most loved about this book was the incorporation of the Japanese culture in so many ways. There was also some Japanese text that was included, but I wasn't really bothered by it since I understood most words written. Being a huge fan of Japan, it was great to see how Amanda Sun was able to really show the typical Japanese lifestyle in her book. The little tiny thing that the Japanese do, it all added up and was really great. The book also had a couple of sketches in between. It is always cool when there are extra things added in a book, because it always makes the experience just much more realistic. I loved the addition of Yuki and Tanaka. They were such great friends to Katie, and they always had her back. Tomohiro was a typical Japanese bad boy (I know because I've watched my share of Japanese dramas). I loved him to bits because there was just so much to learn about him. Ink started off really great, but then it kind of slowed towards the middle, but I'm glad it was able to pick it's pace back in the end.
Overall, Ink was a great read to start off my summer. I seriously loved all the Japanese culture that was included, and the art was just beautiful. Ink wasn't just about romance and high school drama, but it was about family, culture, and friends. The ending was amazing, and I don't think I would have wanted to change anything. I'm really glad that this book did not disappoint me at all, and I cannot wait to read the next book in the Paper Gods series. A big clap for Amanda Sun's debut novel. Recommended to those who love Japanese culture, and those who are into mythology! You will totally fall in love with this story and these characters!

June 23, 2013

Review: Invisible by Marni Bates

Invisible
Title: Invisible
Author: Marni Bates
Publisher:
 K-Teen

Publication date: June 25, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 300
Jane Smith has survived three years of high school without making a single enemy, all by keeping a low profile. Not even her three best friends, Kenzie, Corey and Isobel, can say the same. But with Corey dating the lead singer from ReadySet and Kenzie in a relationship too, being invisible tends to be lonely. But now she's written an article for her school newspaper that has accidentally snagged the attention of some celebrities. Turns out, people get really upset when their innermost secrets are splashed all over the front page. And new her well-ordered life is being blasted to hell, with results that are wildly unexpected.
Invisible is the third book in a series of companion novels. I have read both the first and second books (Awkward and Decked with Holly) and ended up really enjoying Awkward and liking Decked with Holly. In terms of how much I like Invisible, it would have to be between both Awkward and Decked with Holly. These books each talk about a different person that was usually a secondary if not just a one scene character in the previous books. 
Jane Smith is the best friend of the main character from Awkward.. I honestly never paid any attention to her in Awkward but right now she's center stage. My problem with her is that she was very whiny. Yes her friend is now famous (youtube sensation actually) while her other friend is dating a star (think one of the boys in One Direction). So she feels left out.. I do understand her feelings as if she no longer matters in her friends' life equation. However Jane also has other problems, one named the school's newspaper while the other is Scott, the know it all who she thought was her friend but backstabbed her the first chance he got to be part of the popular crowd (yup, misunderstanding alert!). 
I personally felt that the plot was lacking in comparison to the other two novels.. the whole point was Jane trying to secure a writing instead of an editing position at the newspaper along with her insecurities towards her friends and Scott. I wished we got more development from Jane, as well as see her grow into someone who doesn't depend so much on her friends. This book contains tons of misunderstandings, so be aware of that. They are the kind of misunderstandings that basically ruin friendships as well as relationships. Character wise, I really disliked Mackenzie's behavior (main character in Awkward). However I really liked Scott, all of Scott, with his smugness, know it all attitude, and the banter between him and Jane. I really liked the growing friendship which later, much later, turned into a relationship. 
A lot of scenes were pretty funny, especially from Jane's voice. She is a fire cracker so everything sets her off. It was quite funny seeing how she tolerated Scott as well as her relationship with the bookstore owner, her part time job boss, and her very weird relationship with Chelsea, the Queen Bee of the school. Chelsea is the typical popular girl however her character changes dramatically so I am quite excited to read the next novel from Marni Bates, which puts Chelsea in the spotlight this time. This book was great as a fun and light read, and I definitely recommend the whole series to contemporary fans in need of a light read! 
Other books by Marni Bates:


June 21, 2013

Review: When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney


Title: When You Were Here 
Author: Daisy Whitney
Publisher:
 Little, Brown
Publication date: June 4th, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Realistic Fiction)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 264
Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see.

Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.

When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died.
When You Were Here was definitely different than most contemporary novels out there, but it was a great different. From a boy's point of view, Danny has lost everything in his life. His father died six years ago. His mother has been fighting cancer for the last 5 years, and has dies just before his graduation. His adopted sister has lost most contact with him when she decided she wanted to learn more about her "roots" and live in China. Danny is all alone in a house in California. His mother's best friend, Kate, lives right next door and is always there to take care of him. Ofcourse, there has to be the girl next door, and that would be Kate's daughter! Holland and Danny were actually dating a while ago, but things just changed later on.
As simple as this story might be, it was definitely peaceful. Just reading about Danny's journey of unraveling secrets about his dead mother was just beautiful. This book was set in one of my favorite places in the world, and it's Japan. I was thrilled to know that there was a large portion of this book set in Japan. I've never been there, but I've watched and read too many things about it to not know how amazing of a place it is. It's my dream to travel there, and just reading about it was so much fun! Anyways, Danny decides to travel to Tokyo because he had an apartment there to take care of. Danny also decided to travel to figure out why his mother always felt happier there. The description of the tea houses and the harajuku girls and the busy nights was just amazing. I completely loved it. As the story went on, it was interesting to understand why his mother felt peaceful in Japan. Throughout the days, Danny was able to find out day by day more things about his mother's days in Tokyo. 
I loved Danny's dog, Sandy Kaufman. She was always the one who lights up the mood of the book. I love animals so it was so much fun to get to know Sandy Kaufman as more than just a "dog". There's also Kana, the amazing Japanese girl who becomes a very close friend to Danny. Overall, this book was beautiful in many ways. It's more to the realistic fiction, as it more concentrates about one finding his inner peace. This was a great read, and I cannot wait to get my hands on future books by Daisy Whitney!

June 19, 2013

Review: In The After by Demitria Lunetta

 In the After
Title: In The After (In The After, #1)
Author: Demitria Lunetta
Publisher:
 HarperTeen

Publication date: June 25, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian)
Source: Harper Collins Canada
Format: ARC
Pages: 400
They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.
In The After started with a bang.. or more accurately towards the book, a silent implode. Because in this world, in order to survive, you have to stay silent, every second of the day. The book is set a couple of years after the apocalypse, with a bit of flashbacks in the beginning to set up the world building. We meet Amy, the sole survivor in her family that consists of her tree hugging father and scientist mother. The only reason she was able to survive was because her family basically set her up with the extra protection her mother took, such as adding an electric fence around the house, and with her dad's organic garden as well as solar panels. 
This apocalypse will make you learn to breath, walk, eat, and sleep without making a single sound, or else They will come. They have supersonic hearing, are lightning fast, and will eat anything that walks across this earth. The beginning of the book was frighting and very sad. Just seeing how Amy found herself all alone in this monster infested world and having to fend for herself indefinitely. Then she finds Baby.. a four year old, in the middle of a supermarket. I have to say that I loved the relationship dynamic between Amy and Baby. Baby truly saved Amy's humanity. She was becoming ruthless and emotionless, traits that you need to acquire if you start living in a world full of monsters as well as other survivors that are ready to kill for anything. The sign language they molded to fit them was fascinating. Baby herself was so mature (the book was set around three years after Amy found Baby so she was around seven years old). I have to say, I enjoyed reading about them and how they were surviving. I love survival books and that was why I enjoyed this part of the book. 
Unfortunately it wasn't all excitement and action going on. This book is split in three sections; The first is what I mentioned, while the second and third were set in New Hope, a sort of camp that housed thousands of survivors and was protected by the most high tech devices and weapons that can be found. When Amy and Baby find themselves in New Hope.. I found myself drifting off and missing the thrill and action of when they were outside. As the synopsis mentions, New Hope isn't the dream place everyone believes it to be. This part of the book felt more dystopian but I personally felt it was lacking. Flash forwards get thrown at us that I did not appreciate as well as a random romance that didn't progress smoothly, but only appeared sporadically. In terms of shocking revelations, Lunetta knows how to write them because I was seriously shocked towards the end of the book. However, I didn't enjoy the whole idea of The Ward and I felt like how the patients were, confused, drunk like, and trying to figure out what the hell is going on. I just felt that nothing much happened in the last two parts of the book. Also, I was quite bummed that Amy and Baby were barely together, their scenes were very short. This was disappointing since they were the heroes of the first part of the book. 
All in all, In The After was a fantastic post apocalyptic novel with a ton of action (at least the first part) as well as big and shocking revelations that will make you want to pick up the second book immediately. 

June 17, 2013

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo


Title: Siege and Storm (The Grisha, #2)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher:
 Henry Holt and co.
Publication date: June 4th, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Fantasy)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 435
Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
I have read many reviews for this book, and all were very positive. Some even said that it was better than the first. Shadow & Bone being one of my top 2012 reads (You can read review HERE), I was literally spazzing over this one.  Shadow & Bone was definitely a fantastic read, and there was one of the best world building I have ever read. Unfortunately, this wasn't as great. I honestly don't see how people can think of this as better than the first. I mean, overall, it's a great book. Just not as good as the first, so definitely not better. We start off with Alina and Mal, and their escape from the city of Ravka and the Darkling. I don't know if it's just me, but I wanted MORE of the Darkling!! I loved him in the first book, and I was very upset that there wasn't much of him here. I also did not like how the story started off pretty slow. 
I don't want to write any spoilers in here, but I did like how Alina changed to be. Those who read the book will probably think I'm crazy for her power seeking, but I'm talking about her determination to do anything to save Ravka. Alina showed us her very strong and powerful side here, and I found it very hard to be in her position, in these certain circumstances. I liked the twist towards the middle of the book, and I did grow on liking the Prince who I don't want to mention but yea. There was some intense fighting in here which I totally loved, and it was great to see a girl who was stronger than the guy. Alina grew on me even more, and she's a great character. I did hope for a better romance story, because I just find Mal to be so.. bleh. I just don't find him interesting enough, and I was hoping for another competition to be added or something. I guess I'm just not a fan of Mal.
Overall, Siege and Storm was a great book, but it was still disappointing compared to the first. I didn't find the ending much of a cliffhanger, but I'm still excited to see how this series will come to an end. I definitely recommend this to all readers out there, especially those who are big fans of fantasy!

Other books by Leigh Bardugo: