Review: Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter

Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter
Source: E-galley from the publisher
Publication: February 26, 2013
Rating: Cringe-worthy

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When Evelyn decided to piss off her parents with a bad reputation, she wasn't planning to ruin her valedictorian status. She also wasn't planning to fall for Todd-the guy she was just using for sex. And she definitely wasn't planning on getting pregnant. When Todd turns his back on her, Evelyn's not sure where to go. 

Can a distant mother, a cheating father, an angry best friend, and a (thankfully) loving aunt with adopted daughters of her own help Evelyn make the heart-wrenching decisions that follow?

My Review

I go into every book with an open mind, and it's no secret that even when I don't care for a book, I try to find something I liked.  I was excited to read Me, Him, Them, and It because I love issue-driven books set in a contemporary setting.  But this book.  I have never felt so utterly let down and insulted by a book since I started blogging.  It's so bad that I debated on even posting a review, but I DID agree to read and review Caela Carter's debut novel, so...here goes.


I hated the main character, Evelyn. I can put up with a lot from a lead character if they're a mean girl, or immature, and grow over the course of the book - one of my favorite books is BEFORE I FALL.  But Evelyn wasn't even naive...she was just stupid.  She had unprotected sex for months and never once considered getting on birth control until her friend was shocked enough to suggest it.  EVEN THEN, Evelyn only considered birth control to get bigger breasts. She regularly told her boyfriend it was fine to have sex without a condom, and the thought of getting pregnant NEVER crossed her mind. 

There was SO much wrong with Me, Him, Them, and It.  If these characters are supposed to be in touch with real teenagers, then I am really worried about the future of the human race.  Evelyn's parents are some of the worst parents I've read about.  Evelyn's "friends with benefits," when confronted with the fact that he's going to be a father, "just can't."  Can't be a dad, can't take partial responsibility.  There's no character development beyond the surface for any of the characters, except one or two side characters. 

Part of what bothered me SO much was that "Evie" refused to make ANY decisions about her baby's welfare.  She referred to her unborn child as "it" for the entire book, and routinely told her baby "I hate you."  She flip-flopped back and forth on abortion until it was almost too late, then on adoption versus parenting for literally the rest of the book.  She was more interested in moaning about her situation then doing ANYTHING about it.  (Also, I didn't like the message about abortion - believe in it or not, but it was treated as no big thing.)

Also, there were remarks made in this book that really hurt.  Evelyn's aunt, who she lives with during her pregnancy (because it's her parent's great idea to "hide" her) is gay, and Evelyn made numerous disparaging remarks like "my aunt's partner...or whatever she is," or "her wife...or whatever."  I realize that being gay is something not everyone is comfortable with, but I think you can still write about it in a respectful manner - or not at all.  

I struggled SO MUCH with Me, Him, Them, and It.  I struggled with Evelyn's rebellious ways, and that she hurt herself and her future to hurt her parents for THEIR problems.  I struggled with the *messages in this book - drugs and sex are fine, the repercussions don't matter, that you can give up your baby and start fresh like nothing ever happened.  I could have over-looked some of this if Evelyn had done anything to redeem herself, but she didn't. 

This book did not work for me.  I kept reading because this book was a train wreck that just kept happening, over and over again.  The only part that touched me was Evelyn's relationship with her young cousins, which was sweet and endearing, and possibly the main reason I kept reading.  Other than that, I breathed a sigh of relief when Me, Him, Them, and It finally ended.  


* I will not be providing buy links or author information for this book. 

Review: Once by Anna Carey (Eve #2)

Once by Anna Carey
Pages: 320
Expected publication: July 3, 2012 (Harper Collins)
Source: Borrowed from Anna @ Literary Exploration
Series or Stand-alone: Eve (2)
Rating: Beam-worthy
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website

 
Sixteen years have passed since a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth’s population. After learning of the terrifying part she and her classmates were fated to play in the rebuilding of New America, eighteen-year-old Eve fled to the wilds and Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the king of New America. 

However, her freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. Eve quickly learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems and soon finds herself in the City of Sand and the palace of the king. There she uncovers the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb, they will enact a plan as daring as it is dangerous. 

But will Eve once again risk everything—her freedom, her life—for love? 

 My Review

With the second book in the Eve trilogy, Anna Carey adds several fascinating layers to the mythos and world-building already established; Once picks up a few months after Eve's arrival in Califia - though I felt like I'd barely caught my breath before Eve was leaving Califia and on to the next, harrowing stage of her journey.  And for me, that was the biggest flaw in Once.  The writing is as fantastic as always, and the characters are well-developed and compelling, as is the larger story being told.  But as I progressed further into Once, I never felt like I had a chance to really absorb any of the information being revealed before it was time for Eve to run again, or another revelation.  Once is so fast-paced that it didn't really hit me until the end how much truly HAD happened, and really, in such a short amount of time. The same could be said for the new characters - it all went by in such a blur that I didn't feel like we really got to know any of them, or delve past their surfaces.  There also wasn't nearly enough for me of the familiar characters I love. 

Plot-wise, Anna Carey ramps up the stakes with Once, bringing Eve into the lair of the villainous King of the City of Sand, where she sees how much re-building is being done, and realizes how vastly different these people's lives are from the sheltered one she lived back at school, and from the hand-to-mouth existence the boys in the dug-out eked out while she stayed there.  There is a disgusting opulence in the City of Sand compared to those on the fringes, on the run, and that's not all that Eve discovers.  She also finds out the truly startling reason the King was so intent on drawing her to his city, and what plans he has for her, and has to struggle to come to terms with all of that - which is the last thing the maturing Eve wants to do.  While she still made some questionable decisions in Once, Eve impressed me with the growth she has shown since she fled her school in the first book - but I think she still has a long way to go.  

Mingled in with all the action and danger is a good dose of romance between Eve and Caleb, and even the possibility of one between Eve and one of the young, rising stars in the City of Sand, though it's clear where Eve's affections lie. Once further develops Eve and Caleb's relationship in a way that is tender and genuine, and is possibly the biggest draw to the series for me.  (I won't lie, I've swooned over Caleb a time or five.)  My biggest complaint there is that Once ends up falling back on a few devices from the first book, and it was frustrating for me that I felt like when it came to Eve and Caleb, they were playing out the same roles they had in Eve.  I kept waiting for more, for that moment that would set Once apart from other books, and ultimately, I never found it in the pages of this book - but after the way Once ended, I do have high hopes for the third and final book.  There is a huge cliffhanger which is sort of cruel in a way, when you put it in the context of how long we'll have to wait for that next book.

It's hard for me to review Once, because I didn't hate it.  I liked Once.  But I didn't love it.  I'm still not truly connected emotionally with Eve - instead of my heart pounding in fear for her, I feel detached as I read about her, and because of that, I'm not as "into" the books as I wish I was.  The writing is fresh and great as usual, but there's just that spark missing to really draw me in.   If you, like me, saw a lot of potential in Eve, I would recommend reading Once, as it has definitely set up the final book to be fairly epic, but if you also had trouble connecting with Eve, or if you didn't truly LOVE the first book, I would caution you to go into this one warily, else it might disappoint.  Once fell a bit flat for me - it just didn't pack the emotional punch I was wanting, or sweep me off my feet, though that's not to say it isn't still a good book, and I hope readers will enjoy it.

Further Thoughts

Have you read EVE or ONCE?  If so, what did you think?  What would you like to see in the RISE, the third and final novel in the trilogy? 

Book Trailer - Eve 

Review: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins
Pages: 383
Published: June 26, 2012 (Harlequin Teen)
Source: DAC ARC Tours
Rating: Beam-worthy
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Connect with the author online: N/A (I can't seem to find her anywhere online!)

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Your heart misleads you.  That's what my friends and family say.  


But I love Noah. And he loves me.  We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. 


It should be  ROSE & NOAH forever, easy. But it won't be. Because he's Amish. And I'm not.





My Review  

After eagerly anticipating Karen Ann Hopkin's debut novel for some time, I read it literally in one sitting, curled up on the couch.  Temptation is one of those books that, even a few days later, I'm still puzzling over it, thinking back on it, and wondering where I stand.  What I really loved a great deal about this book is that it made me THINK, and it did make me feel, but not as deeply as I expected, and I didn't fall in love with it or the characters the way I hoped I would.  I can't say I hated it, but I can't say I loved it, either.  

 

Told from dual, first person narratives, Temptation follows Noah and Rose, two teenagers who meet when Rose moves to the sleepy town of Meadow View.  I didn't expect the multiple points of view, and although I really did enjoy getting both sides of the story, so to speak, both point of views being in first person didn't work for me.  I rather wish one had been in third person to better distinguish the flow and the characters.   Both Noah and Rose were fascinating characters in their own right, but they were also both flawed, and I think it's with them that my biggest issue lies with Hopkin's novel of a truly forbidden love.  

 

Noah is Amish, and by all rights, the only way he and Rose can ever be together is if one of them leaves behind the only life they have ever known - and the problem is that neither of them are truly willing to make that commitment.  I understood this more on Rose's part - she was more level-headed than Noah, who made some incredibly selfish and stupid choices throughout Temptation.  At one point, my mouth literally dropped open at one of his ideas for how he and Rose could be together, and I wanted to reach into the book and shake him.  No, Noah - just, NO.   He and Rose had so many obstacles in their way, and I felt like instead of approaching them together, they were each fighting the battle in their own way, and ended up fighting each other on a few occasions.  I felt like neither of them really GOT the gravity of the situation, and the choices they would be making, yet they were each all too willing to ask the other to make the biggest sacrifice of their young lives.  They didn't work together, and I just couldn't wrap my head around them.  They got to the sweet, falling-in-love-stage (and in a far too insta-love fashion and time frame for me) then they never progressed past it at all.  I really disliked how they both kept trying to change the other or force one another to make poor choices. 

I expected that I would love Temptation more than I did, but I found myself really disappointed in the romance.  Yes, Noah and Rose were sweet, and yes, in a way, I DO want them to be together.  But I never felt like they were really in love.  I feel like, unfortunately, Karen Ann Hopkins spent an entire book telling me "these two people love one another SO much that they HAVE to be together," but she never showed me, and never fully sold me on Rose and Noah as a couple.  They had amazing chemistry, but they rushed into their relationship SO fast.  I feel like this is a story more of a first love - the bittersweet kind that settles into your heart and never fully leaves, but that isn't really meant to last - than of a mature love.  In the sequel or sequels, I hope to see a LOT of growth from both Noah and Rose, if I'm going to support them being together.

What I did like about Temptation was the glimpse into Amish life.  I used to read a great deal of Beverly Lewis's novels when I was a teenager, and they really helped me through some dark times.  I may not understand many of the Amish's customs and ways, but I do admire them for choosing to live such brave, separate lives.  It can't be easy growing up like that, omitting to that lifestyle - or maybe it is, like it was mostly for Noah, who didn't really know what he was missing, until Rose.  

Something that, surprisingly, was missing for me was a real sense of faith or religion.  It surprised me a great deal how little focus religion was in Temptation.  And I know, I know, any other time I'd be saying a book was too preachy.  But other than a few gatherings with Noah's family or the other community, religion came up a lot less than I expected.  I honestly don't think Rose ever even states if she believes or not, and I think it's because I had prepared myself for a lot of religious overtones, that I'm actually sort of let-down that Rose and Noah didn't really talk about their religious beliefs.  I feel like that should have been there for a bit more developement.  

Overall, Temptation was not a BAD book.  But it did have major flaws.  It definitely reads, and I hate to say this, like a first book that could have used a good deal more polishing and thought put into it.  Noah and Rose WILL tug at your heart-strings, but I went back and forth on them so many times that even in the end, I wasn't sure how I felt about them.  To me, they are NOT a healthy couple, but like I said, hopefully with the sequel, Karen Ann Hopkins will give us more time to learn about them, and to see them grow into a mature couple.  I'd like to see that, and further character development when it comes to the various secondary characters, like Rose's father and brothers, and Noah's parents.   Give this one a chance though!  You might like it more than I did! 

 

Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

One Moment by Kristina McBride
Expected publication: June 26, 2012 (Egmont USA)
Pages: 272
Source: E-ARC from the publisher
Rating: Beam-worthy
Further Info/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Website | Twitter

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

My Review

From the moment I read the synopsis for One Moment, and gazed adoringly at the cover, I was sure that this story would break my heart.  And it did, on several levels, but unfortunately, it also left me aching for something...more.   Kristina McBride's story of first love and first heartache is definitely a poignant addition to my bookshelf - from the start, I sympathized with Maggie, the main character, and I think that was largely due to McBride's clear, yet lovely writing style.  Maggie is just one of those characters - the girl that you knew in high school and were friends with, but always wanted to get to know better.  

For the majority of One Moment, I wanted to put an arm around her, or hug her.  She definitely went through a lot, and for the most part, she handled the trauma of Joey's death, and the aftermath, about as well as could be expected, with the help of her tight-knit group of friends.  I liked Pete, Adam, and the rest of Maggie's friends, but I felt like McBride could have - and should have - developed the characters more thoroughly.  Just because they all knew one another inside out, doesn't mean the reader does.  While that sense of them all being best friends carried across really well, it also left me feeling somewhat shut out from their world, so I had trouble connecting.  And I basically felt like the characters were flat - Shannon was the "bitch" who said what everyone else was thinking, but had little depth otherwise; Pete was the "artsy" friend who didn't add much to the story, and so on. 

One Moment is a fascinating look at the aftermath of a tragedy, and how in a different light, everything you thought you knew can unravel quickly.  I felt bad for Maggie as she began to weave her way through the web of secrets Joey and others had spun around her.  It was painful and heart-breaking, watching her dig deeper beneath the surface, and seeing her get hurt, along the way, yet I also thought that in some ways, Maggie was very naive.  The mystery aspect of One Moment was way too predictable - I had an idea of what was going on way before Maggie did; Kristina McBride definitely could have done that in a less obvious way.  

I was also very bothered by the romances in One Moment.  I won't go too into details, since I don't want to spoil anyone, but the way a certain romantic element was handled felt absolutely cheesy and tacked-on as an afterthought, or a failed attempt to add further depth to the story.  At times I was confused about what the story really was - a mystery, or a flawed character study.  There wasn't enough of either aspect to tip the balance in either direction, and the romance was just really unbelievable - another instance of an author telling us, but not showing us, that these two certain characters are in love.  That's all well and good, but I want to BELIEVE that they're in love, not just swallow what I'm spoon-fed.  

Even though I quite enjoyed several aspects of One Moment, it was too predictable, and lacked that something special that I was so hoping it would have.  I liked it okay enough to finish it, but I didn't have the emotional response that I wanted to have.  

Review: Fated by Alyson Noel

Fated by Alyson Noel
Published: May 22, 2012 (St Martin's Griffin)
Pages: 352
Source: ARC from ATW ARC Tours
Rating: Beam-worthy
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Website | Twitter

 
Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. 

Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

My Review

Fated was the first book I had the chance to read by Alyson Noel, and I was really excited for it for a few reasons - mostly because of the amazing-sounding synopsis, absolutely gorgeous cover, and those names: Daire and Dace.  How adorable, right?  And Fated started off really promisingly, and I settled into it thinking I was going to enjoy it a great deal; unfortunately, I ended up feeling as if this is, regrettably, one of those books that despite the fantastic premise, never lives up to its potential. 

First I want to talk about what I DID like: the mythos, woven into Fated in the form of legends and wisdom imparted by Paloma, Daire's grandmother.  Daire's mother sends her to live with Paloma - a woman Daire has never met - when Daire's visions become too much to handle, and she is labeled as mentally unstable.  Paloma is able to help Daire, and to teach her, and I thought she was a terrific character and mentor, and I loved watching the relationship between Paloma and Daire develop.  The New Mexico setting came alive in Fated, and I look forward to reading more about the Santos family's heritage.  I also liked the rivalry between the Santos and Richter families, and am curious to see where that goes in the future books in this series, especially between Cade and Dace. 

Unfortunately that's where my enjoyment stopped, due to the writing style.  Alyson Noel isn't a bad writer.  But it's as if she deliberately chooses the oddest ways of phrasing her sentences.  I don't have Fated with me anymore but an example is, instead of having Daire say "I see my mother standing in the kitchen, looking at me.  I know from the expression on her face that I'm in trouble," it was, "I see my mother standing in the kitchen, looking at me.  Knowing from the expression on her face that I'm in trouble."  At first I thought it was an odd technique we'd see scattered throughout the book, but no, it was like that throughout Fated, and after awhile, that started to drive me insane with annoyance, and finally completely jolted me out of the story several times, making it more and more difficult to connect with the characters and story.  After that, as much as I tried to like Fated, I just wanted it to be over. 

Finally, the romance took me by surprise, and not in a good way.  From some of the lead-up to Daire and Dace's interactions, I was hoping for something more...epic, really.  Daire's dreams led me to believe I would end up rooting for her and Dace as a couple, but instead, all I felt was let-down.  I hope in the other books in this series, that Noel spends a LOT of time developing their relationship, because as it stands, they definitely feel like insta-love to me, and their shared dreams feel like a cheap plot device.  I'd also like to see a great deal of character growth on Daire's end, because she came across (to me) as a spoiled kid throughout most of Fated.  Something does happen near the end that makes me think we'll see her grow up some; if not, I'm not sure I'll continue past the second book, Echo. 

Overall, there were some elements of Fated that I really quite enjoyed, but not enough to make me love this one.

Review: When The Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen
Pages: 296
Published: February 28, 2012 (Farrar, Straus, and Giraux)
Source: ARC from the publisher via DAC Tours
Rating: Squee-worthy
Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website



After seventeen-year-old Felicita’s dearest friend, Ilven, kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. 

Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it.  

 My Review

 Debut author Cat Hellisen spins a magical, seductive web around readers with her offering, When the Sea is Rising Red.  The story of strong, unsatisfied Felicita, who leaves behind everything she knows in order to escape the life her family - including her controlling, cold brother - has planned in advance for her, When the Sea is Rising Red grips you from the opening pages, and refuses to let go.  I devoured this book in one sitting, because I was so fascinated both by Felicita, and by the unusual, astounding caste system and hierarchy Cat Hellisen introduces to the reader.  I was fascinated with the notion of the various families specializing in one type of magic or another, as well as the differences between the families that ruled Pelimburg through their magic, and the poor that served them.  

As well-developed as the world-building was in Cat Hellisen's novel, the characters were just as richly fleshed out, from Felicita, and her yearning for more, to the pleasant, stifled Jannik, to Felicita's cool, cowed mother, to the charming, vivacious Dash, who I fell for immediately upon meeting him.  Dash is manic and friendly, full of life and energy and a bit crazed, and I wanted to hug him forever, although by the end of When the Sea is Rising Red, I also wanted to shake him.  Dash is infuriating, but such a vividly painted character that he just brings an added depth to this book.  I've rarely taken to another character so quickly, flailed happily over one more, and been angrier at his storyline.  I was with him up until the end, on board with his daring plans to tear apart the city's caste system, and then Cat Hellisen lost me somewhere in the last thirty or forty pages.  That didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book, but it did sour me a little bit. 

When the Sea is Rising Red stands out amongst all the other debut books I've read this year because it's...unique.  Different.  Felicita is a strong heroine, who, while she may not know what she wants, knows what she - doesn't - want and isn't afraid to take a chance, a risk, to avoid unhappiness.  I deeply admired Felicita for that.  She walked out into the unknown, not knowing what to expect, but determined that what she was chasing after would be better than what she left behind.  And in the end, I think she found something like what she was looking for.  It was a different ending than I expected, but not a bad or unhappy ending; it left Felicita in what, I think, would become a good place, and definitely out of the clutches of her ass of a brother.  I have to applaud Cat Hellisen for taking chances.  

I also have to touch on the magic aspect of When the Sea is Rising Red.  I REALLY enjoyed how it was all explained, and how just when you thought you knew what was happening, and what was possible, Hellisen snuck in a twist to the story that had me going, "whoa!"  This was a different sort of magic than I've read about before, a little darker and wilder, and I loved that about it: it wasn't safe, it wasn't all for-the-good-of-others, and nothing about this story was your run-of-the-mill fantasy.   So bravo, Cat Hellisen, for a tremendously satisfying debut novel!

Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Slide by Jill Hathaway
Expected publication: March 27, 2012 (Balzter + Bray)
Pages: 256
Series or stand-alone: Slide (1) 
Rating: Squee-worthy
Source: ARC from the publisher
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Twitter | Website

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

My Review

 Author Jill Hathaway strikes a mesmerizing balance of mystery and poignant emotional turmoil with her debut offering, Slide.  The story of teenager Sylvia "Vee" Bell, Slide is a murder mystery on the surface, but it's also a story of a broken family trying to piece themselves back together, and it's that aspect that called strongly to me.  Vee's mother died five years before the story starts, and it's that loss that still haunts Vee, her sister, Mattie, and their father, who tells them he loves them in the only ways he can - through the elaborate meals he cooks for them.  Vee and Mattie are both studies in grief, though they both express it in different ways.  I liked Vee right away, but after reading Slide, part of the problem is that I didn't connect with Vee.  

That's not to say that Slide isn't a fantastic story.  Vee may be a diagnosed narcoleptic, but only she knows the truth about herself: when she passes out, she slips into the mind and body of whomever she's last had physical contact with.  All it takes it for the person she touches to be emotionally charged about something, and even them handing her a dollar or brushing against her is enough.  After she "slides" into the body of the person who murdered one of her sister's friends, Vee holds knowledge that no one else does: Sophie did not commit suicide like everyone else thinks. Someone killed her - and Vee's determined to find out who the killer is.  For the first time, she considers her ability not a curse, but a blessing - and a tool to solve the mystery of Sophie's death.  

I was completely engrossed in the mystery aspect of Slide; I will say that Jill Hathaway definitely had me guessing up until the last minute, even throwing in some rather clever red herrings to distract the reader from the identity of the real killer.  That portion of Slide was brilliantly done; however, there were other storylines to the book that I felt got a gloss-over treatment in order to focus (maybe too much) on the mystery playing out.  Vee's strained friendship with her best friend - and maybe love interest - Rollins was well done, and their relationship was my favorite part of Slide, but her blossoming romance with new boy in town Zane was mediocre at best, falling into the overdone "insta love" trap that too many authors step into, rather willingly or unknowingly.  I wanted so much to love them; instead, Zane's potential was badly wasted, and his and Vee's relationship - which goes from zero to sixty in a matter of a few days - felt forced and just tossed into Slide to give it more depth, an attempt that failed.  

Slide is a hard book for me to review - I adored some parts, and wanted to rip out others.  Most of the secondary characters were very sympathetic - I especially felt for Vee's father, once more was revealed about him.  I'll be anxious to learn more about him and about Mattie in the sequel, Imposter.   I did feel like sometimes the choices a few of the characters made didn't make sense, and I'd like to see growth out of Vee and a few others in the sequel/other books.  I also felt like Slide was WAY too short - at 245 pages, I felt like I had barely gotten to know the characters before the book was over, and instead of taking a chance and leaving a few things dangling, Jill Hathaway did what so many authors do, and tried to tie everything up a bit too neatly at the end.  I wish more authors weren't afraid of not a cliffhanger ending per se, but just not having to have every plot arc wrapped into a pretty package as the book ends.  

Overall, Slide is a fun murder mystery that will keep readers guessing, but could have used more depth in a few areas in order to achieve a better balance.  The sequel, Imposter will be out either approximately early next year, and I will read it because even if she's a tough nut to crack, Vee Bell is a fascinating character, and I think this series has a lot of potential. 

Note: A special thanks goes out to the Debut Author Challenge ARC Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!  

Further Thoughts

What's your take on YA murder mysteries?  Have you read Slide, or will you?   Do you get drawn in to the family aspect of contemporary novels, or could you take it or leave it so to speak?

Review: Belles by Jen Calonita

Belles by Jen Calonita
Expected publication: April 10, 2012 (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Pages: 356
Rating: Squee-worthy
Series or stand-alone: Belles (1)  (YAY!)
Source: ARC from the publisher
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find the author online: Website | Twitter


Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. 

Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

My Review

Belles by Jen Calonita was a true pleasure to read.  Told in dual narratives from the point of view of North Carolina Southern cousins Isabelle (or Izzie) and Mirabelle (or Mira), this is definitely a light, fun, spring or summer-time read, a story of family secrets, prejudices, overcoming obstacles, and heart-felt romance.  I actually sat on my back porch reading this one, soaking up the sun, and the story of Izzie and Mira.  I was instantly drawn to Izzie, who, although she does grow a bit over the course of Belles, is already a mature, sensible, compassionate, loyal person when the story starts; Izzie has spent the last few years taking care of her Grams, who helped raise her, but is slowly descending into Alzheimer's.  When Izzie's social worker reveals that her Grams, before she lost her facilities, had arranged for Izzie to go live with her uncle and his family a few towns over, Izzie has to leave behind the only life she's ever known, and despite the kindness of her new family, she quickly feels like an outsider in her new life - complete with a mansion, a private school, and a new social ladder to climb.  

Mira, on the other hand, is a bit tougher to categorize.  Mira lives a comfortable life, and Izzie's arrival tilts Mira's world upside down.  Mira is a member of the popular crowd and she dates a handsome football player, but over the course of Belles it is Mira's personal growth that is really admirable and a joy to watch.  Mira has never dared push the bubble she lives in, hasn't ever stood up to her beset friend, mean girl Savannah, or looked past the surface of her relationship with her boyfriend.  As Mira struggles to accept her cousin for who she is, she also strives to come to terms with both the life she has, and going after the life she wants.  

The plot of Belles is, although somewhat predictable at times, no less adorable and uplifting because of it.  Watching both Mira and Izzie try to accept the changes and challenges in their life put a smile on my face by the end of Belles.   There were times that both girls made a few questionable decisions, yet in their situations, I can't say if I would have made a smarter choice or not!  I cheered a lot for Izzie over the course of the story, and definitely for Mira, too.  Belles made me laugh, made me tear up once or twice, and made me fall in love with a few of the secondary characters, like Brayden, Hayden, and Kellen.  (I totally didn't pick up on the rhyming names until the end...HEE.)  I giggled like crazy over a few of the more romantic moments, and sobered up, breathless, over the reveals throughout the book.  

Jen Calonita knows how to write a compelling novel, for sure.  I had a few quibbles with Belles though - and one of them was that several of the characters felt rather flat.  This didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book, but it was definitely something that I noticed.  Savannah and some of the other girls were vapid and one-dimensional; Savannah uttered one of the most insipid and insane lines I've ever heard from a literary character (I was so enraged I tweeted about it!)  And there were two or three moments when the point of view would randomly switch to another character's - once to Brayden, once to a teacher, etc.  To me this was definitely something an editor should have caught.  And the big reveal at the end wasn't anything too huge considering there were several clues dropped throughout the novel; however, it did certainly make everything more interesting!

However, Belles was a great read, full of laughter, smile-worthy moments, and a lovely story of a blended family.  Belles touched my heart, and I will definitely be looking forward to the sequel!

Note: A special thank you goes out to Southern Book Bloggers ARC Tours for the chance to read this book! 

Further Thoughts

Do you enjoy stories that shake the foundations of families with one or two well-placed secrets?  Do you anticipate the big reveal, or try to figure it out before the author reveals it?