Release Day Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

Publisher: EgmontUSA 

Publication Date: June 26th, 2012 

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

Maggie remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party. She remembers climbing the trail 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. 

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I had very mixed feelings while reading this book, and I really didn't form a solid opinion of it until the very end. One Moment is a YA Contemporary Romance that tries very hard to be a Mystery, but never quite pulls it off. It was just way too predictable from the beginning. I saw each "big" reveal coming a mile away and was always disappointed when I realized that was right. I kind of felt like Kristina McBride wasn't giving her readers enough credit, dropping way too many clues and hints, revealing too much, too soon for it to legitimately fall into the Mystery genre. That said, I kept turning the pages anyway, hoping that I would be surprised, and I did get a small one in the end, and that sweet surprise at the end was what saved this book for me, but honestly, it wasn't enough...

Another problem for me was that it was so similar to another book that I recently read called Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf (read my review HERE). Now,if you haven't read Breaking Beautiful, you can just skip this part of the review, because this problem would not be relevant to you, but if you have this is important! I don't fault the author, because obviously, she wouldn't have had any idea that such a similar book would be published just two months before hers, but the similarities between the two books nagged at me the entire time I was reading One Moment. A girl witnesses boyfriend's tragic accident, represses memories so that she has no clue what happened, finds out boyfriend had secrets, wants to remember but knows that there is something that is making her subconscious not want to remember, etc. There were some differences, sure, but I still spent the whole book comparing the two, and finding that I liked Breaking Beautiful better. I just never connected with the protagonist, Maggie, or most of her little group of friends, and although I really liked one character, there were a couple who I outright despised, and as I've said in other reviews, I have a difficult time with books that have characters I don't like.

Now, you may think, from reading what I've written so far, that I didn't like this book, and that isn't true. I actually thought it was pretty well written if you overlook the predictability, and it was certainly a page-turner (I read it in under 24 hours), it just didn't go where I would have hoped it would. It was a quick, engaging read, and I thought it was great for reading by the pool during the summer. Sometimes it's nice to read something that doesn't force you to think very much. Like I mentioned above, I did like the ending a lot; it was sweet and it made sense. It also was the only thing I didn't call way ahead of time. I wouldn't say that this book was disappointing, I just think it was trying too hard to be something it wasn't, and would have been better off just being what it is, a YA Contemporary Romance.

Overall, I would say this... If you are a fan of Contemporary YA authors like Lauren Barnholdt, Sarah Dessen, Deb Calletti, and Jennifer Echols, then you will probably like this book. If you're looking for a great YA Mystery, then I think you will be disappointed. If you've already read Breaking Beautiful, then skip this one altogether because you will spend a lot of time thinking that you've already read this book...

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

Grade Level Recommendation: There's lots of teen drinking and some sex, but nothing graphic. I would say this book is fine for grades 8 and up (ages 13+).

Review: My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan by Seth Rudetsky

Publisher: Random House BYR

Publication Date:  January 24th, 2012

Justin has two goals for sophomore year: to date Chuck, the hottest boy in school, and to become the king of Cool U, the table in the cafeteria where the "in" crowd sits.

Unfortunately, he has the wrong look (short, plump, Brillo-pad curls), he has the wrong interests (Broadway, chorus violin), and he has the wrong friends (Spencer, into Eastern religions, and Mary Ann,  who doesn't shave her armpits). And Chuck? Well, he's not gay; he's dating Becky, a girl in chorus with whom Justin is friendly.

But Justin is determined.

In detention one day (because he saw Chuck get it first), Justin comes up with a perfect plan: to allow Becky to continue dating Chuck, whom Becky's dad hates. They will pretend that Becky is dating Justin, whom Becky's dad loves. And when Becky and Justin go out on a fake date, Chuck will meet up with them for a real date with Becky. Chuck's bound to find Justin irresistible, right? What could go wrong?

Seth Rudetsky's first novel for young adults is endearingly human, and laugh-out-loud funny, and any kid who ever aspired to Cool U will find Justin a welcome ally in the fight for popularity.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I'm always on the lookout for new books with solid LGBT characters in them because I don't think that there are enough of them out there.  In the past 15 years, the number of openly gay teens has skyrocketed, and I think that while it's getting better, they are not well enough represented in YA lit.  Yes, you have your token gay friends of straight main characters in a lot of books, but books with gay teens as the main characters are few an far between.  That said, I was excited when I got an advance copy of this book...

When I started this book, I immediately thought of the much-loved 80's classic movie, starring McDreamy himself, Can't Buy Me Love.  This movie was a favorite of mine back then, so I was really getting into the story.  Although Justin doesn't pay Becky to go out with him, like in the movie, he is doing it for popularity (and to gain favor with her secret boyfriend, Chuck); he's sick of being at the absolute bottom of the social hierarchy-and that's without coming out to his peers... At first I thought Justin was a shallow, self-absorbed jerk, but at the end, he grew enough as a person that I could like him.  My favorite characters were Becky and Spencer.  Both were kind and patient; unfortunately that left them open to be walked all over by those they loved.  The book was predictable, and Justin's gayness was a bit cliche (loves Broadway, lives to be on stage, fantasizes constantly about the hot, straight jock), but overall the story was very cute and believable, and more importantly, it had a positive message: Accept yourself for who you are, and those worth your time will accept you as well.

  

This book isn't going to be for everyone.  It's definitely funny a lot of the time, but it's not one of those books that is going to have mass appeal.  It would be a great choice for a gay MS or HS student who is coming to terms with being so, especially since it's quite clean as far as language and sexual content are concerned.  I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't really one I would go out of my way to tell people about.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  This is probably the cleanest LGBT book I've ever read as far as sexual content and language are concerned.  I think this book would be fine for grades 5 and up (ages 10+).

Review: As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Publication Date: September 15th, 2011

Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This has to be one of the weirdest books I have ever read.  It has gotten a lot of mixed reviews, and I can see why now.  It takes a certain type of reader to like this book, and a lot of fans of Elizabeth Scott's other books will absolutely hate it because it's a bit of a departure.  I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it.  It was okay, but not anything I'm going to go out of my way to recommend.  Here are some things you should know before reading this book:

• It is extremely confusing for the most of the story.  I THINK I understand what was going on, now that I've finished it, but I'm still not 100% certain.  I know I didn't have a clue until about 90% through.  If you like a book that has you puzzling to figure it out through the entire thing, then this book is for you.
• It's hard to connect with any of the characters because of the fact that you're never sure who you are dealing with, or how they connect with the story, until the very end. 
• The language is strange.  The way the protagonist, Ava, talks to and about herself is very strange and confusing.  Granted, she really doesn't have a clue, herself, but I found it bothersome.  If you are easily frustrated when authors use different styles of speech, you will have difficulty with this book.

If you can get past the above points, then you may enjoy this.  I found it a little too complicated because I read for entertainment and escape, and this book was just way too taxing on my brain.  It was very intense.  It's definitely for a very niche group of readers, that I don't think I'm a part of.   (It does have a fabulous cover though!)

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  I think it's fine for Middle School (6th grade) and up.  There's some violence, but otherwise, it's pretty clean.  Ages 11+.

Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin/Macmillan Audio

Publication Date: September 13th, 2011

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Science Fiction and Dystopia are two of my favorite genres, so I was really looking forward to this book.  I still had the delicious aftertaste of Beth Revis's amazing Across the Universe on my tongue when I heard about this one, making me that much more eager to get my hands on it.  I have to admit, I was kind of let down.  It's not that I didn't enjoy this book.  It was a good read and it had an interesting storyline, but it dragged for me.  I didn't really feel that compelling need to keep reading until the final third of the book.  I'm more of an instant gratification girl, so books that don't move along quickly usually annoy me.  I had a hard time connecting with Waverly; I felt sorry for all she went through, but I never felt like I knew her, and didn't really feel a pull to want to get to know her.  Kieran and Seth intrigued me a little more, especially the dynamic between the two of them, but I'm not really sure if I actually like or trust either.   For me, he most vibrant of the characters was Anne Mather, the captain/pastor of the New Horizon.  She evoked nothing but disdain from me, but she had depth that the other characters lacked.  She seemed to bring the story to life; the parts of the story that involved her seemed to be the most gratifying.  Although slow to grab me, I will say that once the story started moving, it really clicked.   I quite enjoyed it from there, which makes me really want to read the second book in the series, Spark, when it comes out in July. I think this series has potential because the idea behind it is unique and thought-provoking, I just think too much time was spent in this first book setting everything up.  

On another note, when I was about 60 pages in, I got the audio version from Macmillan Audio for review, so I switched formats, and I think the audio version was well done.  The readers, Ilyana Kadushin and Matthew Brown, breathe a life into otherwise rather flat characters.  I felt that it was a little on the long side though; the book is only about 300 pages long, but the audio was 10 hours long.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  Because this book is basically about reproductive slavery, I would put it at a high school level.  There isn't really any objectionable content for middle school aged readers, I just don't think they would understand the gravity of what is happening.  Grades 9 and up (ages 14+).

Review: What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: November 1st, 2008

When Evie's father returned home from World War II, the family fell back into its normal life pretty quickly. But Joe Spooner brought more back with him than just good war stories. When movie-star handsome Peter Coleridge, a young ex-GI who served in Joe's company in postwar Austria, shows up, Evie is suddenly caught in a complicated web of lies that she only slowly recognizes. She finds herself falling for Peter, ignoring the secrets that surround him... until a tragedy occurs that shatters her family and breaks her life in two.

As she begins to realize that almost everything she believed to be a truth was really a lie, Evie must get to the heart of the deceptions and choose between her loyalty to her parents and her feelings for the man she loves. Someone will have to be betrayed. The question is... who?

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

If your have been reading my reviews very long, you know that Historical Fiction is not my favorite genre; I never cared much for History in school and I would much rather read about what COULD happen than what already has.  That said, this review may be somewhat biased...

I picked up What I Saw and How I Lied as a part of a challenge in one of my Goodreads groups.  I like challenges because it is really the only way I read outside of my comfort zone.  I'm an overly competitive person and I will "suffer" through the task of reading a book I normally wouldn't for the sake of winning...  Well, this last quarterly challenge in my Wild Things YA Group assigned the task of "reading both a past National Book Award Winner and Nominee from the same year".  Well, I don't typically agree with the choices the judges of book awards make, so I kind of groaned when I saw this.  This book won the YA National Book Award in 2008.  Do I agree? Absolutely not.  Books like The Hunger Games, Graceling, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and Paper Towns were released in 2008; not one of these books was even nominated, all were much better.  Does this mean I didn't like this book?  No.  

As far as Historical Fiction goes, this is one of the better books I've read.  I actually quite enjoyed it.  It reminded me of the excellent television show, Mad Men.  I felt like it captured what I know of that era (and despite my advanced age, I have no first-hand knowledge, although my grandparents definitely do).  It was a well written, compelling story that had a nice mystery unfold.  It made me think about how innocent teens were during those times compared to when I was a teenager, and how much "older" the teens now are compared to even then.  Things were so simple then, but the emotions of the typical teen girl were very much the same.  I enjoyed riding Evie's emotional roller-coaster.  

This story started out well, but it did kind of drag for about 60 pages in the middle.  After that it picked up and was quite a page turner.  I never felt like I couldn't put this book down, but I didn't feel the need to put it down to read something else, if that makes any sense.  I wasn't thrilled with the ending of this book because I had a lot of feelings about how the story unfolded, but the ending made sense and I respect authors who don't wrap a book up with a neat, happy ending.  Overall, I liked this book.  Is it one that I feel a need to add to my personal bookshelf and tell everyone I know to read it?  No.  Although I enjoyed it, I don't feel like I would have been missing out on anything if I hadn't read it.  It would be a great read for a HS History class exploring that era or a person who is a fan of Historical Fiction and/or shows like Mad Men. 

My Rating: ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  Perfectly acceptable for middle school and up (ages 10+).  Because the writing stays true to the era, it is quite clean.  I would let my 5th grader read it if I thought she would have any interest in it, but this is honestly a book that would appeal to adults more than teens.

**Don't forget to enter my AWESOME giveaway of an audio copy of the AMAZING All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin HERE!**

Review: L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: June 1st, 2009

In L.A. CANDY, nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts moves to L.A. and unexpectedly becomes the star of a reality T.V. show. With fame comes wealth, hot clothes and even hotter love interests -- and Jane′s lapping it all up with her eclectic entourage of pals who are always up for a wild night out and the chance to get a piece of her spotlight. But soon Jane realizes everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

L.A. CANDY is a fast-paced, honest and entertaining fictional account of what it′s like to come of age in Hollywood while starring in a reality TV show, written by a girl who has experienced it all firsthand: Lauren Conrad.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

The only reason I picked up this book was because it fit a challenge. I've never watched the television show she's in, but I imagine this is loosely based on that? It seemed very autobiographical, from the little bit I know about her. I honestly expected it to be horrible, and was pleasantly surprised. I didn't hate this book! I didn't love it either, but I didn't expect to. I honestly thought it would be so bad that I couldn't finish. Well, I did finish, and I thought it was pretty good. Will I read further in the series? Maybe. Perhaps I will need another challenge book. It's not something I would clamor to read, but it wouldn't be painful either.  At any rate, I felt like Lauren Conrad did a good job telling her story in a fictional format. The writing was competent, the story moved along at a good pace, and if you like tabloid fodder, it was entertaining. I can see why some teen girls would enjoy this. It's the life many of them dream about.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

Grade Level Recommendation: Grades 9+ (Ages 14+). There are definitely some things in this book that wouldn't be appropriate for a younger girl. There is MUCH underage drinking in clubs, several instances of "going home" with guys and one night stands. There is a bit of language, but that's never been a sticking point for me after about 5th grade.

Review: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Publisher: New American Library

Publication Date: March 1st, 2011

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams. 

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear. 

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Eh. That's what I have to say about this book. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. It was engaging, but not anything new and different. Let's see... Shy, out-of-sync-with-normal-high-school-stuff girl meets boy. He's a total jerk to her, yet she is mysteriously drawn to him. He tells her to stay away because he's not good for her. She doesn't listen and they fall in love despite the paranormal obstacles they must overcome. Sound vaguely familiar? Yeah. I liked the Twilight Saga, so I didn't hate this book and there were definite differences that saved it from being a "Twilight re-telling". I even have to respect the author for having the characters openly mock the similarities, but this book kind of fell flat for me. Don't get me wrong, there were parts I liked, but I the things I disliked overshadow them.

Things I did NOT like:
~The writing style. Way too many words!! Descriptive language is a good thing in a novel, but too much description is annoying. At times I felt like the author was having a hard time making the book long enough, so she over-stated everything. Kind of like when I was in HS and had to write a 1,000 word essay, but only had 750 words worth of anything to say...
~Most of the characters bugged me. Theia was SO melodramatic, sullen, and really dumb (especially for a supposedly smart girl) , Haden was a self-absorbed ass, and Theia's dad was so cliche (ridiculously rich, clueless, overprotective-yet-absent daddy) I wanted to puke.
~I detest it when a female "heroine" is a love-sick sap like Theia. I hate the message it sends to young girls that it's okay to sacrifice yourself and everything that makes you who you are for a guy. I would much rather read about a character like Katsa from Graceling or Helen from Nobody's Princess; girls who can fall in love without becoming weak, submissive idiots. (Just sayin'.)
~I mentioned this before, but the basic premise of the book has been done. Over. And Over. And Over.

Things I DID like:
~The story did start to have some original elements toward the last 1/3 of the book. I'm not going to give away the parts that made the book good for those of you that haven't read it.  Just know that it gets much better in the end.
~Donny and Haden's mom rock as far as characters go. In my opinion, they were the only two well-written characters in the book. Donny was strong, smart, independent, and witty. Haden's mom was the perfect villain (I love female villains!).
~The cover is beautiful. I'm a cover whore, and this one is just stunning.
~The Underworld is pretty cool with all the dancing skeletons and demons. The only time I wasn't annoyed with Hayes's writing style was when she was describing the Underworld.
~No love triangle!!! Hallelujah!! I am so sick of love triangles in YA books. Seriously. Even the most gorgeous socially-adept HS girls usually don't have more than one guy vying for their affections at the same time. The socially-awkward yet beautiful-in-a-subtle-way HS girl? She's lucky to have one guy fall in love with her.
~This book was pretty dark as far as paranormal romances go. I like dark, so it worked for me on that level.

Overall impression? I somewhat liked it.
Was it a total waste of time? Not really. There are books out there that I recommend to everyone I know (Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, Unwind by Neal Shusterman), and then there are those that I only mention to certain people. This is one of those. If you like paranormal romance with a dark side and don't mind a loose rehashing of Twilight, this book is for you.
Will I read the next book, Dreaming Awake? Probably not. My TBR list is so overflowing, that I probably won't bother. There's just too much out there that I know I'll like better...

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

Grade Level Recommendation: I would say this is fine for ages 12+ (7th grade+). There is some sexuality in the book, but it's fairly benign. I wouldn't let my (almost) 10 year old read it, but I wouldn't have a problem in a couple of years.