ARC Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Publisher:  Abrams/Amulet Books

Publication Date:  January 1st, 2013

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book was just... WOW!  I am going to try to find words to express how much love and adoration I have for this book, but honestly, there just aren't really any to do it justice.  I was blown away for so many reasons...

The initial reason I was drawn to this book was the cover.  I don't think they come any more stunning!  The art is absolutely eye-popping, and I would have wanted to read this book no matter what it was about; It just happened to be a bonus that it is a retelling of one of the greatest books ever written, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland.  I'm always in the market for a great retelling of a much-loved classic book, because I think so many authors have been influenced by these stories, and oftentimes, their perspective is creative genius.  The Fairy-tale Retelling has actually become a genre of its own, and it seems that the Classic Retelling is moving in that way.  I've recently read some great Jane Austen retellings (The Trouble with Flirting and Epic Fail, both by Claire LaZebnik, and For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund), and several authors have retold the amazing L. Frank Baum's fabulous stories of OZ (most notably, Gregory Maguire's brilliant Wicked, Son of a Witch, etc.), but Alice has been rather untouched (although I have to say that I adore Frank Beddor's The Looking Glass Wars trilogy).  I was so excited when I read the synopsis of Splintered because the potential for a great, imaginative story stemming from Alice and her adventures, is limitless...

Well, I'm sure you've gathered from my introduction to this review, A.G. Howard TOTALLY pulled it off.  I was completely sucked into this story; It was almost as if I went down the rabbit hole myself...  So why was is so brilliant?  Since there are so many reasons I loved this book so much, I am going to bullet point them...

• Characters- The characters in this story were fantastic!  The main character, Alyssa, was very real; A damaged, insecure teen who isn't really sure who she is, or where her life is headed.  She grows a lot throughout the story, and it was great to be along for the ride.  Two other characters who I was really drawn to were Morpheus and Jeb.  Jeb is Alyssa's neighbor, BFF since childhood, protective older brother figure, and secret love interest.  He is a major player in this story, and I loved the way his character developed, and the way his relationship with Alyssa grew.  Morpheus is an extremely complex character.  He has so many facets, that as the reader, you will find it impossible to form a concrete opinion of him until the very end, and maybe not even then, and I love that.  Alyssa's mother was also interesting, although I never formed any kind of attachment to her like I did the aforementioned.  Some of the best characters were some of the crazy creatures and oddballs of Wonderland.  I even loved the baddies...
• Story- AMAZING!  I was completely enthralled.  Like, seriously, for real...  I could not put this book down.  It pulled me in from page one, and got better and better (I actually tweeted the author about 150 pages in to ask if there would be a book two, because I knew I wouldn't be happy when it ended!).  I knew very early on that this would be one of those books that I wanted to slow-read to have it last longer (even though there was no way I could possibly do that), because I was going to be so sad to have to leave the world and the characters behind.  The pacing was perfect, and the plot was riveting.  I loved how everything unfolded; How each character's closely guarded secrets were revealed, and how those secrets tied so well into the tasks that Alyssa and Jeb had to complete to save her mother and herself.  I even enjoyed the love triangle, which is usually something I detest in YA.  The romantic element was expertly done.  I have to admit that some of my favorite parts of this story were the betrayals (and perceived betrayals), and the profound sacrifices that some of the characters were willing to make for one another.  There were also some really epic twists- ones that I never saw coming- that made this story even more fantastic.
• World Building- I just can't even.  Splintered has some of the best world building I have ever read.  The images my mind produced while reading this book were so vividly detailed, so remarkably original, and oftentimes, so disturbingly grotesque, that I still haven't let go of them, and likely won't for a very long time.  The landscape of Wonderland that A.G. Howard paints is phenomenal.  I dare say that her depiction was even more vibrant than that of the original author, Lewis Carroll, which is saying A LOT.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that even though it is only January, this book will make my top five for 2013 (as of now, it is tied for the number one spot with Victoria Schwab's The Archived).  I loved it so much.  If you are a fan of the original, you MUST get a hold of Splintered right now.  You won't be sorry that you did.

My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  There are a few scenes in this book where the romance gets a little hot and heavy (no sex though), but otherwise this book is pretty clean.  I say it's fine for 5th grade and up (ages 10+).

Review: The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Publisher:  Abrams Books

Publication Date:  May 1st, 2012

This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance.

On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book was a tough one for me to review, which is probably why I'm reviewing it long after reading it.  I had to let it digest some, before I could truly appreciate it...  I will admit first that I was drawn to this book for one reason- the stunning cover.  I love the clockwork, the wings, the art.  It is a beautiful rendering, and very, very fitting to the story.  When I started reading The Peculiars, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it.  It was a little slow to start.  When I say "slow" though, I mean that I didn't feel compelled to drop things to read it.  Although there was a good bit of action from the beginning, it seemed irrelevant at the time.  About a third of the way through the book, that all changed though, and things began to fall into place.  Sometimes I really didn't like where the story was going, but things started to make more sense... The story is a unique one, with rich complexities, that require the reader to really stay with the story.  That is this book's strength and its weakness.  Readers who have a hard time keeping track of details are not going to enjoy this book as much, while those who thrive on the intricacies and subtle plot twists will love it.  The characters are all the type who have to grow on you.  There was not one, not even the protagonist, Lena, who I felt a quick connection to, and for most of them, it took me the entire book to work out whether I liked them or not.  As for the pacing, I mentioned before that it was a little slow to start, but it picked up quite well by about halfway through, and kept me turning pages until the end.  I really enjoyed the Steampunk elements of it, and I felt like the whole exile of the Peculiars added an emotional twist it it, that made me think of the prejudices that people who are different endure in our society, even now.  I greatly enjoyed the revelations of what was happening in Mr. Beasley's lab and his role in Lena's finding the answers she was looking for.  As far as the romance was concerned, I found it to be a little lacking.  It seemed forced, like it was added as an afterthought because YA novels MUST (insert sarcastic face here) always have a romance to be relevant.  I liked Jimson, but it just didn't click that way for me.  I would say the best part about this book would be the world building.  The author painted gorgeous pictures in my mind's eye of lush snowy landscapes, dilapidated, yet loved estates, and quaint, if depressed mining towns.  The Victorian era is a favorite of mine, and I think she nailed it.  I felt like I could picture every setting perfectly, just as she saw it when creating the story. 

Overall, I did end up liking The Peculiars more than I initially thought I was going to.  After sitting on it awhile, I feel even better about it.  It was well written, and the story was different from most of the YA Steampunk out there right now.  I can't say I agree with Booklist giving it a Starred Review, but I think it is a solid YA debut for Maureen Doyle McQuerry, and I think she is definitely one to watch in the future.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  There is some violence, but nothing graphic or over-the-top, and there's an innocent romance.  It's really very tame compared to most YA.  That being said, this book is rather detailed in its descriptions and plotline, and I think it would be hard for many younger readers to follow, even if the content is benign enough.  I would say this is best suited for readers age 10 and up (5th grade+).

Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Publisher:  Amulet Books

Publication Date:  March 1st, 2012

Seventeen-year-old Greg has managed to become part of every social group at his Pittsburgh high school without having any friends, but his life changes when his mother forces him to befriend Rachel, a girl he once knew in Hebrew school who has leukemia.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I know this is a rather bold statement to be making in March, but this is my Beauty Queens of 2012.  What I mean is that Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will top my 2012 list of "Funniest Books of the Year".  I have never laughed so hard while reading a book as I did while reading this one.  In fact, I'm going to be even more bold and say that this is quite possibly the funniest book I have EVER read.  You may find this statement odd, given the fact that this book is about two guys and their friend, who is dying of cancer, but this book is not about cancer; cancer is more like a supporting character...  This book is actually about the main character, Greg, and the changes he goes through during his senior year.  Yes, Rachel's cancer plays a role in shaping who Greg and Earl become over the course of the book, but in the end, it plays a rather small role.

I had a lots of reasons to love this book, and I really can't think of anything I didn't like about it.  That said, I should give a disclaimer:  I am an adult, and am not easily offended by profanity, objectification of women and their parts, or crude conversation (in fact, I tend to have a rather crass sense of humor, and often find these things amusing).  This book contains all these things and more; it is a true depiction of how a 17 year old boy thinks and talks, and there are people who might find that offensive.  If you are one of those people, you might as well skip this book.  Now I can get to what I loved...

• This book is written as a stream of consciousness.  It's written from the POV of Greg, and it is written as he thinks about and experience.  Since, as you may have noticed, I write in much the same way, I like reading things written this way as well.
• Did I mention this book was funny?  If Judd Apatow wrote books, they would all read like this one.
• The characters were GREAT!  Greg was the hopeless, lovable, self-deprecating kid who is too smart and/or edgy for his own good.  Earl was the tough, tell-it-like-it-is, reluctant hero, who also happened to be my favorite.  Rachel was the girl with cancer who forced Greg to grow, and Earl to show his vulnerable side.  The supporting characters were pretty awesome too.  I loved Greg's descriptions of his parents and sisters, Earl's brothers, and his teachers.  Honestly, Jesse Andrews's biggest strength had to be in his descriptions of characters.  They were just brilliant, and he had me laughing my arse off at every turn.
• Initially you're led to believe that there's not much plot or story line in this book.  For a large portion of the book, I thought it was mainly Greg's observations of life; he even goes out of his way, many times, to let you know that, regretfully, this is NOT a book about a kid who discovers himself through his experiences dealing with a friend dying of cancer.  Of course, it IS about that, but in a very convoluted way...  I have to admit that the final chapter threw me for a loop.  I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't tell you why, but I was genuinely surprised, and I NEVER saw it coming.
• The whole film angle was brilliant.  Greg and Earl are ginormous fans of B-Movies and recreate many of their favorites over the course of their childhood.  They show these to NOBODY, until Earl gives them to dying Rachel in the hopes of cheering her up.  Greg is none to pleased, but he reluctantly goes along with it.   A lot of the story involves the films and, I found myself wishing there was an interactive component to this book where we could see these films (especially the ones with the sock-puppets).
• The pacing was awesome!!!  I mean, I could not go five pages without guffawing, and I couldn't go 25 pages without laughing so hard I had tears running down my face.  I'm pretty sure that I peed my pants a little at least three or four times.  
• The cover is phenomenal.  It is eye-catching, relevant to the story, and so VERY well done.  Bravo to the designer!

Really, I could have just written, "This book is made of win, with awesomesauce on top!", but that would not have been much of a review.  I have no doubt about the fact that Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will make my Top 25 YA Books of 2012 list.  It is a definite favorite, and I hope you all will read it (but ONLY if you are not offended by profanity).

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★+++ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  As I mentioned before, this book is heavy on the profanity, amongst other possibly objectionable things.  I would say this is a definite "NO!" for Middle School age students, and iffy for even 9th graders.  If this book were a movie, it would definitely be rated R.  Because there are no actual visualizations, like in a movie, I'm not putting a 17+ stamp on it, but I am going to say that this is a book that should not be read by anyone younger than High School age.  I recommend this book for readers who are AT LEAST 15 and older (grades 10+).