Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Publisher: Egmont USA
Publication Date: June 14th, 2011

One hour to rewrite the past . . . 

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Where do I even start? This book was so many things. Remarkable. Original. Addictive. Mind-Bending. AMAZING. I just don't have enough gushing, positive words to articulate how I feel about this book. As one of my most anticipated books of 2011, I am so relieved that it has not only lived up to my expectations, but far exceeded them. I loved it, and am already anxiously awaiting book #2. I have a feeling that this is a new favorite series for me.

I'll be honest and say that I initially wanted this book for one reason,and one reason only. The cover. Hi. Can you say fantastic? I was immediately drawn to this book because of it. Then I read the synopsis and there was just no way I wasn't going to read it. Now that I have, I need to make sure everyone else does too.

This book was so well written. I could not stop turning the pages. (I actually felt bad for my parents, who I only visit in NY once a year, because I kind of ignored them for two days of my visit to read this.) The story was phenomenal. I never saw the twists coming, and neither will you. They are just THAT original. Now, if you're used to my reviews, you know that I never reveal spoilers in them. The Goodreads synopsis is about all you'll get. That said, you should understand that the above synopsis does not even come close to revealing the depth of this book. I loved the characters, the plot, the tension, the energy. Ugh. Could sometime-in-2012-when-Untilted-book-2-is-released come already? Please? I NEED to know what happens next.

Oh, and did I mention that the cover is amazing?

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ + 

Grade Level Recommendation: Clean as a whistle. The only things I can think of that very conservative parents might object to is a murder mystery and some very innocent romantic undertones. Perfectly fine for an advanced reading 4th grader+ (ages 9+).

Before the Blog (2): The Last Survivors Trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Some of you already know this, but I've started a weekly meme called "Before the Blog". In short, it's a place to review books you read and loved before you began blogging about them. Basically, you choose a book each week, then answer the following three questions,and post your review.   Then you can add your post to the little Mr. Linky widget below, and voila!


Why did you choose this book? 
When did you read this book?
Who would you recommend this book to?

For more info, see my 1st BtB post by clicking this LINK. As for this week's post, I'm actually going to review a trilogy that I loved. I know many of you have read this series, but I found out after one of my WoW posts, featuring a book by the same author, that A LOT of my followers haven't. 

The Last Survivors Trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books

The three books in the trilogy are Life As We Knew It, The Dead and the Gone, and This World We Live In. It doesn't really matter which of the first two books you read first, since they are written by different people, about the same event. The third book, however, unites their stories, and should be read last. For the sake of this post, I will list them in order of publication. But first, the questions...

Why did you choose this trilogy? Simply? I loved it. Not because it has a lot of warm-fluffy-feel-good value, but because it reaches deep into the reader and you can't help but feel as you're reading. I love books that evoke true emotion.

When did you read these books? I've read them all at least twice. I first read Life As We Knew It in June of 2010, The Dead and the Gone in July of 2010, and This World We Live In in September of 2010.

Who would you recommend this book to? Just about anyone. It's one of those books that kind of reaches across genres and demographics. People who like Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic reads would like this, for sure, but I wouldn't place limits. My husband, who mostly reads business and politics related books, liked Life As We Knew It. My daughter was enthralled, and is typically a reader of girly-fluff. Of the middle schoolers I recommended this to, all loved it, and their interests definitely span a wide range.
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Life As We Knew It

Publication Date: October 1st, 2006

Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

 
This is book one in the trilogy. I picked it up because a friend of mine said, "Have you read this? It's so good!". I bought it and let in sit on my shelf for awhile... Then a Goodreads challenge came about that required a mostly blue cover, and this book fit the bill. I read it in less than a day. I was sucked it from the first page. This is definitely a doomsday type story, but it's not entirely depressing, and is still 100% worth the emotions it evokes. It's a book that will stay with you long after you read it. It's both horrifying and beautiful.

The story is told through Miranda Day's journal entries over the course of one year. She starts out as a rather typical self-absorbed teenage girl, but as the story progresses, she becomes an entirely different person. That alone makes the book very good, but there is so much more to it. The most fascinating and scary part to it is the fact that this event- the moon being knocked closer to earth by an asteroid- is totally plausible. It really makes you think about what would happen if something like that were to happen. We all like to think that we would be prepared for a disaster of some sort; that we would survive and that things would improve quickly after such a thing. This book makes you think about all of the things that you wouldn't normally think about, and it's while frightening, it's also very eye-opening. We are so reliant on modern conveniences, that we can't even begin to plan for life without them (and I'm not even referring to the internet and cell phones, but things like running water, heat, mail service). Even though it's fiction, it makes you grateful for all that you have. (And it makes you want to start stockpiling food, water, vodka, propane, antibiotics, batteries, etc.)

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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The Dead and the Gone

Publication Date: January 1st, 2008

Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.

With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This is the second book in the trilogy, although, as I mentioned earlier, they can be read in either order. Hands down, this book was my favorite of the three. For starters, I liked Alex a lot more than I liked Miranda. This book covers the same timeframe as Life As We Knew It, beginning right before the asteroid hits the moon, and ending exactly one year later, but I feel like Susan Beth Pfeffer really gets her groove on in this book. It was fantastic. I liked it for many of the same reasons I liked the first book, but I liked it so much better. While Miranda lived in rural Pennsylvania, Alex lives in NYC. Miranda had her mother and brothers for guidance and morale. Alex's parents were not home when the event occurred, leaving him to be the one to provide for his two younger sisters. I think Alex's story was much more gut-wrenching. He went through so much more than Miranda did on almost every level. He lost so much, but his spirit stayed strong. He was truly selfless, while at the same time incredibly resourceful and practical. It left me with the same types of feelings- grateful for what I have, but with a need to have some sort of plan in case of some disaster like this. It just feels that real when you're reading it...

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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This World We Live In

Publication Date: May 21st, 2010

It’s been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth’s climate. For Miranda Evans, life as she knew it no longer exists. Her friends and neighbors are dead, the landscape is frozen, and food is increasingly scarce. The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda’s father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda’s complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This was my least favorite of the three books, but I still give it huge acclaim. I think Susan Beth Pfeffer was brilliant to bring the characters we got to know in the first two books together in the third book. Not only does it bring the story of survival to new levels, but it also shows new sides to people we thought we knew. I don't want to give anything away, so I'm not going to delve into the story any more than Goodreads did, but I will tell you that there is no resolution. No answers tied up neatly with a bow. Sorry, that's not the way life works, and if this series has any underlying message at at all, it's that. This book was as fantastic and horrifying as the first two, and much like the first two, it will be difficult, if not impossible for you to put down. You won't want it to be over because you will want to know what happens to the people whose lives you've become invested in, but you will be left feeling like Pfeffer didn't sell out for the sake of an ending....

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

 
Grade Level Recommendation: This holds true for most YA books in some sense, but in this case, it really does depend on the kid. This series is graphic. Horrible things happen in the world. Lots of people die; some die under awful circumstances. Hope does not abound. And it's all terrifyingly realistic; plausible. There's not a lot of standard issue "inappropriate content" such as language, violence, or sex, but for kids who have a lot of fears or anxiety to begin with, this series could be a bad idea. The "average" kid (as if there were such a thing), could probably handle this by 5th or 6th grade (ages 10 or 11). I let my daughter read it at the end of 4th grade because I felt she could use a few grateful-what-I-have feelings. My neighbor felt like her 6th grader wasn't ready for it because she thought it would scare the crap out of him. This is a series that I think parents of kids under the age of about 14 (9th grade), should either read before or alongside their kids (the first book, at least) to gauge their reactions and talk about it, if necessary.

WWW (9) and Waiting on Wednesday (July 27th, 2011) Double Feature

W. W. W. Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading a great YA blog that I subscribe to. Here's how it works... Each Wednesday I will answer the following questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you'll read next?

I know you've missed me, but never fear! I'm all refreshed from my vacation (not really, I had all three kids with me, but we can pretend) and getting full on back into the swing of things. As you may have read on my earlier post, I've read a bunch of great books while I was gone and am super-excited to review them. If you want to see what they were, go ahead and click HERE. Now for this week's bookish news...

What are you currently reading?

Everfound by (the GREAT) Neal Shusterman~ Amazing. As awesome as I predicted it would be. Bittersweet, as it's the final book in the trilogy. Review will be up as soon as I finish.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi~ I don't know why I've put off reading this so long. Very,VERY good. For once, I get why a book has won so many awards.

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs~ This is a re-read. I am reading it to my daughter, who I love almost as much as Tera Lynn's books. (Just kidding! I love my daughter a little bit more!)



What did you recently finish reading?

Possession by Elana Johnson~ Looking forward to posting my review on this one, so look for it in the next day or two.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott~ Absolutely painful to read. So horrifying. Well written, but the story was just gut-wrenching.




What do you think you'll read next?

Graveminder by Melissa Marr~ I've been waiting on this from the library for awhile, and I just got my notification that it is waiting for me. Yay!

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer~ I loved Nightshade and have been anxiously awaiting the release of this book. It's finally here!

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce~ A re-read to prepare for the release of Sweetly (August 23rd).

"Waiting On" Wednesday is another fun blog event. Hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, this event gives us a chance to talk about the books we anxiously await the release of. Since there is ALWAYS a looooooong list of books I'm waiting on (I actually keep a spreadsheet), I figured this is one that I MUST do.


I really can't believe that 2011 is more than half over! I was perusing my spreadsheet for this week's post and realized that 3/4 of the books on my list have already been released. My 2012 list is well underway, and that's just scary to me! Where does the time go? Anyway, here is my WoW for this week; an almost-2012 release...

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I thought Thirteen Reasons Why was brilliant, and I am so glad Jay Asher has something new coming out. I've not read anything his collaborator, Carolyn Mackler, has written, but I plan to while I wait for this release. One of the draws of this book, for me, is that I graduated high school in 1994 and I can totally envision this. When I started college, the internet was this little baby thing. There weren't blogs, there was no Google, and like the synopsis says, everyone got on with an AOL CD and a dial-up connection. And Facebook (to which I am now addicted)? Pfft! How things have changed! Anyway, I am really excited for this one! What are you excited for?

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: November 21st, 2011

My Expected Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Review: Stay by Deb Caletti

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: April 5th, 2011

Clara's relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it's almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he's willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won't let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I've never been a huge fan of Contemporary Fiction. I hate as many books in the genre as I like, and those that I like, I often like in a "guilty-pleasure" way (as in, I wouldn't admit to other adults that I liked them). Teens are such a jumble of emotions and hormones to begin with; throw in the fact that the teens so many "realistic" YA books are written about are self-indulgent brats (think Gossip Girl and The Clique series), and I often find myself wondering why I picked the book up in the first place. Now before you get mad at me for knocking these series that you may well love, keep in mind that I don't think they suck; I actually find some of these books quite entertaining when I need a trashy, mindless read. I just have so many books to read, in so little time, that I would typically rather read something that takes me to a better place or has an impact on me on an emotional or intellectual level. That all being said, I wasn't sure about Deb Caletti. I never paid much attention to her or her books, and I just wrote her off as another CF author for teen girls. If this book (my first by Caletti) is any indication of her general style, I was very,VERY wrong in my assumptions. I was beyond impressed and I will most definitely read more of her books.  So, on to the review...

Stay was a great book on many levels. I will first delve into the technical aspects. The book was well written and expertly paced. It kept me on the edge of my seat, turning the pages, needing to know what the outcome would be. I felt like Caletti was doling out just enough information to keep the story moving, without giving the outcome away. So many authors just can't manage to do this. I will love the story, but will see the end coming a mile away. Caletti not only managed to do it, but managed to do it without my hating her for it.

As for the actual story? Chilling. Horrifying. Real. As with all of my reviews, I will not give any spoilers whatsoever. I will say that I believe that every teenage girl should read this; preferably before getting involved in her first serious relationship. I remember having a high school friend with a relationship like Clara and Christian's. It happens more often than we care to think, and it's tragic every time. Sure, they don't all end "badly" in a physical sense, but they always, ALWAYS leave the young girl damaged for life on some level. I also think parents of girls should read this. It is so hard to take teen romances seriously sometimes, and I think a great many parents blow off what is an extremely intense relationship just because it's between two teenagers. BIG mistake. Teens have some of the most intense emotions out there, but often lack the maturity to have full control of them. Throw in the hormones and you get a potentially dangerous situation like the one that plays out in this book. Unfortunately, adults, in most cases like this, fail to notice a problem until it's much too late in the game. Hopefully in reading this, teen girls (and their parents) would see warning signs early on and get out. 

As chilling as this book is, it isn't a total downer. There are a fair number of positive parts that add levity the story and the feeling that Clara's life isn't all intensity, fear, hurt, and uncomfortable feelings. I felt like it was balanced enough not to leave the reader depressed and hopeless, while still driving home the gravity of her situation. In all, it is an extremely competent portrayal of a very important and sensitive topic. Caletti manages to bring to light the horrifying nature of this type of relationship without coming across as preachy, or sacrificing the lesson for the sake of entertainment.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Grade Level Recommendation: Initially, I was going to say 9th grade+, but then I thought back to my high school friend and the fact that she became involved with her "Christian" at the end of 8th grade, and changed my mind. Thinking back, I realize that most of my friends their first "real" boyfriends by 8th grade, and that it would definitely benefit girls younger than that to read this. That said, I would recommend this book for 6th grade+ (ages 12+). It does have some mature content (the protagonist describes in a non-graphic way, the loss of her virginity), but it is relevant, appropriate, and realistic.

I'm Back...

...and I know that this just made your day!

You've probably been thinking, "WTF? Where has Karis been with her fabulous reviews and witty take on things?", right? Well, I was on an extend trip with my family, and my husband, being the native-New Yorker that he is, absolutely forbade me to publicize that until after the fact, for fear of being robbed blind. (Okay, maybe he's kind of smart on that point, but still...) Anyway, we had an awesome time. We packed up the minivan and took a road trip. First we visited Upstate New York, where I grew up. We spent a week there, visiting with my parents, little sister (she's 17, and for whatever reason, had no idea I had a YA blog?), and some of my friends from HS. After that we headed to Bayonne, NJ (what a HOLE!), and boarded our fantabulous cruise to Bermuda with David's dad, step-mother, step-brother, and our two awesome nieces (ages 14 and 17). Bermuda was great, with the exception of the gigantic chunks of flesh I ripped out of the bottom of my foot walking across some hidden coral. The highlight? Running around, trying to find a Bermudian movie theater with a midnight showing a Harry Potter on the 15th (no such luck). After returning from Bermuda, we spent another week on Long Island with David's family. Now I am usually not a huge fan of LI, but it is wonderful this time of year, and we had a great time with everyone (and we finally got to see HP for my birthday- the big 3-5!). After that, we made the drive back to Georgia, and here I am!

On my trip I read some great books (and a couple of not-so-great) and I am excited to review them for you in the upcoming weeks (and also the ridiculously awesome HP 7.2). I am also looking forward to getting back to my weekly memes and Goodreads challenges. Sadly, my trusty little Acer Netbook died and I'm currently relegated to a desktop, which means less flexibility. Never fear, though, I will be replacing the Netbook soon, and will be fully functional in no time!

Anyway, here are some of the books I've read over the past month...


Beauty Queens by Libba Bray~ Loved, loved, loved it! Cannot wait to write my glowing review of it!




The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell~ Eh. I liked it, but didn't love it. I'll let you know why in the very near future...

Hourglass by Myra McEntire~ One word... WOW! This may be the first review I post because, well, WOW!




The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han~ Can someone tell me WHY I waited so long to read this? <3




Forgotten by Cat Patrick~ Great read! Interesting premise. Another one I can't wait to give a glowing review!




Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs~ Um, not at all what I expected, but a good read nonetheless. I kind of loved AND hated it. Find out why, when I post my review...



Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott~ My stomach still knots when I think about this book. Too horrifying for words...




Possession by Elana Johnson~ Just finishing this one up, and I have to admit that it's a lot better than I expected it to be. It took me forever to get through the first 1/4 of the book, but then... can you say page-turner? Stay tuned!



So... That's where I've been and now I'm back! Yay! Oh, and on a non-book related note, Happy 10th Birthday to my oldest and sometimes favorite child, Emma! :)