[review] The Catastrophic History of You and Me – Jess Rothenberg

Release Date: February 21, 2012
Publisher: Dial Books (Penguin)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Source: ARC received from Penguin Canada

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning…. Welcome to forever. 

BRIE’S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn’t love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she’s D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there’s Patrick, Brie’s mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick’s help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she’s ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

Tell Me More: Dying of a literally broken heart? It’s the stuff Lifetime movies are made up of, and while I would normally avoid similar plots like it’s my job, I had a hunch that TCHOYAM was going to be the exception to my rule. Jess Rothenberg has written one of the strongest and most heartfelt contemporary YA novels I’ve been privileged to read in my entire life.

One question I always ask when it comes to books about the afterlife: why should I care about this character, post mortem? If their lives have already ended, what is there left for me to read about? Seeing the family deal with their loss isn’t enough–there has to be a truly compelling reason to convince me that this painful reflection on a life taken too soon is worth it. Brie Eagan is worth it all.

I haven’t connected with a character so completely since Anna and the French Kiss. Brie is funny and clever, but she can also be selfish and reckless–in other words, a real teenager. Her inability to accept her death at the hands of her boyfriend (though indirectly) is understandable, and her insistence on finding the truth is admirable. I’ve seen reviews where people complain about how whiny she is, and all I have to say is she died when she was 16. Expecting adult, mature behaviour isn’t fair, and I believe that she is a truly dynamic character who continues to have wonderful potential to grow even after her death.

Another aspect of the story that made me a bit anxious was the hint of a love triangle involving Brie, Jacob and Patrick. My own feelings about love triangles are enough to fill a whole other blog post, but thankfully, Rothenberg steered her characters in the right direction. While the reason behind Jacob’s defection is a little predictable, it didn’t take away from Brie’s heartbreak and served to flesh out Jacob’s character as well. In fact, the vibrancy of the characters is this book’s greatest strength. And Patrick, oh my dear sweet Patrick Darling. Let’s put it this way: given the choice between Augustus Waters of The Fault in Our Stars and Patrick? I would refuse to choose and keep them both with me forever.

Writing-wise, Rothenberg has captured the teenage voice to a T. Her commitment to telling Brie’s story the right way is obvious from the first page, and I couldn’t think of anything that needed to be edited down for clarity or to improve the pace of the novel. Her editorial skills must have been a blessing while writing this book. I never felt that the story could go any other way, and having that kind of faith in an author (a debut one at that!) is wonderful. I look forward to Ms. Rothenberg’s future books with the same enthusiasm I give to John Green, Maureen Johnson and Stephanie Perkins. She deserves it.

That’s Not All:

• That plot twist about 3/4 into the book? I burst into tears and would not be comforted. Granted, I am a crier, but I was so emotionally attached to the characters that I couldn’t help myself.
• I have gained a newfound respect for cheese, despite the fact that I don’t eat it.
• Brie’s little brother Jack and dog Hamloaf are now two of my top ten supporting characters in YA.

The Final Say: This is the start of a long and loving life with The Catastrophic History of You and Me. Thank you, Jess Rothenberg, for giving me a contemporary novel that will never break mine or other readers’ hearts.

Don’t forget to check out my interview with Jess, in which we discuss theme songs, writing vs. editing and that amazing title.

You can visit Jess Rothenberg at her website and follow her on Twitter @JessRothenberg.

You can check out The Catastrophic History of You and Me on Goodreads and order it from The Book Depository.

Bubble Talk: Jess Rothenberg & The Catastrophic History of You and Me

Bubble Talk is where I interview some truly amazing authors and tell you all about their books! I am absolutely tickled to share this interview with all my readers. Her book The Catastrophic History of You and Me is a beautifully insightful look at the afterlife and the value of real, unconditional love. I was stunned by the writing, the plot, the characters–basically, I loved everything about this book. Please welcome the super talented writer/editor Jess Rothenberg!

Angel: How did you fall in love with children’s/YA fiction?

Jessica: I never stopped loving children’s and teen fiction. I’ve got so many wonderful memories tied to the stories I read growing up, and always hoped I’d end up either writing books for young readers or editing them (or both). When I was ten or eleven, a teacher saw my summer reading list—packed with things like Sweet Valley High, The Babysitters Club, and plenty of classic stories by writers like Lois Lowry, Jean Craighead George, and Scott O’Dell—and made me promise I’d stop reading “those kinds of books.” I was pretty devastated, but did my best to put them aside in favor of more “sophisticated” (as she put it) reading. Thirteen years later, when I landed my dream job at Razorbill as a children’s book editor, I couldn’t help wanting to call her up and say, “Guess what?”

Angel: As an editor, you are given a different perspective of the writing process. What has editing taught you about writing and vice versa?

Jessica: That’s a great question and one I’m still figuring out all the time. I like to think my training as an editor has made me much better at asking those tough, big picture questions you’ve always got to be thinking on—things dealing with concept, story arc, plot, character, world building, and even where a book fits in the crowded marketplace, for example. Of course, when it’s your own writing it’s much harder to see the answers clearly (Reason #1068 why everyone needs a great editor!). But now that I’ve been through the editorial process from the author’s side, I do feel it has changed the way I approach editing. There’s a definite empathy you learn having to write and revise and take constructive feedback again and again and again… to deal with the occasional isolation of being a writer, not to mention all the anxieties and excitement of a first release. Overall, it’s pretty cool (and very humbling) to bring both perspectives to the process.

Angel: Who are your musical influences? Is their presence felt in The Catastrophic History of You & Me?

Jessica: There’s no question I’m a child of the ‘80s/early 90’s, and I think it’s pretty obvious in the book. Artists like The Police, Genesis, Madonna, Roxette, Crowded House, Depeche Mode, The Smiths… all of their music was very influential to me growing up and I had a great time incorporating some of their lyrics into the soundtrack of the story. (You can listen to them all here: www.jessrothenberg.com/playlist.html) The songs I associate most with love and heartache are all from that era, since that was when I was experiencing my own first crushes and broken hearts.

Angel: The title is one of my favourite things about the book. How did you come up with it?

Jessica: I’m so glad you love it, thank you! I really enjoy the challenge of titling and started out by making giants lists of words that felt interesting, fresh, and true to the story. For weeks, I worked on narrowing the lists down, asking friends and teens in my family to vote on their favorites along the way. In the end, The Catastrophic History of You and Me just felt fun, quirky, romantic, and different from so many of the one-word titles out there. And I also really like that the “you and me” is a little ambiguous, and can work in different ways depending how you read it.

Angel: What would Brie and Patrick’s theme songs be? 

Jessica: It’s very tough to pick just one, but I’d probably have to go with either “Walking with a Ghost” by Tegan and Sara or “Forever Young” by Alphaville.

Angel: What do you hope readers take away from TCHOYAM?

Jessica: I suppose I hope it reminds us all to look for the humor in dark or sad situations, and to be a little more thoughtful in how we interpret the actions and words of the people around us—especially the people we love the most. Nobody’s perfect, and in matters of love and loss and heartache, I do believe everyone deserves a second chance. But overall, I really just hope readers enjoy the story. : )

Angel: What would you tell a sixteen-year-old Jess?

Jessica: Ha, probably not to worry so much—to kick back a little more and enjoy being sixteen! If I’d known I was going to end up living in freezing cold NYC and sitting in front of a computer year after year, I would have spent even more time romping around in a bikini, enjoying the sunshine!

Again, thank you for letting me interview you and I can’t wait for February to roll around so everyone can read Catastrophic!

–

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning…. Welcome to forever.

BRIE’S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn’t love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she’s D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there’s Patrick, Brie’s mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick’s help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she’s ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

My review of this book will be going up tomorrow on the blog, so be sure to stop by! You can visit Jess Rothenberg at her website and follow her on Twitter @JessRothenberg.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me will be in bookstores everywhere on February 21, 2012.

[review] Fever – Lauren DeStefano

Release Date: February 21, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Source: ARC received from publisher at Ontario Blog Squad meetup

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago – surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness. 

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous – and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion…by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price – now that she has more to lose than ever.

Tell Me More: Wither was a novel that snuck up on me in the best way. Though the similarities to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale are unmistakable, I saw great potential in this dystopian series despite having never heard of it before I bought it.

As I mentioned in my review of Wither, Lauren DeStefano’s prose is utterly brilliant. Where Wither may have fumbled a bit in the middle of the story, Fever is superbly written and pulsing with action and revelations. DeStefano’s knack for description knocks everything out of the park and she pairs it with plot twists that will appall readers. Rhine’s life is almost always in jeopardy, but she is a resilient main character. That said, some of her actions were perturbing at best, and ridiculous at worse.

Without giving away any spoilers, I’d like to discuss Rhine in connection to the extremely powerful male characters in the novel. As readers will discover, what Rhine goes through in this book makes Wither look like a trip to a daycare. The abuse she suffers at the hands of the carnival ringmistress and Vaughan is truly horrifying. Unfortunately, I’m starting to feel like there is no way out for Rhine. The love triangle holds no interest for me, because I think she is better than both men. This is one case in which I am Team Rhine more than anything else. No matter where she goes, it seems there is always going to be a man who wants to control her in one way or another. And sadly enough, rape becomes a trope in this novel.

Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed reading Fever. But I am bothered by how rape was used to “advance” the plot, when really all it does is add more scars to Rhine’s soul. While I would love to see this series earn its happy ending from a bath of fire and blood, there were times when I felt as though those scenes were there for shock value. I can’t see Rhine ever becoming truly happy with Linden or Gabriel, because both of them see her the way they want to see her, and not who she really is. I want Rhine to be happy, but I don’t see how that can happen in the world they inhabit. My anticipation for the third and final novel is tinged with anxiousness for her future, and I’m starting to believe that I want more for Rhine than the story is willing to give.

The Final Say: Chilling and terrifying, the Chemical Garden trilogy pushes on with a harrowing account of Rhine’s next steps after leaving the mansion. Readers’ hearts will break for Rhine and her seemingly impossible search for a real life and happiness.

Be sure to visit Lauren DeStefano at her website and follow her on Twitter @laurendestefano.

You can check out Fever on Goodreads and order it from The Book Depository.

In My Mailbox [25]

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where we can show off all the books that we bought, borrowed or got for review during the week.

This haul is from the last two weeks, hence the insanity. ^_^

For review:

Girl Meets Boy, Kelly Millner Halls

Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo (both from Raincoast Books)

Pure, Julianna Baggott

Secret Letters, Leah Scheier (both from Hachette Canada)

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare, Melissa Jensen (Penguin Canada)

Blood Red Road, Moira Young (Random House Canada)

Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo (Macmillan, for the blog tour!)

 Received/Swapped:

So I have this really insane best friend named Aimee who I adore unconditionally. Her Birthday/Christmas 2011 package finally arrived and it was so heavy that I couldn’t carry it home by myself. She likes to make me cry. Exhibit A: three of these books are ones I had to leave behind in the Philippines when I moved to Toronto last year.

Forbidden, Tabitha Suzuma

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, Morgan Matson

One Night That Changes Everything, Lauren Barnholdt

The Boy Next Door, Meg Cabot

Impossible, Nancy Werlin

A Company of Swans, Eva Ibbotson

How They Met (And Other Stories), David Levithan

One Dance with a Duke, Tessa Dare

–along with a Vampire Diaries “vervaine” locket, a pretty pink journal, Ferrero Rocher chocolates and a shiny Christmas ornament!

The Humming Room, Ellen Potter (from Wendy)

Slide, Jill Hathaway

and Mercy, Rebecca Lim (from Megan)

Perfect Fifths, Megan McCafferty (signed, from the author!)

From the Random House Canada blogger event:

The Bellwether Revivals, Benjamin Wood

The Age of Miracles, Karen Thompson Walker

The Uninvited Guests, Sadie Jones

The Midwife of Venice, Roberta Rich

The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern (signed!)

The Paris Wife, Paula McLain (signed!)

The Virgin Cure, Ami McKay (signed!)

Bought:

Dearly, Departed, Lia Habel

Hourglass, Myra McEntire

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Emily M. Danforth

The Piper’s Son, Melina Marchetta

Entwined, Heather Dixon

The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Rae Carson

As always, thanks to Raincoast Books, Macmillan Books, Hachette Canada, Random House Canada, Penguin Canada, Megan McCafferty, Aimee, Wendy and Megan!

What’s in your mailbox?

[review] Faery Tales & Nightmares – Melissa Marr

Release Date: February 21, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 432
Format: Hardcover
Source: ARC received from publisher

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments dark and light by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from beneath the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly.

From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with…or to fear. Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.

Tell Me More: Melissa Marr is one of the reasons for my great appreciation of young adult fiction. Before reading Wicked Lovely, I had never really found a faery story that could capture my imagination. Faery Tales & Nightmares is an intimate visit into the intricate fantasy worlds of Marr’s canon.

As this book is a short story collection, I’d like to discuss each story using a scale of 1-10 (according to how well the story was constructed, its organic unity, and enjoyability).

“Where Nightmares Walk” - 5: This is probably one of the weakest stories in the anthology because it doesn’t really make much sense. I feel like this was a part cut out from a longer story or novella. The characters were vaguely sketched out, and the plot was a little perturbing, but the reader isn’t given a satisfying conclusion.

“Winter’s Kiss” (Fairy Tales) - 7: The familiar setting is a plus for this story about the Wicked Lovely faeries. I personally enjoyed seeing this universe again after Darkest Mercy, though it wasn’t as involved as I would have liked it to be.

“Transition” (Vampires) - 9: Utterly chilling, this story originally appeared in the anthology Teeth: Vampire Tales. While I didn’t love the story, it is one of the best examples of Marr’s writing talents. The reader won’t know what to expect and the conclusion is well-earned.

“Love Struck” (Selchies) - 8: Between this story and The Secret of Roan Inish, is it any surprise that I fell in love with selkies? This story was previously published in Love is Hell, and is my favourite piece from that collection.  Marr’s deft control over Alaina and Murrin’s romance is something both teens and adults will appreciate.

“Stopping Time” (WL World) - 7: Leslie from Ink Exchange makes her first appearance in this collection. Niall and Irial’s struggles to deal with Leslie’s decision at the end of that novel are portrayed in an interesting manner. While I can’t discuss much of the story because of spoilers, I will say that this was one of my guilty pleasure stories.

“Old Habits” (WL World) - 8.5: I was surprised by the length of this story and consider it more of a novella. Again, Niall and Irial take center stage and their relationship, while hinted at in the Wicked Lovely series, is revealed in all its gritty glory. I definitely think they deserve a whole other book.

“The Art of Waiting” - 4: Interesting concept, not enough page time. Marr’s penchant for vaguely named/unnamed characters is a blow against this story because it doesn’t actually give readers a character to invest in.

“Flesh for Comfort” - 9: Perfect flash fiction to counter the weaker stories in the collection. I was very creeped out by this piece, and the social commentary is unsettling in its accuracy.

“The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King” (WL World-ish, the short story that started the series) - 6: I’m not sure what to think of this story. Fans of WL will recognize the characters and conflicts, but I’m not sure that it was necessary to include this piece. After reading WL, seeing the background of the story seems a little redundant and contrived.

“Cotton Candy Skies” (WL World) - 7: Another story that’s got me on the fence. Rabbit was a great character and while I liked seeing more of him especially after Radiant Shadows, the way Marr brings him back is strange. Again, this story could have benefited from length.

“Unexpected Family” (WL World) - 8: Seth! As many of my friends know, I adore Seth unconditionally. That said, the first few pages felt a little repetitive, I did enjoy seeing him strike out on his own. Out of all the characters in the story, I was most interested in Seth’s development and this story brings him full circle.

“Merely Mortal” (WL World) - 7: A cutesy piece about Donia and Keenan. As I’m not invested in them, I wasn’t too interested in their story, but the writing itself was much more enjoyable than I remembered when it came to those two.

The Final Say: Melissa Marr fans will enjoy rediscovering their favourite characters and universes, but new readers may not be as satisfied with Marr’s first and rather uneven collection of stories.

Be sure to visit Melissa Marr at her blog and follow her on Twitter @melissa_marr.

You can check out Born Wicked on Goodreads and order it from The Book Depository.

You Know You’re a Book Nerd When…

The always awesome Christa reblogged a post today about things that let you know you’re a book nerd. Naturally, I couldn’t resist adding to that short list.

• Your favourite books have tearstains because you couldn’t stop crying long enough to get a tissue (or three).
• You own multiple copies of your most treasured books: one for lending, one for your own use and one for display behind a glass door.
• You love talking to publishers!
• You can have dinner with fellow readers and not notice your food because you’re too busy talking about a book.
• You run out of space on a bookshelf a week after you bought it. (True story.)
• You have songs that remind you of your favourite books. (Bonus points if you have them all in one playlist!)
• You “fight” over book boyfriends with fellow readers.
• Your family and friends don’t give you books on your birthday/Christmas/other holidays because “you have too many already!” (Again, a very sad true story.)

Want to add to the list? Tell me how “you know you’re a book nerd!”

[review] The Taming – Teresa Toten & Eric Walters

Release Date: January 24, 2012
Publisher: Doubleday Canada (Random House)
Pages: 256
Format: Paperback
Source: ARC received from publisher

Katie likes to believe she’s invisible. It seems much safer than being exposed as she is–shy, poor, awkward. So getting up on stage in the school production of The Taming of the Shrew should be complete torture. But as Katie tells it, something totally unexpected happened when she stepped on stage: “My head exploded. I loved it. Acting hit me like a sucker punch and I loved, loved, loved it! . . . Invisible Katie became visible Katharina.”

Evan Cooper is, as they say, another story. He knows just what it takes to get noticed, and he uses every one of the skills he’s honed after years of being the new kid. Like tossing the keys to his father’s high-end Audi to a kid he’s never met, first day of school. “I have insurance for car theft,” he explains to a shocked Danny. “And there’s a full tank.” An abuse of the power that comes with privilege and money? Sure.

But more dangerously, is his romance with Katie another version of the same thing? Or is it the real thing?

Tell Me More: In recent years, The Taming of the Shrew has become one of Shakespeare’s highly contested plays. Readers are split over whether Petruchio was horribly sexist or if Katherine was bullied into submission. Of course, it’s easy for those of us who grew up with 10 Things I Hate About You to believe that love has the power to change one’s attitude, but what happens when we can’t tell the difference between love and abuse?

Plot-wise, I was extremely impressed with The Taming. It introduces the idea of infatuation so subtly that you can get through half of the book without realizing that Evan has suddenly become a creepy presence. In fact, he’s quite easy to fall in love with as a character. He is charming and smart and realistically, he’d be at the top of the social ladder. His charisma is so strong that even the reader’s head is turned, and who could blame them? Was Katie wrong to fall for him? Just as the reader starts to realize that something is terribly wrong about Evan, he turns into someone we don’t recognize, someone who might actually be a victim himself.

It’s that kind of topsy-turvy perspective that many victims of abuse develop toward their partners, and it is portrayed so starkly in this novel. Love needs trust to grow, and Evan doesn’t even trust himself. I have heard negative feedback about that aspect of his personality, and I don’t blame readers for being angry with Evan. But I do think that to simply dismiss him as a messed-up boy is wrong too. He is, whether we like it or not, mentally ill, and deserves our compassion, if not our respect. The ending was spot-on in that regard.

However, I do think that Toten & Walters could have done a little more with Katie. Her transformation from shy wallflower to instant center of attention was too fast for my taste, and I would have liked to see her grow into that confidence. As Katharine is one of my favourite Shakespeare heroines, I wanted to see more of that unconquerable spirit in Katie. Because, yes, I am firmly in Camp True-Love-Can-Overcome-Obstacles when it comes to this story. To me, Katharine and Petruchio are a great example of realistic love: they fight, they argue, they even hate each other sometimes, but in the end, they would sacrifice their former reputations for the joy of being able to love one another. That’s something that Katie and Evan will (I think) have learned to value after meeting each other.

That’s Not All:

• SERIOUS geekery over reciting Taming of the Shrew lines as I read the book.
• Hilarious supporting characters!

The Final Say: Teresa Toten & Eric Walters take on the tough subject of relationship abuse through the eyes of Shakespeare, and it truly is a poignant and powerful combination.

Be sure to visit Teresa Toten at her website and Eric Walters at his homepage.

You can check out The Taming on Goodreads and order it from Amazon.

[review] Someone Else’s Life – Katie Dale

Release Date: February 14, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (Random House)
Pages: 512
Format: Hardcover
Source: Finished copy from publisher

When 17-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty percent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when Rosie tells her mother’s best friend, “Aunt Sarah,” that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie wasn’t her real mother after all. Rosie was swapped at birth with a sickly baby who was destined to die.

Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, joining her ex-boyfriend on his gap year travels, to find her birth mother in California. But all does not go as planned. As Rosie discovers yet more of her family’s deeply buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonizing decision of her own, one which will be the most heart breaking and far-reaching of all.

Tell Me More: I love drama as much as the next person. I scream a little bit when revelations~~ occur in my favourite shows and I get invested in (relation)ships more often than I probably should. But when it comes to books, I find it more difficult to suspend my disbelief. It’s my brain picturing the events and not a camera crew with mad editing skills. Unfortunately, Someone Else’s Life didn’t hold up very well to my own eye.

I’ve been told that the writing style is similar to Jodi Picoult’s work, but since I’ve never read any of her books, I can neither confirm nor deny that claim. What I did find was that Rosie’s story was extremely melodramatic, and at times, it sunk into soap opera territory. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the resulting predictability of the story did not please me.

The first half of the novel was confusing and felt a little rushed, while the second half seemed to turn into a sea of molasses, the revelations so few and far between. While I understand why Katie Dale used split POVs to tell the story, I think the story would have been stronger (and much shorter) had she stuck with Rosie. She was the only character that actually felt real to me, whereas the others seemed hollow. The dialogue didn’t help either, as I found I could predict what certain characters would say before they said those things. Rosie’s stubbornness and indomitable spirit were wonderful to witness, but as the book went on, they were overshadowed by the weak story structure and writing.

What would I have loved to see? The gravitas of the situation. We’re told over and over again that it’s so important for Rosie to find her birth mother, that the secret of her birth is one that will destroy families. I never felt that urgency. The characters glossed over the consequences too easily. In the end, it felt like Dale just tied everything up with a pretty pink ribbon and everyone lived happily ever after, the end. That HEA wasn’t earned, in my opinion. Yes, the book is quite long, but length doesn’t matter if a story is well-told.

The Final Say: Inconsistent character development and a melodramatic plot are discoveries that I wasn’t happy to find in Someone Else’s Life, but if you’re looking for an intensely emotional story, this might be the book for you.

Be sure to visit Katie Dale at her website and follow her on Twitter @katiedaleuk.

You can check out Someone Else’s Life on Goodreads and order it from The Book Depository.

Be My Valentine, Etienne St. Clair!

When Jackie (The Hardcover Harlequin) asked if anyone would be interested in posting about our favourite book boyfriends, I practically fell over, I rushed to join in! And really, there was only one boy I wanted to write about. He took over my brain right after I met him, and he’s still one of my all-time favourite characters. And luckily for me, fandom has settled on the perfect boy to play him.

Meet Etienne St. Clair of Stephanie Perkins’ lovely novel Anna and the French Kiss:

"Gotta Be You" music video

Stats: 

• Age: 18
• Eye Colour: Brown
• Hair Colour: dark brown (messy, long and a little curly)
• Nationality: American
• Lives in: Paris
• Clothing of choice: Black peacoat, uniform, Anna’s scarf.
• Languages: English and French
• Dreamcast: Harry Styles (pictured)

When we first meet Etienne, Anna’s just knocked clear into his path.

He shakes his head, a little dazed. The first thing I notice is his hair–it’s the first thing I notice about everyone. It’s Dark brown and messy and somehow both long and short at the same time. It’s artist hair.Musician hair. I-pretend-I-don’t-care-but-I-really-do-hair. Beautiful hair.And he’s English…Seriously, I don’t know any American girl who can resist an English accent. The beautiful boy gives an amused grin. “Etienne,” he says. “I live one floor up….Well. I’ll see you around then, Anna.”Eh-t-yen says my name like this: Ah-na.

And so it begins. Etienne quickly turns Anna (and the reader) into a puddle with his quips and general Boy-Masterpiece-ness.

“A moment of reserve. “That was it? The whole story?” 

“Yes. God, you’re right. That was pants.” 

I sidestep another aggressive couscous vendor. “Pants?” 

“Rubbish. Crap. Shite.” 

Pants. Oh heavens, that’s cute.” 

–

I love it when he cocks an eyebrow whenever I say something he finds clever or amusing.

I love listening to his boots clomp across my bedroom ceiling.

I love that the accent over his first name is called an acute accent, and that he has a cute accent.

He’s not perfect, however, and makes a bunch of mistakes because of his own fear of being alone. (Which, okay, is kind of adorable since it’s never really going to happen.)

Both gifs created by liamatic on Tumblr

His mother is quite ill, and Etienne’s unabashed love and admiration for her is just one of his best traits. He is devoted to his friends, and refuses to do anything to hurt them. Both Anna and Etienne learn to be better people because of each other:

“And I realize … it’s okay. It’s okay if St. Clair and I never become more than friends. His friendship alone has strengthened me in a way that no one else’s ever has. He swept me from my room and showed me independence. In other words, he was exactly what I needed. I won’t forget it. And I certainly don’t want to lose it.” 

He values honesty and tells Anna everything, as she does for him (which we see in Lola and the Boy Next Door). He tries to be fair, even when it’s difficult.More than anything else, Etienne is a friend to Anna, one who respects her decisions and never tries to control her, but just loves her deeply.

Graphic by bubblywinter on Tumblr

Perfect Date: The cliche answer is “Dinner at the Eiffel Tower.” But since I know that Etienne is absolutely petrified of heights, I won’t even try to suggest it. Instead, I’d love to go to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Looking at my favourite artist’s paintings with the most gorgeous boy in the world? Yes, please. Then we’d take a boat ride and dance around at sunset, just like in Anastasia.

Quotes:

“Most people in Atlanta don’t have an accent. It’s pretty urban. A lot of people speak gangsta, though,” I add jokingly. 

“Fo’ shiz,” he replies in his polite English accent. 

I spurt orangey-red soup across the table. St. Clair gives a surprised ha-HA kind of laugh, and I’m laughing too, the painful kind like abdominal crunches. He hands me a napkin to wipe my chin. “Fo’. Shiz.” He repeats it solemnly. 

Cough cough. “Please don’t ever stop saying that. It’s too-” I gasp. “Much.” 

“You oughtn’t to have said that. Now I shall have to save it for special occasions.” 

“My birthday is in February.” Cough choke wheeze. “Please don’t forget.” 

–

“When it’s right, it’s simple.” 

[review] Graffiti Moon – Cath Crowley

Release Date: February 14, 2012
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random House)
Pages: 272
Format: Hardcover
Source: E-ARC on NetGalley

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

Tell Me More: I don’t know if you can tell, but I freely admit that I’m drawn to stories about art and the people that pursue it. Whether it’s highly praised classical music or rough sketches of landscapes, I believe that art is a reflection of the person who chooses it, and the way that they see themselves.

Glass is fragile. Everyone knows it, and we all turn into cautious tiptoers when surrounded by glass. But Lucy is a glassworker, and a talented one at that. I loved that she values her work and doesn’t just see it as an after-school chore. Her choice of artistic output is interesting to me because it reflects her own state of mind. She sees beauty in uncertainty (you never know what a piece of glass might become), and she is willing to go through fire to find it (as in her quest to find Shadow). She is unpredictable and smart, and she knows what she wants out of life. To me, she is the perfect compliment for Shadow’s desire for something real to hold on to.

The night that Lucy spends searching for Shadow is vibrant, absolutely pulsing with laughter and life. Australian authors seem to have a knack for creating casts of characters that are so very real. If Jazz, Poet, Daisy and Dylan walked into my house right now and asked me to hang out with them, I wouldn’t think twice. And oh, to spend a night wandering around Melbourne (or any city, really) with Ed. They are brilliant and colourful and just the right characters to populate a story of wonder, risks and love.

That’s Not All:

• I’m hoping that maybe a paperback release will have illustrations of Shadow’s art. It seems a shame to have such gorgeous descriptions and not be able to see the real thing.

The Final Say: Take a risk and find love with Cath Crowley’s breathtaking Graffiti Moon, and a whole host of characters who will welcome you no matter what you dream of.

Be sure to visit Cath Crowley at her website.

You can check out Graffiti Moon on Goodreads and order it from The Book Depository.