Review: Fracture by Megan Miranda

Image and summary from Goodreads.com:


Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? 

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening? 

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.


Typically, contemporary fiction is not one of my go-tos, especially in YA novels.  However, this debut had just the right mix of magical realism and romance to make it completely irresistible.


The main character, Delaney, was extremely well developed.  We get a sense almost immediately of her motivations and desires, and her inner conflict over her new power.  Truthfully, I found myself relating to her on a very personal level, as many of her obsessions and insecurities were my own in high school.  I feel that if I could relate to her that well, then surely other readers could too.  Similarly, Miranda did a noteworthy job of creating Decker and Delaney's parents.  I particularly enjoyed the depth with which she explored the Maxwell family dynamic.  


The plot of the novel was also exciting, and a perfect balance between Delaney's discovery of her power and her navigation of relationships in the aftermath of tragedy.  There were enough exciting and suspenseful parts to keep readers wondering, but not so many that the plot felt overly choppy or contrived.  Likewise, there was plenty of romance and inner monologue to involve the reader in Delaney's personal conflict without seeming slow or angst-ridden.  


Truthfully, the only downside the the novel was that I was left wanting more - it ended so quickly and suddenly!  I would have loved to have seen more detail about Delaney's "power" (as it didn't even seem terribly supernatural to me), as well as her interactions with the mysterious Troy.


In regards to content, this is a book that I would feel comfortable recommending to any high school age reader.  Nothing terribly inappropriate happens, save a few "f-bombs," and some mentions of hooking up and underage drinking.  I have certainly read far edgier novels than this one!  However, I think the cover could sell itself too.  It's absolutely beautiful!


Overall, I was extremely pleased with this book.  I plan on recommending it to my ladies, especially the ones who cannot get enough Sarah Dessen books (and that's quite the crew in my classroom!).  I can't wait to see what other novels Megan Miranda writes!

Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Image and summary from Goodreads.com:


NEWSOUL 
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why. 

NOSOUL 
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame? 

HEART 
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? 

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.




This is a book that has been hyped all over the blogging and Goodreads community.  When I scored it on NetGalley, I was absolutely thrilled!  Though the book took me a bit to get engrossed, I ended up reading about 75% of it in one day - it was that good.


The characters in this book were extremely well-developed and conceived.  Though they live in a completely fantastical world, I found myself reacting to and empathizing with them as if they were real.  Ana, the protagonist, was very well done.  Though she experiences many insecurities - namely, that she isn't worth anyone's love and compassion - she confronts her problems with bravery and a measure of impulsivity that made the story move.  Rather than pulling a Bella Swan (sorry, Twilight, I still love you!) and letting her feelings of inadequacy hold her back for 20 pages, Ana takes action.  Well, that, or gets mad that someone else won't.  It was refreshing to see a misfit female character move through the story with confidence or at least a compulsion to act.  Sam, the romantic lead, has moved up my list of YA crushes.  He is creative, intelligent, and compassionate.  The way he stood up for Ana in the face of so much adversity made him particularly endearing.  Also, their shared love of music and using that as a place to showcase their growing romance was a detail that I loved.  For once, the two were hesitant to trust their emotions and fall in love - something rarely seen in YA anymore!  To me, that was the best part of the story.  Even though I knew where their relationship was headed, watching them grow together made the novel even more meaningful.


I've seen some places where this story was criticized as slow-moving.  While the beginning might have seemed that way, I think it helps to remember that this book was conceived as part of a trilogy.  Knowing that, I tried to keep in mind that I wasn't going to have all of my questions answered throughout the book.  Instead, I just let myself get immersed in this alternate reality - one that was created brilliantly.  There was just enough conflict, without following the typical "We're happy... oh no!  Lives are threatened!" pattern to which so many books succumb.  Rather than having lots of little plot peaks, this one slowly built to a few monumental moments.  As these moments build, the growing relationship between Ana and Sam, as well as the mysteries surrounding Heart and Ana's existence, slowly get played out to keep the reader engaged.  


Ana's narration was also well done.  As I said above, she is someone who (for good reason!) feels very insecure.  However, these insecurities aren't running constantly through her mind.  Her varying emotions seemed believable, and as they were narrated, I felt like I could feel them with her.  I imagine any teen reader would feel the same.


Though this seems shallow to say, I think one of the real strengths of this book is the cover art.  It is absolutely amazing.  Put that cover in front of any teen girl, and I know she would look twice!  Additionally, it matches the whole butterfly motif that runs through the novel - namely, that butterflies, like Ana, are short-lived and can't be contained.  Just beautiful.


Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone (though namely girls) who enjoys a romantic and intriguing story.  It was beautifully done, and easy to believe.  Romantic, exciting, and mysterious - this book has it all.  Definitely my favorite debut of 2012 so far!


Has anyone else read this book and enjoyed it as much as I have?

Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

New Girl by Paige Harbison

Publication date: January 31, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Image and Summary courtesy of Amazon.com:

Welcome to Manderley Academy

I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited…. So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no.

It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley—the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced bynot perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me.

Then, there's the name on my lips—Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place.
Waiting to take it back.

When I first saw that this book was going to be a modern twist on Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca, I got extremely excited. Without a doubt, it's one of my favorite novels. So, I think I went into this particular book with extremely high expectations - perhaps too high. Sadly, this novel was not what I expected it to be.
One of my biggest issues with this book was the antagonist, Becca Normandy. Though I understand the author's aim to make her seem an extreme version of the insecure teen, one driven to desperation by her own desire to be envied, Becca was just a few steps too far to the left. I felt that her promiscuity was a bit gratuitous; her need to be "wanted" by the hottest guys in school surely could have been conveyed without having her sleep with multiple partners - within the same night! Likewise, very few meaningful conversations took place between characters, at least while they were sober. Similar to the sex, I felt that the underage drinking was unnecessary. A bit of teen partying while away at boarding school? Sure. All major plot points taking place only after several shots have been consumed? A bit too far.
Furthermore, the plot itself lacked the subtlety of DuMaurier's work (though admittedly, that is an extremely high mark to meet!). Rather than much of the conflict being the narrator's internal issues, the stereotypical "mean girls" and rumor mill drove much of the action. Certainly a boarding school is a hotbed for these sorts of problems (at least, I'd imagine - I've never been to one), but I felt that the narrator (whose name isn't revealed until the end) suffered a bit from a lack of depth. This lack, I felt, came largely from the fact that her insecurities were externally motivated, not internally like the original. Also, I felt that the conflicts that arose, largely out of the narrator's romantic interest in Becca's "off limits" ex, were repetitive. Some variety in the routine "He likes me! We hooked up! Wait... why is he ignoring me?!" formula would have been appreciated.
All of that being said, there were certainly some positives about this novel as well. I really enjoyed the translation of Manderley the estate into a boarding school. It was a great way to make a classic setting into something more modern and high-interest to current audiences. Also, the narrator had one really redeeming trait, and that was her desire (though tempered with hesitation) to break free of everyone's expectations and push herself to experience new adventures. She debates whether it would be better to stay with her high school friends at the hometown college, or "spread her wings" by going far out of state. I think this particular struggle is one that resonates with many teen readers - and adults! Her journey of self-discovery, albeit perhaps too driven by others' opinions, was something with which I could identify. The ending of the book was also satisfying. I won't spoil it, but there was an excellent allusion to the end ofRebecca that made me smile. The cover art of this book is an additional strength. It certainly caught my eye, and I know it would do so for teenagers too!Overall, this is a book that I wouldn't personally recommend for a classroom library, or even a conservative school library. The partying and sex, though not graphically described, just played too big a role in the plot, and I wouldn't feel right recommending that as a role model. They became the focus, instead of the intriguing mystery that had so much potential. However, for a light and enjoyable independent read, perhaps this book would have been more appreciated.


Has anyone else had a similar disappointing experience with a modernized old favorite? I had to admit - I was seriously bummed!

2012 Reading Resolutions

Happy New Years to all! Since it is the time of exciting resolutions and goals, I thought I would share a few of the reading challenges that I am participating in this year. After all, the best way to meet your goals is to publicize them so that you feel accountable!

The first challenge I am participating in is the 2012 Debut Author Challenge, brought to us by The Story Siren (visit here for more info). The challenge: to read and review 12 young adult books that are written by first-time YA authors this year.

I am particularly looking forward to this challenge because I LOVE jumping into series on the first novel, so that I get to wait excitedly (albeit impatiently) for the next installment. 2011 brought some FANTASTIC debut novels (Divergent by Veronica Roth and Entwined by Heather Dixon being two of my favorites), so I can't wait to see what 2012 brings us! I will post a button on each of my 2012 DAC reviews to help track my progress.

The second challenge is appropriately the 2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge (clickey for more info). I won't lie, the main reason I decided to participate in this challenge is my high anticipation for Insurgent, the second book in Roth's trilogy. But, the guidelines are pretty simple: read 10 second YA novels published in 2012. The books can be the second in a series (but must also be the second book the author has written... that took me a minute), or the second stand-alone an author has written. So far on my list:

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

2. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour (LOVED her first book Hold Still)

3. Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir (waiting for Timeless to come back in to my school's library!)

4. Havoc by Jeff Sampson

5. New Girl by Paige Harbison (modern take on DuMaurier's Rebecca? Done!)

6. Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Again, I'll accompany posts with a button.

Happy reading in 2012! Review to be posted just as soon as I'm sure I did a brilliant book justice: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

See you soon!