Monthly Archives: January 2012
Top Ten Tuesday: Book Club Picks
This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I Think Would Make Great Book Club Picks. I don’t have too much experience with in-person book clubs, and I suspect the hardest part is agreeing on a book to read as a group. I think that book club books should appeal to people with varied reading taste, come from a mix of genres, be easily available or affordable so that everyone is able to read it, be a realistic length so that everyone has a chance to finish it, and have an interesting theme that sparks discussion.
I ended up picking several books that are slated for upcoming film adaptations, figuring there are probably others out there that would like to read the book before checking out the movie version.
In no particular order these are books I think would make great book club choices:
1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness – This thought provoking illustrated book is told in a creative way that should make for a good discussion.
2. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys- I just finished this historical fiction book, and the story is heartbreaking and well written with many discussion points.
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – This one fills the new release spot, and is one that is of course extremely popular right now. I included it because when I read it I wished I had someone to discuss it with.
4. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle – Can you believe it’s the 50th anniversary of this book? It’s a good time to revisit this classic.
5. Graceling by Kristin Cashore – Since Bitterblue, the final book in the Seven Kingdom series is coming out in May, why not catch up with the first book? This is a great offering for fans of fantasy books.
6. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – It’s been many years since I’ve read this, but people may want to reread it or check it out for the first time before the movie comes out in December.
7. Legend by Marie Lu – It was very tempting to list The Hunger Games as the dystopian pick, and I do think that is an excellent book club choice. But, for another option I submit Legend, one that’s not quite as popular as The Hunger Games. It’s a thrilling book with great characters, and those of us in Los Angeles will enjoy reading about what’s happened to the local landmarks.
8. Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley – I haven’t read this one yet, but it just won the 2012 William C. Morris award, so I imagine that many people will want to pick it up.
9. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – This is one with crossover appeal to YA and Adult Fiction readers and has a magical story. It’s also headed to the big screen at some point.
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – This one is also going to be released in theaters soon, and stars Emma Watson. I chose this book because people seem to have extreme reactions to it that should bring about a lively discussion.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer: Audiobook Review
Book: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marisssa Meyer, Macmillan Audio, January 3, 2012
Audiobook Info: Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopia, Own audiobook, Audio length: 10 hours 6 minutes, read by Rebecca Soler.
Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
More Info: Audible | Goodreads | Amazon
Cinder has been getting a lot of attention in the blogosphere and I’ve had my eye on it for a while, finally deciding to pick up the audiobook. I’ve never read anything like this Sci-Fi Cinderella retelling and that appealed to me as something new and different. I’m glad I tried it because it ended up being such a fun read/listen. Cinder is the first book in a new four book series that will also feature Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White and it’s Marissa Meyer’s debut novel.
Cinder is a 16-year-old cyborg mechanic who lives in New Beijing after World War IV. She was in an accident as a kid, and saved with robotic parts, including a robotic foot that stands in for Cinderella’s iconic glass slipper. Cinder is an outsider in society, though she is known as one of the best mechanics in New Beijing. Her accident left her without a memory of her time before, and her past is a mystery waiting to be unraveled. Like the fairy tale, Cinder lives with her awful stepmother and two stepsisters, though with a twist. There is also a prince and a ball, but otherwise Cinder spins it’s own story, and there are a lot of surprises in store. Some of the challenges Cinder faces are the deadly plague that’s hit New Beijing, political unrest, family drama, and managing the attention of the young and single Prince Kai.
The heroine Cinder is my favorite part of the story. She is likable, smart and brave, and very human in spite of her robotic parts and extraordinary abilities. The other characters also added a lot to the story, both the androids and the humans. The romance with Prince Kai is refreshingly done and I can’t wait to see how it develops in future installments.
The plot moves at a swift pace, and quickly pulled me in. It was fun seeing how the Cinderella story played out in Cinder’s dystopian cyborg world. The retelling is similar enough to the original to catch the references but with enough of a twist to keep things interesting. Even though I don’t read a ton of Sci-Fi, it was easy to follow along and I could totally envision the world that Meyer creates.
I listened to the audiobook, and narrator Rebecca Soler does a stellar job with the narration. She gives a lively reading and sounds like how I would imagine Cinder to sound. Her pacing is very good and she reads with the emotion that is called for. She handles the different male and female voices and accents with ease, and injects Cinder’s sense of humor into the reading. I actually liked the narrator so much I downloaded another audiobook that she reads to check out. This is a good audiobook to try if you’ve ever been interested to test out the experience.
Cinder is an entertaining kickoff to the quadrilogy, and it left me excited about the series and eager to read more. I think Cinder would appeal to fans of fairytale retellings, Sci-Fi, dystopian, and romance. The next book of The Lunar Chronicles is called Scarlet, and yes it’s about Little Red Riding Hood, though Cinder’s story also continues. Scarlet is due out next year.
Related articles
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer (bookjourney.wordpress.com)
- Book: Cinder (bookchelle.com)
- The Cyborg Cinderella: Cinder by Marissa Meyer (tor.com)
- The Big Idea: Marissa Meyer (whatever.scalzi.com)
- Review: “Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)” by Marissa Meyer (witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
In My Mailbox (48)
In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren. It is a way to feature the books you purchased, traded, borrowed or received for review each week.
This week I received:
For Review:
Starters by Lissa Price – Random House – The cover looks so cool in person – I’m excited to read it!
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman – NetGalley / Random House (not pictured) – This looks like a wonderful fantasy & it’s getting great early buzz.
Audiobooks from the library:
I went a little audiobook crazy because I won’t have a lot of time to read this week but can fit in some listening time.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann
The Lost Saint by Bree Despain
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Bitter Melon by Cara Chow
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
After by Amy Efaw (digital audiobook – not pictured)
Have you listened to or read any of these? Which ones do you recommend I start with?
What did you receive in your mailbox this week?
The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas
Book: The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, October 11, 2011
Genre/Format: Young Adult Contemporary, Library book, 353 pages
Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
I have been reaching for a lot of contemporary books lately, and more often than not the stories have been a little on the sad side, such as with The Survival Kit. In this book, Rose’s mother has just died of cancer, leaving behind Rose, a son and a husband. Rose’s mother was famous for creating survival kits for the parents of her students at school and they have become an annual tradition. She touchingly left a survival kit behind for Rose to find after her death, filled with some unusual items to help her daughter heal. Inside the bag are: an iPod, a photo of peonies, a crystal heart, a box of crayons, a paper star and a paper kite. As Rose slowly finds a way to use each item in the bag, she discovers that all the contents are bringing her closer to Will, a fellow student and the family’s gardener, who is also no stranger to grief. Family relationships, friendships, love and the healing power of music are some of the themes explored in this heartwarming story.
I found this story to be very lovely, with genuine and likable characters and an addictive story. I was pulled into the story immediately and couldn’t put it down until I was finished. Rose’s journey is easy to relate to, and to understand where she’s coming from. She has shut herself off from her boyfriend, cheerleading, and music because she is mourning the loss of her mother, and having fun doesn’t feel right to her. Each step she takes with the help of the survival kit enables her to begin to live her life again. She also has the burden of taking care of her father, who is engaging in self-destructive behavior as a means to cope. All of this makes Rose seem very mature and wise beyond her years, and it’s interesting to watch her take small steps in the healing process.
This book is not all doom and gloom, however. It is actually quite charming. One of the aspects I liked a lot is that Rose gets involved with watching hockey games with her cheerleading pals, and Will happens to be a star hockey player. It’s fun to see Rose get hooked on the game and it brings her closer to her friends again while getting closer to Will. It’s also great that the cheerleaders are portrayed as really nice and friendly, as well as talented athletes in their own right, and not stereotypes at all. Even Rose’s former boyfriend Chris is not a typical football player and manages to surprise.
The romance is believable and sweet, and a little rocky at times. Will is a complex guy and has a lot in common with Rose. The romance is slow building and they have great chemistry and many swoon-filled moments. Rose’s mom did a good job of matchmaking with these two.
Also, I always fall for books that include music in the storytelling and this book is no exception. I loved how Rose slowly added music back into her life one song at a time. It really added something special to the story.
This is one of the best written contemporary books I’ve read and ranks right up there with Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour and The Sky is Everywhere. The characterizations, pacing, story, romance, and themes were all wonderful. I borrowed this book from the library but would love to add it to my personal collection. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
Other Review of The Survival Kit:
Waiting on Wednesday- First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine highlighting upcoming books that we are eagerly anticipating.
This week I am featuring First Comes Love, a contemporary YA by Katie Kacvinsky:
And here is the description from Goodreads:
Like his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan, a girl always searching for what’s next, seemingly unable to settle down, is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely couple. But looks can be deceiving and besides, opposites attract.
What starts as friendship, turns into admiration, respect and caring, until finally these two lone souls find they are truly in love with each other.
But staying in love is not as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they’re going to have to work at it. And learn that sometimes love means having to say you’re sorry.
I loved Katie Kacvinsky’s dystopian romance debut Awaken and am curious to read her first contemporary book. I like the idea of seeing this relationship develop from the beginning and seeing the couple work through the good and the bad that comes with it. Also, I like that the story is told with alternating POV so we can get in both characters heads. Both characters sound very strong and interesting, with their opposites attract dynamic, and I love their names Gray and Dylan. It sounds like an older / New Adult YA and that aspect appeals to me as well. Can’t wait to read it!
Look for First Comes Love May 8, 2012 coming to you from Houghton Mifflin.
What book are you waiting on this week?
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
Book: Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand, HarperTeen, January 17 2012
Genre/Format: Young Adult Paranormal, Own Hardcover, 403 pages
Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
I am a big fan of Unearthly, and was so excited to finally have the sequel in my hands. The characters, romance, dialogue, and angel mystique of Unearthly made it an instant favorite. I couldn’t wait to read the follow up, and quickly tore through Hallowed in a day. Hallowed takes the series in new, unexpected, and exciting directions while it wears it’s heart on it’s sleeve, and I was not disappointed.
Hallowed picks up where Unearthly leaves off, as Clara deals with the repercussions of how she handled her angel purpose. Now, a new purpose-like dream materializes that has her worried about someone close to her. As Clara’s focus is pulled into the angel world, where does that leave her relationship with Tucker? And when tensions heat up with the Black Wings, Clara finds herself right in the middle of the conflict.
This is a more melancholic book than Unearthly. Clara has a lot of sadness around her that weighs her down, not least of which is the awareness that she is about to lose a loved one. She has angel growing pains as she learns more about her powers and how much others are relying on her. She is learning more about her purpose and how her choices make it evolve. There is the question of fate, and how she can choose to accept or ignore the path that she is destined for. So, this is a turning point sort of time for Clara.
Another small problem competing for Clara’s attention is the growing love triangle. Cynthia Hand pokes fun at love triangles in general in the book, and even with a nod to Twilight. It seems that Christian fits perfectly in her life, and the only problem is that her heart belongs to Tucker. I found myself tugged in both directions in regards to the love triangle, and I’m not sure it’s over, no matter how things left off.
In addition to the angel revelations and matters of the heart, I was also really interested in the character relationships. In particular, Clara’s brother Jeffrey, and friend Angela have me very intrigued. I was glad to see Jeffrey with a meatier role in this installment, but it left me wanting even more answers. New characters and surprise appearances in the book also provided some of the back-story I craved.
Hallowed is a very worthy follow up to Unearthly, and an emotional, heart wrenching read. The series is well written and addictive, and even has a sense of humor that can win over paranormal weary readers. I can’t wait to find out what’s in store in the next installment of the series, due out next year.
Other Reviews of the book:
In My Mailbox (47)
In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren. It is a way to feature the books you purchased, traded, borrowed or received for review each week.
This week I received:
Bought with gift card:
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand – Finally! I probably should have savored this book but of course I inhaled it. It was worth the wait.
Truth by Julia Karr – The sequel to XVI, Kindle edition.
And that’s it for this week!
What did you get in your mailbox this week?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Dutton Juvenile, January 10 2012
Genre/Format: Young Adult Contemporary, Own Hardcover, 313 pages
Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is a book I heard about last summer, when John Green promised to sign all 150,000 copies of the first printing. I preordered the book, and once it arrived I couldn’t put it down. Despite my uneasiness of reading another book about cancer I ended up thoroughly absorbed in the story. Even though I haven’t read all of John Green’s books (yet), I can’t imagine they get any better than this.
Hazel was diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer when she was 12, but a miracle drug has helped to manage her symptoms for the time being. Now 16, she’s taking some college classes, watching ANTM marathons, and spending quality time with her parents. While attending a cancer support group she meets Augustus Waters. Augustus/Gus is in remission, handsome and athletic, and drawn to Hazel immediately. Meeting Augustus is life changing for Hazel and makes her question everything she thought she knew about life and her disease.
It’s the nature of a book like this to worry about the fate of the main character as you turn every page. And yes, I grew very attached to these characters and thoroughly invested in the story so I worried about what was going to happen. But, the story gave me much to think about along the way about appreciating life, love and relationships, and it became a bigger and even more emotional story than I was expecting.
Hazel and Augustus are so smart, likable and brave. John Green does an excellent job with writing both characters and their complexities, sense of humor and vulnerabilities. I appreciated all the funny and tender moments along the way on their journey, and felt their joy and pain along with them. Prepare for laughs and tears throughout the book.
The Fault in Our Stars is a touching and thoughtful contemporary read that will stay with me for a long time. This book packs an emotional punch and left me wordless, and it’s sure to be one of my favorite books of the year.
Related articles
- Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (ravereader.wordpress.com)
- The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (bookmonkeyscribbles.wordpress.com)
- narfna’s #CBR4 Review #04: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (cannonballread4.wordpress.com)
Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey: Audiobook Review
Book: Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica #2) by Beth Fantaskey, Recorded Books, January 9, 2012
Audiobook Info: Young Adult Paranormal, Own audiobook, Audio length: 8 hours 52 minutes, read by Katherine Kellgren, Jennifer Ikeda, and Jeff Woodman. Also available in Hardcover from Harcourt Children’s Books.
Rating: 3 / 5 Stars
In the sequel to the hilarious Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, Jessica is now a princess, married to vampire prince Lucius, and living in Romania. She doesn’t quite have the hang of ruling over the kingdom, though, and relies mostly on Lucius to do the heavy lifting. When Lucius becomes the chief suspect in a murder against his archenemy, Jessica must take charge to clear Lucius’ s name before it’s too late.
I really enjoyed the first book in the Jessica series, and thought it was a fun, light-hearted vampire romance, and different from the usual vampire book. With the wedding novella that followed, it seemed that things were left pretty well tied up with Jessica and Lucius. So it was a pleasant surprise to find another book in the Jessica series, and to see what happened after the wedding. This book takes place just a few months later, as Jessica is adjusting to her new life in Romania. Lucius and Jessica have a lot to prove before they can be king and queen, and there’s a murder mystery that casts even more doubt on the pair.
The tone of the book is very different from the first book in part because the focus is less on the romance, and more on the vampire politics. With Lucius spending the greater part of the book imprisoned, the newlyweds don’t get to spend a lot of time together. As Jess tries to figure out the murder mystery and learn to lead the kingdom, she has a couple of friends to help her. Raniero, the Buddhist / surfer / vampire cousin of Lucius, and Jess’s best friend Mindy are around to provide support. They also provide POV’s in the story along with Lucius and Jessica. Raniero and Mindy’s chapters served to provide some laughs and lighten up the story. Part of the charm in the first book is Lucius’s letters to his uncle, and we do get to see some of that again with his letters to Raniero.
The whodunit part of the story was not particularly surprising, and I thought the investigation took too long to get into gear. Jessica was really not up to the task at all for the first half of the book. I was starting to lose interest in the story at some points, though learning about Raniero’s backstory and Mindy’s own detective work and their romance made up for it a little.
I listened to the audiobook, and there are 3 different narrators who read the parts of Jessica, Mindy, and Lucius/Raniero. The narrators overall did a great job with the different accents of the characters. Jessica’s narrator was a little too dramatic for my taste, and didn’t seem to line up with how I thought the character would sound, but that may be personal preference. The chapters are very short in the book and there was a long pause in the audio between chapters that was a little distracting.
Raniero and Mindy were the breakout characters this time around, but the main character Jessica dragged down the story with her indecision. Overall, the sequel has action, character growth, and humor, but lacks some of the spark that made the first book special.
More Info: Audible | Goodreads | Amazon
Top Ten Tuesday: Audiobook Recommendations
This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I’d Recommend To Someone Who Doesn’t Read _______(choose any topic you like). I’ve chosen audiobooks as my subject. I’ve just gotten into audiobooks over the past year and have found some audiobooks that are outstanding, and some that are so-so. It’s hard when you are just starting out to find the ones that are right for you, and everyone has their own personal preferences for narrators. Overall I recommend starting with a book you’ve already read at first, and then try a few audiobooks from the library to find readers you like. You can also look up audiobook reviews on sites like Audible or Audiobook Jukebox before you buy.
I am cheating by adding a few extra audiobooks to the list..
In no particular order these are the audiobooks I recommend:
1. A Million Suns by Beth Revis – Read effectively by Tara Carrozza and Lucas Salvagno. The audio sets the perfect tone for the book and makes you feel like you are enclosed in the spaceship Godspeed along with main characters Amy and Elder.
2. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder – Read by Emma Galvin. Galvin is a great fit for the main character, and conveys her toughness and sarcasm convincingly. Also by the same narrator: Check out Divergent by Veronica Roth, where Galvin again does a wonderful job capturing the spirit of the protagonist Tris, as well as the other characters.
3. Blood Red Road by Moira Young – Read by Heather Lind. The book is written in a unique way with phonetic spelling and a lack of punctuation. The style does take some getting used to (though it’s very worth it). If you find the writing style distracting, consider trying the audiobook. Heather Lind handles the narration and dialect with ease and gives a flawless performance. Another awesome dystopian series to experience via audio is The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, read by Carolyn McCormick. I have listened to this series on audio a couple times, in addition to reading the books. I always catch something new about the story when listening to the audio.
4. Ready Player One by Ernie Cline – Read by Wil Wheaton. Wheaton is the perfect choice to narrate this book, and he reads with enthusiasm and knowledge of the many pop cultural references found in the book. He made the time fly by in this almost 16- hour audiobook.
5. Delirium by Lauren Oliver – Read by Sarah Drew. Drew brings Lena’s story to life and captures the emotional intensity necessary to tell the story.
6. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins – Read by Kim Mai Guest. Also worth a listen is the companion book Lola and the Boy Next Door, read by Shannon McManus. While you are waiting for next year’s Isla and the Happily Ever After, you can revisit the first two companion books via audio. Both books are enjoyable listens and the readers do a good job with the different character voices.
7. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan – Read by MacLeod Andrews and Nick Podehl. The narrators do well with the hilarious material, and even sing in the audiobook. Another wonderful contemporary audiobook by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn is Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, read convincingly by Ryan Gesell and Tara Sands. A fun and entertaining holiday read/listen.
8. Unwind by Neil Shusterman – Read by Luke Daniels. A chilling and fast-paced dystopian story made even more thrilling by Daniels’ narration. Daniels does well with the character voices and there are some truly disturbing scenes that are very realistic in the audio.
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett – A full-cast audio read by Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, and Cassandra Campbell. An entertaining audio, great story and audio production, and the narrators really bring the characters to life. Octavia Spencer who also plays Minny in the movie reads the character in the audiobook.
10. The Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine – Read by Cynthia Holloway. I started with the books in this series, and then got hooked on the audio thanks to Holloway’s wonderful narration. Her character voices line up with the way I imagined they would sound, and she handles all the character nuances with ease.
Also consider trying these other audiobooks: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater, and Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon.
It’s Monday! What are you Reading?
It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. This is my first time participating.
My reading has been slow the past few days. I’m recovering from hosting a big blowout slumber party for my daughter’s birthday and haven’t had too much time to read besides bits of an audio here and there. There are a few books I’m planning to read this week though.
Read last week:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (loved it – review coming as soon as I can pull my thoughts together)
Amplified by Tara Kelly
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
In Progress:
Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey – audiobook (I’m about 75% done)
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen – Just starting this one.
To Start:
The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas (library book due soon)
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente (library book due soon)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer – Audio
In My Mailbox (46)
In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren. It is a way to feature the books you purchased, traded, borrowed or received for review each week.
This week I received:
Bought:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – Preorder received with a brown JG signature. Already finished this one, and can’t stop thinking about it. Amazing.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer – Audiobook – I’m excited to start this one.
Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey – Audiobook – Almost finished listening to this. The audio is OK, not my favorite.
Review:
Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin – This looks hilarious.
Library:
Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty – Have seen some positive reviews and wanted to check it out.
What did you get in your mailbox this week?
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Book: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, Poppy, January 2 2012
Genre/Format: Young Adult Contemporary, Own Hardcover, 236 pages
Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
Hadley is dragging her heels to get to JFK for her flight to Heathrow for her father’s wedding, an event she’s dreading. She ends up missing her flight by four minutes, and meets Oliver, a charming boy who also happens to be going home to London and seated in the very same row on the plane. This chance encounter serves as a catalyst for change in Hadley’s life and shows how love, fate and destiny can change your life in a moment’s time.
Statistical is a sweet, feel-good romance / family drama that shows 24-hours in the life of seventeen year old Hadley. Hadley resents having to attend her father’s wedding, and how he broke up their family to take up with a younger woman. The flight with Oliver is a nice diversion from these problems, and their easy conversation and instant connection makes a difficult flight much more enjoyable. Oliver is dealing with his own family drama, and it seemed the two found each other just at the right time.
The scenes on the plane were very cute, and Hadley and Oliver likable with apparent chemistry. Their connection does happen quickly, but feels natural and not un-realistic. The whole set-up felt very cinematic and like I was reading the book equivalent of a romantic comedy. Oliver is nice, funny, smart and attentive and a strong love interest. One thing I was surprised about is what a small part of the book is spent actually on the plane. But, once they land they each have to deal with their family commitments for the heavier part of the story.
The story didn’t go the way I expected, and I liked how it was messy like real life, and not all fluffy romance. The point of the trip is the wedding, and Hadley has to face her problems and make nice with her dad who seems so unrecognizable to her now. On the trip, Hadley reminisces about the time her family was together, and with Oliver’s help, tries to come to terms with the new changes in their lives.
Statistical is a cute, romantic story with substance. It’s short and sweet, and the 24-hour time frame inspired me to read it over one sitting. This charming and engaging contemporary is one that fans of Stephanie Perkins should enjoy and was a treat to read.
Other Reviews of the book:
Amplified by Tara Kelly
Book: Amplified by Tara Kelly, Henry Holt and Company, October 25 2011
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Format/pages: Library book, Hardcover 293 pages
Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars
More Info: Goodreads | Amazon | Amplified official book website
Jasmine gets kicked to the curb when she tells her dad she won’t be attending Stanford in the fall. She wants to give it a shot as a musician before getting tied down with school. With limited funds, she sets out to Santa Cruz and scores an audition with C-Side, a band looking for a male live-in roommate/lead guitarist. But she has big shoes to fill to replace their charismatic, seasoned former guitarist, and the band has their doubts about Jasmine, and worry about the problems of having a female roommate. Plus the cute bass player has already made up his mind that Jasmine is a pampered princess, and not a rock goddess. Jasmine has a lot to prove, to the band and to herself.
Music and Contemporary YA are a perfect combination, and Amplified is a great example of how to do it right. This coming of age story, with romance, quirky characters, and an inside look at the life of a musician is very readable and entertaining. I enjoyed getting lost in this book and following Jasmine on her musical journey. I basically read it in a day because I was so invested in the story and had to know how it ends.
Jasmine is an intriguing main character that is easy to root for. She’s a private person and afraid to let anyone in. She is focused and determined to reach her goals, even when detractors and other setbacks get in the way. She has baggage with her controlling father to deal with, and the complex situation makes it so that you sympathize with both characters, though I can’t imagine letting my own daughter fend for herself at that age like Jasmine.
The other members of C-Side were realistic and added authenticity to this musical tale. Bass player Sean comes off strong and sarcastic, but has his reasons for being difficult. His sister Veta is the bold lead singer and amateur psychic who takes Jasmine under her wing. Bryn is the drummer and self-appointed leader of C-Side who is a hard-ass and a ladies man. And Felix the keyboard player is sweet and goes with the flow. Their music sessions gave a behind the scenes look at the dedication and hard work required to make it as a band.
Amplified is a fast paced and absorbing read that got my attention when I was in a reading rut. It’s smartly written, with witty dialogue and a relatable story sure to appeal to fans of music centered YA. I’m eager to seek out the author’s other music themed book Harmonic Feedback.
Other Reviews of Amplified:
