Category Archives: 2012 Debut Author Challenge
What’s Left Of Me by Kat Zhang Audiobook Review
Book: What’s Left Of Me by Kat Zhang, Harper Audio, Sept. 18, 2012
Book Info: YA Sci-Fi, Audiobook purchase from Audible. Running time: 9 hrs, 37 mins. Read by: Kim Mai Guest
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
More Info: Goodreads | Audible
What’s Left Of Me by Kat Zhang is a harrowing book about identity and ethics. It’s set in an alternate reality where everyone is born with two souls. Once one of the souls dominates, the other fades out of existence. But sometimes the souls don’t settle, and the souls continue to co-exist long past the acceptable time frame. The government considers this condition highly dangerous, so much so that these “hybrids” are institutionalized. Wow- this book is unsettling! I thought I was going into a dystopian book, but what I got was more of a sci-fi/horror mash-up. I listened to the audiobook and that made it even more chilling. Lots to think about with this one.
Addie and Eva are two souls living in the same body. They take turns controlling their body and are treated as individuals as children. However, once they turn 6 or so, one of the souls should have become stronger and taken over the body. This did not happen though, and their parents and teachers are concerned and seek medical advice. To protect themselves from being labeled a hybrid, Addie and Eva decide to let Addie assume the dominant role and pretend that Eva has faded away. So now, the only person that knows Eva is still around is Addie, and she sees everyone close to her move on without her.
It is a lonely existence for Eva, as we discover through her narration. She can’t participate in life so thinks it would be better if she actually could disappear, but she does have this powerful bond with her sister and helps her in a lot of ways. I felt more sympathetic towards Eva since her own parents don’t acknowledge her and she is so alone. But Addie also feels guilt about the situation and has complex feelings about it in general. They meet some people that recognize the situation they are in and present some opportunities to them- is it possible that they could share possession of the same body? Doesn’t this sound like a horror film?
The characters make this book stand out. Eva and Addie are presented as two distinct individuals with clear voices and their own personalities. Their struggle is heart breaking and I was rooting for them to find a way for them to co-exist. Though I didn’t get a lot of the answers I sought in terms of the why’s and how’s just getting to know the characters was an intense and satisfying experience in itself. There is a little bit of romance in the book, but it’s not a huge part of the story at all. It actually brings up some questions about how Eva and Addie would handle relationships considering they share a body.
Kim Mai Guest reads the audiobook (she also narrated Anna and the French Kiss.) She differentiates the voices and personalities of Eva and Addie so I was never confused about who was speaking. I don’t know if that ever gets confusing in the book version. Her voice is clear and she gives just enough inflection to the characters without overdoing it. Her pace is good too- I always think an audiobook is successful if I don’t notice the narration too much, and that is the case with this book.
An impressive debut from Kat Zhang, and it’s hard to believe this is her first book. She wrote this book in high school, which makes it all the more impressive. Since this is the first book in a series, I suspect a lot more world-building questions will be answered in the next book, and I’ll be reading it.
Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn
Book: Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn, Viking Children’s Books, On Sale June 14
Book Info: YA Mystery, Review copy provided by DAC ARC tours, Avail. in HC 384 pg.
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
More Info: Goodreads | IndieBound | Amazon
Debut author Diana Renn’s Tokyo Heist is a blast to read and is full of adventure, culture and mystery. I think a wide range of readers will fall for this one, whether they are manga obsessed like the main character Violet, follow Japanese culture, have an interest in art or just enjoy a good mystery. All of those things made the book a fast read for me and I had fun trying to solve the mystery and following along with Violet’s comic The Adventures of Kimono Girl.
Violet is spending the summer with her dad in Seattle, a fact the distracted artist seems to have forgotten. When he gets a job painting a mural in Tokyo though, Violet is over the moon. Her friend Reika is already in Tokyo spending the summer and it’s always been her dream to visit there so she’s psyched to go. But this work and sightseeing trip turns into an art heist investigation when some priceless Van Gogh sketches are stolen from her dad’s art patrons the Yamada’s. Violet needs to help find the missing Van Gogh painting the thieves demand before bodily harm comes to her or her loved ones. And the yakuza (mafia) are involved so this is serious business. The investigation takes them from Seattle to Tokyo to Kyoto in this whodunit mystery.
Violet is a great character that I think many will relate to. She has some friendship drama with her best friend Edge who she’s started to have increasingly romantic feelings for. Also, her relationship with her dad is a little rocky and he never seems to have time for her. She does have a lot going for her though and she’s resourceful, smart and artistic. She’s a likable heroine and I enjoyed seeing her confidence grow throughout the book. One thing that would have made her story even better is if her Kimono Girl sketches were included in the book. I really want to see them or perhaps a companion Kimono Girl graphic novel. Violet is always sketching and working on her book, putting her feelings into her work and I found that very endearing about her.
Travel and culture are almost character’s themselves in the book. If you have any interest in Japanese culture at all you will find this story fascinating. I’ve always been interested in Tokyo and so this book was a treat for me to explore the city through the shopping, dining and art Violet experiences.
The romance is very light in the book, so I can see this book appealing to a wide age group from middle school age to adult. The story reminded me a lot of Ally Carter’s Heist Society actually, not a bad thing at all. Wish there were more books like Tokyo Heist – the culture, art, friendship and family issues, and mystery make it a standout in today’s YA landscape. Look for Tokyo Heist to hit shelves June 14.
Gilt by Katherine Longshore: Audiobook Review
Book: Gilt (The Royal Circle #1) by Katherine Longshore, Penguin Audio, May 15, 2012
Audiobook Info: Young Adult Historical Fiction, Audiobook provided by Penguin Audio, Audio length: 8 hours, 46 minutes, Read by Jennifer Ikeda. Also available in Hardcover from Viking.
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
More Info: Listen to a sample @ Audible | Read an excerpt | Add to Goodreads
In Katherine Longshore’s debut Gilt, two friends experience the royal life when one of them marries King Henry VIII. The Tudor court is full of secrets, gossip, deception, and betrayal and the two friends are not immune to the drama. King Henry’s fifth bride, Catherine Howard, is a mean girl of the highest order who rivals any modern day queen bee, and it’s only a matter of time before her web of lies is exposed. Cat’s partner in crime is the naïve Kitty Tylney, faithful to the Queen of Misrule to a fault. Even though history says their story is doomed from the start, the read still enthralls. I listened to the audiobook of Gilt and the British accented performance of Jennifer Ikeda set the perfect ambiance for the story.
King Henry VIII and his infamous wives hold a certain fascination. Though I’m no history buff, the Tudor time period is of interest to me and seemed like a great idea for a YA novel. Longshore did her homework with this novel and includes a lot of interesting historical detail. The dialogue also has a fresh modern spin that may appeal to reluctant historical readers. While I was listening to the book I have to admit curiosity got the better of me and I peeked online to find out more about how Catherine Howard’s story played out. And it did give me an appetite to read more about the subject and check out The Tudors.
Speaking of Cat Howard, not sure if the book is designed to make the reader hate her, but wow is she despicable. She doesn’t really have any redeeming qualities, and is catty and condescending throughout. Once she gets her clutches on Henry VIII she wants it all, including men closer to her own age, and will take down anyone in her path. But she is only a teenager when she marries the fifty-year-old King Henry so that does explain some of her behavior. I was waiting for Kitty to get a clue about her frenemy Cat.
Now Kitty on the other hand, is loyal to Cat no matter what. She gets a taste for the royal life as Cat’s lady in waiting and is a partner in her schemes. I hoped she would wise up and get out of this mess. While serving Cat, she has her own complicated love life, and is torn between the sensible, no-drama William, and the dangerous Edmund. But she doesn’t really have time for either one because her friendship with Cat is all consuming.
Jennifer Ikeda is the narrator of Gilt and her performance enhances the story. When you listen to it it’s like Gossip Girl in the royal court, and Ikeda hits all the right notes in her reading. She flows effortlessly from one character to the next and all of them are easily distinguishable. Her British accent sounds natural to me and not overdone. Another nice touch is there is a snippet of string music at the beginning of the book and to introduce each new year in the story. Though I liked the story a lot on it’s own, Ikeda’s performance complements it well and I’m glad I got to experience it in this format. Towards the end I was doing extra household chores to get more listening in.
Gilt is a good read for those who enjoy historical fiction, or for YA’s learning about the Tudor court in their textbooks. The story brings the history alive and in an appealing way for today’s YA readers. Though the story gets lost in the details at times, it’s an addictive read and I’ll pick up the next book or audio. Speaking of which, Gilt is the first book in the Royal Circle series, and each book centers on a different girl in the court of Henry VIII.
Related articles
- Review: Gilt by Katherine Longshore (yabookscentral.blogspot.com)
- Gilt by Katherine Longshore (tetheredmommy.com)
- Review: “Gilt” by Katherine Longshore (birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood: Audiobook Review
Book: Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1) by Jessica Spotswood, Penguin Audio, February 7, 2012
Audiobook Info: Young Adult Historical Fantasy, Audiobook provided by Penguin Audio, Audio length: 8 hours, 56 minutes, read by Nicole Sudhaus. Also available in Hardcover from G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
More Info: Audible | Amazon | Goodreads | Read the first two chapters here
Witches, sisters, secrets, a prophecy, and forbidden romance mingle in Jessica Spotswood’s debut Born Wicked. The historical alt reality description made me look twice at this book, even though I don’t normally gravitate to books about witches. I listened to the audiobook and ended up thoroughly entertained and swept up by the delicious scandals. The first book of The Cahill Witch Chronicles is a lot of fun.
Born Wicked is the first book in a trilogy about three magically gifted sisters who have to hide their talents from the Brotherhood – priests who send suspected witches to insane asylums or prison. The oppressive Brothers long for the day of public hangings for witches, and in fact they have little regard for women in general.
Cate Cahill is the oldest of three sisters, all of whom are witches. Now almost seventeen, Cate must declare her purpose to either marry or join the religious Sisterhood. But, she pledged to her dying mother that she would protect her sisters from capture by the Brothers. She has never thought too much about romance, preferring to tend her gardens instead. But love is now a bigger consideration that a marriage offer is on the table from childhood friend Paul, and even more so when she starts falling for the booksellers son / family gardener Finn. Now Cate has an impossible choice to make, along with a prophecy she desperately wants to prevent.
The book started out pleasantly enough, and I enjoyed getting the feel of late 1800s New England. Though the pace was a bit lagging at first, the set-up pays off, and soon I was looking for ways to keep listening to the story. The writing style also is lovely and goes perfectly with the books historical time frame. It was easy to imagine the Cahill’s home and gardens, the tea parties, and dresses.
Cate is a strong main character, and fiercely protective of her sisters. It’s clear that she means to honor her commitment to watch over them, even though she comes off as the bad guy a lot of the time. She closely monitors their witchcraft activities and has an especially turbulent relationship with middle sister Maura. The youngest, Tess, doesn’t have as many scenes, but she stands out among the sisters, and is one I would like to know more about. I’m also interested to see what the Cahill sisters can do with their magic once it gets unleashed.
You may be shaking your head at the hint of a love triangle, but Cate knows where her heart lies and it’s really a non-issue. The kissing scenes are memorable and you can get a glimpse of one of the best scenes in the book trailer below.
In addition to the witchery and romance, the story also matter-of-factly takes on feminist topics, as Cate and her sisters are discouraged from being anything other than a wife or a Sister. Their outside interests such as books label the sisters as eccentric and outcasts, and the Brothers even seek to close down the bookshop for selling books they deem inappropriate.
Regarding the audio production, the book is read by Nicole Sudhaus. She reads with a pleasant no-nonsense voice for Cate and captures her feistiness and caring spirit well. Her reading suits the historical time frame and she reads with a nice clear tone and an even pace. She sounds like the appropriate age for Cate, and delivers the needed emotional intensity with her narration. She differentiates the character voices well, including male and female voices of varying age and dialects. In the beginning I had trouble keeping track of the voices of the sisters, but I think I was still getting acclimated to the story. When the story starts out slow in the beginning I had more patience with it because the audio kept me entertained, and as the story went on I went out of my way to do more household chores so I could keep listening. And the action packed conclusion had me clamoring for a sequel. I would be inclined to continue with audio for this series.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction, paranormal, and romance. Look for Born Wicked in stores today.
2012 Reading Challenges
So, I was only going to join the Debut Author Challenge this year, but I decided to add a few more. I do like reading challenges for the motivation and to help organize my reading throughout the year.
A few book titles carryover into more than one challenge. The titles listed are a work in progress and I’m sure there will be changes made throughout the year.
These are the challenges I will be tackling:
The 2012 Audio Book Challenge is hosted by Teresa @ Teresa’s Reading Corner.
There are four levels to the challenge:
- Flirting-Listen to 6 Audio Books
- Going Steady- Listen to 12 Audio Books
- Lover- Listen to 25 Audio Books
- Married-Listen to +++ Audio Books
Since I’ve listened to about 20 audiobooks this year I think I can achieve 25 next year. Titles TBD.
The Sophomore Reading Challenge is hosted by Shanyn @ Chick Loves Lit.
After getting hooked on several debuts last year, I’m eager to read their sophomore efforts this year. The challenge is to read 10 sophomore YA/MG novels in 2012:
1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
2. Fever by Lauren DeStefano
3. Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
4. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
5. Until I Die by Amy Plum
6. Truth by Julia Karr
7. Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh
8. Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
9. The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton
10. Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
The Completely Contemp Challenge is also hosted by Shanyn @ Chick Loves Lit.
Contemporary is a category I’ve been reading more and would like to continue that trend. I like this challenge because the goal is to read books from 2010-2012, and I’ll be able to catch up on some of the books on my shelves already. The goal is to read at least 3 books total, and I’m going to try to read 5 books for each year.
2010:
1. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
2. Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
3. A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
4. The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, June by Robin Benway
5. A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley
2011:
1. Amplified by Tara Kelly
2. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
3. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
4. Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer
5. Choker by Elizabeth Woods
2012:
1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
2. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
3. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
4. The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen
5. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
The Standalone Challenge is hosted by Hafsah @ IceyBooks & Britta @ ilikethesebooks.
Sometimes it’s nice for a change of pace to read a book that’s not part of a series. The goal of the Standalone challenge is to read 15 standalone books released in 2012:
1. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
2. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
3. The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen
4. This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
5. Cursed by Jennifer Armentrout
6. In Honor by Jessi Kirby
7. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne
8. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
9. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
10. First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
11. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
12. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
13. Above by Leah Bobet
14. The Other Life by Suzanne Winnacker
15. The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova
I’ve signed up for the Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.
These are the debut books I’m planning to read:
1. Elemental by Emily White (May, Spencer Hill Press)
2. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (February, HarperCollins)
3. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (February, ATOM)
4. Above by Leah Bobet (April, Arthur A. Levine books)
5. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (February, G.P. Putnam’s Sons)
6. The Glimpse by Claire Merle (June, Faber & Faber)
7. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons (February, Tor Teen)
8. Slide by Jill Hathaway (March, Balzer & Bray)
9. Starters by Lissa Price (March, Delacorte Books)
10. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth (May, Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR)
11. The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker (February, Usboune)
12. Level Two by Lenore Appelhans (Fall TBD, Simon & Schuster)
13. The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova (April, Sourcebooks Fire)
14. Storm by Brigid Kemmerer (April, K Teen/Kensington)
15. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (TBD, St. Martin’s Press)
16. The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges (January, Delacorte)
17. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne (February, Putnam Juvenile)
18. Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock (May, Katherine Tegan Books)
19. Halflings by Heather Burch (January, Zondervan Publishing)
20. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (May, Feiwel & Friends)
I just found out about this challenge in Feb. but am excited to participate. The YA Audiobook Challenge is hosted by Jen @ A Book and A Latte. Since I listen to so many YA audiobooks, the required 12 should be a snap!
I’ll keep track of my listening here:
1. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
2. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
3. Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
4. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
5. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
6. After by Amy Efaw
7. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
Which reading challenges are you taking on this year?
2012 Debut Author Challenge
It’s time again to sign up for the Debut Author Challenge, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. I’m scaling back my reading challenges for next year, so this is probably going to be the only reading challenge I sign up for in 2012, besides having a general reading goal.
The challenge is to read a minimum of 12 Young Adult or Middle Grade debut novels between January 1 2012 – January 31 2013 and post reviews on your blog or on Goodreads.
There have be some exciting new changes like the addition of mini challenges, ARC tours and a Debut Challenge Newsletter. You can read all about that here. There is a listopia on Goodreads with all the 2012 YA/MG debuts so you can start planning your list.
For 2011 I hoped to read 30 debuts and I’ve read 20 so far. My 2011 list is here. Hopefully I’ll sneak in a few more debuts before the year is up.
***
Here is my 2012 list in random order. Links go to Goodreads and will be updated with reviews as they are available:
1. Elemental by Emily White (May, Spencer Hill Press)
2. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (February, HarperCollins)
3. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (February, ATOM)
4. Above by Leah Bobet (April, Arthur A. Levine books)
5. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (February, G.P. Putnam’s Sons)
6. The Glimpse by Claire Merle (June, Faber & Faber)
7. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons (February, Tor Teen)
8. Slide by Jill Hathaway (March, Balzer & Bray)
9. Starters by Lissa Price (March, Delacorte Books)
10. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth (May, Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR)
11. The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker (February, Usboune)
12. Level Two by Lenore Appelhans (Fall TBD, Simon & Schuster)
13. The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova (April, Sourcebooks Fire)
14. Storm by Brigid Kemmerer (April, K Teen/Kensington)
15. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (TBD, St. Martin’s Press)
16. The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges (January, Delacorte)
17. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne (February, Putnam Juvenile)
18. Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock (May, Katherine Tegan Books)
19. Halflings by Heather Burch (January, Zondervan Publishing)
20. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (May, Feiwel & Friends)
I’m sure I will add on and make changes throughout the year. For instance, I have no contemporary books listed and I’m sure that will change.
Are you up for the challenge? Go sign up! The deadline to join is May 31, 2012.
