Category: Book of the Month

RTW: June’s Book of the Month

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Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where the ladies at YA Highway post a weekly writing- or reading-related question for participants to respond to on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This Week’s Topic: What’s the best book you read in June?

In celebration of Contemporary YA Month (the brainchild of the talented authors over at The Contemps), I tried hard to read only contemporary YA stories in June. There were some winners… and some I just didn’t care for. Either way, it was great to immerse myself in realistic YA fiction for several weeks–there are so many choices and I learned a lot. Here’s what I read:

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby – I spoke about this one in great detail in a Debut Love post, which you can find HERE. In short, I thought Moonglass was lovely.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray – Incredibly well-written, funny and a totally unique idea, but lacking an intense romantic thread–what usually keeps me coming back for more. If you don’t care either way about boys and kissing and love, and you like your fiction smart and witty, then you’ll probably enjoy Beauty Queens.

Boyfriends with Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez – While I think it’s important to portray diverse relationships in YA (these characters are exploring whether it’s possible to be bisexual and what that means in the world of high school dating), this book didn’t do it for me. I found the message to be too heavy-handed and the dialogue unrealistic.

After by Amy Efaw – This one read like a Jodi Piccoult novel, but with a compelling teen voice. It covers the aftermath of a girl who’s had a baby in secret, then ditched the newborn in a dumpster. I bought After wondering how Efaw could possibly make her protagonist sympathetic. She does, and still manages to write a very entertaining novel.

Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal – Okay, this isn’t technically YA, but to me the twins will always be young adults. And let’s be honest, they act like the lowliest of overly-hormonal teenagers in this story. I had problems buying into the behavior of pretty much every character populating Confidential. Winston, Bruce, Todd, Steven, even Jessica and Elizabeth… they all turned out to be terribly out of character and really unlikable. Bummer.

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti – I liked this one a lot, but I would have loved it had it focused more on Ruby’s out-of-control destructive relationship with Travis Becker, and less on the Casserole Queens subplot. Still, Ruby has some of the best life observations I’ve read in YA. She was a truly likable character despite her sometimes questionable decision making.

The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson – This is the first Maureen Johnson novel I’ve read, and I see now why she’s so popular. The characters were distinct with clear flaws and motivations, and the writing was clean and often funny, but Bermudez lacked the darkness and angst of books I truly love. That said, I’m looking forward to reading Maureen’s upcoming The Name of the Star.

And June’s Book of the Month, hands down, is Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta…


From Goodreads: Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys’ school that pretends it’s coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can’t seem to stop thinking about. Then there’s Francesca’s mother, who always thinks she knows what’s best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

Melina Marchetta is so incredibly talented. Her stories are real and layered and nuanced and clever, so freaking enviable. I’d venture to say that Jellicoe Road (March’s Book of the Month) is my very favorite YA novel*, and Saving Francesca does not fall far behind.

Protagonist Francesca Spinelli manages to walk the very fine line between endearingly vulnerable and sassy smart ass. She spends the course of the book discovering not only who she is, but who her parents and teachers and friends are, and most importantly, who she wants to be. Thanks to Francesca’s wit and spot-on remarks about life and human interactions, her journey (which isn’t exactly high concept) proves to be fascinating.

I absolutely love how Melina Marchetta is able to take a ragtag group of characters and weave interesting and genuine relationships among them. I adored Francesca’s friends and family. Supporting characters Thomas, Jimmy, Justine, Siobhan and Tara are fantastic, and love interest Will Trombal… sigh. LOVE him.

I recommend Saving Francesca to anyone who enjoys contemporary stories, and especially to anyone who writes contemporary YA. You will love the setting (an Australian all boys’ Catholic school that’s recently [and begrudgingly] opened its doors to girls), the dialogue (smart, funny, perfect), and the characters (engaging, delightful, memorable). Someday very soon I’m going to reread Saving Francesca AND Jellicoe Road–they’re that good.

*Incidentally, I recently told my husband that if we ever have a little boy, I want to name him Jonah after Jellicoe Road‘s Jonah Griggs. My husband immediately snorted and told me to “bury that name deep.” Boo.

So, what’s the best book YOU read in June?

May’s Book of the Month

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May proved to be way too busy, with some extreme highs and lows in both my writing and personal life. Still, I managed to get quite a bit of reading done. Here’s my wrap up:

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr – Once I was able to get over the craziness of invisible faeries walking among us, I mostly enjoyed this book. The world building was very cool and I especially liked Donia, a tragically damaged supporting character. My gripe came at the end, when the main character got everything she wanted, free of sacrifice, Breaking-Dawn-style.

Darker Days by Jus Accardo – A beta read for one of my super talented critique partners. You can’t read it yet, but I hope you get to soon because this one is all kinds of amazing!

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard – Normally I like my books dark and depressing, but by the end of the first chapter of You Wish, I was hooked. Fantastic voice, enviable wit, laugh-out-loud funny. Plus, it’s set in a town that neighbors mine, which is always fun. I recommend this one as a light, summery read.

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma – Part of me loved Forbidden, while another part was so weirded out by the brother/sister romance that at times I had difficulty absorbing the narrative. Still, the writing was gorgeous and the story (the ending, especially) packed quite an emotional punch. I recommend Forbidden for anyone who appreciates a truly–ahem–forbidden romance, but only for those not disturbed by a very controversial topic.   

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson – I’m not normally a reader of sci-fi (I didn’t even realize Jenna was sci-fi when I bought it), but I thought this book was fantastic. A little slow to start, but because the voice was so unique and the writing so flawless, I didn’t mind . It picked up around page 100 though, and by that point I was completely hooked. There are so many twists and turns, Jenna is almost a study in the plotting of and unfolding of a great mystery.

The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond – If I wrote adult fiction, this is EXACTLY the kind of book I’d want to produce. It’s the story of a little girl who goes missing while playing on a foggy beach with her father’s fiancee, and the guilt, grief and constant state of unknowing that take place after. My mom recommended it, saying, “Read it. You’ll never let go of your daughter’s hand in public again.” Yeah. Pretty much.

And… May’s Book of the Month is Forget You by Jennifer Echols.

 
From Jennifer Echol’s site: There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four-year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. With her life about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all–the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug–of all people–suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life–a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

There are so many things I adored about this book, I think list form will work best for all the gushing I’m about to do…

1) Cover – See the way he’s gazing at her all adoringly? And see how she looks at peace, like she only ever wants to be with him? That’s what initially drew me in.

2) Setting – Florida. The beach. Various swimming pools. The backseat of several cars. Yep. Awesome.

3) Swimming – I swam competitively in high school. It’s a difficult sport to get right on paper, especially if you’ve never actually done it. I’m not sure what Jennifer Echol’s background with swimming is, but in my opinion, she nailed it. From the rush of diving from the starting blocks to the scent of chlorine that lingers on your skin hours after leaving the water, I totally got why Zoey loved the sport.

4) Dialogue – Some of the best teen dialogue I’ve read, hands down. Everything that came out of Zoey and Doug’s mouths was honest and frank, often funny. Jennifer Echols doesn’t filter anything, and I found that very refreshing.

5) Voice (Zoey’s Inner Monologue, in Particular) – Zoey is dry and intelligent, yet confused and often naive. She’s controlling and that shows throughout the story, within all of her relationships (except, maybe, her father). I found myself laughing at her observations and commiserating with her troubles repeatedly. I started Forget You midmorning, and Zoey’s narration kept me reading all day, until I finished early evening.

6) Zoey – The YA novels I enjoy most are ones with female protagonists that are flawed, yet relatable and with inner strength. Examples: Taylor from Jellicoe Road, Lennie from The Sky is Everywhere, Violet from The Body Finder and Mia from If I Stay. Forget You‘s Zoey falls into this group. She has a way of justifying irresponsible decisions and bad behavior, yet she’s obviously a smart girl. I got the sense that even though she excused away a lot (especially in regard to Brandon and her feelings for Doug), deep down she knew exactly what was going on. She just wasn’t ready to face it.   

7) Doug – Why didn’t Doug go to my high school? Despite (or maybe because of?) his snarkiness, semi-dysfunctional family, and occasionally sneaky, self-serving ways, Echols manages to make him utterly and completely appealing. Maybe it’s that we see him through Zoey’s eyes, or maybe bad boys who are secretly good are just extra alluring. Whatever the case, Doug has become one of my favorite YA love interests.

8) Romance – Forget You is, at its core, a romance, and wow is it steamy. Quite possibly one of the most, um, graphic YAs I’ve read, but it works. Both Zoey and Doug are so candid throughout the book, to gloss over their intimate interactions would have been unnatural.

Yep… Forget You joins my short list of favorite YA contemporaries. I recommend it to anyone who’s read and enjoyed  Jennifer Echol’s other books, anyone who enjoys dramatic (but not melodramatic) romance, and anyone who likes layered and truly realistic teen fiction.  

So? What’s the best book you read in May?

April’s Book of the Month…

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April proved to be a month of surprises in my To-Read pile. Books I thought I’d love (Wither, The Mermaid’s Mirror) turned out to be a bit under-whelming, and books I’d felt luke-warm about when I started them (Divergent, Tangled) turned out to be far more entertaining than I would have guessed.  Without further ado, here’s April’s Reading Wrap-Up…

Wither by Lauren DeStephano – Gorgeous writing. Just as Rhine and her sister wives were subtly brainwashed into accepting their bizarre, oppressive situation, I was disturbed by how “okay” I became with it. I liked the relationship between the sister wives, but I was a little skeptical of some of the world-building. There wasn’t much explanation given for why things were the way they were.

Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala – I feel so lucky to have heard Holly speak at an author panel a few months ago. She was lovely, just like this book. Tell Me A Secret is a story of teen pregnancy, changing relationships and growing up. It reminded me a lot of Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere, both in the quality of writing and tone, which is to say: I loved it.

The Mermaid’s Mirror by LK Madigan – I enjoyed the beachy, atomospheric setting and all of the supporting characters, but I wanted to like Lena, the protagonist, more. I thought she behaved selfishly at times, and I wanted her relationship with Nix to be more developed. The writing itself was excellent though, and I look forward to reading Madigan’s Flash Burnout.

Now, my official book of the month is Veronica Roth’s debut novel, Divergent, out May 3rd, because, well, it was nothing short of amazing.

But, I’ve raved about it quite a bit on both Twitter and here on the blog, (most notably HERE) so I wanted to take a moment to feature another book that brightened my April… Tangled by Carolyn Mackler.

From Carolyn Mackler’s site: Paradise wasn’t supposed to suck. Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean. Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all there for different reasons, but at Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Paradise will change them all. It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting. It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn’t have to be a jerk just because people think he’s one. It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who must come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the consequences. And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise…. From confused to confident and back again, one thing’s certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same.

First, isn’t the cover delightful? Still, I can’t tell you how many times I picked this book up at Borders over the last year, then put it back down in favor of something flashier, more profound, or hookier. Last week, though, I lucked out and found it marked down at a store closing sale and snatched it up.

So glad I did! While Adult Katy thought this book was adorable and highly entertaining, Teen Katy would have absolutely treasured it. Tangled is so authentically YA, from the subject matter to the voice(s). The issues aren’t super heavy, but I found them to be right in line with what real teenagers are dealing with today.

Tangled is a quick read, broken up into four separate parts, told by four very different narrators over the course of four months. My favorite section was Dakota’s because I love male protagonists and he’s fantastic. Not exactly likeable at first, but he certainly redeems himself by the story’s conclusion.

Carolyn Mackler writes with startling honestly. I found her style both refreshing and engaging. If you’re looking for a book with genuine characters and a story that’s equal parts heartbreaking, steamy, laugh-out-loud funny, and touching, please do check out Tangled.

What’s the best book you read in April?

March’s Book ‘O the Month

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Much like January, March seemed to drag on FOREVER. I feel like I  read a whole library of books, and there were several standouts, including one that’s a new favorite.

1. The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard – I wish more of this story had been set during the time of Cole and Julia’s secret relationship. That said, I did enjoy Cole. He’s the supposed to be a bad boy from the flats, but really he’s sensitive and relatable. Not the cliché he could have been.

***2. Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz (courtesy of Simon and Schuster eGalley) – Thought about this one long after I finished reading. The beach setting was fantastic and the dysfunctional family dynamics were so well written.  Chase “Everyboy” McGill ended up becoming someone I wish I really knew.

3. A sort of teens-in-peril novel I had high hopes for and ended up really disliking. The characters were flat, the voice was flat, and the ending was shockingly abrupt. While “clean teen” has its place, it did not work for this book. Fifteen-year-old guys in life-or-death situations do NOT say, “Oh, darn it!”

***4. Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler – While Twenty Boy Summer is still my favorite Sarah Ockler novel, I thought Delilah was excellent. Loved the summery setting, loved the kooky cast and family secrets, loved the steamy romance. I’m such a Sarah Ockler fan; I’ll read anything she writes.

***5. Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford – While I think “quirky” is over used in YA literature, it’s the perfect word to describe this family, and this book. The writing is fantastic. Funny at times, heartwarming, and completely honest. Confessions is different from what I normally read… in a good way.

***6. Where She Went by Gayle Forman (courtesy of an ARC) – I went into this book with one part excitement and two parts trepidation–I didn’t want anything about it to ruin my love for If I Stay. Luckily, Where She Went did the near-impossible: improved Adam and Mia’s story exponentially. I loved Adam as a narrator, and I loved how Gayle Forman was brave enough to take the story to difficult places. If you’re an If I Stay fan, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in this follow-up.

***7. We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han (courtesy of Simon and Schuster eGalley) – Sigh… I absolutely adore Jenny Han’s Summer trilogy and this final book did not disappoint. Something about the dynamic between Belly, Jeremiah and Conrad really gets me. The longing, the romance, the perfectly teen perspective of Belly… LOVE! Oh, and I totally think Belly made the right choice in the end. 🙂

8. Sea by Heidi R. Kling – For some reason this one was hard for me to get into, but when I finally did I was sucked in. The Indonesian setting was very cool, and the love interest, Deni, was so different from the usual YA boy. I’m normally not a fan of bittersweet endings, but somehow Sea‘s was fitting.

***9. Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann – I’ve never read anything by Lisa McMann so I had no idea what to expect. I was very impressed. This story is as creepy and weird as the book’s cover, and the protagonist, Kendall, is very cool. Also, cheers to the super hot and sometimes humorously cold romance between her and Jacian.

***I’ll say that any one of the books I starred above could have been Book of the Month had I not been so swept away by one in particular. They were that good. But there was one book that I fell head over heels in love with, one that made me all but forget about the others. That book was…

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.

From the book jacket: In this lyrical, absorbing, award-winning novel, nothing is as it seems, and every clue leads to more questions. At age eleven, Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother. At fourteen, she ran away from boarding school, only to be tracked down and brought back by a mysterious stranger. Now seventeen, Taylor’s the reluctant leader of her school’s underground community, whose annual territory war with the Townies and visiting Cadets has just begun. This year, though, the Cadets are led by Jonah Griggs, and Taylor can’t avoid his intense gaze for long. To make matters worse, Hannah, the one adult Taylor trusts, has disappeared. But if Taylor can piece together the clues Hannah left behind, the truth she uncovers might not just settle her past, but also change her future.

Jellicoe Road joins If I Stay, The Sky is Everywhere and Stolen as one of my all-time favorite YA novels. I heard more than once, “The first hundred pages are strange and confusing… STICK WITH IT!” I’m so glad I did. Two stories woven together, mystery, romance, perfect teen dialogue… I loved this book more than I can adequately describe… but I’ll try.

First, lets talk about Jonah Griggs. It’s almost as if he was written just to make me swoon. There are a lot of YA guys I dig, but Jonah… He’s exactly my type. Rugged, brave, stubborn, loyal, sort of crass and super sweet with Taylor. Plus, he’s a cadet, he enjoys tramping around in the woods and he wears fatigues. What can I say? I’ve been married to a soldier for almost eight years. It’s my thing.

And Taylor. She’s severely lacking in people skills, but at the same time she’s awesome. No nonsense, vulnerable and erratic. I loved her interactions with her friends Raffy and Santangelo, but I especially adored any scene she shared with Griggs. She forced him to confront his fears, just as he did to her. She challenged him, just as he challenged her. Neither of them ever once backed down from the layers of conflict that stood in their way. They’re a perfect match.

Jellicoe Road‘s mystery and the way it unfolds over two separate storylines, decades apart, is genius. While I knew early on that somehow all the characters and plotlines would eventually come together, the conclusion was a true surprise. Melina Marchetta has a knack for connecting even seemingly insignificant threads in the most satisfying ways.

Fair warning: Jellicoe Road‘s plot, pacing and writing might make you want to quit reading forever. When I finished, I was sure I’d never find another book that moved me the way this one did. The mystery is perfectly layered, the setting (Australia!) is all-consuming, and the characters got right inside my head and have been camping out there ever since. And if you’re a writer, well, be prepared to feel completely incompetent. Still, I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book.

What’s the best book you read in March?

February’s Book of the Month

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February proved a diverse month in books for me. I read five, and they were all excellent. I can honestly say that I loved aspects of each. In fact, I’d recommend you check them all out. Yep… they’re that good. 🙂

1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis – I spoke about this book HERE, but I’ll repeat the sentiment: Wow. I’m so impressed with the world building and the constant sense of claustrophobia I felt while reading. Loved Amy and Elder too. One gripe–there’s a twist in this book that shouldn’t really be a twist, assuming the rules of first-person are followed.

2. The Road by Cormac McCarthy – I’ve been trying to branch out and broaden my reading horizons lately. My husband suggested The Road. It’s dark, thought-provoking, and written quite untraditionally (like, with very little punctuation and lots of fragments). The mood it evoked was most impressive, and I recommend it if you like post-apocalyptic stories.

3. The First Part Last by Angela Johnson – A fast read, and a study in creating tension where there might not otherwise be. Billy is a teen dad struggling to raise his daughter, but her mother (his girlfriend) is missing from their lives. You don’t find out what’s happened to her until the end, and the payoff is so worth it.

4. Sold by Patricia McCormick – About a Nepalese girl who’s sold into India’s sex-slave industry by her shady stepfather. It’s written in a sparse free-verse style, and while I don’t normal read books in this format, Sold spoke to me. Lakshmi’s story was disturbing, yet the relationships she formed with the other girls in the brothel were inspirational. My only complaint: I wanted more at the end.

Some great titles, right? It was a difficult choice, but my very favorite, the one I could hardly put down, the one that’s now on my list of Best YA Contemporaries, was The Unwritten Rule.

From Elizabeth Scott’s website: Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don’t like your best friend’s boyfriend. Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He’s easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he’s paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna’s boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah’s best friend. Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she’s thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It’s wonderful…and awful. Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can’t stop herself from wanting more…

The only other book I’ve read by Elizabeth Scott is Living Dead Girl. The two are equally engaging and both are extremely well-written, but when I finished Living Dead Girl, I almost wished I hadn’t read it. I didn’t want those images in my head. It was so, so dark.

That said, I ADORED The Unwritten Rule. While the concept is simple, the characters are interesting and layered. Sarah and Ryan aren’t perfect; they’re just trying to be the best they can be while still following their hearts. And they’re so good together! They made me think aww! repeatedly, and kept me turning pages, rooting for them, even when I could barely keep my eyes open. I felt Sarah’s longing for Ryan, and commiserated with her guilt regarding her betrayal of Brianna.

Speaking of Brianna… she’s one of the most interesting “villains” I’ve read. Sure, she’s self-centered and flaky and kind of a bitch to Sarah (“Remind me that I have some conditioner that’s supposed to be great for limp hair, OK? I totally bought it for you and remembered it just now.” Ew.), but I felt for her. Her past is complicated, and her motivations are clear. Even though I didn’t want her with Ryan (because Sarah and Ryan clearly belong together!), I wanted Brianna to have a happily ever after of her own.

The Unwritten Rule has some super steamy moments. Ryan and Sarah have amazing chemistry and Elizabeth Scott pens some of the best kisses I’ve read. She’s also a master of nuanced writing. One of my pet peeves (and something I struggle with myself) is when an author overstates and over explains character emotions. I like to draw conclusions of my own, and Ms. Scott let me do that. I can’t wait to hunt down and read the rest of her work!

So, what’s the best book you read in February?

January’s Best Book

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Is it just me or did January drag on forever? Ugh… seriously my least favorite month of the year. That said, February somehow managed to sneak up on me before I had a chance to do a reading wrap up for January! I managed to read some amazing books while it poured rain pretty much every day of 2011, thus far. Here they are:

1. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb which was elegant, lyrical, and romantic. 
2. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. I can’t say I liked it, exactly, because mostly I found it hauntingly disturbing. But, its characters have stuck with me, which, in my opinion, is the sign of an important book.
3. One very popular paranormal romance I happened to hate. Cool premise, but so not  for me.
4. Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr, which I absolutely adored. I find her writing style very appealing, and the characters in OWL are precious. I’m going to have to hunt down Story of a Girl next.
5. An eating disorder issue book that will remain nameless because I couldn’t get through it. Let me say, I VERY rarely quit books, but this one was way too dry. Plus, it was a library book so I didn’t feel quite so guilty about moving on.
6. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer, which was difficult to get through, especially considering it completely lacked tension. I mean, who doesn’t know what happens to Bree at the end of the story?
7. The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting. LOVED. See my fangirl post here.
8. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. A slow start, but I ended up really enjoying it. In fact, I think it’s my favorite of all the Sarah Dessen novels I’ve read.
9. Last but not least, I had the pleasure of reading the very cool urban fantasy of one of my CPs, Jus Accardo. She’s hugely talented and I can’t wait for you all to read her work.

That said, I had a stand out favorite of all the books I read in January:

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

From Goodreads: Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard–falling from it is even harder.  Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High… until vicious rumors about her and her best friend’s boyfriend start going around.  Now Regina’s been “frozen out” and her ex-best friends are out for revenge.  If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day.  She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully.  Friendship doesn’t come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend… if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don’t break them both first. Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

Some Girls Are is exactly how I like my contemporary YA: realistic, gritty, and daring. But, as the mother of a three-year-old girl who will someday be in high school, I found this story particularly disturbing. It’s Mean Girls amped up about fifty notches. The behavior of Regina and her “friends” is completely deplorable, and it took a long time for me to find her a likeable narrator. Even though many of the things she does are in retaliation or self-defense, they’re still terrible and dangerous. I kept hoping she’d just bow down so Anna (the Queen Bee) and her cronies would back off and leave her alone. Seriously. The bullying was so, so bad. But, I suppose that’s one of the reasons Regina grew on me. She refused to let the Fearsome Foursome crush her.  

Regina’s former victim and eventual ally, Michael Hayden, was the reason this book kept me up reading until 1 am . It’s hard to find words to describe him because he felt so real and layered. He was damaged and bitter, but I could tell right away there was goodness hidden away somewhere under his defenses. He was sensitive, but still sort of badass. And he never let Regina off easy, although at the same time he reluctantly but continuously came to her rescue. In the same way I desperately wanted Regina to grow up and become a better person, I wanted Michael to fully forgive her for the ways she’d wronged him.  

Some Girls Are raises a lot of important questions. What is true friendship? At what price does surrendering your integrity come? What is the role of teachers and administrators in the fight against bullying?  What is the ultimate revenge worth? How far might you be willing to go to protect someone you care about? Just how involved should parents be in the lives of their teenagers? How far does a former bully have to fall to earn forgiveness?

I intend to search out everything else Courtney Summers has written on my next Borders trip and  highly recommend you check out Some Girls Are.

What about you? What’s the best book you read in January?

RTW: Best of December

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Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic: What is the best book you read during the month of December?

I read some fabulous books this month. The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols, The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff, and Matched by Ally Condie. But if I have to choose a favorite it’s Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.

From Goodreads:  Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he’s taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

I’m always wary of books that get an explosion of hype on social media sites. I’ve been disappointed more than once in the past. Still, I bought Anna because I love contemporary romance AND because Stephanie Perkins appears to be an incredibly delightful person on Twitter and on her blog. I wanted to support her.   

I’m so glad I did. I absolutely adored Anna and the French Kiss. In fact, I’d say it’s about as close to perfect as a book can be. I caught myself smiling while reading more than once, and had to rein it in for fear of being judged by my husband. And when I wasn’t smiling, I was stressing–hoping that Anna and Etienne would get it together and somehow manage to meet up on the same page.  

It’s not easy to create a protagonist who is real, blemished and layered, yet still incredibly likeable. Anna is all those things and more. She’s funny and honest and still discovering who she is and what she wants. She’s like, the ideal narrator. And St. Claire is adorable in many of the ways Anna is. Not perfect, but so charming and endearing that it’s easy to overlook his flaws. Their relationship is so true to life. Full of mixed signals, what-ifs and insecurities, but still supportive and loving, if slow to develop. It felt real, like every other part of this book.

Oh, and the setting! I’ve never been a big Paris fanatic. If I ever make it to Europe, I’ve always been more interested in visiting Rome or Athens, but Anna made me fall in love with the City of Lights. Everything was described in such great detail: the food, the theater, the parks, even the school cafeteria sounded beautiful and glamorous. After I finished reading I told my husband (whose father is French) that I wanted to visit. Needless to say, he was thrilled.   

I recommend Anna to anyone who reads (seriously, it was that good!), but especially those who love contemporary romance or books set abroad.

RTW: November’s Cream of the Crop

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Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

Today’s Topic: What is the best book you read in November?

Well, I’m happy to say that October’s stretch of mostly not-good books was only a fluke. November saw many awesome books, thanks in big part to my lovely CP, Heather Howland, who sent me a box of some of her favorites. Those included: Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison (poignant and romantic), Sweethearts by Sara Zarr (realistic and reflective), Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols(fast-paced and steamy) and What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook (one of the greatest teen voices *ever*!). I also purchased and read Dirty Little Secrets by CJ Omolulu (so fascinating) and The Mockingbirds, by Daisy Whitney (important and multi-layered).

But my favorite book of November was Boy Toy, one I purchased and few months ago, then subsequently passed over time and time again in favor of some of the more hyped books sitting on the shelf around it. I SO regret not reading it earlier and, to settle the score, I’m going to take a stab at hyping Boy Toy, by Barry Lyga.
 

 From Goodreads: A riveting and disturbing novel about a seventh-grade boy who has a very adult relationship with his female teacher. Josh Mendel has a secret. Unfortunately, everyone knows what it is. Five years ago, Josh’s life changed. Drastically. And everyone in his school, his town-seems like the world-thinks they understand. But they don’t-they can’t. And now, about to graduate from high school, Josh is still trying to sort through the pieces. First there’s Rachel, the girl he thought he’d lost years ago. She’s back, and she’s determined to be part of his life, whether he wants her there or not. Then there are college decisions to make, and the toughest baseball game of his life coming up, and a coach who won’t stop pushing Josh all the way to the brink. And then there’s Eve. Her return brings with it all the memories of Josh’s past. It’s time for Josh to face the truth about what happened. If only he know what the truth was…

Let me start by saying, I got the same feeling upon reading Boy Toy that I got when I finished reading John Greene’s Looking For Alaska and Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere. The three are extremely different books, but all three are unflinching in their realism and their portrayal of very difficult teen situations. All three authors manage to say what needs to be said, even if it’s ugly or uncomfortable, and they do it in voices that have stuck with me.

Boy Toy is the story of a now eighteen-year-old high school senior who was sexually abused five years earlier by his teacher, Evelyn Sherman. Over the years, I’ve seen real-life stories similar to the one written by Lyga on the news, and interestingly enough, focus always seems to be more on the abuser. What was she thinking? Just how sick is she? How much jail time does she deserve? I rarely see much said about the victims, the innocent minors whose lives are changed forever. Boy Toy focuses on one such victim and shows with unwavering realism just how disrupted his life has become. 

Boy Toy‘s characters are fabulous, and the main reason I loved this book so much. Josh, our protagonist, is something of a child prodigy and a very talented baseball player. He’s also the self-described school pariah, thanks to the lengthy and highly inappropriate “relationship” he had with his seventh grade history teacher. Five years later, (just as Mrs. Sherman is being released from jail for “good behavior”), Josh is still confused, totally scarred by what happened. He’s traumatized, harboring misplaced guilt, and unable to foster any kind of normal, healthy relationship with girls his own age. Thankfully he has, Zic, an awesome and incredibly loyal best friend, who often serves as comic relief. Then there’s Rachel, childhood friend and the proverbial “one that got away.” She’s suddenly back in the picture and intent on challenging Josh every step of the way.

I’ll be honest: Boy Toy made me squirm more than once, and rightly so. The subject matter is intense and unsettling. There are several scenes of fairly graphic abuse that very nearly upset my stomach. We’re in Josh’s head the whole time and he certainly thinks like an eighteen-year-old guy. The language is sometimes harsh, but to me it felt honest and completely in character. That being said, Boy Toy is for those who prefer upper YA. There’s no censoring here, and that’s my biggest compliment to this book.

RTW – October’s Best Book

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Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic: What was the best book you read in October?

An easy question to answer this month because I’ve read a few books in October that, in the end, did not live up to their hype. Perhaps my expectations were too high, or perhaps they just weren’t for me, or perhaps, when compared to the one really AMAZING book I read this month, they just didn’t measure up.

And now you’re probably wondering what that AMAZING book was.

It was FREEFALL, by Mindi Scott.

 
Here’s the Goodreads blurb:

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend’s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he’s ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth will soon realize he isn’t the only one who needs saving . . .

There are a few reasons I was excited to read this book. One, I’ve been following Mindi Scott’s journey for a while now. Freefall is her debut and she’s from around the same area that I am, which for some reason makes her feel relatable. Two, Freefall is a “boy book” (in other words, the protagonist is a teenage guy and the plotlines are sort of male-centric, though that’s not to say females won’t be all over it!). I’ve read “boy books” before, of course, but none written by women–I was curious. And three, I love contemporary YA fiction, especially when it’s a little edgy, which Freefall certainly is.

First, I’ll comment on Seth’s voice because… it’s awesome. He swears, he drinks, he thinks too much about sex and not enough about school. He’s dry and funny He can be sort of insensitive, but at the same time, there are instances where he is intuitively sensitive without ever realizing it. He wants to be better, but he doesn’t know how. Seriously, had the name “Mindi Scott” not been printed on the cover, I would have assumed this book had been written by a teenage guy. The voice is that spot-on.

Freefall’s characters are very real. They have real problems and realistic relationships. They’re flawed–all of them, but that’s what made me want root for them. And they have motivations. Motivations that–gasp!–make sense. (This is one of the problems I had with some of the other books I read this month: a character would do something and I’d think–what?!).

And Rosetta and Seth together… I loved their interactions from the very first scene they shared. Their dialogue was natural and witty and it flowed well, plus, I could clearly see the things they grew to like about each other. Their relationship felt legitimate and sincere, not forced for the sake of the novel. I *got* why Seth wanted to be present for Rosetta, and understood why she wanted to be better for him. Oh, and they had a few pretty steamy interactions, too.

So, Freefall was definitely the book I loved best during the month of October. I highly recommend you check it out.

What about you? What was the best book you read this month?

RTW: Best Book I Read In September

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Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

Today’s Topic: What’s the best book you read in September?

September was a bit of a slow reading month for me because I started a new WIP. I read Lucy Christopher’s Stolen (which was amazing–I mentioned it in this POST), Kody Keplinger’s The DUFF, and Sophie Jordan’s Firelight. I’m currently in the middle of Julia Hoban’s Willow.

But the best book I read this month, one of the best books I read all year, and now among my top five favorite books EVER was Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere. I know, I know. I’m a little late to the game. I remember seeing The Sky is Everywhere mentioned on more than one RTW August book list, but oh my God, I loved it too much not to mention it.

Here’s the Goodreads blurb: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

First, I should admit I’ve become a bit of an impatient reader. When I hit a big block of exposition or background stuff, I usually skim over it so I can get onto the good stuff. Even books I really enjoy usually have parts I hurry through. Not the case with The Sky is Everywhere. I can honestly say that every sentence–every WORD–was crucial and beautifully written. Jandy Nelson’s metaphors were creative and spot on, her descriptions painted total and complete pictures, and her portrayal of grief and the crazy things that sometimes happen to someone immersed in sadness were entirely authentic. 

I always find it fascinating when an author puts a character in confusing or dismal or horrible situations, but still manages to make you wish you WERE that character. Lennie is flawed and selfish and rash, but still, there’s something about her you can cling to. And the rest of the characters… Joe, Toby, Sarah, Lennie’s eccentric family members… they are all individualistic and fully realized. You’ll want them to be a part of your life.

So yes, The Sky is Everywhere is by far the best book of my September. Check it out (and other responses from RTWers!) if you haven’t already!   

Oh, and here’s the trailer. It’s fabulous. 🙂