Category: Bookanistas

Bookanista Rec :: LOVE AND OTHER PERISHABLE ITEMS

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Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

I adore this cover.

From Goodreads: Love is awkward, Amelia should know. From the moment she sets eyes on Chris, she is a goner. Lost. Sunk. Head over heels infatuated with him. It’s problematic, since Chris, 21, is a sophisticated university student, while Amelia, is 15. Amelia isn’t stupid. She knows it’s not gonna happen. So she plays it cool around Chris—at least, as cool as she can. Working checkout together at the local supermarket, they strike up a friendship: swapping life stories, bantering about everything from classic books to B movies, and cataloging the many injustices of growing up. As time goes on, Amelia’s crush doesn’t seem so one-sided anymore. But if Chris likes her back, what then? Can two people in such different places in life really be together? Through a year of befuddling firsts—first love, first job, first party, and first hangover—debut author Laura Buzo shows how the things that break your heart can still crack you up.

I have blind faith in the ability of Aussie authors to write amazing  contemporary young adult novels. Melina Marchetta, Cath Crowley, and Lucy Christopher are a few of my favorite examples, and now I get to add Laura Buzo to my Awesome Authors From Down Under list. Her debut, Love and Other Perishable Items, is absolutely delightful.

Love is a quiet sort of book, one that builds its characters and their relationships slowly. It’s the kind of book you don’t realize you’re falling for until you’re nearly done. In other words, Love is my favorite kind of story: slow-burn, full of longing and wit, populated by vibrant, dynamic characters, and with authentic voice that leaps off the page.

Amelia is a sweetheart, and just as uncertain about life’s complexities as I was at fifteen. She’s smart and thoughtful and she knows what she wants — Chris — but she’s not exactly sure why she wants him, or what it would mean if she were to actually get him. And Chris, while idealized in Amelia’s adoring eyes, is simply a flailing, flawed, immature university student. But, flailing, flawed, and immature as he is, Chris is a charmer. He’s intelligent and fun, and he has an effortless way of engaging people. I understood why Amelia placed him on a pedestal, and I was totally engrossed in the saga of their complicated, somewhat lopsided friendship.

One of my favorite things about Love and Other Perishable Items is its ending. As the story began to wrap up, I desperately wanted Amelia and Chris to find happily ever after, even if their respective happily ever afters weren’t immediately intertwined. The story’s resolution is honest and realistic and hopeful all at once, and it left me wanting to check in with Amelia and Chris ten years down the line to see how their lives turned out.

Love and Other Perishable Items is the perfect book for fans of contemporary YA, especially those who remember those first feelings of unrequited love, appreciate nuance and authenticity, and enjoy an Aussie setting.

Don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

Kimberly Sabatini wonders at WHEN YOU WERE HERE by Daisy Whitney

Elana Johson  falls for THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

Tracy Banghart  loves LACRIMOSA by Christine Fonseca

Corrine Jackson adores the ARCADIA BELL series by Jenn Bennett

Rebecca Behrens delves into CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein

Lenore Appelhans raves about THE RULES by Stacey Kade

Stasia Ward Kehoe wraps up National Poetry Month with
THE POETRY TEACHER’S BOOK OF LISTS by Sylvia Vardell

Christine Fonseca  celebrates UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

Jessica Love hails THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE by Jennifer E. Smith

Shannon Messenger  discusses her recent reads…

Tell me… What’s the last contemporary YA you read and loved? 

Bookanista Thursday

A heartfelt welcome and big congratulations to our newest Bookanistas: Lenore Appelhans, Shari Arnold, Rebecca Behrens, Tracey Neithercott, and Kimberly Sabatini. We’re so happy to have you onboard! Learn about our newest members (and all the Bookanistas!) HERE.

Now, check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to today…

Jessica Love welcomes our FIVE NEW BOOKANISTAS!

Carrie Harris croons about THE COLLECTOR by Victoria Scott

Corrine Jackson adores CONFESSIONS OF AN ANGRY GIRL by Louise Rozett

Shelli Johannes-Wells hails HYSTERIA by Megan Miranda

Stasia Ward Kehoe celebrates YALSA’s TEEN LIT DAY

Nikki Katz raves about ROOTLESS by Chris Howard

Gretchen McNeil adores UNREMEMBERED by Jessica Brody

Rebecca Behrens and Tracey Neithercott
share why they’re excited to be newbie Bookanistas

Tell Me: What are you reading this weekend?

Book Talk :: USES FOR BOYS

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Uses For Boys, a contemporary YA novel by Erica Lorraine Scheidt
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas.)

From Goodreads: Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna’s new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can’t know. Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical,  Uses for Boys is a story of breaking down and growing up.

I first heard about Uses For Boys on author Sarah McCarry‘s blog, The Rejectionist. She wrote an honest and affecting piece on slut-shaming as it relates to this debut novel and its Goodreads reviews. The undeniable thread of ignorance in the review excerpts Sarah included in her post hurt my heart and made me wonder, yet again, at the lack of compassion in some people. The excerpts Sarah posted also made me wonder about the book itself. So, I did a little more research on Uses For Boys. While it was pretty clear from the story’s summary that Anna and I don’t have a lot in common, her journey intrigued me.

Uses For Boys is a tough book to read. It’s a character study, an in-depth, unflinching look at what it’s like to live in Anna’s shoes, and it is haunting. Throughout most of the story, Anna is just trying to survive. Yes, she makes some crappy choices. Yes, there were several occasions when I thought, Oh, Anna, don’t do that! Yes, Anna sleeps with a lot of boys, and yes, several of them are one night stands. But the thing is, Anna has her reasons for behaving the way she does. Reasons that, for the most part, spiral back to her neglectful mother and the varied occasions of assault Anna suffered early-on. I may not have been able to relate to Anna’s experiences, but I was certainly rooting for her to find happiness and some inner peace. Erica Lorraine Scheidt’s fearless flair for storytelling and stark, lyrical prose helped me empathize with her protagonist in a way I didn’t think I’d be able to.

My favorite parts of Uses For Boys were the chapters involving Toy, Anna’s incredibly complex best friend, and Sam, the gentle boy who comes along toward the end of the novel and, with his awesome family, becomes a catalyst of change in Anna’s life. Additionally, and this is sort of a small thing, but I also loved the way Erica Lorraine Scheidt described Anna and Toy’s clothing. Fashion is such a big part of their lives — it’s what brought them together and, at times, it’s what keeps them together. Their senses of style and clothing choices were so eccentric and odd, they added a very cool bit of color to an otherwise dark story.

Uses For Boys is definitely one to check out if you’re a fan of edgy, upper YA (this book is very frank in its discussions of sexuality), and if you enjoy character-driven contemporary stories.

Check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to today:

Corrine Jackson is swept away by SUCH A RUSH

Christine Fonseca interviews THE LIES THATBIND authors
Lisa & Laura Roecker

Elana Johson celebrates THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass

Stasia Ward Kehoe parties with the Academy of American Poets on
POEM IN YOUR POCKET DAY

Jessica Loveis wowed by WHERE THINGS COME BACK by John Corey Whaley

Tracy Banghart delves into THE HOST (book & movie) by Stephenie Meyer

And learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

Bookanista Rec :: IMPOSSIBLE

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Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
Nancy’s Werlin‘s modern day fairytale, Impossible

From Goodreads –Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that she is the latest recipient of a generations-old family curse that requires her to complete three seemingly impossible tasks or risk falling into madness and passing the curse on to the next generation. Unlike her ancestors, though, Lucy has family, friends, and other modern resources to help her out. But will it be enough to conquer this age-old evil? A beautifully wrought modern fairy tale from master storyteller and award-winning author Nancy Werlin. Inspired by the classic folk ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this is a wonderfully riveting and haunting novel of suspense, romance, and fantasy.

 One day about two years ago, the super nice girl who works in the new/used bookstore I frequented back when I lived in Washington raved about Impossible so enthusiastically, I ending up buying a copy of the book due to a weird sense of obligation — I guess because I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Since then, Impossible has been been sitting on my bookshelf, untouched. The summary’s mention of the folk ballad combined with Goodreads whispers of elves and evil faeries and other such nonsense did not appeal to me much at all — until the other day, that is. I found myself feeling a bit of contemporary YA fatigue (shocking, I know) and picked up Impossible on a whim. A few nights later, I had the following conversation with my husband…

“Dude,” I said, slipping my bookmark into the center pages of Impossible. “I am having, like, a physical reaction to this book.”

Hubby pulled his attention from the TV to blast me with a dubious look. “Uh… What does that mean, exactly?”

“Well, my heart, for example. It’s all aflutter. And my stomach… It’s full of dreadful nerves. I feel so anxious and excited and afraid for these characters. This book is so good!”

“Oh, yeah? What’s it about?”

“Well… You’re probably going to think it sounds absurd when I explain it.”

“Try me.”

“Okay…” I searched for the right words, words that would communicate the awesomeness of Impossible. “There’s this girl,” I began, “Her name is Lucy, and she is so likable and relatable. Sadly, she is raped and ends up pregnant and finds out that her family is cursed by an Elfin Knight. Over the last several hundred years, every woman in her family — including Lucy’s mother — has ended up pregnant at eighteen, had a baby girl, and then gone crazy. Like, literally. Of course Lucy is freaked out, but she has these great, supportive foster parents and this amazing guy, Zach. Together, they figure out that they might be able to break the curse and defeat the evil Elfin Knight if Lucy can complete three seemingly impossible tasks named in this folk ballad that her nutty, bag lady mom sings all the time. Lucy is supposed to make this seamless shirt and sow this seaside land, all before the baby is born.”

Hubby stared at me with one judgmental eyebrow raised. “Okay, you’re right. That does sound absurd.”

“No! Maybe I’m not doing the story justice. It’s such a lovely, romantic book, and the curse, it’s this mystery that has to be unraveled. And Zach! He’s just so sweet and supportive and adorable. And then there’s the writing. It’s amazing. Seriously… why didn’t I read this book sooner?!”

“Don’t know,” Hubby said, turning his attention back to the TV. “Hey, look… Duck Dynasty is on.”

So, I might have difficulties expressing how much I enjoyed Impossible, but truly, this book is fantastic. It’s a surreal sort of fairytale with a contemporary setting and wonderful, likeable characters. If you read Impossible solely to meet Zach, you will not be disappointed. Recommend!

Don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

Tracy Banghart  is tantalized by TOUCHED by Corrine Jackson

Corrine Jackson is wowed by WAIT FOR YOU

Stasia Ward Kehoe delves into THE RITHMATIST by Brandon Sanderson

 Have you read Impossible? Thoughts? Do you have a favorite modern fairytale? 

Bookanista Rec :: IF I LIE

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Today’s Bookanista recommendation is a fabulous contemporary from Corrine Jackson – If I Lie

From Goodreads – A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception… Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town. Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend… and her promise.

As a general rule, I don’t read military-inspired books. Nor do I watch military-inspired TV shows or movies. As an Army wife of almost ten years, I find that fictionalized accounts of the military and its ways of life are often either inaccurate or incredibly melodramatic (I’m looking at you, Army Wives.) Furthermore, I find cheating/adultery to be a far-too-common plot element in military-inspired stories. Honestly. The vast majority of service members (and their significant others) are not fickle bedhoppers.

So, you might understand why it took me so long to pick up Corrine Jackson’s If I Lie.  I know Cory through the Bookanistas and while I think she is absolutely lovely, I have to admit that I didn’t plan on reading If I Lie. I love a good contemporary YA novel, but this one had strikes against it from the get-go. Luckily, several of my trusted book friends read If I Lie and had all kinds of wonderful things to say about it. I realized I might be missing out, so I bought myself a copy. I flew through it in two days.

If I Lie is not just a military book, nor is it just a cheating book, and it’s definitely free of melodramatics  There’s SO MUCH to Quinn’s story: weighty family issues, bullying, genuine (though rather untraditional) friendships, and incomprehensibly difficult choices. Poor Quinn has so much on her plate, more than enough to crush the average girl. Good thing she’s the oft-talked about “strong female character” personified. Quinn is smart and steadfast and determined, loyal to her own detriment. And yet, she’s sensitive enough to be relatable — the whole time I was reading I just wanted to give her a big hug.

The dynamic between Quinn, Carey, and their good friend Blake was incredibly compelling. Throughout the novel, Corrine Jackson jumps seamlessly into flashbacks that show the development of the trio’s friendship, as well as its unraveling. We find out on the first page of the story that young Marine Carey has gone MIA while overseas on a deployment, and his disappearance — as well as Quinn’s staggering personal growth — propel the plot forward. The writing in If I Lie is lovely, nuanced and authentic and without fluff. Corrine Jackson appears to write the teen voice effortlessly; I especially loved Quinn’s thoughtful observations about the people around her, and her dry wit.

So, ignore any preconceived notions you might have about military-inspired books. If I Lie is a perfect choice for fans of contemporary young adult fiction. Please do read it soon if you haven’t already!

And don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

Christine Fonseca  marvels at MIND GAMES by Kiersten White

Shelli Johannes-Wells  explores ESSENCE by Kimberly Derting

Elana Johson  is gaga for GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFever

Stasia Ward Kehoe discusses THE DIFFERENT GIRL by Gordon Dahlquist

Jessica Love delves into BITTERSWEET by Sarah Ockler

Nikki Katz gets lost in THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay


Tell Me: Have you read If I Lie? Thoughts? Do you have a favorite military-inspired book? 

Bookanista Rec: ELEANOR & PARK

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Today in amazing books:
A sweet, unflinching, achingly real young adult romance…
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas)

From Goodreads: TWO MISFITS. ONE EXTRAORDINARY LOVE. 
It’s 1986 and two star-crossed teens are smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love–and just how hard it pulled you under.

 A cross between ’80s movie Sixteen Candles and the classic coming-of-age novel Looking for Alaska, Eleanor & Park is a brilliantly written young adult novel.

And a tiny excerpt from Rainbow Rowell’s website: 

“Bono met his wife in high school,” Park says.

“So did Jerry Lee Lewis,” Eleanor answers.

“I’m not kidding,” he says.

“You should be,” she says, “we’re 16.”

“What about Romeo and Juliet?”

“Shallow, confused, then dead.”

“I love you,” Park says.

“Wherefore art thou,” Eleanor answers.

“I’m not kidding,” he says.

“You should be.”

Honest confession: I loved this book more than I can eloquently express. I actually considered skipping a review because it’s so hard to put into words how profoundly Eleanor and Park’s story impacted me. But, Eleanor & Park is too incredible not to recommend. So, with the help of bullet points, I will try to explain why you must to read this novel…

  • Eleanor – She’s crass and self-conscious, sarcastic and quick-witted. She’s a low-income chubby girl who dresses in over-sized men’s clothing and avoids eye contact. Sounds hard to like, right? Well, she’s not. In fact, Eleanor is so courageous and vivid and resolute and real, it’s easy to be on her side. Seeing her through Park’s adoring eyes doesn’t hurt either.  
  • Park – He’s small, half-Asian. He’s punk rock, reads comic books, kicks ass at taekwondo, and goes through an eyeliner phase. He’s also mentally floundering, trying to figure out where he fits in at school and among his family. Park is easy to love: honest and loyal and sweet and inimitable. I want to hug him. 
  • Setting – Eleanor & Park is set in the eighties, which is all kinds of awesome. The musical references alone made me want to jump into a time machine set to 1986 Omaha. Also, the absence of technology (cell phones, the Internet) aids in the slow-burn getting-to-know-you stage of Eleanor and Park’s relationship. 
  • Park’s Parents – I don’t usually pay a lot of attention to the parents in YA novels (probably because more often than not they’re inconsequential), but Park’s parents totally won me over. They’re deeply in love, which is a nice change of pace. His Korean mother is adorable and sassy and strong, and his father, while brusque and quite opinionated, clearly has an enormous heart. 
  • The Hand Holding – Oh my goodness… Who knew hand holding could be such a sensual, tantalizing event? It’s about as far as Eleanor and Park go for the first half of the novel, but the way Rainbow Rowell describes it — the literal action of holding hands, not to mention the tangle of emotions involved — is so evocative and beautiful. It gave me all the first-love butterflies. 
  • Against the World – There’s not one Big Bad Antagonist in Eleanor & Park. Rather, the two protagonists are putting out fires left and right: Park’s initially disapproving parents, Eleanor’s completely tragic home life, bullies at school, not to mention their own private uncertainties and insecurities. Watching Eleanor and Park work through their problems was equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring. 
  • The End – I had a physical heart-drop reaction as I read the final words of Eleanor & Park. The conclusion is open-ended, left to be interpreted, and at first I wanted MORE. But upon further consideration, I realized that the end of this story is exactly what it should be: hopeful and lovely and very much befitting its tone. 

I feel confident declaring that Eleanor & Park will be one of my very favorite 2013 releases. But if you’re still not convinced, check out the Eleanor & Park review John Green wrote for The New York Times: “Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.”

And don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

Jessica Love covets the cover of ALIENATED

Elana Johson thinks MAGISTERIUM is magical

Tracy Banghart counts on THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY
OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Shelli Johannes-Wells  is wild for POISON

Stasia Ward Kehoe basks IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS

Nikki Katz adores OUT OF THE EASY

 

And learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

Book Rec: TAKEN

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I am so very excited to share one of my most anticipated 2013 debut novels:
Erin Bowman‘s futuristic dystopian thriller, Taken (April 16th)
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas.)

Taken (Taken, #1)From Goodreads: There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone. They call it the Heist. Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive. Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

This is a tricky review to write because Taken is one of those very cool novels in which almost nothing is as it originally seems. That summary up above? It’s only the beginning. Countless surprises follow, and to discuss the story itself would be to spoil it. I will say that Erin Bowman’s plotting is tight and her twists are unexpected. Seemingly inconsequential bits of information presented early in the story have a way of popping back up at crucial moments, tying once unrelated threads together. There was never a dull moment in Taken. I flew through this book as if I was on Gray’s journey with him — and what an exciting journey it was.

Speaking of Gray… I totally fell for him. It was refreshing to read a dystopian YA story told from a male protagonist’s perspective, and Erin totally nailed Gray’s sheltered, contemplative, gritty voice. While he certainly has his flaws, I found Gray incredibly endearing. His temper is short and much of his decision making is rash, but he is loyal and vulnerable and very much a romantic. I loved, too, the female characters in this story, Bree especially. Oh my goodness… She is totally kick ass. Like, literally! Plus, she’s part of one of the best almost-kiss scenes I’ve ever read, one that totally made me laugh out loud.

Erin Bowman has a gift for simple, graceful prose that reads as effortless. In Taken, she has built a complex, formidable world and woven a truly unputdownable story — I’m already curious about how the remainder of this trilogy will play out. Fans of twisty dystopians like The Giver, Matched, and Under the Never Sky will be all over this novel. I can’t wait for you to read it!

{In the interest of full disclosure, I feel like it’s important to mention that Erin and I have been friends for a few years. While I adore her personally (here’s her Twitter and her blog), my review of Taken is without bias.}

Check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to today:

Jessica Love raves about MY LIFE NEXT DOOR

Elana Johnson is head over heels for LET THE SKY FALL

And learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

Book Rec: THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT

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A stunning sequel that more than lives up to its predecessor…
Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
(Find my review of Under the Never Sky HERE.)

From Goodreads: It’s been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don’t take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. With the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe’s precarious existence, Aria fears that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both. 
Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?
In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

A few days ago I was chatting with a some fellow book lovers about Dystopian Fatigue. I think most of it have felt it at one time or another — that mental sigh we experience when we hear about yet another new dystopian novel hitting the shelves. There are just so many dystopian-esque books that have recently come out, or are about to come out, and sometimes it’s hard to keep them all straight. It can be difficult to see each book as unique, and it’s a challenge to dive into yet another story set in one of those dystopic worlds that, for me at least, have a tendency to blend together.

I’m happy to report that this is definitely not the case with Veronica Rossi’s Under the Never Sky trilogy. I am absolutely smitten with these books, their world, and their characters. Rossi seamlessly and brilliantly blends the oh-so-popular dystopian trend with strong elements of fantasy and romance, making her novels feel so original: fast-paced, atmospheric, and totally swoonworthy.

My very favorite thing about Through the Ever Night (a “middle” book that could have dragged but absolutely did not), is the way Rossi challenged Perry and Aria’s relationship. Sweeping external conflict combined with super emotional internal conflict made their romance so captivating and so real. I was rooting for them not just because their kisses are steamy and their banter is fun (both true), but because I could feel the way they cared about each other — deep down, and with everything in them.

I loved, too, the way Aria has grown and changed since we first met her in domed Reverie in Under the Never Sky. She was initially a difficult character for me to get behind, sheltered and self-centered and despondent as she was, and it’s been a joy to watch her transform into a strong, independent, caring person. I can’t wait to see what Into the Still Blue demands of her, not to mention Perry, Roar, Cinder, and the rest of Rossi’s fantastic cast of characters.

Through the Ever Night is most definitely a five star book, one lovers of romance, fantasy, and adventure will surely fall head over heals for. If you’ve yet to begin this amazing trilogy… What are you waiting for?!

Check out what one of my fellow Bookanistas is recommending:

Jessica Love introduces ELEANOR AND PARK.

Carolina Valdez Miller celebrates new book deals!

What’s the last dystopian novel you read and loved? 

Book Rec: THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER

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Looking for a book that’s beautifully written, yet absolutely gruesome?
Try The Madman’s Daughter by debut author Megan Shepherd.
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas.)

The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter, #1)From Goodreads: In the darkest places, even love is deadly. Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true. Accompanied by her father’s handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it’s too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood. Inspired by H. G. Wells’s classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman’s Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we’ll do anything to know and the truths we’ll go to any lengths to protect.

I’ve been waiting to read The Madman’s Daughter since my first glimpse of its beautiful cover many months ago. There’s been no shortage of buzz surrounding this book, and now I see why. While it was a bit of a slow start for me (Juliet doesn’t arrive at her father’s creep-tastic island until about 100 pages in), there was so much about The Madman’s Daughter that I enjoyed…

  • Author Megan Shepherd excels at penning a truly atmospheric setting, one that appeals to all the senses and is easy to get lost in. From the dark streets of London to the humid green jungle of Dr. Moreau’s island, I was completely immersed. Check it out: But what stole my attention was the mountainous green island looming off the port side, big as a kingdom, with a column of wispy gray smoke coming from its highest point… A soft line of sand touched the sea, edged by a cluster of palms waving in the breeze. The palms gave way to a wild tangle of jungle… (pg. 99)
  • I found Juliet’s worries about inheriting her father’s “madness” fascinating  What a scary, scary thing to know you share the blood of a man who possesses incredible talent, but at the same time, very dark delusions… Those things were all symptoms of the same sickness — a kind of madness inherited from my father. It was a dangerous pull in my gut drawing me toward the dark possibilities of science, toward the thin line between life and death, toward the animal impulses hidden behind a corset and a smile. (pg. 174)
  • The Madman’s Daughter is full of evocative language and graphic imagery. Juliet’s first-person narration allowed me to see with perfect clarity everything she saw, to experience everything she experienced. Reading this novel was very much like watching a movie play out in my mind: I remembered only hints. Peeling skin on the dead woman’s face. Bloodstains on the canvas tarpaulin. Flies buzzing like thunderclouds. There was the lingering stench of blood in my mouth and the smell of lavender in the air. (pg. 229)
  • The references to old school gender stereotypes — girls aren’t as strong as, as smart as, or as good at science as their male counterparts — made this story’s period setting feel particularly authentic, and the way Megan Shepherd presented these stereotypes was at times a bit of much-appreciated comedic relief. Take Juliet’s father who, while decidedly crazy, is very much like many of the men of his time: chauvinistic. He doubts his daughter’s intelligence and competency. There’s proof of that in his response to her admission that she started a kiss with his assistant, Montgomery (who I adored): “You’re a female. You can’t control yourself.” (pg. 334)
  • And then there were the twists and turns… I won’t say too much for fear of ruining the surprises for you, but there were a few big reveals in this novel that caught me off guard  The ending, especially, left me blinking in shock. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment of this series. 

Check out what a few of my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

Jessica Love adores ALSO KNOWN AS

Tracy Banghart announces her new novel, BY BLOOD

And learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.