Category: Contemporaries

March Reading Wrap-Up

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Big thanks to my ongoing mental rut and the well-greased elliptical at my fitness center for all the reading motivation and time. I experienced some pretty fantastic books in March… 

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle – This book came highly recommended by several friends and I ended up liking it quite a bit. The spin on Romeo and Juliet is unique, and main character Rose was likable. I thought her friendship with Charlie and Olivia was this story’s greatest strength. I loved the unwavering loyalty between the girls. Rob (Romeo), on the other hand, was a total douche. I don’t want to spoil anything, but let’s just say that the emerging relationship between Rose and “the other guy” was far more romantic.

Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren – If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time, you know this isn’t exactly my usual kind of book. But I have to say… I liked it better than I though I would. I was prepared for smut and cheesiness — both were present — but there was also some genuine emotion and a semblance of plot. The stakes weren’t terribly high, but Chloe was a smart, sassy woman with a backbone, and Bennett was reasonably complicated and eventually likable. I appreciated that Chloe didn’t let her cocky boss walk all over her, and Bennett’s arc was enough to leave me satisfied (jeez… no innuendo intended). While I probably won’t read more books of this type, I have to say: I didn’t hate it.

The List by Siobhan Vivian – I was hesitant to pick up this book thanks to the mention of eight (!) narrators in the summary. The mere idea of it seemed really… crowded. But, I’m SO glad I gave The List a chance. This novel was excellent: compelling and relevant and surprising. It was easy to keep track of the eight girls whose names appear on the list because their voices and their stories are all incredibly unique. Similar to the movie Mean Girls and Courtney Summers’s  Some Girls Are, I feel like The List should required reading for all girls about to enter high school. Its message is profound without ever trying too hard. My full review is HERE (at YA Confidential).

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell – I loved this book more than I can eloquently express. I actually considered not reviewing it because it’s so hard to put into words how deeply Eleanor and Park’s story impacted me — I absolutely adore these two. Eleanor & Park is just too incredible not to recommend, so I featured it in a raving, fangirl-ish Bookanista post. You can read it HERE.

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan – I don’t read tons of books classified as paranormal, and I don’t often read books that people describe as “funny,” but Unspoken got so much love during the 2012 Superlatives Blogfest (thank you for the constant mentions, Tracey and Jess!), I just couldn’t resist. Unspoken is funny, but not in a silly, slapstick sort of way. Rather, protagonist Kami is quick and witty, and her motley crew is always up to some sort of craziness in the name of journalistic truth. My favorite part of this story (by far) is the very complicated bond between Kami and Jared, and, to be honest, the last few pages of the book kind of shattered my heart. Cannot wait to read the next in this series, Untold.

Requiem by Lauren Oliver – I liked Delirium a lot, and Pandemonium was one of my favorite books of 2012. Requiem, while very, very good, left me wanting more. Lauren Oliver’s writing was predictably gorgeous, and Lena continued to be a protagonist I could relate to and root for, but the road the romance took in this final installment was not what I was hoping for (totally my personal preference, so if you’re on Team Other Guy, you’re probably hating me right now). Also, the final chapters left me slightly underwhelmed. I wanted more — more emotion, more explanation, more wow. I don’t know… Am I crazy?

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson – This one is not just a military book, nor is it just a cheating book.  There’s so much to Quinn’s story: weighty family issues, bullying, genuine (though rather untraditional) friendships, and incomprehensibly difficult choices.The dynamic between Quinn, Carey, and their good friend Blake was incredibly compelling, and Jackson’s writing is lovely, nuanced and authentic and without fluff. A definite recommend. You can find my full Bookanista review HERE.

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley – Lots to like about this novel: the slowly unraveling mystery behind Angie’s disappearance and “the man” who held her prisoner for years, the complex science behind “fragmented” personalities, the ups and downs of recovering from unimaginable trauma, and the complicated preexisting relationships Angie is thrown back into after emerging from captivity. That said, Angie’s lack of emotion (while understandable when factoring in her “alters”) made her occasionally difficult to connect with. Recommended to those who enjoy stories of the psychological sort. My full review is HERE.

Tell me: What’s the very best book you read in March?

DAC :: PRETTY GIRL-13

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I’m excited to discuss one of my most anticipated 2013 novels:
Liz Coley‘s gripping debut Pretty Girl-13 
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge)

From Goodreads – Reminiscent of the Elizabeth Smart case, Pretty Girl-13 is a disturbing and powerful psychological mystery about a girl who must piece together the story of her kidnapping and captivity. Angie Chapman was thirteen years old when she ventured into the woods alone on a Girl Scouts camping trip. Now she’s returned home…only to find that it’s three years later and she’s sixteen-or at least that’s what everyone tells her. What happened to the past three years of her life? Angie doesn’t know. But there are people who do — people who could tell Angie every detail of her forgotten time, if only they weren’t locked inside her mind. With a tremendous amount of courage, Angie embarks on a journey to discover the fragments of her personality, otherwise known as her “alters.” As she unearths more and more about her past, she discovers a terrifying secret and must decide: When you remember things you wish you could forget, do you destroy the parts of yourself that are responsible? Liz Coley’s alarming and fascinating psychological mystery is a disturbing – and ultimately empowering page-turner about accepting our whole selves, and the healing power of courage, hope, and love.

I’ve been fascinated with Elizabeth Smart’s harrowing kidnapping experience since she went missing in 2002, and equally captivated by the graceful public recovery she’s made since she was rescued nine months later. When I found out Liz Coley’s contemporary debut, Pretty-Girl-13, was reminiscent of the Smart case, I was immediately interested. Mentions of Angie’s lost memory and her “alters” were also intriguing. I snatched this book up as soon as it was released.

Pretty Girl-13 is an unputdownable novel, one I found myself thinking about even when I wasn’t reading. There is a lot to like: the slowly unraveling mystery behind Angie’s disappearance and “the man” who held her prisoner for years, the complex science behind “fragmented” personalities, the ups and downs of recovering from unimaginable trauma, and the complicated preexisting relationships Angie is thrown back into after emerging from captivity.

Without giving too much away, I’ll say that Liz Coley handled the different voices in this story with a deft hand. I found her narrative smooth and easy to follow. Furthermore, I found the way she explained the dense (and occasionally fictionalized) science behind Angie’s condition to be clear and easy to understand. While Angie spends a lot of time in therapy and with doctors, her story never reads as bogged down with medical terminology.

*(A few spoilers follow in white text. Highlight to read.)*

Pretty Girl-13 is a difficult novel to sit back and simply read. Angie has an incredibly rough go of it, and there is quite a bit of detail in the descriptions of her suffering. While I understand that Angie’s mind found a way to “protect” her from shock and pain, there were a few occasions during which I wanted more emotion from her. Sometimes I thought she handled her situation with too much poise; she was able to shrug off terribly upsetting news that would have completely undone most people (highlight to read: for example, when she saw the scars on her ankles left by the bindings used by her captor, her first thought was that she wouldn’t be able to wear sandals anymore). I think I would have related more to Angie if she would have broken down a few times, as I imagine I would if faced with her situation.

More often than not, I found myself reading Pretty Girl-13 through my Mom Lens, which made it hard to suspend belief in some instances. For example, if my daughter disappeared without a trace for three years, then appeared on my doorstep with huge memory gaps, bearing evidence of disturbing physical abuse, there’s no way I’d ever let her out of my sight again. Angie’s parents, in my opinion, didn’t react to their daughter’s experience with enough intensity or heartache. I found it odd that, knowing what they did about Angie’s mental state, her parents allowed her to baby-sit late at night for the neighbor’s infant. I was also unsettled by the way a certain family issue (highlight to read: Yuncle’s repeated inscestual abuse of Angie) was essentially swept under the rug. I wanted more resolution for Angie in that area, especially considering that it was the catalyst that made her mind ripe for fracturing under distressing situations.

My favorite thing about Pretty Girl-13 was Angie’s enduring strength. Despite its difficult subject matter, this is a hopeful sort of novel, one that left me with much to think about, and a definite sense of optimism. Recommended to those who enjoy stories of the psychological sort.

Learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

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? 

YA Book Club :: JUST ONE DAY

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{YA Book Club is the brainchild of writer/blogger Tracey Neithercott.
For guidelines and additional info, click the image above.}

March’s YA Book Club selection is Gayle Forman‘s latest novel Just One Day. I posted a glowing review of the story back in February and upon rereading that post, I noticed two things: One, my feelings regarding this story haven’t changed. And two, I stand by my declaration that Just One Day will be one of my very favorite 2013 releases.

I have family in town this week and I am on a whale-watching boat in the Monterey Bay right this very second (hopefully not completely seasick), so I am going to cheat and repost my Febraury review. My apologies if you’ve already read it. If you haven’t… Enjoy!

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From Goodreads: When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines. Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon (October, 2013)!

Gayle Forman is one of those authors, one who is just so awesome she’s taken on a bit of a celebrity status in my head. She’s smart and generous in sharing her wisdom (as evident in blog posts like this one), and she’s thoughtful and classy (even when she’s calling people out for being assholes, like in this post). I was lucky enough to hear her speak at an event last year, and I was blown away by how funny and bright and authentic she was. I’ve come to look up to her both as a writer and a person, and If I Stay and Where She Went are two of my very favorite contemporaries. So, of course I terrified to read her latest release. I mean… What if I was a disappointed?

Thankfully, I was not.

If I had to describe Just One Day in just one word, that word would be RICH. It is a story that is rich in far-reaching themes (finding your identity, lost love, coming of age, making a mark; there are mentions of Shakespeare throughout the novel). It is a story that is rich in lusciously-described settings (Paris, Mexico, Amsterdam, London, among others). And it is a story that is rich in colorful, dynamic characters (I adored Dee most). Every sentence, every page, every chapter of Just One Day made me think and wonder and imagine and  feel, which is the very best kind of reading experience.

I absolutely loved this book.

I think that’s mostly because I got the main character, Allyson. I understood her need to please, empathized with her initial absence of identity, felt the gaping hole she suffered when things with Willem went to hell. When I was eighteen, I was a lot like Allyson — that perfection-seeking girl with a lack of confidence and very little autonomy. That’s why it was so compelling to watch her grow into her personality and become self-reliant, a full, well-rounded person. That’s why I was rooting for her even when she was at her lowest and, frankly, sort of hard to like. By the time I reached the final page of her story, I wanted to be Allyson’s friend. I wanted to travel Europe with her!

Now. Let’s talk about Willem. I want to read his story, Just One Year, like, RIGHT NOW. Just One Day ends in a pretty staggering cliffhanger. The story will continue on in Willem’s narration coming this October (*sigh*), and I cannot wait to hear his side of the story. As of now, I know him only through Allyson’s romanced eyes. In Paris, he is charming and fun and sexy and impulsive, but I get the overwhelming sense that there is much more to Willem than the persona he presented to Allyson. I didn’t love his apparent love ’em and leave ’em ways, but I think we’re going to learn that there’s a very real and reasonable explanation for his behavior. I am so looking forward to learning more about him, his presumably complicated past, his feelings concerning LuLu, and what exactly happened on that fateful morning in Paris.

Fans of contemporary YA, fans of romance, fans of beautiful writing, fans of books: please, pLeAsE, PLEASE go buy Just One Day. It is a gorgeous, emotional, whirlwind of a read, and you will love every minute of it.

Tell Me: Have you read Just One Day? How do you think it measures up to Gayle Forman’s other novels?

(Don’t forget to drop by Tracey’s blog to see what other YA Book Club participants thought of Just One Day!)

One Word Wednesday

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Spring
{We’re seeing signs of spring here in Central California and I couldn’t be happier! Warmer days, blooming flowers… Totally makes me smile.}


Pitiful
{Poor Daisy. She ended up with a aural hematoma (I’ll spare you the gory details of what, exactly, that is) and had to have surgery. Now she gets to wear The Cone of Shame for three weeks and finish a grueling course of antibiotics. I do feel horrible for her, but considering she was a stray we adopted for free, this dog has cost us a small fortune over the last nine years.}

Cheer
{Because she is awesome and amazing and incredibly thoughtful, my longtime friend Kari Bradley surprised me with the most wonderful package. She was lucky enough to attend YA Highway‘s Author Event in Shelton, WA last week, and I was super, super sad that I couldn’t go with her (because before I moved to California, we used to attend bookish events together). Anyway, Kari asked Veronica Roth to sign a copy of Divergent for me and sent it off with cookies and an adorable tea towel… I have the best friends!}

Peaceful
{We hit the bay in our kayaks on Sunday. While it was windy and the water was a little choppy, the view was too lovely not to appreciate. We saw tons of birds, as well as harbor seals and some huge sea lions. I love living on the coast.}

Effortless
{You might remember the video I shared last week on tenacity and my daughter’s trip down the monkey bars. Well, once she got it, she got it. Now she really is a little monkey, dangling and swing on calloused palms, and since it’s spring break, she wants to spend every waking moment at the park. Silly girl!}

Fantastic
{I’m reviewing The List over at YA Confidential today… Check it out!}

What have you been up to lately?

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.

*sad face*

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Last week I read and fell head-over-heels in love with Sara Zarr’s How to Save a Life. Its themes of loss,  grief, and starting anew resonated deeply, and I’ve found myself thinking often about the story and its wonderfully flawed characters and how profoundly they’ve affected me over the last several days.

I’ve thought, too, about the other contemporaries I’ve read and adored over the last few months: Amy McNamara’s Lovely, Dark and Deep, Hannah Harrington’s Saving June, and Kristin Halbrook’s Nobody But Us. Just like How to Save a Life, these novels are centered around tragedy. Their protagonists deal with death and guilt and unimaginable sadness, and they must learn to find their way through whatever dark burdens life has thrown at them.

Turns out, almost all of my favorite young adult contemporaries are similar in this way: Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere, Melina Marchetta’s Jellicoe Road, Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall, John Green’s Looking For Alaska, Gayle Forman’s If I Stay, and Sarah Ockler’s Twenty Boy Summer.

I’m not sure what my penchant for literary sorrow says about me, but it’s a fairly safe bet that if a novel is steeped in heart-wrenching sadness, has a strong romantic element, a mature narrative voice, and a conclusion that rings with at least a hint of hopefulness, I’ll probably be a fan.

Tell Me: Do your favorite books have a consistent theme? 

{Oh, and a few links to share: First, today at YA Confidential we’re accepting first page submissions of YA manuscripts for critique by our teen spies. Click HERE for more information. And, via Rebecca Behrens, a fascinating essay by a former Sweet Valley High ghostwriter — how I adored those books growing up! Finally, there’s a March selection for YA Book Club (hosted by Tracey Neithercott). Click HERE to find out what we’re reading. You should most definitely join us!}

Hello, March!

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It’s March! That means spring is right around the corner, which makes this warm weather lover very, very happy. Come on, sunshine!

While I’m gad to welcome a new month, I have to say, February was good to me. I ran 160 miles, which puts my 2013 total at 321 miles. I also decided which writing project I most want to focus on next, and began outlining it in earnest. And, I read tons of amazing books. Like, so many! It was glorious! Here are the highlights:

The Tragedy PaperThe Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan – A quiet sort of book. The characters who populate its pages are wholesome kids mostly trying to do the right thing. But, they have weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and those weaknesses and vulnerabilities are what kept me turning pages. Perfect for fans of contemporary YA, and readers who appreciate clean, straightforward prose and characters who experience profound growth over the course of a story. My full review is HERE. 

The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter, #1)The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd – I’ve been waiting to read this one 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 I enjoyed. My full review is HERE.

Just One Day (Just One Day, #1)Just One Day by Gayle Forman – Oh, this book… LOVE. I totally got main character, Allyson. I understood her need to please, empathized with her initial absence of identity, felt the gaping hole she suffered when things with Willem went to hell. And Willem was compelling in his own right: charming and fun and sexy and impulsive, but with depth we haven’t quite gotten to the bottom to yet. I can’t wait for his follow-up novel because Just One Day has become a new favorite. Find my full review HERE.

Taken (Taken, #1)Taken by Erin Bowman – Full review to come next month, but oh my goodness… This debut novel is fantastic. Erin Bowman has a way with lovely, spare prose and Gray, her complicated and conflicted and — ahem — hot main character, is nothing short of compelling. I can’t wait for you all to experience this book and its unique world and its many twists and surprises. A total page turner!

Stealing Parker (Hundred Oaks, #2)Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally – I read Miranda Kenneally’s debut, Catching Jordan, last year and liked it a lot. I have to say, I enjoyed Stealing Parker even more. While it took me awhile to warm up to Parker, when I did, I was completely endeared. And the romantic interest she eventually ends up with… adorable. The way this novel tackles love and sexuality as they relate to religion and “right and wrong” was smart and fresh. A recommend for fans of contemporary YA romance novels with sassy voice.

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi – I know I just raved about this one yesterday, but yes… This stuffing sequel more than lives up to its predecessor. There’s no dreaded Middle Book Dragging in this novel. Aria, Perry, Roar, Cinder — they are all as dynamic and fascinating as they were in Under the Never Sky. And the chemistry between Aria and Perry… Yowza. My full review is HERE.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr – I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for nearly a year and I continuously passed it up because it involves teen pregnancy and that’s not really my thing. I should have know better, though, because Sara Zarr is amazing and apparently capable of taking any common-in-YA element and spinning it in such a way that I become totally and completely invested. Her writing is just so effortless and gorgeous; I actually shed tears at the end of this one (for those who’ve read: Dylan = Adorable). How to Save a Life is one of those quiet, lovely books that hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention. It has become my personal mission to remedy that. Read this book — you will LOVE it.

Tell me: What’s the best book you read in February? 

Book Rec: JUST ONE DAY

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

In honor of the most romantic day of the year, I have a new favorite novel to share with you: Gayle Forman‘s latest,  Just One Day…

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From Goodreads: When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines. Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon (October, 2013)!

For me, Gayle Forman is one of those authors, someone who is just so awesome she’s taken on a bit of a celebrity status in my head. She’s smart and generous in sharing her wisdom (as evident in blog posts like this one), and she’s thoughtful and classy (even when she’s calling people out for being assholes, like in this post). I was lucky enough to hear her speak at an event last year, and I was blown away by how funny and bright and authentic she was. I’ve come to look up to her both as a writer and a person, and If I Stay and Where She Went are two of my very favorite contemporaries. So, of course I terrified to read her latest release. I mean… What if I was a disappointed?

Thankfully, I definitely was not.

If I had to describe Just One Day in just one word, that word would be RICH. It is a story that is rich in far-reaching themes (finding your identity, lost love, coming of age, making a mark; there are mentions of Shakespeare throughout the novel). It is a story that is rich in lusciously-described settings (Paris, Mexico, Amsterdam, London, among others). And it is a story that is rich in colorful, dynamic characters (I adored Dee most). Every sentence, every page, every chapter of Just One Day made me think and wonder and imagine and  feel, which is the very best kind of reading experience.

I absolutely loved this book.

I think that’s mostly because I got the main character, Allyson. I understood her need to please, empathized with her initial absence of identity, felt the gaping hole she suffered when things with Willem went to hell. When I was eighteen, I was a lot like Allyson — that perfection-seeking girl with a lack of confidence and very little autonomy. That’s why it was so compelling to watch Allyson grow into her personality and become self-reliant, a full, well-rounded person. That’s why I was rooting for her even when she was at her lowest and, frankly, sort of hard to like. By the time I reached the final page of her story, I wanted to be Allyson’s friend. I wanted to travel Europe with her!

Now. Let’s talk about Willem. I want to read his story, Just One Year, like, RIGHT NOW. Just One Day ends in a pretty staggering cliffhanger. It will presumably continue on in Willem’s narration coming this October (*sigh*), and I cannot wait to hear his side of the story. As of now, I know him only through Allyson’s romanced eyes. In Paris, he is charming and fun and sexy and impulsive, but I get the overwhelming sense that there is much more to Willem than the persona he presented to Allyson. I am so looking forward to learning more about him, his apparently complicated past, his feelings concerning LuLu, and what exactly happened on that fateful morning in Paris.

Fans of contemporary YA, fans of romance, fans of beautiful writing, fans of books: please, pLeAsE, PLEASE go buy Just One Day. It is a gorgeous, emotional, whirlwind of a read, and you will love every minute of it.

Check out what some other Bookanistas are recommending:

Jessica Love raves about THE REECE MALCOM LIST

Nikki Katz swoons over SCARLET

Stasia Ward Kehoe is ga-ga for GOING VINTAGE

♥ Now… Go enjoy Valentine’s Day with someone you love! ♥

Book in a day?

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I started an amazing contemporary YA novel on Saturday evening. I read about sixty pages before heading out for dinner with friends. On Sunday morning I woke up early feeling not so great. I couldn’t fall back to sleep so I picked up the book, thinking I’d read a few pages before dozing off.

And then I proceeded to read it in its entirety, in one sitting.

I never do this… I have a husband and a child and two dogs, a house to keep clean, laundry to fold, meals to cook. Then there’s writing and revising and blogging and emails. I normally only find time to read fifty or so published pages in the course of a day. And that’s a good day.

But this book. I just couldn’t put it down. It was compelling and gorgeous and emotional and romantic and even at this early point in the year, I feel confident in claiming that this amazing story will be one of my very favorite 2013 releases. When I read the final page I just wanted more, which is both the best and worst readerly feeling (thank goodness there’s a companion novel coming next year!).

Credit to Brittney Tabel, one of our senior staff members(Image credit: Brittney Tabel)

I bet you’re wondering what book consumed me for a whole entire day… Well, I tweeted about it and I shared my love via Instagram, and I’ll be sharing a full Bookanista recommendation on Thursday, so until then, all you get is a title:

Just One Day

Tell me: Have you ever read a book in a day? What’s the last book you just couldn’t put down?