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Thursday, June 07, 2012
Just As I Feared, Things Are Not Well in the FAYZ ...
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Fear, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier books in the Gone series. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
The FAYZ is many things—violent, scary, strange, dangerous—but there's one thing it never is: peaceful. And yet, four whole months have passed without any major problems. It's almost ... boring. Sam Temple, leader of the kids at Tramanto Beach, can't quite handle it. He should be thrilled with the relative calm, but he feels jittery, too keyed up to just relax and enjoy the unexpected break in the chaos that usually defines life in his crazy, domed world. Maybe it's because Astrid, the one person who keeps him sane, has decided to strike out on her own. Or, because he doesn't really trust Cain, the self-appointed king of Perdido Beach, to not be up to something. More probably, it's because Sam, like every other kid trapped in the FAYZ, knows nothing good ever lasts in the nightmare land they call home.
When Astrid returns to Tramanto Beach bearing disturbing news—a weird darkness is crawling up the walls of the dome that encloses the Perdido Beach area, slowly squeezing out all available light—chaos returns in full force. The thought of eternal night scares everyone, especially Sam. Desperate to control his own fear, Sam throws himself into finding a solution to the dwindling light problem. In the meantime, there's plenty of other things to worry about, among them Diana, who's pregnant with a very powerful baby; an out-of-control Freak playing lethal mind tricks; the ever-present Gaiaphage; and a little boy who's playing God with the "avatars" in Perdido Beach. So much for peaceful.
But that's life in the FAYZ.
It's no secret that I love the Gone books by Michael Grant. It's not the best written YA dystopian series out there, it's true, but the story never fails to engage me. And surprise me. Just when I think the author must be out of horrifying ways to torture his characters, he comes up with something—or someone—even more sinister. Fear, the 5th book in the series, also offers a glimpse of what's happening on the outside, which creates greater chaos, bigger risks and an even more absorbing story. I know I'm not going to shock anyone when I say I loved it. Because I did. I do. No matter how bleak and awful it is, I adore the Gone world and can't wait to see how Grant wraps it all up in the next—and last—book.
Grade: B
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), violence and sexual content (more implied than graphic)
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
When the Butterflies Came Cover Reveal: Isn't it Pretty?
7:33 AM
One of the things I like best about my "job" as a book blogger is that it gives me the chance to know and work with some wonderful authors. Kimberley Griffiths Little happens to be one of my favorites. Not only is she incredibly sweet and personable, but she's also a very talented writer. She's published several middle grade novels, two of which (The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets) I've raved about recently here on the blog. Her next, When the Butterflies Came, will be available in April 2013. Forbidden, her first YA novel, also releases in 2013.
When I saw Kimberley in May, she gave me a sneak peek of the beautiful When the Butterflies Came cover. I'm excited to be able to share it with you now:
Isn't it pretty?
The story sounds intriguing, too, don't you think?:
Everybody thinks Tara Doucet has the perfect life. But in reality, Tara’s life is anything but perfect: Her dear Grammy Claire has just passed away, her mother is depressed and distant, and she and her sister Riley can’t seem to agree on anything. But when mysterious and dazzling butterflies begin to follow her around after Grammy Claire’s funeral, Tara just knows in her heart that her grandmother has left her one final mystery to solve.
A strange butler shows up to take Tara and Riley to Grammy Claire’s house, where Tara finds a stack of keys and detailed letters from Grammy Claire herself. Note by note, Tara learns unexpected truths about her grandmother’s life. As the letters grow more ominous and the keys more difficult to decipher, Tara realizes that the secrets she must uncover could lead to mortal danger. And when Tara and Riley are swept away to the beautiful island of Chuuk to hear their grandmother’s will, Tara discovers the most shocking truth of all — one that will change her life forever.
In conjunction with the big cover reveal, Kimberley's also hosting a giant giveaway on her blog. She's giving away THREE autographed copies each of The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets. Also, if you're a blogger with a significant following of your own, you can enter to win one of THREE When the Butterflies Came ARCs. Awesome, right? Visit Kimberley's blog to throw your name into the hat.
Even if you don't win, you definitely want to check out Kimberley's books. The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets are both beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric (they're set in the bayous of Louisiana)—they're excellent stories for readers of any age.
Monday, June 04, 2012
Depressing Hoarding Novel A Ho-Hum Read
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Trish Dietrich, a divorced mother of two boys, knows she has a clutter problem. She also knows it isn't that bad. After all, she's the daughter of a hoarder—she's only too well aware of what a real problem looks like. It's true that her husband, Ron, left partly because he could no longer stand Trish's mess. And that her oldest son, 17-year-old Drew, bunks at his girlfriend's house since his own bed disappeared under his mother's piles a long time ago. So, okay, maybe Trish is a tad untidy, but what single working mom has time to keep a spotless house?
It's only when a social worker shows up on Trish's doorstep demanding that she clean up her act (literally) or lose her 7-year-old son, Jack, that Trish begins to realize just how serious her hoarding has become. Jack is the only one who still loves Trish unconditionally—she can't lose him. But cleaning up her home is a huge, overwhelming project, the very thought of which causes Trish to tremble with anxiety. How can she let go of so many treasures, so many memories? She can't. And yet, in order to keep her son, she must.
Trish isn't thrilled about accepting help from anyone, especially not her self-righteous younger sister. Neat, meticulous Mary can't abide hoarding—she fled their mother's packed-to-the-rafters home when she was only 15 and she hasn't set foot in Trish's house in rural Michigan for almost 20 years. But Trish is desperate. So—in her own way—is Mary. As the two dig their way through Trish's mess, they'll uncover more than just years worth of junk. They'll unearth the anger, the hurt, the bitterness and the dark family secrets that drove them apart in the first place. Can caustic Trish and sensitive Mary put the past behind them long enough to create a healthy home for Jack? Or will the attempt be the very thing that tears them apart forever?
Here's the thing about hoarding: it's depressing. Fascinating, but depressing—a phrase that could also describe Keepsake by Kristina Riggle (available June 26). Only the author's fourth book is more of the latter, less of the former. The story definitely kept me reading, but I struggled to really empathize with the characters, most of whom are unlikable. Trish, especially, is so confrontational and whiny that it's difficult to feel much for her. Even Mary, with whom I identify much more than Trish, isn't particularly warm or sympathetic. Because of this, I had a tough time really getting into this novel, even though I find the themes it explores (not just hoarding, but sister/sister relationships as well as the effects of parental obsessions/addictions on children) interesting. So, yeah, I'm kind of ho-hum on this one.
(Readalikes: Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu; parts of Keepsake also reminded me of The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler)
Grade: B-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language and intense situations
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Keepsake from the generous folks at William Morrow (an imprint of Harper Collins) via Netgalley. Thank you!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Bumpy Prose Aside, The Good Father Makes For A Compelling Read
7:22 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Travis Brown never planned on becoming a father at 18, let alone a single one, but ever since his daughter's birth four years ago, Travis has had only one goal: to do right by Bella. And he has. It hasn't been an easy life or a glamorous one and yet, Bella's growing into a smart, healthy, sweet little girl. Travis couldn't ask for anything more.
Travis Brown never planned on becoming a father at 18, let alone a single one, but ever since his daughter's birth four years ago, Travis has had only one goal: to do right by Bella. And he has. It hasn't been an easy life or a glamorous one and yet, Bella's growing into a smart, healthy, sweet little girl. Travis couldn't ask for anything more.
Robin Saville shouldn't even be alive, but here she is, about to become the wife of the next mayor of small town Beaufort, North Carolina. She should be thrilled about it all—her upcoming society wedding, her powerful in-laws, her new position as one of Beaufort's elite—it's more than her weak little heart could have taken. Thank goodness for her heart transplant and the hope it's given her for a long, happy life. Only, ever since her 17-year-old sister-in-law to be gave birth to a baby girl, Robin's felt unsettled. Old emotions are rising to the surface, reminding Robin that, not so long ago, she brought her own newborn daughter into the world ...
Erin Patterson, a pharmacist in Raleigh, can't get over her own loss. Four-year-old Carolyn was her light and her life, the sunshine that lit her entire universe. When the little girl died, she might as well have taken her mother with her. Torn up by her grief, Erin feels too paralyzed to work, to talk to her husband, or to move on with her life. Then, Bella Brown walks into Erin's favorite coffee shop and all that starts to change.
When tragedy strikes, Travis doesn't know where to turn. Construction jobs are difficult to find in a struggling economy and Travis is having no luck finding anything else. With less than $20 in his wallet, he's hit rock bottom. He can get by with nothing, but he's not about to let Bella starve. Then, an opportunity in Raleigh presents itself. Travis knows it's not exactly legit. He also knows he can't take a child along on such a risky "job." So, he does something crazy, something that goes so horribly awry that Travis could lose everything, including the only thing that really matters to him—Bella.
As a desperate father tries to save his daughter, Robin and Erin are pulled into the mess, a catastrophe that will change all of their lives forever.
The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain grabbed me from the first line, even though the sentence "It was nine-forty when I woke up in the back of the van" is only marginally intriguing. It wasn't really the writing that got me, anyway, but the characters of Travis and Bella. Their plight tore at my heart right from the start. The rest of the story moves swiftly—although the writing and editing are a little bumpy—leading to a can't-put-it-down-until-you-know-how-it-ends conclusion. The book definitely kept me entertained, although the story often feels contrived and the writing could have been much tighter. Still, I enjoyed the read. Because I liked it, I browsed through summaries of Chamberlain's other books and, let's just say, The Good Father won't be the last book I read by this author. Her prose may not be perfect, but, oooh, a compelling premise will get me every time!
Grade: C+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, some sexual content and mature themes
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain from the generous folks at Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. Thank you!
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