ARC review: Zac and Mia by AJ Betts

Book Synopsis(via Goodreads):

The last person Zac expects in the room next door is a girl like Mia, angry and feisty with questionable taste in music. In the real world, he wouldn’t—couldn’t—be friends with her. In hospital different rules apply, and what begins as a knock on the wall leads to a note—then a friendship neither of them sees coming.

You need courage to be in hospital; different courage to be back in the real world. In one of these worlds Zac needs Mia. And in the other Mia needs Zac. Or maybe they both need each other, always.


***Many thanks to Net Galley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.***


This insomniac's review:

In a fit of sleepy middle of the night insomnia, I requested this book based on the cover.

*sigh. Sad, but true.*

Thank goodness, my shallow cover-love paid off.

I was a bit worried that this would be a shameful take-off of The Fault in our Stars. Again, thank goodness. It was definitely not.

Lots of witty banter, likeable characters and a non-predictable and deeply moving plot. Truly enjoyable and easily readable YA. Totally worth a shot, bookish buddies.


Worth staying up all night to read?

For the most part, YES!


Rating:

3.5 stars       

ARC review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Book Synopsis(via Goodreads):

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

***Many thanks to Net Galley and Random House Children's for the advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.***

This insomniac's opinion: 

Eeeek! This book was deliciously good. And different.

My only complaint is that the book synopsis hints at a twist. And, if you know there will be a twist, you start looking for the signs so that you can guess the twist. So, I knew it about halfway through the novel. It's a good thing that, even guessing the twist beforehand, it was a quality plot twist that was altogether different than anything else I have read.

The writing was gorgeous and the characters both loveable and hateable. I felt that I was at the summer house with the characters. Really great summer read.

Worth staying up all night to read?

Yes!!

Rating:

4 stars

 

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

Book synopsis(via Goodreads):

Litigation lawyer and harried single mother Kate Baron is stunned when her daughter's exclusive private school in Park Slope, Brooklyn, calls with disturbing news: her intelligent, high-achieving fifteen-year-old daughter, Amelia, has been caught cheating.

Kate can't believe that Amelia, an ambitious, levelheaded girl who's never been in trouble would do something like that. But by the time she arrives at Grace Hall, Kate's faced with far more devastating news. Amelia is dead.

Seemingly unable to cope with what she'd done, a despondent Amelia has jumped from the school's roof in an act of "spontaneous" suicide. At least that's the story Grace Hall and the police tell Kate. And overwhelmed as she is by her own guilt and shattered by grief, it is the story that Kate believes until she gets the anonymous text:

She didn't jump.

Sifting through Amelia's emails, text messages, social media postings, and cell phone logs, Kate is determined to learn the heartbreaking truth about why Amelia was on Grace Hall's roof that day-and why she died.

Told in alternating voices, Reconstructing Amelia is a story of secrets and lies, of love and betrayal, of trusted friends and vicious bullies. It's about how well a parent ever really knows a child and how far one mother will go to vindicate the memory of a daughter whose life she could not save.

This insomniac's opinion:

I read this novel on recommendation from my fabulous bookish buddy, Christine. She was not wrong in her assumption that I would love it.

A very well-written, suspenseful novel full of twists and turns that will grab you from the first chapter! Highly and easily readable. It's hard to call it enjoyable, as it was fairly heart wrenching. However, definitely worth reading, in my opinion.

Worth staying up all night to read?

Yep!

Rating: 4 stars

ARC review: Far From You by Tess Sharpe

Book Synopsis(via Goodreads):

Sophie Winters nearly died. Twice.

The first time, she's fourteen, and escapes a near-fatal car accident with scars, a bum leg, and an addiction to Oxy that'll take years to kick.

The second time, she's seventeen, and it's no accident. Sophie and her best friend Mina are confronted by a masked man in the woods. Sophie survives, but Mina is not so lucky. When the cops deem Mina's murder a drug deal gone wrong, casting partial blame on Sophie, no one will believe the truth: Sophie has been clean for months, and it was Mina who led her into the woods that night for a meeting shrouded in mystery.

After a forced stint in rehab, Sophie returns home to a chilly new reality. Mina's brother won't speak to her, her parents fear she'll relapse, old friends have become enemies, and Sophie has to learn how to live without her other half. To make matters worse, no one is looking in the right places and Sophie must search for Mina's murderer on her own. But with every step, Sophie comes closer to revealing all: about herself, about Mina and about the secret they shared.

 

*Many thanks to Net Galley and Disney publishing for the advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. *

 

Anticipated release of this novel is April 18, 2015

 

 

This insomniac's opinion:

 

This was a very enjoyable and unexpected YA mystery. I've never read a YA novel that explored same sex relationships in such a frank way, and I really appreciated that. I enjoyed the twist at the end, even though it wasn't terribly believable. All in all, very enjoyable if a bit too edgy for YA in my opinion(drug use, vivid sex).

 

Worth staying up all night to read?

 

Yes, very enjoyable, but definitely for the crowd that enjoys the YA genre, there isn't much substance to the novel.

 

Rating:

 

a solid 3 stars.

The Spectacular Now by Tim Sharp

Book Synopsis(via Goodreads):

SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He’ ll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.

Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.

This insomniac's opininion:

I, like many bibliophiles, insist on reading the book before seeing the movie, if at all possible. I've been hearing great things about this movie and knew that I would be renting soon when it is available.

This is a very challenging book to rate, for several different reasons. So, if my review sounds a bit Bi-polar, I apologize. When I first began to read the novel, Sutter(the main character) seemed like a charismatic simpleton and I wasn't sure that I wanted to read an entire book about an alcoholic teenager that charms everyone around him. It seemed too shallow and oversimplified. However, the novel quickly progressed(very readable) and I became endeared to Sutter very quickly. It was extraordinarily challenging to watch Sutter throw his life away(and drag Aimee along with him). As a nurse who often works with pregnant teenagers, I recognized in Sutter the desperation for love that he wasn't getting anywhere and the desperate need to numb himself when his needs weren't met. I wanted so terribly to reach into the novel and hug him(yes, yes- I know this is a work of fiction, folks!).

I read this novel almost compulsively and found the ending to be lacking. Perhaps that is because I so desperately wanted someone, God- ANYONE!, to help Sutter. I wanted resolution and had none.

So, I'm left feeling at odds about how to rate the novel. I think its well written and painfully realistic. I do not believe that this should be categorized as a young adult novel and that fact laid heavily on me throughout the reading.The novel takes a very laisse-faire attitude to sex, drinking, drunken driving, drugs and higher education. I do realize that many teens feel the same way and it may be very realistic, but there were little consequences for Sutter in this novel and it lends the wrong idea of how life is. It is well-written, but leaves the reader wishing for more resolution and unsure of how Sutter's life will truly end.

Worth staying up all night to read?

Well, if you're going to watch the movie, yes! If you watch the movie without reading the book first, the bibliophile police might show up at your door and who wants that?

Rating:

I'm gonna go all Switzerland with my rating and be perfectly neutral because I am feeling vexed by my myriad of feelings after reading it.  So, 3 stars it is!

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

*Many thanks to Disney/Hyperion and Net Galley for the advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

Book summary(via Goodreads):

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

This insomniac's opinion:

This novel is an awful lot like the movie Titanic. Except on a spaceship. Have I lost your interest yet? Because these facts almost made the book lose my interest at first. Almost.

However, the characters became quickly likeable, then loveable and soon I was entrenched in the journey of Lilac(clichéd rich girl, except-you guessed it- in space) and Tarver( clichéd poor kid, exept...okay, okay you get it). I really did enjoy it- the novel moved quickly and was compulsively readable.

Worth staying up all night to read?

If you like romance and don't mind a novel written more for the YA crowd.

Rating: 

3.5  stars



Cinder by Marissa Meyer

 Book summary(via Goodreads):

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

This insomniac's opinion:

Every time that I read the blurb on this book cover I was turned off by the sci-fi element. I placed this back on the library shelf multiple times after briefly considering it. However, my fellow bibliophile friends kept recommending it to me and they rarely lead me astray. So, into the library bag it went!

This was a very quick, enjoyable read. There were several twists and turns in the plot that I did not see coming(and a few that I did). I read this novel in a single sitting on my deck as my kids played in the backyard and will definitely be reading the next novel in the series. Certainly not high-brow literature, but a fascinating read.

Worth staying up all night to read?

Sure, if you don't take your literature too seriously.

Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

 

Book Summary(via Goodreads):

 

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

 

This insomniac's opinion:

 

Comparisons between this novel and The Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies have been greatly, greatly exaggerated, my friends. This novel is extremely creative and original but is lacking truly good writing and well fleshed-out characters. The author's attempt to be hip by having original slang and verbiage for some of the happenings and objects in the new world often felt annoying and over-used. If I ever hear the word "shank" again, it will be too soon. However, I bought into the suspense of the novel and very much wanted to know what the ending would be. It was definitely unique.

 

Worth staying up all night to read?

 

Maybe.

 

Rating:

 

3 - I think this isn't well-written enough for an avid, adult reader. However, I think that pre-teens and teens would likely enjoy it.

 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

This insomniac's opinion:

Shhhhh.......Do you hear that?

Do you?

That sound is this novel busting its way into my top five favorite books EVER. And, even though I average over one hundred books read per year, this is a rarity folks. The books on my top ten/top five have been there for a long time. Last year The Book Thief by Markus Zusak(Thank you for the recommend Miss Lindsey) crashed into the top ten, but otherwise it has been undisturbed for quite some time.

Back to The Fault in Our Stars. This was the most exquisitely written novel. You can read the blurb and know that it is going to be sad. And, it is. Even more sad than you think it may be. Yet, it is so beautifully hopeful and shows the reader just how wonderful life can be. It was a  reminder that there is a great difference between living(i.e your heart is still beating) and being alive(living in such a way that you enjoy your life, make a difference to others, etc.).

Do not let the fact that this is a YA(young adult) novel scare you off. It is not written down, stripped of its intelligence as some YA novels are. It is highly intelligent, full of both humor and sincerity. John Green has written a literary masterpiece.

And, the characters. Oh, the characters.Augustus is one of my absolute favorite characters in (my) literary history. Everyone needs a friend like a Augustus. Hell, I could use an Augustus(no offense to my friends). Fiercely loyal, with a wickedly intelligent sense of humor and  a heart of gold. I loved him from the page that we first meet him on, and my love grew with every chapter.

I could go on and on and on, my friends. But, I hope you will read this book yourself. Then, lets have a chat. I have a feeling that I will always have the time to discuss this novel. An absolutely unforgettable journey with characters that will work their way into your heart and stay there-forever.

Worth staying up all night to read?

Yes! In fact, I plan to reread this one after I have passed it on to all of my friends. I can sleep when I'm dead, right?

Rating: 

10 stars. What? There are only 5 stars? Well, then- 5 stars. Brilliantly glittering stars.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

 This novel is written as a series of letters from "Charlie"(we never learn his real name) to an anonymous adult(we never learn whom the adult is, either). The poignant novel follows Charlie through fairly typical teenage awkwardness and some deeply personal revelations about Charlie and those around him. Charlie meets a group of friends that change the very way he perceives the world.

Random note: The Kindle version of this novel that I read actually had the movie version of the cover and, even if I like the movie, I deplore movie adaptation covers and have been known to pay more for an original cover. Therefore, I pictured the original cover so as not to have to look at the movie cover again. I know-I'm quirky.

This insomniac's opinion:

So, yesterday was a The Perks of Being a Wallflower day at my house. I saw that the movie was available in the Redbox as I was returning our Saturday night rentals. I couldn't resist and snapped it up(I love Emma Watson!). I have a rule about always reading the book first and knew that the book was already sitting on my Kindle, ready for me to read. So,after putting my children to sleep, I read the novel, finished around 11 pm and popped in the movie!

I adored this book. It takes place in 1991, so it was just a couple of years before I would have had my own freshman experience. I am a person who happens to be very sensitive to others, so it felt nearly as if Charlie was my twin. I loved the closeness of his group of friends and wished to meet them all(except Mary Elizabeth!). There were many moments that I just wanted to reach into the book and give Charlie a hug and assure him that, although high school can be rough for those who do not wish to fit the mold, college and life beyond is often kind to quirky people.

I wondered throughout the entire novel if we would find out the identity of Charlie and the person he is writing the letters to. But in the end, I was glad that we did not. It seemed as though Charlie was writing the letters to me, and I was deeply honored to get to read them.

Favorite quote of the book:

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

Worth staying up all night to read?

Yes, I loved this book so very much. It was a very quick read, as well.

Rating:

 4 stars

*If you are curious, I liked the movie, as well!*

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