Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick


I will pick up any novel in verse I can get my hands of, so it was an easy decision to read Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick. This book takes place over 72 hours when Kenna, as a result of being caught cutting herself at school, is institutionalized. The novel itself is an incredibly quick read, because of both the format and the short page count (only about 200). However, while it does provide a brief glimpse into the addictive nature of self-harm--even when a person doesn't start out with that intention-- as well as the community and potential for peer pressure, it's not actually an incredibly emotional read.

Perhaps because there's not enough time for development of the relationships, but for a book on such a serious topic, I felt like Kiss of Broken Glass was a bit superficial at times, especially when it came to the characters. Even components I appreciated such as Kenna's relationship with her parents, were often still simplistic, and I really wish that in particular the cutting group that she was a part of had been explored more. This is the first book I've read that deals with that real life possibility, and I wanted more from it.

Overall, there are definitely elements of Kiss of Broken Glass I appreciated, but it's a novel where I feel like with another hundred pages I just would have connected to it so much more. 

Release Date: September 9th 2014 Pages: 224  Format: Egalley
Source: Edelweiss  Publisher: HarperTeen  Buy It: Book Depository

Monday, September 01, 2014

All Those Broken Angels by Peter Adam Salomon

I picked up All Those Broken Angels by Peter Adam Salomon when I was just getting out of a reading slump and my main criteria for books was that they were short. Cause honestly, sometimes just finishing a book helps me get back into the reading groove. At 240 easy-to-read pages, I was able to finish Salomon's novel in a single day. But was it worth it?

All Those Broken Angels is told from the perspective of Richard, whose best friend Melanie disappeared when they were six-years-old. Despite never finding a body, she was declared dead, a fact Richard knew to be true because after he vanished a part of her remained-- a ghostly shadow named Melanie. But then a girl moves into town, also claiming to Melanie, and it's up to Richard to figure out that if the shadow is a fake, then who is she really?

This is a mystery novel with a paranormal twist, which isn't incredibly creepy but has a fun storyline that kept me interested in finding out what happened. That said, the characters were a little flat for me, and I didn't really find a connection with Richard. There were also too many aspects that just seemed unbelievable or unlikely or a bit confusing. Basically Melanie's entire story. However, the plot itself kept my interest, and even if there were some predictable elements there were still some surprises. Overall, All Those Broken Angels was an okay read for me, there was enough I enjoyed to keep me reading, but it isn't a book I'd rush out to recommend.

Release Date: September 8th,  2014 Pages: 240  Format: Egalley
Source: Netgalley  Publisher: Flux   Buy It: Book Depository