With or Without You by Brian Farrey

With or Without You by Brian Farrey is a young adult novel told from the perspective of eighteen year-old Evan, a boy who along with his best friend Davis have spent highschool being bullied for being gay. Luckily Evan is able to take comfort in his kind, wonderful, boyfriend Erik, somebody he has kept secret from everyone- even Davis- for nearly a year. Then Evan and Davis get an invitation to join the Chasers, a gay society that offers protection and belonging of the kind neither of them has ever had. While Davis is immediately swept up into the world of the Chasers, Evan finds himself torn between the two important men in his life. How many lies is Evan willing to tell to keep Erik a secret, and how long before his two worlds come crashing together?

With or Without You is a very intense debut by Farrey, it is definitely the kind of book which immediately hooks you in and takes you for a whirlwind and unforgettable ride. It is important to have all types of GLBT characters and literature, but if I had to describe With or Without You in one word it would be gritty. Evan and Davis stand in stark contrast to some of the cheerful gay males present in young adult books, for example David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy, but the story they have to tell is both realistic and heartbreaking.

This is not a book to read lightly, this is a book to devour. As a main character, Evan is both believable and frustrating. His deeply rooted insecurity makes him do things that are not logical, but ultimately he leaves the reader with a worthwhile lesson about being true to yourself. I found Evan's friendship with Davis charming, at least until things spiraled out of control, and I loved some of the little flashbacks Farrey included to give extra insight into how Evan met both Davis and Erik. I also thought the setting, With or Without You takes place in Madison, Wisconsin, was unique and interesting. Setting the novel in a small town allowed Farrey to address some issues that are hopefully less common in cities, although even Evan and Davis are lucky enough to have a youth centre for GLBT individuals to go to.

Farrey has a thrilling story to tell in With or Without You but what really makes the book memorable is Evan. Evan grabs a place right next to your heart and winds himself around it, refusing to let go even after you put down the book. The only complaint I have about the novel is that I really wished for more resolution. Of course, in real life things don't end up neat and tidy, but that's why I enjoy fiction, the author has the ability to let the reader know how things turn out and in a way I felt a bit disappointed by that aspect of the book. Throughout the novel, Farrey's debut With or Without You is charming, shocking and even heartbreaking, but a strong main character and a smooth writing style means that one thing thing that is consistent is the fact that from page one onwards, you will not be able to put this exciting and realistic book down.

Release Date: May 24th, 2011
Pages: 368
Buy the Book
Source: Teen Book Scene 

Giveaway Winners

I had a few giveaway finish recently so here are the winners:

Foods to Thrive Giveaway:

The Paper Garden:

When God Was a Rabbit:

Congrats everyone! Winners have been contacted and have 48 hours to respond or a new one will be selected. I have more giveaways posting soon so make sure to check back!

In My Mailbox (May 29th-June 4th 2011)

I know I haven't been blogging much lately, I guess I have just gotten a little worn out and have also been very busy with school. I am still reading, albeit at a slower rate, and I do hope you'll stick with me until I get back into my grove. I promise there will still be at least one review a week, I do have book tour obligations, but on top of that I'm not sure exactly how much I'll be posting. I do have many lovely books waiting for me when I'm ready.

{For Review}

 

With or Without You by Brian Farrey (Teen Book Scene Tour)

Pretend You Love Me by Julie Anne Peters (Little Brown, Books for Younger Readers)

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (Little Brown, Books for Younger Readers)

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma (ARC) (Penguin Canada)

She Loves You, She Loves You Not by Julie Anne Peters (Little Brown, Books for Younger Readers)

Forgotten by Cat Patrick (Little Brown, Books for Younger Readers)

Trader of Secrets by Steve Martini (Unsolicated) (Harper Collins)

Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston (ARC) (Penguin Canada)

and as a closer peek, Brian Farrey was kind enough to sign his book as well as include an exclusive bookmark which was printed before the title of his novel was changed:

I just finished With or Without You yesterday and it was incredible, there will be a review up tomorrow. 

{Gift}

The very talented Jennifer Brown who wrote Hate List as well as the recent release, The Bitter End, had the opportunity to get a signed bookmark on her blog so of course I had to e-mail! She also included a name plate (personally addressed!) and a bracelet with the words "make a difference" on it. As somebody who lives in a place where there are no book signings this was such an amazing joy to receive. I'm so excited to start reading The Bitter End soon.

{Won}

Although I don't own the book (yet) I was lucky enough to win an autographed bookmark and bag for Chasing Alliecat by Rebecca Fjelland Davis, thanks to Lauren at 365 Day of Reading.

What was in your mailbox this week?

The Filter Bubble by Eli Pariser

The Filter Bubble by Eli Pariser is a non-fiction book about a massive change that happened, and we didn't even realize it. In December 2009, Google began to customize its search results for each user. That means the results you get are based on what Google thinks you are most likely to click on, from what it knows about who you are. Google isn't alone either, from targeted advertising to what shows up on your Facebook, there is a deeply disturbing trend threatening us and because these websites aren't obligated to tell you what they know about us, it is happening largely without us knowing.

The Filter Bubble was both creepy and a little scary at times. As a blogger, I know that I put quite a bit of myself online intentionally, but it's incredible to learn how much else I put out there without even realizing it. How what I click on can be used to profit against me, or determine what I see when I use Google, skewing my view of the world. The whole point of the internet is the accessibility of information- but when you are inside the bubble, you're not getting a lot of that information and instead what you see is based on who you already are, and what you have done in the past. As Pariser puts it, the serendipity is gone. And randomness is where moments of brilliance happen.

Although The Filter Bubble is written from a distinctly American perspective, Pariser also manages to let the reader in on some of the policies in place in other countries. I live in Canada, but I am sure most of the book is still relevant although perhaps the legislation is slightly different. The biggest problem of course, is that in many cases there is no legislation, and this online personalization and the selling of information is something that we cannot ignore any longer. In The Filter Bubble, Pariser paints a scary picture, but it's one still possible to change if we educate ourselves and demand something better and picking up this book is a great place to start.

Release Date: May 12th, 2011
Pages: 304
Buy the Book
Source:

This review was a part of TLC Book Tours. Click here to read what other tour hosts thought. For the purpose of this review I was provided with a copy of the book which did not require a positive review. The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Survival Kit

This Gorgeous Game by Donna Freitas (click for review) was a wonderful book I read earlier this year so when I heard about her upcoming release, The Survival Kit, I knew I'd have to pick that one up as well. The premise reminds me of a few other books but hopefully the execution is what makes The Survival Kit stand out.

A romantic and heartfelt celebration of both memories and new beginnings.

When Rose’s mom dies, she leaves behind a brown paper bag labeled Rose’s Survival Kit. Inside the bag, Rose finds an iPod, with a to-be-determined playlist; a picture of peonies, for growing; a crystal heart, for loving; a paper star, for making a wish; and a paper kite, for letting go.

As Rose ponders the meaning of each item, she finds herself returning again and again to an unexpected source of comfort. Will is her family’s gardener, the school hockey star, and the only person who really understands what she’s going through. Can loss lead to love?

The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas will be released October 11th 2011 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR).

What are you Waiting on this Wednesday?