Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

Reconstructing Amelia has all my favorite ingredients for a great novel--mystery, intrigue, multiple viewpoints, switching times and dates, varied source materials--all mixed together in one truly compelling read!

The plot itself is relatively simple, focusing on a Kate Baron's quest to understand her teenage daughter Amelia's sudden suicide. But as the story moves along, nothing is as it seems, and soon Kate begins to suspect Amelia's death was not a suicide at all, but part of something larger and far more sinister. The story is told largely from Kate's third-person perspective as she searches for clues in Amelia's school papers, text messages, and Facebook posts. Amelia's first-person narrative appears now and then as well, slowly illuminating the weeks up to her death. Interspersed throughout are excerpts from the high school gossip blog giving a larger context to the events in Amelia's life and the high school environment in general. This hodgepodge collage of sources and formats really worked for me as a reader. Visually pleasing and well-formatted, it mirrors the way modern technology can complicate our communication and conceptions of narrative.

I wish Amelia had more page-time in this novel, because she was by far the most interesting character to me. McCreight does an excellent job of making the reader care about her, even though it is evident after the first fifteen pages or so that her death is unavoidable. Amelia's best friend Sylvia and the other high school characters are all complex and realistic, and the dialogue is one of McCreight's greatest strengths. She can make me interested in Kate's legal jargon and then a few pages later laugh out loud over the high school slang. I firmly believe this book would appeal equally to my mom as it would to my teenage sister, and that makes it stand out as a strong and compelling work.

Recommended to: legal/investigative drama fans (think Jodi Picoult, Janet Evanovich), people who love collage and experimental styles of storytelling, any woman who has ever loved a girl like their own daughter.

Release Date: April 2, 2013  Pages: 382 Format: ARC

Source:  TLC Book Tours Publisher: Harper Buy It: Book Depository

This is a review by Meghan. You can find her here on Goodreads or on Twitter @meghanc303

Mini Reviews: Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton and The Cutting Season by Attica Locke

I don't read a ton of it, but every once in awhile there's nothing like a good mystery novel to get keep my attention, and Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton was exactly that. The story begins with a school on fire, and Grace, a mother, knows that her daughter Jenny is inside. She races in and finds her in time, but that is only the beginning of their trouble, as the arsonist is still on the loose and whoever it is still wants to destroy her family. There is an unexpected slightly supernatural element to the book, but even if I didn't totally buy it, it worked in context.

Like the successful mystery novel it is, Afterwards was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing. It's a pretty long book at 400 pages, and I admit I might have (digitally) flipped towards the end to get some details just so I could go to sleep without finishing it. It was intense and exciting and wonderful. Ultimately, I picked this book up looking for a good mystery novel, and I went away completely satisfied. Afterwards is an unexpected, sometimes strange and unusual novel, but it was a great read for me and left me eager to read Lupton's much-loved debut novel, Sister, in the future.

Obviously Afterwards left me in a mystery-craving mood because the next book I finished was The Cutting Season by Attica Locke. The novel centers around a historic plantation house in Louisiana, Belle Vie, and Caren, the woman who has managed it for the last four years but has long had ties to the place. When a dead body turns up, Caren is drawn into the investigation, uncovering many secrets along the way.

The Cutting Season initially caught my attention as a mystery, but as soon as I started reading I realized it was more than that. If anything, it falls into the category of 'literary mystery' because of Locke's detailed writing and eloquent prose, but with an unexplained murder underpinning the entire novel. Unlike Lupton's novel, there is definitely nothing supernatural about it, but that doesn't it stop it from having some pretty creepy moments.

My major issue with the novel was that it was too slow-paced at times, in particular because I was looking for a mystery, and that meant that as beautiful as Locke's writing is, it often had difficulty keeping my attention. I didn't have an incredibly strong connection to Caren either, which made me less invested in the outcome and also probably contributed the fact that the book took me an entire month to read– in comparison to the two days that Afterwards took. That said, for readers looking for a complicated and original story, an incredibly setting, and beautifully written prose, The Cutting Season is still worth checking out.

Release Date: April 24th 2012 / September 18th 2012   Pages: 400 / 384   
Format: E-galley /ARC   Source: NetGalley / Publisher 

Meghan Review: Indiscretion by Charles Dubow

Indiscretion by Charles Dubow combines some of my favorite literary elements into a delicious and opulent cocktail. The lifestyle of the extremely rich, an outside narrator with close connections to central characters (much like Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby), a love triangle with three strong and well-fleshed sides---Indiscretion has it all.

The plot revolves around the magnetic marriage of Harry and Maddy, a power couple that draws everyone around them into their glamorous life. Harry and Maddy seem to have everything---money, a beautiful son, and the kind of relationship everyone around them envies. But when they meet Claire, a young, charismatic woman, with an instant connection with Harry, the life they love so much is suddenly thrown into question.

Narrated by Maddy's childhood friend Walter, Indiscretion develops itself as slowly as the fine wine the characters love. Though usually I am understandably repulsed by affair narratives, this one was unique. It gave me the perspectives of all three individuals involved, and although it was from the somewhat biased view of Walter, it did work hard to develop each angle. Though I ultimately didn't sympathize with all the characters, and actually ended up hating some of them, I did love that I got a valid view from all perspectives.

However, the real strength of this narrative isn't the story itself, but the writing. Dubow is poetic and lyrical, illuminating the environment of very setting, from beach cottage to the city streets of Paris. I could almost taste the oysters sitting coldly on china platters!

Recommended to: any fans of relationship dramas (Nora Roberts, Jodi Picoult), people who party with Jay Gatsby, anyone who loves to fall in love with a setting.

Release Date: February 5, 2013  Pages: 400 Format: ARC

Source:  TLC Book Tours Publisher: William Morrow Buy It: Book Depository

This is a review by Meghan. You can find her here on Goodreads or on Twitter @meghanc303

Meghan Review: A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash

This novel offers a snapshot of a family within the larger context of a small town culture, mixing past and present events through changing viewpoints and sweeping descriptions of rural life. The central story revolves around Jess and Christopher "Stump" Hall, two young brothers who are unintentional witnesses to a secret neither of them fully understand. This secret implicates not only some of the main moral pillars of the town, but also people they love and respect, and it will have consequences neither of them can imagine.

One of the driving narrative forces in the book is the character Jess. Jess is adventurous and curious, and very loving. He acts as both best friend and caretaker to his older brother, Stump, who is a mute and just a little bit slower than the rest of the boys his age. The sections from his viewpoint really stood out to me. The character's voice was realistic, and his confusion about the world around him mirrored my own as I tried to piece together the evidence throughout.

Another viewpoint I appreciated was Adelaide Lyle, an old woman who looks after the children in her own Sunday school, keeping them from the influence of the church pastor she doesn't trust. Her reflections on her own failures and desires interested me because it was longer ranging, and it was an inner adult perspective on the events of Jess' life. She acts as the "sage" figure, commenting on the society she is not fully involved in, standing free enough to make her own judgements.

I would have liked to have had more adult viewpoints, particularly from Jess' parents, and a deeper look into the church whose secret's define the town. Though I understood and could appreciate the desire to keep this mysterious, I was curious throughout and left with more questions than answers. Especially on such a familiar and traditional theme (family secrets, betrayal, redemption) a deeper look could have really made this novel more of a stand-out for me. However, I really liked the rural and pastoral elements of the novel, which reminded me of Willa Cather at times and Laura Ingalls Wilder at others. It was scenic and lovely without being excessive.

Recommended to: people who enjoy a good rural mystery, John Wayne movies, switching viewpoints (think Ann Brashares or Jodi Picoult), and a younger perspective (To Kill a Mockingbird, Secret Life of Bees, Room)


Release Date: January 22, 2013  Pages: 336 Format: ARC (uncorrected proof)
Source: Publisher Publisher: HarperCollins Buy It: Book Depository

This is a review by Meghan. You can find her here on Goodreads or on Twitter @meghanc303

The Forgetting Tree by Tatjana Soli

While I enjoyed The Forgetting Tree from page one, it is the second half of the book that I fell in love with. It is the kind of novel with a quiet start and a powerful finish.

Soli's second novel, the followup to one of my favourite books of last year The Lotus Eaters was a shock to me because I did not expect a writer who clearly puts so much thought into both research and writing to be able to publish another book so quickly. But somehow, Soli managed. The Forgetting Tree is the story of Claire, a woman diagnosed with cancer and clinging to the citrus ranch where she raised her family, and Minna, the young caregiver with a mysterious back story who may be either the worst, or the best, thing that could possibly happen to Claire.

Minna is really the controversial part of The Forgetting Tree, as much as I hated her at times, I couldn't help sympathizing with her, and recognizing that despite all the awful she was doing she still might be able to save Claire. It was an emotionally conflicting dilemma, and one that left me ultimately unsure about the definitions I wanted to give the characters. Nobody in this novel is all good or all bad. Claire might love her children, but that doesn't mean she's been a good mother. These sorts of complicated feelings are what Soli captures so well. The only unfortunate part is that it took a decent chunk of the novel for them to really come alive.

The beginning of The Forgetting Tree is beautifully written, but ultimately it is back story, not its heart. That doesn't happen until Minna arrives.

Just like Soli brought Vietnam in 1975 to life in The Lotus Eaters, California ranch life comes alive in The Forgetting Tree. Her books are clearly impeccably researched, and she has the amazing of giving enough details to truly make the reader feel like they are there, without boring them in the minutiae. I have to admit that I still prefer Soli's first novel, but the fact that her second was less consistent in its genius does not at all deter me from picking up whatever she publishes next.

Ultimately, this is a beautifully written book that is both moving, and a touch spooky. Although The Forgetting Tree had a slow start, Soli has told a complicated and powerful story that challenges the reader, and I continue to be a huge fan of her writing. I can only hope she continues to be so prolific and that another book will arrive in 2014.

Release Date: September 4th 2012  Pages: 416  Format: ARC
Source: TLC Book Tours  Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Also By This Author: The Lotus Eaters  Buy It: Book Depository

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

Honestly, I can't imagine a book with Lauren Oliver's name on the cover that I wouldn't pick up. She's just that amazing. So of course I had to read her latest novel, the middle grade fantasy tale, The Spindlers. Even though it's not a genre I read a lot of, I adored Oliver's first middle grade title, Liesl & Po and in fact even refer to it as one of my favourite books (because it is). In fact, I was so excited to read The Spindlers that I forced myself to hold onto it for about a month before I did– just because when I finished reading it I would be out of Oliver books to read until 2013. All that to say, I had high expectations.

And did The Spindlers meet my expectations?

Unfortunately, no.

That's not to say this story, about a young girl, Liza, who goes on an underground quest to find her brother's soul, which was stolen by the spindlers, wasn't a cute and fun read. But it wasn't blow-me-away-amazing either. It was okay. And with Oliver, I just expect more than that.

What The Spindlers is, is a great book for the intended audience, but it doesn't have the universal transcendence that Liesl & Po did. Some of my problems with the book included how slow the storytelling was, I put it down quite a few times during its 250 pages and I wasn't excited to go back. I wasn't riveted and pulled in a million directions and put back together. If anything, I was a bit confused. On her journey, Liza is accompanied by a rat of the same size she is. I was never sure if Liza shrunk when she went under her house, or if the rat grew. The setting itself wasn't that vivid, there was just a lot of mentions of dirt. Even the characters, which Oliver is usually so amazingly skilled at, just felt okay. I wasn't especially rooting for Liza, because I didn't feel like I really knew her.

The whole time I was reading The Spindlers, I couldn't help being reminded of Coraline by Neil Gaiman, which is a book I absolutely adore. But unlike Gaiman, Oliver's world isn't the creepy, her characters– even the bad ones– don't feel that scary. And even the plot doesn't feel original. There's a series of obstacles in the way of Liza finding her brother, but I never found myself breathless with anticipation on if she was going to succeed. I honestly didn't care that much, because everything was predictable and even the "big" twist didn't surprise me.

It's really hard to focus on the positive of The Spindlers because I was so incredibly disappointed by it. I love-love-love Lauren Oliver's writing, but this is a book that is cute. It's a book that's fun and charming, there's a talking rat I loved and some adults that don't understand their children. There are some unique and interesting creatures. Overall, The Spindlers is an okay middle-grade novel, and while I certainly haven't given up on Oliver, when it comes to her storytelling– okay is just so much less than what I expect.

Release Date: October 2nd 2012   Pages: 256  Format: ARC  Source: Publisher  
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada  Buy It: Book Depository | Amazon Canada Also By This Author: MG– Liesl & Po; YA– Before I Fall; Delirium (Delirium #1); Pandemonium (Delirium #2)

Scorch by Gina Damico

Note: This review contains no spoilers of Scorch, but may contain spoilers of the first book in the series, Croak, a review of which can be found here.

Gina Damico's debut novel, Croak, about the teenage grim reaper Lex, absolutely blew me away with its intensity and hilarity, and so I was incredibly excited to pick up the sequel Scorch. It did not disappoint!

In Scorch, Lex is left behind to pick up the pieces after Zara– off on a murderous rampage– takes her twin sister's life, and her own ability to damn. Combined with Zara's thirst for vengeance, things aren't looking good. But Lex has her own craving, and no matter what it costs, she's going to make Zara pay for killing her sister.

Like the best sequels, Scorch builds on the foundation Damico laid in Croak but ups the stakes, the action, everything. The result is incredibly exciting, but also clever, well-written, and heart-wrenching. It's the kind of mix that Damico manages to balance so well. In less skilled hands, Scorch would have been a confusing mess. There are a lot of elements at play, and a lot of twists and turns along the way. But what Damico has written is a complicated and thrilling story that will keep the reader turning the page, and will definitely offer up some surprises in the well-structured plot.

There's a lot more history and background in Scorch, and the reader also gets a chance to visit another Grim city, which I loved– although it was around then that I found the story slowed down and became temporarily about Lex getting dressed up and not about catching a serial killer. Luckily, the pace picks right back up, and ends with a huge punch in the gut that has left me gasping for the final book in this trilogy. There is an element of the story, that whole punching in the gut part, that I'm not totally in love with yet and so I'm excited to see where Damico takes it and if she wins me over like I expect she will. After having been thrilled by the awesome wit and exciting story that Scorch provided, I will absolutely be picking up the final book in 2013. So far, this is a great series from a talented new author. Damico has definitely earned her place on my 'must read' list.

Release Date: September 25th 2012  Pages: 352  Format: ARC
Source: Thomas Allen & Son Ltd  Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 
Also By This Author: Croak (Croak #1)  Buy It: Book Depository

Y by Marjorie Celona

Y is a heartbreaking and beautifully written debut from Canadian author Marjorie Celona, and it captivated me from the first word till the very end.

It's the story of a newborn baby, abandoned at a YMCA on Vancouver island. Her name is Shannon, and her story alternates with that of her mother, a young and desperate woman named Yula, describing the events that lead up to her abandoning Shannon.

Although Shannon's life begins in a harsh and shocking way, after several years in fostercare she finally ends up in a home with Miranda and her daughter, Lydia-Rose, who is the same age as Shannon. But even as she has her first twisted taste of what a real family feels like, there is a hole in Shannon. There is always, the question– why?

Shannon wants to know the truth about her mother, and so does the reader. But Celona reveals it in a slow and tantalizing way, sharing the details so that by the time Y is finished you've learned more about the characters than you ever realized you were. More about life.

Y is a delicate and vivid story, the words flow easily and the characters are complicated and human. Often, when a story is divided into two time periods there will be some abruptness to the transition between chapters, but not with Celona's writing. There's also usually a preferred storyline– and if I had to choose, it would probably be Yula's, but I was nearly as eager to read about Shannon's self-discovery. I suppose the attraction of Yula's storyline was how instantly shocking it was, it is so hard to imagine a situation where a mother would abandon their baby like she does, and yet Celona tells that story in a genuine and touching way.

This is a novel that asks a lot of questions. Questions about what makes a person who they are, and what a home is. It does so in an unconventional way, that reminded me a little of another book I loved, Wrecker by Summer Wood. Y also offers its own unique and intriguing setting, and it was interesting to see how the island environment offered a hint of claustrophobia to Shannon's life.

Ultimately, Y is a dark and realistic novel, a compelling story from a talented and eloquent author that left me excited to see what Marjorie Celona will write next.

Release Date: August 28th 2012  Pages: 288  Format: ARC 
Source: Publisher Publisher: Penguin Canada  Buy It: Book Depository

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Release Date: September 18th 2012
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Buy It: Book Depository

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister. Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay. Four years ago, May left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him. Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Han and Vivian are two popular contemporary YA authors I've been meaning to read for ages... so when an unexpected copy of the first book in their co-written trilogy showed up in my mailbox, it was two birds with one stone.

I was really impressed by the writing in Burn for Burn, it flows smoothly and I never would have guessed there were two authors behind it instead of one. Each of main three girls is unique and interesting, and I never had to worry about getting them confused despite the multiple POVs– which is usually not my favourite. The book starts off a bit slowly, probably because it is first in a trilogy, but there was plenty of character development and back story that made it engaging to read.

At its core, even according to its title, Burn for Burn is about revenge but when it came to that aspect of the story it felt a little rushed or weak. Even though the authors told me why the girls had reason to be upset and want revenge, their emotions and the events in question were so complicated it was hard for me to really believe they wanted such hard, terrible things. Then, when it came to the execution of the revenge, it felt rushed, or not as bad as I would have expected.

That said, Burn for Burn is a rich, multi-layered story full of realistic characters whose motivations aren't always what they seem. There's a very, very slight paranormal twist to it, that honestly felt unnecessary but will probably get developed further in the next two books. Even though there are some very light romance subplots, this is definitely a story about friendship, and I felt like it captured the complexities of it really well.

The setting of Burn for Burn is also really great; everyone lives on this tiny island that's a mix of the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy, and everyone knows everyone else, which leads to some interesting conflicts. I also found the high school hierarchy authentic to read about, and it reminded me a little of Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers for that reason (especially in combination with the revenge component). 

Overall, I really enjoyed Burn for Burn and though I'm unsure if the paranormal aspect was really necessary, the writing and characters have given me plenty of motivation for picking up book 2; as well as solo novels by Han and Vivian.

The Forrests by Emily Perkins

The Forrests by Emily Perkins is definitely a novel that has me divided. Can you love the writing while failing to love the book? Because in certain moments, this was pure genius, but in others in left me grasping for something to hold onto, something to make me understand, and mostly for something to keep my attention.

It's the story of Dorothy Forrest, and despite being about 350 pages it manages to cover her entire life– and it's not a short one. But it's not just Dorothy's story, it's the entire Forrest family, transplanted from New York to New Zealand, and their complex and passionate relationships.

But because the story covers so much time, it means that a lot has to be skipped to fit it all in. Perkins' writing isn't vague, quite the opposite actually. It is flashes, snapshots, vivid and bright, but surrounded by empty space. The gap between photos– where the reader can only guess what happens. The Forrests flutters from one event to another without being clear on the passing of time, or what happened in between, and that made it difficult to follow and not the kind of book I was eager to return to once I set it down.

And that's where my conflict is. Even though there were many moments of brilliance, sometimes even an entire chapter or vignette, The Forrests is not the kind of book that left me craving more. It is definitely not a novel I would reread (though there are very few that fall into that category anyway). It's not even about the lack of plot, though readers should be prepared for that as well, and has much more to do with the lack of clarity. It wasn't just the story that puzzled me, but often the characters too. Many characters had only brief appearances but even those that were around more often weren't ones whose thoughts or motivations I could clearly grasp. The result was a book that was difficult to follow, no matter how many pages I read or how long I waited.

For the right reader, The Forrests will be breathtaking. Perkins is incredibly adept at beautiful phrases and moments, and if she wrote one, I think I'd fall in love with a short story by her because that's basically what many of the chapters were. But unfortunately lovely writing alone cannot sustain an entire novel, and as a result The Forrests left me wanting more from the characters and the story than Perkins provided.

Release Date: August 7th 2012  Pages: 352  Format: ARC 
Source: TLC Book Tours Publisher: Bloomsbury USA  Buy It: Book Depository

And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman

Laura Lippman was really the first author I read who convinced me I could love a mystery– back in 2010 when I first read her novel, I'd Know You Anywhere. Later, I picked up her short The Girl in the Green Raincoat which is a part of the Tess Monaghan series, which I also enjoyed (though admittedly not quite as much). Still, Lippman is in top form in And When She Was Good another standalone mystery with the same strong writing, intriguing plot, and, in this case an especially smart story.

And When She Was Good is the story of Hector Lewis, a mother who affords her comfortable lifestyle by running an illegal escort business. Hector hasn't had an easy life, but more than anything she wants one for her son. But with everything she's worked so hard for in jeopardy, it may cost Hector more than she ever imagined just to keep her secrets.

Hector isn't the most likable main character. She's complicated, and I loved the back and forth chapters between the present and the past that show where Hector came from and what's she's overcome. If I'd just been introduced to her without them, or if they'd been told as somebody reflecting back instead of somebody experiencing them firsthand, it would have been hard to emotionally connect to her. Instead, as a reader I was able to understand Hector better, having gone through her experiences with her. She's had a hard life, and the result is a hard– but strong– lady. What she also is, is smart. And I found that, in combination with Lippman's skilled writing, to be incredibly refreshing. Of the three books of hers I've read, And When She Was Good was definitely the least "easy" to read. Lippman doesn't just use prostitution as a shocking plot device, she provides real background and research, as well as asking interesting questions and bringing up political issues I did not expect.

Where And When She Was Good was weaker than I'd Know You Anywhere was the plot. It was incredibly predictable, and took a long time to really get started, probably because the book was weighed down by the more intellectual component of it– which I enjoyed, but still, I was expecting more thrill from this thriller. In that sense, I'd call this a literary thriller. And When She Was Good is a great book for readers wanting a little more depth, I just also wanted a few more twists and turns. Overall, though, I loved Lippman's writing, her complicated characters, and her original storyline. I might still not be much of a mystery reader, but for Lippman, I'll definitely be returning to this genre again. 

Release Date: August 14th 2012  Pages: 320  Format: ARC

Also By This Author: I'd Know You Anywhere; The Girl in the Green Raincoat
Source: TLC Book Tours  Publisher: William Morrow  Buy It: Book Depository

What I Did by Christopher Wakling

What I Did by Christopher Wakling is not an easy novel to read, both emotionally– it's an upsetting story, and literally– it's written in the voice of a six year-old boy.

When Billy runs away from his dad, and right into traffic, his dad impulsively spanks him; and those events will change their lives forever. A woman sees Billy's father, and reports him.

In Billy's words: 
"This is a story about a terrible thing which happens to me. I have to warn you that nobody is bad or good here, or rather everyone is a bit bad and a bit good and the bad and the good moluscules get mixed up against each other and produce terrible chemical reactions."

That quote from the very beginning of What I Did is the best way to share what reading this book is like. It's most easily compared to novels like Room by Emma Donoghue, or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon because of the unique and young voice of the story, despite most definitely being an adult novel. Like both Donoghue and Haddon's narrators though, I found Billy to be an incredibly smart child for his age. However, at the same time, Billy was also insanely clueless about other things, to the point that I definitely wonder if he was supposed to have some Asperger type tendencies that made it difficult for him to pick up on social cues. Of course, I haven't been in the mind of a six-year-old in a long time– so maybe this is what the average child would do, but I doubt it.

At times, I actually preferred Billy's voice to Jack's in Room. The major reason for that is because Billy absolutely adores David Attenborough and animals and nature documentaries. And I just loved all the animal metaphors and connections, all the random facts. This is also what makes the North American cover a billion times better than the UK one, in my opinion. It also reminded me of those passionate, focused, interests that we have as kids when it seems like there's really only one thing in the world that matters. The only issue with this is that Billy often gets distracted from what's actually going on in What I Did by side stories or memories that mean that the pace of the novel is really slow. 

The narrator of What I Did is only one of the components of the novel ready to be discussed. There's also the entire incident that sets off this series of events. Because while the reader is there from the beginning, and knows what led Billy's father to spank him, nobody else is besides the two of them. In a way, it's like a terrible game of broken telephone. But it would also be a great novel for reading groups because I'm sure everyone would have a different opinion about if Billy's father should have spanked him. Obviously, if he'd know what was going to come next, he never would have.

What I Did is an incredibly scary story. It doesn't have gore or zombies or anything supernatural– it's quietly horrifying. I'm not even a parent, but it's the sort of story that, like See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles, is definitely a worst nightmare scenario. And, because of the pace of the novel, it's really like watching a car crash in slow motion. The fact that it emotionally tears the reader apart like that is completely due to Wakling's skilled writing. The story is told from Billy's perspective, and it's clear he doesn't know what's going on, and doesn't know what kind of impact his words are having. But reading the book, you do, and that's what makes it so heart-breaking.

When I finished reading What I Did, I was honestly very conflicted. I really loved the novel in small doses, but as a whole I found it slow and had a hard time digesting some of the misunderstandings that take place. I really just wanted to shake the pages and get the characters to talk to each other... but that didn't exactly help. I did love how, exactly as Billy promises, none of the characters are good or bad. Billy's father is in a terrible situation, but he also makes it worse for himself. Ultimately, What I Did is flawed and complicated, but so are its characters, and that's what makes Wakling's novel such a great source of discussion.

Release Date: July 17th 2012  Pages: 288  Format: ARC
Source: TLC Book Tours  Publisher: William Morrow  Buy It: Book Depository

That Boy Red by Rachna Gilmore

That Boy Red by Rachna Gilmore

Release Date: April 4th 2011
Pages: 220
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Harper Collins Canada
Buy It: Book Depository | Amazon.ca

It’s the Depression, but Red’s family is managing better than most on their Prince Edward Island farm. Hard working and resourceful, they have enough to eat and to help others, even if at times they are mocked by their neighbours for putting education ahead of farm work. Eleven-year-old Red has plenty of chores around the farm, and the days can be long, but he still gets the odd break to go swimming or fishing... provided his homework is done.

The back of this book compares it to Anne of Green Gables, and it really is that sort of novel with a male main character. It's written in the kind of language that does take the reader back to the thirties, and the writing flows easily. The book is divided into several distinct, but connected stories which makes it good for reading in chunks, though the whole novel is still a really fast read. Some of the sections– like one where Red's father injures himself– are sadder, while others– like when Red's Granny visits– are funnier, but they all have a taste of both humour and emotion within them.

As easy as the book was to read, there was some language that left me a little confused, like when Gilmore writes: "Ellen complained that he raced through his recitations with no expression whatsoever, but Red figured getting through it mattered more than any highfaultin expression." Obviously language was different eighty years ago but it's hard to imagine this ruddy farm boy that prefers building things to reading using the word highfaultin, and it felt out of place (and not just because I had no idea what it meant).

That Boy Red wasn't the kind of book that I would have gone seeking out myself, but when I had a surprise copy in my mailbox I decided to give it a try. For the short time it took to read it, I guess I'm glad I did; I feel like it's a good contribution to Canadian history and a great addition to elementary school libraries for that reason. But it also wasn't a book I felt in love it, in the emotional all-encompassing way that some novels sweep me off my feet. Instead, it was a book that I enjoyed, and it had some nice moments. Ultimately, I'd recommend That Boy Red to the middle grade readers looking for the a male Anne of Green Gables, and would hope it would hit the mark for them in the way that it didn't quite manage for me.

While He Was Away by Karen Schreck

While He Was Away by Karen Schreck

Release Date: May 1st 2012
Pages: 249
Format: ARC
Source: Raincoast Books
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Buy It: Book Depository

When Penna Weaver's boyfriend goes off to Iraq, she's left facing life without him. As summer sets in, Penna tries to distract herself with work and her art, but the not knowing is slowly driving her crazy. Especially when David stops writing. She knows in her heart he will come home. But will he be the same boy she fell in love with?

This was a story that started with a main character I didn't especially like but ended with one I definitely respected, and I think that subtle but authentic growth is the shinning aspect of While He Was Away.

That said, there are some things that really bothered me about the story. For one, time passes strangely, like Penna will say something isn't as bad as it used to be when she's talking about the past two days, or that the tattoo has suddenly healed when yesterday it was covered with a gauze bandage. In another instance she talks about how absent her mom has been– "It burns me that I've waited for Linda, wondering where she is."– when really she only didn't come home one night. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be teenage exaggeration, but it got on my nerves and didn't help my sympathy for Penna.

Also, when there is even one statement that is factually wrong (as far as I can determine, and from my own personal experience) it really bothers me in a novel and makes me doubt how probable the rest of the story is. In While He Was Away this statement is when a character in the novel breaks a bone, and Penna is told "They have to wait to get all the food out of her system before they set the bone." I've had a few broken bones, and I even did Googling to check, and I've never heard of somebody having to wait to have a bone set because they ate a meal– it seems like cruel and ridiculous punishment. I'm not a doctor and I could be wrong, but it was the sort of thing that nagged at me even after I finished the novel.

Both those complaints are minor in light of what really bothered me about this novel: Penna's relationship with David. I just didn't believe it. Maybe it's because he's around for less than 24 hours in the book, but even the flashbacks didn't give me a good feel for him as a character and made it difficult to care about him on Penna's behalf... which is sorta the point of the book. Penna herself is annoying because of her dependency on David, but as I mentioned, there is some really strong character growth near the end of the novel, and it was great to see her become her own person. There was also a bit of a twist near the end regarding David and Penna, that I definitely didn't expect.

I really liked the interactions between Penna and the friends she makes, and the grandmother storyline was interesting, when it came to her family history not her own personal romance which was so incredibly cheesy at points that it felt nauseating and also way too convenient to be believable. Penna had some darker past hinted at a few times, and I wished it had been developed further because I think it would have given her character the depth it felt like she was lacking, at least at the beginning.

Another aspect of While He Was Away that I liked was the relationship between Penna and her mom Linda, which was complicated and broken at times, but ultimately very powerful. Penna's relationship with her mom was one of the major ways she grew, and I was pretty touched by how things worked out for them. The Oklahoma setting was also well written and unique to read about. However, in the end, it was Penna herself that saved the novel. Somehow Penna slowly blossomed into a strong and confident young woman by the end of While He Was Away, one that I never could when I first began reading but the transformation that Schreck wrote was admirable, believable, and something I really enjoyed reading about.

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

Release Date: October 4th 2011
Pages: 362
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Penguin
Also by this Author: Both Ways Is The Only Way I Want It (Adult)
Buy It: Book Depository

It’s 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin. When Benjamin’s father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary’s sacred book in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies—Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.

I really enjoyed this first novel for younger readers by Maile Meloy, whose short story collection Both Ways Is The Only Way I Want It I'd previously enjoyed. Obviously The Apothecary, intended for a middle grade audience, is quite different but Meloy's adult work, but it maintains her smart description, concise style and lovely details. There are some quirky but amazingly accurate descriptions, including several of hair near the beginning of the book such as "wore her white hair coiled up like a ghost's pastry on the back of her head" and "tight, gray curls reminded me of a sheep."

Meloy also doesn't let the fact that this is a children's book stop her from throwing in some incredible words, several of which I have to look up to know their precise definition (like corpulent!) even though the meanings are obvious in context. I love the way The Apothecary has of unintentionally expanded the reader's vocabulary, and it's yet another reason it would be a great book for younger readers; Meloy doesn't talk down to her audience.

Admittedly, my advance reader copy of the novel was missing many drawings, but the half I did see were really lovely, though the truth is that I preferred the ones in Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver. Though the pictures are great and compliment the text, Meloy tells as riveting story without them, and her words are vivid enough in creating imagery that the drawings are technically unnecessary.

The Apothecary is packed with adventure, much of it with a slightly magical twist, and I absolutely adored the story it contained. It was a perfect mix of action, exploration of important issues, and a nice touch of romance thrown in. It's a story that is entertaining in a way I didn't expect from Meloy with her quiet and adult short stories, but the result is enjoyable and definitely has convinced me of cross-genre skills.

The characters in this novel were realistic and fun to read. Janie struggled with the issue of being a new girl in a foreign country, and I thought that Meloy dealt with her insecurity and subsequent growth in a very authentic way. I especially loved Pip, a charming and mischievous character certainly worthy of his own novel. The only character I wasn't entirely satisfied with was Benjamin, in particular his romantic storyline which involved a change of mind that was never really explained and left me wanting more. The romance wasn't at all necessary in the story, but if it was going to be there, I did want it to be a little less haphazard.

Having enjoyed Meloy's adult fiction, I was both curious and excited about how her writing would transfer for the middle grade audience; and the result was incredible. An exciting and whimsical adventure, The Apothecary is the kind of classic spy meets fantasy meets historical story that is certain to age well. A very enjoyable experience and I certainly hope that Meloy will write for younger readers again in the future; I might be much older than the intended audience, but I'd be excited to read another middle grade novel by her in the future.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Note: This review contains no spoilers of Pandemonium, but does contain spoilers of the first book in the series, Delirium, a review of which can be found here. 

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: February 28th 2012
Pages: 375
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Harper Collins
Also by this Author: Delirium (Delirium #1); Liesl & Po
Buy It: Book Depository

After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive "the cure"--an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love--but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters, and although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.

I'll start by getting this out of the way. There was only one thing I didn't like about Pandemonium: the fact that I have to buy a new copy of Delirium if I want my books to match.

Other than that, pure genius.

Because this is the third book I'd read by Lauren Oliver, I knew what to expect when it came to her writing. Perfect tiny details, beautiful images, easy flow, and a raw emotion that is incredibly powerful– Pandemonium delivered. But, if I'm perfectly honest, the book didn't captive me as much as its predecessor, Delirium. I didn't read it in the same rushed spurt. Still, by the time I got to the end, I was absolutely blown away by the way things turned out, and though I may have had my suspicions about the final reveal, that didn't stop it from absolutely tearing my heart out of my chest.

Like I said, pure genius.

Pandemonium transitions between two Lenas, "then" and "now" which alternate every chapter for a chunk of the book, telling the story of the last year, and then the "now" which picks up a year following the events of Delirium. The technique worked okay, as some of the most emotional portions were past events, but I think I would have preferred it in chronological order. My reason for that, is that Lena is grieving over Alex, but when as a reader I was regularly skipped ahead, it was more difficult to see the evolution of that grief. Still, like her middle grade novel Liesl & Po, Oliver captures the grief in a pure, heart-breaking and genuine way. 

As a middle book in a trilogy, I really appreciated how much of a complete story Pandemonium told on its own. There was also a lot of character growth when it came to Lena, and I think that, without Alex to fall back on, she really had to learn to stand on her own. As much as I loved her in Delirium, it was great seeing the character develop and her become less meek. Oliver made her feel like a real person that way. I still missed Alex though!

And actually, I lied. There were actually two things I disliked about Pandemonium. The second thing was that it ended, and now I have to wait another year to finally read the last novel in the trilogy, Requiem. With those final few intense pages of Pandemonium, Oliver has me incredibly anxious to find out how things end for Lena.

Lark by Tracey Porter

 Lark by Tracey Porter

Release Date: May 24th 2011
Pages: 192
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Publisher: HarperCollins
Buy It: Book Depository

After 16-year-old Lark is murdered, she, her childhood best friend Eva, and Nyetta, a girl Lark used to babysit, find themselves facing hard truths about their lives and seeking a way to move on.

When I picked up Lark, the premise intrigued me, but when I heard mention of a "ghost" I guess I was thinking it was more like an emotional ghost than an actual ghost of the girl. It's not. This definitely has a paranormal twist to it. Still, it's the sort of twist, that like Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma, manages to be creepy rather than contrived. It's just enough to leave a haunting feeling behind.

A lot of Lark's creepiness is due to Porter's writing and imagery. I love the idea of these girls trapped in trees, and it stayed stuck in my mind long after I finished the book. That said, there was something that stopped me from falling completely in love with the novel. I was interested in Lark, the way she pushed herself so hard, doing gymnastics on a damaged knee, I could emotionally connect to her ambition and drive. The way she worked herself dry. And Porter managed this connection, even though Lark was dead. But somehow, when it came to Eve and Nyetta, the connection wasn't quite there. At times, they felt like more of a ghost than Lark did.

The other issue with Lark is that in a way there didn't feel like there was much of a story. There were feelings and ideas, and those resonated with me, but it's a very short novel and I wanted a little bit more out of it. I'm not sure if the length is to blame for this short-coming, but I did feel like perhaps with a longer book Porter would have had more opportunity to develop Eve and Nyetta as characters at least. 

Lark is a dark, creepy, and wonderfully written novel, but ultimately I found some of the characters lacking, and the overall result was one that didn't quite hit the mark. Still, Porter has captured my interest enough that I'd be interested in picking up another novel by her in the future.

Guest Review: Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Prior to reading Graveminder, I’d already read Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series, which I really enjoyed. She has a beautiful writing style, one that’s straightforward, yet compelling. Graveminder is set in a completely different world from Wicked Lovely. Where instead of faeries, they have to worry about the dead being put properly to rest....and you don’t really want to see what happens when they aren’t, but hey, without that...there wouldn’t be a story, would there? :P

I don’t read many books that could be categorized as horror, but with Graveminder, while it was a darker story, I never once categorized it as being “horrific.” It isn’t over-the-top or gratuitous, which “horror” often is in mind, although maybe that’s just the movies. :P Anyway, I think that even people who aren’t big fans of horror would still like this one. Personally, I prefer to watch my horror movies rather than read about them, but with Graveminder, I really didn’t mind reading about it. Not only is Graveminder full of action and darker aspects that intrigue the reader, it’s also got a complicated romance which keeps it from getting too dark.

I liked getting to read Bek’s story. She was a fantastic narrator, and I really liked her. She was strong, independent, and while she may have protested too much at times, I loved how dedicated she was to Maylene, especially since they weren’t actual blood relatives. I also loved Byron, the undertaker. ;) They had some amazing chemistry, and the way their past was revealed was convoluted and given to the reader in parts, which I actually really enjoyed. I liked that there was some mystery in their past, and it kept me compelled with the romance aspect. There was also an element of mystery surrounding the graveminding aspect. It took a while for the truth of it to be revealed, for Bek to figure out what she doing...and also to figure out how Maylene, her grandmother, was killed, and the most convoluted and mysterious part of it all...who was the one responsible for it.

The most fascinating aspect of the story for me, aside from the romance (which I’m always a sucker for), was the history of the Graveminders and Undertakers. I liked learning about them, Mr.D, and the tradition behind why they did their duties, and the intricacies that were involved between the Graveminders and Undertakers. I’d definitely read another book about Graveminders and Undertakers just so that I could learn some more. :P

Overall, Graveminder is a fabulous story that will keep you on your toes, and while it differs from Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series, I think that fans that enjoyed the series will also enjoy this one. If you’re a fan of original supernatural and paranormal stories, you’ll love this one, and it will definitely pique your interest if you like reading about reinventions of the afterlife.


This book was reviewed by Ambur from Burning Impossibly Bright- you can check out more of her awesome book reviews here. Thanks Ambur, this sounds like a creepy and exciting story, and I'm always a sucker for a good romance too :)

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

 

Lauren Oliver is an author of many talents, she began her career by publishing a contemporary YA novel (Before I Fall), followed up with the first novel in a dystopia trilogy (Delirium) and her most recent novel, Liesl & Po, is a middle-grade story that takes place in a world with similarities to our own only filled with all kinds of magic. Liesl is a young girl whose father has just died, leaving her in the care of a stepmother who locks Liesl in the attic where her only escape is to draw. Then one night Po, a ghost from the Other Side, appears and the two form an unexpected friendship. At the same time, Will, an equally lonely alchemist’s apprentice a botches an important delivery which will have important consequences for Liesl and Po, ultimately drawing the three of them together on a remarkable journey.

Liesl & Po is the magical kind of book that even if it is intended for a younger audience, is filled with a warmth that will enchant the reader regardless of age. This is the kind of timeless story, like Roald Dahl, which will be just as powerful in fifty years as it today. Also like Dahl, this is a story about children, in which the adults are rather one-dimensional villains but that works within the context of the book, as it is reminiscent of a traditional fairy tale.

Oliver’s writing is amazing, lyrical with poetry in just the right places, and complimented by beautiful black and white sketches done by Kei Acedera. It is Oliver’s amazing ability with words that makes Liesl & Po into such an incredibly whimsical story, one that flows smoothly and is filled with pure, young, emotion.

This is a novel that confronts the difficult issue of death and grief in a way that neither minimizes nor sensationalizes it, but rather takes an honest and simple look at one little girl and the astonishing journey she takes.

Ultimately, Lauren Oliver has completely won me over as a reader- she could write a restaurant menu or instructions for installing a television and I would rush to the store to buy it. As a writer, Oliver has a unique and powerful perspective, which she is able to share with astonishing clarity because of the eloquence of her writing, on full display in her timeless and magical novel, Liesl & Po.

The Grief of Others by Leah Hager Cohen

The Grief of Others by Leah Hager Cohen

Release Date: September 15th, 2011
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover
Source: TLC Book Tours
Buy It: Book Depository

When John and Ricky's son dies just 57 hours after he is born they try to return to their lives, but their marriage and their family have never been quite as intact as they pretended and soon a terrible secret emerges with implications that reach far into their past and threaten their future.

If the title of this novel, The Grief of Others, doesn't state it clearly enough- this is not a happy book. What it is instead is an emotional, deep, and moving tale of tragedy, loss, and light struggling to emerge from darkness.

From the beginning, I found myself entranced by Cohen's story, the complex emotional intricacies it dissects and develops. But the problem was that the story seemed to end far before the novel did. After about a third, possibly half, way into the book, the magic faded. There was a lot of time spent on a flashback to an event, a summer at the beach, that I felt I was already familiar with from the way it had been referenced previously, and having to spend all this time reading about it didn't add anything new to the story and lost my attention from The Grief of Others in a way that it never recovered from.

As beautiful, rich but with a sharp edge, as Cohen's writing is, there were times when I found it didn't fit quite right for the story. For example, sometimes the language was a bit too advance for the characters, like when in the context of Biscuit thinking of somebody's voice it is described as "a water voice, trickling and eddying and cool." when I wasn't convinced the ten year girl would really know (and use in normal thought) the word eddying. Or other times when obscure brands are mentioned, cookies I had never heard of or supplies to do with set design, language that doesn't add anything to the story but rather detracts by jarring the reader out of the novel with their confusion.

Overall, I was enchanted by Cohen's writing but found the storytelling itself lacking at times. In the end I find myself conflicted over The Grief of Others, because as difficult as it was to finish it started with a beautiful flourish. Although this is a book I'm unlikely to recommend, it has still left me admiring Cohen's way with words and I am potentially willing to try another book by her in the future.