Confess : @colleenhoover | BookTalk w/ @sslluvsbooks

Rating: 95%

Series: None

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Fiction, 

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: March 10, 2015

Page Count: 306

Format: Paperback

Source: Library

The Book Depository | B&N | Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

Disclaimer: On Loving the Language of Literacy, the term "BookTalk" means that there will be both a clearly marked spoiler and non-spoiler section of the Review.

Would I Buy It?

75% | Honestly, the only reason I don't own all of Colleen Hoover's books in physical form is because they're classified under "Adult" and therefore are priced accordingly. Translation = they're expensive. Nevertheless if I came across some sort of bargain I wouldn't hesitate for a moment in purchasing all her novels because of how much I love them.

Background & Backstory?

I started making my way through all of Colleen Hoover's novels in January of this year and Confess was the last book I needed to read before being caught up with all of the first novels in her various dualogies and trilogies. 

What Was My Reaction Upon Finishing?

*angels singing* Ahhhh!

There's a lot of stigma and prejudice that comes with the New Adult genre. A lot of times the simple equation is mysterious boy meets mysterious girl, they have an inexplicable attraction, they can't be together, and there's usually some sort of factor like a child, car accident, or weird family connection that complicates everything. However, Colleen Hoover is something special. The stories she crafts tangle themselves up with reader's feels and wrench their hearts in the process, and of course, her male protagonists are super swoon-worthy.

Lately, Colleen Hoover has added some sort of extra multi-media addition to her novels. Slammed has slammed poetry the characters perform. The songs referred to in Maybe Someday are real ones you can find on Spotify, commissioned just for the book. Confess takes it up another level, incorporating real confessions Colleen Hoover was sent by her readers and the book includes full color artwork based off of those confessions. The creativity of her novels is just another aspect to crown her queen of new adult. [Click here if you want to know more about my opinions in pertinence to The Role of "Pictures" in Young Adult Literature]

Even though I say this after finishing every Colleen Hoover novel, I think Confess may be my new favorite. It all boils down to how much you connect with the characters and Auburn's story of first love was one that captured my feelings exactly. The prologue is heartbreaking and the way it follows her to the end of the book is shocking and merely supports the evidence that Owen Gentry is bae.

***Spoiler Alert***

Auburn Reed is an extremely determined, passionate, and committed character. Despite the circumstances revolving around her son's - AJ -birth, it was clear how strong their relationship is and how much she cared about him, the lengths at which she went for him were simply extraordinary. Owen Mason Gentry - OMG for short - appeared as a mysterious NA character and the circumstance for hiring Auburn was absolutely hilarious. His admiration and respect for Auburn wasn't like a lot of characters in literature and it was nice for a change to see a good character.

How Likely Is It That I Will Read Another Book By This Author?

99.9% | I am so freaking psyched for the release of November 9 which ironically is coming out on 10th of November this year.

Conclusion: Confess is another astounding work by Colleen Hoover, a model New Adult novel with incredible relationships and character development with a unique multi-media spin.

{BookTalk} Snow Like Ashes #1: Sara Raasch

Rating: 96%
Series: Snow Like Ashes #1
Genre: High Fantasy, Romance, Fiction, Young Adult,
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date:October 14, 2014
Page Count: 416
Format: Hardcover
Source: Gifted

The Book Depository | Barnes & Nobles | Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Fans of High Fantasy Novels such as Throne of Glass (Sarah J. Maas), Girl of Fire and Thorns (Rae Carson), Kiss of Deception (Mary E. Pearson), 

Would I Buy It?

This is an Instagram of SLA @ Katz's Deli in New York City

Considering I begged for the book for Hanukah and it was one of my most anticipated books of 2014, I would say.... yes. I would have absolutely 100% bought it if I hadn't begged my best friend to get it for me. 

Background & Backstory

I first heard about this book in January of 2014 when Fiction_The New Reality was doing her New Year, New Books celebration when there wasn't even a cover or a complete synopsis. I've been following Sara Raasch on Twitter ever since and knew I HAD to get her book. High Fantasy is a genre I have recently become interested in and this seemed like the perfect book to read. 

What Was My Reaction After I Finished This Book?

Oh. My. Gawd! This is my new obsession. Let me yell from the rooftops!

In past blog posts, I have talked about how I find a new bookish obsession every year or so. From an outsider's perspective, "obsession" is a word taken extremely lightly. A lot of friends have said, "You say every book you read is amazing." As anyone knows in any dedicated fandom.... "obsession" is something that should be taken 100% seriously with the assumption that whatever it is (book, movie, celebrity) will henceforth take over your life. And that anyone in the foreseeable future should know that this book will be pushed/forced on them.

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Freaking Amazing Raasch is that new obsession.

If anyone has followed this blog for more than a week, they will know that from January 2013 ON, the Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu was something I lived and breathed. I have gained my best twitter friends, met the author twice, and made the commitment to the fandom like no one else has before. While it is still one of the best trilogies of all my existence, it was time that a new book came to take the crown.

I have to admit, like Legend and the Hunger Games, it was not my immediate reaction to LOVE this book. It took time, but not enough that I was almost ready to give up on it (Throne of Glass). In fact, I have two critiques for it. This is Sara Raasch's debut novel, she's young, and obviously doesn't have the experience Ray Bradbury does.... or even Veronica Roth. So it is expected that her debut won't be 100% perfection. There were some cliche phrases and awkward wording that more seasoned authors have smoothed out in their writing. 

Because of this, the protagonist of this novel, Meira, was affected. It was most certainly not love-at-first-sight for me. In fact, even at the end of the novel it isn't. Meira is insecure and seeks out praise from her father-figure in the story, William Loren aka. "Sir." She seems extremely unsure of herself at times and a bit immature. Yet, with fantasy stories especially, the beauty of everything is that we as readers get to sit back and observe these character's development. Each time they overcome a new obstacle, each time they stand up for themselves/their obligations, you see them in a new light and I am so excited to see Meira's progression.

Something interesting throughout the first hundred pages or so of Snow Like Ashes, was that it seemed as if I was willing myself to dislike it. I don't know why, I don't know how (because of how undeniably awesome of a book it is), but I kept searching for some little quality to dislike. With this heightened sense of awarement (totally a word), my brain went into critical figure-everything-out mode. At each twist, turn, and bend in the road, I projected and inferred. To my (now pleasant) surprise, I was unable to guess what was going to happen. There are some common tropes/themes that make themselves prominent ONLY in fantasy (which is what has deterred me fro the genre the past 2 years) and Snow Like Ashes only had one of them, which I can overlook and forgive Sara for because of how well it was done and served only as a stepping stone in the plot versus a huge "What are we going to do now?" element.

Characters are an element that you could almost consider most important throughout a high-fantasy novel. Because of their reputation for being notoriously slow due to excessive world-buildind and build-up.... you have to rely on the characters to get you through the not-so-riveting sections. I am so happy to tell you that I liked nearly every one.

Despite Meira's short-comings in terms of confidence levels.... she had some excellent character traits. She was sassy and sarcastic at times, which was a surprising combination. On top of that, she was a bit of a theatric, especially when it came to Sir not allowing her to go on the mission for the locket half. All of these qualities and more are what made her relatable and lovable, versus Celaena Sardothien who takes some time to warm up to.

As I am composing my thoughts, I am having a conversation with Twitter BFF +Nathania Shuttleworth about Theron, who is one of Meira's two love interests. We are both firmly Team Theron. I don't know what was off about him, he was, in fact, endearing, during the majority of the novel towards Meira, but Mather was not the most likable character (plus his name annoys me). Theron is strong leader, he stood up to his father, is dependable for his kingdom, has an artistic writing side AND hot (according to Meira). He's the total princely package. I had brief suspicion that he was a bad guy and would turn against Winter.... but luckily that wasn't the case.

The dynamic between Meira and Sir is an intriguing one because of all the white lies that were told to hide Meira's identity. I am so looking forward to how their relationship will change in the sequels and how the positions of power will shift. For so long, she searched for his approval and she has finally done something to validate it, but how much will that change them?

It was a classic twist and one (out of the billion I thought of) that should have seemed the most glaringly obvious that Meira was the true heir. There were little hints/clues as to her true identity.... but I obviously sped right past them. I had a feeling (for some reason) that she wasn't a Winterian, but a citizen of another Season or even a Rhythm.

Can we just talk about the Chakram? In so many YA novels, the protagonist has some be-all, end-all weapon of choice. For Katniss, it's her Bow and Arrow. For June, it's her wits. For Jaron, it's his sword. Yet, I have never conceived of a weapon as epic as the chakram. It took some time for me to grasp as a kind of frisbee-boomerang, but once I did, I wished I could order it off of amazon. I have no clue how you would catch it without slicing your hand open OR how it comes back to you without bouncing off of another surface. Yet, I accept it anyway and think it's remarkably badass.

I remember when I first saw the cover back in (let's call it May) when it was first revealed and was sent reeling with how incredibly epic it was. And it is by far my best looking naked book.

The title is something interesting to discuss. The prequel novella is Icicle Like Kindling, first book is Snow Like Ashes, sequel is Ice Like Fire. There is a gradual progression of power and development between them and their power. Icicles and Kindling are the weakest forms of their power. Snow aka Winter is weak, fine, and powdery, similar to ashes. Ice is harsh and Fire is its opposite which gives me hope that the sequel will be just as complex with an equally good conflict. I especially look forward to hearing about Summer which is never mentioned in detail. 

The ending is satisfying and spins you around at a break-neck pace, yet is extremely conclusive. I have a feeling Raasch wanted to give us a mini reprieve before thrusting us into the action-packed sequel which I look forward to, especially if it means I can enjoy a little Theron/Meira fluff.

How Likely Is It That I Will Read The Sequel To This Book?

99.9%
I loved loved loved this book so much and the sequel -Ice Like Fire- is one of my most anticipated books of 2015. I will be requesting an ARC from the publisher and entering every giveaway under the sun so I may obtain it.

Conclusion: Snow Like Ashes was a stunning, gripping debut with a break-neck pace, lovable characters, and an intriguing plot.

 

{Giveaway+Interview} Lies We Tell Ourselves: Robin Talley

Rating: 92%
Series: None
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ+, Young Adult, Fiction,
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Publication Date: September 30, 2014
Page Count: 368
Format: Physical ARC
Source: HarlequinTeen via My Heart Hearts Books

Barnes & Nobles ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: In 1959 Virginia, the lives of two girls on opposite sides of the battle for civil rights will be changed forever.

Sarah Dunbar is one of the first black students to attend the previously all-white Jefferson High School. An honors student at her old school, she is put into remedial classes, spit on and tormented daily.

Linda Hairston is the daughter of one of the town’s most vocal opponents of school integration. She has been taught all her life that the races should be kept “separate but equal.”

Forced to work together on a school project, Sarah and Linda must confront harsh truths about race, power and how they really feel about one another.

Boldly realistic and emotionally compelling, Lies We Tell Ourselves is a brave and stunning novel about finding truth amid the lies, and finding your voice even when others are determined to silence it.

Disclaimer: I received this book from HarlequinTeen via My Heart Hearts Books in exchange for an honest review.

*My guest post on My Heart Hearts Books hasn't been published yet, but when it is, the image above will have a link leading to the review*

GIVEAWAY

(10/22-11/5)

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Interview With Robin Talley

1. The LGBTQ genre has had quite a breakout in 2014 in terms of how many books have been released dealing with these issues and how they are becoming more widely accepted. Each author has their own story of why they write LGBTQ fiction, maybe a family member, close, friend, or even themselves has fallen in the LGBTQ spectrum. Why did you start writing in this genre and when did you become interested in it?

In every book or short story I’ve written so far, my protagonists have always been LGBTQ. Partly that stems from my own life experience, since I’m gay, but it also stems from what I see as a need for greater representation for LGBTQ characters in fiction, especially young adult fiction. Malinda Lo’s statistics show that despite recent gains, this representation is still far below where it should be in YA. 

Also, for the most part, my brain tends to generate stories that focus on LGBTQ characters. So it all works out nicely!

2. Because some people aren’t always accepting of LGBTQ people and many books in this genre have been banned, was there ever a time when you were scared to put Lies We Tell Ourselves out in the world because of this added factor of stress? Instead of just being afraid if people would like/not like your book, was there ever a fear that you would be ostracized because of it or that your book would even be banned in some conservative communities?

This actually hasn’t been something I’ve worried about. Which is good, because there are plenty of other things for a debut author to stress over! :)

3. What inspired you to write this story and come up with such an outrageous premise for this time period? An African American and white person talking to each other civilly, let alone falling in love, let alone the situation being between a GIRL and ANOTHER girl. Did you ever think of your readers would find this unrealistic, or did it just add to the story?

From the moment I first started thinking about the story for Lies We Tell Ourselves, I knew I wanted to explore the question of not just how someone would deal with living through a horrible period in history, but also how it would feel to be living with that and to be dealing with something a slice of the population has always dealt with for all of history, too: having a sexual orientation that doesn’t match the majority’s. 

For millennia, people have been forming across traditional societal lines ― race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, background, etc. Sometimes those connections are friendships, sometimes they’re romantic, sometimes they’re something else entirely. 

So I don’t think it’s outrageous for two people like Sarah and Linda to form a connection in 1959, despite the boundaries that separate them. Nor do I think it’s unrealistic that they’re both interested in girls. I think there’s a tendency to view the idea of “LGBTQ issues” as a new thing, because only in the past couple of decades have openly queer people have been discussed much in mainstream media. But there have been queer people for as long as there have been, well, people. There were just as many queer people in 1959 as there are in 2014. There just weren’t as many openly queer people.

4. While writing Lies We Tell Ourselves, was there ever a time that you felt a scene was hard to write because of the amount of torment you had to put your characters through, because of research that needed to be done surrounding the circumstances, or to get into an individual character’s head?

All of the above! Lies We Tell Ourselves was by far the most difficult story I’ve ever written for all of those reasons and more. The most challenging part of the writing process was getting into Linda’s head. Linda has held a set of beliefs for her entire life that is abhorrent and that also completely defies logic, so it took a huge amount of intellectual twisting and reaching to try to understand where she was coming from well enough to write from her point of view. 

5. I know that I greatly appreciated the fact that Lies We Tell Ourselves was written in two points of view and then the added third at the end. What was your reasoning for this? Why not write the story from just one point of view? And what made you decide to divide the points of views into parts versus every other chapter?

I tried writing Lies We Tell Ourselves in many different ways. I wrote a draft just from Sarah’s point of view, and I wrote the beginning of a draft in alternating chapters. Neither of those worked at all. With just Sarah’s point of view, there wasn’t enough forward momentum to drive the story and provoke Sarah to change. Alternating chapters caused the opposite problem ― it broke up the momentum of the first day of school that makes up most of the first part of the novel, where the story really belongs to Sarah alone. So I tried splitting the difference with an alternating act structure instead. 

6. Lies We Tell Ourselves seems like the type of story that you would need to know from beginning to end, and because NaNoWriMo fever is in the air, I am dying to know this. Are you a pantser or a plotter?  

I’m a plotter, but I didn’t actually know the story of Lies We Tell Ourselves from beginning to end when I first started writing it. That’s usually how it goes for me when I’m working on a new project. I always make an outline before I start writing, but usually the outline either doesn’t have an ending at all or I realize halfway through the draft that the ending I’d originally envisioned won’t work at all. So although I depend on my outlining process to get me from point A to point B, I usually have to rework my original conception to figure out how I’m eventually getting to point Z. 

{Book Talk} The Truth About Alice: Jennifer Matthieu

Rating: 9/10
Series: None
Genre: Contemporary, Realistic, Fiction, Young Adult, Romance,
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Page Count: 199
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

Barnes & Nobles ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: Everyone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party.

But did you know Alice was sexting Brandon when he crashed his car?

It's true. Ask ANYBODY.

Rumor has it that Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the bathroom stall at Healy High for everyone to see. And after star quarterback Brandon Fitzsimmons dies in a car accident, the rumors start to spiral out of control.

In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students—the girl who has the infamous party, the car accident survivor, the former best friend, and the boy next door—tell all they know.

But exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself.

***If you haven't read a review on Loving the Language of Literacy before, be aware that a "Book Review" means all of my NON spoilery thoughts, while a "Book Talk" means a full-out discussion of the book, spoilers and all***

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Fans of Falling Into Place (Amy Zhang), Tease (Amanda Maciel), Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver). Hard-core realistic fiction.

Would I Buy It?

This question goes hand in hand with re-readability. It definitely wouldn't be my first purchase with an allotted book budget, but if I was buying books for the sake of adorning my bookshelves with beautiful novels I love.... then 100%.

Background &  Backstory

I have been wanting to read The Truth About Alice probably since the beginning of March when it first showed up on Netgalley. I wasn't approved *tear slides down cheek* but after reading a ton of reviews, it quickly became one of my most anticipated reads of 2014 and let me tell you, it DID NOT disappoint.

What Was My Reaction After I Finished This Book?

Why are you so short? Why? After I've gotten so attached.

So there are FOUR different points of views and intertwining stories that all tell the main character's -Alice's- story. Now I have never read a book like this (unless you count Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang which is an entirely different story), and don't think I ever will again. These four characters -Josh, Elaine, Kelsie, and Kurt- all know Alice somehow. Even if one of them wasn't her former best friend (Kelsie) or had been in love with her since the first time they had met (Kurt), they all knew at least a little bit about her.... the truth. 

Kurt: I loved this guy. He was the quirky nerd that wasn't liked by that many people, and his piece to the puzzle was, at least in my opinion, the most heartbreaking because of the relationship that had evolved between him and Alice by the time the story ended. It just seemed so perfect to add him to the story as someone who idolized Alice and became her one true friend in the midst of the hurricane/disaster that had became her life. Their friendship never turned into a romance. I thought this was a wise decision because of all the rumors about Alice being a slut and then the two of them never do anything that would prove that statement correct. The prospect of them being together, at the very end, just warmed my heart and filled me with ambrosia and nectar goodness.

Kelsie: Why is this b*tch allowed to be in the story? Per human society, it doesn't hurt as much when an enemy does something versus a former friend who you believed would always have your back. Kelsie hurts Alice in such a hypocritical way, and what she did -writing on the "slut stall" that Alice had had an abortion- was so despicable and utterly atrocious.  

Elaine: I get that Elaine's mother had body issues and then proceeded to drag her daughter through the cracks. I get that we needed a front-seat antagonist. I get that Elaine is popular. She was the least likable of the quartet, probably because she was the "popular girl." This angle worked for her in the story, as do most, but I couldn't relate to her, and she was so shallow I wanted to pull my hair out.

Josh: Why the frick would you tell Brandon's mom that it was Alice's fault Brandon died? I mean, what was going through your freaking head? So much of Alice's pain and struggle in this story could have been avoided if Josh could have put his big girl panties on and dealt with the truth/consequences of what he did. He was the classic football jock, but the trope worked for him. I got so many hints throughout the story that Josh was gay and had had a crush on Brandon, and by the looks of reviews.... I'm not the only one.

Even though the plot twist was predictable.... I didn't predict it (as always), but I do think that if you haven't been spoiled or if you aren't very smart when it comes to plot arc (you and me both) that you will enjoy the story so much more. Similar to Falling Into Place, scattered bits and pieces of plot was revealed as the story went on, and the reality of the matter was quite astonishing. 

How Likely Is It That I Will Re-Read This Book?

30%
What I loved about The Truth About Alice was the masterful way everything fell into place, so we could learn the Truth About Alice. After knowing the ending, I'm not sure I would want to re-read it cover to cover. So the re-readability isn't very high because in that aspect..... it's like a mystery novel.

How Likely Is It That I Will Read Other Books Written By The Author?

The Truth About Alice was Jennifer Matthieu's debut novel, but it definitely has a place in my mental "list of debut authors I really need to read more books by" and we already have a title for her next book -DEVOTED- which is being released in 2015. I don't know anything about the book or its premise, but I am so looking forward to more of Jennifer's wonderful writing.

How Likely Is It That This Book Could Become Required Reading?

65%

(New Review Category! *does happy dance*) I think The Truth About Alice would have a decent chance at becoming required reading. If you have read the novel, you will have seen the power of rumors, gossip, and slut shaming. I think this is an extremely important lesson for adolescents (such as myself), and The Truth About Alice is short, yet concise enough to get the message across without becoming bored with the story.

Conclusion:

What Were Your Thoughts On.....

-The fact that it was actually Kelsie who had the abortion, but then turned it around to accuse Alice?

-How far everything went

-Do you think it was right that Kurt held in the information that could clear Alice's name?

-Do you think Elaine had the right to try to make amends with Alice?

-Do you think Josh was gay?

-If there was an epilogue, do you think Kurt and Alice would become a couple?

{Book Review} Audacious #1: Gabrielle Prendergast

Rating: 9/10
Series: Audacious #1
Genre: Poetry, Verse, Contemporary Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction,
Publisher: Orca
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Page Count: 327
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

Goodreads Synopsis: Sixteen year old Raphaelle is that girl who says the wrong thing, who crosses the wrong person, who has the wrong hair, the wrong body, the wrong attitude, the totally wrong clothes. She can’t do anything right, except draw, but she draws the wrong pictures. When her father moves the family to a small prairie city, Raphaelle wants to leave behind the misfit rebel, the outcast, the vengeful trouble-maker she was. Reborn as “Ella,” she plans fit in at her new school, while her perfect younger sister goes to the Catholic girls’ school and her emotionally fragile mother looks for a job.

But Ella might just be a different kind of misfit. She’s drawn to a brooding boy in her art class, Samir, and expresses her confused feelings in an explicit artwork. When a classmate texts a photo of Ella’s art to a younger friend, the horrendous fallout spreads though Ella’s life like an uncontrollable disease. Ella is expelled from school and faces pornography charges, her mother is hospitalized, her sister fails all her classes, and her distant father finally notices something is wrong.

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Anyone in the mood for gritty, teen fiction 

A book that does not skim lightly over the "hard stuff" 

Something that is brutally, sometimes painfully honest 

Beautiful, thought-provoking writing style

Fans of Ellen Hopkins, Laurie Halse Anderson, and David Levithan

What Was My Reaction After I Finished This Book?

Why the hell would Audacious end like that?

Background & Backstory

I haven't heard about this book too much throughout the Blogosphere. The only reason I picked it up at all was because of Jayne @ Fiction_The New Reality's and remembered that she loved it. It was on my library's featured shelves, and I wasn't even sure it was the correct book, but I opened it, saw the verse, and immediately put it in the pile of books I was going to check out. What I will say is that you have to be in the mood to read Audacious, as it was a dark novel, and not for the faint of heart. Also, if you're in the mood for some gorgeous writing that will make you think. Because of the writing, this review will be a quote review, and frankly, I am wondering how I didn't tab every single page in this novel.

Quote Review

"I feel like a shirt

That's been washed too many times.

Faded and worn.

I've run my entire love-life cycle

Beginning, middle and end

Wash, risne and dry

In one 24 hour period." 

---P170

The best way to describe Audacious is.... Audacious. It's the kind of book which deals with a mature subject matter and doesn't blur any lines. There isn't a single line that speaks lies. If Audacious was known on a more national level, I am 100% certain that it would be added to the ever-growing list of banned books in schools. Now I'm certain that there have been books written about censorship and making mistakes by spreading images/information via social media. Yet, I'm sure that those books don't take the approach that Audacious does. While other books may be seen as cautionary tales, or as 

judgements made from people observing the situation. Audacious was real, raw, and intentional. 

"I recognize the desperation

The careful measuring of every word and move

The calculation

Can I afford to slip today?

Where am I on the populometer?

.... A liability with my mismatched shoes.

.... Me, they know, they can't afford" 

--- P45.

I know not many people have heard of the book I am about to mention, but I sincerely think more people should, and that book is Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose. This book was similar in terms of voice, risky decisions the protagonists make, and the quality of content. Instead of trying to explain myself (again) when it comes to the brutal authenticity of events, all you have to do is read the review. 

"Faith is lost

Morals are challenged

I long to curse, and paint nudity

And reveal lies and weakness

And stupidity.

I long to draw the eyes of other

To themselves

And their failings

And away from me

And mine" 

--- P32.

The difference between Raphaelle and almost every other main character of these types of stories (where everything goes to hell) is that what Raphaelle did was deliberate. Call it risky, call it genius.... call it stupidity, whatever label you stick on it, the fact remains that Raphaelle acted with a purpose and she knew what trouble she could/would get into because of it. Even though I thought Raphaelle made -what I would consider- a bad decision, I 100% see where she was coming from and think, if I was in her situation, that I would have made the same decision. 

"Real art requires risk, she says

And a certain willingness

To be exposed

And vulnerable

Not to scrutiny but to criticism

And even condemnation....

Well done"

---P163.

It is no secret (IRL or online) that I hate Common Core with a fiery passion. It is also no secret that Raphaelle despises conforming to the norm, fake or jaded people, and the general group mentality that tends to show up in High School in general. Now, I'm not saying that I would do something as drastic as Raphaelle to show how much I disagree with Common Core, but I know that I have the same level of intense feelings as her and might, if provoked, do something as risky. So even though everything has gone to hell by the time the quote is said, I know that Raphaelle (as well as myself) feels so liberated and ecstatic that at least one person saw my intentions as they were and applauded them.

"The sun peaks up slowly

Rays bisect the dusty sky

Long thin strips of cloud, like stretched out ribbons

Illuminated by fire

Drift away, their night-time condensation dissipated" 

--- P21. 

"Snowflakes

Falling so softly,

like thieves in the frozen night.

They steal the city." 

--- P61.

"Empty space

It says more about you

And what you intended to say

Than even the artwork itself

Everyone knows what should be there

My piece is up in the library

And that insipid watercolor

And in between we left a large 

Empty space" 

---P230.

If you haven't noticed, the number one reason Audacious received a 5 star rating from me is because of the quote-worthy quotes. I mean, this is a Quote Review for heaven's sakes. The three quotes above are the most powerful ones in the entire novel, and they deserve to be painted on walls and have Etsy boards created with the.  

"God

Where were you when Gabriel died?

Where were you when they bulldozed Samir's home

Or when his cousins died?

When buses blow up

When bridges  collapse

When little children starve

or drown 

Get shot

Or raped

Do you watch

or look away?" 

---P246.

Prendergrast also brings up the concepts of faith, god, and destiny a lot, especially with this quote. While Raphaelle puts a somewhat negative spin on them, as a reader, you also know that this is why some people don't have faith in a god. Because, if God is responsible for everything that happens, why does he let death, sorrow, and suffering happen? And if these horrible events happen in order to teach humanity a lesson, why is it that those particular people are the ones chosen to suffer?

"Quaint, the idea that love is

Unquestionable undefeatable

Endless fathomless

Strong as time and

Tenacious as space but

If love is never to be tested

Or challenged then it is worth

Nothing." 

---P320.

I gotta say, I didn't particularly like the characters of Audacious. Raphaelle was so indecisive when it came to the poor excuse for a "love triangle" that was also a case of insta-love as well as lust. She was so desperate at times that it was pathetic and her negativity kind of brought my mood down a little when she said certain things [see quote above & below]. Don't get me wrong, I love a different, eye-opening perspective, but Raphaelle said some things that I kind of took personally and was offended I know you're thinking I have lost my mind for being offended by what a book character said, but it's true.

"I'm like a flower

Whose petals are being plucked away

One by one

Or falling to the ground

Their purpose served" 

---P283.

Factors ~
My favorite kinds of books are the ones that have lasting effects on who I am, and this is one of them.
I did not give Audacious the full 10/10 stars because of the ending, and annoying love triangle.

How Likely Is It That I Will Read The Sequel?

75% ~ While I loved the book, it would have been so much better if the last 30 pages were just chopped off. Maybe Prendergast felt the pressure to write a sequel, which is why she left a lot of loose threads. I for one, would have enjoyed seeing a companion novel about some of the minor characters, and would really enjoy reading from their perspective. Nevertheless, I will warily read the sequel. It is rare that a book as powerful as Audacious will have a sequel just as good, or even better. So I will go into it with my hopes not too high.

Would I Buy It?

Audacious is one of those books that I would buy even at the full $17.99 price. While reading the book, I placed over 18 slips of papers between pages so I could go back and relish in the beautiful writing. I would jump on purchasing it the minute I saw it in stores so I could have my own copy to annotate.

How Likely Is It That I Will Re-Read?

My best bet is that I will re-read Audacious in a year or so when I'm in the mood, and I am sure once I own it (whenever that is) that I will go back and re-read certain sections and/or quotes that I found inspirational.

Conclusion: Audacious is a risk that Predergrast obviously took with a whole-hearted plunge into the deep end of literature. Just like what Steve Jobs said, "You can quote it [the book], disagree with it, glorify or vilify it, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things..." The only thing you can't do is ignore Audacious.

{ARC Review} Falling Into Place: Amy Zhang

Rating: 9.75/10
Series: None
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction,
Recommended For Fans Of: Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver), If I Stay (Gayle Forman), Thirtreen Reasons Why (Jay Asher), Catalyst (Laurie Halse Anderson)
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Page Count: 296
Format: Physical ARC
Source: Once Upon a Time Bookstore (Montrose, CA) via Greenwillow an imprint of HarperCollins

Goodreads Synopsis: On the day Liz Emerson tries to die, they had reviewed Newton’s laws of motion in physics class. Then, after school, she put them into practice by running her Mercedes off the road.

Why? Why did Liz Emerson decide that the world would be better off without her? Why did she give up? Vividly told by an unexpected and surprising narrator, this heartbreaking and nonlinear novel pieces together the short and devastating life of Meridian High’s most popular junior girl. Mass, acceleration, momentum, force—Liz didn’t understand it in physics, and even as her Mercedes hurtles toward the tree, she doesn’t understand it now. How do we impact one another? How do our actions reverberate? What does it mean to be a friend? To love someone? To be a daughter? Or a mother? Is life truly more than cause and effect? Amy Zhang’s haunting and universal story will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and Jay Asher.

Disclaimer: I received this novel from Once Upon a Time Bookstore in exchange for an honest review.

*trumpets blare* Welcome Falling Into Place! Welcome into the much coveted list of Contemporsry novels that I will always remember and dominate all the "Best of 2014" lists.

Before I start talking about my feelings (because you know they are there), you know what time it is.... Backstory time. Let's see how long I have been waiting to read this book since *calculates time* the 12th of January on Fiction_The New Reality when Amy Zhang was featured on New Year, New Books. That is over 6 freaking months, and I am so glad to have had the oppurtunity to read it now (June 28) and not have to wait another THREE months (at the time I'm writing this review). One of my friends (Thank you Ally!) is friends with her local indie book store owner, Maureen, the owner of Once Upon a Time Book Store on Honolulu Avenue in Montrose California. If you're in the area, DEFINITELY check it out, it's an amazing place. Ally obtained the novel for me, and you would not believe how much I freaked out when she told me over the phone.

[INSERT FREAKING OUT GIF]

Onto the actual review. I honestly think I should wait until tomorrow to write this so it will soak in, but it's been so long since I wrote a "feels review" and even though this will sound incoherent, I don't care because I need to express myself. I will admit, it wasn't an insta-love situation between this novel and myself. The narrator (pause for a freak out because of the genius of the narrator) took some getting used to, and the story kind of seemed all over the place in the beginning. But don't worry, if you stick with the book until you get used to the unusual story telling style, you will thank yourself.

Comparisons: In my Instagram Mini-Review (as well as the Goodreads synopsis, but I thought I was totally original when I came up with the comparison) I said that Falling Into Place was similar to, and for fans of the four well-known novels below.

I said that the main character -Liz Emerson- of Falling Into Place was similar to Samantha Kingston of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. The two of them are extremely popular high schoolers, and in normal "popular girl" fashion, they are not the nicest people, and don't always do the right things.

The flashbacks and slivers of memory told to us by the narrator is like Gayle Forman's If I Stay. We get to learn about Liz and the people around her that she has affected, and vice versa. In the duration of both novels, we don't know whether the main characters -Mia and Liz- will make it.

In both Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and Falling Into Place, their the constant question looming over everybody's head. "Why?" Why would these seemingly happy girls want to kill themselves? There is also that touch of romance incorporated into the picture with Liam and Clay, two boys who were in love with the main character, even though the main character didn't know either boy existed.

The entire story had a touch of Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson in pertinence to how science came into play - although it was Physics versus Chemistry. If you have read all of those books, you will know that Falling Into Place is one hell (excuse my langugage) of a novel.

The Narrator.... Is an unexpected one, and very hard to describe. Imagine splotches of paint being seemingly randomly thrown onto a canvas, then an artist drawing lines between those splotches, filling some sections in, and adding shadows to other. The entire time this is happening, you have no idea what this artist is doing.... By the end, the most beautiful, genius image is created. All of those lines, splotches, and shapes make sense and then all you can do is stand back in awe of this artist's genius. The older version of the Goodreads Synopsis (found on Fiction_The New Reality) reveals who this narrator is, but in the final one (found on the site as of 6/28/14 and the back of the ARC) all it says is "an unexpected and surprising narrator." I wouldn't advise you read the older version because guessing who is telling the story is part of the experience. Who sees all this? Who knows all? Is it a relative? A childhood friend? Big Brother? God? All of those options and more ran through my head while I read Falling Into Place, and I am happy to say that I did guess correctly.

The Writing Style: This book was written by a teenager.... still in HIGH SCHOOL. Welcome to the reason why I feel like I haven't accomplished anything in my life. I mean, Amy Zhange wrote this novel during NaNoWriMo (one month writing competition -held in November- where people try to write 50,000 words), balancing school, friends, emotions, and everything else that comes with being a teenager. In the letter from Susan Katz (found in the 1st page of the ARC and may not be included in the final edition of Falling Into Place) the president and publisher from HarperCollins, it says "I think she's a very old soul with something to sat to every one of us." Susan Katz is utterly correct and I have never agreed with a statement about a book more than this one.

Amy Zhang seems like one of the most amazing writers EVER who definitely had something to say to me through Falling Into Place, and I would kill to get to know her in person. What I wouldn't give to see how her mind works. The process of figuring out each chapter, and how everything would connect in the end must have been excruciating. Zhang weaves together all of these events in Liz Emerson's life - from 49 minutes before she drives her car off the road to eight years earlier on the day her childhood ended. And it's not only Liz's life that we get to see. As a reader, I also got to know her best friends Kennie and Julia, as well as her not-so-best friends such as Liam, Jordan, and Mackenzie who she had effected. You know as a reader, that I have to have a clear image of who the Main Character is in order to enjoy the story, and Zhang does not disappoint despite how scattered everything seems.

Conclusion: I order EVERYBODY who has read this review to pick up their copy of Falling Into Place on the 9th of September so I can Fangirl with you about all of the feels Amy Zhang has evoked in this thought-provoking, stunningly incredible, and phenomenal debut novel.

{ARC Review} To This Day: Shane Koyczan

Rating: 9/10
Series: None
Genre: Picture Book, Non-Fiction, Poetry,
Publisher: Annick Press
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Recommended For Fans of: Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher), Falling Into Place (Amy Zhang)
Page Count: 74
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley

Goodreads Synopsis: An authentic rallying cry for anyone who has been affected by bullying.

In February 2013, Shane Koyczan's passionate anti-bullying poem "To This Day" electrified the world. An animated video of the lyric narrative went viral, racking up over 12 million hits to date and inspiring an international movement against bullying in schools. Shane later performed the piece to sustained applause on the stage of the 2013 annual TED Conference.

Now this extraordinary work has been adapted into an equally moving and visually arresting book. Thirty international artists, as diverse as they are talented, have been inspired to create exceptional art to accompany "To This Day." Each page is a vibrant collage of images, colors and words that will resonate powerfully with anyone who has experienced bullying themselves, whether as a victim, observer, or participant.

Born of Shane's own experiences of being bullied as a child, "To This Day" expresses the profound and lasting effect of bullying on an individual, while affirming the strength and inner resources that allow people to move beyond the experience. A heartfelt preface and afterword, along with resources for kids affected by bullying, make this book an invaluable centerpiece of the anti-bullying movement.

Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC from Annick Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Backstory: The first time I heard of this poem was a few months ago when scrolling through one of my friend's Google+ feeds. I had no idea what the video was going to be about, and I was wondering why everyone in the comments was saying, "Wow! This is so deep." I ended up loving the poem and its message, but pretty much forgot about it until I saw it on Netgalley a few days ago. I also want to say that I have never reviewed a picture book before, and haven't read one in a long time, so we'll just see how this goes.

Physical Book Premise 10/10: If you didn't know, Shane Koyczan rallied 30 artist from around the world, and assigned a verse of the poem to each one to illustrate both sides of a page. I think this was an astounding idea, and it feels like To This Day couldn't have been translated into a book any other way. Each and every one of those 30 artist brings their own unique floor to the table, and creates vivid depictions of each verse, and I think it is so cool how each one interpreted their verse.

Title 10/10: As a reader, I will either love or hate a title. In my opinion, To This Day couldn't possibly have had a better title. The phrase means so much to the characters, the story, and the reader. It  stresses the theme of "Everything effects everything." To me, it means that what may have seemed like a minor thing said can effect a person to this day, even if it happened/was said decades ago.

Cover 6/10: How on earth can I talk about a picture book without talking about the cover? I don't know what I expected, but I know that this isn't the cover I was expecting. I'm not saying it isn't a good cover, the idea behind it (the bullies' shadows and the boy standing up for himself) is great. I expected something more.... something more powerful and striking to adorn my shelves with. Over 30 artists worked on this book, and there were a few that I think could have made something closer to what I expected. 

The Introduction 7/10: Shane introduces himself, and then explains how he started writing and what it did for him throughout his childhood. He shares a few statistics and facts about bulling, as well ad what inspired him to write To This Day. The page before his poem starts, Shane explains that everyone is an artist, all they have to do is find their medium to express themselves. This rang so true for me and I think it will resonate with others trying to discover who they are and find their voices.

Plot 8/10: The poem tells three people's stories about bullying, mostly focusing on the overweight narrator who is perpetually teased after causing a full-scale social worker investigation simply because he used two words interchangeably, and then telling us about a girl with a clearly visible birth mark on her face, and a suicidal boy who's dealing with idiots a society that just doesn't understand what he's going through. After introducing the three of them, the rest of the poem proceeds to describe the pain, rejection, and the feeling of being an anomaly that so many young kids have to go through. 

Quotes & Pictures 10/10: AKA the category where I attempt to describe pictures and fail.

"She looks like a wrong answer that someone tried to erase but couldn't quite get the job done." 

When teachers talk about figurative or descriptive language, THIS is what I would like them to show us. I know you guys have to wait until September to see it, but the particular picture on this page is so simple, but powerful. It looks slightly cartoonish, but at the same time, feels like a perfect representation.

"To this day he is a stick of TNT lit from both ends,

could describe to you in detail the way the sky bends in the moments before it's about to fall"

I don't necessarily like the picture on these two pages, but it is powerful and striking, the way it should be for the phrase that resonated the most with me after I read it. There are three funnel tornadoes, and a destructive, fire-breathing creature. It embodies the destructive nature of this verse, and seems almost like a scene you would find in an X-Men movie.

"He remains a conversation piece between people who can't understand

sometimes becoming drug free has less to do with addiction and more to do with sanity."

The verse isn't one of my favorites, because I feel that I have not experienced enough to understand it, but the translation is a wake-up call. There is a larger-than-life orange prescription bottle, filled to the brim with blue and white pills, and on the lid, there is a little boy who hardly looks old enough to take pills, yet alone experience the reasons why he has to take them. Surrounding this bottle, are three grey wolves, trying to make him come down, and more rushing towards him from the next page. The best comparison I can make is Katniss and Peeta on the top of the cornucopia, trying to fend off the mutts.

"This is just debris leftover when we finally decide to smash all the things we used to be

and if you can't see anything beautiful about yourself

get a better mirror"

One of my favorite (I can say this practically about the entire book) pictures in this book is of people in little boats, surrounded by debris, on course to an island with a sleeping giant whose face is full of sorrow. In the left hand corner, there is a figure of a person, similar to a shadow, looking at herself in a mirror as the poem depicts. The entire image is full of rich, vibrant colors, and shading.

"We are graduating members from the class of

WE MADE IT

Not the faded echoes of voices crying out names will never hurt me

of course they did"

My (actual) favorite picture isn't until almost the very end with this verse. A lot of dark colors that give an almost watercolor effect show a scene of a little town framed against mountains. What I love is that this place could be almost any other little town, just like bulling can happen any and everywhere.

The Ending 6/10: This just gives a little more background information on the poem itself (a more professional version of my back stories), and how it has impacted people, with snipets from some of the illustrators about their experiences with bullying. 

Conclusion: The decision to translate this poem to a picture book was risky, but those risks were well-worth it when you see the startling, beautiful, powerful, and painful images adorning these pages. Although I would have liked it if more of Shane's story was told, as well as how to deal with bullying, this picture book is a new favorite of mine and I cannot wait for it to grace my bookshelves.