{Book Review} Kiss of Broken Glass: Madeline Kuderick

Rating: 77%
Series: None
Genre: Contemporary, Realistic, Poetry, Fiction, Young Adult,
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
Page Count: 224
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

Barnes & Nobles ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: Madeleine Kuderick’s gripping debut is a darkly beautiful and lyrical novel in verse, perfect for fans of Sonya Sones and Laurie Halse Anderson. Kiss of Broken Glass pulses with emotion and lingers long after the last page.

In the next seventy-two hours, Kenna may lose everything—her friends, her freedom, and maybe even herself. One kiss of the blade was all it took to get her sent to the psych ward for seventy-two hours. There she will face her addiction to cutting, though the outcome is far from certain.

When fifteen-year-old Kenna is found cutting herself in the school bathroom, she is sent to a facility for mandatory psychiatric watch. There, Kenna meets other kids like her—her roommate, Donya, who’s there for her fifth time; the birdlike Skylar; and Jag, a boy cute enough to make her forget her problems . . . for a moment.

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Fans of Audacious (Gabrielle Prendergrast), any Ellen Hopkins novel, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Michelle Hodkin)

Background & Backstory

I am a huge fan of novels in verse, so I take the opportunity to read any YA book by multiple authors at any time possible. The reigning queen of novels in verse is Ellen Hopkins, but I always like to see if any novels can compete. Naturally, I wanted to pick up Kiss of Broken Glass. 

Something that took me back when before I started reading Kiss of Broken Glass was the fact that this novel had 225 pages. If you have ever seen, let alone read an Ellen Hopkins novel, you will know they are 500+ pages of thick chunkster. I had no idea if I would even get a story when reading this book because of the free verse and freakishly short page count.

What Was My Reaction After I Finished This Book?

That was incredibly short.... but there was a clear plot.

***I haven't done a quote review in FOREVER***

"The same way an acorn holds a full-grown oak tree inside its tiny shell. 

I want to put it in my pocket.

But what if the idea sprouts?

What if it gets pink and purple with promise but instead of growing strong...is just flops over and dies."

Do you know when you have to put aside your feelings for something in order to enjoy something with similar qualities because you know your enjoyment will be tainted otherwise? That is exactly what I had to do with Kiss of Broken Glass. There is no way I could have judged this book on the same scales as I judge any of Ellen Hopkins novels. Dark subject matter and free verse are the only things the two authors have in common. So, when rating, I judged KoBG as if I had never read another book in verse before.

"I am the shadow that waits in dark places, silent and patient, to follow you home.

I am the tiger that eagerly chases, racing and running, wherever you roam.

I am the hunger that feeds on your madness, biting and clawing, to swallow you whole.

I am the silver that soaks up your sadness, body and spirit and all of your soul."

As usual with books in free verse, the prose was gorgeous and heart-wrenching. While I did not have to whip out the tissues to dab my moistening eyes, I was touched and could relate to many of the quotes in this novel. 

"I don't have any deep, dark secrets. 

My lifes not some riveting novel when you rush through the pages

to get to the end and find out what horrific, repressed memory caused me to cut

The fact is, I've had a pretty ordinary childhood.

So I guess that brings me to the real secret.

I've been cutting for absolutely no reason at all."

You may know this from the synopsis, but this book only covers a short 72 hour period of observation under psychiatric watch. Yet, in that short time, we learn so much about Kenna and the mentality towards cutting. My personal views are that cutting is horrible and shouldn't be done. For one, it hurts. For another, it scars both yourself and other, serving as a permanent reminder - like a tattoo, but worse. Yet, it was fascinating to see how Kenna described it as a fad for the popular and not a horrible act done by those who are depressed. 

"All I want is scalding water to sear down my spine like a hot blade,

to blister my back, to char my chest, to melt me to pieces 

so I can dissolve down the drain; evaporate into steam, and disappear."

Something that obviously could have been better were the relationships Kenna developed with those under psychiatric watch. A hint of a romance was going on between her and a boy she just met. It wasn't even insta-love, it was just like, "You're a boy. You're cute. I'm going to start liking you." There was also this friendship that developed between her and a long-term patient that seemed extremely strong and powerful, but I personally couldn't see where it stemmed from and didn't feel for them.

"So I wedge myself by the window and I watch....

It's like there are two worlds now.

The In Here. And the Out There.

The suspended animation. And the full speed ahead."

My feelings on the ending AGAIN refer back to the length of this novel. Of course the ending wouldn't be closure-giving with how short it was. Yet I wished it had ended differently. I wish I had gotten more time to know Kenna and the other patients. I wish there had been more story and more to know and feel for. 

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

80%
Considering how much I enjoyed the story in comparison to how little the page count was, I will definitely read another book by Madeline Kuderick in the future. 

Conclusion: Concise. Poignant. Beautiful. A snippet of perspective into the misunderstood's head.

{ARC Review} Anatomy of a Misfit: Andrea Portes

Rating: 5/10
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic,
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Page Count: 330
Format: ARC
Source: HarperTeen via Once Upon a Time Bookstore

Barnes & Nobles ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: This emotional, hilarious, devastating, and ultimately triumphant YA debut, based on actual events, recounts one girl’s rejection of her high school’s hierarchy—and her discovery of her true self in the face of tragedy.

Fall’s buzzed-about, in-house favorite.

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?

Anatomy of a Misfit is Mean Girls meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Anika’s hilariously deadpan delivery will appeal to readers for its honesty and depth. The so-sad-it’s-funny high school setting will pull readers in, but when the story’s dark foreboding gradually takes over, the devastating penultimate tragedy hits like a punch to the gut. Readers will ride the highs and lows alongside funny, flawed Anika — from laughter to tears, and everything in between.

Disclaimer: I received this book from HarperTeen via Once Upon a Time Bookstore in Montrose, California in exchange for an honest review.

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Fans of The Truth About Alice (Jennifer Matthieu), 
Fans of the Protagonists from Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver), Falling Into Place (Amy Zhang), Tease Amanda Maciel, Catalyst (Laurie Halse Anderson), Winger (Andrew Smith).

Would I Buy It?
10%

The only way I would buy Anatomy of a Misfit is if it was on a BIG TIME sale, and I felt that the hardcover version was a must-have addition to my bookshelf (aka. an insanely cool texture with the green being matte and the text, floor, and chairs being shiny). 

Background & Backstory

When Maureen (the owner of Once Upon a Time) so generously allowed me to pick out some ARCs I wanted to read, I IMMEDIATELY gravitated towards Anatomy of a Misfit because of all the release-week buzz going on during Tea Time from Epic Reads (HarperTeen's promotional website). There had been so much praise being handed out about the unique, fresh voice in YA literature, quirky protagonist, and insane plot. 

So by the time I saw it on the OUAT's ARC shelf, my mind had pitched the book to itself as, "Andrew Smith meets Before I Fall," which, of course, sounds amazing.

What Was My Reaction After I Finished This Book?

No! It CAN'T end like that. I won't let it! *crosses arms and pouts*

Neutral Element ~ I normally don't like to put restraints on books, whatever they may be. Yet in the case of Anatomy of a Misfit, I feel that it is fair to warn you about how time-sensitive it is. In my honest opinion, you HAVE to be in the mood for a high-school story featuring a popular girl. This is in the same way you feel the urge to pick up a Stephanie Perkins book after a dark, serious, pulse-pounding psychological thriller. Or how you pick up a fantasy book so you can escape our world when going through a rough patch. I was not in the mood AofM, which greatly impacted my reading enjoyment and rating.

Con ~ The Main Character/Perspective 3/10: I had a serious case of, "Should this story be told in the POV of this character?" while reading Anatomy of a Misfit. My best example of this is how Veronica Roth had had a block while writing Divergent because she started off writing from Four's point of view before she settled into Tris. I believe that this story could have been told by multiple characters -similar to Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang- or by an unreliable narrator, such as Cady from We Were Liars. The reason I had these feelings were because Annika seemed too much like a fill-in-the-blank popular girl in YA fiction with the majority of the story told in high school. You may be thinking, "What the heck Sofia! Name three books with that 'type' of character." To answer you, I will reply, "Just look at how many books I have referred to you." 

Annika is deep. 

Annika's life is far from perfect. 

Annika is a troubled soul. 

This is where I will bring up the fact that I didn't understand what people were referring to when they said, "hilariously deadpan delivery will appeal to readers for its honesty and depth." My connection with Annika was so weak, that it was kind of pathetic. I never got a feel for who she was and what she stood for. There was so much tell-and-don't-show going on, as well as a lot of unbelievable aspects of her character. The 3rd most popular girl has never been kissed or gone out on a date. How the heck, in Young Adult Fiction, does that work?

Pro ~ Logan 9/10: Ahhh Logan. The tall, dark, smoking hot nerd, and loner. I never could figure him out, but for once, that aspect of mystery didn't annoy me as a reader. I embraced how little was known about him and the mask that he constantly wore for protection.  He seemed so much like Kurt from The Truth About Alice, and he understood and accepted Annika for who she was. To be honest, she treated him like crap, and that made me root for him all the more. To tell you his fate would be to tell spoil the ending, but I will say that you will love him all the more because of it.  

***This next category could be considered spoilers, but aren't because of what is hinted at in the synopsis is merely confirmed. If you don't want know, continue reading after this category is over***

Con ~ A MC Who Doesn't Have Their Act Together 4/10: I'm sorry I'm making a big fuss over Annika again, but I had to mention this in a separate Con by itself. There is a.... love triangle in this novel, AND there is cheating involved. I have a love-hate relationship with love triangles, and in this particular book's case, it was a hate relationship. I personally felt it was a plot device used by the author to create more conflict.

To be frank, this really peeves me off because of the difference between putting an element into your story because it's needed for flow and consistency versus putting it in because you want certain characters to have friction and clash. 

Cheating is also a subject that a lot of people (myself included) are morally against, especially when a character can't accept the amazing person they have opposed to someone they start getting involved in purely for personal gain and/or status. 

Stealing. Why the frick did Annika have to start steeling from where she worked? As always, the main character justified their actions in order to make them appear not totally unreasonable (yes, I know that's a double negative). Yet why?!? This again comes around to the subject of personal preference, but Annika WAS NOT a martyr who was a symbol of purity for the common good. She lied, cheated, and stole for no reason but her own selfish beliefs.    

Pro ~ Ending/Unpredictability 8/10: I have to hand it to Portes. NOTHING about Anatomy of a Misfit was predictable. Even though AoaM was far from a suspense novel, I had no idea what was going to happen next. There were several random events that came out of the blue, adding more depth to the story. And while I do not want to spoil it for you, I just gotta tell you (I'm sacrificing my grammar, I have to tell you so much) that the ending is heartwrenching. My favorite character has something tragic happen to them and the level of feels were a bit ridiculous at 11:30 at night.

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

50%
I normally would not even consider a book I didn't think very highly of, but as I have continued to blog and write reviews, my mind has learned to compartmentalize the pros and cons in a novel. With that said, I think re-reading Anatomy of a Misfit, having known what will happen, will give me a whole new perspective as well as appreciation for it.

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

75%
While I am not dying to get my hands on another Andrea Portes book, I am sincerely interested with what she chooses to write about next and maybe hearing from a different sort of character. Anatomy of a Misfit had the potential in the Sofia rankings to be a strong debut, just in a "wrong time-wrong place" scenario for my bookish mood.

Conclusion: Unique Voice. Dry Humor. Smoking Hot Guys. Cliff-Hangers. If you like all of those,  as well as a certain type of narrator, this is the book for you.

{Book Review} On the Fence: Kasie West

Rating: 6.75/10
Series: None
Genre: Contemporary, Realistic, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction,
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Page Count: 294
Format: Paperback
Source: Library

Barnes & Nobles ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows—including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she's spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can't solve Charlie's biggest problem: she's falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Fans of light, fluffy, and fun contemporary romance novels
The Distance Between Us: Kasie West ~ Anna and the French Kiss: Stephanie Perkins ~ Since You've Been Gone: Morgan Matson ~ This Song Will Save Your Life: Leila Sales

Would I Buy It?

30%
Because the re-readability isn't very high, neither is the possibility of me purchasing it. While On the Fence was a cute book, I don't think it will go down in history for its storyline. The cover and spine aren't the most appealing, to be displayed on my bookshelf either. 

Background & Backstory

Again, there isn't an elaborate back story to go with this book.... I am SO losing my touch. I did however read The Distance Between Us also by Kasie West which is what made me pick up On the Fence. 

What Was My Reaction After I Finished This Book?

Sequel is needed!

Pro ~ Cameos!!!: On the Fence could be considered a distantly related cousin to The Distance Between Us by Kasie West. In case you are wondering, I have read and guest reviewed TDBU on Divergent Gryffindor's blog, so you can click on this link to learn my thoughts about OtF's relative. It's set in the same town, well actually, the same strip of stores. Even though the book is centered around new characters, we do get cameos from Caymen and (her best friend) Skye which I was so happy about. They were extremely short, but then again, that's what a cameo is.

Con ~ Oblivious Main Character: One of my largest problems and other people's as well was how innocent and oblivious Charlie was when she was thrust into the world of femininity. It was similar to the children's book The Music of the Dolphins by Karen Hesse. The protagonist had been raised by dolphins and had never been into what we consider civilization before. She was fascinated with every unknown element that she came across with a child-like innocence that was completely understandable in the book. On the other hand, Kasie West -at least in my opinion- did not execute Charlie's discoveries with enough believability. I know she's grown up in a family with all boys.... but she's seriously NEVER had to dress up for ANYTHING before?

Pro ~ Incredibly Fast Pace: This is a YA Contemporary novel, which is Sofia-World means I either flew through it or it took me a week to read. In this case, it was the former. I started On the Fence on the walk down the hill from where my dad parked the car. I finished it around 8 at night. If you ask me, 12 hours is record time for being in school with lots of homework. Kasie West's writing  just rolled off your tongue, like chamomile tea infused with honey.... or maybe eyes, since I was reading silently. I was reading around two pages per minute, and loving every moment of it.

"Why do we pretend during the day that this doesn't happen?"

"Because this is like a dream. It doesn't have to be real. It almost feels like we're floating just outside of consciousness and we can say whatever we want, and in the morning, like with dreams, it just slowly melts away."

Con ~ Cliche Plot: Charlie gets introduced to the world of femininity by the summer job her father forces her to take in order to pay off speeding tickets. She is like a lost baby animal and is clueless most of the time. Yet, it is also a time of self-discovery and a personal journey that will prove to herself that she can like makeup and nice clothes, while still being the sporty, athletic girl that she is. She DOES NOT have to compromise one for the other. During this time, she starts "dating" a guy named Evan, but she comprises her integrity and values by changing who she appeared to be when she was around him. Of course, there is also Braden, her long-time friend and neighbor.... and he doesn't stay just that. You can fill in the rest of the information for yourself, it's the plot of a lot of Rom-Coms and movies about adolescent girls coming to terms with who they are and growing up.

Pro ~ Why that wasn't so bad: I had some issues with the plot.... okay looking through my notes, I have A LOT of issues with the plot. The flow of the story was very Disney Chanel-ey, the plot predictable, and done before. Yet what I had to do when reading On the Fence was separate myself from the storyline so I could focus purely on the feelings it gave me. I had to do this because of my harsh judgement of contemporary romance novels that don't have some paranormal, fantastical, or futuristic element to them. With OtF, I had to set aside my requirements and criteria for normal books and accept it for what it was.

Con ~ Forgettable Characters: The characters were a hassle at times too. Charlie was strong and tough, both physically and emotionally, but when she was so easily steered into the wrong direction (changing herself for a guy), I thought she was pretty pathetic. While I did have a sense of who she, Braden, and Gage were.... a lot of the second tier characters got jumbled up in my mind. Charlie is introduced to a lot of girls who she makes friends with, and they help her discover that girls talk about things OTHER than boys and makeup. Yet, for the life of me, I could not tell you the difference between them.

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

20%
I'm pretty certain that I will not be re-reading On the Fence any time soon. It was funny and enjoyable, but there wasn't a gripping story that's making me want to come back for seconds. I can see OtF as the type of comfort-read I would turn to when I needed something happy, but that is the only scenario I can think of,

How Likely Is It That I Will Read Other Contemporary Novels By Kasie West?
80%
I have loved both of Kasie's contemporary novels in the way you can only love contemporary novels. You don't read them for the evangelic zeal of inspiration, or for the non-stop action and adventure. You read them because of the warm, fuzzy bunnies that appear only during young love. On that note, I will most definitely be reading The Fill in Boyfriend when it comes out Summer of 2015.

Conclusion:

What Were Your Thoughts On....?

-The cameos from The Distance Between Us

-The relationship between Charlie and Braden. Are they your new OTP?

-The cliche plot

-Charlie's deer-in-the-headlights reaction to femininity 

-The godawful cover and font

-The meaning behind "On the Fence"

{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?