The Brides of Rollrock Island - Margo Lanagan

Young Adult
Pages: 320
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 11, 2012

On remote Rollrock Island, men go to sea to make their livings—and to catch their wives.

The witch Misskaella knows the way of drawing a girl from the heart of a seal, of luring the beauty out of the beast. And for a price a man may buy himself a lovely sea-wife. He may have and hold and keep her. And he will tell himself that he is her master. But from his first look into those wide, questioning, liquid eyes, he will be just as transformed as she. He will be equally ensnared. And the witch will have her true payment.

This is one of the most uniquely woven and bizarre novels I have ever read. Wonderful in its unusualness, stunning and breathtaking prose come together with one of the most imaginative stories I've encountered. I never felt a sense of where the story was going, I kept being undecided on whether I was enjoying it, specifically during the first half (Miskaella), but it ended up entrapping me in the magic and its fairytale-like atmosphere. I absolutely LOVED it. It was my first Lanagan book and now I understand.

The story is told in only 7 chapters, each one narrated by a new character (with one exception), and takes place along three generations. This was an interesting choice, and made me feel like it was less of a Young Adult book leaning more towards adult. It definitely doesn't fit the YA bill we're used to. The story is dense and darkish, and it gave me a sinking feeling at several points. But this has to be by far one of the most vivid books I've ever experienced. I can picture all the crazy stuff and the seal-wives and the gloomy island and basically every aspect of it. The creativity and execution blew me away.

Yet another YA writer who revels in language. There are writers who are good at writing and then there's certain others that are good at the art of language. Fantasy has never felt more alive than in this book, so I recommend this to any fantasy lover that is willing to experience one of the thickest, lushest and richest stories in YA lit.

Goodreads / Amazon

Something Like Normal - Trish Doller

Young Adult
Pages: 224
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children
Release Date: June 19, 2012

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

I've mentioned quite a few times how much I love male narrators. When the story is told from a male POV, the story instantly becomes more fascinating to me. Sometimes, I secretly think no woman can really write it like a man can. But then I read Hannah Moskowitz and Holly Black and Swati Avashti and now... Trish Doller. Travis' voice was simply Travis' voice, nothing more or less. Being able to see through Travis' eyes has been amazing.

Travis has returned home from Afghanistan and is facing the fact that home is not really home anymore. It doesn't feel welcoming or... normal. 

It's not often that we find stories like this: emotional, raw, but at the same time witty and fresh. And yes, with some delicious sparkles of romance in between. Something Like Normal is the kind of book that sucks you in with its vividness and fun moments, and then gives you understanding, becoming one of your most memorable reads. This book is more than a wonderful debut, and Trish is an author to look out for, she has a talent worth envying.

I loved this book so much. I especially love Travis. He's the type of character we don't read often: flawed yet perfect. The story deals with many issues, like PTSD, but does it without becoming dark or hard to swallow. So this one is light while still being profound. It's the perfect kind of Summer read that's not fluffy at all but will warm your heart. I highly recommend it.

Goodreads / Amazon

Article 5 - Kristen Simmons

Young Adult
Pages: 368
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: January 31, 2012

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

In the midst of the dystopian explosion in YA, this is one of the books that really stand out. Article 5 deals with the possibility of Government gone sour, which is scary, but I can absolutely see the scenario playing out. The eerie realism of the world was bone-chilling.

Kristin Simmons did a great job of laying the world out for us. The book was full of adventure, and one of the reasons it stands out is because of the romance in it. The tension and electricity between the two characters was more than compelling. The twists and turns in the plot were wickedly well placed so that the romance was always hanging from a thread. I also love books when you don't have to "meet" the love interest but rather, they already have a past that they need to deal with.

And most of all, I loved Chase. Ember was our typical naive main character that always takes too long to figure things out and over-analyzes all her "bad" actions, but Chase was mysterious and secretive while still being nice and showing. I simply loved him and I want more and more Chase. Great character development and compelling prose, make this a fabulous debut. I'll be on the lookout not only for the sequel but for anything else Simmons writes. If you can pull off a steamy romance for me while setting up a believable world around it, you can be sure I will read anything you write.

Perfect for dystopian fans and romance geeks. Highly recommended.

Goodreads / Amazon 

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Adult
Pages: 400
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date (Harper edition): July 3, 2006

Eva never really wanted to be a mother - and certainly not the mother of the unlovable boy who murdered seven of his fellow high school students, a cafeteria worker, and a much-adored teacher who tried to befriend him, all two days before his sixteenth birthday. Now, two years later, it is time for her to come to terms with marriage, career, family, parenthood, and Kevin's horrific rampage in a series of startlingly direct correspondences with her estranged husband, Franklin. Uneasy with the sacrifices and social demotion of motherhood from the start, Eva fears that her alarming dislike for her own son may be responsible for driving him so nihilistically off the rails.

Warning: this book is not YA but adult, and it contains very mature and very disturbing content. I do not recommend it for kids or teens.

The books that leave the reader blatantly puzzled as to how on earth anyone could have imagined such a plot are arguably the best ones. And those that leave the bittersweet taste of a terrible, unimaginable, catastrophically awful story told in such a vivid and tangible way, even more so. The voice in this story, Eva's voice, is so powerful that I had to wonder at several points if I was really reading a work of fiction. Sweet mother of books, what an intense and awe-striking story! Put on your big boy pants, hold your heart real tight and be prepared to ask yourself questions that, before this book, you hadn't even remotely considered. Unfathomable.

Yes, I'll admit that the fluffy I-swallowed-a-dictionary writing grew tiresome at times, even if I must admit that it was deeply well written, but at some point, I just gave in and stopped looking up fancy words and I let the story just flow overlooking many of her sophisticated terms. I was helpless, from the moment I started, Eva was nagging me at all times, to keep reading.

I can't even begin to understand the absolute perfection of character development or the magnificent effortless flow of the plot, so I won't attempt to analyze it for you. I'll just say that if anyone does not like this book, it will always have to do with either the subject or the dizzying array of words but never, ever because of its quality of literature. It is a profusely disturbing, haunting, terrifyingly hard story to read, even nauseating at times. I LOVED it and it's probably one of the BEST books I have EVER read. I do not throw that lightly, btw.

Note: As you may know, a film has been made and I can't wait to see it! BUT, and I have reprieved my frustration about this, it will apparently never come to Houston. I found this schedule, so maybe YOU can go watch it and gloat about it while I huddle sobbing on a corner.

Goodreads / Amazon

Wonder - R.J. Palacio

Middle Grade
Pages: 320
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 14, 2012

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

A wonderfully touching and beautiful book for everyone. If I could give every single middle-school-er in the world only one book, I would give them WONDER. The story is about Auggie, the sweetest and bravest character I've read about, who just happens to have a rare birth defect that makes his face look... different.

The strength of the book lays on its boldness and the fact that interactions and occurrences are very, very well thought out and life-like. Painfully cruel realities that the author does not shy away from. Yet it is such a sweet book, even if the story is a hard one, it's covered with a gorgeous 'kindness' blanket that made me love it even more.

The Pullman's (August's family) family dynamics were unbelievably heart-warming. Don't we all wish we had a family like that? I guess it's true though, it takes circumstances like this one to make a family stick so close and be so appreciative and caring. If only we were all like that.

All the characters were three dimensional and fully believable. The story is told from the points of view of several of the kids (August, Summer, Jack, Olivia, Justin, Miranda) and you get a different and eye-opening perspective with each character. Each voice felt different and fitting. Chapters are very short, overall a fairly easy and fast read. And SO, SO worth it. I highly recommend it.

Goodreads / Amazon

Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley

Young Adult
Pages: 272
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 14, 2012

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

I've been waiting to finally post this review for so long! This was my initial reaction upon finishing it: " omgomgomg! LOVE LOVE LOVE! *happy, happy me*" That was my very insightful review on Goodreads until now.

This book captured my heart and made me fall in love with YA for the millionth time, again. Astounding in its characterization, brilliantly developed in its plot, and gorgeously poetic in its writing, Graffiti Moon is the first 2012 book to make it to my all-time favorites (And only two 2011 book managed that). I've been telling everyone I can to read it, because it portrays exactly what I love the most about well done contemporary, with a great I-hate-you-but-I'm-attracted-to-you romance, and breathtaking writing, that apparently one gets from being born in Australia because I can only compare it to Melina Marchetta.

The story is told from alternating point of views from Lucy and Ed. It allows us to know more than they do about what's really going on and it makes the story even more gripping. You're desperately waiting for *the moment* when they'll both know everything we know. It was just perfect. 

The other aspect that I particularly enjoyed in way that no book has ever allowed me to enjoy, was the setting. It made this book more than special for me. I know it's set in Australia and I've never been, but it must look exactly like my city (Caracas, Venezuela) because I felt at home. You can tell it's nothing like America. It was quite unbelievable for me to finally find a book that resembled my teen experience a little. Therefore, the setting was extremely rich and vivid and also very 'artsy' another aspect I adored.

If you love contemporary, if you enjoyed Stephanie Perkins, if you want to peek at how YA should always be written, or all the above... YOU NEED TO READ THIS. <3

Goodreads / Amazon

Under the Never Sky - Veronica Rossi

Young Adult
Pages: 384
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: January 3, 2012

Since she’d been on the outside, she’d survived an Aether storm, she’d had a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Aria lives in a Pod, a very futuristic technology-filled compound. Perry lives Outside, facing cruel tribe-wars and fighting to survive on a day-to-day basis. And they both face their worst nightmares under a dangerous aether sky.

I often have a problem with third person when it comes to dystopia. First person is definitely the best way to read realistic and third is definitely the best way for high fantasy, but dystopia is right there in the middle. I cringed when I saw it was third. And I shamefully admit, I shouldn't have. Because after a rocky and rather slow beginning, it was magic. A full connection to these amazing characters. It's hard to pull away once you fall in love with the characters.

I loved trying to imagine unimaginable things, like the realms, and actually being able to picture them. The world-building was rich and unusual and fulfilling. And the plot was just very well done. The story was simply amazing and engaging and page-turning. That ending! Aahhh.

The title is very ambitious. I loved it when I first heard it, but I doubted it could fit the book. Again, I was wrong. It fits perfectly. I loved how much Rossi played with the weather and how this common civilized-vs-savage conflict was so neatly tackled in a dystopian book. And my biggest weakness (male character) was very, very swoon-worthy.

Definitely an excellent story that ALL YA, specially Divergent fans, should read!

Goodreads / Amazon

What Comes After - Steve Watkins

Young Adult
Pages: 334
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: April 12, 2011

After her veterinarian dad dies, sixteen-year-old Iris Wight must leave her beloved Maine to live on a North Carolina farm with her hardbitten aunt and a cousin she barely knows. Iris, a vegetarian and animal lover, immediately clashes with Aunt Sue, who mistreats the livestock, spends Iris’s small inheritance, and thinks nothing of striking Iris for the smallest offense. Things come to a head when Iris sets two young goats free to save them from slaughter, and an enraged Aunt Sue orders her brutish son, Book, to beat Iris senseless - a horrific act that lands Book and his mother in jail. Sent to live with an offbeat foster family and their "dooking" ferrets, Iris must find a way to take care of the animals back at the farm, even if it means confronting Aunt Sue. Powerful and deeply moving, this compelling novel affirms the redemptive power of animals and the resilience of the human spirit.

I was blown away by the fierceness of this novel. It's hard to find a book as cruel as it is hopeful, especially when reading realistic fiction. Watkins created a wonderfully intricate plot out of several relatively mundane issues. But putting them together worked wonders. I've been reading a lot of books set in farms lately, but the way Watkins made it all come to life, his portrayal of the goats and the routines, were absolutely amazing.

Iris's voice was beyond astonishing. I'm always delighted to find the few gems in YA where the narrator's voice is what stands out the most. And this one was written by a man, so that makes it twice as astonishing. All the characters were deep and layered and exquisitely believable. Even the ones that are meant to be a villain-type figure were incredibly memorable.

Iris was smart and somewhat innocent and you can clearly feel you embarked this awful journey with her because you see her grow and change throughout the story. I have never admired a character the way Iris made me admire her. And there's something that just comes to life when a book has such beautiful writing. Everything just seems more relatable, even when the theme is as dark and hard to swallow as this one.

This is a hard story that shows the tough things in life and how to overcome them. A gorgeous and raw novel about growing up while life throws shit at you from every angle. And how we have the power to suck it up and keep going. This one will stay with me for a very long time. Lastly, if you love animals and have felt that special unspeakable connection one can have with animals, this is a book for you.

Goodreads / Amazon

Waterfall - Lisa T. Bergren

Young Adult
Pages: 384
Publisher: David C. Cook
Release Date: February 1, 2011

Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one.

Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved…

and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know…and love itself.

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds… until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

Every so often there comes a book that surprises you in a way few books have ever done. Indeed I expected it to be good, but... I'm at a loss for words here. This was beyond any expectations. It is absolutely fantastic. There's not a single word I would change and if I could I would force everyone to read it. Everything you might want in a book, you'll find it here. Sword fights, a swoon-worthy knight, humor, friendship, royalty, betrayal, time-travel... This book has serious 'classic' potential. When you give me heart-racing adventure with strong female leader, and you mix it with some delicious romance, you're bound to have a very fan-girly me.

It doesn't even feel like historical at all because the author weaves it in so seamlessly you barely notice. Since Gabi is the narrator and she remembers little of her history, you get to explore and learn with her. Which was really fitting since my knowledge of Italian history is completely null. Gabi's voice was fresh and so easy to relate.

The story captured me from beginning to end and I'm quite certain Waterfall has quickly become one of my favorite books ever. I'm still a bit puzzled as to why it's titled Waterfall though, but I'll let that detail go for now. If you love historical fiction this is a MUST READ for you, and if you don't like historical or have never been able to get into it, or maybe you have just never tried it, I dare you to read this and NOT love it.

Goodreads / Amazon

The Day Before - Lisa Schroeder

Young Adult
Pages: 320
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: June 28, 2011

Amber’s life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself.
Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell he’s also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets.
The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now—he’s living each moment like it’s his last.

Some books are meant to be thought-provoking

Some are meant to steer up emotions

Some are just meant to be entertaining

And some, like this one,

are meant to make you smile, and appreciate.

If you've read Lisa's books,

you know what I'm talking about.

She always creates real characters,

Facing difficult moments

Beautiful stories, written in verse.

So this book is about the important things in life,

the things that really count,

the moments that take your breath away,

the things you love,

that make it all worth it.

And it's SO fitting because

the pleasure I got from reading this

was like the sweetest candy ever

the richest hot cocoa ever

the most beautiful sunset ever.

Goodreads / Amazon

 **Read the story behind The Day Before in Lisa's Guest Post, HERE!

Bumped - Megan Mccafferty

Young Adult
Pages: 336
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Day: April 26, 2011

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.
Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.
Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.
When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common. 

I have absolutely no idea how anyone could have come up with such a twisted, unbelievably freakish and brilliantly awesome concept, so my respects to the author. This is the most unusual dystopia I've ever read, and that's saying something, since most dystopian books are pretty out there.

I totally see how this has gotten such mixed reviews because I was skeptical during the first half of the novel because the jargon or slang used and all the weird technologies are never even explained. The story just launches forward from the first page, never even stopping to explain anything, letting the reader just figure things out. But what with the tiny little chapters and the switching between twins and the whole alluring freakishness of it all, I was physically unable to put down the book.

It was hard for me to take it seriously at first because, come on, Johndoe? Sixteen and pregnant? Long lost twins? And the way they talked! Ha. I swear it was a crazy experience: being so hooked to the book while secretly laughing and shaking my head at the whole thing. But it works. It is brilliant! It has so many concepts and so many messages and so many spot-on complaints of the way the world works. Though yes, it wont be a book for everyone. The obvious highlight of the book is the premise and world built for the story. The characters were okay, but one obviously stood out and for me it was Zen. Loved him!

It has sex language and explicit biological-sexual-related words of course, so it might best suited for older teens. But overall my verdict is that this is seriously (for seriously! lol) one of the most memorable books you will ever read.

Goodreads / Amazon

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi

 Young Adult
Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Day: November 15, 2011

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

I was completely blown away by the writing. When you've read as much as we do, wonderful writing comes along quite often. But this was more than that. This was poignant, thundering, straight-to-your-soul writing. The kind that shakes you up for good.

Filled with disturbing images and even more so with intoxicating sexiness, this debut will have you drooling over its prose. The amount of delicious and gorgeous metaphors the author used had me obsessed with re-reading everything. I kept taking notes and writing down quotes when I have never done that before. Seriously, it was like a perfect blend of Courtney Summers and Lauren Oliver. Courtney's stabbing way of punching you in the gut with her words and Lauren's dazzling dreamy prose that renders you speechless... all mixed into one! Absolutely brilliant.

The plot was kind of bizarre though, and kind of unpredictable in a weird way. When I finished it, I felt I had read two different books, one in the first half of it and one in the second half. It starts off quite mysterious and dystopian-like, and things get a bit more paranormal-like as it goes. I hope this makes sense to someone. I'm sure the second book will be full of surprises, because the ending felt more like a beginning.

As a dystopia-lover, I felt the world building and the chapter endings could have been a lot more shocking. In fact, there's not much world building, they just mention a list of things that have gone awry. We don't really experience much of the outside world, what with Juliette being a menace and being trapped for most of the book and all. But overall, it's a very addicting, unputdownable start to a series and a wonderful debut. I'll be eagerly awaiting book 2!


Some favorite lines:

"Hope is a pocket of possibility"*

"I want to stamp him into my skin and keep him forever"*

"The tips of my fingers and toes are tingling to life and I have to bite back the shiver aching to rock my frame."*

(*These are taken from an uncorrected advance copy and might be different in final book.)

Goodreads / Amazon

Split - Swati Avasthi

Young Adult
Pages: 288
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 9, 2010

Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret.

He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret.

At least so far.

Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. First-time novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split—how do you begin to live again? Readers won’t be able to put this intense page-turner down.

This book is heart-tearing awesomeness. A dark, harsh, raw and powerful story of abuse told from a impeccably done male pov. I barely have words for how much I loved this book. Because it's disturbing and vivid, and almost palpable. Every scene had so much more involved, so much emotion, so many back-conflicts. It's a story about what happens when you survive an abusive home. Very few books deal with the after. After the problem. After it all fell apart. After you got out. It was so hard to read while consciously trying NOT to put myself in Jace's shoes. (Yes, I had an abusive father.) It was very hard to see things through his perspective. Because you can perfectly understand everything that he does, even if you don't want to or don't agree with it.

I've always loved dark realistic fiction, and specially love blunt authors who don't sugarcoat hard issues. This is a dark learning experience that has the potential to stir up feelings you can't even place. The writing was absolutely wonderful and matched the depth and brilliance of the story and characters perfectly. Every single character felt unique and wonderfully multidimensional in an utterly realistic way.

Overall it's an outstanding piece of literature so graphic and well-done, so perfectly thought and developed, and with such a great story to tell that it needs to be widely read.

Goodreads / Amazon(bargained!)

Divergent - Veronica Roth

Young Adult
Pages: 496
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: May 3, 2011

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

OH. MY. GOD.

This was heart-stopping. And heart-racing. And breathtaking. And so freaking intense. And SO THRILLING. And absolutely awesome!

Best dystopia I've read since The Hunger Games. Not kidding.

When I closed the book, I felt I could breathe again. It has the perfect mix of adventure, thrill and sexiness. I'm craving more now! 

It's a story about finding who you are, challenging yourself to commit and facing your worst fears. Identity, survival and resistance. Set in a structured and complex dystopian society where you must chose a path for yourself and commit to it at sixteen. The factions were an incredibly thought-provoking concept. I love a brave and fierce heroine so I loved Tris, and her vulnerability and hesitation makes her even more real. Three-dimensional characters with depth and a plot so incredibly well-done that this might actually be one of the best books this year. Which is a lot to say since there is an outpouring of YA futuristic titles this year. Not that I'm complaining.


A brilliant debut that dystopian fans will devour it in no time. It's fast paced, adrenaline bursting from the pages, and it is absolutely unputdownable! If this is her debut, I will definitely be reading enything Veronica Roth writes.


All I can say is... read it. But be careful, you might catch my obsession because it's contagious...

  

Goodreads / Amazon