The Game of Life Isn't Always Fair

Expected Publication:  August 1st, 2013
Canary
By: Rachele Alpine
Medallion Press
ISBN-13:  9781605425870

Staying quiet will destroy her, but speaking up will destroy everyone.

Kate Franklin’s life changes for the better when her dad lands a job at Beacon Prep, an elite private school with one of the best basketball teams in the state. She begins to date a player on the team and quickly gets caught up in a world of idolatry and entitlement, learning that there are perks to being an athlete.

But those perks also come with a price. Another player takes his power too far and Kate is assaulted at a party. Although she knows she should speak out, her dad’s vehemently against it and so, like a canary sent into a mine to test toxicity levels and protect miners, Kate alone breathes the poisonous secrets to protect her dad and the team. The world that Kate was once welcomed into is now her worst enemy, and she must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes.

Canary is told in a mix of prose and verse.

Review

 

     Kate is desperate to keep her family together, but since her Mom died they've drifted dangerously apart from each other.  So when her Dad gets a new job coaching basketball at privileged Beacon Prep, she is more than happy to start school there.  Especially since it means she gets to leave behind all the 'friends' who deserted her when her Mom got sick with cancer.  Her brother Brett is angry and withdraws even more, especially when Kate starts hanging out with the popular kids who make fun of him all the time.  Enjoying the all of the perks that come with having a basketball God for a boyfriend, when things start to go downhill Kate starts to have serious doubts about who her real friends are and who's even worth her time.  When Kate is assaulted and tries to speak out, she needs to decided whether or not to let herself be silenced, or to speak the truth and maybe begin healing all the poisonous hurts in her life.  Will Kate be forced to choose between herself and her Dad before all is said and done?

     This book was really powerful.  At the beginning, Kate is a typical teenager worried about the shallow things in life.  She's focused on her appearance, popularity, getting a boyfriend and surviving high school.  But as the book moves forward, we get to see her changes as she matures.  The blog posts in a combination of prose and verse were a really nice touch and added an extra element of reality to the book for me personally.  When I was a teen, I wrote poetry constantly to express myself and I know that a lot of teens still do.  A poem can be a life-changing event.  As things go from bad to worse with the basketball boys and the popular girls, readers get to see Kate taking a stand for things she believes in (especially when they all attempt to cheat off of her homework) but letting things go too (like when they make fun of her brother Brett and his girlfriend Julia).  The decision that Brett makes to go into the military and the backstory/thoughts from when their Mom was sick, and how this all affected Kate definitely makes her more relatable.  I could see how after all that personal pain she'd be so mixed up about what her values were and what she wanted.  The way she handles the assault is realistic, but still portrays her as a strong girl who is willing to stand up for herself. 

     I liked that the author managed to show the Father's road back to his daughter from the major disconnect he's been in, without vilifying him to the readers.  When all is said and done, you are sure of the fact that he's a human being, albeit one who made some VERY huge mistakes.  All of the interactions with her boyfriend (who abandons Kate in favor of the team) and the girls who were her friends, but start bullying her after the assault were pretty realistic to how entitled/spoiled teens seem to react to things they see as threats to their freedom or way of thinking.  My only complaint would be the way Kate made excuses for Josh's douchebag/borderline abusive behavior for most of the book.  But I know it happens all the time in reality which makes me sad.  The ending was definitely in keeping with the overall, never-give-up strength and attitude of the rest of the book.  All in all I enjoyed it a lot, even when it was breaking my heart into tiny pieces.  A very emotional and gripping book that I would recommend to teens who like books dealing with real issues, reluctant readers, teachers and librarians.  Or anyone wanting a great book! :)

 

VERDICT:  4.75/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It will be available for purchase on August 1st, 2013.*

Revel In The Night

Expected Publication:  June 18th, 2013
Defy the Dark
Edited By: Saundra Mitchell
HarperTeen
ISBN-13:  9780062123541

Defy the Dark, an all-new anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell. Coming Summer 2013 from HarperTeen!

It features 16 stories by critically-acclaimed and bestselling YA authors as they explore things that can only happen in the dark. Authors include Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Hawkins, Carrie Ryan, Aprilynne Pike, Malinda Lo, Courtney Summers, Beth Revis, Sarah Ockler, and more.

Contemporary, genre, these stories will explore every corner of our world- and so many others. What will be the final story that defies the dark? Who will the author be?

Review

 

     The whole idea of this anthology is to explore things that happen in the dark and the ways they change us as people.  I first decided to pick up this book because I have read full length novels by most of these authors and enjoyed their writing styles/plots.  I was particularly excited about the stories written by Malinda Lo, Beth Revis, Saundra Mitchell and Sarah Ockler.  There were some really good stories and some really weird, on the fence ones.  I'm going to give a story by story breakdown, but they'll each be short as I am loathe to give anything away.  I will say that overall it was an interesting anthology, so far I still haven't read an anthology that I've loved completely.

 

Sleepstalk by Courtney Summers

 

- From what I managed to figure out, this was a story about a girl obsessed with a boy who doesn't feel the same.  She stands outside his house every night debating whether or not to throw a rock through his window.  This was more contemporary than paranormal (unlike most of the other stories) and in so short of a story, the girl came across completely crazy to me and not at all likeable or relatable.  Definitely my one of my least favorite stories in the anthology. VERDICT: 1.5/5 Stars

 

Nature by Aprilynne Pike

 

- This story had the spark for me that I wished Bumped by Megan McCafferty would have had.  I like the premise, a dystopian world where people are separated into the educated and the menial laborers.  Nature versus Nurture, a very old debate.  Only your test scores and your physical characteristics can decide which one you are.  And the latter can outweigh the first so easily.  The main character is on one track and gets thrust in the opposite direction after a routine physical.  This broke my heart, but I could honestly see it happening.  Scary, but really good and I would love to read this as a full-length novel! :)  VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

 

The Dark Side of the Moon by Dia Reeves

 

- To be completely honest, I was bored straight out of the gate with this one.  I could tell it was a sort of dystopian universe or something, but it started out so trite.  Girl and boy are in love, but sneaking around because her Mom and Dad won't approve (he's wrong side of the tracks).  There was a paranormal element to it, but it just never struck a chord with me.  VERDICT: 1/5 Stars

 

Ghost Town by Malinda Lo

 

- I really enjoyed this story and while I didn't love it, I think I could have if there had been more time with the characters developing the plot.  I did love that it wasn't the typical thing, but at the same time I enjoyed the whole cliché of new girl Ty being lured to 'explore' a haunted house by mean girl McKenzie.  The ending was different from what I expected and I can honestly say I really enjoyed this one. 

My only complaint is it started to seem repetitive closer to the end.  VERDICT: 3.75/5 Stars

 

Eyes In The Dark by Rachel Hawkins

 

- This story was a lot like those really weird urban legends that everyone believes.  Like what happens when the guy gets out of the car to explore the mysterious noise and the girl finds his corpse hanging from a tree or something.  There was a little bit more to this one, with the girl expecting to cheat on her boyfriend and ending up in creepy, deadly situation.  Gave me chills, but was really undeveloped and simplistic for my tastes.  VERDICT: 3.5/5 Stars

 

Stillwater by Valerie Kemp

 

- Possibly one of my favorite stories in the whole anthology (by an author I've never even heard of before), it is set in a small southern town where nothing ever changes - until a boy and girl whose families have been feuding for generations manage to look past the fog and actually see each other.  Can they escape the madness embraced by the rest of the town?  I liked that it had a contemporary setting, but an element of magic/random paranormal events to its plot.  Also, I really liked the main characters and got invested in their fates.  This was some powerful writing and I'll definitely be looking this author up.  VERDICT: 5/5 Stars

 

I Gave You My Love By The Light Of The Moon by Sarah Rees Brennan

 

- Berthe is just an average teenage girl, but when she's bit by something on a hiking trip her life changes drastically.  With the help of Stephen, will she be able to keep living her life like always?  I liked the growth of the relationship between Berthe and Stephen.  I thought though, that it was kind of bittersweet and unrealistically drawn.  But I honestly liked this a lot more than the actual full length books I've read by Rees Brennan.  She's a great character writer, and that really shines through in this piece.  VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

 

Night Swimming by Beth Revis

 

- This was a short story set in the same universe as Revis' Across the Universe series.  It was distinctively different from the others in the collection, being the only one with any real sci-fi elements to it.  I wanted to love it, seeing how I'm a gigantic fan of her series. But I spent the whole story unsure of who the narrator was and that ruined it for me.  It had no true emotional impact, because I didn't know who I was supposed to be feeling sorry for.  I did like having a peek into Elder, Harley, Kayleigh and Orion's past before Amy entered into their lives.  VERDICT: 3/5 Stars

 

Almost Normal by Carrie Ryan

 

- Something about the hopefulness and youthful feeling of invincibility on the part of the main characters endeared this one to me.  The zombies are closing in, so a group of teenage friends decides to spend one last night being free at the amusement park.  Things go horrifically wrong.  I have never read Ryan's zombie series, Forest of Hands and Teeth, but I felt like this short story was a part of that universe.  That said, it was easy to immerse myself into it and get completely terrified.  I did want to shout at the kids about their stupidity, just like when you watch a horror movie and can see the killer behind the victim!  Interesting, but in this case the lack of resolution wasn't a good thing for me as a curious reader.  VERDICT: 3.75/5 Stars

 

There's Nowhere Else by Jon Skovron

 

- Basically a twist on the downtrodden hero, where Sebastian's Mom has an abusive boyfriend and refuses to leave him.  At night when he dreams, Sebastian becomes other people - literally.  And the things he does as other people have very real consequences.  With a power like his, soon he'll have a choice to make.  Good versus evil, what will Sebastian choose?  The random entry of an entity that almost reminded me of Loki (only super evil) and another entity who was basically a voodoo priest made up the interesting parts of this story.  Honestly, felt mediocre about this one.  Could take it or leave it.  VERDICT: 3/5 Stars

 

Naughty or Nice by Myra McEntire

 

- Bex is on a school trip to Bavaria with her best friend Henry.  Things start to go awry when a local legend of a killer in a guise resembling Santa Clause throw them into terrifying circumstances.  Will they make it home alive?  This was so creative! :)  I absolutely loved the premise and the execution had the right amount of sass, mystery, legend and spine-tingling creepiness.  Probably tied with Stillwater for my fave story in the book!  VERDICT: 5/5 Stars

 

Shadowed by Christine Johnson

- The second out of two stories that I completely had no interest in, over the course of reading the anthology.  Princess Esme is cursed and must keep in the shadows, away from the light.  Longing to be free, maybe the handsome Knight Rylan can help her escape her tower.  Not at ALL in keeping with the rest of the anthology, which seems to be made up of contemporary or futuristic dystopian stories.  This was a jarring addition, that felt to me like it didn't fit at all.  I was not paying any real attention and was glad when it was over.  Maybe if it had been in a different anthology I would have liked it.  VERDICT: 1/5 Stars

Now Bid Time Return by Saundra Mitchell

- Dacey enters a contest and wins the trip of a lifetime, to the Scandinavian part of Europe to photograph the Northern Lights for a week.  When her pictures all have the same mark/defect on them, she thinks her camera is faulty.  But there might be another more supernatural explanation, by the name of Kristian.  The imagery, plot and romance in this one were absolutely gorgeous!  I loved that it was part ghost story and part alternate dimension/time travel interlude.  It was wonderful and while I am a romantic at heart, it still had my eyes rolling slightly at the tooth achingly sweet ending.  Still one of my top stories in the anthology for sure.  VERDICT: 4.5/5 Stars

The Moth and The Spider by Sarah Ockler

- Very different from everything else I have ever read by Sarah Ockler, but definitely intriguing.  As always she has a way with words and I enjoyed the machinations of the main character, Cali.  Felt like there was something missing, but overall it grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go.  Another good piece of writing from one of my favorite authors.  VERDICT: 3.75/5 Stars

Where the Light Is by Jackson Pearce

- Born a miner, die a miner.  Or at least that's what Will thinks his fate is until he meets Ennor, one of the Knockers, a creature living in the mines with the power to create cave-ins.  The power to control a miner's very fate.  Will they be able to bridge the gap between their worlds, or will they both combust from a lethal encounter?  An interesting and more literal take on the theme of darkness and I enjoyed the folklore feeling that the myth of the Knockers created for the story.  It was very American to me, in that everything has to have it's own origin story.  I liked it, but felt that the romantic interest between Ennor and Will was entirely unnecessary.  VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

This Was Ophelia by Tessa Gratton

- Ophelia wishes she'd been born as a man and lives like one, in the time of Prohibition.  She meets and falls in love with privileged Halden King.  The only trouble is, he thought he was falling in love with another man.  And he may not want Ophelia romantically once he knows she's a woman.  She wants freedom and Halden, but he wants a different kind of love.  Will they stay together?  Ophelia in this was portrayed definitely as a stronger woman than in the original play...but the point is that she doesn't even really view herself as a woman.  I did like the premise, but at the same time thought it was kind of dated in its execution.  Thoroughly original idea though.  VERDICT: 3.5/5 Stars

OVERALL AVERAGE VERDICT:  4.56/5 Stars, Overall it was a very good collection and I would highly recommend it to fans of these individual authors and fans of scary stories or stories with paranormal elements at the foundation. 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It became available for purchase on June 18th, 2013.*

Standing With the Ghost Of You...

Published:  February 12th, 2013
Notes From Ghost Town
By: Kate Ellison
Egmont USA
ISBN-13:  9781606842645

They say first love never dies...

From critically acclaimed author Kate Ellison comes a heartbreaking mystery of mental illness, unspoken love, and murder. When sixteen-year-old artist Olivia Tithe is visited by the ghost of her first love, Lucas Stern, it’s only through scattered images and notes left behind that she can unravel the mystery of his death.

There’s a catch: Olivia has gone colorblind, and there’s a good chance she’s losing her mind completely—just like her mother did. How else to explain seeing (and falling in love all over again with) someone who isn’t really there?

With the murder trial looming just nine days away, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful. It’s the only way she can save herself.

Review

 

     Olivia Tithe is back at home living with her Dad and his new girlfriend, waiting for her Mom's murder trial, and taking crazy chances out of desperation.  It all started the year before when she was visiting from art school in Michigan, and her friend Stern kissed her.  Unable to tell him how she felt, Olivia let him go, thinking she's have more chances.  But then she went colorblind and Stern was murdered - supposedly by her schizophrenic Mom, who is now awaiting trial in jail.  When the ghost of Stern starts visiting her and trying to tell Olivia that her Mom is innocent, she is afraid she's developing schizophrenia like her Mom.  Slowly she starts to believe that Stern really has returned, and that maybe there's a good chance that her Mom didn't kill him after all.  But if her Mom is innocent, who killed Stern and why would they frame her for it?  And with Olivia digging into the possibilities, this person will do anything to stop their secret from being uncovered.  Can she save her Mom from a horrible fate, help Stern move on, learn to let another boy into her heart and accept her new, imperfect family they way it is?

      Liv is a wonderful character with so much development that she blew my mind over the course of the book.  It pained me to see her on a path of self-destruction, but at the same time I was walking it so closely with her that I totally understood it from her perspective.  The interactions with Austin, the maybe, not-so-jackass rich boy and Stern, her dead first love are phenomenal.  My only complaint would be the tried and true plot twist used to explain why Austin suddenly expresses interest in Olivia.  I mean, really? There wasn't a more original idea waiting in the wings to even that bump out a little bit?  Olivia's Mom was Stern's piano teacher for most of their lives and he had been practicing for an audition at Julliard religiously.  But with Liv's Mom being schizophrenic and off of her meds, no one questions whether or not she really killed him.  I liked the deeper characterization of Liv's Dad and his new girlfriend Heather, who the author made believably likeable, instead of going the cliché, distant, soon to be step-wench route.  The journey to find a way to the truth of Stern's murder and the overlying plot with her colorblindness were so well woven that I found myself rooting for her to gain her sense of self back, even early on when I barely knew her.  The identity of the murderer was kept in pretty good suspense for most of the book, with some clues scattered throughout but I really didn't start putting it together until about halfway through.  Also, the resolution of the story with Olivia's Mom is pretty realistic and not happy-go-lucky like a lot of authors might have chosen.  Like I said previously, the unnecessary vilifying of Austin was the only thing that threw me off track and kind of made me pissed off by a reader.  Overall, this novel was a bittersweet, beautiful story of family, friendship, first love, coming of age and learning to let go of the past for the sake of the future.  I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves mysteries family-oriented stories and romance. 

 

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published February 12th, 2013.*

Kissed By a Cowpoke Angel

Expected Publication:  August 20th, 2013
My Totally Awkward Supernatural Crush
By: Laura Toffler-Corrie
Roaring Brook Press
ISBN-13:  9781596437333

Jenna Bloom is just an average middle school student until her family takes her to her least favorite restaurant for her birthday, where she meets Cowpoke Luke, her waiter and one true love. Oh, and he also happens to be an angel. Jenna can't believe that Luke could actually be interested in her, and yet he is! Unfortunately he's got a demonic foe named Adam who could potentially complicate matters, and when the two boys have a big showdown at the local community theater's performance of Fiddler on the Roof, Jenna is right in the middle of it all.

Review

 

     Jenna Bloom is having the worst fourteenth birthday ever.  Instead of having the beautiful, sophisticated dinner she wanted, Jenna is stuck at the steak-house (her least favorite restaurant) with her parents and brother for her birthday - as well as the annoying neighbor boy who won't leave her alone!  So when a hot guy named Luke turns out to be their server things are looking up.  But when Jenna's Mom gives her a truly ugly heirloom necklace as a present, Luke starts acting really weird around her.  Then his archrival Adam shows up and Jenna learns that there really are such things as angels and demons - and they both have different agendas involving Jenna's futures.  When the boys crash the local production of Fiddler on the Roof that Jenna is part of, hilarity and shenanigans ensue.  Throw in the holy terror that Jenna babysits, David, and you have the makings of a supernatural battle to the death.  But who will win, Adam or Luke?  Also, which boy has stolen Jenna's heart? 

     This book is obviously a parody of all the supernatural, young-adult romances and this is made clear from the very beginning.  Jenna is cute, but reads very young.  I did appreciate the non-wavering attitude towards romance on her part.  Even with this book being a parody, there is nothing more annoying than an unnecessary love triangle.  The whole thing with her necklace being the magical key to Adam (the demon) being able to stay on Earth permanently and wreak havoc was such a stock supernatural plot that it made me laugh.  My favorite character through was David, the bratty kid that Jenna babysits for so that she'll have money for clothes that weren't bought in bulk by her Mom.  He was always finding a way to make Jenna's life difficult, but they had a relationship more brother/sister-like than she did with her actual brother.  In particular the part involving him near the end, during the performance of Fiddler on the Roof had me dying laughing!  Obviously there wasn't much character development and the plot wasn't super in depth either.  I found myself wondering what the point was a few times, as the plot wandered aimlessly in circles for a good chunk of time in the middle of the book.  The conclusion was trite and overdone.  I found it slightly funny (for the fact that in ways it reminded me of the stupidity of Twilight) but saw it coming a mile away.  It was like reading a book form of Scary Movie, only a helluva lot more clean and tween friendly.  Overall, a cute read and if you can deal with obvious parody, and serious plot holes (that was probably intentional) you might enjoy this one for what it is: pure fluff!

 

VERDICT:  2.75/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It became available for purchase on August 20th, 2013.*

Fall From Your Tower, See If I Care

Expected Publication:  May 14th, 2013
Towering (Kendra Chronicles # 3)
By: Alex Flinn
HarperTeen
ISBN-13:  9780062024176

At first, I merely saw his face, his hands on the window ledge. Then, his whole body as he swung himself through the window. Only I could not see what he swung on.
Until, one day, I told my dream self to look down. And it was then that I saw. He had climbed on a rope. I knew without asking that the rope had been one of my own tying.

Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now.

Review

 

     Just a disclaimer: It used to be that whenever Alex Flinn wrote a book, I absolutely loved it because it was well-written, original and an overall great read.  Lately, this seems to no longer be the case.  I was excited about this one because I love anything to do with Rapunzel and was interested to see how the author would modernize it.  I should have known that with the Kendra Chronicles label slapped on it (even though it has NOTHING TO DO WITH KENDRA.  LIKE AT ALL!) that this book wasn't a good usage of my time.  The alternating points of view were jarring and made the plot (what little of it there was) drag itself out even further than it ever should have.  Rachel literally had no interesting thoughts and Wyatt was all 'woe is me' for the entirety of the book - even after he falls into insta-love with Rachel.  Speaking of which, I'm sorry but it was stupidity not romance that led them to declare their love after barely even knowing each other's names.  That sort of thing makes me sick to my stomach.  Rapunzel's tears have healing powers?  She's the savior to people enslaved by these evil brothers using them to farm this addictive, LSD drug leaf?  WTF???!!!  I definitely wasn't expecting a plot twist like that one!  The inter-connected subplot with Danielle's disappearance and the identity of Rachel's dead Mother and the "Mama" who keeps her locked up was insultingly obvious and made me roll my eyes in more than one instance.  Yes, the author managed to make Rachel's voice and actions authentic to her way of life (no knowledge of the modern world and only dead authors for company) and I did like that she doesn't just blindly follow "Mama", even before Wyatt comes along to 'rescue' her.  The thought of the tower existing and no one other than Wyatt finding it seemed overly far-fetched to me as a reader.  Maybe i'm just hypercritical, but I really did want to love this book.  And other than some nice prose passages, I could honestly take it or leave it (with the emphasis on leaving it).  When the drug plot popped up, this book went bat-shit insane in my opinion and for some it may be in a good way, but not for me.  I don't think that after this I'll be reading anymore fairy tales by Alex Flinn.  I don't think my heart could take four disappointing books in a row.  Maybe for a younger audience who could suspend their disbelief I would recommend this one.  But for those who prefer a little more believability in a modernization, try reading Rapunzel Untangled By Cindy C. Bennett.  Not perfect, but the better attempt at a modern Rapunzel in my opinion.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via Edelweiss. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is May 14th, 2013.*

Wild At Heart

Expected Publication:  May 28th, 2013
Wild Awake
By: Hilary T. Smith
Katherine Tegen Books
ISBN-13:  9780062184689

Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:

1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.

Things that actually happen:

1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*
*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.

Review

 

     Kiri Byrd is spending the summer alone at home, while her parents are away on their anniversary cruise and her older brother Denny stays at school for extra classes.  She counts on hanging out with her best friend Lukas and finally making him see her as more than just a friend.  Kiri expects to practice almost every waking second for the piano showcase that is supposed to change her life and secure her future - all while winning Battle of the Bands with Lukas and getting the acclaim they deserve.  She doesn't expect for things to come crashing down with just one phone call: it come from someone named Doug telling her to come pick up her dead sister Sukey's stuff before her old building is torn down for good.  After suppressing the pain and anger at her parents for Sukey's death, Kiri begins to break - especially once she learns that Sukey's death was no accident after all.  Can Kiri pick up the pieces with the help of an unusual new friend named Skunk, and turn her life into something worth living again?  Or will she let grief consume her until there's nothing left? 
     This book was about the pain of family, losing someone you love, growing up and falling in love for the first time.  Most of all, it was about learning to accept and express feelings, even negative ones, for what they are.  Kiri spends most of the book trying to numb herself with weed and alcohol, hoping to forget everything that's wrong with her life.  Kiri starts the novel as someone with no self-worth, who is living for other people.  I absolutely loved the way she grows and changes, but the best thing for me was relationship with Skunk, the guy who fixes her bike when she's in the city getting Sukey's things.  He is obviously in a bad place as well and the way they connect to each other is sweet and her acceptance of his crazy, messy existence speaks volumes for Kiri and the woman she's becoming.  I felt like the open ended way this book resolved went with the almost aimless wandering of the plot.  It wasn't meant to change the world, just to tell the story of Kiri Byrd and her dysfunctional family, trapped in their grief and trying to make their way out of it.  This reminded me a lot of a Sarah Dessen or Simone Elkeles book and the prose was beautiful.  The one thing that irked me was how little time was spent with the musical side of Kiri's life (except to show how badly she was screwing it up), when she's basically described as a prodigy.  It just felt like background noise to me, put there to fill in some vague character details.  Overall, an interesting and well written novel, but something was always keeping me from connecting to it with that last little thread.  Worth a read for anyone who enjoys contemporary YA fiction, with major family issues and some romance mixed in for good measure.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It became available for purchase on May 28th, 2013.*

Might As Well Go Eat Brains

Published:  July 3rd, 2012
Even White Trash Zombies Get The Blues (White Trash Zombie # 2)
By: Diana Rowland
DAW
ISBN-13:  9780756407506

Angel Crawford is finally starting to get used to life as a brain-eating zombie, but her problems are far from over. Her felony record is coming back to haunt her, more zombie hunters are popping up, and she’s beginning to wonder if her hunky cop-boyfriend is involved with the zombie mafia. Yeah, that’s right—the zombie mafia.

Throw in a secret lab and a lot of conspiracy, and Angel’s going to need all of her brainpower—and maybe a brain smoothie as well—in order to get through it without falling apart.

Review

 

     The first book in this series, My Life As a White Trash Zombie, was one of my favorites of 2011.  I thought it was smart, had great characters and more emotion than a lot of other books I'd read - and that's saying a lot seeing as how I usually avoid books with zombies in them!  So when I realized that the sequel had been released, I definitely wanted to read it and see how our favorite white trash, zombie felon, Angel Crawford, was doing.  The book starts off a little bit slow, with Angel still adjusting to her Dad's attempts at getting sober, her own steady work at the morgue and dating her cop boyfriend - oh yeah, and being a zombie who eats brain smoothies for a snack!  Just when she thinks her life can't get any more complicated, Angel is forced by the terms of her probation to get her GED within a certain time-frame...or else.  And then a body is stolen from the morgue at gunpoint and on Angel's watch no less.  Determined to find out what's going on, Angel is led down a trail involving the zombie mafia, men who die twice and odd government experiments on the living dead.  Add in the fights with her boyfriend and there's never a dull moment for Angel.  But can she make it away from a truly psychotic and dangerous enemy with her undead life intact?  Or will she end up rotting away for good? 

    I liked how confident Angel became over the course of this book.  In the first book she basically values herself at '0' and it's pretty obvious she thinks she's dumb, trailer trash.  In this one, the first thing I noticed was when her boyfriend Marcus began coddling her and ignoring Angel's opinions completely, she called him on his shit and told him it was going to over if he didn't change.  The idea of Angel solving crimes was interesting, but I felt like where the first book was mostly uncharted territory, this one fell into a cozy mystery mold - only with triple the swearing, violence and sex due to the zombie presence.  My favorite scene in the book was after Angel and Marcus separated, and she was sitting in the dinner eating comfort food.  The plot about the experimentation and dead man who died twice was definitely confusing, but in a good way.  It kept me guessing the entire time as to what was really going on.  Overall, it wasn't as funny or innovative to me as the first book but for a second series book, it held up extremely well and I'd highly recommend it to fans of the first.  I'd recommend this to anyone who is hesitant about zombie tropes and wants something interesting and very different! :)

 

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

 

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**