What Does Summer Even Have to Do With This?

Expected Publication:  March 1st, 2014

The Summer I Found You

By: Jolene Perry

Albert Whitman & Company

ISBN-13:  9780807583692

 

All they have in common is that they're less than perfect.  And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.

 

Kate's dream boyfriend just broke up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.  Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school.  Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life.  When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached.  But could they be right for each other after all?

 

Review

 

     I have never read a book by Jolene Perry before and the cover on this one was absolutely gorgeous.  As such I should have known better, but it's not the first time I've been falsely drawn in by beautiful cover art (I'm sure it won't be the last either).  Plus, the synopsis sounded like it would be along the lines of one of my fave teen novels of the last couple years, Something Like Normal by Trish Doller.  Yeah, I didn't get that lucky AT ALL.  I didn't really mind it so much when Perry was in Aidan's POV, because as much as he was being an asshole with major issues, he was still trying to deal with his issues.  Kate's solution to everything is to ignore it and hope it goes away.  Whereas Aidan is learning to adjust to life without his arm, Kate is learning how to eat as unsafely as possible without passing out, or being sent to the hospital.  And also how to hide her disease from the rest of the world, even when it puts her in danger.

    Don't get me wrong, even with the questionable continuity errors in the spelling of Aidan/Aiden's name, the truly horrible lack of punctuation (my senior year, high school English teacher Mrs. Martin would be at turns amused and horrified by it - want a great example, look at the synopsis i.e. disaster) or the fact that both Aidan and Kate come across as smug, generic assholes who only care about themselves, there was something that redeemed it for me slightly.  That something was the interactions between Kate and Aidan, in their snarky, teenage glory.  Probably some of the best parts of the book.  At least until Kate ruined that too, by hiding her diabetes from Aidan and almost dying because she went into insulin shock and Aidan had no clue what was happening!!!  Also, she spends her time afterwards pouting and trying to manipulate him into not being mad at her/breaking up with her, by utilizing her "poor me" shtick.  It threw any redeeming facet of her character down the toilet for me.  The fact that Aidan took her back, even with how atrociously she treated him, made me pity his lack of self-respect.  Kate does a 180 at the end of the book.  Not because she doesn't want to DIE OR SOMETHING, but (mostly) because she doesn't want to lose her new boyfriend!  WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK???!!!  Oh and on another unrelated note, what does summer have to do with this book?  NOTHING.  It all happens during the school year, Kate and her best friend Jen's (Aidan's cousin) senior year to be precise.

     Due to the fact that Kate's immature behavior was probably somewhat realistic, I liked the development of Aidan's character, and the humorous bits I give this a two star rating.  She spends the entire book pining after some utter douchebag who at the end she still considers a 'good friend' - even though he treats Kate like complete shit.  Overall though, I wouldn't recommend it unless you're a fan of books where you spend the whole time you're reading wishing you could reach in and bitch-slap the main characters!  Not the book for me quite obviously.  Which is unfortunate, as I really went in wanting to enjoy it.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, Albert Whitman & Company, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is March 1st, 2014.*

Snatched Up By POD People

Published: June 4th, 2013
PODs (Pods # 1)
By: Michelle Pickett
Spencer Hill Press
ISBN-13:  9781937053284

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

 Review

 

     Eva is sixteen and just wants to live in peace with her parents and maybe grow up to do something that makes her happy.  But than an unknown virus starts breaking out across the country and the government takes action that will changer her life forever.  Unsure how the virus is even transmitted, the government decides to have a lottery to decide who will live protected for a year in underground PODs, that will support life and keep them safe.  But is the lottery really fair?  Eva is chosen and goes into her POD not knowing what to expect.  A year later when she comes out, she's in love with David and ready to start a new life in a society different from what she left behind.  The virus may not be destroyed like they thought, and when things take a turn for the worst Eva and David may be forced to retreat into the PODs once again for safety.  Can they make it long enough for a cure to be found or will they be killed by the infected who are hunting them relentlessly?

     This book is scary in way that I haven't felt since watching that movie Contagion a few years ago.  How easily this could actually happen in the reality of the world we live in makes it downright terrifying to me!  And to be honest, as horrible as it was that the government only chose people between ages 12-24 for the POD lottery, it made sense on a certain level.  They needed people young enough and healthy enough to survive and rebuild a broken society.  They needed to be able to be taught and molded into certain career/societal roles and they also needed to be self-sufficient and not dependent on an adult for survival.  With only 70,000 spots in the PODs, it makes sense.  But it would still be extremely agonizing to know that everyone you left behind is almost assuredly dead and they died in a painful way.
     Eva is a strong, admirable girl but she is unsure how she can make it without her parents.  Living with 10 strangers for a year isn't her idea of fun, but somehow they start to get close to each other and make their own family.  Especially after delivering her fellow POD survivor's baby and falling in love with another PODmate, David.  But when the doors open a year and a half later and they are all separated into different 'village' assignments, Eva and the others have no real hope of seeing each other again.  The relationships between all of them were really realistic, not perfect because they were all basically scared teenagers.  But they managed to prop each other up and survive for their time in the PODs.  Also, other people are complaining about insta-love between David and Eva, but to me it just seemed like instant attraction.  The will-they/won't-they dynamic and their attempts to 'protect' each other DID start to annoy me.  But the romances in this book were very sweet and had some great chemistry.  I won't tell you what happens after they leave the PODs, but this book was full of action, romance and truly great character interactions and growing maturity on the part of Eva especially.  It was a wonderful book and one of the best I've read so far this year.  It could stand alone, so I'm interested to see if the next one is a sequel or a companion novel.  I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great dystopian read, and happening to be sick of the same old stories.

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. This book was published June 4th, 2013.*

Jessie Pearl Is More Than Just a Pretty Girl



Published: February 1st, 2013
The Ballad of Jessie PEarl
By: Shannon Hitchcock
Namelos
ISBN-13: 9781608981410

Sometimes when the kerosene lamp casts shadows, I think I see Ma's ghost. If she were still alive, she'd say, Jessie Pearl, you keep on studying. Not everybody is cut out to be a farm wife. We'll find a way to pay for teachers' college. Leave your pa to me

And tonight, Ma would notice how my hands are trembling. I can almost hear her voice. Jessie, fourteen is too young to help birth a baby. Why don't you go and study in the kitchen? But Ma is just a memory.

It's 1922, and Jessie has big plans for her future, but that's before tuberculosis strikes. Though she has no talent for cooking, cleaning, or nursing, Jessie puts her dreams on hold to help her family. She falls in love for the first time ever, and suddenly what she wants is not so simple anymore.

Review

     Jessie Pearl is the youngest child in her family and with all her grown up siblings married, living on farms she is determined to go places and do things.  Most of all she wants to become a teacher the way her Ma planned before she died.  But then Jessie helps her sister Carrie during the birth of her nephew and Carrie falls seriously ill.  Jessie has no choice but to drop out of school and nurse Carrie as she slowly wastes away from Tuberculosis.  All the time Jessie is worried about catching the very contagious disease and feeling guilty for her dreams of still leaving home.  When Carrie dies, she leaves a letter asking Jessie to be Ky's Ma until her husband Frank re-marries.  Now 15 year old Jessie has a baby to take care of and no hope that she can see of reaching her dreams.  Then the boy she loves moves away and another tragedy strikes Jessie's family, leaving her to wonder just what she's supposed to do with her life?  Is she meant to be just a farm wife or will she still do something greater?

     My love for this book knows no bounds.  It reminds me of every good old West book from my childhood: Caddie Woodlawn, Sarah Plain and Tall, etc. but with just enough of a hint of modernity thrown in.  The lack of curse words and familial disrespect from the teenage main character was definitely a nice change of pace (not that I don't like a good curse word every now and then still...).  Jessie Pearl was a strong, defiant and proud heroine, exactly the kind that I love; as long as the heroine still has a nice, big bleeding heart beating in her chest for the ones she loves.  Jessie has all of that and more and her humanity touched me in a way that goes beyond time.  The struggles of her family against the often deadly disease of tuberculosis (which is highly contagious) were heartbreaking, but they matured Jessie and kept her from making as many rash decisions as she used to.  In other words: Jessie Pearl grows up big time.  It had a lyrical quality about it, this book, even though it was definitely a prose novel.  I am interested to see what this author comes out with next.  I think she could definitely be the next Patricia MacLachlan, only for the Young Adult set of readers.  Highly recommended to fans of well done YA historical fiction, with strong heroines and well drawn storylines.

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 1st, 2013.**