Beyond the Ominous Gates

Expected Publication: September 9th, 2014

Winterkill

By: Kate A. Boorman

Amulet Books

ISBN-13:  9781419712357

Emmeline knows she's not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement.  The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters.  Living with the shame of her grandmother's insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.

When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it's an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean -- even if she has eyes for another.  But before she's forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can't help but follow.  The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect.  Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price.  If Emmeline isn't careful, she will be next.

Review

     Emmeline has a curiosity about things beyond what she's allowed to know.  It's what causes her to break the rules of her settlement and skip services, instead exploring things that are only treasures in her own eyes, natural ruins of another time.  She is shunned by much of her people, for a sin that her grandmother committed, a Stain against their family name: going beyond the settlement walls.  Just as Emmeline begins to feel things for a boy named Kane, the settlement leader asks for her in marriage.  But then her dreams lead her out into the woods, where a dangerous secret lies.  Can Emmeline find out the truth and will it destroy her - or set them all free?

     I had to put this one down and could not bring myself to pick it back up again.  Emmeline seemed like she was being contrary just 'cause, and I couldn't stand her from page one.  The dialectical decisions of the author left something to be desired.  WHY are they speaking French words?  Where are we, what happened to bring these people there, and why after mutliple generations are they (as described in the Goodreads summary above) are they still in an "unfamiliar land?"  I found myself not giving a crap, as the sentence structure was atrocious.  As I saw another reader observe, it felt like most of the words were chopped in half and the sparsity left a lot to be desired for me personally.  In other words, it was driving me absolutely insane.  Not to mention, been there and done that - the gates, the big secret in the woods.  Can you say rip-off of The Village or what?  Just not the book for me, and I wish I would not have even wasted my time.  I seem to be in the minority with that opinion though, at least on Goodreads.

VERDICT:  DID NOT FINISH

*I recieved this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is September 9th, 2014.*

Journey to the Past

Published:  January 1st, 2014
Timebound (The Chronos Files #1)
By: Rysa Walker
Skyscape
ISBN-13:  9781477848159

When Kate-Pierce Keller's grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional.  But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate's present-day life.  Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence.

Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and Kate's genetic ability to time-travel makes her the only one who can stop him.  Risking everything, she travels to the Chicago World's Fair to try to prevent the killing and the chain of events that follows.

Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost, however -- if Kate succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of her existence.  And regardless of her motives, does she have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?

Review

     I am one of those people who are kind of obsessed with the possibility of time travel and I absolutely love reading books about it!  After reading Timebound, I am still trying to figure out how to make my brain comprehend everything!  So many things can go wrong with a time travel book, but this one managed to weave all the threads of plot, the people and the action together in a way that was plausible and exciting.  Not to mention, this is the first book in a really long time that managed to capture me so much that I sat down, and basically finished it in one sitting!  Another thing that was impressive to me is that it's a debut novel.  I cannot wait to see what Rysa Walker does in her future books with this universe that she's created!
     We are introduced to Kate Pierce-Keller at the beginning of the book, who splits her time between living with her Dad and her Mom.  It's a mostly amicable divorced relationship and Kate gets along decently with both of her parents.  Introduce her estranged maternal Grandmother, also Katherine, to the situation and things start to get tense.  See, Mom thinks Grandma is a little bit crazy.  When she tells Kate that she's inherited the time travel gene and is needed to fix things that have gone wrong in the timeline, Kate thinks her Mom might be right.  Then Kate experiences a major shift in her reality, which causes her Mom to disappear from existence, her Dad to be across the country and married to someone else, and she herself doesn't exist either.  It turns out her Grandmother was born in the future, and time travelled as a historian.  But, Saul, the man she travelled with (who became Kate's Grandfather) wanted to use time for his own gains and began to change things.  Kate's Grandma is now training her to fix the timeline, back to the way it was before Saul began creating his own religion, and setting himself up to be a false prophet throughout history.  With the help of Katherine, Connor (her assistant), and Trey (a guy she meets along the way), it's up to Kate to pinpoint when exactly everything changed...and turn it back, before it's too late.
     So...yeah.  Everyone in this book has a reason for wanting the timeline to go back to the way it originally was.  Kate wants her Mom and Dad back, Katherine's assistant Connor wants his kids back because they disappeared during a timeline shift, Kate's best friend is now part of Saul's religious cult in this alternate timeline and if they don't outwit Saul her missing Aunt Prudence may never be found.  But then there are some cons to changing things back as well: Kate's newfound love Trey won't remember her or their time together, because they never would have met in the original timeline.  Kate's Dad is happily married with children in this new timeline, which also won't happen if they change things back.  Also, Aunt Prudence just happens to be working with Saul to destroy the universe as they know it - so she's a little bit beyond saving.  I loved the chunk of time that the narrative spends with Kate in the past, at the Chicago World's Fair.  It explains how she meets Kiernan (the mysterious guy another one of her selves in another timeline has a relationship with - he also happens to be Connor's ancestor), shows her interacting with her much younger, time-travelling Grandmother Katherine, and also gives us a subplot involving a historically real serial killer of the time.  It also allows us to meet Prudence, who is slightly crazy and happens to want Kiernan for herself.  Oh, the drama! :)
     Also, Walker gives some great worldbuilding in regards to the explanation for the Chronos gene, the rules of time travel and the reasons why things work or don't work.  I got a pretty clear understanding of what was possible and what wasn't.  It was also truly wonderful having a main character that didn't spend half of the book arguing that none of it was possible, she didn't want to save the world, blah, blah, blah!  I understand that it might have been more realistic, but I am so sick of the "poor me" schtick in YA books.  For once I was just happy to have a heroine kick-ass enough to willingly and easily take on the challenge.  She's not perfect and does do stupid things, like seeking out her Dad once she finds out she doesn't exist anymore.  But Kate is karate trained, willing to make a difference, has close friends and family, and doesn't mind fighting for what she wants.  Such a change - a welcome one!  The twists and turns of the plot, and how everyone was connected to each other were fresh and unique.  I enjoyed reading this and I'm not going to say anymore to avoid any really large spoilers, but some serious shit goes down at the World's Fair and it ends on a pretty big cliffhanger!  As the first series I have been truly excited for in a LONG time, I highly recommend it.  I cannot WAIT to read the next one!

VERDICT:  4.5/5 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.**

When Audrey Met Alice Blog Tour - Review and Guest Post!!!

Published:  February 4th, 2014

When Audrey Met Alice

By: Rebecca Behrens

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

ISBN-13:  9781402286421

First daughter Audrey Rhodes can't wait for the party she has planned for Friday night.  The decorations are all set, and the pizza is on its way.  But the Secret Service must be out to ruin her life, because they cancel at the last minute - citing security breach, and squashing Audrey's chances for making any new friends.  What good is being "safe and secure" if you can't have any fun?

Audrey is ready to give up and become a White House hermit, until she discovers Alice Roosevelt's hidden diary.  The former first daughter gives Audrey tons of ideas for having fun.....and more problems than she can handle.

Review

     This book is a half and half, between modern times and a hundred years ago.  It is a cultural snapshot of what it means to be the First Daughter, to the United States President.  For Audrey Rhodes, ever since her Mom became President, her life has sucked.  She was forced to leave behind all her friends, her school and her extended family to move to D.C. and into the White House.  And now that she's there, Audrey doesn't fit in at her new school, where being the First Daughter just makes her different from her classmates, difficult to hang out with and somewhat unapproachable.  Her parents don't have time for her anymore with their official duties and Audrey feels beyond lonely and alone.  After a failed party attempt, Audrey finds Alice Roosevelt's diary hidden beneath a floorboard.  Suddenly, there is someone who understands the harsh public scrutiny, expectations and stifling nature of being the President's daughter.  Alice's on the edge, adventurous style of living inspires Audrey to make some choices (maybe not the best kind) to spice up her life, and rebel against all the new rules she's under.  But when her decisions hurt others, her parents especially, can Audrey turn things around?  WWAD (What Would Alice Do)?

      I did feel really badly for Audrey.  Having that much attention on your daily life, and having so many imposed rules would definitely be difficult to adjust to.  Also, she's alone at school (except for a friend named Quint, who she may like as more than just a friend) and Audrey feels like her parents are ignoring her, other than to be a showpiece for them at events to boost approval ratings.  Alice's "journal" entries (all fabricated by Behrens, though inspired heavily by real events and much research) were very interesting to read about.  Alice led a very scandalous life, supporting gay marriage before it was socially acceptable, smoking (unladylike), visiting with foreign dignitaries, betting at the race track, carrying a flask and speaking her mind.  There was never a dull moment with Alice Roosevelt around.  That said, the book gives a nice contrast of how it takes some time for Alice and Audrey both to grow up, see the perspectives of those around them and be responsible for the consequences of their actions.  Throughout the book, the characters grow side by side, becoming more mature people.  But I felt like the secondary characters were extremely one-dimensional and only served to move the plot along.  The feel of this novel is very middle grade, and I feel like it would really appeal to middle-schoolers, who are still deciding their identities.  Audrey is a strong protagonist, who makes mistakes like the rest of us - a great role model for young girls.  I feel like because of my age though, I had a difficult time connecting to a protagonist who was fairly naive.  I'd recommend it to younger, middle school aged readers.  It could open some very interesting discussions about the changes in the focus of the media, celebrity privacy, and behavioral consequences.

VERDICT:  3/5 Stars

*I received this book from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on February 4th, 2014.*

GUEST POST

I’ve always been fascinated by first daughters. As a kid, I remember seeing old photographs of little Caroline Kennedy dancing in the Oval Office and messily playing with rubber cement on a White House carpet. I couldn’t stop wondering what it would be like to grow up in the White House. It seems like such a serious, powerful place—not one where you can have tea parties or build a tree house or play hide-and-seek with your siblings. But people really live there, and from the second I made that connection, I was obsessed with the idea of kids in the White House.

Before I began researching When Audrey Met Alice, I assumed most First Daughters would have to be pretty well behaved. It surprised me when I first started reading about Alice Roosevelt’s crazy exploits. If there was a rule, Alice would break it: from getting speed tickets while driving her runabout around town to smuggling contraband (often whiskey) in her elbow gloves. She got in trouble for letting photographers catch her placing bets at the racetrack and for dancing on the roof at a party. Alice was the original wild child, but there are other presidential daughters who got into trouble: Amy Carter for bring a book to an important state dinner; Susan Ford for ditching her Secret Service detail for a joy ride; Luci Baines Johnson for getting B grades in school; Jenna and Barbara Bush for getting underage-drinking tickets. And Chelsea Clinton recently revealed that she sneaked into the President Clinton’s inauguration wearing a too-short skirt, which she hid from Hillary under a long coat, until it was too late to change. It’s fascinating to figure out the ways in which First Daughters have misbehaved.

With two First Daughters at 1600 Pennsylvania right now, it’s interesting to think about how the Internet age affects their life in DC. For the most part, the media has respected the “unofficial agreement” to not report on the girls unless it’s part of official White House business (i.e., they can be photographed at a holiday event, but not on their way to school). A few stories have sneaked out, such as Malia attending a concert with her Secret Service agents incognito. Around the time I started writing When Audrey Met Alice, a photo of Sasha ran in one of the tabloid newspapers. It showed her in a rainbow-colored bathing suit, crouched on a beach in Spain during a trip with her mom. Sasha was drawing something in the sand, and looked like any other kid at the beach—except for the massive crowd of gawkers and paparazzi cordoned off behind her. That photo became my emotional shortcut while writing Audrey’s and Alice’s stories—because it illustrated that for all of the wonderful opportunities that come with being a First Daughter, there is a lot of scrutiny, and maybe a little loneliness. I hope When Audrey Met Alice makes readers think about how living in the White House might be challenging—but that it shows the fun of being a First Daughter, too!

AUTHOR BIO

Rebecca Behrens grew up in Wisconsin, studied in Chicago, and now lives with her husband in New York City, where she works as a production editor for children’s books. Rebecca loves writing and reading about girls full of moxie and places full of history. When she’s not writing, you can find her running in the park, reading on a beach, or eating a doughnut. Visit her online at www.rebeccabehrens.com.

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

PURCHASE LINKS:  Amazon, Nook

What An Experience

 

Published:  September 3rd, 2013

Are You Experienced?

By: Jordan Sonnenblick

Feiwel & Friends

ISBN-13:  9781250025647

 

Rich is fifteen and plays guitar. When his girlfriend asks him to perform at protest rally, he jumps at the chance. Unfortunately, the police show up, and so does Rich’s dad. He’s in big trouble. Again. To make matters worse, this happens near the anniversary of his uncle’s death from a drug overdose years ago. Rich’s dad always gets depressed this time of year, but whenever Rich asks questions about his late uncle, his dad shuts down.

Frustrated by his dad’s silence, Rich sneaks into his office and breaks into a locked cabinet that holds his dad’s prized possession: an electric guitar signed by Jimi Hendrix. Before he knows it, Rich is transported to the side of a road in Upstate New York with a beautiful girl bending over him. It will take him a while to realize it’s 1969, he’s at Woodstock, and the girl’s band of friends includes his fifteen-year-old dad and his uncle, who’s still alive. What Rich learns, who he meets, and what he does could change his life forever.

 

Review

 

     Rich is fifteen and loves playing his guitar.  This time is gets him in trouble, when he plays at a rally not realizing it's for the legalization of marijuana and he gets himself arrested.  His Mom and Dad are a lot older that any of his friend's parents and Rich's Dad is especially hard on him, because his brother (Rich's Uncle) died of a drug overdose when they were teenagers.  After a really horrible fight, Rich breaks into his Dad's office and finds a signed guitar from Jimi Hendrix.  When he plays it he's electrocuted and transported to a road in New York.  Picked up by his Dad, his Uncle and his Uncle's girlfriend, Rich goes to Woodstock with them for the concert of a lifetime.  But is there anything that Rich can even do to change the past and prevent a tragic end?  Or will things still happen the exact same way?

     Anyone who reads this blog knows that I have an extremely unholy addiction to books dealing with time travel!  And as someone who is more into folk and 60s rock than any other music (besides 90s pop/rock - it's a weakness!), Woodstock appeals to my inner mellowed-out hippie.  I liked that Jordan started out the book with the flashbacks so we could see how Rich even got to Woodstock and the family dynamic leading up to his decisions.  The relationship between Rich and his Father was especially difficult, because Rich wants to connect with him more than anything.  But he feels like his Dad is living in the past and holding too tightly to the leftover hurt from his brother overdosing.  Rich feels like he's getting smothered as a result.  Further into the book we learn the reasoning for a lot of the life choices and personality traits of Rich's Dad (a major one being his own really fucked up home life and parents), which lets us really understand just how hard it is for him to relax and let Rich make his own mistakes.

     Rich starts off the novel being kind of spoiled and sheltered without realizing it on the level it actually exists on.  The relationships that he builds over the weekend at Woodstock with his Uncle Michael, Willow (Mike's girl) and David (his Dad) were really in depth for being as sudden as they were.  Being picked up naked on the side of the road and thrown into a completely different subculture definitely gives Rich a different perspective.  There are some lighter moments and Rich's inadvertent experience with drugs definitely shakes up the narrative of the book a little bit.  The music is really a major driving force behind the plot though and the meeting with Janis Joplin was pretty cool.  Really the major one though was the life-changing conversations that Rich has with Jimi Hendrix about drugs, life and legacy.  The destruction of heroin use is shown in this book, without being overly graphic.  I liked the revelation about why Mike ended up dead and what he was trying to avoid.  I won't say anything else cause I don't want to give it away, but it made my heart hurt.  All in all, the fantasy elements get a little out of control at times but this was a really well written book that I highly enjoyed.  Definitely interesting to see a teenager get the chance to become best friends with his own Dad when he was a teen.  The conclusion of the book was slightly clichéd but it was a nice ending and made sense for it.  If you're into music, time travel and history (in that order) I'd recommend reading it.  As much as I liked it, the connection I felt wasn't all that personal and that's why the rating is what it is.

 

VERDICT:  3.75/5 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 on September 3rd, 2013.*

No Continental Drift...

Published: December 25th, 2011
Unfurl
By: Cidney Swanson
Williams Press
ASIN: B006Q5TTNC


Against all expectations, Samantha Ruiz has survived attacks by two of Helmann’s deadliest assassins. She’s alive, but she’s far from safe. Helmann is planning a second Holocaust and wants Sam to play a starring role. Will, meanwhile, separated from Sam by an ocean, seeks a way to prevent Helmann’s apocalypse. Along with Sir Walter and Mickie, Will plays a deadly game sneaking into Geneses’ facilities, discovering unsettling clues as to Helmann’s plans. The clock ticks down as Will and Sam discover just how much they must be willing to sacrifice to stop Helmann. UNFURL, the powerful conclusion to The Ripple Series, will leave fans breathless.

Review

   Unfurl picks up right where Chameleon left off: Sam going back to California and Will staying in France with Micke and Sir Walter.  Sam makes her way back to the States in the company of Christian, the son of Sir Walter, who has promised to act as her bodyguard.  Meanwhile, in France Sir Walter, Mickie and Will are trying to find out why Geneses has been buying random warehouses near the demographics they despise, while keeping them seemingly unused.  Hans manages to kidnap Sam and take something from her that could allow Helmann to clone her infinitely.  It turns out that Helmann has been experimenting with new results from his 'children' - he wants them to be the ones to play savior when he unleashes his planned devastations.  Will Sam and her family be able to come out unscathed from Hans' wrath when she escapes from him, yet again?  Can they all find a way to defeat Helmann and save the millions of people he is planning genocide for?  I loved this book!  It was extremely fast-paced and actiony which made it an awesome conclusion to the series.  Not once did I get bored or annoyed with the characters or the plot.  Cidney has amazed me with her ability to keep me riveted through the entire series, where as some trilogies die painful deaths at the end of the second book.  Sam and Will's longing for each other was not overdone in my opinion - it was very tasteful and true to the way teens are.  Plus, my favorite part of the book is at the end when Sam tells him, "You are my Africa."  That is such a cute ending scene for such a beautiful series.  I liked the fact that no unnecessary character death was thrown in as a plot device and I am completely exicted to see what Cidney writes next! :)

VERDICT:  5/5 Stars  Plus my eternal friendship and lots of hugs

*I was given an ebook copy of this book by the author herself (who is awesome), in exchange only for an honest review.  This book was published December 25th, 2011.*

Chameleon...You Come and Go

Published: September 1st, 2011
Chameleon
By: Cidney Swanson
Williams Press
ISBN-13: 9780983562184


Sixteen-year-old Samantha Ruiz has a lot on her mind. The crush who kissed her but changed his mind. The BFF who thinks Sam is in an abusive relationship. The geneticist who wanted Sam dead but now wants her ALIVE. And of course, Sam’s still dealing with a tendency to disappear into thin air.
When Sam learns of her nemesis Helmann’s Nazi-like plan to establish a Thousand-Year Reign, she’s determined to fight him. Along with Will and Mickie, Sam flees to France to meet Sir Walter—their best hope for stopping Helmann’s brave new world.
But Sam isn’t any safer in France. Someone is following her. Someone invisible. Sam will have to figure out how to hide from an enemy she can’t even see.

Review

   When we left off last in Rippler, Samantha's life had been turned upside down.  She had discovered that her genetic material was something others were being killed for, that her Mother's death was no accident and the beginnings of insight into Helmann's truly twisted mind/experiments.  Her best friend Gwyn is ignoring her because of a wrongful notion that Will is an abusive boyfriend and Sam's just allowing it to happen.  Plus, Will had kissed her finally.  Now, Sam is dealing with the fact that Helmann's daughter Helga is trying to find her for nerfarious purposed and Will is acting like the kiss never happened.  Micke, Will and Sam go on a class trip to France and use it as an opportunity to meet with Waldhart de Rochefort, their ally (also known as Sir Walter).  There are some startling revelations, including the fact that Sam's hunch was right - when rippling they exist outside of time.  Sir Walter is over six-hundred years old and so is Helmann - they are cousins!  Things only get more interesting from there.  Throw in some journal entries from Helga AND Helmann, a multiple personality-disordered henchman and a perilous battle for their lives and you have some heart-stopping adventure.  I truly fell even more deeply in love with these characters than I thought possible.  I had a deep affection at the end of the first book, but by the time this one was over I was close to being moved to tears.  Cidney Swanson has a powerful way with words.  There were some truly gorgeous passages in this novel.  Chameleon is the perfect example of exactly what a good young adult book should be.  She is going places and I am truly honored that I was given the chance to read her works.  I am desperate for the third book now!  I have to know what happens!   I recommend this book and the one before it so highly I barely have the words.  Check it out or you'll regret missing the boat. 

Check out my review for the first book in the series: Rippler

VERDICT: 5/5  Stars and a PERMANENT place in my heart

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the author herself, via LibraryThing. No money was exchanged for this review. The publication date of this book was September 1st, 2011.*