A Long Time Ago, We Used to Be Friends

Published:  June 11th, 2013

Spies And Prejudice

By: Talia Vance

Egmont USA

ISBN-13:  9781606842607

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend.  She's busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she's sure all men commit.  And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eigth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either.

So when arrogant -- and gorgeous -- Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her "nothing amazing," it's no loss for Berry.  She'll forget about him in no time.  She's more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother's death.

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way?  Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat?  And why can't Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide.

Review

    Berry Fields has been working as a private investigator for her Dad for years now, because no one ever notices a teenager following them.  And she usually manages to catch all the liars and cheaters that are trying to scam other people.  Berry herself doesn't date and isn't really interested in it.  Then Tanner blows into town and declares that Berry is nothing special.  She can't help noticing how hot he is, even while she's determined to ignore and shun him for his arrogance.  All of this romantic confusion doesn't help either, when she sees her best friend's Dad handing off papers with her dead Mom's name on them.  Berry thought, along with everyone else, that her Mom committe suicide.  But now there is a very real possibility that her Mom might have been murdered to stop her from blowing the whistle on something illegal.  It's up to Berry to find out the truth, with help from her best friend Mary Chris Moss, her crush Ryan and of course Ryan's annoying brother, Tanner.  But will the truth be worth uncovering and will it hurt more than the lies ever did?

     I had some major fun with this one!  It was snarky, funny and I loved how much it had in common with one of my favorite shows ever, Veronica Mars.  It's a pretty loose adaptation of P&P, with mostly just the title and character types playing into the original frame of Austen's novel.  Every once in a while, there is a nod to the original novel - an enterprise named Pemberly, Drew who is the obvious Wickham parallel, etc.  It isn't overwhelming though.  I liked that Berry was a smart, independent girl who has a strong friendship with Mary Chris.  My least favorite thing about her would be her "damage" when it comes to romance.  It just felt a little too much like a convenient excuse for a strained romance dynamic between her and Tanner for my taste.  Berry's relationship with her Dad was mostly good and it did seem to have a pretty great depth to it.  But the way he treats her Mom's death and the investigation was a little too head-in-the-sand to appeal to me.  Berry acted more adult about it than he did.  

     The whole corporate espionage, FDA scandal thing was kind of bizarre but I did appreciate it for being different from most of what all else I've seen other authors do when it comes to "murder" mysteries in YA fiction.  The ending while resolved, was still a little bit open.  It makes me wonder if Vance is considering a sequel at all, but if not I am satisfied with the end.  Overall, it wasn't very good as a P&P retelling.  I feel like that component to this book was almost completely unnecessary and sometimes actually harmed my enjoyment of the plot and characters.  But it definitely succeeds as a slightly fluffy, slighty deep YA mystery with a sense of humor.  If you're into the teen P.I. thing, or a VMars fan I'd recommend it to you.  But if you're looking for a strong YA P&P retelling, look elsewhere.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received this book from Egmont USA, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on June 11th, 2013.*

Pride and Prejudice Does America

Published:  August 9th, 2011

Darcy on the Hudson: A Pride and Prejudice Re-imagining

By: Mary Lydon Simonsen

Quail Creek Publishing, LLC

ISBN-13:  9780615513263

When Fitzwilliam Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, and Charles Bingley set sail from England for New York, each travels with a different purpose in mind.  Georgiana wants to put a particularly jarring episode with a family friend in the past, and Charles wishes to visit his Uncle Richard in an exciting new land.  For Darcy, it is an opportunity to explore the possibilities of new sources of wealth in the expanding United States, but once Darcy meets American, Elizabeth Bennet, it is the beginning of a love story.  But will their differences and a possible second war between Britain and America keep them apart? (Summary courtesy of Goodreads)

My Thoughts

     I read A LOT of Pride & Prejudice sequels, re-imaginings, etc.  I have an insane weakness for more Jane Austen, in whatever form I can get it (minus stuff like Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, which is lazily repetitive crap).  When I am bored and have money to burn on Amazon for Kindle books, I usually get a P&P retelling that is lounging away on my wishlist.  As someone who has seen Simonsen's books around at the library, I knew she was a fairly respected Austen revisionist.  When I saw that this one had the Bennets as Americans, was set on the verge of the War of 1812 and had some other changes, I immediately dived in.  The idea is that Darcy and Georgiana go along to America with Bingley to escape the situation with Wickham and Darcy also is interested in funding the Eerie Canal Project (along with Mr. Bennet and some other investors, believe it or not).  Oh and joy of joys, Caroline and Louisa are the daughters of Bingley's Uncle, instead of his sisters.  These are the basic details of the plot.

     Probably my favorite thing about this book, that we don't get all that much of in the original Pride & Prejudice, is all of the political/current events that are going on during that time period on a grander level.  We also get a lot of details and information in general regarding American history such as it is in 1811 (i.e. the American Revolution) and the settlement of the Dutch people that Mrs. Bennet is descended from.  The fact that Austen meant to show how isolated people were in the country and the relations in society between people (without bringing politics and current events into the mix) were the main focus, I can understand the lack of context to the events of the time period.  But as an American, I definitely enjoyed the history lesson on my country and the interesting way it was delivered.  Also the look at the differences in customs between England and America in 1811 (degree of formality, the type of work done by landed gentry, etc.) was very intriguing.  So this was not a complaint for me, unlike for some other readers.

     My other thoughts are on the overall representation of the Bennet family itself in this book.  I appreciated above all else that Simonsen never turned either parent into a villain.  They were remade in the image of their surroundings, with Mrs. Bennet becoming a levelheaded and hardworking Dutchwoman.  She was of good moral standing and insisted on educating her girls in running a household, cooking, cleaning, taking care of animals and doing chores in general so they would be capable in hard times as well.  It was an interesting take on a character who is normally just a caricature.  As for Mr. Bennet, he has enough wealth that the girls don't have to worry about finding husbands.  With a loving marriage and a wife who experience the devastation of war firsthand, they are both stricter with silly Lydia and Kitty than in the first novel.  The friendships between Kitty, Lydia, Mary and Georgiana were nicely developed.  The one thing I feel was lacking was the overall growth of the relationships between Elizabeth and Darcy & Jane and Bingley.  There were interactions, misunderstandings and moments to set your heart afflutter.  But I felt like the deeper connections were hollowed out in favor of the history.  There were some notable exceptions to the characters included (I especially missed Fitzwilliam and Wickham had far less page time - a plus for me personally!).  It could have stood to be another 100 pages longer to add in more romantic development.  Other than that, this is one of the best Austen re-imaginings that I've personally ever read.  If you want a fresh perspective on a favorite tale, I'd highly recommend it! :)

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

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

One Thread Pulled Far And Away...

Published:  August 14th, 2012

One Thread Pulled: The Dance With Mr. Darcy

By: Diana J. Oaks

CreateSpace

ISBN-13:  9781475149616

When the wealthy and handsome Fitzwilliam Darcy encounters the beautiful and lively Elizabeth Bennet at a small country ball, he loudly refuses to dance with her, declaring her to be merely tolerable. Fortunately for Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth has walked away and does not overhear his insult, thus snagging the thread that would have sealed her prejudice against the prideful stranger. 

Unexpectedly, circumstances thrust Elizabeth into the same household as Mr. Darcy, and her proximity unwittingly proves tempting, as her tantalizing wit and playfulness evoke desires that threaten to unravel his resolve against her. 

In this delightful re-imagining of Jane Austen's beloved classic, Pride and Prejudice, the players are the same, but the rules have changed as the dance between Darcy and Lizzy unfolds.

Review

     Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are one of the greatest couples in classic literature.  But what if the initial misunderstanding and injurious remark towards Elizabeth, happened unbeknownst to her?  Would there still have been such prejudice and hardship on the way to love?  This is the book that explores that question and also changes the rules of the original book for other classic and well-loved characters.  Will they still get their happy ending or will Lizzy and Darcy be torn apart by something else? This was an interesting look at what might have happened if Lizzy didn't hear Darcy call her 'tolerable,' but other things were changed too.  Jane hits her head falling from a horse on the way to Netherfield, instead of becoming ill from the weather.  This causes her to be confused and say things that make her feelings obvious to Bingley.  This removes the doubt that was in the original P&P.  Also, Darcy tells Mr. Bennet about the nature of Wickham in more detail and also tells the leader of Wickham's regiment.  Fitzwilliam and Anne also play a more prominent role in this novel, with Lady Catherine pushing into things far earlier on in the story.  The changes in Caroline and Mr. Collins were slightly too convenient, but while stretching what was believable, they didn't ring entirely false.  I did enjoy the ending, but really wish that Diana Oaks had just ended it completely, instead of setting it up for a sequel.  Overall, probably the better of all the P&P variations that I've read - and I've read A LOT of them!  I highly recommend for those who can never get enough of Lizzy and her Mr. Darcy.

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in paperback and Kindle ebook form on Amazon.com.**

Shut Out...Into The Light

Published: September 5th, 2011
Shut Out
By: Kody Keplinger
Poppy
ISBN-13: 9780316175562


Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools.  At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention

Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling...

Review

   Lissa always thought that the rivalry between the boy's football and soccer teams at her high school was out of control.  At first she was just fed up because of the juvenility of it: mostly the egging of car windows while making out with her boyfriend Randy.  But then a soccer player tore his ACL and Randy got messed up in a fight.  That's when Lissa decides to do something about it once and for all.  She initiates a sex/hook-up strike, including player's girlfriends from both of the teams.  Lissa figures that if they withhold something the boys can't go without, they'll cave in and end the rivalry.  At first it seems like a really great idea and it definitely brings all of the girls closer together.  But then things start to get ugly after Randy stages a publicly humiliating breakup with Lissa at the dance, while cheating on her.  This is devastating, but in the wings waiting for a chance is Cash Sterling, a soccer player Lissa got with when her and Randy broke up before.  She doesn't think he's serious about her, so when Cash puts himself in charge of the boys when they fight back the tension reaches a breaking point.  Will Lissa end up losing Cash to win the war?  Or will she realize she might have already won and just not realized it?  I enjoyed this book a lot.  It doesn't downplay the serious decisions and consequences that come alongside having sex.  Lissa and the girls have some really great conversations about it, especially her friend Chloe who all the other girls view as a slut, just because she likes sex.  The way that Lissa and Cash circle around one another is believable and he has a reputation for not dating anyone EVER.  This makes it understandable that Lissa thought he was playing with her.  In the ways that Catching Jordan went sour for me, this book went right.  I have not read Kody's other novel because I just wasn't able to get into it.  This one was a book I couldn't put down.  I really disliked the last ditch effort of Lissa to 'win' the war and that's why this book doesn't get a perfect rating.  But it is highly recommended and the ending was great.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

Book # 4 of Challenge COMPLETE

*This ARC was provided for an honest review from the publisher (I got it from a Librarian friend) and no money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*

Not Quite Epic, But Plenty of Fun

Published: August 2nd, 2011
Epic Fail
By: Claire LaZebnik
HarperTeen
ISBN-13: 9780061921261


Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?
At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:
As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.
When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Review

  Elise Benton has just been moved from a perfectly average life in Massachusetts with her parents and three sisters, to California.  She is living among children of movie stars and going to school with them because of her parents' jobs as Principal and a teacher at the exclusive private school.  Immediately her older sister Julianna starts crushing on popular Chase and Elise is forced to spend lots of time with him and his best friend Derek.  She mistakes Derek's hesitance to trust people for snobbishness and the belief that he's above everyone else.  This leads Elise to get involved with social pariah Webster Grant, who knows all the right things to say, but may not be all that he seems.  All the while, she's trying to corral her younger sister Layla and stop her reckless behavior.  Will Elise be able to set aside her first impressions and realize that Derek is not as bad as he seems?  Can there be more than friendship blooming between them if she allows it to happen?  I went into this book not realizing that it was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  But the minute I realized this I was taken in completely.  I love Austen retellings, and devour them like no other!  This book was no exception to that hunger.  I loved Elise's playful humor, but her density when realizing Webster's true colors and Derek's good nature was slightly annoying at times.  It felt like it took to long at times and was unnecessarily dragged out.  But I adored the interactions between Elise and Julianna, they were like real sisters in the way the talked to each other.  Their relationship wasn't overly idealized.  Layla was just as bratty in this book as Lydia in the original, but there was more of a cause for it.  You could tell that she felt left out and stuck in the middle of her older sisters and the little sister, Kaitlin (who in the original is much closer to her in age).  It was a cute book and I enjoyed the romance and all of its minor obstacles.   But I wouldn't suggest it to people who are looking for a deep book to read.  This is more of a fluffy book, for fans of the original or those who can look on it as its own book.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*