100 Sideways Miles Review

100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith 

Title: 100 Sideways Miles

Author: Andrew Smith

Series: None

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Genre: Realistic Fiction; Romance; Fiction; Contemporary; Coming of Age; Young Adult

Pages: 277

Format: Hardcover
goodreads

Finn Easton sees the world through miles instead of minutes. It’s how he makes sense of the world, and how he tries to convince himself that he’s a real boy and not just a character in his father’s bestselling cult-classic book. Finn has two things going for him: his best friend, the possibly-insane-but-definitely-excellent Cade Hernandez, and Julia Bishop, the first girl he’s ever loved.

Then Julia moves away, and Finn is heartbroken. Feeling restless and trapped in the book, Finn embarks on a road trip with Cade to visit their college of choice in Oklahoma. When an unexpected accident happens and the boys become unlikely heroes, they take an eye-opening detour away from everything they thought they had planned—and learn how to write their own destiny.

The world is different to Finn Easton. He has hetero-chromatic eyes, time is measured in miles instead of minutes, and Finn’s atoms are ancient. Plagued by sporadic seizures, Finn is desperately trying to prove he’s not a character living a predetermined plot-line from one of his father’s books. Cade Hernandez, Finn’s best friend, is everything Finn isn't: hilarious, charismatic, well-versed in the ways of females, and totally fearless. They’re surviving in their boring California town until Julia Bishop shows up and messes everything up, including Finn. Julia is anything but in Finn’s league. She’s beautiful, smart, and different. As Finn falls in love with Julia, his life and his world inexplicably change and will never return to normal again.

I loved this book! 100 Sideways Miles perfectly captures the essence of teen angst and (I am purely guessing on this but I assume it is true) what is means to be a teenage boy struggling to escape the bounds of his father’s footsteps.

This is book is so imaginative, it actually hurts. Let me give you one out of about a million examples of what I’m talking about:

“Here is what I believe: Distance is more important than time.

The earth travels about twenty miles every second. 

It's easy enough to figure out: π, our distance from the sun, three hundred sixty-five days, and there you go. 

Twenty miles per second.”

I mean, come on! How can you get any more creative than that?

The only other book I’ve read by Smith was Winger. Like Winger, there was a quality in 100 Sideway Miles that attracts me like a dazed moth to a flickering flame, but I just can’t for the life of me name what it is. I adored Winger and 100 Sideways Miles, but I wish I could say why I loved them so much. Smith always puts something in his books. At this point, it very well could be honest-to-God magic that he injects into his stories.

Smith definitely has a talent. His characters are perfectly messed-up and chaotically complex. His themes are edgy and gritty. His words put on a performance that makes me want to give a standing ovation when the curtain falls. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in giving a round of applause to Andrew Smith for his brilliant book-making. *raucous applause ensues*

How To Judge a Book By Its Cover

How to Judge a Book By Its Cover: An Easy Guide To Help You Spot The Best (and Worst) of Written Masterpieces

We all know the saying: Don't judge a book its cover. Much like all the other pieces of advice I am given, I tend to ignore this tiny piece of wisdom. More often than not, good books have good covers, and bad ones, have, well, really bad covers. It's the sad truth, but lucky for bibliomaniacs (like me), it is easy to discern whether or not that book you've been eyeing is good enough. I have compiled my own personal list of things I look for in a book's cover to judge whether or not that book could be my special someone. 

1. BLURBS! If there's a blurb, it's probably worth reading. Blurbs are little snippets or quotes from other authors or review journals saying how amazing and thrilling the book is. Personally, if I see anything with a blurb from John Green, I am going to read it. Period. Exclamation point. Other authors that I willingly listen to in terms of book recs are Marie Lu (who, I have noticed, has blurbed a ton of books, all relatively worth reading), Patrick Ness, Rainbow Rowell, Gayle Forman, and Veronica Roth. 

2. No people. If there are characters on the cover, the book is trying too hard. And if it's trying too hard, it's probably not very good. One of my biggest pet peeves is when publishers, for whatever reason, decide to put people on the covers of the books. First of all, most of the time, the models don't even look like how the authors described them in the book! It's like, hey, publisher people, did you even read the book?? Secondly, it totally ruins the imaginative and creative thought process that happens as the novel character builds and world builds if the characters that I'm supposed to be envisioning is plastered on the FRONT COVER OF THE BOOK! So yeah, people on book covers make me just a teensy bit angry.  Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. But the first step towards making a cringe-worthy cheesy cover is to add people, and no one want to read a cringe-worthy cheesy book, now do they? My only exception to this rule is if the book artists black out or hide the people's faces. If they do that, it's little bit better and I can swallow it. Like the City of Bones series; all of their faces are cut off, therefore, the cover is much more inviting.

 Ugh, look at all the faces! Gross! Congratulations book-cover-people, you've just ruined my imagination. 


3. Symbols are good. Symbols=Good Book. Now, you may be wondering, "Well, if you can't have people on the cover, then what do you put?" That's a good question. Symbols are always a very good choice, but symbols also tend to hint at a series. More often then not, if there's a symbol or emblem on the cover, it's going to turn into a series. 

This a great series, and the book covers make sure to tell you that. If you haven't read Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series, I strongly recommend it. 

4. Typography is the way to go. If the words make art of the cover, then the story itself will probably be a masterpiece. All the books that I love usually have the letters of the book title do the talking. Which, of course, is how it should be. I mean, words? Art? Hello? Isn't a book the perfect definition of WORD ART? Besides, I am not picking up the book to look at the pretty (or not so pretty) people on the cover, but to actually enjoy the sensation of being sucked in and memorized by black ink on white paper. It really is as simple as that. 

Aww. Look at the pretty words!!

5. Movie posters as book covers. While I hate seeing the MOVIE being used to advertise the much-better BOOK, I can't deny that if the novel was turned into a motion picture, it's probably very good. Let's face it, the movie is never better than the book. Ever. It's kind of a rule of nature that the movie does not surpass the book in awesomeness. It just cannot be done. So, if the movie was good, the book has to be amazing. They only turn the really good books into movies, so a movie poster for a cover is a good sign to finding your hardbound or paperback soul mate. In my opinion, it's always better to catch the good ones before the covers become movie posters. 

The original book covers were so much better, but I have to admit these books were so good. 

6. Awards. Obviously, only the really good books are given awards. Immediately go for those. If a book is awarded the Printz award, I'll pick it up in a heart beat. Any other awards are also an enormous and gigantic plus. Awards always, always mean amazing stories. 

This book is just fantastic, and a very worthy recipient of a Printz. 

Examples: These are a few of my favorite books that match all of the above rules of a great cover. 

Exceptions: With every rule, there must be an exception. Here are a few good books with absolutely painful covers. 

If you have any of your methods or tricks to finding the perfect book, please share them!

Happy Reading!

All The Bright Places Review

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Title: All the Bright Places

Author: Jennifer Niven

Series: None

Publisher: Knopf

Publication Date: January 6, 2015

Genre: Realistic Fiction; Contemporary; Romance; Fiction; Young Adult

Pages: 388

Format: Hardcover
goodreads

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
 
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
 
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
 
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
 
This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

This book was like a vanilla ice cream cone on a hot summer day, soft and melting on the edges, sticky as it runs down your hand and in between your fingers. It was sweet, soft, blissful, and mesmerizing, and I am so glad I indulged.

Written based on Niven’s own memories and experiences, this book tells the tragic and beautiful love story of Theodore Finch and Violet Markey. Finch is savoring the days he stays awake and not in the Sleep, and Violet is counting down the days until graduation, aka freedom. After her sister’s death, Violet is the walking definition of “extenuating circumstances.” Nine months after Eleanor’s death, Violet still can’t write, can’t think, can’t allow herself to be happy. It’s only the day she finds herself on the bell tower, precariously balancing between death and life, that she meets Theodore Finch. Charming, hilarious, weird Finch who just happened to be on the bell tower that same day. With Finch’s help, Violet may be able to move past her beloved sister’s death and allow herself to love again, but it doesn’t take long to discover Finch has his own struggles. Can Violet save Finch the way he saved her?

I wish that publishers would stop equating books with other books. When I see a book that depends on the amazing work of other books to help sell copies, I translate that to the book being too weak to stand on its own, or the publisher/author not being confident enough the book’s value. I cannot tell you how many times I have read a promised Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park (both of which I adore) mutant hybrid and been severely disappointed with the end result. In this case, I was not at all disappointed with Niven’s work, but the publisher just doesn’t seem to get that this book is strong enough to be advertised by itself, no help from past masterpieces needed.

I’m not going to lie; this book destroyed my emotions and left me feeling empty and useless for several days. I was deeply attached to this book (for good reasons), and I never wanted it to end (mostly because I could kind of guess how it was going to end and I really did not want to be subject to that kind of emotional turmoil). I thought it was incredibly brave of Niven to share such a personal story with the YA world, and I am so glad she did. Through her experiences, I have learned so much about loving and surviving. Her words and characters were pure gold, and consequently, her book is a priceless treasure. Everyone should read All the Bright Places, not because it had amazing characters, or an awesome plot line, or a stunning story (even though all of the above it true) but because this book has something really important to say that people should hear. 

Dorothy Must Die Review

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Title: Dorothy Must Die

Author: Danielle Paige

Series: Dorothy Must Die #1

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: April 1, 2014

Genre: Fantasy; Fiction; Young Adult

Pages: 452

Format: Hardcover
goodreads

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado - taking you with it - you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a yellow brick road - but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy.

They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm - and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.

I've been trained to fight.

And I have a mission.

I don’t usual read spin-offs, like, as a rule. That may be because I’ve never actually read a good spin-off of any fairy tell. And, well, when I saw this cover, I have to admit that I was skeptical. Maybe a little bit more than skeptical. I kind of made a decision to avoid this book because I honestly thought it wouldn’t be any good. But, because of a recommendation, I decided to give it a chance. I am so glad I did.

We all know the story: there’s a tornado, a lion, a scarecrow, a tin man, and lots of gingham. But what about after? Amy Gumm never thought about that, and why would she? It was a happy ever after, end of story, right? Wrong. After Oz, Dorothy found a way back into the magical land and took over all power. As a result, she kind of became a control freak– a blue gingham covered, ruby slipper wearing control freak. Oz is breaking, slowly fading into a sad memory of what it used to be. In one freak accident of a rampant tornado, Amy Gumm finds that she’s not in Kansas anymore. Oz has become twisted. The wicked have become the heroes, and the good have become the enemies. With the help of moody goth munchkin, a wingless flying monkey, and four wicked outcasts, Amy must survive in a world where Oz is nothing like you thought, and Dorothy is anything but an innocent, kind-hearted farm girl.

Reading spin-offs and retellings, in my opinion, is like trying to fix something that is anything but broken. In most cases, it hurts the original story rather than add anything to it. This was not the case in Dorothy Must Die. Besides being hilarious, this parody of the Wizard of Oz was highly creative and delightfully imaginative. In short, I absolutely adored it.

The characters, unlike the two-dimensional sweet and innocent characters of the original Wizard of Oz story, were complex and well crafted. Throughout the entire story, you’re never quite sure who to trust or what the other characters are thinking. I absolutely loved the ingenious manipulation of the lion, tin man, the scarecrow, and, of course, Dorothy. I also appreciated the creation of the new characters I have never heard of before, like Glinda’s sister, Glamora, and Nox.

Amy is nothing like Dorothy, before or after she turned evil. Amy is underestimated and complex. She thinks she is less brave than she actually is, and she is much more capable than she expects. I loved her character’s development through the story.

Long story short: Dorothy Must Die was action packed, grimly magical, and fascinatingly complicated. I can’t wait to find out how Paige will follow up this epic masterpiece.

  

The Wicked Will Rise

March 30, 2015

Say What You Will Review

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

Title: Say What You Will

Author: Cammie McGovern

Series: None

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: June 3, 2014

Genre: Romance; Realistic Fiction; Contemporary; Young Adult

Pages: 343

Format: Hardback

goodreads

John Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them.

Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized.

When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.

I’ve never read a story about characters crippled with disability, and that story was not entirely focused on the disability itself. McGovern handled the story’s circumstances with the utmost grace, and the result was beautiful.

Amy and Matthew are both plagued by a disability. Hers is physical and his is mental, but both are equally affected. Matthew can hide behind his outward appearance, while Amy cannot. Together, they can learn to open up and discover themselves, and each other, beyond the condition that usually defines them. This novel is groundbreaking in the way that we deal with mental and physical illnesses alike. It shows that love is blind to how we look, or the problems we may face, and can heal even the deepest wounds. With twists as wild as windstorms, Amy and Matthew must overcome adversity with a strength they do not know if they possess.

Matthew’s mental illness, OCD (or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), is close to my heart, and is frequently misunderstood and wrongly used in conversations. Most people think that being OCD is the same as being a perfectionist, or liking groups of items to be arranged in an anesthetically pleasing order, either alphabetically or by color. Many people equate being OCD with being overly organized, and while this can be true in some situations, it is not the full definition. People with OCD can be overcome with unreasonable fears (obsessions), and these fears can result in repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Those with OCD can become overcome with anxiety or stress. Unfortunately, I believe as a society, we refer to mental disorders and illnesses with a certain flippancy and disregard. Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and other mental disorders along with OCD are considered laughing matters when, in reality, they can cripple and force people to wage war against a condition that is based within themselves. These conditions should not be seen with derision, but with sympathy and understanding.

That which we can see is easier to accept than what we cannot. Matthew’s OCD is virtually invisible and is only recognizable through his actions. In a way, it is even harder than Amy’s cerebral palsy, which can be seen and easily diagnosed and accepted. While both are very difficult, each has its own parts that are harder to deal with than others.

While the character’s conditions and personalities were carefully handled, the plot and its twists were, if anything, overdone. The beginning complications added to the story and created an intriguing conflict. Towards the end, it stopped being an addition and started becoming more of a subtraction. The last plot twist, especially, was superfluous and unnecessary. The story could’ve been better and needed a bit more refining and polishing.

The story needed more editing, but the portrayal of the characters were a piece of art. I had a exceptionally high hopes, that were met in some areas, but not in others.