Systematic Student:
intense

The free-verse poetry is as powerful as even, invoking images and emotions within the reader easily. I've read several authors who use verse to tell their stories, and none of them are as powerful writers as Hopkins. The intensity she writes with with astound you. It is painful, stark, real. This much honest emotion in a story takes my breath away, even as is breaks my heart. None of these children have had an easy time with life and the legacy Kristina has left for them is heartbreak, addiction and destruction. Not very hopeful, is it?

Life is never all about you. There will always be other people hurt or affected by our decisions, and I think it is important to realize this. You are always able to chose your own actions, but you do not get to chose your consequences for yourself or those around you. I once again commend Hopkins for an amazingly powerful story, one that will stay with me for a long time.

This review is posted as part of Once Upon a Bookcase's Body Image and Self-Perception Month.

Have you ever found yourself rooting for the bad guy? Knowing that the character deserves every bad thing coming his way, but hoping that, somehow, things will work out better in the end? I don't know that I had ever truly experienced that before reading Tenderness by Robert Cormier. I generally prefer (ahem-totally love) reading books where the bad guy totally gets his comeuppance. I'm all about hard-core justice for my villains. Mercy?! *Scoff,* What's that. Don't you know what he's done?!

Reading this book changed that. This is the first time (or at least the only time that comes immediately to mind) where I have truly felt bad for our bad guy. Other times when the bad guy is pitiable or shown mercy, it is because they aren't really all that bad, merely misunderstood. Eric Poole may be misunderstood. That's a distinct possibility. But, there is no denying the fact that he is bad. He's a sociopath. When we meet Eric, he's been in a Juvenile Facility for the last three years for the cold-blooded murder of his mother and step-father. Or course, it was justified because of the 'severe abuse' Eric has been living with, so the state tries him as a juvenile instead of an adult, which means he will be released after he turns 18 and his record will be expunged. No one knows about the three young girls Eric murdered, or so he thinks.

If I had to sum up my thoughts/feelings/idea of this novel in one sentence, it would be revolve around the quote that begins this novel: "To know the pain of too much tenderness" — Kahlil Gibran. One generally equates tenderness with only positive things. It brings to mind images of gentleness, kindness and love. But, what about the idea of too much tenderness? Is that possible? Apparently. Lori and Eric are searching for that tender emotion. Almost every action is driven by this desire to experience tenderness. They are always seeking it, they look for and find it in all the wrong places and they never grasp it for long. It creates intense dysfunctions within each character.

Eric kills young girls to find it and Lori subjects herself to all manner of unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances to feel it. Their paths cross and Lori decides that Eric is the one who can give her what she seeks. She goes with him, knowing that he murdered his mother and step-father (but he was so abused!) and later discovers that the murmurs about Eric killing young girls is also true. But, Eric is tender with her. She loves him. She informs Eric that she will stand by him, ignoring his past and assisting him in the future if he will simply remain tender with her. And how can he refuse that, especially once he begins to care for her, as much as he is capable of caring for anyone.

If we only heard from Lori's perspective, it would be incredibly easy to hate Eric and despise him for the crazed cold-blooded killer he is. But, he isn't, is he? I still don't know. We also hear from Eric. While Eric never demonstrates any remorse for what he's done, he too merely desires a little tenderness in his life. Before his mother remarried, she and Eric had a very close relationship. The man she married and Eric do not get along at all. Eric despises him and he thinks Eric is rather in the way. Eric seeks compassion and tenderness from these girls and finds that the only way he truly feels able to experience it is upon their deaths. However evil that is, I can't hate him for it. He seems genuinely puzzled when the main detective on the case calls him a monster and surprisingly, I found myself agreeing.

By the end of the novel, he seems genuinely concerned for Lori's welfare. He takes care of her, makes her feel special and begins to show her what she has been searching for. And there is no doubt that by the end, he truly cares for her. Although abrupt and a bit jarring, the ending suited the story perfectly. It was tragic, but it was the only way to end the story and be true to each character. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that I ended up heartbroken for each of our main characters. None of them really received their happy ending.

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and one that will influence my thoughts as well. I can't imagine someone with such a low image and perception of themselves that they would be willing to subject themselves to what Lori willingly puts herself through before and after meeting Eric. What would drive an attractive young woman to such lengths and who is to blame for not teaching this girl that she has value all on her own. This is a story that will both warm and break your heart and one that will linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the last page.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan is my first real experience with zombies, and I can't say I was disappointed. It was... Wow.

There were a lot of things that I really liked about this book, something I really didn't like about this book, and things I didn't really like, but couldn't have had it happen any other way. Sigh... I love when a book can bring such varied reactions at the same time while still being great! This is definitely a book that grabs your attention and keeps it, all the way to the end.

I do wish that we had learned more about the Sisterhood and the Guardians. Both groups (but especially the Sisterhood) gave off these real creepy sinister vibes, but we never really get to learn about them. It's hinted at and alluded too, but never spoken.

I also was fairly dissatisfied by the ending. It left a lot of unanswered questions, some I believe will be answered in the sequel(s), but some I imagine will never be answered. The very end was also the only time I actually felt that Mary was selfish. I've read quite a few reviews that complain about how selfish Mary is throughout the entire story, but I didn't see it. Sure, she was a teenager with the natural amounts of self-centeredness that goes along with that, but I didn't think she was anymore selfish than the average teenager, until her choices at the very end, which I won't tell you (obviously) because it would be a shame to spoil this book for you like that.

Although there were a few things I didn't love about this book, for the most part I was incredibly pleased. The writing was wonderful and captivating, beautiful and heartbreaking. I love that the undead were referred to as 'unconsecrated'. It changed the rhythm of the story (if that makes sense) and I definitely liked it. Any way you talk about them though, I definitely don't want to live in a world where zombies exist. ~shudder~

This book, although beautifully written and brilliantly designed is not a happy book. It's about the end of the world, and zombies, so it's to be expected. And, while I definitely prefer reading books with a happy ending and lots of closure, the stark realities of their world, and the unhappiness they have to live with is infinitely more logical, likely and realistic. So, even while crying, and wishing things had ended differently, this ending made sense to me, and felt right.

This is definitely a book that will stay with me for a while. And, I'm eagerly awaiting the chance to read the sequels.

Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang is the story of young Emmajin, the eldest grandchild of the Great Khan. Her closest friend is her cousin, Suren, the eldest grandson of the Khan. Strength and fighting skills are valued in their culture, and Emmajin desperately wants to be allowed to serve in her grandfather's military. She would be the first.

Her grandfather gives her an important assignment. She is to become the companion and guide to the young traveler Marco Polo, and his father and uncle, who are traveling with them. She is basically a spy — sent to extract secrets that will make it easier for her grandfather to conquer their lands, and fulfill the prophecy from the Gods that their empire would unite the world.

Predictably, as Emmajin gets to know Marco better, she stops thinking of him as a stranger, or enemy and begins to consider him a friend, and then — more.

Although I found several parts of this story to be fairly predictable, I still really enjoyed the book. I thought that Emmajin was a great character, and we see a lot of growth in her over the course of the story. She really comes into her own. In the beginning, she is enthralled by the stories told in the courts about the mighty battles their warriors fought, and the grand acts of heroism and valor in battle. She can't imagine anything more rewarding or wonderful than being involved in something like that. But, as the story progresses, and she begins to learn more about Marco Polo's European ideals, and his desire for peace, she starts to question her belief systems, and view their culture from the eyes of an outsider. Eventually, Emmajin learns the hard way that battle is not all glory. The enemies have faces, lives, and stories of their own.

I loved watching her learn about differing points of view, and realizing that there isn't only one way of doing things. I thought Emmajin was a very well drafted and carefully thought out character. Unfortunately, she was about the only character I thought was fully imagined. Suren is Emmajin's best friend. They've been inseparable since they were tiny, and continue to be close as they grow. But, Suren is only ever fleshed out in relation to Emmajin. It's almost like he is only fully a person when sitting next to Emmajin. I felt like that about most of the other characters, including Marco Polo. To toss in a bit of philosophy, it reminded me of Idealism, which is the idea that there is no real reality. Everything we know/see only exists in relation to us. Sort of like The Matrix, except we aren't really plugged into any machines.

I wished that there had been more character development outside of Emmajin, but my biggest problem with the story was the ending. I thought that the ending was unrealistic. I don't want to go into details, because that really ruins the story, but I didn't believe it at all. I stopped believing what was happening as soon as Emmajin was sitting around the fire at the camp with Marco Polo, her grandfather and other members of the court and hunting party. It just would not have happened like that, and I feel like the author just needed a quick and happy resolution.

I do think this is a book worth reading. I wish the author had stayed a little truer to her characters when writing the ending. I think it was a disservice to both the characters and the reader to end it as she did. That being said, overall, I still enjoyed Emmajin's character and her discoveries about her world, and I enjoyed following her interactions with people.

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Around the World Tours.

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting is the sequel to The Body Finder . (click for my review).

Violet is a high school girl who has the uncomfortable ability to sense the echoes of those who have died a violent death. These echoes linger on both the victim and the villain. We learn a little bit about this ability in The Body Finder, but I really liked that we are able to explore Violet's abilities with her in Desires of the Dead. Violet is slowly learning more about her ability, and through knowledge, she slowly begins to gain control as

In The Body Finder, the mystery has a strong sense of urgency to it that was missing in this book. Although the prologue does set us up nicely to fear for Violet, we learn early on that the 'bad guy' whose thoughts we are listening to is a vengeful teenage girl. It's a lot harder to be afraid of a teenage girl than it is to fear a sociopathic serial killer who has been killing young girls for years. Although being in the mind of the bad guy was a strength of the first novel, I actually think it was a bit of a weakness this time. As I said, there's just something infinitely less fearful about a young girl who just hates you because you have a better boyfriend, and that is never hidden from the reader. Knowing this, it makes each of her actions less threatening, and I never really feared for Violet the way I did the first time around. This one also has a predictability to it that the first one did not, but it was not so much as to ruin my enjoyment of the story.

I was also unsure how I felt about the potential involvement of the FBI 'liaison' in Violet's life. I'm not sure where that story line is going to go, but I have a feeling it can either be really great, or really awful... And, I desperately hope that it doesn't devolve into yet another love triangle. I love that this book doesn't have one, and I wouldn't want that to change.

Speaking of Violet and Jay, their characters are just as great this time around as they were before. I really like both characters, and I think that Derting has done a great job creating believable teenage characters in a believable and healthy relationship. Jay does look out for Violet, and takes protecting her seriously, it's definitely in a non creepy/controlling way. He really cares about her, and just wants her safe. I love that they were best friends before they started dating, and that they have an actual foundation based on more than just, 'Wow! You're like, totally hott!'. Not only are their individual characters realistic and well written, but the dynamics of their relationship are also believable.

This is another great read from Kimberly Derting, and she's definitely going to stay on my 'watch' list. I look forward to what she comes out with next.

*Disclaimer: This book was received through Star Book Tours.

The King of Attolia is the third book in The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner. (Read my reviews of The Thief and The Queen of Attolia here) Eugenides is back again, although the bulk of this book is not narrated by him, but by a young member of the Queen's guard, Costis.

The Attolians are having a very hard time dealing with Gen as their new king. They distrust him because he is an outsider, the people we meet in the book know that he stole the Queen to force the marriage before her escape, and no one believes them truly in love, because of a certain event at the beginning of Queen. Costis loses his temper, and strikes the new King. Rather than have him killed, Eugenides makes him a member of his guard (ish) which is why so much of the story is narrated by him.

I was a little worried at first, when I learned that Eugenides was not our main narrator, because I love his character, completely. I think he's wonderful. (In fact, I think I'm making myself a little giddy, just thinking about it...) But, Turner handles it brilliantly. We are able to see Eugenides through new eyes, and the eyes of someone who strongly dislikes him. We all know how clever Gen is, and he knows how clever Gen is, but Costis does not. So, when we see these small pieces of the Gen we know and love pop through his image of boredom and weakness, we rejoice and cheer and laugh at how silly the people of his new court are, because they can't seem to pick up on his genius.

The scene where Costis finally realizes just how brilliant his new King is still makes me happy. (This is what I was referring to, as still being able to make me a little giddy...) . I won't give away any spoilers, because that would be criminal, but I will hint that it's the scene when the Queen (Irene) is discussing the difference between ninety-eight days and six months with Gen.

I think this is my favorite so far (there is a fourth already out, and I believe a fifth in progress) and it's my favorite because it combines the best elements of the first two. It contains the wonderful characterization of The Thief and the intrigues and intricacies of The Queen. Turner writes wonderfully. She builds up a huge tower of cards, and you can't possibly understand how she supports it all when BAM, you realize she was never using cards at all, and that it has always been completely stable. Brilliance!

Even though, as outsiders, we know that Gen just has to have something up his sleeve, it still hurts watching the way the people treat him. It has to be incredibly hard, knowing that everyone hates you and suffering through their constant belittlements. But Gen handles it well and when he finally begins to show his true colors, and turn the tables? It's perfection in a book. I love what he says on page 356, "You can always change the perceptions of fools."

I can't wait to see where the fourth book takes me! Sophos is back (a fairly important character in The Thief who in barely mentioned in The Queen and who has gone missing in The King.)

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting was a wonderful read. One of the things I most enjoyed was it's simplicity and originality.

I'm not gonna lie, I've gotten a little tired of the seemingly formulaic YA books that have been released and super hyped recently, especially the paranormal types. I get tired of the predictable love triangles, instantly falling deeply in love with supernatural beings, repetitious and overly predictable plot lines etc. I do enjoy them sometimes, but I can't read too many too close together. I end up spending the whole time rolling my eyes because I can't get over it's absurdities long enough to really enjoy the story.

I was more than happy to discover that The Body Finder had none of these elements. Violet is a great character. She is strong and independent with a definite sense of self, even though she is still questioning certain parts of that self. I love knowing that Violet is aware she still has places to grow, even though she is okay with who she is. I also loved Jay and their relationship. Jay is a great friend to Violet, and really wants what's best for her. And, it's nice to read about a love story that has a real foundation in friendship before growing into love.

We also get to experiences several chapters from the POV of the killer. That is another awesome example of Derting's great characterization skills. I've always been fascinated by serial killers, and (I probably shouldn't admit this,) but I know a lot about them and how they think (ish). And I have to say, I believed in this guy. He really creeped me out, and I found myself with a mild case of the shivers when he popped up.

My favorite genre in my teenage years was murder mysteries and I especially loved Mary Higgins Clark. Can I just say that I loved that the major plot arc here was a murder mystery!? I still love a good murder mystery, so I truly enjoyed stepping back into those familiar reading shoes.

I was also very intrigued by the idea of Violet's power and the echoes death creates. That would be a horrifying ability to posses, especially for a young girl. I've never come across anything like it before and I found myself deliciously intrigued, and morbidly wondering what type of echo I would leave behind.

And, I must also speak about Derting's writing, and her ability to manipulate the mind of the reader and direct them where she will. I really enjoyed her writing style and found myself pushed and prodded into thinking what she wanted me to know at that point that I didn't even notice the pushes until something new came up and exposed them, which is something that does not often happen to me while reading mysteries. It definitely tossed me for a loop or two. Even when I knew without a doubt that she was throwing out a red herring, I still found my heart racing a little faster, because the writing was just that good.

I found that this story contained a believable plot with great characters that I was excited to root for and plausible/realistic situations. I am definitely in eager anticipation of the sequel, Desires of the Dead.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly is a vivid and captivating book filled with feeling. If you haven't yet read anything by Donnelly, I seriously think you are missing out, and I strongly recommend you fix that. Now.

Revolution is the story of Andi, an intelligent, talented girl who should have her whole future ahead of her. She's always been smart, has done well in school and is a gifted musician — able to play guitar and write her own music. But, her younger brother died in an accident about a year ago and Andi blames herself. Overwhelmed by grief and guilt, Andi loses focus on everything but her music. Her mom is immobilized by grief, scarcely able to function, and her dad, who has never been around much, retreats even further.

When her father forces her to accompany him to Paris, as a way to rescue her slipping grades, Andi is angry and can think of nothing more than getting back to New York. But then she discovers a journal, hidden in a guitar case that might date back to the French Revolution, and her world changes.

I was blown away by this book. The writing is intense and powerful, and Andi's pain practically screamed from the pages. Her depression and detachment from life was so real, and so perfectly portrayed that I found myself experiencing everything right along with her. But even more than just experiencing it with her, Andi was so well written, and so real a character to me that I found myself knowing how Andi would feel or react to a situation as it happened, before we, as readers, were given her reaction. I knew her. I don't think I've ever felt such a strong connection to a character before, but it was thrilling.

The only thing that really reaches Andi is her music and this is where she goes when life becomes too much for her, often playing her guitar until her fingers bleed. She is constantly listening to music, both classical and contemporary and she lets that heal the outward hurt. Nothing can touch that empty place inside her, but she seems content to let that fester, although that 'contentment' might be more a side effect of the anti-depressants she eats like candy than anything real on her part.

It was powerful watching Andi struggle between life and death, both metaphorically and realistically. There is more than one aborted suicide attempt, and they start right at the beginning of the story. She isn't sure if she wants to die, but she also isn't sure she wants to continue living.

Her experiences in Paris help to open her eyes to life, and help her to understand that although her grief will always be a part of her, it does not have to completely define her. Both the journal she discovers of a young girl living through the French Revolution, and Virgil, a boy she met while joining a local band for a few songs help to bring Andi back from the depression she's been drowning in.

I liked the sections with the journal. It was well written and engaging, but Alexandrine was never a real person for me the way she was for Andi, and the way Andi was for me. I don't mean to be derogatory toward them at all, because they are an essential part of the story, and still beautifully written. But, they were always sections of a journal, fascinating, but removed from me. I doubt I would have paid as much attention to this if my connection to Andi hadn't been so strong.

Virgil was wonderful. Although he doesn't have a lot of actual face time throughout the story, he is in no way a minor character, but neither is he the focus of the story, which was nice. (I'm a little bored with the books right now that seem to be all about the romance, even when other points should be more important. Virgil was great and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. It was pretty realistic. They met, and are attracted to each other. Andi does think about him a lot over the next few days, but isn't obsessed, and doesn't believe herself to be in love. He's just on her mind, because it's a new-almost relationship.

This book was almost perfect. The only reason I'm not calling this book Basically Amazing is because of climax. It's the part of the summary that reads, "on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present."
Take from that what you will/what you can. I won't spoil it for you. I had my thoughts on what that might mean when I picked up the book, and was a little disappointed to realize which of my theories was correct. It didn't work quite as well for me as the rest of the story.

However, Andi is one of the strongest characters I've ever come across, and this is most definitely a book I'm going to have on my 'keep forever' shelf. It deserves to be read again and again, because I imagine there will be new things waiting for me every time.

*UPDATE — This is one of those books that refuses to let go of a person. So... I'm updating my previous rating from Loved it, but to BASICALLY AMAZING!:) Seriously — GO READ THIS BOOK!!

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Around the World Tours.

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner is the sequel to the Newbery-Honor winner, The Thief (read my review ). I was impressed by the intricate writing Turner managed in The Thief, and was very eager to continue with this series. Although the writing in each book is very similar, this tone is different between the two. The Thief is rather lighthearted and fun. It has its depth and importance, but the overall tone is fairly light. The Queen of Attolia is... not so much. The mood and feel of this book is considerably darker and heavier.

But really, that's okay, because I loved this book just as much, if not a little more than The Thief. Turner's writing is as compelling in this book as it was while reading The Thief, although the focus is also a little different. Where, to me, The Thief is primarily about the characters, with Gen (Eugenides) being our obvious focus, The Queen of Attolia is more about the story and the intrigues rampant in court life. The Thief was a story, but the characters are the most important part. In Queen, the characters are still very important and are well developed and complete, but we already saw the beginnings of their development in Thief, and can now focus on the importance of their individual and connecting stories.

Before, Gen was our narrator in The Thief, and unless I'm remembering wrong, he tells the whole story. In Queen, we are given other narrators to help Eugenides tell this story. Although I do love Eugenides, he has become one of my most favorite fictional characters, my favorite narrator in this book was the Queen, Attolia herself. I loved the way her mind worked, and trying to guess ahead of time what plots and tricks she was working through. The face she presents to the world is ruthless and hard. She doesn't appear to be overly conniving, but as we listen in on her thoughts, it is clear that she has a very keen mind, one that is constantly assessing and reassessing the situation and all it's possible implications.

The plot to the story holds a very tight, intricate weave, one I was anxious to watch pull together. Each character has their own motivators, and their own interests to promote. At some point, each character believes that they hold the advantage and it's not until the end, when everything begins to wrap up and come together that we really are able to understand what has been going on this whole time anyway.

Once again, I must also point out Turner's fantastic world building. She set up the mythology and the guidelines for her world in The Thief and continued to build upon them here. I love spending time in this world that Turner has created because it is vividly real and the characters are written so much like real people that I wonder why we can't be friends.

Room by Emma Donoghue is a hard book for me to review. Because really, I just want to spout out random parts of this book that make it so great before just sighing at you and telling you to go read it yourself, because it's kind of a book that just needs to be experienced. But, I won't just blabber on at you.

So Room. It's narrated by Jack, a sweet, smart and charming just turned 5 year old whose whole world are the four walls of Room and it's contents. The only person he's ever seen or spoken to is Ma, although Old Nick is probably real too (but not real real).

I was very impressed with Jack and his voice. I've spent a lot of time around little kids at all stages of life and development, and most of the time, Jack is very much a five year old. The connections he makes, and the way he forms understandings is very typical of five year olds, as is the way he names things. Each wall is named (Door Wall etc), he sleeps in Wardrobe, eats at Table, etc. He does have a rather extensive vocabulary, but to me, that makes perfect sense. Ma has only Jack to talk to all day, and let me tell you — Baby talk gets old really fast. Ma mentions at one point that Jack has already heard every story that she knows, which means they talk a lot, and Jack is surrounded by words. Numerous studies have shown that children who grow up hearing language regularly will learn to speak earlier and will speak properly faster than kids who are rarely spoken to and/or who only hear the adults speak in that babbling baby talk. They also play the 'parrot game' which I loved.

I was impressed with Ma. That would be insanely hard. I can't imagine what it would be like, first to be taken from my home and family and trapped in a small 11x11 room with the only visitor being the creepy older man who kidnapped and rapes me, but to add onto that a baby?! I don't know if I could have done it. And, she's done an admirable job raising him given her circumstances and her resources. That takes a very strong woman, and even though she wasn't perfect (really, who is) she did a good job and she tried so hard. The only thing I could never figure out was why she didn't escape. I know that sounds harsh/unrealistic, especially given the state of the room she was trapped in. But the door was locked using a number keypad, one on the outside, and one on the inside. If I knew I was going to be trapped for an indefinite period of time, I'd start pushing buttons. What else are you going to do?! Or listen to the number tones and try to figure out which he pushes each night. I kind of think she could have done something. But, that's a small thing.

Overall, I was very impressed with this book. There were parts I didn't like, especially in the second half of the book, but for the most part, I loved it. I loved the word sandwiches and the way that Jack tried to take all the new information and assimilate it into ways he already understood. Overall, this is a book that makes you think, makes you wonder and makes you want to hug your kids a little closer. It's a strong book with a strong core of goodness to it. This is a book I would read again, just to hear Jack's voice.

Pick it up. I doubt you'll be sorry.

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Crazy Book Tours.

Youby Charles Beniot is... Wow... Ouch.

This book uses the 2nd person narrative, which is something that you don't see very often and it uses it incredibly well which is something seen even less. This narrative style brings you farther into the story, forcing you to connect to the characters differently. Although Kyle is the narrator, the use of the word 'you' makes you think more about yourself and how you would have reacted in Kyle's position. It's almost as if you stop reading the word 'you' and the story instead becomes about me.

In the authors note in the beginning, Benoit mentions that Kyle is neither bad nor good, he is typical. This makes a lot more sense once you've completed the story, because it's easy to understand how Kyle got to the position he's in when the book begins. There is something in this story that just about every can relate to at one point or another, and that makes it scarier, that much more intense, more real, and more personal. This makes the story all the more heartbreaking because of it's realism.

The characterizations were done very well. Many of them are not terribly likable, but each character has their own complexities and that thread of truth that makes this such an impactful novel. Especially Zack. When we are first introduced to Zack, I liked him. He was unique, and I figured he'd be a fun character to read about, initially, he almost makes a great 'good guy'. But then, we get to know him a little better and... shudder. I won't give anything away, because he's a character you really just need to meet for yourself, but ugh... Just be warned.

I also liked the emphasis (however 'underhanded' it may have been) on personal responsibility, and that Kyle acknowledged he really was responsible for his predicament and his placement. Throughout the story, several of the adults in Kyle's life talk about or make him think about his personal responsibility in his current position. I liked that Kyle accepted his responsibility (at least as much as teens are ever capable of fully accepting that responsibility...) and sometimes, it sounded like he really wanted to try a little harder.

The format was also quite interesting. We start at the end and are given a brief glimpse of a pivotal moment, one that sounds tragic (first line: "You're surprised at all the blood.") and then, it's as if the story rewinds, retracing the steps that brought Kyle and the mysterious 'him' to the moments in the beginning of the story with all the blood. It's a fast, intense race to the finish that leaves you a little bit gasping and empty once you've finally reached it. Grab yourself a copy of this book. It's important if you'll let it be.

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Around the World Tours.

Hope in Patience by Beth Fehlbaum was not an easy book to read, but it was definitely powerful. It's about Ashley, who spent the years from 9-15 suffering sexual abuse from her stepfather and neglect from her mother. After a particularly horrific night, she moves to Patience, Texas to life with the father she's never known and his family.

One of the things I most appreciated about this book is that Ashley isn't magically fixed because she's now in a loving environment with people who care about her, and has an understanding therapist who is helping her move on. Ashley is still a bit of an emotional wreck. She has good days, better moments and really bad times. There are still times when she crawls into her wardrobe to sleep, she sleeps much better with her door locked at night, she has trouble talking about what happened, and anything related to family, and she doesn't like to be touched.

I get really annoyed by books where problems are solved too easily, and there is no real conflict. Anyone who went through what Ashley did is going to experience side effects, some of which will likely never go away. Ashley is not one of those characters. Her pain is very real, still fresh and it's always close to the surface. With the help of her dad and her step-mom, both of whom are incredibly loving and supportive, she is starting to heal. Her rather unconventional therapist, Dr. "Matt" is also helpful. His moments surprised me. I've never heard of any of the techniques he used in therapy (drop kicking teddy bears) but it seems like he understands what is needed to connect to Ashley, and he uses that to reach her. And it helps. He helps break the 'spinning' where her mind rushes and rushes, immobilizing and terrifying her, he helps her learn to acknowledge her emotions instead of carving them out onto her skin, and he helps her begin to accept her past so that she can embrace her future.

The only complaint I have with this novel, is that I feel too many big 'issues' were tackled at once, and many of the characters used to illustrate that issue were just a little too one-dimensional. We saw people dealing with homosexuality and homophobia, religious zealots, racial prejudice, many small minds, chauvinists, and etc. I understand the point of these characters. It's more on the theme that you are not alone, and not the only with suffering. But, I felt that most of these characters had little, if any depth and it was almost too much. There were a few characters that I didn't think helped the story along, but most of the characters (even some of the 'flat' ones) helped Ashley in some way or another. So, overall even that's still positive.

I'm interested to see where else Ashley's story will take us. I didn't realize this until after I had finished the book, but this is actually the second book in Fehlbaum's Patience Trilogy. The first, Courage in Patience is, I believe, out of print and the third (still tentatively titled Living in Patience) will not be released until next year at the earlies. When I started Hope, I didn't feel like I had entered into the middle of the story, and the author gives us enough background that we aren't lost. As I said, I didn't even realize this was the second in a trilogy until I was searching the book on Goodreads. Whether you start at the beginning first, or just pick up this one, it's definitely a book I think is worth reading. I plan to look for the first in the series soon, and I'll be anxiously awaiting Ashley's conclusion.

I also feel like I need to mention that I think Ms. Fehlbaum is incredibly brave to have put this type of emotion and personal experience on paper, and let strangers read it. Congratulations. This is an amazing story. The pain is very real, but so is the hope. This is a story to say that you are not alone, that there is always hope.

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Traveling ARC Tours.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman is easily one of the best books I have read this year. It's an intensely personal story about the struggle of a young girl whose world is changed in the blink of an eye.

Mia's life is full. She's been very blessed. She has a wonderful boyfriend, is an incredibly talented Cellist and she has a wonderful close family who gets her. She is close to her parents and younger brother, in a way that few people are really able to experience, especially as a teenager. We are given just enough time in the beginning of the book to meet Mia's family and in those few pages, we are able to see the connection this family shares.

Her family is involved in a horrible accident, and Mia is rushed to the hospital in a coma. She watches everything around her trying to understand the changes to her life, and where to go from there. Because she realizes it's her choice. She can choose to live or die. And what would you decide?

The book is Mia's struggle to make that all important choice. The story is told in flashed between then and now. We switch between scenes with Mia and her family and friends in the hospital, and her memories of the important people in her life. We are introduced to everyone through Mia's memories as she lays in a coma in the hospital, in limbo between life and death. It's heart wrenching to watch as each loved one comes to her bedside to talk. They give her words of hope, love, encouragement, understanding, and peace. They plead for her to remain, even while understanding why it's so hard. Every page teams with emotion and every memory tears at your heart.

I won't go into detail about the complete impact and effect music has to this story other than to say it is essential to almost every character. Music is a way of life for these people and it's changed each of them. Mia's boyfriend Adam is in a band that might be about to make it big, Mia's been playing the Cello for years, her father used to be in a band and on and on.

The writing in this book is incredibly powerful. There is a genuine connection to each character and a realness that makes you believe in them. I would say that Forman is a genuinely gifted writer. I can't remember the last time I believed in people so much, felt so much like the people I was reading about were real. I had tears streaming down my face for the vast majority of the book, and I was unable to put it down. It's a short book, and I read it in one sitting, but that in no way takes away from its impact. This book is beyond a doubt powerful, emotional, and compelling. Never doubt that its important.

(Photo brought to you by the Idaho Meth Project)

(Will contain mild spoilers for Crank, so be warned of this if you haven't read it yet)
If possible, Glass by Ellen Hopkins is even more horrifying, socking and upsetting than its predecessor, Crank (click for review) . Crank shows us how Kristina becomes addicted to 'the monster' — meth. At the end of the book, it seems like Kristina is getting her life back. She is trying to give up the drugs so her unborn child will have a chance of being born normal. Although it's hard, she seems to be doing well.

Glass begins a short time later. Her son, Hunter, is a few months old and Kristina is tired all the time, and she's tired of feeling fat and unattractive. Life begins to feel like too much for her, and she falls back into old habits. She tells herself she is in control, and can handle the drug, and she won't let it handle her. She's confident she can maintain control. Well... She's wrong. The drug grabs hold of her and takes her farther down than she's ever gone before. She loses control quickly and is a danger to herself and to others around her.

It was heart breaking watching Kristina destroy herself and leave those who love her behind. She is an incredibly selfish character, one who refuses to think beyond her own desires. She again becomes involved with the 'wrong crowd', finding people who supply her habit, and make it glamorous.

I found this book to be more powerful and dissuasive than Crank because we are able to watch the complete deterioration of Kristina's life. She completely loses control and doesn't even notice. We watch Kristina as she becomes involved, directly or indirectly with drug trafficking, neglectful/semi-abusive parenting, prostitution, theft, and more.

I can't describe to you how powerful this story is, and again, the free verse style used by Hopkins is brilliant and perfect. I don't think there is a better way to have told this story. This is an important book, one I think should be made readily available to teens. It saddens me that this book has been banned or challenged by people, because it is important. Drugs and the problems it creates aren't going to go away just because you refuse to look at them. If anything, this guarantees that they will be around longer, and that they will only get worse. Both Crank and Glass so us clearly why drugs should be avoided. It's fearful, intense and horrifying. And, I think a lot of the power comes from knowing that some of what's contained here and written comes from personal experience. The author has lived through a lot of this pain and is trying to provide a way for others to avoid that same hurt.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins is one of the scariest books I think I've ever read. It's about a young girl who gets involved with 'The Monster'. Meth is, in my opinion, one of the scariest drugs currently on the market. It's insanely addicting and incredibly damaging. One of the reasons meth is so addicting is that the chemicals used to create this Frankensteinish drug completely obliterate and destroy the pleasure center of your brain, which means that meth becomes the only way you are able to experience pleasure.

Ellen Hopkins is an incredibly powerful writer. It's written in verse and the starkness of the prose is where half the impact lies. Hopkins doesn't need many words, but it's clear each word is chosen carefully for its impact. This book grabs you and never lets go. We follow Kristina, the good girl, through her decent into darkness at the hands of the monster. We watch as her life falls to pieces around her while she believes she's still in control and she only does it to have enough energy to keep going, but really, she can stop. It's like, no big deal. It's heart breaking to watch as it destroys her and brings her family members low with her.

I'm intentionally not going to say much about the plot beyond the obvious meth addiction, because I feel there is more of an effect, a stronger impact if you don't know what's coming beforehand. I respect that Hopkins doesn't pull her punches, and she doesn't sugar coat the truth at all. It is one of the reasons she is so frequently banned, but it is also why her books are able to reach so many people. When Hopkins is talking about Kristina's experiences with the drugs, her highs are high and her lows are low. Too many books skirt around the truth, they try to convince you to stay away from drugs by lying about how good they feel the first few times, and then turning around are trying to hide how detrimental the side effects are, because they don't feel like our young people can handle it. Hopkins does none of that. She tells it like it is and makes no apologies for it.

Reading this (and Glass) reminded me of the Idaho Meth Project. The images at the top and bottom of this post are part of this effort to educate our children about the dangers and horrors of meth. Idaho state is one of the top states in both meth production and teenage meth use, and around 50% of our inmates are there as a result of meth. They created the Idaho Meth Project to educate and dissuade, and studies are showing that it's working. Reading Crank and Glass reminded me of these ads. It's horrifying because it's real. I recommend checking out the site, that I've linked above and viewing some of the other ads they've produced. There are print ads, radio ads and televisions ads and all are horrifying. This project has been picked up by other states like Montana and Colorado and it's working. Meth usage is dropping. Books like Crank and Glass are just as effective in my mind, because they help to educate us on the true dangers of meth and what really happens when you involve yourself with the monster.

I'll be posting my actual review of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson soon, but I wanted to share a few of the links from fellow bloggers who are shouting out about this Wesley Scroggins mess. I posted some of my thoughts, but I still fume about it every time I think about it. There's so much to be said on this topic, and most of it has been said at one point or another by different bloggers and authors from all over.

So, here is a list compiled by Natalie at Mindful Musings. I can only imagine how much time and effort went into contacting everyone and gathering all this information, and I thank her for it, because it makes it so much easier to find.

Bloggers Speak Out is a movement sparked by the recent article, "Filthy Books Demeaning to Republic Education " by Dr. Wesley Scroggins that was published in the Springfield, MO News-Leader on September 18th. In this article, Scroggins vehemently advocates the censorship of books in schools, and specifically requests that the following books be removed from the Republic school system: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler, and Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. To show our support of these authors and to fight against book banning and censorship, we have decided to take action and speak out.

Below is a list of links of bloggers speaking out against book banning and censorship--in the form of giveaways, posts, and reviews. Some are "officially" participating in what we're calling Bloggers Speak Out, and others are posts that we've found around the blogosphere. If you get time, you should definitely check them out!



Giveaways of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
**All giveaways will end on 10/3, unless otherwise noted**
Papercut Reviews Braintasia Books Escape through the Pages Tina's Book Reviews Sea of Pages Mrs. Deraps Reads Moonlight Book Reviews Cari's Book Blog Just Your Typical Book Blog For What It's Worth Wondrous Reads (Ends 9/27) Frankie Writes (Ends?) The Elliot Review (Ends?) The Bookologist (Ends?) La Femme Readers

Other Giveaways
**All giveaways will end on 10/3, unless otherwise noted**
-Lisa Schroeder: ARC of The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (Ends 9/23) -Will Write for Cake: Win Speak, Twenty Boy Summer, or Slaughterhouse Five -Mindful Musings (here): Win Speak, Twenty Boy Summer, or Slaughterhouse Five -Teens Read and Write: Win The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian -Mundie Moms: Win Speak, Burned, Twenty Boy Summer, or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Ends 9/26) -Wicked Awesome Books: Win a "Filthy Books" Prize Pack -Carol's Prints: Win Speak and The Mockingbirds -Myra McEntire: Win Speak, Twenty Boy Summer, or Harry Potter -The Bookish Type: Win Speak or Twenty Boy Summer -Bea's Book Nook: Win Speak & an ALA Challenged Book (Ends 10/2) -Sarah Ockler: Win a Wesley Scroggins Filthy Books Prize Pack (Ends 10/1)

Other Posts Against Book Banning and Censorship
Braintasia Books Escape Through the Pages As Told by Jen Aine's Realm The Compulsive Reader Once Upon a Bookcase Daily Dose Speak Loudly Book Drop @ Late Bloomer Online A Life Bound by Books Red House Books Frankie Writes Michelle's Bookshelf I Should Be Writing The Undercover Book Lover Punk Writer Kid Lisa and Laura Write Between the Covers Another Book Junkie Jenni Elyse Eve's Fan Garden The Ultimate Dumpees Reading the Best of the Best The Pirate's Bounty Reclusive Bibliophile Book Faery Bloggers Heart Books Book Swarm Fantasy 4 Eva The Ladybug Reads The Lady Critic's Library Emilie's Book World Jacob's Beloved Just Your Typical Book Blog Maggie's Bookshelf Basically Amazing Books Novel Thoughts Random Ramblings Holes in my Brain Readligion Vision Quest Fail Shelby Barwood Supernatural Snark Consumed by Books Ann Marie Gamble The Darker Side of the Fire Katie's Book Blog Sassymonkey (BlogHer) GreenBeanTeenQueen Jessica Lei Maria Romana Abby Minard The Mimosa Stimulus Books and Things Beyond the Trestle

Authors Speak Out
Laurie Halse Anderson: This guy thinks Speak is pornographic Laurie Halse Anderson: The power of speaking loudly Author Gayle Forman @ Eve's Fan Garden Author Saundra Mitchell @ Eve's Fan Garden Karen Rivers Sarah Ockler: I Speak Loudly for Speak Sarah Ockler: On Book Banning Zealots and Ostriches Author Laura Manivong @ Page Turners Cheryl Rainfield: Fight Against Ignorance Myra McEntire: Speak Loudly: In Defense of Laurie Halse Anderson Andrea Cremer: Speak Out Natalie Standiford on Censorship @ Emily's Reading Room

Important Articles on the Subject
"Filthy Books Demeaning to Republic Education" (the article that started it all) Scroggins' Official Complaint to the School Board (PDF) "Republic School Book Choices under Fire " (Springfield News-Leader) Laurie Halse Anderson's Editiorial in the Springfield News-Leader Sarah Ockler's Editorial in the Springfield News-Leader Natalie @ Mindful Musings' Letter to the Editor in the Springfield News-Leader Essay: Kurt Vonnegut's Thoughts on the First Amendment
Thanks to everyone who has spoken out about this. It's not something that will be going away soon, but it's something that we can fight a little better every day. We can make progress. We can make a difference. Speak out, and don't ever let anyone else do your thinking for you.

I finished reading The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins a few days ago, and I've spent a lot of time deciding how I wanted to review them. I finally decided that I don't really need to review them here. Some one else, on some other blog, or maybe several other people have probably already said what I am going to say about them. My words are not going to entice some new reader to explore this series. With the amount of hype surrounding them, and the insane amounts of attention they've received, if you haven't already read them, I'm sure you have your own reasons for that, and what I have to say is unlikely to change your mind. However, I will probably write a review of them individually on Goodreads (and I will link them here once I have) for anyone who really wants to see what I think about them, and I am always available for discussion if someone is interested in talking about it with me.

So, what I've decided I will tell you briefly what I thought about them/my emotions reading each book. Then, I'm going to get to the point. I really want to talk about something I've noticed that seems to happen to widely read series of books.

I am going to say right out that I loved these books. All three of them. I read all three of them almost back to back ( I took a 3 hour break between Catching Fire and Mockingjay so that I could eat something and give my system a chance to level off because the adrenaline was too much and I was just about shaking.) I haven't been that involved in a book in a long time — where my whole body, my whole system becomes involved and invested in the story. I've gotta say, it's pretty intense! The first two were like one constant adrenaline high. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next, I was on the edge of my seat, dying to know what was going to happen. Mockingjay was different. It was much more subtle. I can definitely see where people were disappointed in the book, although I actually think it was a brilliant ending, and although I was a little bummed by the way a few things turned out, I also thought that it was almost exactly what would have happened if any of this were real.

Reading these books, and watching what happened among the fan base at the end has brought me to a decision about hugely popular, widely read series. Especially the final book of the series. And that is, if the words "highly anticipated conclusion", "the ending you've all been waiting for" or any variant on that theme are associated with your book, there are going to be people who LOVE it and there are going to be people who HATE it. If you are lucky, there will be a few people in between, but that's rather unlikely. As an author, and as a reader of the aforementioned series, you are just going to have to accept that. You might be one of those who hate the ending, or you might be on the other side, completely flabbergasted that there are people out here who didn't love the ending. Either way, you should probably just expect that.

We saw it a little bit with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. A lot of people loved the book. But, there were also a lot of fans who were really disappointed with it, especially the epilogue. There was too much information, or not enough, Harry talked too much, it was too easy, 'You killed who?!' etc. Not everyone was happy with the way it ended. We saw it in the extreme with Breaking Dawn. I've never come across so many readers who took a book so personally in my life. I cannot believe the number of people who acted as if Stephenie Meyer killed their dog (or cat, for those who prefer them). I've read some books that I didn't much care for in my time, but I've never once thought to make the attack personal on the author. But, more people that I care to remember personally attacked Meyer for writing such a bad book. Now, personal feelings on the book completely aside, that's uncalled for people. Really, it's just a book.

Anyway, we've seen it with other huge series, and now we see it with Mockingjay and the end to The Hunger Games. I'm sad that so many people seemed so disappointed in Mockingjay, but I can't really say that I'm all that surprised.

*Disclaimer: I received this book through Star Book Tours.

Firelight by Sophie Jordanis a unique shape-shifter/paranormal YA read. Instead of werewolves, vampires, fairies or angels, Jordan has introduced us to the Draki, 'people' that have evolved from dragons. They can shift between human and dragon form almost at will, but shhh! Don't tell anyone, because no one else knows. The humans who hunt the Draki don't actually know that they appear human most of the time.

Other than the actual premise (shape-shifting dragons) not much of this story is terribly unique. We have our 16 year old heroine, trying to find her place among her family and her pride (group of Draki). She also happens to be extra special, even for a Draki (because why would we want to read about a mediocre heroine?!) She is the first Draki is generations who has the ability to breathe fire, which naturally makes her pretty popular among other members of the pride. Pretty early into the story, she is uprooted from the only home, and the only people she has ever known, and has to try and fit into a completely new setting. She deals with a mother and sister who don't understand her and don't really try to relate to her. Then, there's the whole 'forbidden love' thing. Yup, she falls in love with a human boy. But more than that, he and his whole family are hunters. And more. You see where this is going?

Regardless of what that last paragraph sounds like, I actually really liked this book. A lot. I liked it in the same way that I really liked Twilight and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and this type of chick lit in general. I didn't read it to be 'literarily edified' or to read the 'best written book of all time'. I read it to be entertained, to read a good story, and to have some fun. Which, I did!

The writing was engaging and entertaining. The story begins with out main character, Jacinda, and her best friend going for an illegal flight as dragons. The rules for flight are very specific. Because they are hunted, they keep strict regulations on appearances as dragons and flying is only allowed at night. But Jacinda absolutely loves flying, and just can't resist getting in some extra flight time in the morning. Well, this ends up being a very bad idea. This lovely morning also happens to be the morning the hunters have come down, and it's all Jacinda can do to get her and her friend safely away from them.

I don't want to spoil too much of the story, because I really liked reading it without knowing much more than the basic premise (shape-shifting dragon, who is special enough to breathe fire, falls in love with dangerous human boy) so I won't say much more about the plot, but it's definitely an enjoyable read, well worth the few hours it took to read it. It's also a book where I enjoyed the actual reading experience more than I enjoy the book. (Does that make sense?!)

It's a pretty fast read, and one that, once I started, I didn't want to put down again. I think I ended up staying up until about 3am reading this one, because I really wanted to know how it ended. Sadly though, the ending was the worst part of the book. Not because it was bad, but because it was incomplete. This book is a planned series, and that is very obvious from the very unsatisfying ending. Jordan leaves a lot of ideas left unexplored and there are several story lines that are just left completely unresolved. It's made me incredibly anxious for the next book in the series to come out, and this one hasn't even been released yet! Sigh... It's going to be a long wait!

If any part of it sounds like something you are interested, or it's the style of book you normally like (YA paranormal/fantasy romance) then I definitely recommend you pick it up. It was an enjoyable read, and a story that I'll be following as it advances more. If you have read it, what did you think?

I mentioned before that I was going to be participating in the One Child reading experience. If you don't know what that is, you can read my original post HERE. To briefly summarize, Enthrill is a new publisher, trying new marketing techniques. They took this book and created a month long reading event. One Child is a thriller that you read in real time. Each day new chapters were released the same time the events took place within the story. The online reader also included links to facebook pages, business websites, news reports and more that made the real time reading experience realistic.

This book felt like a true story. It read like real life. I almost feel like these characters are real people. Jeff Buick is a very talented writer. So, now let me get to my review of this book, as well as the experience of reading it in real time. (And be warned... This is a long one, because there is a lot of ground to cover here!)

I just reading this early this morning, and I'm still reeling. The story includes everything that makes a good thriller. It contains realistic and sympathetic characters. People who are very clearly bad guys, people who are very clearly good guys, and several people who inhabit that shady in-between area where you aren't quite sure just where they fall. It has a conflict, a climax and a slightly unbelievable resolution that you totally eat up anyway, because seriously?! That's just what had to happen!

For all that this book had everything that makes for a great thriller, there was so much more to it that just another thriller/conspiracy story. This book makes a political statement, asking us to become more aware of our situation and the problems facing others. It takes a very real issue in America, the war in Afghanistan, and it asks Americans to take a closer look at why we are there, what we are accomplishing, and what more needs to be done there. And the best part about it? It does all of this while keeping us totally entertained, completely absorbed in the story and never makes you feel like you are being pushed or beaten over the head with the information. The book, quite simply, tells it like it is.

That is what I think was the best part about this book. It's honest. The sections of the book that take place among the American soldiers in Afghanistan is painfully real. While reading, you can feel the fear and adrenaline from the soldiers, and understand the fear, anger and pain of the Afghani people. It would be interesting to talk to someone who has been over there fighting how accurately Buick portrays the conditions, because they felt horribly real to me. It makes my heart hurt that this is what some people face every day. There's the danger of unexploded land mines being stepped on by children or animals, the angry Taliban soldiers storming through your town, not caring who they hurt in an effort to kill the soldiers fighting them, people afraid of who will next burst through the door of their homes with guns held at the ready. It's tragic and painful to read. I can only imagine how much harder it must be to live it.

There are four main story lines within this book. Initially, we don't see a connection between any of the stories, but eventually, they all pull together and we are able to find the connections, and determine how each player and each movement sets the stage for what is to come as each story line finally becomes one.

So, our first story is Kadir and his three daughters. Halima is the eldest, and she dreams that she changes the world.
Next, we have Carson Grant and William Flemming. Flemming is an incredibly wealthy big-shot on Wall Street, and Carson is his newly promoted Division Head of the High Frequency Trading Unit of his Wall Street Corporation.
Third is Russel Matthews, a reporter going to Afghanistan to bring the truth about the situation over there to the people in America. We also meet several soldiers in Afghanistan who help us understand what life is really like.
And finally, we have U2, preparing for a rock concert in Moscow, and the team lead by an ex-CIA agent trying to bring it down.

The story is crafted perfectly. The pacing is wonderful, the story flows beautifully and the characters are believable. I really enjoyed reading this book and felt like I truly got to know the characters. The only real complaint that I have with the story is the ending. It was just a little bit too pat, and a few events were a little bit too unbelievable for me. Carson Grant is a naive idiot, and I never really felt like I was able to like him. His character felt a little bit flat to me. Part of his limited character depth, I think, comes from the fact that the woman he is engaged to, Nicki, is an almost superfluous character. She is dying of Cystic Fibrosis, and I felt that she was never anything more than a device. She provides "depth" to Carson's character, a little bit of drama, and is there for consequences. She was never really developed as a person. Instead, I felt like she was developed as a disease.

Other than my problems with the Carson/Nicki dynamic, I loved the characters in this book. Not all of them are people I'd like to meet on the street, but most of them (even Carson) felt like people that I might. It's possible I could run across someone just like almost any of these characters. It's not too likely that I'd run into a psychotic Russian who gets his thrills from killing people slowly, but I'll probably run into someone who has served a tour or more in a foreign war fighting for liberty and the right to life.This is definitely a book that I will read again in the future, and one I would recommend for others. I'm going to be looking to read more by Buick in the future. I'd like to see how I feel about a book of his reading it in one straight shot. But for now, Buick is definitely someone to watch for. One Child is so much more than I expected it to be, and I strongly recommend that you go out and read it now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, about the experience because you have to say something about that-

This book was the most unique book I've ever read because of the way it was released. As I mentioned, it was released in real time, with different chapters becoming available every day so that the events in the story unfold as you are reading about them. You are able to view the social networking pages of many characters, and are able to watch the reports that Russel Matthews sends from Afghanistan.

Although I truly enjoyed the little extras that came with the book, only having access to a limited number of pages every day stifled a lot of the excitement and adrenaline that I usually feel when reading a thriller/suspense novel. I was more invested in the characters than the events, because the chapters kept cutting off. I am a pretty fast reader, and rarely take more than 1-3 days reading a book. When I read, I prefer to read one book at a time, focus all my reading energies into that story and those characters and read it. Because this book provided me with daily cut offs, I found it really easy to distance myself from the events of the story and there were times when I'd leave it for a few days so I would have more to read when I came back to it.

The 4 videos that were released with the days events also reaffirmed what I already knew. I am more emotionally involved in what I read than in what I see or am told. The book made me cry, made my heart hurt. Watching those same events on Matthews video reports didn't even really make me sad. They were just kind of there. But that isn't the fault of the videos, it's just how I am. A really well written sad scene in a book can make me sob. A similar scene in a really well done movie just kind makes my throat hurts and my eyes tear up a little.

The timed release was a great idea and really made a difference in how the story made me feel, but I don't know that I loved it. I loved the idea, and enjoyed the execution but don't know if it's something I will be looking to repeat. However, I definitely plan to re-read this book sometime in the future and I strongly encourage you as readers to pick up a copy. It makes you think a lot more than I ever expected it too. I know that Halima has changed my world. Are you going to let her change yours?

how i live now by Meg Rosoff won the Printz Award in 2005. Beyond that, I didn't know much about this book when I picked it up, other than it takes place during an almost apocalyptic war. I must say that when I started reading, I was not expecting this book.

Our narrator is Daisy, a 15 year old from Manhattan who is coming to England to visit some cousins to escape, what in her mind, is a toxic environment (wicked and pregnant step-mother). At first, I almost felt like I rattled around this book. There is very little standard sentence structure, punctuation and grammar. It took me a few pages to really understand the style of writing and at first, I didn't like it. It's written as a stream of consciousness narrative, so we are actually 'listening' to Daisy's thoughts. And remember, she's a 15 year old from Manhattan who may or may not be slightly unbalanced.

As I mentioned, I didn't originally like the writing style. This was my first experience with this style of writing and it took some getting used to. Once I got involved in the story though, the prose flowed wonderfully and felt insanely realistic. I felt like I was connected to Daisy in a way that rarely happens with a character. I understood her because I was experiencing her.

It was an interesting way to learn about a character, because there wasn't really an introduction in the normal method. We learn about Daisy as she thinks certain details. We don't get a lot of back story on her family, because she doesn't like to think about them. We don't know a lot about her English cousins, because she doesn't know a lot about her English cousins. There are certain facts about Daisy that are never really specified. They are hinted at through conversations with other people and later on in the story are addressed a little more, but as long as Daisy chooses not to think about/focus on them, we don't get anymore information. We are completely in Daisy's mind.

I will admit that I was a little bit weirded out by the incest. Daisy and her cousin Edmond fall in love, and do very little to stop or hide their feelings. Their relationship was incredibly intense. It's hinted throughout the whole story that there may be something a little bit extra in the way these three English cousins are able to communicate, and you see elements of this in Daisy's interactions with all three cousins, although none more so than Edmond. After Daisy and Edmond are separated during the war, they maintain an almost telepathic connection allowing them to know the other is safe, and deliver comfort when needed. I will say one thing though — this relationship was vital to the story. It was a necessary part to truly advance the plot and the characters in the way required. Rosoff uses this as a device but she doesn't let it become overwhelming or take control of the story. It is there, but it isn't extreme and it's definitely far from the level of V.C. Andrews. (That stuff is just creepy to be creepy.)

I know that this review is a little all over the place, and I apologize for that. However, that's a little bit the way this book makes you feel, so i don't really feel too bad about it.

I definitely recommend this book, although I will say that this is not for the faint of heart or the squeamish. This is a story about growing up and discovering who you are and what is most important in life. But, it takes place during a war. War is never pretty, and Rosoff makes no attempt to spare readers from the horrors of a major war. The way the characters handle the side effects of war felt very real, very raw. My heart hurts for these children.

This isn't a book that's going anywhere for me for a while. It's definitely one that is going to stay with me for a long time. Daisy really gets into your mind, just as you get into hers. It's a book to make you think, to make you questions, to give you hope, and to make you reevaluate everything you once thought important. This is one of those books I imagine you love a little more every time you read it. So what are you waiting for? Go grab it!