Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers


Release Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Series: His Fair Assassin, Book 1
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ◆ Website

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Handmaidens of Death, seeking vengeance upon males? Oh, yes please!

After taking a closer look at the gorgeous cover, I saw the crossbow. I didn't see it there before and immediately I was intrigued. Then thank the heavens above, NetGalley offered this one for review! I was ecstatic. This book did not let me down.
Grave Mercy is a historical paranormal novel which features assassin nuns, betrayals and secrets, and a totally hot guy. I'm glad to say I enjoyed this book so much, I read it in one sitting, and completely devoured it. I loved the writing, and the historical elements combined with the paranormal works out so well!

I love Ismae, she reminds me of Finley from The Girl in the Steel Corset. They both are strong-willed, they don't succumb to what women were expected to be back then, and they have totally bad-ass fighting skills. You definitely would not want to meet Ismae in a dark alley... if you're a guy that is. What I definitely enjoyed reading about was her struggle. Her emotions really brought the writing to life.
Oh. My. Gods. Duval! Okay, I know I say this entirely too much, but seriously? One of the best guy love interests ev-er! I don't wanna go on and on with my fangirling, but really swoon-worthy, strong, brave, heroic, and oh did I mention swoon-worthy? *swoons and collapses in a heap*
All the supporting characters were great as well. I really enjoyed Anna (The Duchess). She was really an interesting character and was delighted to see that she was really a historical figure (what? I don't take history so don't blame me if I don't know this). Beast was also another character I enjoyed. Instead of the sassy best friend, he was definitely a better alternative!

There are a ton of twists in this story. Every time the plot ends up winding into a web of betrayal, mistrust and mystery. You seriously don't know who to trust. The main mystery however, I did guess before (and was glad to see I was right!) as it seemed a little predictable. I think the length of the book was perfectly fit for this though– it allowed everything in without any dry spots.
One really cool thing (well, at least I thought it was cool) was the "Dramatis Personae" at the beginning. It's basically like a list of characters, and I thought it was a really different element to put inside a book and reminded me of Shakespeare.

Robin LaFevers' Grave Mercy is marvelous, delightfully deadly and totally kicks butt. It's a fantastic debut, and I am without a doubt looking forward to clawing through the second book, Dark Triumph.

If you like this, try...

• The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross ◆ Goodreads
• The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman ◆ Goodreads
• The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell ◆ Goodreads

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Waiting on Wednesday – Week 57

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight on upcoming reads which I'm DYING to get my hands on.

This week's WoW is:

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorced dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great. Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

Goodreads

June 5, 2012

I haven't read any of Keplinger's previous books (The Duff, Shut Out) but this one sounds amazing! And totally love the play on the title...I love A Midsummer Night's Dream, so hopefully there'll be some sort of tie-in to Shakespeare's play. Can't wait!

What are you waiting on?

News!

Hi everyone! Just two pieces of news I'd like to share with everyone:


1. If you are reading this now, I've just entered into my final exam for the Grade 10 (sophomore) year! YAY! :D :D :D Now time for no more school, and hello reeeelaaxxxxinnnngg.


2. I found this out like, a month or two ago, but realized I haven't posted about it yet, but...


I GOT BLURBED!! I started squealing really loudly when I found this on my eARC copy of Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz:

and then a couple weeks later when the book came out, yup! It was there...in PRINT :D

(sorry for the kind of blurry photo)

And that's the news everyone! Hope to be blogging with you soon, there's a whole lotta fun coming in June :D

The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin

The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin


Release Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Mascherato Publishing
Rated: YA 14+
Format: ARC
Source: Author
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ◆ Website

Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.
With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?
No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.

The Darkening Dream is one novel I can say that can fit into almost all YA genres. It's got action, mythology, religion, romance, paranormal, mystery, history, fantasy– what more could you want? This kept me going, but as it was kind of a long read, I couldn't finish it in one go. I kept on wanting more, and this satisfied my reading appetite.

All characters in this novel were amazing. They had contrasting personalities, which I absolutely loved. I liked how the perspectives also shifted, it was never really the same person narrating the story. More like going through all the characters in a round, which really gives a good view and insight into the emotions and storyline.

I LOVED Sarah! For the 1900's, she's really quite the tough one. I admired her ability to withstand whatever danger they came across and wasn't grossed out by certain things which I'm sure anyone else would have ran away from. A really strong heroine!
And of course, like every intriguing book there comes a love triangle. We see feelings for Sarah from Alex and Sam. I couldn't tell which team I was on, but I gotta say, Alex is pretty much who I was rooting for the whole time. But of course, I also loved Sam. Both male protagonists were brilliant.
And of course, there's Anne. She's completely the opposite of Sarah, but I really liked her character. I just wish that she'd made more of an appearance during the book though.

One thing which I really enjoyed during the book was the take on Vampires. They weren't the sparkly, Edward Cullen type– they were the really bloodthirsty, horrific kind and ones that gave me nightmares. Gavin's descriptions are top-notch, but of course, vampires come then hand-in-hand with repulsive. Which is exactly what Al-Nasir is. Let me just say: Voldemort has nothing on this guy. He is downright creepy and I still shudder when I think about him. *shudders*

The religion, history and mythology visited in this book is phenomenal. I've never seen a greater collection of these three topics in YA book that I've read so far. The religious beliefs tying in with history, and myths coming to life, and there's just so much more in the novel– it really has great substance.
However, what I could have done without though was the sexual-ness in this novel. I mean, I get the demon thing. That's pretty much understood, they are sexual and seductive in nature. But for other parts of the book I found that it was unnecessary. 

The Darkening Dream is a fantastic novel, one which I'm sure will have fantasy nerds, historical-and-myth lovers, romance fans and just anyone who wants a good book wrapped up into this marvelously thought-out story. The ending just BLEW MY MIND, and I really hope Gavin has a second book planned because I need more!

**Thank you so much to Andy Gavin for sending me his book for review!**

If you like this, try...

• The Alchemyst by Michael Scott ◆ Goodreads
• A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray ◆ Goodreads

Interview with Rebecca Serle

Rebecca Serle

Rebecca Serle is a full-time writer, which means she gets to wear pajamas to work. She went to the University of Southern California, then got her MFA from the New School in NYC. (She likes New York much more than LA, but don’t tell anyone that.) Rebecca loves shiny hair, coffee, yoga, and pretending to be British. She, too, experienced heartbreak once. It worked out okay, though, because she turned the experience into this book. When You Were Mine is her first novel.

Website ❘ Blog ❘ Twitter ❘ Facebook ❘ Goodreads

Books

When You Were Mine 

Goodreads ❘ Amazon ❘ The Book Depository ❘ My Review

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to answer questions on Confessions of a Readaholic– WHEN YOU WERE MINE is absolutely fabulous!

Can you sum up in 5 words (any words! Be as abstract as you want :P) what your novel is about?

Love. Heartbreak. Choice. Destiny. Fate.

What gave you the inspiration to write WHEN YOU WERE MINE?

My own experience with heartbreak. I felt like I really knew what it's like to be the girl that gets left behind. I was Rosaline! 

I've heard that the film rights to your novel have been sold! Can you tell us a little bit about it? Pretty please? *batts eyelashes*

You asked me so nicely :) The film rights sold to Fox 2000 and the guys who did 500 Days of Summer wrote the screenplay. It's awesome. They're currently casting the movie...

Leading up from the previous question, if you had the choice of choosing your own cast... who would you choose?

Can I play Rosaline? I would totally give up being a writer to be a movie star :)  

Haha! I would probably do the same :P

■ ■ ■

Pick this or that:

Happy Endings or Deadly Cliffhangers?

Happy Endings!

Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt? (and what flavor? I'm really curious :D)

Frozen Yogurt. I try not to eat too much sugar but if I go for it it's chocolate all the way. 

Rainy days or Sunshine?

Rainy days.

Movies or TV Shows?

TELEVISION.

■ ■ ■

What type of music do you like listening to? Is there a certain song that you think fits your novel?

I listen to a lot of top 40 stuff with a hint of Frank Sinatra. Probably Leona Lewis's "Better In Time."

That song SO fits the novel! :)

If you were a candy or chocolate, what would you be?

Black licorice. That sounds kind of mischievous, huh?

Did you always want to become an author? What and/or who inspired you to become one?

Yes, always. Well– since I knew what an author was. I had incredible mentors along the way who really encouraged me, but it was always in me. I love to write. Nothing quite compares to the feeling I get putting words on a page.

What are you currently reading? What are your top 5 books of all time?

I'm currently reading Deb Caletti's The Story Of Us. I'm an embarassingly big Deb Caletti fan. I think I talk about her in every interview I've ever given. She blurbed When You Were Mine, too, which was just a huge dream come true. 

Top 5: 

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger 

Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion 

Eloise by Kay Thompson 

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I'm a huge Deb Caletti fan too!

When you're not writing, what do you do?

Eat good food! Go to pilates. Hang out with friends. Watch silly TV. Sometimes I try to learn French, but that never goes too well.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

And that's all for the interview! Thank you so much to Rebecca Serle for agreeing to the interview and answering my questions.

In this intensely romantic, modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told, Romeo’s original intended—Juliet’s cousin Rosaline—tells her side of the tale.

What’s in a name, Shakespeare? I’ll tell you: Everything.

Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her—and when he finally does, it’s perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose’s best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit crazy… and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn’t even stand a chance.

Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet’s instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob’s heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends…

Want a copy of this book? You can win it in my 200 Follower Giveaway!

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 56

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight upcoming reads which I'm DYING to get my hands on.

This week's WoW is:

Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer

Gigi, Bea, and Neerja are best friends and total overachievers. Even if they aren’t the most popular girls in school, they aren’t too worried. They know their real lives will begin once they get to their Ivy League colleges. There will be ivy, and there will be cute guys in the libraries (hopefully with English accents)! But when an unexpected event shows them they’re missing out on the full high school experience, it’s time to come out of the honors lounge and into the spotlight. They make a pact: They will each take on their greatest challenge—and they will totally rock it.

Gigi decides to run for student rep, but she’ll have to get over her fear of public speaking—and go head-to-head with gorgeous California Will. Bea used to be one of the best skiers around, until she was derailed. It could be time for her to take the plunge again. And Neerja loves the drama club but always stayed behind the scenes—until now.

These friends are determined to show that smart girls get what they want—but that could mean getting way more attention than they ever bargained for...

Goodreads

Release Date: June 26, 2012

This one sounds like a refreshingly new contemporary that just might be really funny :) Totally gonna have to pick this one up.

What are you waiting on?

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Release Date: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry to this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

As far as YA contemporaries go, this one takes the prize for "Most Exotic". I loved Bria's adventures in Central America. I've never been there, but Kirsten Hubbard's writing and accompanying drawings created strong, and very beautiful imagery of what it would be like to visit that part of the world. From what I've heard of Hubbard, is that she's a world traveler, and so it's really cool to read about places where she's been and the sights she's seen.

❝Wanderlust is like itchy feet. It’s when you can’t settle down. But Wanderlove is much deeper than that... it’s a compulsion. It’s the difference between lust and love.❞

Bria is our main character, and I found her quite relatable, and she was exactly like a normal human being should be. Nothing too special (except for the beautiful drawings!) and just looking for herself in the middle of Central America. However, at times I found her kind of annoying, a little bit too obsessed with her past when she was trying to shake it off, but I loved the struggle as she tries to let go of it. A great character in the end :)
ROWAN. So I was watching Glee the other day, and then this new character comes in– Joe Hart. Who's the first person I think of when watching him? ROWAN! I loved Rowan. He's so much different from other guys and I'm not just talking about the dreadlocks. He's such a frank character, so honest and so experienced, you can totally feel the Hubbard in him. I also loves the way that he alludes to some classics. I'm proud to say I actually managed to get some of them.
Starling is Rowan's sister, and I wish that she'd been more in the book, because I think she's an amazing character– very outspoken and very different. And her name? Love it!

The way in which Hubbard describes different aspects in her novel is absolutely stunning. Like this little passage blow. I couldn't find any about Central America, and those were gorgeous, but here's one about Bria and her art (from Goodreads):

❝I recall the rasp of charcoal on newsprint, the chewing-gum stretch of a kneaded eraser, the precarious bite of a razor blade in a new pencil. The vibrancy of fresh watercolors squeezed from a tube. A new sketchbook, cracked open to flawless white. The way the smell of turpentine made me feel simultaneously sick and excited.❞

You can really visualize and sense what Bria's going through, and everything she does and sees. And the drawings that I keep mentioning are gorgeous. Kirsten Hubbard is obviously a very talented person!

Overall, Wanderlove is cute, original and funny thrown into a blender full of adventure and culture. If this doesn't make you long for trekking through the rainforest and walking in a busy market in this part of the world, I don't know what would– this contemporary adventure will have you dreaming of exotic locations from then on. Kirsten Hubbard is an amazing author and I DEFINITELY need to read more from her.

If you like this, try...

• 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson ◆ Goodreads
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green ◆ Goodreads
• Pretty Bad Things by C.J. Skuse ◆ Goodreads

Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser

Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser


Release Date: March 8, 2012
Publisher: Flux
Rated: YA 15+
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Two families. Four teens.
A summer full of secrets.

Every summer, hidden away in a lakeside community in upstate New York, four teens leave behind their old identities…and escape from their everyday lives.

Yet back in Philadelphia during the school year, Alex cannot suppress his anger at his father (who killed himself), his mother (whom he blames for it), and the girls who give it up too easily. His younger brother, Kyle, is angry too—at his abusive brother, and at their mother who doesn’t seem to care. Meanwhile, in suburban New Jersey, Katie plays the role of Miss Perfect while trying to forget the nightmare that changed her life. But Julie, her younger sister, sees Katie only as everything she’s not. And their mother will never let Julie forget it.

Up at the lake, they can be anything, anyone. Free. But then Katie’s secret gets out, forcing each of them to face reality—before it tears them to pieces.

Usually when you think of "summer" books you think of romance, fun, boys and bonfire nights. Well, this summer book totally changed that whole image. Pieces of Us is a story about four teens, who all have something that they want to forget, to break free of. We have four stories from four perspectives which show responses and emotions to the events that occur in this novel.
I liked the idea of Pieces of Us, and the general story line was great, and it was a really interesting contemporary. BUT...I found that some parts of the book were too graphical for a younger young adult audience (which totally made me just change the rating from YA 14+ to 15+). The profanity in this book is quite high, and so I would recommend this to older teens.

What I found interesting about the characters was that in this book, unlike most YA contemporaries today, they're not American per se. They're Russian, so it's cool to see a difference in character background :)
For me, most of the characters change in my view from either really good to really bad or vice versa during the book. It's quite shocking to see how my favorites turned to be the ones I hated in the end!

First up, we have Katie, the one who starts the chain-reaction of events. I didn't like her at the beginning, because she was just too much of a popular girl for me and (in my opinion) overly-obsessed with being the most popular person in school. However, I guess underneath it all, I really did feel sympathetic towards her– I don't know if anyone would do the same thing in her situation, but you gotta give her some props for what she goes through and how she makes it in the end. Somewhere during the middle though, I have NO IDEA what goes on with her, but I ended up liking her in the end.
Julie is Katie's younger sister, and the child who's mom completely skips over, only fretting about Katie and her popularity (I'll get to the mom later). Julie I first liked, because she was pretty down to earth, the smart girl, not known for her looks and such. But at the end, geez, what's with her? I don't want to give away too much, but this girl gets a life-makeover, I'll tell you that.

And now: the boys. Alex...what can I say? Hated him pretty much throughout the novel, even though he has the tiniest sliver of the whole "bad-boy" attraction, I generally disliked him from start to finish. There were moments in the book when you can't help but feel sorry for him, but seriously? Not a person I would like to know.
Kyle, oh Kyle. I always liked him! He's the only character which didn't change my opinion through the story, and he's just the sweetest guy character out there. Honestly, being stuck with three difficult people has got to be a pain, but he's just so patient and you'll keep rooting for him, no matter what.

Now coming back to an earlier point: Katie and Julie's mom. What is UP with this woman? If you combined Matilda's mom and the Trunchbull (both from Matilda by Roald Dahl), you would have found them to be a more moral and somewhat sensible person than this lady. Hated her. Too obsessed with Katie's popularity, to the point where she's even more so than Katie herself, and when things spread around, she treats them like they're normal! Absolutely hated this woman. GAH.
Other than for the weird and horrible mother, something else that I would have changed would be the length. This was slightly too long, so it dragged in some bits, but I felt that it could have been a much more "up-beat" read if it was a little shorter.

Overall, Pieces of Us is about the summer which none of us would ever want to have, despite the freedom to be themselves, there's the secrets surrounding these four teens that cage them. Gelbwasser has written a touching and heart-wincing novel which definitely stands out in the young adult contemporary genre. Can't wait to read more from this author, as I'm sure I'll be astounded by the amazing writing once more.

If you like this, try...

• Life Is But a Dream by Brian James ◆ Goodreads
• Supergirl Mixtapes by Meagan Brothers ◆ Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 55

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight on upcoming reads which I'm DYING to get my hands on.

This week's WoW is:

Arise by Tara Hudson

Amelia—still caught between life and death—must fight for every moment of her relationship with the human boy Joshua. They can hardly even kiss without Amelia accidentally dematerializing. Looking for answers, they go to visit some of Joshua’s Seer relatives in New Orleans. But even in a city so famously steeped in the supernatural, Amelia ends up with more questions than answers…and becomes increasingly convinced that she and Joshua can never have a future together.Wandering through the French Quarter, Amelia meets other in-between ghosts, and begins to seriously consider joining them. And then she meets Gabrielle. Somehow, against impossible odds, Gaby has found a way to live a sort of half-life...a half-life for which Amelia would pay any price. Torn between two worlds, Amelia must choose carefully, before the evil spirits of the netherworld choose for her.

Goodreads

Release Date: June 5, 2012

I loved Hereafter (review here), the first book, and I can't wait to find out what happens next! :D

What are you waiting on?

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews


Release Date: March 1, 2012
Publisher: Abrams
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.
Until Greg's mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.
Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia - cue extreme adolescent awkwardness - but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

I guess what really caught my attention with this book was the title. And when I read the blurb and some reviews saying that it was funny, I was like, 'Wait, hang on. A book about somebody dying can't be funny!'. Oh boy, was I wrong.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl has the "feel". The hilarious-and-fresh-new-voice feel. I loved it– it made me laugh, it made me want more and best of all, never a dry spot in this novel. The format is amazing, sometimes in a movie script, bullet points and such, and it just makes it so much more interesting for a change, instead of reading the way we normally do. Good to shake it up a little.

Greg really reminded me of another Greg– the one from Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Both are hilarious, and their mom's just are the cream on top. I like how this young adult novel has a male's POV, which sadly is pretty rare today. Great to see a guy's view in a contemporary.
Earl is Greg's only friend, and even though he's hilarious, unfortunately he was the only "problem" I had with the book. I couldn't understand what he was saying at times (and it was probably good that I didn't because most of the time it isn't clean), but seriously, once your get past it, he's a great character, really genuine and really original.

We've had Greg aka "Me", and we've had Earl...and so we finally come to the Dying Girl. Rachel was a great character, and it was quite interesting (yet saddening, no matter how funny this book was) to see her during the stages of her lukemia. I loved her strength throughout the book, and her tolerance of hanging out with Greg (I would have blown it sooner or later) and she's just such an interesting character. Totally normal, which makes you really connect to her. She doesn't have anything "special", but it's just that which allows you to get to know her through Greg.

There were times in this book when I couldn't believe that these characters were in their senior year of high school. I mean, they sounded so...young. Like, I kept thinking they were freshmen or sophomores, but because of Greg's search for colleges time to time during the novel, I managed to grasp to the fact that they were a little bit older.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will have you in tears from either laughing to hard, or sobbing from the tragedy of it all (okay...a little too exaggerated). Jesse Andrews has written a fabulous debut which introduces a fabulous male protagonist into the world of young adult contemporary. I look forward to reading more of Andrew's fresh and funny writing in the future!

If you like this, try...

• Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin ◆ Goodreads
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green ◆ Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 54

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight on upcoming reads which I'm DYING to get my hands on.

This week's WoW is:

Miracle by Elizabeth Scott

Megan survived the plane crash—but can she survive the aftermath? An intense, emotional novel from the author ofThe Unwritten Rule and Between Here and Forever.

Megan is a miracle. At least, that’s what everyone says. Having survived a plane crash that killed everyone else on board, Megan knows she should be grateful just to be alive. But the truth is, she doesn’t feel like a miracle. In fact, she doesn’t feel anything at all. Then memories from the crash start coming back.

Scared and alone, Megan doesn’t know whom to turn to. Her entire community seems unable—or maybe unwilling—to see her as anything but Miracle Megan. Everyone except for Joe, the beautiful boy next door with a tragic past and secrets of his own. All Megan wants is for her life to get back to normal, but the harder she tries to live up to everyone’s expectations, the worse she feels. And this time, she may be falling too fast to be saved...

Goodreads

Release Date: June 5, 2012

As a huge fan of Elizabeth Scott, I cannot WAIT for this one. I loved The Unwritten Rule, Something, Maybe, Between Here and Forever, Living Dead Girl and Stealing Heaven– all were amazing, and I'm sure this one is no exception.

What are you waiting on?

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle


Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

In this intensely romantic, modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told, Romeo’s original intended—Juliet’s cousin Rosaline—tells her side of the tale. What’s in a name, Shakespeare? I’ll tell you: Everything. Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her—and when he finally does, it’s perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose’s best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit crazy...and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn’t even stand a chance.     Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet’s instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob’s heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends…

I, personally, have never read any modern adaptation of any sort of Shakespeare's plays.  I've read The Juliet Spell, which is a pretty interesting story, but it isn't an "adaption". I've only read some of the originals: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and of course, Romeo and Juliet. When I first read Romeo and Juliet, I was like, ? What does all this even MEAN? Thank god, I read it for English class, because then I gradually understood what was going on (okay, I had a little help from watching the movie) and I came to love this tragedy of fate and timing.
Rebecca Serle has written a modern re-imagining of the story, and it focuses on someone in the play who doesn't seem too significant, but then again, first impressions are somewhat deceiving. 

Rosaline. Who was there before Juliet? Her cousin, ROSALINE. True, Romeo's love for her wasn't returned in the play, but even though she makes no appearance whatsoever and only is talked about in one or two discussions, she's the one which sets the story in place. If Romeo had not been looking for Rosaline, would he have ever seen Juliet?
I loved how Serle really looked deep into this character's perspective: really shine a new outlook onto the play. The references, the characters, and of course, the timing and all– fabulously well done for this interesting concept.

Rosaline is our title character. LOVE HER! She's the perfect character: flawed, but not to the point where it bugs someone; has special talents, but doesn't outshine anyone– everything was so well done. By the time this novel finished, I was totally ready to look at old William's work again and root for Rosaline. And like the original, Rose's timing has some effect on other characters in other aspects...you will just have to read it to know what it is.
And of course, with every heroine comes a hero. Well, err...sort of. Of course, Rob is Romeo in this novel, and even though I loved him at first, his trust?? POOFF! Gone when Juliet arrives. I don't know how much a girl can change a guy, but wow. He totally has a double personality on this one folks.
Charlie and Olive! Two besties which I wish I could have. Charlie: the headstrong, tough one with a soft inside, and Olive: the totally nice-to-everyone airhead. I don't know where they fit with the original, but I love them all the same. Romeo's friend Ben (Benvolio!) is really great too, I wish I'd just seen more of him though...he was just there for little glimpses along the way. And Len...I'm not gonna tell you all how he fits in, but I'm loving it :)
At last, we come to the "antagonist" of this story: Juliet. Funny how characters are seen from different perspectives, huh? This Juliet is nothing like the sweetly described one. I'd be scared to meet this one in fact. *shudders*

I like how the book is split into Acts and Scenes, so it's kind of like Shakespeare's work itself. Love the main quote by the way: What's in a name Shakespeare? I'll tell you: Everything. Really spine-chilling and if you get the reference, even better!
I heard that When You Were Mine has been optioned into a movie! I totally can't WAIT to this one move to the big screen. I've heard rumors of Kiera Knightly or (more recently) Lily Collins to play the leading lady. Either way, both actresses are fabulous, and both would do an AMAZING job of portraying them both.

Overall, When You Were Mine is a heart-pounding, mouth-gaping heck of a read which just kept me wanting to read on and on and on....and on. I couldn't put this one away! Sweet, deliciously and romantically dark, twisted and mind-blowing, this one will have you in a state of shock (from awesomeness among other things) for a while. Trust me, and do NOT skip over this one– you'll end up regretting it, wondering why the hell you didn't listen to me.

❝ Sometimes...the hardest part about letting someone go is realizing that you were never meant to have them. ❞

If you like this, try...

• Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy ◆ Goodreads
• The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees ◆ Goodreads
• Ophelia by Lisa Klein ◆ Goodreads

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Thanks and may the force be with you, the odds be ever in your favor etc. etc. :)


Rabiah

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 53

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight on upcoming reads which I'm DYING to get my hands on.

This week's WoW is:

Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.  Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

Goodreads

Release Date: May 15, 2012

I have this one for review, so I can't WAIT to get to it! It's sounds like an amazing YA contemp :)

What are you waiting on?