Review - Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher
Publisher: Razorbill
Date of Publication: October 2007
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 304
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

It took me a really long time to actually pick up this book and read it. Having dealt personally with suicide and similar issues, I just don't gravitate toward reading books that deal with them. But I did. I can't say I'm glad I did, but I can say that it was a good book. I was intrigued by the idea of a message from the grave and I kept turning the pages to see what was coming next and who would be on the tapes and why. There were little bits of mystery thrown in as names were dropped and you couldn't be sure if or where they would wind up on the tapes.

I really enjoyed the two alternating voices. I'm finding more and more that multiple POVs or narrators is something I like in novels. The writing itself was clean and expressive and I always knew who was narrating based on the tone and language.

When it comes to characters, I really liked Clay. He was a great guy, and probably my favorite part of the entire story is his reaction to the emotional journey he is on. I felt like I was experiencing the shock and sadness with him instead of just watching from the outside, and it all felt very realistic to me. His emotions and thoughts, especially about himself, felt so raw and honest, and I could see, step by step, how the tapes were changing him, not drastically, but just elevating him to another level of understanding when it comes to other people. I also like how ultimately he did not let Hannah's decision overshadow his own life.

As for Hannah herself, I honestly could not relate very much. I did feel bad for her for the things that had happened to push her in the direction of suicide. But leaving behind the tapes seemed as selfish as the suicide, like she was rubbing it in their faces. I know part of it was to teach those who were on the tapes a lesson about how what you do to, say about, or think about another person has consequences we often can't see, but she could have done that and lived. I know someone who has personally found the body of someone who committed suicide, and though my friend probably wasn't part of why that person made that choice, my friend still obsesses over what they could have done to stop it. It still sends my friend into depression to think about it, so I can't imagine what the characters on those tapes must have had to deal with after listening to them. Maybe some of them would have blown it off, but others who seemed to be more sympathetic characters probably would have had to seek therapy at the very least.

It seemed to me like Hannah was just bored and gave up, or even in some cases, looking for reasons to kill herself. Maybe that was the point - she made the wrong decision and everyone who comes to that decision should realize there are other options - but hers was such an un-compelling story for the most part (there were bits of it that were awful, true, but usually they were the decisions Hannah made and things she could have changed/prevented). I don't mean to trivialize her issues, but as a person who lives with depression every day, I wish my depression was just blah and boredom. It would be better than the crippling agony. I never felt that Hannah was really agonized, and maybe that's just my memory because it has been a while since I read the book. But as far as the story goes, that almost makes it worse that she wasn't half-crazed and in so much emotional pain that she felt she had to end it in a spur of the moment decision. It is honestly sadder because there really was no reason for it and because she took so much time to plan it out.

Everything she was going through could have just been things from her past that she got over in therapy or mistakes she could have made up for had she allowed herself a future. Again, not saying those that did those things to her had a right, because they didn't, but everyone in the story made bad choices, including Hannah, before Hannah's suicide. But instead of choosing to right her wrongs and change the way things were, she gave up. Again, probably the point.

Jay Asher really impressed me with this work. I felt like I was reading about real people instead of characters in a book (except for Hannah, who I just couldn't connect with completely) and I liked the message. People really should be more considerate of others because you never know what some one is going through and how you could affect them. Also, raising any awareness of mental health issues is something I applaud because it is not talked about enough. I liked the hopeful ending of the book as well, and it helped to sweeten the bitterness of Hannah's decision and her thirteen reasons why.

Where you can buy Thirteen Reasons Why:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - White Cat

by Holly Black
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Date of Publication: May 2010
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 320
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

Cassel comes from a family of Curse Workers - people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn't got magic, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail - he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Cassel has carefully built up a facade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his facade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

I can't say what exactly I was expecting when I read White Cat. I had previously read Holly Black's Tithe, which had good things about it, but there were also some things in that book that were a turn off for me. I was hoping I wouldn't find those kinds things in this book. But I can say that by the end of this first installment of the Curse Workers series, I was pleasantly surprised.

One thing that makes me like Holly Black's books is the unique element, whether it is something about the characters, the setting, or something else. The whole world of White Cat is pretty cool for a couple of reasons. One, it is not all that different from the world we live in today, so it has that familiar feel. Two, it has an alternate history where magic has always been around and people have worked out ways to protect themselves from it and the government has outlawed it. I wasn't sure at first if everyone knew about the magic, and I felt a few more cues could have been given to make this clear (gloves play a big part in curse protection and I wasn't 100% that people were wearing them all the time), but other than that, I was totally in.

The MC, Cassel, is pretty interesting. He's the white sheep in a family of black sheep, except not quite. It turns out that even he doesn't know as much about himself and his own life as he thinks he does, and watching him figure it out was entertaining. He had a lot of baggage from his family, but I didn't feel like he was overly agnsty. Cassel is very savvy and clever and a con-man, but at the same time, he wants to be normal and have a normal life. I love it when characters are at war with themselves.

I liked the supporting characters as well, especially the Sharpe family. They were each clearly defined people and I liked seeing their varying personalities interact. Cassel's friends from school were a nice addition, though I thought they kind of popped out of nowhere at one point, and I would have liked to see them weaved more into the story rather than just appear (or Cassell call them) when needed.

Like Tithe, Black's writing in White Cat is transfixing and dark. Some of the examples she used to equate Curse Work families with that of mafia type families were just way out there, which worked for the twisted aspect of the story. I also loved that Cassel's family plays such a big part in the story. Families can be really twisted and home life is not always neat and pretty or bland and boring, and Black expressed this vividly.

The only drawback I really found was the big climactic part of the story was more of a fizzle than the bang I expected it to be.  But...but...but...the actual end was pretty awesome. Gotta love family drama!

Overall, with the well-formed characters, an out-there story, and great writing, White Cat, the first in the Curse Workers Series from Holly Black, gets an A rating from me.  I will definitely be reading the next installment, Red Glove.

Where you can buy White Cat:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - Blue Noon

by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Eos
Date of Publication: February 2006
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 378
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

The darklings will hunt once again.

The secret hour when time freezes arrives every night at midnight in Bixby, Oklahoma. It's a dangerous time, when five teenagers are the only humans awake and dark creatures crawl out of the shadows, but at least the midnight hour is regular and predictable.

Until suddenly, the blue time comes . . . in the middle of the day.

The noise of school stops. Cheerleaders are frozen in midair, teachers brought to a standstill. Everything is the haunted blue color of the midnight hour.

The Midnighters can't understand what's happening, but as they scramble for answers, they discover that the walls between the secret hour and real time are crumbling. Soon the dark creatures will have a chance to feed after centuries of waiting, unless these five teenagers can find a way to stop them.

A desperate race against time, a mind-blowing mystery of paranormal logic, a tale of ancient evil and spine-chilling sacrifice: blue noon is the exhilarating third volume in the Midnighters series by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld.

This is the third and final book in the Midnighters Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. Out of the three, I'd say that this is my second favorite Midnighters book after Touching Darkness.

This book begins a couple of weeks after the big ordeal at the end of the last book. Though life is never normal for the Midnighters, things are going as normal as possible until the blue time of the secret hour happens during the day, and it's up to the Midnighters to fix things. This book was a fitting end to the trilogy, full of the usual action and twists.

I only had a couple of issues with this installment. First, the plot seemed to be stretched out when it didn't have to be, but then ending went rather fast, which was a little jarring. Second, the epilogue was unsatisfying.  It did give enough information to tie things off, but I don't think it gave the audience enough time to process what the recent events really meant for the characters. Plus, it just made me a bit sad, because not only is it the end of the series, but the end of the Midnighters as they were before.

The perks of this book were the major leaps and bounds some of the characters took. By the end I loved Rex and Melissa more than ever before. Unfortunately my favorite character, Des, had less plot time than ever, and I missed her being truly important to the story. Jessica and Jonathan were about the same, and Beth's appearances were great for the family tension but I think more could have been done with her spying on Jessica.

Just as with Touching Darkness, I enjoyed Blue Noon, and Westerfeld definitely ties up the loose ends with the darklings, the Midnighters, and the secret hour. However, the ending was open enough to allow another book or two in the Midnighter world, though they probably would not be anything like this series since the Midnighter world is so changed.

I'm glad I picked up this series. It was a step out of my reading comfort-zone, but Westerfeld proved to me that his reputation as a good author is well-deserved.

Where you can buy Blue Noon:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - Touching Darkness

by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Eos
Date of Publication: March 2005
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 330
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

The Midnighters of Bixby, Oklahoma, know that their town is full of secrets. These five teenagers are the only ones who know about the mysterious hour at midnight when the world freezes, except for them and the creatures that inhabit the darkness.

But they do not know why earlier generations of Midnighters all disappeared, or why they are now the only Midnighters in town. As they learn more about the secret hour's twists and turns, they uncover terrifying mysteries woven into the very fabric of Bixby's history, and a conspiracy that touches both the midnight hour and the world of daylight.

At the same time, the Midnighters' own secrets start to emerge, including some that were never meant to come to light, changing the fragile dynamics among the five.

This time Jessica Day is not the only Midnighter in mortal danger, and if the group can't find a way to come together, they could lose one of their own — forever.

A story of courage, shadowy perils, and unexpected destiny, the secret hour is the first volume of the mesmerizing Midnighters trilogy by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld.

Though I had to stop and start many times (work, sleep, life, etc) I read this book quickly.  The more I learn about the individual Midnighters, the more I'm interested in their fate.

Des is still my favorite character. There was a lot going on with her in through most of this book, so that was great. It became less from her perspective toward the end, but the action in the plot didn't really concern her, so while I missed her, I understood the necessity. Unlike the others, who are coupled up somewhat, Des is her own person, even before all the mess with Jessica. She continues to be herself, but I found it interesting how she reacted to Madeline and what Madeline's existence (or lack-there-of) in Bixby meant.

The dynamics between Melissa and Rex changed through this story and I found myself liking them more. Though I probably wouldn't want to be super-close with Melissa, she did grow as a character, which is always fun to watch. That didn't mean she stopped being Melissa, but I understood her better. And while Rex was still pretty neutral, what happens to him in this book makes me want to read more about him to see how he's dealing and what the changes in him mean for the group. More character growth expected.

Another character that grew was Jessica. I mentioned in the review for The Secret Hour that she seemed a tad out of character while with Jonathan. This quirk continued, but the way it played out in this book seemed more like growth and less like OOC-ness. While she was still fairly flat while near Des, Melissa, and Rex, possibly because they are each strong personalities, she was consistent in being bold around Jonathan.  Jessica's relationship with her sister, Beth, also played into this story, which was a great way to learn about both of them. I think Jessica may actually be less passive than I originally thought and is only really herself when comfortable, which seemed to be only when Beth or Jonathan were involved. I also liked seeing how her midnight power affected her, which was interesting considering my view of her.  There were very subtle hints about something being off with Jessica, something about her eyes, and these hints were in the first book also. I'm anticipating what that means, hoping I'm not reading too much into it.

Jonathan is steady through this book, not really changing any but having a couple hero moments. Beth was a great addition. Madeline was a completely new character and her story along with the new revelations about the darklings and the humans that work with them was both interesting and sad.

While I thoroughly enjoyed Touching Darkness, even more than The Secret Hour, it's not one of those series that just carries me away. Maybe I'm just picky. It might be that Westerfeld ties up all the loose ends at the end of one book and starts new ones at the beginning of the next, so the flow of the series doesn't compel you to find the next book. Or it might be that the world of these books is so similar to our own that I don't really find myself engrossed. Still, I am impressed with what Westerfeld is doing in this series and really loving the characters. I also have high hopes for the trilogy's conclusion, Blue Noon, and will be reading it as soon as I can.

Where you can buy Touching Darkness:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - The Secret Hour

by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Eos
Date of Publication: February 2004
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 297
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

Nobody is safe in the secret hour.

Strange things happen at midnight in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma.

Time freezes.

Nobody moves.

For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. Only a small group of people know about the secret hour -- only they are free to move about the midnight time.

These people call themselves Midnighters. Each one has a different power that is strongest at midnight: Seer, Mindcaster, Acrobat, Polymath. For years the Midnighters and the dark creatures have shared the secret hour, uneasily avoiding one another. All that changes when the new girl with an unmistakable midnight aura appears at Bixby High School.

Jessica Day is not an outsider like the other Midnighters. She acts perfectly normal in every way. But it soon becomes clear that the dark creatures sense a hidden power in Jessica . . . and they're determined to stop her before she can use it.

A story of courage, shadowy perils, and unexpected destiny, the secret hour is the first volume of the mesmerizing Midnighters trilogy by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld.

The Secret Hour is the first book in the Midnighters Trilogy, and also the first book I have read by Scott Westerfeld. I've heard he is a top world-builder, and though the world in this story is pretty contemporary, there are definite allusions to those skills in this book.

The story presentation was well done. I wasn't in the characters heads exactly, but I was with different ones at different times, able to get a glimpse of how they saw each other and the world around them. The change in point of view made the story more interesting and I did not find it distracting or hard to follow. I had expected the book to center on Jessica, but it doesn't. Not only is this a good thing, but it also made me understand that the story/series is really about all the Midnighters and that Jessica's arrival is the catalyst that turns the rather peaceful secret hour into a time of danger.

Despite liking the POV switching, the characters were definitely my favorite part of the book. While I liked Jessica, she was a little flat (super normal with a good heart and a streak of naivete), but she gets better as the book goes along. The only exception to this is in regards to her relationship with one of the other characters. I thought several times she was acting out of character by being very bold, something she did not seem to be any other time, so those bothered me a bit.

My favorite character by far was Des, who was witty, intelligent, quirky, and good at the core. She seemed to be very strange at the beginning, but by the end of the book I loved her and would want her as friend if she were real. Her Midnighter ability was pretty cool also, and it seems she hit on something big near the end of the book that will affect things later on.

The other character I liked was Jonathan, mainly because he was pretty swoon-worthy, but he also had a great ability that I would love to try out if it were possible. Rex and Melissa, the remaining two Midnighters, were less likable, but it worked well for the story, as it would have seemed a little odd, not to mention unrealistic, if all the characters were perfect people. Rex is a decent guy but has definite flaws, while Melissa....well, she has her agenda and doesn't want it messed up. She also is not very nice most of the time, but her Midnighter ability makes her life difficult 24 out of 25 hours in the day, so I could understand that at least.

Another aspect I liked about the book was the lore surrounding the secret hour, the dark creatures, and the Midnighters themselves. Westerfeld did a wonderful job on these elements, as it was all creative and described well.

My only real qualm with the book was that it took it a while to become a page-turner. It wasn't exactly slow at the beginning because plenty happened that was interesting, but I liked the pace once the characters started working together much better. This may have had a bit to do with Jessica, as it is mostly about her the first quarter of the book, and like I said, she was not the most intriguing character of the bunch.

Overall, The Secret Hour is a strong paranormal YA read that is unique and well-written. I cannot think of another novel like it, and with Westerfeld's skill at storytelling and characters that stand out, readers should definitely take note of this series.

Where you can buy The Secret Hour:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - Forgive My Fins

by Tera Lynn Childs
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date of Publication: May 2010
Format: Hardcover
Pages:293
Source: blogger giveaway

From Goodreads:

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

I won this book in a giveaway hosted by Caitlin at Written Word Review. This was my first mermaid book as well as my first Tera Lynn Childs book, so I was excited to get it.

This novel was an easy read. I finished it quickly and enjoyed every minute of it. It was written well and simply. The fishy lingo was fun, though the usage was too heavy in the first half of the book, but eventually it tapered off to a decent level so as not to be overbearing and distracting. A lot of it was funny as well and I liked the creativity that went into crafting the phrases.

I did have a couple qualms, such as Lily, the MC, was very naive to be almost eighteen. It got annoying to see her fawning over Brody all the time while ignoring/hating Quince. Also, I feel there should have been more time spent showing Lily interacting with her best (human) friend Shannen, her best (mermaid) friend Peri, and Rachel, Lily's aunt, whom Lily lives with while on land. There just wasn't enough there to really get a feel for those relationships.

Going back to Quince (because he was definitely my favorite part of the book), I loved how he called Lily on her carp even though it hurt her to hear the truth. It made him more believable as a character because he didn't just do the love/serious/impress-the-parents thing or the jerk/not really/just-want-to-be-near-you/sexy-bad-boy thing, even though both of those things worked just fine for him.

See, he also did the I'm-in-love-with-you-but-you're-being-an-idiot thing, which I respect more than unrequited love because it shows just how much he was willing to do for Lily, even if it made her dislike him. Quince also had some great lines which let his personality shine and smolder. Definitely one of the more swoon-worthy love interests that I've read about in a while.

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this novel. I was simultaneously sad/glad about the ending, but I'm curious as to what lies ahead for Lily and company. Some might say that the story was predictable, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of it. I recently finished the second installment, Fins are Forever, and look forward to reading the next book in the series, Just for Fins.

Where you can buy Forgive My Fins:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - Infinite Days

by Rebecca Maizel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Date of Publication: August 2010
Format: ARC
Pages: 336
Source: Goodreads giveaway

From Goodreads:

“Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you... no one.”

Those were some of Rhode’s last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face.

It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste.

Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust.

I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn’t Rhode.

But Justin was... daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream.

I never expected to be sixteen again... then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me...

This ARC was the first book I had ever won in a giveaway. I thought the premise of the story was interesting as I have seen few stories where vampires can become human, so I was excited to see where this book would go.

First, the writing is elegant - that's the only way I can describe it. This did make for a slower read, but an enjoyable one. After all, the story is from the perspective of a former vampire queen who has been around for over five hundred years, so it would have been ill-fitting if she spoke and thought as if she were a modern teenager. The whole story reminded me slightly of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, the Gothic tone mingled with the current times, not to mention the struggle of good and evil that the narrator of the story, Lenah, has within herself.

Speaking of that former vampire queen, Lenah is a great character. I liked seeing the world through her eyes and watching her compare her new human experiences with her old vampire ones, which were mostly seen through flashbacks. These flashbacks were something I was worried about initially, as I usually don't enjoy flipping between a current plot and past events. However, the transitions were smooth and the fact that it was simply part of Lenah's character to think on her past life made them interesting and did not slow the story down. Truthfully, the story is not fast-paced or action heavy, but the story and the character of Lenah were written so well that I did not mind. I thought the learning experiences Lenah goes through were believable and really made her character endearing.

As for the other main characters, I deeply wish Rhode were a larger part of the plot. He does set the whole thing in motion, but we really only get to see him a little and mostly in flashbacks. Justin, the main love interest, was personally disappointing. As a reader, I want to fall for him as much as the main character does, but I was never sold on Justin. I thought it odd that someone who could date the typical mean girl and tease others along with her would be chosen by a smart and cultured Lenah. After reading this post by the author, however, I better understood why Justin was a good choice for Lenah, though I really didn't care any more for him than before.

I also had an issue with Justin's mean girl ex-girlfriend, Tracy. Though Lenah and her do not become true friends, the fact that Tracy's character also changes without any cause or explanation was hard to believe.  Sure, love or new boyfriends can change people, but what made them that way in the first place? Was she truly an awful person or just insecure? Maybe I'm being picky, but it was a bit too neatly tied up for me. I wouldn't have minded if the change in Tracy had been explored or explained in some way.

The character I am most looking forward to seeing more of is Vicken, Lenah's other lover from her vampire life. We get to see Lenah's view of him while he was still human and then we get to see him as a vampire when the action starts towards the end of the book. In both forms he made no excuses for what or who he was, and he seemed to be the man's man type, which I liked. What happened with him at the end has me really intrigued to see where the plot leads and how it involves him.

Overall, Infinite Days is a good novel and an elegant story of an old vampire's new life. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes paranormal YA and is looking to sink their teeth into something different. While I had my issues, the lovely writing, great main characters, and unique angle on vampires makes this a novel worth trying, and don't be surprised if you find yourself immersed in Lenah's world and end up wanting more. Speaking of more, look for book two in the Vampire Queen trilogy, Stolen Nights, coming in early 2013. 

Also, if you want to see something awesome, click here to see the author, Rebecca Maizel, read an excerpt from Infinite Days. She really captures the tone and character of Lenah, which shouldn't be surprising since she did create her. Go watch and enjoy!

Where you can buy Infinite Days:

Amazon / Books A Million / Barnes & Noble

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - Catching Jordan

by Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Date of Publication: December 2011
Format: ARC
Pages: 281
Source: giveaway

From Goodreads:

ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Greeen moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

After winning this ARC, I put it with other books I hadn't yet read and didn't think much of it. Then one day I decide to weed out some books I didn't want for one of my own giveaways and didn't know if I should keep it. I decided the best way to figure that out was to read a little bit of it and see how I felt. And...

I read the whole thing in one sitting. Yeah, you read that right. One sitting. One night. Something I haven't done in a very, very long time. And for the record, that paragraph summary up there doesn't do the book justice.

This being a contemporary novel, it is important the writing makes everything about the story feel real. Kenneally did this with ease. The words flowed naturally, including dialogue.  There was some course language, but it wasn't overwhelming and it fit the characters (who were teenage football players for the most part) and the struggles Jordan was going through. I also loved how the words gave the book the proper atmosphere. Having played sports for a Tennessee high school, it all meshed with my memories of how things felt and sounded.

Speaking of Tennessee, I loved having my home state as the setting. It was fun because even though Kenneally didn't go into super-detail with the descriptions (fine by me), all of the locations formed easily in my mind. This story would be a perfect television show or movie because it was that easy to visualize.

I also was very happy that Kenneally included the disparity of status often seen in Tennessee. There are lots of rich people and poor people and in-between people, sometimes living on the same street. Even though that exists most places, I felt like this was something Kenneally didn't have to mention much in the story if she didn't want to, but I was glad that she did because it did paint a much more realistic picture. I have read stories where the main character lives comfortably but then gawks at a mansion or where a character is destitute, but having these details as part of the setting, not just facts on a character sheet, really stood out.

The characters in Catching Jordan also felt realistic. Jordan herself is a driven girl with big goals. I liked her attitude and her loyalty to her team. She is a strong leader and her friendships with her teammates were genuine. She wanted to be a good leader for them and they were all protective of her, not just because she was a girl, but because she was their captain and they respected her.

Jordan's personal growth in the novel made her even more likable. A lot of it had to do with her walking the line between being a football player and being a girl and realizing she could (and should) be both without compromising the other. Since Jordan's best friends were all guys (I loved JJ and Carter, by the way), it was also good to see Jordan learn that not all girls are backstabbers and gossips and she can have loyal friends that don't play football. And tt was nice that she not only recognized this, but acted on it.

Jordan's family was also great. I loved the family dynamics and how it was dysfunctional but close. It seemed like I could know this family and it worked so well in the story. Jordan wasn't like the typical YA protagonist that just obviously loves her family and says so, but Jordan's actions and choices reflected her feelings.

The love interests in this were good too. I felt bad for Ty because I could really understand his character. As a person struggling to get by and helping take care of family members due to medical issues, I know exactly how difficult life can be and how whacky it can make you. The kindness of Jordan's family toward him really made me happy because sometimes it is so hard to let others know what you are dealing with and when someone offers to help you, it can be life-changing.

As for Henry, I liked Henry right off the bat. He was expressive and quirky and funny and just so...Henry. He and Jordan had a really special bond you couldn't help but love. BUT, and this is a big but, when I think about his antics with girls throughout the entirety of the novel, it bothers me. Jordan didn't seem to care that he was sleeping around and often joked about it (except for one point where his late nights were upsetting her as a captain because she didn't want his lack of sleep to affect the team).

But in one scene, three girls that Henry has liked, has dated, or has fooled around with are talking in the same room together and not one of them seems weirded out that all three of them have somehow been involved with Henry. That was the only thing that seemed off in the entire story. Maybe if they hadn't been talking about Henry at the time, it wouldn't have bothered me but a couple of the girls were trying to help the other one with Henry, and I found that odd. I've actually experienced the same thing (knowing two girls who dated one of my boyfriends all while we were in high school together), but we never talked about him with each other because it was weird.

Anyway, when I think about Henry's good qualities and his faults together, he seems to me like a great guy that did everything wrong. He messes up a lot throughout the novel, from his antics to his mood swings to his outbursts. I think he figures all that out about himself by the end, so at least there's that. But his loyalty and feelings for Jordan were completely authentic and I loved their friendship and the silly things they did together. For Jordan to ignore his antics wasn't completely out of the question because they were best friends for ten years, so she saw a lot more to him than his faults, which I understand. So in the end, I still like Henry.

There were some other things in Catching Jordan that I enjoyed. First, the chapter subtitles. Not only did each chapter have a title pertaining to something that happened in the chapter, but most also had a subtitle. For about half of the book, they were countdowns to Jordan's college visit to her dream school. I liked this because as an aspiring author, I always read about high stakes for a character, and these subtitles reminded me about Jordan's goal and really helped me get in her head, making the stakes feel higher and more important.

Second, Jordan starts some creative writing during her story, and the novel is peppered with poetry relating to what is going on in her life. The poems are fun and I loved how it broke up the normal narrative. Again, this brought me more into Jordan's mind and I loved it. 

Third, this novel being set in Tennessee and having to do with sports, it was fun to see the names of the teams Jordan was playing. Even if those high schools don't actually exist, I knew where the towns and counties were, so it was like reading a story about a real girl who lives in my state. It was just cool and gave the story another reason to feel real.

Overall, Catching Jordan is a realistic and fun novel about a girl fighting for her dreams and learning what is really important in life. Even if you don't care about football or sports in general, everyone can relate to Jordan's struggles and triumphs. This novel has lots of heart and will keep you turning the pages and rooting for Jordan all the way.

Where you can buy Catching Jordan:

Amazon / The Book Depository / Indiebound

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - Ultraviolet

by R.J. Anderson
Publisher: Orchard Books
Date of Publication: June 2011 (UK) / September 2011 (US) 
Format: digital review copy 
Pages: 303
Source: NetGalley


From Goodreads:

Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.

This is not her story.

Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison’s condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can’t explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori—the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that’s impossible. Right?

Like those who have reviewed this book before me, I don't want to say too much because A.) I don't want to give anything away, and B.) I want YOU to get it as soon as possible and read it for yourself. Still, I'll try to give some vague indications of my thoughts. *read: I LOVE THIS BOOK!*
 

From the first moment, I was in love with the writing. It is poetic and engrossing and makes you want to paint your walls with the words because they are so beautiful. The descriptions and raw emotion got me so inside the mind of Alison, the MC, I felt like I was there by her side through everything. I yearned for her to reach her goals and figure out what was going on as much as she did.

All of the characters felt real to me, like I knew someone just like each one of them. The story itself, well, if I told you it wouldn't be any fun for you! Suffice it to say Anderson peppered clues and mysteries throughout so I never got bored. One minute I'd be wondering about this, the next about that, and before I knew it I was getting some answers. Of course, the answers only raised more questions, so the cycle of give and take between the story and myself was a good one that was not at all frustrating to me.

The only thing I could say that sounds somewhat negative (but really isn't) is that some of the flashbacks or relived memories (yes, there are those but trust me, they are great and relevant to what goes on) were a little description heavy and slowed me down in my quest to learn what had led Alison to be where she is.  But honestly, the heavy description is true to Alison's character, so I wouldn't change it. It was basically me just being impatient and wanting to know so badly what was going on rather than anything Anderson should have done differently.

Ultraviolet is an amazing ride and one that I enjoyed thoroughly (and will enjoy again, I am sure). There were so many different ways the story could have gone and overall I was very pleased with the how it all happened and how it ended, even though it might catch some people off guard with the direction it took. But trust me, it is a book worthy of any shelf.

AND, be on the lookout for the companion novel, Quicksilver, coming out in 2013!

Where you can buy Ultraviolet:

Amazon / The Book Depository / Indiebound

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.