The Program

Details

Title: The Program

Author: Suzanne Young

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Year: 2013

Language: English

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Romance
Rating: 8.5/10
Continuation: The Program #1 of 6
Pages: 410

Summary

In the future, teen suicide has become an epidemic with teenage mortality rates higher than ever. Even stranger? Adults remain unaffected by this 'disease'. There's only one proven cure, with 100% effectiveness - the Program. Showing any trace of real emotion can get teens flagged as high-risk and involuntarily placed into the program, at their parents' behest. They emerge six weeks later - happy, healthy and completely void of any "infected" memories of their previous life. Sloan and her boyfriend James have always managed to keep each other from falling below deck, but soon the pressure is too much and the Program is coming for them.

Review

Okay dolls - what a book! No, seriously, what a book! Just between us, I'm going to have very few negative things to say about this book, so be warned. I mean, what's not to love!? From the eloquent writing style to the unique futuristic premise to the well-developed, relatable characters, this book had everything going for it and then some.

⚠[BE WARNED: SPOILERS AHEAD]⚠

Let's begin with the premise of the novel. As I began reading this book, I had a nagging sense of familiarity. Further delving into it made me realise exactly why. The society set up in this novel had a lot of things wrong with it, but as a reader, it always feels like maybe it's necessary because the writer is so careful to rationalise every decision the adults make to help the teens. In plain terms, the Program basically lobotomises its patients, so that they forget everything about their recent past and thus, their suicidal tendencies. When laid out this way, it sounds obviously problematic, but this isn't the case in the context of the book. Every argument the therapists, handlers, teachers and parents make simply seems like a misguided attempt at protection, even justifying surveillance of all digital communication. Beginning to sound familiar? Perhaps just like an episode of the Netflix original, Black Mirror? Thought so. Not only is the idea of the Program being a reality entirely conceivable, it also makes sense as to why such a society would develop. This isn't often the case with YA dystopian novels as, often, a suspension of disbelief is necessary for a truly immersive experience, but in my opinion, this wasn't the case here.



Now, let's move on to the characters. Sloane, her brother Brady and his best friend James were a strong trio. That is, until the sickness starts to set into Brady and he jumps 20-feet off a cliff right in front of the two. The two anchor each other from spiralling into depression and catching the contagious "suicide bug". But when one of their best friends takes his own life, James can't be the rock anymore. He finally lets go and Sloane soon follows suit, after seeing James as an empty shell of the person he used to be. So I've raved about how well-developed these characters are, but let me explain why. I genuinely expected this story to go a different way. Sloane and James would rebel against the program and fight to save their memories against all odds. Or at least, that's how a typical YA read with this premise would go. But the writer instead decided to take a more realistic approach.



Both our protagonists are broken down, torn apart and completely wiped of their memories. This characterisation of loss and grief driving them to insanity only serves to humanise them. It's not difficult for the reader to imagine himself in the same state after losing so many close loved ones. Watching our female protagonist slowly lose herself and her memories is surprisingly disturbing, as the entire time, the reader is painfully aware of what it is she's exactly losing. Instead of creating a hero complex, the writer has painted a story of a phoenix rising from the ashes. Our protagonists, despite what should be possible, manage to find their way back to each other and escape the oppressive system, thus building strength of character and gaining the reader's respect.



While I genuinely enjoyed the climax of the book and can't wait to get to the sequel, I'll admit it was a little difficult for me to get into the story in the beginning. While I see it was necessary now, the writer spent a lot of time on world building and exploring our characters' backgrounds, which was quite dull at times. I found myself urging the pace to pick up and get to the crux of the story. However, I would strongly recommend powering through, because the the story becomes not only exciting, but also heart wrenching, in the best way possible.

Side note: totally not a big deal to the plot development, but Realm really bothered me. He's a guy Sloane befriends in the Program, who turns out to be working for the other side - helping returners assimilate and form healthy bonds. Except he actually falls in love with Sloane and tries to help her in every way he can. Like most of the characters in this book, his actions definitely originate from a place of love, but his tendency to take advantage of Sloane at her most vulnerable and his strong belief in the Program, despite being deathly afraid of losing his memories, reeks of hypocrisy. The chemistry, romance or friendship - whatever you want to call it - between the two seems forced and unnatural. I mean, she's admitted to not loving him and chosen James over him multiple times, yet he still keeps coming back for more. 2/10 - would not recommend 😅



Overall, an exciting read with plenty of potential for the books to come. This one will require your focus to really understand and enjoy, so make sure you're in the right headspace, before committing to the series of 6! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this book. Did you enjoy the narrative structure and premise? Or were you turned off by the blatant attempt at capitalising on a controversial issue (hey! no shade here - jus' sayin)? Let me know down in the comments below. As always, happy to encourage intelligent discourse. Peace! 🙌

The Sweetest Thing

Details

Title: The Sweetest Thing

Author: Christina Mandelski

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Publication Year: 2011

Language: English

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Baking, Realistic Fiction, Family
Rating: 6/10
Continuation: No continuation yet.
Pages: 336

Summary

Sheridan Wells is obsessed with her cakes - she spends every second she can at the bakery. Unfortunately, her life is far from perfect. Her mother left their family for another man when she was 7 and her father is too wrapped up in his restaurant to notice anything. Sheridan is perfectly convinced that finding her mother will solve all her problems, but her father's potential cooking show throws a wrench in her plans. 

Review

Hmm... this book was interesting, because it was a little weird. I mean the premise wasn't exactly revolutionary, but it also isn't something I've ever seen before. I picked this read up solely based on the fact that it was based on cakes. As an avid baker myself, I thoroughly enjoy seeing baking worked into story plot lines, as it's just something I find myself relating to. This book was a really light read - only took me a few hours to finish cover to cover.

⚠[BE WARNED: SPOILERS AHEAD]⚠

As far as chick-lits go, the book does try to touch on some difficult issues, which I do appreciate. Sheridan's father can be frustrating and selfish at times, but that only adds to the realism of the narrative. Instead of being portrayed as the ultimate villainess, Sheridan's mother is just a broken woman flitting about and flaking when things get difficult. Instead of firmly painting each parent in black or white, the writer delicately develops both characters and humanises them by making them multi-dimensional. This can be quite rare, especially where controversial topics are concerned, as the writer is often eager to distance themselves from the negative connotations. Mandelski takes a risk here and it pays off. Personally, I loved the fact that there wasn't a single character portrayed as 100% good or bad (except perhaps Haley blegh! What purpose did she even serve!?).



Sheridan's hot new beau is a bit dumb and obsessed with *ahem* "defacing her temple", but he also seems to genuinely care about her as a person. Instead of taking the easy way out and portraying him as a cheater or a manipulator, Mandelski dares to break the mould. The same applies to Sheridan's friends, trying to be supportive besties, while also speaking up when she's being an absolute idiot.

BREAKING NEWS: Just a fangirl moment - I loved Jake for no reason in particular. I can't explain it, except for the fact that he just seemed like a good dude and the description of those kisses had me dead 😍. Felt like an important detail to share. We now return you to your regular transmission.

Now, here's a few things that bothered me. Throughout the book, Sheridan's character is a little too naive. I understand her need to cling to the past, but at some point, realistically, she would have come to terms with her mother's disappearing act. Instead, she pretty much acts like her mom left yesterday and will be back any second now. It really frustrated me to see Sheridan keep pushing away the people she loved, in hopes that this elusive figure would materialise at some point, 8 years later. Obviously, this plays a key role in the narrative, but it definitely could have been handled better.



Another issue was the fact that the storyline really wasn't developed in any one specific portion. There were several running sub-plots, but nothing was really well-explained or expanded upon. The loose ends really gave the impression that these plot points were a half-hearted attempt at beefing up the word count, instead of elements valuable to the narrative. Some examples would be Sheridan's father's romance with the TV show producer or Sheridan's sudden love story with the hottest stud in school. I was quite disappointed with how little any of these plot points were interconnected - I mean what even was the point of her father's romance, since nothing really came of it!? As I said at the beginning, just plain weird.



Overall, the novel had its good bits and its bad bits, but I didn't mind it much as a palate cleanser. If you're looking for deep introspection or clever plot twists, this book isn't for you. It's exactly what you'd expect and predictable at every turn (Sheridan's mother doesn't magically become a better person. What a surprise! ), but sometimes that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you just need something fun to read to clear your mind, I'd suggest giving this book a shot.

My Life Next Door

Details

Title: My Life Next Door

Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Publication Year: 2012

Language: English

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick-Lit
Rating: 4.5/10
Continuation: No continuation yet.
Pages: 394

Summary

Samantha has always been forbidden from fraternising with the next door neighbours, the Garretts. Their family is everything Sam's mother loathes - loud, messy and plentiful (8 children!). Sam's always liked to watch them from her rooftop, when one evening, she's joined by one of the teenagers next door, Jase. Suddenly, she's swept up in a whirlwind romance, until an unfortunate event puts her in an impossible position between her family and the boy she loves.

Review

Let me start by saying... meh. I say that because that's the first word that escaped my mouth when I finished this book. I won't say it's the worst book I've ever read - not by any means - but I was fairly disappointed with how the promising storyline played out.

⚠[BE WARNED: SPOILERS AHEAD]⚠

Now, here's what I actually liked about this book. I'll be honest, the cover compelled me to pick it up in the first place. It was cute and seemed like it wouldn't take more than a couple hours to fly through. I enjoyed the overall simplicity and the premise of the book was interesting, I'll give it that. The idea of large families is rarely, if ever, explored in YA fiction and I enjoyed reading about Sam's interactions with members of the Garrett family. From the adorable baby Patsy, to the morbid but sweet toddler George to the protective, wild older sister Alice, these characters were the gift that kept on giving. 😍 Coming from a quiet family herself, Sam experienced the Garrett household with a sense of wonder - enthusiastic about every little detail of her encounters with them. The development of juxtaposition between the two neighbouring households was nuanced and well explored. Like they say, the devil is in the details! 

Here's why I was so disappointed. First off, what even were these characters? Forget character development, I struggled to find a single multi-dimensional character in this book. Let's talk about Jase for a minute. The epitome of the teenage dreamboat - he's hot, he's romantic, he's the perfect boy next door. He's also completely unrealistic. 😒 Not once in this novel does his perfect, good guy image waver. Even after he finds out that Sam's mother, Grace, was behind his father's accident (and Sam was in the car!), his reaction is to immediately forgive her and off they go. Uh... are you kidding me? Babes, no one is that calm after finding out something like that!

Then we have Nan - Sam's best friend and partner in crime or so she thought. For absolutely no reason in particular, halfway through the book, Nan up and decides that she can't stand being Sam's best friend because she's just "too perfect" and "everything comes easy to her". Um... why? Sam and Nan have been best friends since they were 5 and I genuinely believed there would be a moment of resolution - some revelation that would perfectly explain Nan's freak out and downright hostile behaviour, but I was sorely mistaken. Nothing about Nan really makes sense. She's always complaining about her life, yet I could not tell you a single concrete fact about her. Her boyfriend sucks, but do we know why? Not quite. She's been cheating on her exams for years, despite being a brilliant academic, but do we get an explanation? Nope! And what about the reason she keeps her brother's drunken misadventures a secret from her parents? Ding ding ding! That's right - unanswered yet again.


Sam, babes, trust me - you're better off without her!

And finally, our last nomination for Most One-Dimensional Character is Clay Tucker. With a name like that, it's no wonder the guy's a self-absorbed douchebag. Clay Tucker (still can't get over it!) is Grace's boyfriend and political advisor. Imagine every seedy, underhanded political mastermind and you'd be imagining Clay. He's neatly cast into the role of the antagonist and boy, does he stick to the script. This man did not have a single redeeming quality, so to speak. From digging up dirt on Grace's upstanding opponent to blackmailing his girlfriend's daughter into hiding a drunken hit-and-run, this man did it all. But what really pissed me off, you guessed it, is that we never get to know why! Where did this guy come from, why is he suddenly so involved in Grace's campaign and why the hell does he always conveniently show up? Sorry to say, those are all questions you're going to need to leave to the imagination.

If this was just about the characters, I wouldn't mind as much. But the story just wraps itself up a little too neatly. Grace hits Jase's father while driving after few too many glasses of wine, then tries to cover it up and pretend it never happened. When the truth finally comes out, she gets off scot-free with no consequences for her or Clay. In what universe would paying for medical bills be an adequate response to hitting a father of 8 (soon to be 9!) with your car and leaving him unconscious in the rain? Clay leaves the picture, Grace gets to cling to her political career and Samantha gets her happily ever after. Geez... even Disney had more realistic fairytale endings!

All in all, it wasn't a terrible read per se but it did leave me awfully underwhelmed. I wouldn't recommend this, even for a light read. There were some redeeming qualities, but overall the extreme lack of character development or motivation and the unrealistically fortunate series of events killed it for me.

Well folks, this was my first review in two years, so it's definitely been a while. As you can probably see, I'm trying out a new writing style and the blog has a new look! Hit me up and let me know what you think in the comments below. Did you read this book and share my opinion? Or did you absolutely love it and want to skewer me for my blasphemous words? Either way, I'm happy to hear your thoughts. 💖

Eleanor and Park

Details

Title: Eleanor and Park 
Author: Rainbow Rowell 
Publisher: St. Martin's Press 
Publication Year: 2013 
Language: English 
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit 
Rating: 7.5/10 
Continuation: No continuation yet. 
Pages: 328

Review 

Eleanor and Park is a romance novel set in the 80s, around the lives of two misfits - Eleanor and Park as the name of the novel would suggest - who find romance in an unusual situation. Eleanor's the weird new girl every school has, who draws attention to herself through her bright red hair and her comical dress sense. Park's the guy no one ever messes with and the guy who takes pity on Eleanor and lets her sit next to him on the bus. This situation soon turns to friendship and then to romance between two 16 year olds trying to navigate their way around high school and their complicated personal lives. 

This novel has been so hyped in the book community that I wasn't even sure I would like it, as is the case with most YA novels that receive a lot of fangirl attention. That's perhaps why I was pleasantly surprised at the style of writing and the unorthodox story line. I have to give Rowell credit for finding the rare story line the YA genre hadn't explored. I was expecting the cliche of two perfect teenagers falling in love, with their minor conflicts becoming the primary concerns of their perfect lives. Instead, what I got was a radical approach to the usual teenage romance. Eleanor comes from a broken family with an abusive step-father, a submissive mother and four younger siblings to share her cramped room with. Park becomes the only person she can depend on and his home becomes her sanctuary. I personally found Eleanor's character to be interesting, despite her being slightly depressing or making irrational decisions which were hard for the reader to follow. 

The character development, I believe, was excellent, with equal attention being given to the characters' personal lives, personality quirks and their interactions with each other. I found that I had a holistic view of the characters and a better understanding of their behaviour. I found it easy to relate to the characters as Rowell is able to draw the reader in and have him empathise with her characters without needing them to have ever experienced anything similar. While Eleanor's voice can sometimes be annoying, overall, I enjoyed listening to her story. 

Being set in the 80s, when technology wasn't quite as advanced, this book also makes an interesting social comment on our dependency on technology for communication and interaction. Eleanor faces simple struggles like not having a telephone and not being able to listen to music because she doesn't have batteries for her Walkman - problems we would be highly unlikely to face in the world of social media and advanced technology we live in today. The romance between the characters is limited to face-to-face communication, which further increases something I'd like to call the 'star-crossed complex'. YA novels tend to often have romances between star-crossed teenage lovers and this is further exaggerated in Eleanor and Park through the hurdles the lovers must get through just to meet each other. Personally, I was disheartened by the way the story played out in this context, especially after Eleanor's criticism of Romeo and Juliet. Eleanor believes that the story of the Shakespeare classic is ridiculous and Shakespeare is making a mockery of young romance. I was in definite agreement with this outlook on the classic, which is why Eleanor and Park's story morphing into a Romeo and Juliet one was so disappointing. 

The one major criticism I would give this book is its weak ending. After going on an exhilarating journey with the novel's unusual characters, I was heavily disappointed when I turned the page and it came to an end. The book ends on a cliffhanger, which I assume is done purposefully to make the reader think about the progression of the story and draw their own assumptions. While I thought the cliffhanger itself was clever and insightful, what bothered me was the lack of clear motive behind Eleanor's actions in the last chapter. Accustomed to understanding the characters and their behaviour, I was baffled at Eleanor's illogical decision to severe all communication with Park when she separates from him towards the end of the book. 

Eleanor and Park is a thought-provoking novel which is likely to make you appreciate the privileges you have and understand the life of those who don't. Despite it being classed as chick-lit, I would recommend it to both male and female readers simply because the story isn't trite and predictable. If you're in the mood for a feel-good, I would definitely recommend this but do expect to, perhaps, be slightly underwhelmed with the conclusion.

The Promise of Amazing

Details 

Title: The Promise of Amazing 
Author: Robin Constantine 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray 
Publication Year: 2013 
Language: English 
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary 
Rating: 6/10 
Continuation: No continuation yet. 
Pages: 371

Review

The Promise of Amazing is the story of Wren Caswell, an average girl with average grades and an average social standing. She's always been the good, 'quiet' girl, but she's ready to break out of that stereotype. 

Grayson Barrett - king of St. Gabes, lacrosse champion and top student. The golden boy with a dark past is ready to change but not quite sure how.

The two cross paths when Wren saves Grayson from choking, their romance bringing a whole new meaning to opposites attract. 

Due to its popularity and rave reviews, I met this book with great expectations. Sad to say, I was severely disappointed. All in all, it wasn't an awful book but it certainly didn't seem like bestseller material.

To begin with, the instant romance between the two protagonists was irritating and cheesy. Wren saves Grayson from choking on a cocktail sausage in the first chapter and disappears before he can thank her. Even though the two have never spoken to each other, Grayson is already infatuated and feels the need to find the 'most beautiful girl he's ever seen'. To this point we are lead to believe that Wren is an average, nothing special girl while Grayson, as we later find out, is an ex-player with more than his fair share of gorgeous girls to choose from. It is hard to believe that his instant magnetic attraction to her is even plausible, much less love at first sight.  

Determined not to give up on the book that early, I forged on. As the book progressed, Wren was developed further as a spineless character who kept giving Grayson endless chances, even though he was never completely honest with her. That brings me to Gray's character development as a manipulative 'bad boy' trying to change. I really didn't like or empathise with either character making me completely disinterested in how their love story progressed.

About three quarters through the book Wren and Luke Dobson, Gray's best friend from his dark past, begin to have a few secretive romantic moments and I won't lie, I was rooting more for them in the last few chapters than I was for Wren and Gray throughout the entire novel because at least they were exciting. They were interesting as a couple and I wouldn't have minded them being the protags. But fantasies never come true and this romance never becomes a reality.

Another aspect of the book I actually liked was the mystery created throughout the book about Gray's past and the people he was involved with. Gray's friend and he used to have a con job where they would seduce rich girls to steal from their houses. We start to notice that Luke is particularly concerned with a stolen necklace Gray gives to Wren and the reason is an interesting revelation. My only complaint is that the most action in the novel happens in the last quarter instead of being spread out through the novel.

Overall, The Promise of Amazing wasn't too bad but I felt it lacked character development and structure. Wren and Gray's romance would have much more engaging if we had developed a connection with the characters first and had mentally begun rooting for them like I personally did for Luke and Wren. I wouldn't personally recommend this book, but if you're into the idea of insta-love, go for it!

Afterworlds

Details

Title: Afterworlds
Author: Scott Westerfield
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Year: 2014
Language: English
Genre: Young Adult, Authorship, Future Life, Death, Ghosts, Fiction, Romance, Same Sex, Paranormal, New York
Rating: 9.5/10
Continuation: No continuation yet.
Pages: 599

Review

Afterworlds tells us the story of Darcy Patel. A teenage author whose dreams are coming true. Instead of going to college as planned, she's moving to New York City, beckoned by the dazzling world of publishing. Her novel is receiving adulation and attention like she never expected and it's up to her to navigate through the highs and lows of life in New York - including a passionate romance with a fellow writer.

Told in alternating chapters is the thrilling story of Lizzie Scofield, the fictional protagonist of Darcy's novel - Afterworlds - who wills herself into the afterworld during a terrorist attack. Surviving the attack comes at a cost, including helping a young, restless ghost with whom she shares a personal connection. Assisting her through her journey is Yamaraj, a handsome spirit guide, torn between his responsibilities and his attraction to Lizzie.

First off, let me forewarn you. This book would seem to most like a massive undertaking, what with the considerable amount of pages. However, I'm here to tell you that this book is anything but a task. The book, I will not lie, was a part of the Red Dot Award reading list for Mature Readers, which I was - am determined to work my way through. Once I picked up the book, it took me forever to rack up the courage to start it - as once I begin a novel - no matter how awful, I stick through to the end! Contrary to my first impression, this book turned out to me a major page-turner. The proof is in the fact that I sat down and finished a 600 page novel in less than two days, a feat even for me!

From the very first chapter, I was hooked. When a novel is this long, one would expect plot holes and muddled timelines. Not this one. From the very beginning, Westerfield weaves a web of words. Despite being told in alternating chapters, neither story lost its flow. It was surprisingly easy for me to follow the two major protagonists, even though they existed in completely different worlds.

Firstly, I appreciated the way the same sex romance was addressed. In popular media, whenever there is a same sex couple, chances are there will be overdramatic scenes of tearful confessions - painful and pathetic. In that sense, I appreciate the delicate way in which Westerfield handles the couple, neither making Darcy and Imogen seem insignificant nor hyping their presence.

Personally, I loved the fact that finally a non-Indian author was has not one, but two, Indian protagonists in his novel. Being Indian myself, I rarely find an accurate representation of my culture in most YA novels. Either the protagonist is overly traditional, virtually non-existent or inaccurately detailed. It pleased me to have finally read a book I could not only relate to, but also be content with the cultural references. It was obvious that Westerfield had taken the time to research and read about the mythical culture in India, so hats off to his dedication and the fact that he chose not to take the easy way out by writing about a more familiar culture.

Now I'm been raving about this book, but why didn't I give it a perfect score? Well, the one thing that bothered me was the unrealistic situation Darcy was in. Every writer, even the great ones, face rejection at some point but Darcy seems to be floating on a cloud of good times. She is easily able to publish her very first novel and even receives a massive sum for it. Her parents are accepting of her sexual orientation and even though she is facing financial issues, she is never starving or in a bad living situation. The biggest conflict she faces is a tie between her love life and a new ending for her aforementioned novel. This said, at no point did I find the novel badly written or incomplete. After all, the thrilling scenes, ripe with conflict, in Afterworlds more than make up for the lack thereof in Darcy's life.

That brings me to the Lizzie's story. Don't you just love it when paranormal fictions dares to stray from the norm? Or is that just me? YA novels, films and TV shows these days are full of cliche romance stories of vampires and werewolves and such, that I am, personally, quite sick of. When I discovered that Westerfield had taken a leap of faith and decided to explore one of the many mythical gods in the Vedas, I personally was excited to see where it would lead. As Darcy mentions herself, she modifies the God of Death for purposes of 'YA hotness'. While this offended some, I was delighted because who doesn't like to read about a smoking hot God, broody and mysterious in ways that makes most teenage girls squeal with delight. If this was to be made into a movie, can I please just suggest casting Siddharth Malhotra (hot Bollywood actor - deserves Googling) as Yamaraj? Back to the point, I loved the characters a whole lot and the novel was overall, a perfect blend of supernatural and normal.

So do I recommend y'all read this? Hell yeah! The book is well written, interesting and most definitely worth a read. I know that for sure!