Waiting on Wednesday #3

This segment is for books that haven't been released yet that I'm excited for... maybe you'll love the sound of them too!

Details

Title: The Savage Song

Author: Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Release: June 2016

Language: English

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance

Goodreads Rating: 4.2/5

Continuation: First book in Monsters of Verity series

Pages: 464

Summary

The city of Verity has been overrun with monsters, born from the worst of human evil. In North Verity, the Corsai and the Malchai run free. Under the rule of Callum Harker, the monsters kill any human who has not paid for protection. In the South, Henry Flynn hunts the monsters who cross the border into his territory, aided by the most dangerous and darkest monsters of them all—the Sunai, dark creatures who use music to steal their victim’s souls. 

As one of only three Sunai in existence, August Flynn has always wanted to play a bigger role in the war between the north and the south. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate Harker, daughter of the leader of North Verity, August jumps on it. When Kate discovers August’s secret, the pair find themselves running for their lives and battling monsters from both sides of the wall. As the city dissolves into chaos, it’s up to them to foster a peace between monsters and humans. 

A unique, fast-paced adventure that looks at the monsters we face every day—including the monster within.

Mailbox Mondays #5

Here are a list of 5 books waiting on my reading list, recommended by other young adults. I suggest you put at least one on your list too! I have provided summaries for each one, courtesy of Goodreads.

1. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. 

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first. 

2. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart...

3. Red Rising by Pierce Brown

"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them."

"I live for you," I say sadly.

Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies... even if it means he has to become one of them to do so. 

4. Sabriel by Garth Nix

Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him. 

With Sabriel, the first installment in the Abhorsen trilogy, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn't always clear—and sometimes disappears altogether. 

5. Soundless by Richelle Mead

In a village without sound…

For as long as Fei can remember, no one in her village has been able to hear. Rocky terrain and frequent avalanches make it impossible to leave the village, so Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink. Many go hungry. Fei and all the people she loves are plunged into crisis, with nothing to look forward to but darkness and starvation.

One girl hears a call to action…

Until one night, Fei is awoken by a searing noise. Sound becomes her weapon.

She sets out to uncover what’s happened to her and to fight the dangers threatening her village. A handsome miner with a revolutionary spirit accompanies Fei on her quest, bringing with him new risks and the possibility of romance. They embark on a majestic journey from the peak of their jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth will change their lives forever…

And unlocks a power that will save her people.

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!