Review: 45 Pounds (more or less)- I loved it!

I recently read 45 Pounds by K. A. Barson and I loved it! This is going to be a rave review because I truly loved this book!

Here are the numbers of Ann Galardi’s life:

She is 16.
And a size 17.
Her perfect mother is a size 6.
Her Aunt Jackie is getting married in 10 weeks, and wants Ann to be her bridesmaid.
So Ann makes up her mind: Time to lose 45 pounds (more or less) in 2 1/2 months.

Welcome to the world of infomercial diet plans, wedding dance lessons, embarrassing run-ins with the cutest guy Ann’s ever seen—-and some surprises about her NOT-so-perfect mother.

And there’s one more thing. It’s all about feeling comfortable in your own skin-—no matter how you add it up!

Plot:
This book follows Ann, an overweight teenager, as she signs up for yet ANOTHER diet plan in an effort to lose 45 pounds before her aunt's wedding. She spends her savings on the first two weeks of an infomercial diet plan. We follow Ann as she deals with losing weight, losing her best friend, and coming to understand her mother and what truly is healthy. We are also with Ann as she gains. Gains a best friend, gains her first crush, and realizes everyone deals with weight problems at one time or another.


Characters: 
I loved Ann's voice in this book! Her personality shined through and as a fellow fat-girl, I found myself really relating to her. She is a typical 16 year old girl- she can be a little whiny, a little self-absorbed, and self-hating. This only added to the authenticity of the book. I felt for Ann as she deals with losing touch with her best friend, as she struggles to fit into her blended family, and struggles to love herself when all the advertisements around her tell her not to.

The reader is left wondering about Ann's mother throughout the book. She obviously cares for Ann but we aren't sure if she can communicate that to Ann in a way that doesn't involve food. By the end of the book I was cheering her on and felt entirely sympathetic to her struggles.

My other favorite characters were Raynee and Liberty.

Raynee shows Ann that even people Ann would consider perfect still have issues with their bodies. Raynee also showed Ann what true friendship feels like. She was a great friend- the kind of friend we all love or wish we had.

Liberty is Ann's young half-sister and she is the catalyst for Ann's desire to promote a healthy attitude about food. Liberty has been watching her mother and Ann as they fight different battles with food and she has no idea what to truly think. I felt for little Liberty and I enjoyed the fact that it was out of love for Liberty that Ann decided to be healthy- not skinny. 

Ending:
This book has a happy ending that feels a little too put-together but the reader is satisfied that all lose-ends are tied up. The reader is left feeling upbeat about the direction of Ann's attitudes and her family life. I will admit, I teared up a little at the end because I felt so close to Ann and I could relate to her so well.

Overall thoughts: 
I loved this book more than I thought I would. It might end up being my favorite book of the year because it was so relatable to me. I have been a fat kid all my life- I could be politically correct but I'm not going to be. I'm fat. I am 21 years old and I have only recently LOST weight to be a size 18-20. I've been big all my life, and so has Ann. She went to her first WeightWatchers meeting at the age of 10, around that age I told the first boy I liked him and he told me "Ewww. You're fat." Ann lives with a mother who is so oblivious to the feelings of a fat girl that she suggests Ann buy a bikini for the summer. I live with a grandmother who suggests similar outfits. This is the life of a fat girl and this book is a snapshot of that.

That being said, IT IS NOT A BOOK JUST FOR FAT GIRLS! I had to put that all in caps because my rambling above might have convinced someone that you can only read this book and enjoy it if you are overweight. This is a book for anyone who is dissatisfied with our image- and who among us isn't dissatisfied with something about our bodies? In fact, this story shows the concerns of someone who is overweight, someone with the "wrong" body type for most clothes, and someone who struggles with anorexia. This is a book for everyone.

This is a young adult read that I would let my 12 year old little sister read and that I would suggest to anyone. Yes, I said anyone. It is a contemporary young adult with a compelling message. "Skinny" girls need to read this to see what it is like to live in a fat girl life. I would suggest it to "normal" girls to see how other people feel. And of course, I would suggest it to "fat" girls to see that EVERYONE worries about weight.

If you feel comfortable commenting it, what is your body image struggles? Would you want to read a book about realistic body image? What do you think about my blanket recommendation? Does this sound like a book you're interested in? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Friday Finds

No I'm not fully back yet though I hope I will be soon! I'm at a friend's house today and I can post a quick something.

Friday Finds is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading where we post about the books we've "found" and added to our TBR pile this week.

This week I've gotten a few books from the library and one review request from an author.
Library:

  

Review Requested:

What do you have in your TBR pile this week? Have you read any of the books in my TBR pile? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Teaser Tuesday

Thank goodness for the library! I'm hoping to get a computer from a friend later this week or next, but as of now I have to make due using the public library's computers. They are a little ancient and don't want to let me compose a blog post the usual way, but it's better than nothing.

I would like to post a Teaser Tuesday from one of the books I'll be checking out today. I haven't started any so the sentences will be as much a surprise to me as anyone else.

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme posted by Should Be Reading. In this meme, you grab your current read and open it up to a random page, and post two teaser sentences from it. I think the first book I'm going to read from this bunch of library books is Shine by Lauren Myracle.

At this time, Blogger (or the library computer) won't let me insert pictures. So, I will instead post the GoodReads summary and the teasers alone. I can't wait to get my own computer!

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice. Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

Because I have 90 GFC followers, I flipped to page 90.

Mama Sweetie had taught Patrick and me about handling bad emotions. If you breathed deep and set your mind to it, you could rise above your anger.

"Yes, that man acted ugly," she told us in plain English. "But throwing more ugliness back at him ain't the answer."

I'm really looking forward to reading this book! It seems to be about prejudice and gay rights and this is one of the issues I get most upset about. I just don't understand why everyone gets so concerned about what other people do in the bedroom. But that is a discussion for another day.

What do you think about realist books on everyday issues? Do you like them or do you prefer to read fantasy to escape reality? Leave me a comment and let me know! I've missed you all so much!

The Curse of the Blog!

I am thoroughly convinced! This blog is cursed! Every time I have the time to sit down and consistently blog, the internet goes away. Every time I have a consistent internet connection, I have no time or my computer breaks. In this case, I had the time and internet to blog, but then my computer crashed. Literally. My little sister accidentally dropped it and the screen shattered. I had my baby for less than two weeks!

My poor computer, blog, and you readers. I hope that I can link my blog to my phone and still post from my phone but until I can get my computer fixed, the blog might have limited content. That's not to say I won't post and that you shouldn't visit and comment (because you totally should) but that it might be longer between posts and replies on comments. 

Have you ever visited a more cursed blog? Do you have any aspects, items, or rituals that seemed cursed? Leave me a comment while I can still use my friend's computer and let me know!

Kiya: Hope of the Phaoroh Review + Giveaway!

I was contacted by Curiosity Quills Press to join the Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh Blog Tour. I received the book for review and I loved it!

When Naomi’s sisters are snatched up to be taken to be wives of the erratic Pharaoh, Akhenaten, she knows they won’t survive the palace, so she offers herself in their place. The fearsome Commander Horemheb sees her courage, and knows she is exactly what he is looking for…

The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya. Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Kiya.

Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Nefertiti who is out for blood.

This has been such a difficult review for me to write. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I've even asked for permission to review the second book in the series. I just cannot think of how to write this review. Usually I do a run-down of the setting, characters, and plot and explain what happened and what I did and did not enjoy. I can't really do this with this book. There are so many characters that deserve to be recognized, so many events that I want to tell you about.

The synopsis does a good job of describing the basis of the book to the reader but it cannot tell you how brave and smart Kiya is, how despicable Nefertiti is, how mysterious Horemheb is. And I cannot adequately put this into words either.

I loved Kiya. She was brave and defiant as she made a place for herself in the palace. She was smart but was almost naive as she learned to play the dangerous game played by all throughout the palace. She is forced to consider who is trustworthy, how to make the pharaoh love her, and what it means to learn to live with this strange man she finds herself married to.

The pharaoh is such an odd character and I actually found myself feeling sorry for him. He is touched with madness and at times flies off the handle and hurts those he loves the most but he truly wants someone who he can be honest with and that will truly love him as a man.

Horemheb is truly the Pharaoh's right hand man and will do anything to protect the the pharaoh and his crown. But Horemheb is also a military man who is willing to kill his king but he also treats Kiya with true friendship at times. I spent parts of this book wondering what Horemheb's intentions were for doing something and trying to figure him out.

Nefertiti is such an amazingly-awful character! Jealous not because of love of the pharaoh, but because of rank and power she will do anything to keep her ranking as first wife. She has urged pharaoh to marry his own daughters so if they carry the Pharaoh's son they will be able to take control of the throne. Her ultimate goal is to take the throne from the pharaoh for her own purpose. I had guessed her ultimate evil long before it was finally revealed but I still found myself in outrage.

There are so many other characters worthy of description but for brevity I'll leave my description there.

I read this book in one sitting because I wanted to know what was going to happen next and I was cheering on my characters. This review doesn't do justice to the book but I truly do not know how to tell you how amazing this book is.

This book was definitely amazing and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys intrigue, suspense, drama, or historical fiction. I would suggest it to someone who enjoys strong heroines and to anyone who thinks religious fiction is interesting. This book has all these elements but is not strictly religious fiction or strictly suspense.


Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.
She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*All opinions expressed are my own. I received this book for free for review but this in no way has influenced my opinions.

Thin Space Review

I was given the chance to read Thin Space by Jody Casella by Beyond Words publishing on NetGalley and I really enjoyed it. It was a compelling read about grief and learning to forgive yourself. Read on for my honest review.

Ever since the car accident that killed his twin brother, Marshall Windsor has been consumed with guilt and crippled by secrets of that fateful night. He has only one chance to make amends, to right his wrongs and set things right. He must find a Thin Space—a mythical point where the barrier between this world and the next is thin enough for a person to step through to the other side.

But, when a new girl moves into the house next door, the same house Marsh is sure holds a thin space, she may be the key—or the unraveling of all his secrets.

As they get closer to finding a thin space—and closer to each other—Marsh must decide once and for all how far he’s willing to go to right the wrongs of the living…and the dead.

 
Plot:
Thin spaces are places where the barrier between worlds is thin. A place where the living and dead can talk. Thin spaces are rare because they only occur where a soul enters the world and leaves the world. The soul enters the world when the mother first feels her baby kick and a soul leaves the world in death. Marsh and Maddie are in search of such a rare place to speak to the dead. Marsh is looking for his twin brother Austin who died when a drunk driver hit them while Marsh was driving. Maddie is looking for her father who died of cancer when she was young.

While Marsh is looking for a place of death, he must also deal with the world of living and Maddie must adjust to a new town. Marsh slowly begins to leave his fog and learn to live again, with Maddie's help. There are school counselors, fights, and long-overdue relationship discussions.

The end of the book has a nice twist that I had guessed a while ago but a casual reader may be taken completely surprised by. I enjoyed the ending and I was left with a sense of hope for the characters and that Marsh was finally learning to forgive himself and believe the accident wasn't his fault. 

Characters:
Thin Space follows Marsh as he searches for a thin space so he can cross into the world of the dead to talk to his twin brother. Marsh is a compelling character. He is consumed with guilt after a passing thought that maybe he doesn't want to always be a twin. Marsh has been walking around in a fog for the past three months after a drunk driver hits their car and his twin brother Austin dies. Marsh has moments he tunes out and is consumed with the events of the night of the accident. The story is a mix of Marsh's flashback thoughts and the present where he is searching for thin spaces. Marsh is determined to find a thin place and fix what happened to his brother. He walks around barefoot in the hopes that he will step into a thin space. I felt for Marsh and found myself liking him. He is a messed up high school junior who has gone from being MarshandAustin to only Marsh who is missing his twin.

Maddie is the other main character of Thin Space. She is the new girl in town- fresh from Nashville. She has a sweet southern drawl and seems to have her own history she is trying to deal with. She seems a bit too accepting when Marsh explains thin spaces but she has her own reasons for wanting to find a thin space. Maddie quickly becomes consumed with the thoughts of thin spaces and researches where people have died so she and Marsh can explore there barefoot.Maddie is a sweet girl and I found myself liking her openness and honest acceptance of Marsh.

My favorite secondary character was Chuck for being such a good friend to Marsh even when Marsh wasn't giving him a very good reason to be so loyal. 

Overall, this was a solid young adult read. I thought the writing flowed well and the characters were developed. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys young adult reads, supernatural elements, and coming of age stories. You can read more about the book at thinspacebook.com and the author has a mix of bonus materials on her blog. You can find a playlist, a teacher's guide, and other reviews.

What do you think about supernatural stories? Do you find books about death interesting or depressing? Do you like flashbacks in books or not? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Burned Out

 

I noticed the other day that the books I was checking out were predominately in one genre. I was so excited to read them but now I look at them and don't feel the burning need to pick them up that I usually do. The books were mostly young adult dystopian reads and I think I'm burned out on this genre right now.

Have you ever been caught up in a genre and then suddenly crave something different to read? No matter how amazing and original a society an author can create, at their core most dystopian novels are the same. The same applies to any genre really. Once you've read enough of a genre you can predict with some reliability the plot track of the book. The individual elements may be a surprise but the general plot is the same. And I was ok with this predictability before because I enjoy dystopias and the originality in some of the elements some authors throw into the plot track.

So I'm going to take a break in this genre and return to some of these books later. When my appetite for dystopia returns. I know some of these books are amazing and I do plan on returning to them later but right now my mind craves something new to read. The best way I could explain this to a non-reader is to think of their favorite food. That food is amazing and they would love to eat it for a day or two. Maybe even a week if they love the food that much. But sooner or later they crave something new to eat. They want something savory or sweet or softer or tougher to eat. This is the same with books. I love dystopian novels. I can read a group of them at any given time. But now my mind craves something different to "eat".

I have agreed to read a dystopian from NetGalley with a fellow group member from GoodReads next week and I'm in the middle of Wither which seems to be a pretty quick read but after those reviews, I think I'm going to leave dystopian novels alone for a few weeks and search for some other genre. Or perhaps I'll pick books at random from a variety of genres. Who knows?

Have you ever gotten on a genre kick? Did you eventually get burned out? Which genre? How long before you returned to that genre? Leave me a comment and let me know!

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

This is a meme I found as I was visiting other members of the Teaser Tuesday meme. In the future I hope to combine the memes but since I posted about The Testing for Teaser Tuesday I'm going to post about the other book I'm reading now.

First Chapter/First Paragraph is hosted by Bibliophile By the Sea, and in this meme you post the first (few) chapters from your current read.


In this heart-wrenching and suspenseful teen thriller, sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port-wine stain covering half her face, all her life she’s been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she’s abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It’s that—or succumb to a killer. 


Sarah 
8:00 AM

Today is the day I've been waiting for my entire life- the beginning of normal.
    I reach for the latest Seventeen and flip through its glossy pages until I find the perfect face. The girl is pretty, with wide green eyes, hollow cheekbones, and full, pouty lips. But what I notice most is her smooth, unblemished skin. It's perfect. I cut photo out and stick it above my bed, in the last of the space. Now I can't even see the sunlight yellow of my walls- but the confidence that shines in these faces is even brighter. And today I'm going to get so much closer to that. I don't care how much the treatments hurt; it'll be worth it. It can't hurt as much as the stares and rude comments I get everyday. 

What do you think about books about bullying? What do you think of the synopsis and opening paragraphs of Stained? Would you keep reading? Leave me a comment and let me know!

*This is an uncorrected galley from NetGalley so it might still change. 

Teaser Tuesday

 Teaser Tuesdays is a meme from Should Be Reading. Each week we take our current read and flip to a random page. Then we get to post two non-spoiler sentences from that page to whet your curiosity.

Today I'm reading The Testing by Joelle Charboneau.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

Random.org decided that I should share from page 32.

"That night I started having dreams. I'd wake up sweating, heart racing, not knowing why. Not a night would pass uninterrupted."

"A few minutes later he yells he's found something. Then the world explodes." 

I know I posted a few sentences more than I was supposed to but I wanted to provide SOME context for the quotes. So far I'm 71 pages in The Testing and I'm enjoying it. I hope to post a review later this week.

What do you think of book memes? Do you think they're interesting or a waste of blog space? Do you think the quotes above are interesting? Are you interested in the book now? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Spirit and Dust Review

I stayed up late last night reading Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore. This is the second book in the Goodnight Family series. The author informed me on twitter that each book is an independent novel based off one family- the Goodnights.

 

Daisy Goodnight can speak to the dead. It’s not the result of a head injury or some near-death experience. She was just born that way. And she’s really good at it. Good enough to help the police solve the occasional homicide.

But helping the local authorities clear cold cases is one thing. Being whisked out of chemistry class by the FBI and flown to the scene of a murder/kidnapping in Minnesota? That’s the real deal.
Before the promotion can go to Daisy’s head, she’s up to her neck in trouble. The spirits are talking, and they’re terrified. There’s a real living girl in danger. And when Daisy is kidnapped by a crime boss with no scruples about using magic—and Daisy—to get what he wants, it looks like hers is the next soul on the line.

Setting:

This book is set in modern day America with no obvious distinctions. The FBI is still here and people still go to school. A large portion of the story happens at  The Field Museum in Chicago- the one with Sue the T. Rex. 

The characters: 

I really liked Daisy- she was tough and spunky and didn't mind telling a guy he was being a jerk- the actual term she uses isn't as kid friendly. Daisy is matter of fact about her talent- she was raised in a family where everyone was a witch or psychic. She was just born this way and she can see remnants of people's souls and help them pass on beyond the Veil. I love how Daisy tries to convince herself and everyone around her she is a tough-as-nails psychic but her thoughts show her as the typical almost 18 year old girl. 

I thought Agent Tasty- I mean Taylor was a great part of the book. Agent Taylor is a young FBI agent who is Daisy's handler. He works to support Daisy as they work through their cases and doesn't question whether or not she can speak to the dead. Rather he questions how she can interact with the dead. They have a very clear non-relationship with the understanding that something might happen after Daisy turns 18. She won't call him by his first name until she's legal and until then he calls her Jailbait. 

Carson played a main role in the book and I found myself liking him more and more as the book goes on. He played the typical brooding male in a love triangle but he played it well. He had moments of humor and he wasn't overwhelmingly arrogant or prideful. In fact, Daisy does a good job of beating him up at one point and he handles it with humor and without an overabundance of wounded male pride. During the course of the book you realize Carson has his secrets but he would do whatever it takes to protect Daisy. I liked him and was cheering for him during the book.

Plot:

The book held my attention- it actually kept me up- the entire time I was reading it. I was rooting for the characters and following along with the mystery. There was a lot of action that propelled the book forward. I liked the concept of the Goodnight family and how close they are and their talents. 

The book follows Daisy and Carson as they look for Alexis Maquire- daughter of a crime lord- who has been kidnapped. Maquire coerces Daisy to do everything possible to find his daughter- he's not above using magic or blackmail to get what he wants. They quickly realize Alexis was kidnapped by a mysterious cult looking for the Oosterhouse Jackal- what that is they have no idea. So begins an epic quest to find the Jackal before the cult can; save Alexis; and perhaps, save the world.

A good amount of supernatural events unfold in the course of the story but Clement-Moore does a good job of explaining what is going on without overwhelming the reader. 

Series:

 I will definitely be looking for the other books about the Goodnight family. I hope Daisy will pop up again in later books.

Overall, the story held my attention all night and I couldn't put it down once I started. I liked the main characters and while the love triangle wasn't the main point of the story, I could understand why Daisy was torn between the two men. Usually when there is a love triangle I lean toward one man over the other almost immediately but I felt drawn to both Carson and Taylor. The writing was solid and drew the reader on. The book was action-packed but not in such a way that the characters weren't developed. This was a solid read that I really enjoyed. I'd definitely recommend this to people who like a strong heroine and supernatural reads. As long as you're willing to give bad boys a try and stay open minded about psychic talents.

This book was pretty amazing. Have you read Spirit and Dust or another Goodnight Family book? What did you think? Are you interested in supernatural books? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Cover Characteristic- Blue

Today I discovered a new meme- Cover Characteristic! This meme is hosted by Sugar and Snark.

Each week Sugar and Snark posts a characteristic and everyone picks 5 favorite covers with that characteristic. I love how it gives us permission to judge a book by its cover. All book covers link to the GoodReads page.

 This week's characteristic is: BLUE. 

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker- I love how serene she looks under the water.

Fallen by Lauren Kate- I love how the colors and pose convey a sense of despair

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel- This cover just seems so mysterious yet magical

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain- I love how striking this cover is without giving away any hint of the contents inside

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson- I love the icy sea glass blue on this cover and how you can't clearly see the girl's face on the cover

I think these are all amazing covers and when I saw them they made me want to know what the book is about. What do you think of these covers? Have you ever picked a book simply because of the cover? Leave me a comment and let me know!

ARC Reading Challenge

   

I know it's a bit late to join a reading challenge for the year but I have a few books in my ARC TBR pile and hopefully this will push me into reading and reviewing them. Also, I love the satisfaction of checking off a book in a challenge.

                      

This challenge is hosted by So Many Precious Books, So Little Time. The goal is to read through the books authors or publishers have sent you for a review. I'm going to sign up at the bronze level- read 12- 23 ARCs because at this time I only have a few ARCs in my pile. When I lost the internet and my computer died I lost a lot of the connections I had with blog tour companies and the books I was going to read on NetGalley have been archived. But no matter, each day is a new beginning.

As of today, I have been approved for:

 

      

                          

                         

As I read I'll update this list with my current ARCs and links to my reviews of the ARCs. 

What do you think of reading challenges? Do they give you the push you need to read? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Delirium Review

I just finished Delirium by Lauren Oliver and I quite enjoyed it. It didn't jump to my favorites list but it is a world I look forward to visiting again.

Summary:

 Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.


Setting: 
Delirium is a dystopian novel set in America in the future (how far in the future isn't mentioned) in Portland. The setting was a recognizable America with skyscrapers, money, and schools. It felt like you could have turned the corner in any city and ended up on Lena's block. This made the dystopian element all the more chilling- this wasn't some war torn country somewhere. This was happening at home.

Characters:
I have mixed about the main character Lena. I like her because everyone can see themselves in Lena- in other words, like Lena, we all think we're "nothing special". Lena shows her bravery several times in the novel but not unbelievably so and she isn't so self-confident that it is unbelievable. One thing I didn't like about Lena is that she tends to be whiny and self-absorbed at times during the book. She also seems like she needs someone to push her to do what's right or to be brave and at times she can have a horrible sense of self-worth. In spite of this, I found myself hoping the best for her.

I liked her relationship with Alex- they seem to fall together a little fast but they have a legitimate period of dating and experimenting with each other and their relationship. I think Alex was a strong male character who pushed Lena when necessary and supported her when needed.

I think my two favorite characters were Grace and Hana. Grace turns out to be crucial and she shows how strong she is. Hana is that friend we all have (or we might be that friend) who speaks a little too loud sometimes, who decides to go off on a wild idea, and who is there no matter what.

Plot:
The idea that love is a disease that should be cured is an interesting one and I liked how the author showed the society's ideas on it. The book was interesting but it wasn't un-put-down-able for me. I put it down and picked it back up several times over the past few days. The book had several action-packed moments interspersed between relationship development.

In conclusion, this book was rather amazing. I felt sad for Lena at times and cheered for her through the book. I loved Alex. He was strong and his back story made him just tragic enough. The supporting characters were developed and made the book a better read. I'll definitely be reading the sequel Pandemonium.

Have you read Delirium? What did you think about it? How do you feel about Lena and Alex? How do you feel about a society without love? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Is Dystopia Possible?

The newest trend in books seem to be dystopian societies that rise up after this one crumbles. Anything could have been the source of the collapse- disease, war, global warming- but in every one society forms anew and sets up a new standard of living and preaches about the dangers of the past societies.

Why are we as readers so interested in dystopia? Is it because everything seems faintly ridiculous and curled up in our favorite reading spot we know it could never happen? Or is it because we get a faint chill when we read these books, we curl up tighter in our reading chairs and wonder if we're on our way to this type of future?

I think my draw to dystopian novels lies in the latter. We want to pretend our way of life could never fail, we want to believe our society is perfect and our own government could never do anything like the ones in the books we read.

But is this the truth? While watching the news can we truly think that our society is built to last?

 I'm speaking of America now- and I love America. I'm so proud I live here and I'd defend my country and her troops till my dying day. America does have some dark spots in her history though.

For instance, after 9/11 they considered adding wire taps to people's phones to search for terrorists. Is this so different from Delirium where everyone's calls are randomly monitored for suspicious activity? People today would rather watch football than listen to the President's Address to the Nation. And the government is ok with that. Is this any different from Hunger Games where the government makes citizens watch the fight? In Partials anyone who chose to stay outside the safety of the city is automatically crazy and subhuman for rejecting the safety the city offers. The Invalids in Delirium are to be feared and reviled because they live off the grid and chose not to accept "the cure" society offers. Is this any different from how people treat Preppers who are concerned that society is going to fall and decide to prepare for this situation? The government doesn't punish these people but society does shake their head and tsk at these "alarmists" and think their preparations and stockpiles are vaguely funny because how could our society crumble?

I'm not trying to convince everyone that THE END is coming and that we all need to go out and buy a gun and wait for the end of society as we know it. But I am hoping for an honest discussion of why we enjoy dystopian novels. And if we think any of these situations could happen in real life.

Leave me a comment and lets talk about this! Do you like reading dystopian novels? Why? What do you think people would blame if our society were to crumble? Would the media be blamed? The internet with its free stream of information? Religion?
 
Goodreads definiton of Dystopia and lists of dystopian novels
Survivalist Magazine

Friday Finds

To start back regularly posting, I've decided to join  Should Be Reading in the weekly meme Friday Finds.

 The purpose of Friday Finds is to share what books you've "found" over the past week and that are now on your TBR list. These can be books you've found at the library, online, or at the bookcase. You don't have to physically have the books to add them!

This week I've found a couple books from the library and from fellow bloggers posts. These could be books I just "found" at the library, books I've been wanting to read that I finally "found" at the library, or books that I "found" online that sound interesting. All covers, link, and summaries are from Goodreads.

From the library I've checked out:

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey- This one is new to me.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

  Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

The Testing byJoelle Charbonneau- This was a new one I picked up

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore- Another new one that I found

Daisy Goodnight can speak to the dead. It’s not the result of a head injury or some near-death experience. She was just born that way. And she’s really good at it. Good enough to help the police solve the occasional homicide.

But helping the local authorities clear cold cases is one thing. Being whisked out of chemistry class by the FBI and flown to the scene of a murder/kidnapping in Minnesota? That’s the real deal.

Before the promotion can go to Daisy’s head, she’s up to her neck in trouble. The spirits are talking, and they’re terrified. There’s a real living girl in danger. And when Daisy is kidnapped by a crime boss with no scruples about using magic—and Daisy—to get what he wants, it looks like hers is the next soul on the line.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver- It was finally checked in and I grabbed it

Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky- I finally found a copy

   Charlie is a freshman.

And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

 
Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

Matched by Ally Condie- I picked it up and decided to give it a try

 Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

The Kill Order by James Dashner-  I loved the series so when I saw the prequel I picked it up too

The prequel to the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series.

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.

From online:
The Singing River by R. K. Ryals after reading Jess Resides Here

  In Mississippi, there's a legend about a Singing River, a tragic love story that ended with an entire Indian tribe singing a death chant as they marched stoically into the Pascagoula River to die ...

At eighteen, Haven Ambrose isn't just a high school graduate. In her head, she's an aspiring writer, a traveler, a chef, a slayer of injustice, an astronomer, an archaeologist, and the love child of a famous, rich musician. But reality is harsher. Reality is overdue bills, a crumbling trailer, an absent father, an old addiction, and a hot, crushing summer that may end in disappointment.

For twenty year-old River Brayden, life seems good, but appearances can be deceiving. The oldest son of a wealthy family, he has finished his first year at Harvard to return home for the summer only to discover his younger brother headed down an unforgiving road.

They will be drawn together by a song. For during the late summer, they say the Pascagoula death chant can still be heard near the Singing River. Its call is haunting, its chant a testament of love and sacrifice. It calls to some ... beckoning.

The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason

 Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you’re the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And when two society girls go missing, there’s no one more qualified to investigate.

Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don’t unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they’ll become the next victims.

Edit: After reading What Comes Next's Friday Finds I'm adding The Painted Girls to my TBR list! 

Paris. 1878. Following their father’s sudden death, the van Goethem sisters find their lives upended. Without his wages, and with the small amount their laundress mother earns disappearing into the absinthe bottle, eviction from their lodgings seems imminent. With few options for work, Marie is dispatched to the Paris Opéra, where for a scant seventy francs a month, she will be trained to enter the famous ballet. Her older sister, Antoinette, finds work—and the love of a dangerous young man—as an extra in a stage adaptation of Émile Zola’s naturalist masterpiece L’Assommoir.

Marie throws herself into dance and is soon modelling in the studio of Edgar Degas, where her image will forever be immortalized as Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Antoinette, meanwhile, descends lower and lower in society, and must make the choice between a life of honest labor and the more profitable avenues open to a young woman of the Parisian demimonde—that is, unless her love affair derails her completely.

Set at a moment of profound artistic, cultural, and societal change, The Painted Girls is a tale of two remarkable sisters rendered uniquely vulnerable to the darker impulses of “civilized society.”

What books have you added to your TBR list this week? Have you read any of the books on mine? What did you think about them? Are you interested in any of the books on my list? Leave me a comment and let me know!