Eleanor & Park - Review

Eleanor & Park

By: Rainbow Rowell

Published: February 26th 2013 by St. Martin's Press

328 pages

Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from my local library

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Goodreads description--Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

I really loved Eleanor & Park. This story was so real. Everything about it. I loved the slow development of Eleanor and Park's relationship. There's definitely no insta-love here. The relationship builds in such an authentic way that there was really no questioning it for me. Everything's real from the slow progression of their relationships to the limited amount of times that Eleanor and Park are actually alone together. There are siblings present and especially parents (and step-parent) which are often absent from YA literature.

Eleanor was such a true character for me. She's described as being "fat," but I'm really unsure of how "fat" she was. Either way, an MC with curves is not something we normally see either. Yet it is totally real. I normally hate hearing a character talk down to themselves or dwell on their appearance, but the way that Eleanor does this wasn't as annoying as much as I was struck with how honest of a portrayal it was. I remember being that way. I remember feeling that way. Though never "fat," I definitely wasn't "skinny" growing up. I remember thinking some of the same thoughts as Eleanor. And I wasn't annoyed with it.

Park is the exact opposite of Eleanor--physically anyway. He's "skinny" and half Korean. They don't seem to have much in common at all, but they develop this truly deep relationship. Eleanor has a couple of moments when she's being a total girl and Park is being a total guy, resulting in these stupid fights that could be avoided. But that's just another thing that makes this story so real.

Both characters have a past that they struggle with. Eleanor's parents split up and her dad doesn't really have much to do with her--only when he needs something. Eleanor's mom is remarried to a typical jerk--drinker, abuser, and all-around pervert. Eleanor has four younger siblings, and you can see her struggle with the need to escape her stepfather, while also needing to protect her siblings. Normally I've read the perspective of the younger sibling left behind with the abusive parent while the older sibling escaped. Again, another real aspect and an a unique POV we don't normally see in this genre. Park thinks his father thinks he's a sissy--they don't have the best relationship, while still having a much better relationship with his entire family than Eleanor does.

The ending felt slightly rushed to me. And I'd probably love to hear that Rainbow Rowell is doing a sequel, but there was closure at the same time. Oh and beware of f-bombs. There are quite a good number in this book for sure.

All in all, Eleanor & Park gets 4.5 stars from me. Any fan of contemporary romance will fall in love with this story. Have you read Eleanor & Park? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 77 & Stacking the Shelves - 48

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

This has been a busy week as I'm sure it has been for most of you. Monday, Husband and I had to work. Went to Georgia on Tuesday to celebrate Christmas with Husband's family. Came home the same day. Wednesday, Husband and I opened presents and then went to my parents' to celebrate with them. Thursday and Friday were back at work. And then Saturday I spent the day cleaning out my kitchen cabinets, doing laundry, and cleaning up Christmas messes.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, # 1) by Michelle Hodkin
Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'd Santa to Bring Me
Wednesday: Merry Christmas!
Thursday: Review of Pandemonium (Delirium, # 2) by Lauren Oliver
Friday: Review of Where She Went (If I Stay, # 2) by Gayle Forman

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Tuesday: Top Ten Books I've Read in 2013 & 2013 EOY Book Survey
Wednesday: December EOM Wrap Up
Thursday: Review of Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John & Stasi Eldredge
Friday: Review of Frigid (Frigid, # 1) by J Lynn

Don't forget to sign up for the 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge! Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with a BIG giveaway at the end of the year! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Shatter Me (Shatter Me, # 1)

By: Tahereh Mafi

Published: November 15th 2011 by Harper (first published January 1st 2011)

338 pages

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas present, thank you Kay!)

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Goodreads description--Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin, # 2)

By: Robin LaFevers

Published: April 2nd 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

385 pages

Genre: YA, Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas present, thank you Melissa!)

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Goodreads description--When Sybella arrived at the doorstep of St Mortain half mad with grief and despair the convent were only too happy to offer her refuge - but at a price. The sisters of this convent serve Death, and with Sybella naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, she could become one of their most dangerous weapons.

But her assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to the life that nearly drove her mad. Her father's rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother's love is equally monstrous. But when Sybella discovers an unexpected ally she discovers that a daughter of Death may find something other than vengeance to live for...

Requiem (Delirium, # 3)

By: Lauren Oliver

Published: March 5th 2013 by HarperCollins Children's Books

391 pages

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas present, thank you Mom!)

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Goodreads description--They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, # 2)

By: Michelle Hodkin

Published: October 23rd 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (first published March 1st 2012)

544 pages

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal

Source: Personal Library (Christmas present, thank you Mom!)

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Goodreads description--Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.
She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.
They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.
She’s wrong. In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Song of the Fireflies

By: JA Redmerski

Expected Publication: February 4th 2014 by Forever

464 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--New York Times bestselling author J.A. Redmerski brings us a stunning and heart-wrenching new novel about a couple who find each other in their darkest moment.

Since they were kids, Elias Kline and Brayelle Bates have been inseparable. When Bray moves to South Carolina, separating the two for the first time, they both at last realize that their innocent childhood friendship has developed into something much more. So when Bray finally returns to Georgia—and to Elias—things between them couldn’t be more perfect…until one fateful night changes everything.

Desperate not to go to prison for a terrible accident, Elias and Bray decide to run. As they try to make the most of their freedom, the two find themselves relying on a rebellious group of people who tempt the duo into a wild and daring new life. But they can’t run from their troubles forever.

As the consequences of their past catch up to them, the couple must finally face reality. Even if they can make it through the unimaginable, Elias knows the truth about Bray’s painful history, and in the end he may not be able to save Bray from herself…

Breathe (Sea Breeze, # 1)

By: Abbi Glines

Published: May 16th 2011 by Wild Child Publishing

164 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from my SNL, Holly @ Words Fueled by Love

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Goodreads descriptions--Sadie White's summer job isn't going to be on the beach life-guarding or working at rental booths like most kids her age. With her single mother's increasing pregnancy and refusal to work, Sadie has to take over her mother's job as a domestic servant for one of the wealthy summer families on a nearby island.

When the family arrives at their summer getaway, Sadie is surprised to learn that the owner of the house is Jax Stone, one of the hottest teen rockers in the world. If Sadie hadn't spent her life raising her mother and taking care of the house she might have been normal enough to be excited about working for a rock star.

Even though Sadie isn't impressed by Jax's fame, he is drawn to her. Everything about Sadie fascinates Jax but he fights his attraction. Relationships never work in his world and as badly as he wants Sadie, he believes she deserves more. By the end of the summer, Jax discovers he can't breathe without Sadie.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Where She Went - Review

Where She Went (If I Stay, # 2)

By: Gayle Forman

Published: April 5th 2011 by Dutton Juvenile

264 pages

Genre: YA, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from my local library

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Goodreads description--It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Unlike If I Stay, Where She Went is told from Adam's point of view only. Where She Went takes place three years from the accident that changed both Mia and Adam's lives. Without going into too much detail, we find ourselves in Adam's head after his and Mia's relationship has fallen apart and Adam really has no idea why.

Where She Went was an emotion packed read just like If I Stay, but filled with very different emotions from the ones we witnessed in If I Stay. Where She Went deals with the aftermath of putting one's life back together after such a tragic loss.

I thoroughly enjoyed being in Adam's head throughout this process. He's found himself lost in a life that's just sort of happened around him but isn't what he wants for himself at all. He's filled with anxiety, regret, confusion, and so much more.

When we finally get to hear the whole of Mia's story, you can't help but feel sorry for Mia, yet completely understand her reasoning at the same time. Gayle Forman did an excellent job tackling the feelings that Mia has had as a result of being the sole survivor in the car accident that claimed the lives of her entire family. Each emotion is raw, real, and on display.

I've heard several say that they enjoyed Where She Went more than If I Stay, and while I did enjoy Where She Went immensely, the emotion wasn't quite on the same level for me as If I Stay. I choked up at one part in Where She Went, but I wasn't bordering on tears the whole time as I was when reading If I Stay.

Either way, Where She Went is an fast paced, emotional read. Where She Went has every good thing contained within it's pages. I highly recommend both If I Stay and this worthy sequel. Where She Went gets 4 stars. Have you read Where She Went? What did you think? Let me know!

Pandemonium - Review

Pandemonium (Delirium, # 2)

By: Lauren Oliver

Published: February 28th 2012 by HarperTeen

375 pages

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Source: Personal Kindle Library

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Goodreads description--I’m pushing aside
the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana
and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Remember when I raved about Delirium? I LOVED that book! Great story. Great characters. Great writing. Just SO GOOD all around. Well when I saw that Pandemonium was on sale for $0.99, I HAD to jump on it. Granted, this was the Enhanced Ebook version NOT the Kindle version (which is $8.99--tell me if that makes sense). I will say really quickly about the enhanced ebook version...this version has video content included which is super cool. However, only certain devices will handle this content. My first generation Kindle Fire does not. As a matter of fact, no device that I have handles the extra content. So that was a bit discouraging. However, it's still much cheaper than the regular kindle version.

Now about the story itself....

Pandemonium picks up pretty much right where Delirium left off. Alex and Lena have been separated because Lena made it to the Wilds and Alex is stuck on the other side. Lena finds that through the adrenaline of her escape she's missed the fact that she was grazed by a bullet. Now that things have calmed down a bit, the wound really begins to take it's toll on her. A group of Invalids stumble upon her and take her in to help her get back on her feet. What she finds is a new family.

Pandemonium isn't told chronologically. It bounces back and forth between "then" and "now". While I really do think this was the best approach for telling this portion of the story, I can't say I loved this part. I don't know, I'm not normally a huge fan of books that jump around in time like this. It just depends.

Lena is still a strong character. She's come so far from where she was in Delirium--a scared, rules-following girl. Now she's angry and bitter and sad. She's lost so much. Her mom, Hana, Grace...Alex. And Lena uses these losses to fuel herself. She becomes part of the resistance, because really, how could she not? And she finds herself tailing the face of the opposition (or at least, the youth's version of the opposition) in order to uncover as much information about their plans to begin dolling out the cure for the deliria to children under eighteen, who have previously been designated as dangerous candidates for the cure. There's a reason the scientists aren't performing the procedure on children under eighteen.

Now I need to take a minute and discuss how I accidentally stumbled upon a spoiler that completely changed the way I experienced this book--or changed how I would have experienced it. A Top Ten Tuesday topic a while back was Top Ten Beginnings/Endings and I stumbled upon a quote that happens to be the last sentence--a one word sentence--of this book. Totally my own fault as the post had "potential spoilers" listed clearly for me to see. But I pressed on, not expecting to find a book I haven't read or one I wanted to read. For those of you who have read this one, you know what a game changer that was. For those of you who haven't read it...well I don't want to say too much. GAME CHANGER. I won't say that spoiler "ruined" Pandemonium for me, but I read the entire book with the knowledge of that one word being the very last sentence coloring every page and every scene. That resulted in a lack of attachment in places where I probably would have otherwise been attached and attachment in places where I probably otherwise wouldn't have paid much attention. And obviously as spoilers typically go, I found myself extremely frustrated watching this inevitable collision course that I couldn't prevent or change.

I do want to say, as vaguely as possible, that Lena makes a huge assumption throughout the whole of this book that drove me batty. Everyone knows the deal with assumptions, right? Well being the reader of many books that I am, I know from experience that what the character believes is fact isn't always fact. And that if you don't witness "things" for yourself then you can't go assuming. This might have been more of an issue for me because of the spoilage mentioned above, but I'm 100% sure this would have been something I picked up on regardless of knowing that last sentence ahead of time. What really frustrated me about this assumption is that Lena's already lived this experience once. Slightly different circumstances, but still, I would have expected her to have learned this lesson already.

Pandemonium had a few too many moments where something major was about to happen only to be saved at the very last minute, but I can overlook that because Lauren Oliver's writing style still completely captures me. She's poetic, and lyrical, and I found myself highlighting ginormous chunks of passages. I think perhaps Delirium was still slightly better in this aspect than Pandemonium, but maybe that's because I listened to Delirium on audiobook whereas I read Pandemonium and hearing this poetic writing and sometimes complete desperation from Lena out loud enhanced the overall experience for me. Mark this series down as one where the audiobooks might trump reading them.

My favorite quotes (not listing page numbers or locations, sorry):

"I am not born all at once, the new Lena.
Step by step--and then, inch by inch.
Crawling, insides curled into dust, mouth full of the taste of smoke.
Fingernail by fingernail, like a worm.
That is how she comes into the world, the new Lena."

"Love, the deadliest of all deadly things.
Love it kills you.
Alex.
Both when you have it.
Alex.
And when you don't.
Alex."

"Grief is like sinking, like being buried. I am in water the tawny color of kicked-up dirt. Every breath is full of choking. There is nothing to hold on to, no sides, no way to claw myself up. There is nothing to do but let go.
Let go. Feel the weight all around you, feel the squeezing of your lungs, the slow, low pressure. Let yourself go deeper. There is nothing but the taste of metal, and the echoes of old things, and days that look like darkness."

"I read once about a kind of fungus that grows in trees. The fungus begins to encroach on the systems that carry water and nutrients up from the roots to the branches. It disables them one by one--it crowds them out. Soon, the fungus--and only the fungus--is carrying the water, and the chemicals, and everything else the tree needs to survive. At the same time it is decaying the tree slowly from within, turning it minute by minute to rot.
That is what hatred is. It will feed you and at the same time turn you to rot.
It is hard and deep and angular, a system of blockades. It is everything and total.
Hatred is a high tower. In the Wilds, I start to build, and to climb."

Pandemonium gets 4 Stars from me. I have that frustration of "I can't wait to get my hands on Requiem so I can find out what the crap happens next" thing going on. I need to know what happens next NOW! Have you read Pandemonium? What did you think? Let me know!

Top Ten Books I Want Santa to Bring Me

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Books I Want Santa to Bring Me.

1) Makeup Manual for Everyone from Beginner to Pro by Bobbi Brown

2) Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

3) Requiem (Delirium, # 3) by Lauren Oliver

4) Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassins, # 2) by RL LaFevers

5) Shatter Me (Shatter Me, # 1) by Tahereh Mafi

6) Birthmarked (Birthmarked, # 1) by Caragh M O’Brein

7) Legend (Legend, # 1) by Marie Lu

8) The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, # 2) by Michelle Hodkin

9) Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, # 1) by Kendare Blake

10) Across the Universe (Across the Universe, # 1) by Beth Revis

11) The Iron Knight (The Iron Fey, # 4) by Julie Kagawa

12) AMAZON GIFT CARDS!!!!

Which books are you hoping Santa brings you? Let me know!