Nowhereville by Sean Campbell

Title: Nowhereville

Author: Sean Campbell

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: June 8, 2011

Date Read: August 3, 2011

Rating: 3/5 stars 

Source: Author

Goodreads

Summary

After his mother's death, sixteen year old Seth Bradley chooses to leave behind his friends, his school, and his entire life within the rusted, broken down space station Ticonderoga. With his sister Jenna in tow, he sets out to join a father he barely knows in the orbital city of Grass Valley, a monument to human achievement floating three hundred miles above the Earth. 

Ava Morales is a girl with a mysterious and violent past. The soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Mars sing praises to her name, but to her family she is a terrible secret.


When Grass Valley is caught in the crossfire of an all-out war between Earth and Mars, Seth, Jenna and Anne must work together to survive as they find themselves trapped in a world that is literally crumbling around them.

Review

This is my first of many reviews celebrating self-published authors for Indie Author Month hosted by Nikki at Wicked Awesome Books. I would definitely recommend Nowhereville if you love YA science fiction or love books with huge cliffhangers for the next books in the series. 


As with many science fiction novels, Nowhereville had an amazing premise. I was immediately enamored with the fast-paced, action-packed plot filled with fancy futuristic references. I loved how it took place in an off-world colony where Martians were simply people who lived on Mars in political turmoil with Earth and the Allies rather than an alien race. I liked the silent nod to futuristic ethics with the treatment of robots and how attached Seth became to Anne. 


As a Martian, Ava was my favourite character because she was the reason the whole battle was started. So little was explained of her family and history that I was dying to read more about her. Unfortunately her alternating chapters ended about halfway through the book and she just disappeared from the story. Hopefully in the next book she plays a larger role because she was fascinating, fierce, courageous, and mysterious. Exactly what I like in my female characters!


In keeping with the air of mystery and suspense, Sean Campbell left many questions unanswered that will hopefully be addressed in the sequel. However this meant I was confused for most of the book about the history of the off-world colonies, the reason behind the political rebellion, and why there was a farm. A flashback, a prologue, or a map would've helped a lot. Sometimes the suspense worked perfectly because things were revealed in bits-and-pieces to keep you reading, which is always fun when you're reading about a new world and civilization. 

Recommended: Across the Universe (Beth Revis), I Robot (Isaac Asimov)

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Title: Fury
Author: Elizabeth Miles

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: August 30, 2011

Date Read: July 15 - 17, 2011

Rating: 3/5 stars 
Source: Publisher

Goodreads

Summary

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Review

I received a copy of Fury for review from Simon & Schuster Canada. There's a lot of hype surrounding Fury and I was worried that it would've live up to it's expectations and accolades. While it was an enjoyable read I didn't love it as much as most readers.

I don't live by it but I love reading about the concept of karma so a YA book dedicated to it was fascinating to me. Chase's plotline worked perfectly with this because there aren't many books about Facebook and intellectual property yet, so having him suffer the repercussions of his actions in a similar way seemed appropriate. I'm also glad that Em couldn't just steal her best friend's boyfriend and had to atone for her sin. I don't really like boyfriend stealers in YA books, especially when they try to justify "Oh but I'm so much better for him", etc.

By leaving the reveal of the Furies to the end of the book Elizabeth Miles may have been wanting to set up suspense or mystery. Unfortunately I was just confused and kept thinking I'd missed the part where their presence was explained. I thought it would all make sense in the end but there were a lot of unanswered questions that I hope will be acknowledged in a sequel. I'm really happy that more YA authors are delving into mythology to find inspiration and Fury has definitely got to be one of the more original mythological books I've read.

One thing stood out to me as unrealistic. With so many characters dying I assumed death would be a bigger theme in Fury. Something for other characters to reflect on, thinking about their own morality or the loss of a friend. Instead Em and Chase both ignored anything that didn't directly affect their romantic lives. Beyond them I assumed that the school and town would be in constant mourning but there wasn't really much of that either. It seemed like things were continuing on as if nothing had happened. Even Em's parents didn't really show much concern over the events. Maybe in the sequel there'll be more emphasis put on paying tribute to those who died.

Recommended: Bliss (Lauren Myracle), Choker (Elizabeth Woods), Falling Under (Gwen Hayes)

So Shelly by Ty Roth

Title: So Shelly

Author: Ty Roth

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Release Date: February 8, 2011

Date Read: July 11, 2011

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Goodreads

Summary

Until now, high school junior, John Keats, has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.

After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think. As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.

Review

This is a textbook example of how not reading the summary can make for a better reading experience. I had absolutely no idea what So Shelly was about and based on the cover I assumed it was some sort of paranormal romance. Instead I was completely surprised when it was an angst-filled contemporary romance.

I absolutely love analytical reads. You've probably noticed if you're a follower but the majority of my reviews are really wordy and intellectual. I love analysing my books to look for symbolism and character development. Books like So Shelly already have the analysis waiting on the pages for me and deciphering it even further is almost like a gift. While some reading might find that the intellectual writing takes away from the heart-breaking dialogue and romance I argue that it adds an extra oomph to the tragedy.

I found many circumstances in the novel to be highly unrealistic or improbable based on today's social norms and typical teenage behaviour and was all ready to complain for the rest of the book until I read the epilogue/author notes. Ty Roth tried to mirror Shelly, Keats, and Gordon's lives as much as possible and back in the 1800s, they led very... interesting lives. I don't think it would've been as much of a tribute to them if he'd edited them out but it made for a very scandalous novel.

If you didn't like reading Frankenstein in English or hate poetry, please try So Shelly. Reading about the lives of the authors in a semi-fictional world inspired me to read more of their works and I absolutely fell in love. YA literature is a great way to introduce teens to great topics especially other authors' works. Oh! And if you loved Bright Star as much as I did, this is the icing on the cake. 

Favourite Quote: "He ignores me because he loves me."

Recommended: How to Say Goodbye in Robot (Natalie Standiford), The Secret Year (Jennifer R. Hubbard), Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher), The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (E. Lockhart)

Vesper by Jeff Sampson

Title: Vesper

Author: Jeff Sampson

Publisher: Balzer & Bray / Harper Collins

Release Date: January 25, 2011

Date Read: April 30 - May 1, 2011

Rating: 4/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s definitely not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.

The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell . . . there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely— something not human? 

As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?

Review

Finally, a paranormal book I liked! After reading countless romances for years I've found one that doesn't have an overbearing romance. My long search has finally ended! 

I have never read a werewolf novel mainly because I was hesitant to be disappointed by rip-offs of Big Wolf on Campus. Instead Vesper was quite a surprise with it's refreshing and original take on werewolves. It reminded me a lot of the Uglies series in that everything is based on science and realism rather than fantasy, and that eventually questions will be answered rather than just having readers suspend their belief for the whole series. I also enjoyed how Emily didn't just wake up one day, find out she was a werewolf, and go hunt; the stages, the revelation, the hesitation, the disbelief were all so beautiful written. 

My favourite aspects of Vesper were it's originality and realism. It was so refreshing to read a fantasy/paranormal novel that didn't have a crazy romance, instead offering a simple, realistic scenario. Most novels these days (and most of the ones I read) are written by females, so it was really cool to delve into a male author's perspective of a teenage girl. Also most authors forget parents and other restrictions teenagers may face and I was impressed with how Emily wasn't able to just "sneak out" and not be caught every night, but rather faced repercussions by her family and friends. Paranormal books are known for their uncharacteristic violence, passionate romance, but never for their humour, which Vesper had plenty of.

Vesper is a mystery novel, a forgotten genre in today's world of contemporary romances. By prefacing each chapter with a futuristic interview and revealing plot points bit-by-bit, readers are drawn into the characters and storyline quite easily. The ending was suspenseful and I'm incredibly excited to read the next book!

Favourite Quote: "Forget my giant DVD case filled with movies about teenagers getting murdered - I'd seen so much CGI and makeup and red-dyed corn syrup that when it came to the idea of another teenager dying it never seemed real. I'd never really considered that one day I could walk outside and get shot, and it would all be over."  

Recommended: City of Bones (Cassandra Clare), Got Fangs? (Katie Maxwell), A Certain Slant of Light (Laura Whitcomb), Wake (Lisa McMann)

Exposure by Therese Fowler

Title: Exposure
Author: Therese Fowler

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Release Date: May 3, 2011

Date Read: April 22 - 25, 2011

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Goodreads

Summary

In Exposure, Therese Fowler has written her most gripping novel to date—a ripped-from-the-headlines story of ardent young love and a nightmarish legal maelstrom that threatens to destroy two families.

Amelia Wilkes’s strict father does not allow her to date, but that doesn’t stop the talented, winsome high school senior from carrying on a secret romance with her classmate Anthony Winter. Desperately in love, the two envision a life together and plan to tell Amelia’s parents only after she turns eighteen and is legally an adult. Anthony’s mother, Kim, who teaches at their school, knows—and keeps—their secret. But the couple’s passion is exposed sooner than planned: Amelia’s father, Harlan, is shocked and infuriated to find naked pictures of Anthony on his daughter’s computer. Just hours later, Anthony is arrested.

Despite Amelia’s frantic protests, Harlan uses his wealth and influence with local law enforcement and the media to label Anthony a deviant who preyed on his innocent daughter. Spearheaded by a zealous prosecutor anxious to turn the case into a public crusade against “sexting,” the investigation soon takes an even more disturbing and destructive turn.

As events spiral wildly out of control and the scandalous story makes national news, Amelia and Anthony risk everything in a bold and dangerous attempt to clear their names and end the madness once and for all.  

A captivating page-turner, Therese Fowler’s Exposure is also a deftly crafted, provocative, and timely novel that serves as a haunting reminder of the consequences of love in the modern age.

Review

Wow. What an amazing young adult debut from adult author, Therese Fowler. I've never really read anything quite like Exposure and I'm hoping more people will read it now that it's available in stores today. Exposure is being regarded as the #1 novel every parent and teen should read in 2011. I completely agree. A well-written story of romance, law, and technology, Exposure opens your eyes to the world of sexting and the implications of it in today's society. 

The main topic of Exposure was sexting (sending sexual photos or texts via cellphones), a relatively new cultural phenomenon few authors have chosen to use. The stigma of sexual deviancy makes sexting a tough issue to talk about, especially when parts of the legal system have yet to catch up to it. As with many Jodi Picoult novels, Exposure showed the gray area of law and how easily art can be misinterpreted for pornography by the legal system. While Exposure lacked details of previous sexting cases it painted an awesome picture of how many sexting cases will probably turn out over the next few years. Sexting eventually turned from the topic to the medium through which Anthony and Amelia's story was told. 

Originally I was disappointed with the overwhelming character analysis and development vs the lack of plot in the first two acts of the novel. Entire chapters were dedicated to conversations between characters where key plot pieces were summed up in small paragraphs. However by the third act I was happy that Therese had spent so much time developing Amelia and Anthony early on so as not to justify each of their actions with character history during the climax. I would've liked a few more flashback scenes rather than memories regarding Amelia and Anthony's romance, especially when the sexting took place. As a lover of theatre I loved how Amelia and Anthony's romance blossomed through acting and how they both had dreams of pursuing it post-secondary. Writing the novel in three distinct acts was reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, a literary/character connection a few other reviewers have made. I also liked how each scene/chapter had a technological aspect to it, whether it be a cellphone call, someone checking their email, etc. It became very obvious by the end that Therese was trying to show how even adults rely heavily on modern technology.

I still can't get over the last act of Exposure. I never saw it coming. I noticed a change in direction and feeling in the novel but never guessed it would end up where it did. Such an amazingly written final section, the third act sold me on the novel. I had been expecting the novel to play out similarly to a Jodi Picoult novel where the novel follows the characters through the legal system, but instead switched to a more social commentary-romance feel. Loved it! However I was slightly disappointed with the final chapter and epilogue. I found it a tad unrealistic and unnecessary, though it did tie up some loose ends. 

Favourite Quote: "But Amelia had looked at him from across the stage, blue velvet curtains hanging behind her, stage lights illuminating her auburn hair, and a jolt of something - call it electricity, call it whatever you liked - went through him and he'd literally stopped breathing. What he'd wanted to do was drop to his knees. What he'd done instead was turn to Ms. Fitz and say,'There's my Rosalind'."

Recommended: The Pact (Jodi Picoult), Stalker Girl (Rosemary Graham), Sing Me to Sleep (Angela Morrison)

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Title: Other Words for Love

Author: Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Release Date: January 11, 2011

Date Read: April 16 - 17, 2011

Rating: 5/5 stars

Goodreads

Summary

When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York--and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn't think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship. Ari's family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future.

When misfortune befalls Blake's family, he pulls away, and Ari's world drains of color. As she struggles to get over the breakup, Ari must finally ask herself: were their feelings true love . . . or something else?

Review

Wow. My first 5-star novel of 2011! My review originally was just a list of all my favourite things. It's been so hard to condense it into a few paragraphs.

First off, I don't think I've read a novel in a while that authentically covers so many different topics: postpartum depression, relationships with older men, Native people, teen sexuality, and visual arts. Phew! I particularly enjoyed Rosenthal's portrayal of New York in the 1980s when HIV/AIDS was first diagnosed.

I also praise Rosenthal for her originality. Few YA authors choose to write teenage girl romances with older men and those who do usually write the man as a manipulative jerk. I've never read a novel where the man, Blake, was actually an awesome boyfriend. Ari's relationship with Blake was completely realistic for how they dated and their sexual life. I appreciated how Ari didn't regret her relationship and acknowledged that she still thought about it from time to time, rather than "growing up" and carrying on as if nothing happened. Rosenthal's insistence to have Ari learn from her mistakes but still yearn to make them again was heartbreaking. I also loved her accurate account of teen sexuality, how there's more than "just sex" to experience both emotionally and physically, and that there can be serious repercussions. 

I loved the financial and social comparison between the five family dynamics featured in the novel: Ari and her parents, Evelyn and her parents/children/husband, Leigh and her mother, Summer and her mother, and Blake and his Dad/brother. The three girls each started with similar backgrounds and interests but by the end had each become people the other girls wouldn't recognize. The importance placed on ensuring each of the adult characters had their own subplot and weren't just written as "Dad-because-someone-needs-to-say-'curfew'" made each family dynamic more realistic and heartbreaking, especially in scenes between Ari and her mother. 

The only thing I didn't like about Other Words for Love was the title and it's lack of significance to the plot. While I love the phrase I wish it had been incorporated in some way into dialogue or something. 

Favourite Quote: "I thought about when colors had been outrageously bright and the air had smelled incredibly good and when I had forgotten how it felt to be sad. Now I remembered, and I thought Blake was no better than some street-thug heroin dealer. He had gotten me hooked on him and then he'd cut off my supply. I'd heard that addicts would do anything, would degrade themselves in every way to get another fix, and now I understood how that could happen, because it was happening to me."

Recommended: Crash Test Love (Ted Michael), Leftovers (Laura Weiss), I Know It's Over (C.K. Kelly Martin), After the Moment (Garret Freymann-Weyr)