Fracture by Megan Miranda

[description from goodreads]

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine- despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? 

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

Review:

I can never seem to pass up a book with a narrator who is dead or has had a near-death experience of some sort. Fracture, because its narrator returns from death, thus interested me greatly; sadly, this interest didn't stay as intense the entire length of the book, but I liked it nonetheless.


Despite the fact that it's what drew me to the book, what I liked least was Delaney's habits after waking up from her coma. It never really made sense to me what her supposed ability of sensing death was supposed to be about; it's a decidedly supernatural idea, but it's such a small part of the rather short book that I never quite saw the point in its inclusion. Her ability became even more strange once Troy, who has a similar power, appears; he's almost comical in his attitude, and even when they two were together I wasn't sure of what exactly their abilities were supposed to do. 


Still, Troy at the very least provided some much needed drama in this book. I may not have liked him, but I appreciated that he provided a constant source of conflict, along with a few twists and heart wrenching bits near the end. Everyone else I am similarly iffy about; for example, Decker, Delaney's best friend, is clearly sweet and I enjoyed his role in Delaney's healing, but the relationship between the two was more frustrating than enjoyable to read about. When together, which is often, they were just too angsty for my liking. Separate, though, I like them both, especially Delaney. She more often than not manages to describe her chaotic and sad feelings well, especially as she begins to explore her abilities and adjust to life once again.


Fracture does have an intriguing premise and consistently emotional and therefore compelling narrative, but it lacked far too much depth in both characterization and plot for me to move beyond simply liking it.


Book details: Walker/Hardcover/$17.99


Source: sent by publisher for review

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

[description from goodreads]

Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...

Review:

On the list of things that I like, asylums, history, and angst are all ranked relatively high. I wasn't always a fan of the way they, along with the many other things tackled, came together in this book, but I still found Wildthorn an original and engaging tale.

It was initially difficult for me to get in to this book, though, for its first section switches between the past and present. This constant switch is a bit annoying in that it ends half way through and thus appears to be solely for the purpose of introducing relationships, but luckily the scenes set in the present are far more compelling. Because Louisa is so set on the idea that she isn't crazy, while everyone else thinks she is, much of the original excitement in the story centers upon whether she really is mad or if there is a conspiracy behind her sending there, either option I would have been happy to read about. As the novel progresses, there is even more time spent describing the horrific practices of the asylum, another topic I delight in reading about even if it did often seem like certain details were included solely to be shocking, and not because they were necessarily essential to the story.

I felt like other aspects of the novel appeared to be trying too hard as well; for example, although I did like Louisa's determination to become a doctor, as she describes in the chapters set in the past, her manner of discussing it seemed so speech-like and inorganic that she seemed more preachy than genuine. However, despite her and some of the other characters' tendency to appear exaggerated to the point of inhuman, I did enjoy reading about the people in this novel. Louisa's determination and curiosity pushes her to always seek answers, making this book consistently an adventure, especially when secrets about the other characters are discovered. The uncovered secrets in this book are probably the best parts, because not only do they make for an exciting read, but each other reveals something about one of the characters that moves them beyond their often two-dimensional appearance.

Wildthorn has a great, unique premise and consistently engrossing narrative, but because I often found it tried too hard to include many big issues, I don't love it as much as I could otherwise.

Book details: Graphia/Paperback/$8.99


Source: BEA '10 (I know)

Waiting on Wednesday

 Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. Descriptions and such from goodreads.

Today I'm waiting on:

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Oct. 11th, 1943

A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France.

Its pilot and passenger are best friends.

One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she knows she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogator gives her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face the firing squad.

As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage, failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?

Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. The physical bonds of war will never be as strong as the bonds forged by the unforgettable friendship in this extraordinary tale of fortitude in the face of the ultimate evil.

---

Books with Nazis tend to be pretty great, but one with Nazis, planes, spies, and best friends? It doesn't get much better than that.

Released May 15.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Spoilers  for book one in the series, Across the Universe, ahead!

[description from goodreads]

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. 

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Review:

I really did enjoy Across the Universe, so I looked forward to this sequel even though many of my experiences with sequels in general aren't that good. However, I like A Million Suns the same if not more than I like its predecessor.

Although it did take a while to get going, there is plenty of excitement happening in this book. Amy and Elder's search for the truth occasionally seemed a bit repetitive because of its scavenger hunt-like nature, but at the very least, their repetitive actions always ended up with different results and dramatic encounters with the other people aboard the ship. And, really, the repetition and agonizing length of their hunt is all worth it by the end because their revelation, and the chaos it causes, its delightfully surprising and intense.

One thing I'm more torn on in this novel, though, are the characters. Although they both narrate the story, it's always seemed to be more Amy's story than Elder's to me. I never remember his sections quite as vividly, or care about him quite as much, even though he is often involved in the more dangerous and intriguing problems aboard the ship. Subsequently, I also never really seem to pay much attention to the other people who appear in his story,  and thus I don't really find them as believable as they could be. Amy, on the other hand, I do really like because of all the shenanigans she gets caught in and the way she deals with things that the others in the book simply can't.

A worthy sequel to the great Across the Universe because of its action, intrigue, and most excellent ending.

Book details: Razorbill/Hardcover/$17.99


Source: sent by publisher for review

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. Descriptions and such from goodreads.

This week, I just bought one thing, but I'm very excited about it:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

John Green's previous books are all great, and I've heard nothing but amazing things about this one.  I'll have to read it next so I can see if I agree with all the hype (I'm sure I will).

Favorite of "Contains Shakespeare"

I've read plenty of books that are inspired by, based on, or contain a Shakespeare play in one form or another. Here are five of my favorites:

1. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (contains the fairies from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Ariel from The Tempest, and various other theatrical characters) 

A truly magical and beautifully written novel with an awesome sequel too. I'm excited that I finally have book three in my possession for I can't wait to see what happens to Bertie, Nate, Ariel, and the rest of the gang. (But mostly Nate.) 

2. My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman (contains [and is based on, I believe] As You Like It)

Hilarious, sarcastic, ridiculous, but smart-- aka, all my favorite things in one. 

3. Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman  (based on Much Ado About Nothing) 

I'm automatically inclined to like books that feature baristas, as that is one of my favorite words, but it doesn't hurt that it's pretty funny and sweet too. 

 

 4.  The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (contains Puck and various fairies from A Midsummer Night's Dream)

Puck is my favorite of this series, so it only makes sense that book one shows up here.  

5.  Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde (cheating with this one since it's based more on West Side Story than anything, but West Side Story is based on Romeo and Juliet so it totally counts) 

Because I hadn't even seen West Side Story yet when I first read this book (if I had, I would have been rather biased toward liking it) my love for it seems all the more true.

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

[description from goodreads]

When Lupita discovers Mami has been diagnosed with cancer, she is terrified by the possibility of losing her mother, the anchor of their close-knit Mexican American family. 

In the midst of juggling high school classes, finding her voice as an actress, and dealing with friends who don’t always understand, Lupita desperately wants to support her mother by doing anything she can to help. While Papi is preoccupied with caring for Mami, Lupita takes charge of her seven younger siblings. Struggling in her new roles and overwhelmed by change, Lupita escapes the chaos of home by writing in the shade of a mesquite tree, seeking refuge in the healing power of words. 

Told in evocative free verse, Lupita’s journey is both heart-wrenching and hopeful. Under the Mesquite is an empowering story about the testing of family bonds, the strength of a teenage girl navigating pain and hardship, and the kind of love that cannot be uprooted.

Review:

This book is another prime example of my horrible procrastination habits-- it took me months to finally read it, which was a silly choice on my part for Under the Mesquite is a beautifully written, emotional novel despite its brevity.

However, its brevity still prevented me from loving this book completely. It's about 250 pages long, but considering it's written in verse and covers so many years, it seems even shorter. This short length often prevents certain characters from being well developed, because they either leave Lupita's life after one year or seem to change completely in the time that she doesn't cover. In the grand scheme of things, though, this qualm is a bit insignificant in comparison to the wonderful development of Lupita and her writing. Poetry inherently makes everything simply sound more emotionally charged, but the detail and thought Lupita puts into her words elevate her writing even further, making it easy to connect to her situation. Her detail helps showcase her harried feelings about her mother's condition and her family, and coupled with just as wonderfully described moments of joy that inevitably occur, the narrative is truly something beautiful and heart wrenching.

It's not a flashy or action-packed book, and it fell too flat with certain characterization for my liking, but the intense emotion and lovely writing make Under the Mesquite worth a read.

Book details: Lee & Low Books/Hardcover/$17.95


Source: sent by publisher for review