Saturday, April 27, 2013

Lessons on being Gorgeous

GorgeousGorgeous by Paul Rudnick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Gorgeous was one of those books where I could see "the funny," but it wasn't always funny enough to make me actually laugh. I did chuckle a few times, raise an eyebrow, and smile a few times with amusement, but it was just too over-the-top for me to really get into it. It wasn't bad though,, especially if you go in with the understanding that it's going full-out. Rudnick doesn't shy away from exaggerated description and full-blow fairytale-ness (though he never does quite indicate how all of this magic is possible. I suppose just through the sheer awesomeness that is supposed to be Tom Kelly?).

I did struggle a little with the romance in the story, just because the author seemed to skip right over the falling in love part. At one point Becky is determined to marry this guy, and then suddenly, after a afew brief pages charting the things they do together, and one ninja-like action sequence, bam, she's in love. But I suppose the romance wasn't the point of the story--it was more about her relationship with her mom and the father she had never met, and the lessons she learned through the course of wearing the three dresses.

Overall, a good, quick read--nothing amazing, but I found decent enjoyment in the story.

This digital copy of Gorgeous was given to me by NetGalley & Houghton Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.



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Monday, April 22, 2013

So a little while ago I reviewed a book called "The Testing," and I just wanted to let y'all know there's a free look at the prequel and the beginning of the actual book! Just click on the image below and enjoy--again, I found it to be a really great read. :)

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A Review of The Testing, a satisfying dystopian

The Testing (The Testing, #1)The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Testing...an important mark of adulthood for a chosen few, this is something Cia has striven for all her life. To be tested for a spot at University, along with the other chosen from colonies around the country, is a great honor. Her father made it, but no one else from her colony has made it in the last decade, including a smarter older brother. When she does make it (and since you can tell from the synopsis that she does, I'm not considering this a spoiler), she finds out the Testing is a lot darker than she ever realized.

This book seemed almost to be a cross between The Hunger Games and Divergent, only probably not as amazingly written, but still really good--especially if you like those sorts of stories. It's set in a dystopian world long after nuclear strikes took out a good part of the country. The United Commonwealth is still focusing on revitalizing the land, and Cia's father is heavily involved in these revitalization efforts.

It's a dark story, and explores some heavy ideas, but I personally think it makes the book all the better. Some readers seem to wonder why a country would go to such extremes to test for the brightest minds, and why it would also waste so many of the didn't-quite-make-it bright minds. After all the country is still trying to repopulate. But I could see why it might make sense, especially to a country that as a whole, seems to still be suffering lingering effects of PTSD. It is a proven fact that going through extreme circumstances can really bring out someone's character; it is the ultimate test. And for a country who still has the mindset that their leaders need to be able to lead through the pressures of a nuclear war, I could see where their fears might have created this insane testing system.

But this is why we like to read dystopians, right? Because the characters will need to face terrible situations and overcome impossible hurdles, and throughout those experiences, grow into who they really are. They will probably discover they need to rebel against the system, and lead the way to change--but my guess is that part will wait for book two. Which I can't wait to read.

This digital copy of The Testing was given to me by NetGalley & Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in exchange for an honest review.



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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Some Quiet Place...a place of no emotions

Some Quiet PlaceSome Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Someone who can't fear, or love? It seems like that would the most boring type of character to read about, but Kelsey Sutton manages to make it absolutely fascinating. Elizabeth doesn't feel any emotions, and right from the get-go you're willing her to, because who doesn't want her to be affected by the frustrated, beautiful Fear, or the thoughtful, attentive boy in class?

I was worried the author wouldn't be able to stick to the emotionless plot, since emotions are the heart and soul of books. But that wasn't the case--she managed to portray it quite well, and at the same time give you a good idea of what the character would feel if she could feel.

Some other readers seemed to struggle to connect with Elizabeth because of her lack of emotions, but for me, that made me care about her even more. I hated seeing the way she took abuse or lived with difficult situations just because she could, and I was desperately urging her to start feeling, to start fighting. I wanted her to figure out the mystery of who she was so that she could finally connect with Fear. And while yes, some of the reveals at the end were obvious, I believe that was the author's intent--I was speeding through pages, hoping I was right, because it would make the story just that much better.

I would highly suggest reading Some Quiet Place if you're looking for something different, because I honestly haven't read much like this before. And if you like knowing the main character is definitely in love with only one other character, despite the presence of multiple choices, you'll be happy to read this too.

This digital copy of Some Quiet Place was given to me by NetGalley & Flux Books in exchange for an honest review.

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