The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Genre: Young adult
Publisher, Year: Harper Collins, 2007
Other Works: Rumors
Flags: Teen angst, tenuous references
Rating: B-, or Not Sorry I Read It
Premise: The goings-on of upper class, turn of the century New York society girls.

This book is just plain fun. Another book club pick, and I’m glad because I don’t know that I would have read it otherwise. The description just didn’t appeal to me: Manhattan socialites wending their way through their charmed lives. But, it turns out that I “can be taught.” It kind of makes me giggle, this book.

The story opens with the funeral of Elizabeth Holland, the older daughter of a prominent family. We get first glances of each character as they make their way in. Then the story rewinds, and we are privy to the action as it plays out, knowing what is ahead. There are several narrators, each telling their story from their one-sided perspective, which makes for plenty of dramatic irony. A surprise engagement resolves some problems, while causing others, and sends some characters into a tailspin. As tempers and stakes rise, all leads up to that dreadful event.

I can see why there would be those who didn’t like this book. The writing is fine, and gets the job done, but there’s not much memorable about it. I usually don't like books that have too many narrators—it just ends up being confusing, and sometimes I think it's just lazy writing. However, I liked it for this book because it built up the tension that was sure to explode. I found it very amusing.

Surprisingly, I actually liked this book from the start. I liked Elizabeth, even though she was a somewhat flat character, because I wanted her to listen to her heart. And although she makes a command decision in the end, which I have to say can’t come as a shock to anyone who is even mildly paying attention, she is a rather weak character. Although she frequently thinks about taking a stand, she never really does and allows herself to be influenced by practically everyone else. The real main character was Diana, who I found funny, although she acted like she was trying a little bit too hard. I enjoyed her lust for life—she was ready to rough it on the streets of New York and go “bohemian” if they lost their fortune. She’s got spunk, although that optimism could definitely use a dose of reality. I also liked that the book wasn’t chuck full of Penelopes. There was just one Penelope, and let’s face it, in a book like this, you need one mean girl with no soul. Most of the characters were on the weak side, but I felt that many were exhibiting some potential in the end, especially Henry who I spent despising pretty much the whole time. I am even tempted to pick up number two. I could definitely picture myself cuddling up with this series with a nice hot cup of cocoa on the many upcoming cold winter nights. Overall, not what you would call high art, but entertaining enough.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher, Year: Scholastic, 2009
Other Works: Lament
Flags: Teen angst, Tenuous references
Rating: B, or Decent
Premise: A teenage girl obsesses over a wolf in the woods. This isn't just any wolf--the animal saved her from a terrifying experience as a child. One day, she finds out that her wolf has a secret.

I went into this book with very little expectation. I had heard it was Twilight-esque in many ways, which is a fair categorization, I would say.

The story opens with a girl, Grace, remembering when she was brutally attacked by a pack of wolves. One wolf in particular, she remembers clearly—the wolf who has been watching her from the woods behind her house ever since. He stalks her and she stalks him right back. A local tragedy sets events into motion that will reveal a secret and change Grace’s life forever.

It’s not too difficult to figure out that Sam, the mysterious wolf, is actually a werewolf—part human, part animal. I thought the rules that Stiefvater invented for her wolf species were very interesting and unique, considering that the subject of werewolves is a variation upon a theme as so many fantasy books are. I enjoyed reading about Sam because he was so consistently conflicted. His wolf life, although not the nature to which he was born, has become so a part of his being, that although it is somewhat of a curse, it is slowly becoming a comfort. He has been so often a wolf, that that form is beginning to feel like home. His loyal family, his good memories, most of his joys as a being are tied up in running with his wolf pack. All except for one—Grace.

Grace as a heroine, however, I felt was lacking. As with Twilight, I felt like the lead female role was not a strong one. By the end of the book, I didn’t feel as though I knew her well, and what I got to know of her wasn’t very appealing to me. She was at times wishy-washy and getting mad over seemingly insignificant things. And although the book starts from the premise that Grace and Sam have been “dating” over six years by watching each other as woman and wolf, I didn’t find that premise very convincing. It seemed like the two were automatically “in love” without the falling part. I would have enjoyed a little more of the getting to know each other and a little less description of passionate kissing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a love story. But, I would have liked to see them know each other and connect on an emotional level.

Stiefvater definitely had moments of brilliance in this novel. I could really feel the slow creeping of winter’s cold hand. I’m all too familiar with the dreading of snow, and I think she captured that beautifully. The violence that the cold triggered with the werewolves was really mesmerizing and was so tangible for me. Through her words, I felt the pain as the wolves experienced it. That is the beauty of the split narration of the novel, which I think fit just right.

I’m interested to see what the next books will bring, as there is a sort of momentum from this first novel. I definitely liked it enough to keep reading!

Matched by Ally Condie

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher, Year: Dutton Juvenile, 2010
Other Works: Crossed (out in 2011)
Flags: Teen angst
Rating: A, or Great Read
Premise: A teenage girl begins to question the things she's always accepted as fact when her Society's proven method of "matching" up marriages seems to go awry.

I went into this book sort of tentatively because there was someone I talked to who had read it, I can't remember who now, but they said that it was a creative story, but the writing wasn't that great. I couldn't disagree more. I thought the writing was excellent! A breath of fresh air, honestly. Condie's writing is smooth as silk. It has a musical quality to my ear.

Imagine a place where the Society (central government) directs every aspect of its citizens lives: what to eat, what to wear, where to go, and especially those important decisions like who to marry and what career path to follow. We first meet Cassia, a teenage girl getting ready for her all-important Matching Ceremony, where she will find out who she will marry one day. She is thrilled and surprised to discover that she’s been matched with her best friend, Xander. Such a match doesn’t happen often as most couples are formed from different areas of the country where you’d have no opportunity to know anything about your match before the fated day. However, when Cassia enters the chip into her computer to learn what it says about Xander, a new face flashes across the screen. Another boy she knows, Ky, and now her curiosity about him cannot be suppressed. As her mind is filled with questions, she begins to realize that perhaps things she has accepted since childhood about her surroundings are not all that they seemed to be. +/-

Although I liked Cassia overall, I liked Ky as a character much better. He is a person true to himself. While Cassia is still trying to figure out who she is, Ky has never been more certain of the metal he’s made of. As Ky’s past unravels, I find myself, along with Cassia, greedy for more. He was just the right mixture of vulnerability, strength, and mystery. I loved how Cassia had to figure out in stages what his game was. How he wasn't always what he appeared to be.

I am always amazed how these writers can come up with such an interesting alternate reality. At first, it takes a little time to buy into it. To accept the terminology, the system, and the pills without raising an eyebrow. However, once I was on board, the story and all its little intricacies started to come together, and I realized how creative it was. I have always had this experience with these type of books, and I really am happily surprised that there are writers out there who can keep reinventing the dystopic wheel.

Although I enjoyed the novel, I wish there had been stronger motivation for Cassia to start thinking outside of the box when it came to the Society. I think in several cases, her loyalty to what she’d been taught since birth about her country/government would have been more difficult to break. I had a hard time believing that Cassia would flip on the society so quickly when she'd been brought up with its ideals for so long.

Secondly, I tire of these love triangles sometimes, especially when both parties don’t get a fair shake. Honestly, I can't say whether I like Xander because I simply don't know enough about him. Cassia and he obviously have a long history together, which she knows, but we aren't privy to. I don’t feel like, for me, the inner tension between the two characters is strong enough. I need to really waffle between the two, and, at least from my perspective, there is a clear choice. If there's going to be a love triangle, then I'd at least like the opportunity to weigh both on their merits equally and see which is really the one found wanting. Perhaps this one-sided-ness is by design, and we will get to hear more about Xander as the story continues; I hope so.

Overall, Matched is a fantastic story, a quick and easy read, but one you can really sink your teeth into. A real winner in by book. And the sequel is out this fall!

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Genre: Young adult (historical/fantasy)
Publisher, Year: Random House, 2003
Other Works: Rebel Angels, The Restless Dead
Flags: Teen angst, tenuous references
Rating: B+, or Mostly Good
Challenge: Library, Countdown
Premise: A teenage girl discovers she has magic powers. She and her friends find that although these powers are great and exciting, there is also an unfortunate side effect--a dangerous creature out to capture that power.

Another pick for the Countdown Challenge, I'd been meaning to pick up something by Libba Bray for awhile, having heard great things about her. I have to say that I enjoyed the read, but I was not blown away.

Gemma desperately wants to go to London. When her mother tragically dies, she gets her chance, and her life is suddenly and forever altered. Then, she notices an odd change taking place--as magic touches her life in the form of visions. Now she's on a hunt to get down to the bottom of these mysterious happenings, all while trying to fit in at her new rigidly Victorian private school. +/-

I enjoyed Bray's writing style. She weaves together a wonderful tapestry of color and sound. The ambiance in this book is very haunting--read with a flashlight under the covers. I also enjoyed the cast of characters for the most part: Kartik, the protective and darkly handsome foreigner; Gemma and her fiery red hair; Brigid, the quirky, loose-lipped maid. Bray also does an excellent job recreating a believable, yet mysterious, Victorian private school--complete with strict headmaster and corsets that pinch.

However, I didn't feel like I could become completely invested in the story. I found the fantastical world a bit beyond my suspension of disbelief. I could not get carried away in it the way I would have wanted. I never did quite understand what it was exactly that was after the girls, although I knew the creature's name. And I could not get a handle on whether Gemma's family were for or against her. That brings me to the interesting little gaggle of girls who Gemma calls her "friends" in the book. Major flashbacks of Rachel McAdams's "Mean Girls" attitude in this book. Although Gemma's three friends--Felicity, Pippa, and Ann--are pitiable, I could not find it my heart to sympathize. Felicity most of all, with her strange outbursts and wild accusations. But I suppose it's really not far off from what teenage girls do in school to one another--the pecking order becoming apparent. All the same, I still found it tiresome.

Minus the faults, I do think Ms. Bray is quite a talent. I did enjoy her brand of language and style. It would be remiss not to seek out another of her novels and give her a second chance.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Genre: Young adult (fantasy)
Publisher, Year: Bloomsbury, 2007
Other Works: The Goose Girl, Austenland
Rating: A or Great Read
Challenge: Fairy Tales, Library
Premise: Dashti, a young lady's maid, is locked away in a tower with her mistress for seven years. But when hunger and outside dangers threaten their safety, Dashti must find a way to survive.

With this book, I am officially in love with Shannon Hale--platonically of course. =) I can’t exaggerate with her books. This is the third one I’ve read, and it once again exceeded my expectations: the lyrical language, sweeping descriptions, lively characters. I just can’t get enough.

This one is yet another fairy tale re-telling, since I have a really hard time getting away from those lately. They are just too much fun. The fairy tale Hale wrote about in this book is a rather obscure one called Maid Maleen. So, it was in effect like reading a regular novel in some ways because I wasn’t at all familiar with the fairy tale, but it still had all those great qualities that fairy tales have: intrigue, mistaken identity, adventure, and, of course, getting the girl. +/-

Dashti is a lady’s maid and a mucker, she knows how to sing away pain. She works for a princess, Saren, who has been sentenced to be imprisoned in a tower for seven years because she wouldn’t marry the man her father picked for her, the evil Lord Khasar. Saren is a shrinking violet and becomes more reclusive from this cruel treatment. It is up to Dashti, who will also be imprisoned with her lady, to take care of Saren and, eventually, to find a way out. Once the two girls have broken free, however, their elation comes crashing down when they find the world they left has changed beyond recognition.

Hale’s created another cast of unforgettable characters. Dashti is a sweet and accepting girl; she tries to do the right thing though her life is full of conflict, to which her culture gives no right answer. And the adoration induced by Tegus, a khan with a cool smile and simple laugh, is matched by the opposite feeling in Lord Khasar. Hale takes the reader to the brink, showing how the devotion, integrity, and courage of one woman can become a tipping point. Overall a winner in my estimation: compelling story, memorable characters, and a dash of mystery. A great page-turner.

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Genre: General fiction, classical twist
Publisher, Year: Bloomsbury, 2007
Other Works: The Goose Girl, Princess Academy
Rating: A+ or Must Read Now!
Challenge: Countdown
Premise: Unlucky in love, Jane Hayes is looking for a modern Mr. Darcy to jump from the BBC into her life. To get over her unhealthy obsession with one last hurrah, Jane spends three weeks in Regency England. Will she find her own Regency gentleman, or will she finally wake up and smell the stark scent of reality?

I was skeptical going into this book because I’ve been burned by other “modern-day” Austenesque books in the past. But, I still had some confidence because I’ve been wowed by Shannon Hale before. I thought, if anyone can pull this off, it would be her. I’m so happy to report that I was right! If you’re a Jane Austen fan and you haven’t picked this book up yet, don’t delay! Or even if you’ve only seen Austen movies or just heard of Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy, you will be able to love this book. It was a dream from page one! This book is screaming to be made into a screenplay—any takers? +/-

Jane is your typical disillusioned thirty-something, tired of love and tired of men. However, there’s something a little different about her: she’s head over heels for a fictional character of the Austen conjuring, an obsession that’s bordering on neurosis. In other words, Mr. Darcy is taking over her life. If she doesn’t act fast, she’s going to turn into a puddle of longing remorse. Luckily, Jane’s got an observant great aunt who just happens to leave her the chance of a lifetime in her will—a chance to step into a real-life Regency existence.

Pure gold. Seriously. I loved every minute. Somehow Hale is able to take those contrived moments, those catch phrases, and turn them into something new and fun. It was like being swept away in the “Regency” experience without being completely immersed—something that can never happen when “playing” at something. And yet, the experience beings out real parts of Jane and changes her in real ways. The reality versus the illusion: that classic battle.

Nearing the end, I was so hoping for a twist, but I was totally unable to see where one could possibly come from. And then BAM! it shows up—Emeril style. And I had the urge to immediately start reading from the beginning all over again! It was absolute perfection. Perfection, I tell you! This is a must read. It will not disappoint! I polished it off in two sittings. A great read for a day off!

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Genre: Young Adult
Publisher, Year: Knopf, 2000
Other Works: Love, Stargirl, Maniac Magee
Rating: A or Great Read
Premise: A sort of sweet, loopy girl is new at school. Her odd ways draw a lot of attention, and not all of it positive. A frank look at high school politics and the power of popularity.

In the opening chapters of the book, we meet the title's namesake, Stargirl. And from the start, we know there's something strange about her. Some might say, we know there's something wrong with her. But, this book just might make you rethink what's wrong and what's right, what's normal and what's strange.

She dresses like a hippie one day, then wears a kimino the next. She sings in the cafeteria with her ukelele, her pet rat, Cinnamon, peeking out of her shoulder bag. At first, the other teens are enthralled with her, fascinated by her "originality." But that can't last forever. And when they turn on her, we all are surprised by what transpires.

Spinelli takes on so many difficult themes with this book, including self identity, self esteem, empathy, and the capricious nature of human beings. If you think about it, high school is a fantastic model of the world to learn all of these things. I remember thinking that once I got out of the high school “drama”, as it's been called, real life in the real world with grown-up people would be different. I don’t even think I need to state the obvious that high school is simply a microcosm for the “real world.” +/-

Stargirl tried to defy all those preconceived notions of what’s normal or proper. And, I have to admit, I think I would have found her a little bit offensive at times and a lot odd. At one point, Stargirl shows up at a funeral of a person she’s never really talked to with a family she’s never really befriended, and it made me consider how I would feel if she showed up with her big sunflower bag and pioneer dress at my own father’s wake, even though she’s completely empathetic and not there to make light of the situation. I can’t say for sure what I’d do. I would be confused, that’s for sure. But maybe confusing others was part of the whole purpose. She makes us step back and think about our social conventions and, not only what they mean to us, but why they have meaning. Why do we want to exclude or hurt others? Why can’t we be accepting of taking part in each others’ lives as a community? They are intriguing questions.

Stargirl finds a friend, and eventually a love interest, in Leo, a boy in her grade. He is fascinated by Stargirl, just like the other kids, but for some reason, he is drawn to her more than the others, and he can't put his finger on it. He is torn between his need to be accepted and his attration to Stargirl. In a fit of frustration, he accuses Stargirl of being a saint. It’s interesting that in our minds, as a society, you have to be a saint in order to be selfless. When you boil it down, that’s really what Stargirl is about, setting aside her rather quirky personality, she really just likes people. She likes people more than anything. She just wants to learn about them, and be part of their lives. She wants to celebrate with them when they are happy and cry with them when they are sad. Why should you need to be a saint to do that?

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher, Year: Harcourt, 2008
Other Works: Fire (prequel), October '09
Flags: tenuous references
Rating: A-, or Good w/ Minor Problems
Premise: Katsa has a gift. She can kill a grown man with her bare hands and has been able to since childhood. She’s is part of that group of people called the Graced, those with special gifts no two alike. She’s a minion of the king, scaring those he wants into submission. And she’s about to make a decision that will change everything.

Graceling, Kristin Cashore’s debut novel, follows the adventures of a young girl, Katsa, who has been “graced” with fighting—to the death (always of her opponent, fortunately for her). This ability has made her a powerful asset to her king, who uses her to induce fear and loathing from his subjects. The book begins with a rescue mission, where Katsa and several of her friends save a noble from the dungeons of another kingdom. Along the way, she crosses paths with another graceling, whose gifts seem to mirror many of her own.

Katsa’s circumstances have always required her to be on her guard. As a graceling, identified by her two different colored eyes, her life is somewhat controlled by that characterization. The graced automatically become charges of the state, and, if their gifts are valuable, they are forced to serve the king for as long as he wishes. Katsa despises the king and the vicious things he makes her do. Her purpose in life fills her with sorrow. +/-

When she meets the mysterious graceling, with a gift she’s never seen, her life takes an unexpected turn. She starts a journey that will change the course of her life forever. She learns the meaning of friendship, the depths of her control, and—most of all—to trust herself.

I did have two grievances. First, I thought it was just a little bit too long. I could have done with a quicker slope from the climax to the resolution. And second, the author used the story as a strange platform to push some views about marriage and relationships that I found peculiar and slightly immature.

However, I didn’t feel as though these things took away so much from the story that I was not able to enjoy it. Cashore is a masterful storyteller, and I was carried away into her make-believe world of princes and powers and a beautiful, enchanting island. I was completely engrossed in the story, and I would recommend this book to just about anyone.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

I really loved Beauty by Robin McKinley, so when I discovered that The Goose Girl was also a retelling of a fairy tale, I was intrigued. And I’m so glad I picked it up!

The goose girl was not a fairy tale I was familiar with, so it was fun to read it for the first time from the author’s interpretation. Ani, a young princess from Kildenree, is betrothed to a prince in a far away land, Bayern. She is a shy child and learns to speak to swans and other birds. Although her family does not value this ability, her aunt teaches Ani how to develop it. Ani is the Crown Princess, and so is the next in line to take the throne; however, her mother feels her brother has more of the stuff that leaders are made of. Instead of taking the throne in Kildenree, Ani’s mother makes a peace treaty with Bayern, with Ani as the proof in the pudding. Ani, an awkward and insecure teenager, is upset by this, but goes along with the deal. Her lady-in-waiting, Selia, and several guards go with her as well as her trusty steed, Falada, with whom she can communicate in her thoughts. +/-

Soon, things begin to change during their long journey, as Selia and many of the guards start acting strange around Ani. Finally, they strike, and their plan is revealed: they will have Selia take Ani’s place as the princess and she will marry the prince in Bayern. Ani barely escapes certain death and eventually finds her way into the city. There, she becomes one of the tenders of the king’s geese and earns her nickname because of her special way with the birds. She disguises herself, learns the local dialect, and makes friends with the other servants. Ani has many close scraps with her old guards and lives in almost constant fear of discovery—all the while trying to figure out how to restore her true identity before Selia and her friends destroy any hope of setting things right.

The language was absolutely lovely, poetic really. Hale has an amazing way with words. I enjoyed the pictures she painted, and I felt like I could really imagine the city and the people the way she described them. I felt enveloped in this story and completely enchanted (which is fitting, considering), and by the time I was about a third the way through, I couldn’t put it down. This book is going straight to my “must read” list.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Delacorte Books, 2001
Other Works: Girls in Pants, The Last Summer
Flags: Teen angst
Rating: A, or Great Read
Premise: Four girl who are best friends find some "magic pants," which fit each of them perfectly. They decide to share the pants and send them to each other as they go their separate ways for the summer.

This book was simply a masterpiece. I'm starting to get addicted to YA lit, eventhough I'm in my late twenties . . . is that sick and wrong? I picked this one up because I'd heard of the movie, and it was on a list and sounded interesting. I was also in the mood for a little light reading. It's very light--I finished it in one day.

The book deals with four 15-year-old girls who each go a separate way for their summer vacations. Each girl has a unique personality and family circumstance. They decide to pass around a pair of "magic" jeans (their magic derived from the fact that they fit all the girls, with quite different body types, very well) to each other throughout the summer, and the traveling pants are born. +/-

Carmen, Bridget, Tibby, and Lena all have life altering experiences where they learn a lot about themselves and how that knowledge affects the relationships they have with others. Basically, it's a story, lyrically written in my opinion, of loss of innocence in several different ways. Whenever loss of innocence is spoken of, it usually pertains to virginity, but not exclusively in this case, which I found enchanting and very real.

It's a perfect commentary on the wonderment of being that age: somewhere between child and adult, on the verge of womanhood, tasting of the bitterness of reality but from a child-like perspective, which always results in confusion, and hopefully eventual wisdom. I think this book could be used very naturally as a tool for parents to talk to their children about sexual curiosity, death, the purpose of life, relationships, integrity, and self-identity. All of these tough issues assault young people at this tender age, eventhough we hope they won't or wish they wouldn't. I like how Brashares, rather than brushing it under the rug and pretending it's not there, faces it head on, but in a respectful and appropriate manner (which I believe is extremely difficult to do). She shows the folly, the heartache, and the lessons learned. And you can watch the girls grow into stonger people right before your eyes.

By the end of the book, I was perfectly satisfied. The writing is absolutely flawless; the story perfectly rounded. Women, and even men, of all ages can appreciate this book.

The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot

Genre: Fiction - Chick lit
Publisher: Avon Trade, 2002
Other Works: The Princess Diaries, Boy Meets Girl
Flags: Tenuous references
Rating: A-, or Good w/ Minor Problems
Premise: Mel is a newspaper columnist in New York, who gets a mysteriously handsome new nextdoor neighbor. He's got a weak spot for redheads, but he's also got a secret . . .

Meggin Cabot's The Boy Next Door is what I like to call a "fluff" book--it's all about fun. Cleverly structured and written, it truly is entertaining from the first page to the last. It was a little difficult to get used to only hearing part of the story in the beginning; the entire thing is written in emails between the characters. But, once you get used to hearing about everything that happens after the fact, it's quite enjoyable, not to mention extremely creative.

Whimsical, sweet, funny, and clever--all the qualities a good fluff book should have. I love it when I read the last line of a fluff book, and all I can do is grin. =)