Review: Shine by Lauren Myracle

Shine by Lauren Myracle - 5/5 stars

Sixteen-year old Cat has pushed everyone away from her. She used to have friends she could count on but a few years ago she endured a secret trauma and felt unable to reach out to anyone. When her former best friend Patrick is brutally assaulted and left for dead, she is determined to make things right and find out who did this. In a small town where nothing is as it seems, this proves to be near impossible.

I don't know what I was expecting from Shine, but it definitely wasn't this gorgeously written novel that moved me to tears more than once. While I've never lived in a small Southern town, Myracle's portrayal of Black Creek feels spot on.  There's a sense of hopelessness that a lot of these characters feel that leads to a culture of drug use and secrets (and of course lots of gossip and speculation). One of the novels strengths is that each character is really well fleshed out and by the end, you really feel like you could drive to Black Creek and find each one of them.

There's an underlying sense in this small town that even though Patrick was a nice kid, because he was gay he deserved what he got which makes it difficult for Cat to solve the mystery of who assaulted Patrick. Eventually she gets help from an outside source - a college student who used to stop by Patrick's work and chat with him. Cat and Jason's unlikely partnership of course grows into something more and like many readers I did find it unnecessary but I did like their friendship a lot and was glad that Cat had someone outside of her small town to count on.

The actual mystery of who brutally attacked Patrick is in fact solved by the end and while I guessed at the perpetrator, I was still surprised by the climactic ending. It has fantastic build-up and is definitely worth some of the slower parts in the novel.

Overall, Shine is a fantastically written portrayal of a small town with lots of things to hide. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see it win some awards this year. As far as I'm concerned it deserves them all.

(reviewed from ARC from Netgalley).

Review: Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher - 4/5 stars

Logan is getting over a bad break-up. Still obsessed with his ex-girlfriend who he dated for three years, he isn't expecting to fall for another girl but that's what happens when Sage moves to town. She's completely unlike any girl he's ever known - bold, funny and vibrant but with super strict parents. Logan doesn't get why her parents keep her completely sheltered while her sister is able to date and go out until they kiss and Sage shares her secret with Logan - she wasn't born a woman.

Logan, still reeling from the shock, says some pretty hateful things that he immediately becomes to regret but will he ever see Sage the same way again? And if he does, does that make him gay?

It was really interesting reading Logan's reaction to Sage. Logan, who comes from a small town, who has never even met anyone gay, let alone transgendered, doesn't know how to handle it at all. His journey from being disgusted to realizing that Sage deserves his understanding and compassion feels completely realistic. Katcher doesn't shy away from Logan's honesty, even when he's thinking pretty awful things that are painful to read and it makes his final acceptance that much more meaningful.

Sage herself is really well written too and her experience is unfortunately not the exception. I completely ached for her the entire time. I wish we got more of her story.

Overall, Almost Perfect felt like an honest, raw potrayal of the transgender experience. Definitely recommended.

(reviewed from an e-book borrowed from my library)

Review: 7 Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes by Amber Kizer

7 Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes by Amber Kizer - 4/5 stars

Okay, so here's the deal: there are books about volcanoes erupting and meteorites hitting Earth and plane crashes where the survivors have to eat people—those are extraordinary crises.


That's not what this book is about. I'm more the ordinary catastrophe type. This second semester of my sophomore year, there are basically 7 KINDS OF ORDINARY CATASTROPHES: high school, boys, heartbreak, family, job, friends, and the future.


Well, I guess everyone's life is full of ordinary catastrophes. These are mine. Hi, I'm Gert Garibaldi. Welcome to my crazy life.

-Goodreads.com

Gert is probably the first to admit that she's a bit of a spaz. Maybe that's why I could relate to her so well? Her narrative voice is super quirky and hilarious and she likes to go on semi-wild tangents which usually had me giggling. I brought it with me to the beach and it was a perfect, lighter beach read. I kept interrupting my friends to read parts of it which is usually the sign of a good book.

My favourite parts of the book were things that I never thought I'd like hearing about - soccer practice! Gert's BFF convinces her to try out for the new female soccer team and to her mortification she actually makes the team. Her descriptions of the practices had me laughing out loud.

The plot of Seven Kinds feels like a highschool year. It has its ups and downs and the climax of the book really isn't what you think it will be. While there is boy drama, it's unresolved at the end which might point towards a sequel or may just point towards realistic high school experience.

If there is another semester of Gert in the works, I'd love to read about it!

Recommended to fans of Ruby Oliver (while I'm only a few chapters in to The Boyfriend List, Gert's neurotic voice sounds a lot like Ruby).

Seven Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophe hits shelves April 5th, 2011.

(reviewed from an ARC. Thanks Random House!)

Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

 Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles - 4/5 stars

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

-Goodreads.com

Rarely have I seen alternating POVs done quite as effectively as in this book. Brittany and Alex are from such different worlds that it's easy for them to dismiss the other as rich and snobby or a gangbanger loser. It could be easy for the reader to do likewise except then you see into the other person's life and it's clear that they're not a two-dimensional stereotype. 

[spoilers here on in]
It was easy to fall in love with the building chemistry between Brittany and Alex and then when they actually kiss for the first time - phwoar! I haven't read about characters with this much chemistry in a long while. While the ending might have been a bit cheesy and over the top, it was exactly what I wanted for them. 

Overall, I really loved Perfect Chemistry. It gave a really interesting look into latino gangs and the importance of not judging a book by its cover.


(reviewed from a library copy)

Review: Her and Me and You by Lauren Strasnick

Her and Me and You by Lauren Strasnick - 4/5 stars

I met Fred first.

Fred: Hot. Enigmatic. Alex’s first friend in her lonely new town. Maybe her first…everything.

I met Adina the following Monday.

Adina: Fred’s twin sister. Cold. Troubled. Trouble.

I kissed him.

She pressed her mouth to my mouth.

People warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, but Alex is drawn to them. She wants to be part of their crazy world…no matter the consequences.

-Goodreads.com

Not gonna lie, I was sort of hoping for some polyamorous action (spoiler!) but while that didn't happen, I still really really enjoyed this. The writing style is sparse, which is my favourite kind, and really pulled me in. The chapters are short and have a sort of moody disconnectedness sometimes but that was perfect for the atmosphere of the novel. 

At 171 pages, it's a fairly quick read but that's not to say that nothing happens because lots happens. Adina is the perfect crazy protective/jealous sister and Fred is protective of her too in his own way. While Adina is anorexic, Fred seems unwilling to come to terms with it. With an absentee father, they're left to their own devices and as a result are very insular until they meet Alex.

I found the relationships between the twins, between Alex and her mother and her father believable and more fleshed out than you would think, considering the page length. Alex's narrative voice is slightly snarky and pitch-perfect teenage girl. When Adina makes a comment about Alex's weight (because, let's face it, she's a bitch), Alex starts to feel self-conscious (until she realizes that not eating = crazy person).

I wish I would have swooned a bit more over the relationship between Fred and Alex but as it is, it is a rather sweet friendship that develops into something more. This is less a romance and more a story about friendship (and crazy twins). 

Overall - really loved the writing style. Wish more YA authors wrote like this. Reminded me slightly of Francesca Lia Block and I don't know why because it's not as imaginative as FLB but maybe the short chapters? No idea. Either way, pick this one up if you have an hour to spare - honestly, it won't take you long and it's a good read. 

(reviewed from library copy)

Review: I Know It's Over by C. K. Kelly Martin

In I Know It's Over, Nick, 16, finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant. They were careful, they used condoms, but accidents do happen. The book is told through entirely Nick's point of view which makes for a really intimate portrait of teen pregnancy.

Oddly enough the only other book I've read about teen pregnancy was Slam by Nick Hornby and that is also told from the father's point of view. In Slam, the protagonist gets sent forward in time to see what it might be like to be a father. In I Know It's Over, Nick finds out that Sasha is pregnant and then we go back in time to when they first met. Both narrative techniques were really effective.

Being in Nick's head for the entirety of the book meant that we really get to know him as a character. C. K. Kelly Martin writes him with depth and humanity. He plays hockey and enjoys art class. He enjoys fooling around with a girl friend but then he's also capable of an all-consuming monogamous relationship. Nick is such a believable character and since this is such a character-driven book, it makes for a really strong novel.

Obviously since this is novel is about teen pregnancy, there's bound to be sex scenes. They're written, like the whole novel really, with a frankness that fits in with Nick's character. No flowery language here which is refreshing.

Overall, I really liked I Know It's Over. I picked it up at the recommendation of a blogger (as if I can remember who it is, now) and I'm glad I did. I would put this one in the hands of older teens, or at least mature teens. Oh, and have a tissue handy - you may need it. I did.

(reviewed from an e-book from the library)

Review: Gravity Brings Me Down by Natale Ghent

When I found out that Natale Ghent was visiting my library, I thought I'd read one of her books so I'd have something to chat with her about. Little did I know that I would love Gravity Brings Me Down so much. 

A smart and thoughtful story about self-discovery, acceptance, and finding friendship — all in the places you’d least expect.

Sioux Smith is sharp, funny, and wry, and is pretty certain that she sees the world of high school differently from everyone else — a belief that is cemented when she makes an uneasy discovery about one of her school’s “popular” teachers. And while she feels alone at her high school and in her unique slant on small-town life, Sioux finds a kindred spirit in the most unlikely of people: an elderly stranger, who has more insight despite her progressing dementia than anyone else in Sioux’s life. What Sioux and “Miss Marple” learn about each other over tea, illicitly secreted wine, and Coronation Street, makes for a novel with heart and grit in equal measure.

-Goodreads.com 

I love books with quirky teens who don't quiiite fit in. They're harder to find than you might think, given that most authors are probably at least a little quirky. Natale succeeds in making Sioux a fully believable, snarky, quirky teen. I enjoyed being in Sioux's head so much that I actually finished this in one sitting. It's packed full of doodles and illustrations that really add to Sioux's already strong personality. 

I think this one is a bit hard to sell to teens, only because there is no 'hook'. There's no short summary like, "teens get thrown into an arena and have to kill each other!" ba-dum ching! That being said, I think if teens pick this one up they'll really be able to relate to it and find themselves in it, so I hope they do. It's been nominated for the 2011 White Pine Award so I hope this will gain it a wider audience. 

Recommended to outsiders, oddballs, and those who don't quiiiite fit in.

(reviewed from a purchased copy)

Review: All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz

Things were complicated enough for Roar, even before her father decided to yank her out of the city and go organic. Suddenly, she’s a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one, selling figs at the farmers’ market and developing her photographs in a ramshackle shed. Caught between a troublemaking sidekick named Storm, a brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A. boy, and a father on a human rights crusade that challenges the fabric of the farm community, Roar is going to have to tackle it all—even with dirt under her fingernails and her hair pulled back with a rubber band meant for asparagus.

- from Goodreads.com

I sort of hate this blurb because sure, that's vaguely what the book is about but it makes it sound a bit hokey. Roar is definitely not hokey. A talented photographer, she's a city girl at heart but trying to make this whole farm thing work for her dad's sake. Her mom fell into a deep depression and started leaving their house for days at a time until finally she just left. Her dad, heartbroken, bought the farm as a way to start over.

At first Roar is skeptical but without meaning to she sort of falls in love with farm life (and so does the reader). The farm is located in California and a lot of the workers are illegal migrant workers. When a Mexican woman gets hit by a developer in an SUV and is killed, Roar's father convinces her husband, an illegal worker, to sue. This gets all the farm workers and farmers up in arms and tears up their little farm community.

To make matters more complicated, Roar is falling for Forest, the son of the SUV-driving developer. They meet at the hospital and then, in the manner of small towns, keep meeting. Through Forest she learns more about his mother and how there's always more than two stories to everything.

Prinz's attention to detail sort of steals the story. I want to see Roar's photos because I can see them so clearly in my mind that it feels like I should be able to search for them on flickr. I really enjoyed hearing about organic farming and aspects of that life that I had little knowledge of like the migrant worker situation.

Also? Can I just tell you how much I loved Roar and Forest's relationship? From the beginning, it's clear that Roar has a thing for him and I love how unapologetically in love Roar is. She doesn't beat around the bush but doesn't swoon annoyingly either. It's just a fact of her life, she's totally head over heels. For instance:

Forest is carrying a box of beets over to the truck, his pale, lean arms straining. He and Tomas are laughing about something, which is also strange since they don't even speak the same language. I am absolutely lovesick for this boy.

- page 80.

It's that whole, 'it wouldn't be special if it was anyone else but since it's him/her, it's amazing' that teens are so good at. Lately I've been reading books where it takes teens a little while to figure out their feelings so Roar's matter-of-factness was refreshing. Their whole relationship, actually, is refreshing. It's just a boy and a girl and they think each other is amazing. They treat each other with love and respect and honesty and I may be pining a little bit now for them. There is some drama - Forest is leaving for NYU at the end of the summer - but neither ever really doubts that what they have is real. It's fantastic.

So if you can't tell, I really enjoyed All You Get Is Me. I fell in love with Roar and Forest and weirdly, organic farming. And you know what? Yvonne Prinz sent me a packet of seeds as a book promo and I'm ridiculously excited to plant them and have wildflowers on my balcony in the summer.

I wish this one was released in the spring because it really does feel like a good summer read. If you can wait that long and savour it then, I think you'll really like it.

(and since Yvonne is Canadian, this counts towards my Canadian fiction challenge! Yay!)

reviewed from library e-book copy