Book Review: Archetype by M. D. Waters

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: Archetype by M. D. Waters

Archetype Say you wake up in a hospital room with no memories. You’re told you’ve been in a terrible accident. There’s an incredibly handsome man sitting by your bedside, pledging his love and saying he’ll see you through your recovery. He’s your husband, after all. And he’s going to get you the very best of care, because he loves you with all his heart.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Well, that’s my take-away, in any case, after reading this scary, suspenseful, and altogther un-put-downable first novel by the very talented M. D. Waters. In this science fiction thriller, main character Emma wakes up in a high-tech hospital with no memories, surrounded by an elite medical team and with a very sexy man by her side, who only wants her to get better so they can continue their perfect lives together.

Problems? Well, there are the nightmares, for a start. Emma wakes in horrible trauma each night after dreaming of being trapped in a tank of water, unable to communicate, and watching a strange man who seems to be consumed by anger and grief. And that’s not all. On the nights without nightmares, there are other dreams: dreams of a beautiful beach, the arms of an unseen lover, and words of undying passion and commitment. And still more: dreams of battle, explosions, weapons, and danger. Are these delusions? Simple nightmares? Products of a damaged brain? Or is Emma starting to remember something — something that her husband wants to keep hidden?

Far be it from me to give anything away — but suffice it to say that all is not as it seems. Archetype takes place a couple of hundred years in the future, in a world quite similar to ours… but with much more pervasive technology, a United States that has divided into two separate countries following a civil war, a fertility crisis resulting in some very paternalistic laws around reproduction, and young women kept in restrictive Women’s Training Centers until age 18, when they are either bought and paid for by wealthy men who want families or assigned to a more menial role of support and subservience.

And yet, Emma’s husband Declan seems to really love her, and lavishes her with affection, patience, gifts, a lovely mountain home, and an art studio in which to pursue her newly awakened compulsion to paint landscapes. Declan is one hot guy, and just happens to be incredibly rich and powerful as well. Emma can’t help but be drawn to him, and there’s a connection between the two that just steams up the pages.

There’s more, lots more, but I absolutely want you all to experience Archetype for yourselves! I gobbled this book up within the space of 24 hours, because I just could not look away. And when I stopped for little things like eating or sleeping, I swear I kept turning over all the puzzles of the plot in my brain. There are so many clues, and so much to tease apart. What really happened to Emma? What do those dreams represent? Can Declan be trusted? Who is the mystery lover that Emma may or may not remember? There’s danger, there’s mystery, there’s passion, and there’s enough new and bizarre medical technology to make a sci-fi geek purr with contentment.

I loved the scientific and medical twists and turns, the strange new world of this alternate America, and of course, I loved Emma herself. She may be confused, but she’s not weak or a pushover, and it’s just thrilling to see her take control and try to outsmart everyone, stay ten steps ahead, and figure out how to survive — all without knowing whether anything she believes about herself or her life is actually true.

Normally, this is where you’d hear me complain about a book with a “to-be-continued” ending. Well, not this time. Yes, Archetype ends with a shocker of a cliffhanger, and yes, I’m dying to know more. But — thank you, thank you, thank you — the sequel, Prototype, will be out in July 2014! Now that’s some smart publishing! Anyone who reads Archetype will be practically salivating over the prospect of a speedy sequel.

Archetype is one crazy roller coaster ride of a thrill, and plenty smart too. Read this book! But be prepared to lose sleep until you get to the very end.

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The details:

Title: Archetype
Author: M. D. Waters
Publisher: Dutton
Publication date: February 6, 2014
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Science fiction (adult)
Source: Review copy courtesy of Dutton

3Feb2014

Blog Tour, Guest Post, & Review: When Audrey Met Alice by Rebecca Behrens

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Thank you, Sourcebooks, for inviting me to part of the blog tour celebrating the release of When Audrey Met Alice!

WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE
By Rebecca Behrens
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
February 2014
Ages 9 -12

First daughters just want to have fun.

Thirteen-year-old First Daughter Audrey Rhodes is convinced that living in the White House is like being permanently grounded. While her parents are off saving the world, Audrey Rhodes spends most of her time pining for friends back home, sulking about security restrictions, and suppressing the crush she’s developing on Quint, her only DC friend. After the Secret Service cancels the party she planned, Audrey is ready to give up and become a White House hermit. What good is having your own bowling alley if you don’t have anyone to play with?

Audrey is ready to give up and spend the next four years totally friendless—until she discovers Alice Roosevelt’s hidden diary beneath the floorboards and starts asking herself…What Would Alice Do? But not everyone is on board with Audrey’s attempts to be more like Alice—especially not her mother’s super-stern Chief of Staff. Will meeting Alice bring Audrey happiness—like the freedom to attend the school trip and possibly a First Boyfriend—or a host of new problems?

The former First Daughter’s outrageous antics give Audrey a ton of ideas for having fun…and get her into more trouble than she can handle. A fun, smart middle grade debut that brings a fascinating historical character to vibrant life and showcases relatable tween issues like fitting in, first crushes, and finding your own way, the White House hijinks of these First Daughters is a story readers won’t want to miss!

I’m thrilled to be participating in the blog tour for this terrific new book aimed at middle grade readers! Author Rebecca Behrens was kind enough to share her thoughts on a question I posed:

What would Alice find most confusing about the lives of girls in the 21st century?

Here’s Rebecca’s response:

Photo from Wikipedia: Roosevelt family in 1903 with Quentin on the left, TR, Ted, Jr., “Archie”, Alice, Kermit, Edith, and Ethel.

It’s only been a little over a century since Alice Roosevelt moved into the White House and became perhaps the most famous girl of the turn of the century. But how times have changed! What would Alice find most confusing about the lives of girls in the 21st century?

Alice lived at a time when girls weren’t allowed to go out with dates, and they had to have chaperones even at dances. According to Alice, “There were always watchful eyes to check on one. Woe betide the girl who emerged from the conservatory at a dance with her hair slightly disheveled. As one’s hair tended to fall down at the best of times it was frightfully difficult trying to keep up appearances.” Alice would be surprised by the dating girls do today—but I think she’d consider it a great thing. From an early age, Alice was fixated on finding a husband, because that was her ticket out of her parents’ home and into the world. If she watched a show like Girls, I think she’d be amazed (and occasionally shocked) at the romantic lives of young women. But she would love how young women can live independently, and how much agency they have in their romantic lives.

Athletics for young women weren’t common in Alice’s youth. She had fun roughhousing with her siblings, swimming, and she reportedly did some yoga—but girls didn’t play on soccer teams or run track. I think Alice would be shocked by all of the athletic opportunities for girls today. Considering what a vivacious person she was—and competitive—Alice would want to start competing, too.

Photo from Wikipedia: Alice Lee Roosevelt, hand-tinted photograph taken approximately 1903

Considering how strict and modest social standards for clothing were at the turn of the century, Alice would probably find some recent fashion trends bizarre. “Buttoned-up” was the style, literally—Alice wasn’t allowed to visit a friend’s home anymore after that girl emerged from a car with a couple buttons undone! Jeggings and flip flops would seem very revealing and casual to Alice. Clothes in Alice’s time were meant to be lasting and beautiful. Alice wouldn’t know what to think about ironic fashion choices, like trucker hats or grandpa sweaters—anything that wasn’t meant to last and impress would seem like a waste of money. But I think Alice would always understand when someone uses clothing to make a statement, like Miley Cyrus or Lady Gaga. After all, Alice herself was an early fashion icon—the most popular dress color when she lived in the White House was “Alice Blue,” after the shade of her eyes—and she loved the attention that brought.

Alice once said of her beloved Auntie Bye that if Bye had been a man, she would have been president, not her brother Theodore. At the turn of the century, there were very limited opportunities for women in politics and government—women couldn’t even vote yet! I think Alice would be surprised and thrilled about the number of female lawmakers today.

Finally, when Alice was a teenager, part of her fame came from her sharp wit and her willingness to be outspoken. Most of her peers were seen and not heard. I think Alice would find the many ways that girls can make their voices heard today—online and off—a little confusing, and a lot refreshing.

My thoughts:

When Audrey Met Alice is such a delight! The author does a wonderful job of weaving together a modern girl’s life and the diary of Alice Roosevelt, making both pieces of the story equally engaging and charming. Audrey is a bright, friendly 8th-grader who loves her parents, but she’s isolated from peers and even from her mom and dad once they move into “1600”. Hurray for progress — it’s Audrey’s mom who is President, and her dad — in addition to “First Gent” responsibilities — is a scientist whose research is intense and time-consuming. It’s hard to find time to just chill as a family when you’re busy running the country and trying to cure cancer — but that means that Audrey is left to wander the halls and miss her old life. Sure, the kids at her new school seem friendly at first — but do they like her for herself, or do they just want the glamor of hanging out with the First Daughter?

When Audrey stumbles across a hidden diary belonging to Teddy Roosevelt’s outspoken daughter Alice, Audrey finds inspiration both for improving her own life — and for getting into even further mischief. Alice wants to help her father and be a part of his world, but she also craves adventure and excitement, and she’s not one to listen just because she’s told to behave a certain way. As Audrey reads in Alice’s diary:

… my father simply said, “I can either run the country or I can control Alice, but I can’t possibly do both.”

Audrey’s scrapes may seem tame in comparison to some of Alice’s more out-there escapades (such as wearing a green garter snake around her neck at state dinners or being photographed betting on horses at a time when girls did not do such things), but then again, Alice didn’t have non-stop Secret Service protection, sneaky paparazzi, and ubiquitous social media scrutiny to contend with.

Alice preaches the mantra of “To Thine Own Self Be True”, and proclaims that she is someone who wants to “eat up the world”. As the book progresses, Audrey starts to think in terms of WWAD? — What Would Alice Do? — and becomes determined to find a way to be a good daughter and at the same time make a difference and be true to herself.

My review in short? I loved this book! Audrey is an easy-to-relate-to main character. She has the same hopes, fears, and worries as a typical girl her age — but as the President’s daughter, she has to deal with middle-school drama with Secret Service agents at her side and state protocol officials looking over her shoulder. Audrey narrates with humor and self-awareness; she’s not faultless, and she knows when she messes up — but she means well, and it’s fun to see her apply her WWAD philosophy in ways that are surprising, funny, and with decidedly unpredictable outcomes.

I highly recommend When Audrey Met Alice. I think this would be a terrific read for middle school and young high school students. It’s well-written and a lot of fun — and might even inspire a girl or two to think more about the power of girls to change the world!

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For more information, visit the Sourcebooks page for When Audrey Met Alice, where you’ll find additional resources about the real Alice Roosevelt, including downloadable material for kids and for educators,

About the Author:

Rebecca Behrens grew up in Wisconsin, studied in Chicago, and now lives with her husband in New York City, where she works as a production editor for children’s books. She loves writing and reading about girls full of moxie and places full of history. When Audrey Met Alice is her first book. Visit her online at www.rebeccabehrens.com.

1Feb2014

Book Review: Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

Midwinterblood

Synopsis:

Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined—this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice.

An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood? From award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick comes a book about passion and preservation and ultimately an exploration of the bounds of love.

I first heard about Midwinterblood almost a year ago, when I read Eoin Colfer’s fabulous review of it in the New York Times and just knew I had to read it. I bought myself a copy immediately, and then one thing and another happened… and every time a Top 10 Tuesday topic came along focused on top TBR books, I always had Midwinterblood right at the top… and suddenly, here I am, almost a full year later, and I’ve only now read the book. And could kick myself for waiting so long.

In case you missed the news, Midwinterblood has just been named the winner of the 2014 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. And all I can say is, well done, you award givers, you!

In Midwinterblood, seven connected tales moves backward chronologically from 2073 to days too long ago to have a date attached. In each story, the same characters meet — in different bodies and in different relationships — always seeking and finding, always sharing a deep bond that’s both familiar and mysterious. Always, there’s an Eric and a Merle — sometimes in love, sometimes a brother and sister, sometimes unrelated except by an unusual friendship.

The lead story, “Midsummer Sun”, sets the tone, as a reporter named Eric Seven journeys to a remote island to investigate rumors of a strange and powerful plant and its impact upon the lives of the islanders. Upon arrival at the island, Eric meets a young woman named Merle, as well as the island’s elders, and he quickly realizes that things on the island are a bit strange. But just as quickly, that becomes unimportant to Eric, as it’s his meeting with Merle that consumes all of his thoughts:

Eric Seven does not believe in love at first sight.

He corrects himself.

Even in that moment, the moment that it happens, he feels his journalist’s brain make a correction, rubbing out a long-held belief, writing a new one in its place.

He did not believe in love at first sight. He thinks he might do so now.

From the first page, it’s clear that there’s something dark and disturbing under the surface, and by the end of the first story — like a nightmare come to life — an ominous mood, full of loss and sacrifice, has been set that carries through the rest of the book.

What a beautiful cover! The paperback will be released in April 2014.

In subsequent stories, we meet an archaeologist uncovering both the remains of a Viking tomb and a remnant of a 20th century war; a painter and the small girl who befriends him; twins who hear a ghost story; a Viking king’s young children; and a king and queen from so long ago that their story feels almost mythical. Through each tale, the two lost souls find each other all over again:

One night, as they parted, Erik whispered something precious to Merle.

“Say that you will never leave me,” he said, holding her hands.

“I shall never leave you,” said Merle.

“Is it so easy to say?” Erik asked, surprised.

“It is, since it is you I speak of,” Merle answered. “I will never leave you. No matter what happens, or where you go, or what you do. I will never leave you.”

“But it might not be so easy,” Erik said. “Our love is forbidden. It might become impossible for us to be together.”

Merle shook her head.

“I will find a way,” she said. “I will always find a way.”

It’s hard to describe the mood that takes hold while reading this book. It’s beautiful and hypnotic, with writing that hints and flows, casting a spell of magic and loss and a love that lasts forever. Midwinterblood is not a long book, but every page and every line is carefully constructed to serve the whole, so that reading this book feels like living inside a dream at times.

I’m puzzled as to why this book is defined as young adult. I certainly can’t see any reason for it. Still, I suppose it’s a good thing, seeing how Midwinterblood just won the Printz Award.

I absolutely recommend Midwinterblood. It’s beautiful and sad, creepy and lovely, and altogether different from anything else I’ve read.

Midvinterblot by Carl Larsson. This painting was an inspiration for the author and figures into some of the stories.

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The details:

Title: Midwinterblood
Author: Marcus Sedgwick
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication date: February 5, 2013
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Young adult
Source: Purchased

30Jan2014

Book Review: The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley

The Splendour Falls Emily Braden has lost her faith in romantic love and fairy tale endings, but she does love a good story. When her cousin Harry, a renowned historian who tends to be a bit flaky when it comes to reliability, invites her to accompany him on a research trip, she’s hesitant to accept. But clearly, everyone else in her family thinks she needs a bit of excitement, so she reluctantly agrees to meet him in Chinon, France — for a trip that turns out to be the opposite of routine or ordinary.

Centuries earlier, young Queen Isabelle was besieged at the Chinon chateau by enemies of her husband King John, and rumor has it that Isabelle’s treasure is still hidden somewhere within the tunnels under the town. Not only that, but in the more recent history of World War II, a second treasure was supposedly hidden after an ill-fated romance ended in tragedy. Now the myths surrounding both treasures impact Chinon’s townspeople as well as the tourists staying at Emily’s hotel — and an accidental death just may turn out to be a clue in some sinister happenings, all of which tie back to the history of Chinon itself.

The Splendour Falls was originally published in 1995, and was just reissued this month with a beautiful new cover to match the author’s most recent books. I’m a big fan of Susanna Kearsley, and I rank her novels The Winter Sea, The Rose Garden, and The Firebird among my favorite books.

Sadly, while interesting, The Splendour Falls just isn’t in the same league as some of these others. The plot of The Splendour Falls has a meandering feel to it. Things happen, and Emily is carried along by plans and events, but it’s not until quite late in the book that the plot takes on any sense of urgency. At that point, the book shifts gears and becomes a mystery, with danger lurking around every corner and Emily’s life possibly on the line. But until then, we just follow Emily on her travels, as she meets other hotel guests, explores Chinon, and wonders about what’s going on in everyone else’s life.

Emily herself is a bit of a cipher. We know she’s 29, that she’s lost her trust in the permanence of love and marriage after her parents’ divorce, and that she’s afraid of caves and enclosed spaces. What does she do for a living? Well, something with her family’s business, but it’s not clear what (and doesn’t seem important). No career interests or passions are ever mentioned.

There’s a love story in The Splendour Falls, but I didn’t find it convincing in the slightest. We know who Emily’s love interest is because she describes her first sight of him in quite epic tones, but she barely spends any time with the guy and I didn’t get a sense of any true chemistry between the two — certainly no more of a connection than Emily has with any of the other hotel residents whom she befriends.

The Splendour Falls does boast a beautiful sense of place. The town of Chinon is intricately described, so that I felt the narrow, winding streets and dramatic views really lived and breathed in the pages of the book. More than anything, reading The Splendour Falls made me desperately want to book a trip to the Loire Valley, stat!

It’s disappointing when a book by a beloved author doesn’t live up to expectations. In this case, I’m reminding myself that The Splendour Falls is actually from much earlier in the author’s career, and perhaps that’s why it doesn’t have the romantic magic or sweeping grandeur of her later books. I’m still glad to have read it — but for anyone looking for a first experience with Susanna Kearsley’s beautiful writing, I’d recommend starting elsewhere.

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The details:

Title: The Splendour Falls
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication date: January 14, 2014 (originally published 1995)
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Adult contemporary
Source: Purchased

26Jan2014

Book Review: Alienated by Melissa Landers

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: Alienated by Melissa Landers

Alienated (Alienated, #1)

High school senior Cara Sweeney thought fighting to claim the title of class valedictorian would be her biggest challenge this year in school — until out of the blue, she’s selected to be one of three students ON THE ENTIRE PLANET who will be hosting an exchange student from the planet L’eihr. As added incentive, she’ll get a full scholarship to college, plus the opportunity to go spend a semester studying on L’eihr as well.

The catch? Even though it’s been two years since the L’eihrs made contact — and not coincidentally, provided the cure for cancer as a good-will gesture, thereby saving Cara’s mother’s life — the level of mistrust among humans is quite high. The L’eihr government seeks an alliance with Earth, for the mutual benefit of both peoples, and the exchange students will serve as a test case to see if cooperation and partnership is possible. In other words, quite a lot is resting on the success of Cara and her family in making their guest feel welcomed and helping him see the value of an alliance with humans.

What Cara doesn’t count on is the fact that their student, Aelyx, is smokin’ hot. Also, brilliant, curious, and respectful, but definitely quite a babe as well. The L’eihrs have “nearly identical” DNA as humans, so co-mingling of the species is a distinct possibility… and the longer Cara spends around Aelyx, the more strongly the idea of mingling appeals to her.

It’s not all teen lust and hormones, however: The anti-L’eihr contingent, once a fringe element of human-only protestors, is becoming more and more vocal — and when Cara is shunned at school and her parents suffer repercussions at work, the pressure to send Aelyx home and call the whole experiment off gets harder and harder to ignore. When events finally threaten to erupt into violence, both Cara and Aelyx have to make decisions about their relationship, their futures, and the fate of their entire worlds.

Kind of heavy, huh?

What to say about Alienated? From the cover and the brief blurbs I’d read, I expected a mostly light and frothy teen romance, with a pinch of sci-fi on the side just to spice things up. And that’s the case, at least to an extent. The science fiction elements are given more weight than I might have thought, so that we get a fuller picture of the evolution of L’eihr’s culture and traditions, their approach toward mating, child-rearing, conflict, and communication, and more. Midway through the book, as the anti-L’eihr protest get harsher and scarier, Alienated takes on a more serious tone, and it’s clear that there’s more on the line than the will-they-or-won’t-they sexual tension between Cara and Aelyx.

On the one hand, Alienated is certainly a compelling read, and I tore through it in one day. The author does a great job of introducing interesting individuals as characters, letting us understand their unique quirks and traits, and presenting both sides of the story by shifting points of view between Cara and Aelyx. On the other hand, the tone is somewhat inconsistent, as it yo-yos from teen snappiness and silliness to the dire tones of a — literally — star-crossed love story, practically an intergalactic Romeo and Juliet.

The science fiction elements are culturally interesting, if not particularly deep scientifically. Why is it that the one alien race to contact Earth is genetically similar to humans and looks “normal” to humans as well? It’s a bit much to swallow, but I suppose it’s the only way to set up a situation in which a semi-realistic love can develop. It’s interesting to see Aelyx struggle to adapt to life on Earth, dealing with the overabundance of bright colors, sharp tastes, and other factors that contribute to sensory overload — and at the same time, learn to open himself to human experiences and emotions as he finds himself drawn to bright, lovely Cara. Cara herself is a terrific lead character, confident of herself academically, but vulnerable to the scorn and derision of her friends and ex-friends.

I did enjoy Alienated, and despite having to suspend my disbelief a lot, found the plot to be original, entertaining, and even moving.

I will add one small caveat, which is that Alienated is apparently first in a series, with a second book due in 2015. I started this book expecting to read a stand-alone novel, and didn’t realize that a sequel would be coming until logging into Goodreads to look up some stats about the book. I was not looking to start a “to-be-continued” story, and Alienated has a completely open-ended conclusion. That’s not a reason not to read Alienated, but just be aware — in case you’re sequel-averse — that the story doesn’t end when you reach the last page.

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The details:

Title: Alienated
Author: Melissa Landers
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication date: February 4, 2014
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Young adult/science fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of Disney Hyperion via NetGalley

26Jan2014

Book Review: Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

In this magical story for young independent readers, Ophelia and her sister Alice have accompanied their father to a strange, wintry city where he’s been hired last-minute to curate a sword exhibition at a museum. The girls’ mother has died just months before, and it’s clear that the girls and their father have all been somewhat lost since then.

When Ophelia wanders off to explore the museum, she finds a boy locked in a hidden room, who tells her a tale of a magical mission involving a lost sword, the Winter Queen, herald trees, and a protectorate of wizards. Ophelia is a scientific and logical girl, and can’t bring herself to believe the boy’s story. But her innate compassion, bolstered by her imaginings of her mother’s voice in her ear, bring her to dedicate herself to helping the boy.

Ophelia isn’t a typical heroine. She wears glasses that are always smudgy, and has to stop for quick puffs from her asthma inhaler whenever things get too exciting. Still, she has a big heart and avid curiosity, and so she keeps pushing herself to explore, to collect the clues hidden throughout the museum, and to find a way around the beautiful but menacing museum director.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy is a fantasy adventure set in the modern world, with magic embedded in a city full of people going about their business and not prone toward belief in evil queens or sinister spells. There are some wonderful touches: a portrait gallery of glum-looking girls sets an ominous tone, galleries of everything you could imagine which seem to change every time Ophelia passes by, museum guards who sit and knit all day until falling asleep, and an older sister who gives up her jeans and t-shirts for a mysterious beauty treatment.

I’m not sure that the climax and resolution of the book necessarily make sense, but it doesn’t really matter. Ophelia is a lovely main character, showing unexpected strength as she pushes herself beyond her normal limits. As Ophelia and her family finally face the danger in the museum, they also finally come to terms with the loss that they’ve suffered and take the first tentative steps toward healing and finding a way forward without their mother.

There are some wonderful magical scenes, as well as moments of danger and excitement. This book should please middle grade readers who like action mixed with fantasy. The reading level seems appropriate for older elementary school grades, easily accessible for children confident in their independent reading abilities.

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The details:

Title: Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy
Author: Karen Foxlee
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: January 28, 2014
Length: 240 pages
Genre: Children’s/middle grade fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of Knopf via NetGalley

26Jan2014

Book Review: The Swiss Affair by Emylia Hall

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: The Swiss Affair by Emylia Hall

The Swiss Affair Hadley Dunn has lived a mostly ordinary life in her small English town, and has been mostly happy. But when she stumbles into an opportunity to spend her second year of university in Lausanne, Switzerland, she envisions a whole new chapter opening up for her. From her first moments in Lausanne, Hadley is enchanted and inspired. The beautiful scenery, the sophisticated people, the sense of wonder and elegance every where she looks — Hadley is ready for magic and for love, and for a time, it seems that she’s found both.

Living in the university residence hall, Hadley meets the beautiful and vivacious Kristina and the two become instant best friends. Together, they ramble the hills and lakefront, explore bars and nightclubs, soak in the beauty and all that Lausanne has to offer. The only dark cloud is a secret Kristina keeps about an illicit love affair, one that she can’t quite explain to Hadley. Still, the year is beautiful and perfect — until a terrible accident destroys it all.

Devastated, Hadley turns for comfort to her enigmatic, handsome American Literature professor, who has seemed smitten with Hadley since day one, and to a kind, old-world elderly gentleman who sees something in Hadley that she doesn’t quite understand. Between these two men, Hadley uncovers secrets and truths, gains insight into her own wants and needs, and bit by bit pieces together both the events of the past and the keys to her present.

In The Swiss Affair, the city of Lausanne is practically a character in its own right. The author lovingly describes its nooks and crannies, the feel of the air, the view of the mountains across the lake, the way the light changes over the course of a year. The people, the cafes and bars, the hilly streets — all are described in vivid detail, so alive that you can just about feel the city as you read.

Hadley herself is an engaging and intelligent young woman, experiencing her first moments of independence and adulthood outside the confines of her home town and her family’s house. Her experiences as she enters the world of a chic Swiss town and a foreign university are so recognizable — anyone who has ventured far from home as a college student will remember the sensations so aptly described here, the wonder and freedom of it all.

In finding Kristina, Hadley finds a kindred spirit and an inspiration as well, the perfect college best friend who both “gets” you and pushes you into unknown territory. In too many novels, the shy or plain main character lives in the orbit of a more exotic, shimmering best friend. I initially thought that’s what we’d get in The Swiss Affair — but I was glad to realize that I was mistaken. Kristina is original and enchanting — but so is Hadley. Hadley is smart, eager, ready for the world, and open to adventures. Her loyalty to her friend, even after tragedy strikes, is what propels her forward and ultimately, what gives her strength for everything that she must face later on.

The love story also seems, at first, to be following in the well-trod footsteps of dozens of other stories — young college girl falling under the spell of the handsome, aloof, charismatic professor, entering into a world of scandal. Well, in The Swiss Affair, this is true, but it’s not the whole picture. Joel Wilson is handsome and charismatic, but his relationship with Hadley takes unexpected turns, and it’s often hard to know what to make of him, yet easy to see how Hadley has become so infatuated so quickly.

The plot twists and turns, and deftly throws some major curves our way. Just when I was patting myself on the back for figuring everything out, the author abruptly pulled the rug out from under me — more than once! I was kept guessing throughout the story, and that kept me reading obsessively way past my bedtime.

My only quibble, and it’s minor, is that it was hard at first to place this novel in time. I started out unsure whether this was a contemporary novel or perhaps set at some point several decades earlier. There are very few clues in the story. For a story set among college students, there were only a few references to mobile phones or the internet, and it wasn’t until these technologies were mentioned that I figured out the “when” of The Swiss Affair. To be honest, while a minor point, this did take a small bit of reality away from the story, as it was a bit hard to believe that these characters wouldn’t be constantly carrying phones, doing research online, etc. In fact, without the rare mentions of mobiles and the internet, this story could just as easily have been set in the 1950s without further alteration.

That issue aside, I found The Swiss Affair to be interesting, moving, and hard to put down. I cared about the characters, and loved the descriptions of Lausanne. The author makes us feel as though we’re walking through the pure air of this Swiss city while reading the book, and I felt it to be an immersive and engaging read. Highly recommended as a coming-of-age story, a glimpse of life in a lovely setting, a love story, and a mystery — The Swiss Affair has something for everyone.

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The details:

Title: The Swiss Affair
Author: Emylia Hall
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Publication date: January 28, 2014
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Adult contemporary
Source: Review copy courtesy of Harlequin MIRA via NetGalley

20Jan2014

Book Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Heartbeat

Grief and anger explode off the page in Heartbeat, a young adult novel that fairly sizzles with its main character’s rage. 17-year-old Emma is consumed by pain over the loss of her mother, who is brain-dead but being kept alive by machines for the sake of her unborn baby. Emma’s stepfather Dan brings Emma to the hospital each day to visit her mother, but Emma can barely control her hatred and resentment toward Dan and toward the baby. Once completely devoted to her studies and determined to be top of the class, Emma now goes through the motions and can’t be botheredwith schoolwork. Once happy and in a loving relationship with her kind stepfather, Emma now blames him for her mother’s death, and literally locks him out of her room and her life.

The sole link to her former happy life is Emma’s best friend Olivia, who provides her with daily chitchat and distraction. And then Emma meets Caleb, the only person at her school who’s anywhere near as messed up as she is, and Emma gradually learns that pain and grief come in all different forms — but so does love.

Heartbeat is painfully sad to read, and yet it’s also quite beautiful in many ways. In learning the depths of Emma’s loss, we see her memories of the time before, and just how happy a family full of love can be. By peeling back layer after layer of family memories and experiences, the author shows us how devastating all of this is for Emma — not just the loss of her mother, but the loss of the love and safety she she once felt in her home and with her family.

Emma’s rage is the flip side of that love and is the way that she channels the grief that overwhelms her. Emma’s memories of her relationship with her mother are lovely and wistful, and the suddenness and senselessness of her loss come across with a visceral impact. Emma will never get her mother back, but by the end of Heartbeat, she’s beginning to find glimmers of hope for a future that might still have meaning and even love in it.

Heartbeat shows us the anger of a someone who’s lost the person at the center of her life. I read Heartbeat with tears in my eyes — but despite the pain and loss, there’s an honesty and fierceness in the writing that makes this an important and emotionally compelling book. I recommend Heartbeat for anyone who appreciates young adult fiction that doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects. It is not an easy book to read, but it is strong and memorable, moving and definitely thought-provoking.

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The details:

Title: Heartbeat
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: January 28, 2014
Length: 304 pages
Genre: Young adult contemporary
Source: Review copy courtesy of Harlequin Teen via NetGalley

19Jan2014

Book Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty What do you get when you put Beauty and the Beast, Bluebeard, and Greek mythology in a blender?

Probably something that looks a lot like Cruel Beauty!

In this new YA fantasy novel, 17-year-old Nyx is doomed to marry the demon who rules her land, as the price due for a bargain her father made before her birth. Nyx has spent her whole life dreading and preparing for her fate, filled with anger at her father for sacrificing her so easily and filled with dismay, knowing that she has no chance of surviving. Nyx’s purpose is not just to wed the ruler, but to bring about his destruction, in order to free her people and avenge her mother’s death.

Easier said than done. When Nyx finally arrives at the ruined castle, she meets her new husband — incredibly handsome, of course — as well as the shadow servant, Shade, who is forced to obey but seems to be on her side. Secrets abound, and Nyx realizes that her task will be even harder than she imagined… especially when her hatred for her husband and captor starts turning into something else.

In Cruel Beauty, there’s a whole mish-mosh of fairy tale and mythology stirred together. The land of Arcadia worships the Greek gods, and their stories and curses inform the actions of Nyx and the rest of the characters. The main tale of the girl promised to the hideous creature and then falling in love is straight out of Beauty and the Beast, although twisted and turned quite a bit along the way. There’s a magical system as well, as Hermetic works (related to the god Hermes) are what allow people to harness the elements of air, earth, fire, and water.

So does it all work? For the most part, I’d say yes. The plot gets overly complicated with so many different fantastical and mythological sources contributing to the mix. The Hermetic concepts take up space and seem to be very important early on — but don’t really matter much by the end of the story. There’s magic and dark spirits and curses and bargains… and the plot ends up practically tying itself into knots to make it all connect and work out in the end.

But, despite the convoluted story line, I enjoyed Cruel Beauty quite a bit. I think it helps that I read it straight through, all in one day. Yes, it’s that compelling — one of those books where you vow to stop after one more chapter… and suddenly an hour or two have slipped by. If I’d read it in smaller chunks or over the course of a week, maybe I would have taken more time to think about the plot developments and poke holes at certain pieces. But gobbling it up all at once, nothing bothered me too much…

Because wow. That’s some love story! Nyx and her captor do a slow burn, gradually moving from mistrust and outright dislike to grudging respect and amusement, and finally, kindness and affection — despite Nyx’s horrible sense that she betrays her family and her people by feeling anything for this strange and seemingly cruel man. Their passion is palpable, and feels like the kind of epic love that can make someone risk eternal suffering for the sake of the other.

Oh, and can we just take a minute to gaze at that cover? Gorgeous.

Overall, Cruel Beauty is probably over-plotted, but it’s a thrilling and oddly moving narrative none the less. If you enjoy fairy tale retellings, magical worlds, and dark secrets, this is one new release that you shouldn’t miss.

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The details:

Title: Cruel Beauty
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: January 28, 2014
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Young adult fantasy
Source: Review copy courtesy of Balzer + Bray via Edelweiss

17Jan2014

Book Review: The Vanishing by Wendy Webb

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: The Vanishing by Wendy Webb

The Vanishing Julia Bishop is left friendless and penniless after her husband is exposed as the “midwestern Bernie Madoff” and then kills himself. Faced with foreclosure, unpaid bills, stalkers, and death threats, Julia’s life is bleak indeed until a stranger shows up with a bizarre proposal: Adrian Sinclair offers Julia a position as companion to his elderly mother, famous author Amaris Sinclair — who supposedly died ten years earlier. If she accepts, Julia will be given a chance to escape her old life and live at Havenwood, a huge mansion in the wilderness of northern Minnesota. She’ll spend her days with the woman who first inspired her to write, and most importantly, she’ll get a fresh start just when her life seems utterly hopeless.

Havenwood is beautiful, elegant, and mysterious. Isolated in the woods, it’s the perfect hideout, but seems to be hiding secrets of its own. Why does everything seem so familiar? Why does Julia keep hearing strange voices? Whose footprints are in the snow? Why is the family so excited about Julia’s arrival? And who is that hot guy out by the stables?

As days go by, Julia realizes that the the strange occurrences at Havenwood may be sinister, and even dangerous. Despite her fondness for the family (and the hot guy in the stables), she suspects that her job offer may have strings attached that are not in her best interest. As the spookiness mounts, the only answers may lie in uncovering the past…

… and that’s about as much synopsis as you’ll get out of me!

The Vanishing sets a tone of gothic mystery and eerie supernatural goings-on, and at the same time tells the story of a seemingly ordinary woman whose life has gotten completely messed up and out of control. Havenwood is beautifully described, and made me yearn for my own wilderness adventure — in a gorgeous mansion, of course!

It’s hard to suspend disbelief throughout the story, as plot pieces begin to mount that don’t quite make sense. Really, Julia is willing to head off to parts unknown with a complete stranger, no cell phones or outside contact allowed? And really, she believes this stranger has just randomly selected her as a trusted companion for his mother because he feels sorry for her? And the instant sparks that fly between Julia and the hot stable guy? (Okay, his name is Drew, and he’s part of the family whose property it is, but still…) I thought insta-love was just a YA plot device!

Granted, a lot of these issues are ameliorated by the unraveling of the central mystery, but those answers come so late in the book that they don’t really outweigh the sheer lack of believability earlier on. Somehow, even though there are answers, I didn’t find them convincing enough to balance out my impatience and incredulity.

What really drove me crazy, though, was Julia’s insistence on behaving like a doomed female character from a horror movie. Oh, the power’s gone out and there might be an intruder? Gee, the hot guy told me to stay in my room and lock the door… so I think I’ll grab a lantern and explore the pitch-black hallways all by myself instead. Hmm, I’ve seen disturbing visions and heard scary noises in the library and east wing? Let me go back there and poke around some more! Just cut it out, Julia, okay?

Overall, as the story delves deeper into the history of Havenwood and its connection to the Spiritualist movement of the 1800s, it becomes both more interesting and more eerie. I enjoyed the use of historical documents and the recaptured memories of a fateful seance, which we first see in the book’s introduction, as well as the sharp contrast of an elegant manor house set in a dangerous and untamed landscape.

I never felt terribly engaged in the love story and had a hard time accepting many of Julia’s actions or beliefs. Still, while some of the plot elements felt far-fetched and not well grounded, The Vanishing held my attention and still managed to deliver a few good chills along the way.

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The details:

Title: The Vanishing
Author: Wendy Webb
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication date: January 21, 2014
Genre: Gothic fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of Hyperion via NetGalley