Review: Insurgent

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It’s taken me forever to write a proper review/reflection on “Insurgent” – primarily because I feel like I’m not sure what to say about its impact on me – it definitely didn’t take me on the rollercoaster ride that “Divergent” had done. If anything, it left me with more questions and liking fewer characters than I had in the previous novel. I thought quite a bit about it and realized, I still liked Tris as a character, but I think her characterization in this book was much weaker, and there were so many pacing issues that I thought “What happened? What the heck happened?”

Don’t get me wrong, I actually did enjoy parts of this novel – the action scenes, when they hit, were decent, and towards the end of the novel, even if it left me with some pressing questions about the big plot point that’s supposed to lead into the next installation of the series, I thought “Insurgent” was okay. It’s rather underwhelming for a second novel in a series, however, and I expected the worldbulding and more plot threads to be tied in this one. Unfortunately that wasn’t to be.

The novel picks up where the previous one left off, with Tris and Four on the move and arriving at an Amity haven where they can stay as long as they don’t make trouble there. Of course, they end up making trouble to an extent, as Tris and Four end up clashing with some of the locals. Not to mention they’re being chased by the Erudite, so a lot of the time (at least for a good portion of the book – I want to say a little over half of the book) they’re spending their time on the run. There’s a lot of bickering between Four and Tris that didn’t really make sense to me, and while there are some decent action scenes, it doesn’t feel like much happens in a good portion of the book. Granted, I like Tris’s proactive nature, but I don’t know how I felt about her sacrifices and noted betrayals through the story. She did what she had to do, I didn’t see where she had to keep guilt tripping herself in spurts for the things that she did in the midst of surviving. And what was with her throwing herself into the fire of sacrifice in this book? Sometimes even for conflicts that were so petty that she knew they were traps and ended up being rescued by people who had the sense to come up with backup plans which she did not have. Judging from her characterization in the first book, she should’ve known better, she should’ve been more of an apt fighter and seen it coming. Ugh.

Tobias/Four actually turned me off in this novel. I liked him more in the last book because so little was known about him and he seemed kinder, yet firm to Tris – more of an aide, but at arms length in spurts. But here? He comes across as a big, untrusting jerk. The on again/off again relationship dynamic they had in this novel seemed so contrived that it slowed the momentum of the novel more than it played up any kind of strengths in conflict. There are quite a few character deaths in the novel, but instead of them having impact the way some of the losses did in the previous novel, it’s more like they come and go. I mentioned in my review of Suzanne Collins’ “Mockingjay” that I watched the conclusion of an anime series called “Space Runaway Ideon” where the character deaths depressed me because there were so many and there was such a build up of getting to know those characters over time and the way they met their end made my heart hurt to the point of numbing aches, even when the death sequences themselves came in rapid succession. Here? The character deaths weren’t as potent. Here, you get to know a character and either they’re gone or they don’t have proper enough scene time to develop beyond a base structuring.

Then there’s the ending, which I had mixed feelings about. On one hand, there’s a conspiracy at hand and a betrayal I didn’t see coming, but reflecting upon it – it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. There were some plot threads that I felt weren’t tied even as the momentum built in the last portions of the novel, but I wasn’t satisfied with the way the book left on the cliffhanger and didn’t at least address a few of those untied threads.

I started off wanting to give this novel around 2.5/3 stars, but upon reflection, it’s probably a solid two stars for me. I liked parts of it, but I didn’t love it enough to give it higher. I’m still curious about the next installment in the series, but it disappointed me considering the strengths of the previous novel.

Overall score: 2/5

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Review: Looking for Alibrandi

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Looking for Alibrandi” is one of my favorite Melina Marchetta books to date. Something about it clicked with me in terms of the familial focus as well as Josie’s coming to terms with the people and events around her. She’s the kind of protagonist who can be absolutely insufferable in spurts, but at the same time, it’s hard not to feel for her during some of the tougher moments this novel has to offer.

Between getting to know her long separated father, dealing with her contentious mother and grandmother, and having to deal with her school life and rumors surrounding her family, Josie has much to contend with. She’s of Italian descent, though born in Australia, but feels like an outsider because of the taunts and discussions of how her mother had her at a young age and her father left. However, when her father returns in her life, she’s not sure how to take it. On one level, she’s willing to push him away (and he feels likewise), but the two of them develop a relationship progressively that suggests that they need each other more than they think they do. In the mix of things, Josie finds love and friendship among her peers, learns more about her family than she realizes, and experiences quite a bit of heartache that takes her to new lows. In the end, Josie learns in her 17th year that life has its ups and downs, but as mentioned in one measure in the book, she learns it’s what you make of your life, and the dreams you have that keep you going.

I loved the depth of the characterization in this book, much like some of Marchetta’s other works. Josie’s a hard-headed, but self-aware narrator, so when she screws up in places, at least she reflects about it in the aftermath to note her mistakes. There really were times when I wanted to admonish her through the book about the things she said or did that were foolish, but you remember she’s still a teenager and acting through the range of emotions that she feels in her circumstances. I appreciated the focus that Marchetta has on Josie’s family and ultimately the revelations that Josie uncovers in spurts. You can tell Josie loves her family, and while she has her ups and down, she’s surrounded by people who want the best for her. You can also tell this in the people she develops relationships with. I definitely liked the relationships she shared between Jacob Coote and John Barton. One of the twists in the book did completely take me by surprise and tugged at my heartstrings. I didn’t cry over it, but it definitely left me feeling gutted – for Josie as well as the people surrounding her.

I’m totally for coming of age stories that are told in a progressive fashion, and this was one of the books that clicked with me. I think it’s a novel that quite many teens can gain something from, when it comes to finding comfort in your identity and learning to come to terms with who you are and what you want in life. Josie’s a protagonist that isn’t always lovable, but the way she learns to come to terms with herself is refreshing, and something that I think is quite nice to see in her respective story.

Overall score: 4/5

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Review: Trial by Desire

Trial by Desire by Courtney Milan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I originally read “Trial by Desire” in June of 2011, but I decided to re-read it in audiobook form and return to the book because I really enjoyed it. Lady Kate and Ned were both wonderful characters to get to know in the mix of events. I loved the opening of the novel where the two are reunited after quite some time apart. It takes place after the events of “Proof of Seduction” – where Ned returns from his travels as a more mature gentleman, though left unspoken – he still has his own internal battles to fight against. Kate’s distraught because Ned left against her wishes, and she’s taken on a number of responsibilities in the time he’s been gone. The two reunite and come to terms with each other in the midst of a difficult situation involving Lady Harcroft and her husband. Lady Louisa Harcroft left her husband with her child to escape his torrential abuse, and Kate had helped her along in the process. Unfortunately, that help can only remain a secret for so long as Lord Harcroft starts to suspect Kate was involved in his wife’s disappearance.

I loved the development of the characters in this novel. Kate is a strong heroine who stands her ground and can fend for herself when faced with a number of difficult challenges. Ned has the right balance of strength and insecurity for a hero, making him identifiable as well as quite matured since the events of the previous novel. The way the two learn about how they’ve changed over the years and come to terms in their relationship is alluring and radiates with distinct emotional resonance. Even the conflict involving Lady Louisa and Lord Harcourt took on a vivid, contentious tone. The plot is well paced and engaging from beginning to end, while managing to take all of the perspectives and present them in ways that are engaging to read – sometimes humorous and lighthearted without being too quirky, while in others Milan shows the grief and inner/outer turmoils they wrestle with.

I definitely plan on reading more of Milan’s work in the future, and I would recommend reading “Trial By Desire” as a wonderful follow-up to “Proof of Seduction.”

Overall score: 4/5

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ARC Giveaway of “Always Upbeat/All That” by Stephanie Perry Moore and Derrick Moore

Hi all, as a part of Smith Publicity/Saddleback’s blog tour promoting the upcoming release of “Always Upbeat/All That”, I’m giving away an ARC copy of the book.  It’s my first official ARC giveaway on the blog.  Yay! *does a small happy dance*

You can find my review of the book here if you’re interested.

Here are the rules/terms of how this giveaway will work:

• 1 copy of “Always Upbeat/All That” will be up for grabs for now.  Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only at this time. Sorry guys, when I can host an international giveaway, I’ll let you know in advance.  I definitely want to do one eventually.
• If you want to enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this blog post to let me know if you’re interested in entering.  I’ll be drawing the winner using Random.org.
• Contest will close this Friday, May 25th at 11:59 PM EST.  I’ll announce the winner shortly after that.  If you can leave your email address, that will make it easier for me to contact you, but I’ll give the winner 24-48 hours to respond once they’re announced.

Good luck guys, and happy reading!

Cheers, 

Rose

Review: Getting Lost with Boys

Getting Lost with Boys by Hailey Abbott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Getting Lost With Boys” is definitely a chick-lit romance novel to the tee, complete with a road trip and enough sexual tension for two people who don’t want anything to do with each other, at first. I’m surprised how much I enjoyed this despite a few qualms I had through the book. The story revolves around Cordelia, a young woman who decides to spend the summer in Eureka with her sister. But Cordy’s parents decide it would be a lovely thing for her to be driven by one of her older sister’s old boyfriends rather than take a bus there.

Enter Jacob. Cordy can’t stand Jacob because she believes him to be manipulative and kiss up to anyone around him, but when she sees him for the first time after quite a while – she can’t help but notice he’s gotten…hot. Not much has changed about his pretentiousness, however. The two have their fair share of mishaps and wacky experiences on the road trip, but in the end, they learn a bit more about each other and develop something more than Cordy thought possible.

The ending was somewhat Hollywood-ish, in my opinion, but I liked the fact that the book is self contained and the story seemed to tie up the ends it established. The relationship between Cordy and Jacob, in spite of its beginnings, was plausible and even sweet. I did have issues with the brand/product dropping that Abbott does in this book, but it didn’t bother me as much as some of the other works I’ve read from her.

In sum, it was an enjoyable story, a light read that I think those who like chick-lit, coming of age romances will enjoy. Unfortunately, for a road trip novel, it’s not very atmospheric, but I think the story is decent enough that people will likely find something to like in it for the journey taken.

Overall score: 2.5/5

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Review: Always Upbeat/All That

Always Upbeat/All That by Stephanie Perry Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

To begin this review, let me say a couple of things about “Always Upbeat/All That” which really impressed me. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered authors who used the format of their books to compliment the style of the storytelling that’s featured in the way that Stephanie Perry Moore and Derrick Moore have done with the first installation of the “Lockwood Lions” series. What do I mean by this? Well, they’ve written two books in one and it’s a “flip” style book. Two perspectives, two stories, some shared events. You read one story and as you finish it, you can flip the book over and get the other perspective. The tag inside the book says that there are “two sides to every story” and that proves true in this particular work for the conflict in each of the perspective characters’ experiences. What an awesome concept. No doubt that’s one of the aspects that pulled me into “Always Upbeat/All That.”

The other aspect that pulled me into this work is the fact that it introduces two teens who are coming of age and struggle within the realm of some tough issues they have to face in their lives. There aren’t as many contemporary YA books that feature teens of color as leading characters, so I was glad to read this book featuring a prominent, diverse cast of characters with solid voices and identifiable tones. On the surface, things seem to be going well for them, but underneath it all, they both have to deal with some difficult blows.

In “Always Upbeat,” Charli is a young woman whose life seems to have everything working well for her – she has an attractive boyfriend whom she loves (Blake), a great group of supportive friends, seemingly happy family life, and she’s moving on up the social ladder in her cheerleading squad. Yet, Charli’s feels various strains in her relationship with Blake, especially since he keeps wanting to take their relationship to the next level and other girls seem to vie for his attention. She also has pressures associated with her new role on the squad, and she’s starting to suspect that not all is well in her parents’ relationship as she thinks.

In “All That”, Blake has to deal with the distance he feels in his relationship with Charli, as well as stresses about his role on the football team and future beyond that, and a shocking revelation that throws his home life in a tailspin. Both “Always Upbeat” and “All That” cross with respect to events that happen between and beyond the teens’ lives and showcase a number of tough issues, including peer pressure, relationship strains, sexuality, terminal illness, among others. I appreciate the way that both authors approach the issues, and give voices to both teens in a way that’s rational, plausible, and in places sweet and sentimental while also showing the honest voices of the teens who are faced with these challenges and how they come to terms with them.

I do have a few qualms with the books, however. I couldn’t help but feel, after reading both stories, there were some developmental holes and plot progressions that didn’t quite go as far as they could’ve gone. I still liked them, but I think in the brevity of such stories, the development of the characters suffered a bit more than it probably should have.

On one hand, as I mentioned, the stories are quick reads (each about 150 some pages), so there’s not a lot of time to get to know the external players in the novel as well as those whose perspectives are integral to the novel. Charli and Blake get ample scene time, and their voices are strongly asserted, but the external cast of characters aside from the families were more difficult to get to know, and there are quite a few of them to keep track of. That’s not to say that they didn’t play integral roles to the plot – they did in spurts, but there was a part of me that wanted to know more, to feel more of their impact in the story at large.

I also thought there was a little too much telling and not enough showing of certain conflicts that were portrayed in the novel. On one hand, I definitely appreciated the internal thoughts of both Charli and Blake in their respective lives and what they had to face. Some of this was done very well when the teens recognized what their parents or friends were trying to say or what they were going through, but they made it clear that they felt differently about the matter. Thank goodness for this, because it shows that the characters are intelligent and free-thinking – something that I don’t see in a lot of YA novels, and it’s a gem. At the same time, I think the telling of certain details lessened the emotional impact and told the reader the conclusions to draw, rather than allowing the reader to gain the lessons learned of each character from the emotional impacts and consequences that came to pass. It’s not so much that it lectures, but rather stunts the emotional impact by repeating information that I think could’ve just been gained from showing the scene and letting it speak for itself in the dialogue and rolling events. It’s minimal, but still impacted my enjoyment of the novel to a certain degree.

I think teens who are emotionally invested in the story won’t mind that though, because the unraveling of events here is engaging, and it kept me reading throughout both Charli’s and Blake’s stories save for perhaps a few stumbling blocks in the beginning with the introduction of the characters. But the narrative voices were strong, the issues were handled well (probably could’ve been expanded more for fuller emotional resonance), and it begins a series that I think its respective age audience will like. I definitely liked “Always Upbeat/All That” and would certainly recommend checking into further books in the “Lockwood Lions” series.

Overall score: 3/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Smith Publicity/Saddleback.

On another note: I’m hosting a giveaway of an ARC of this title on my blog, “Writing Through Rose Tinted Glasses”! Stay tuned for the link.

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Site Maintenance from 5/16-5/17

Hi all, just dropping a note to say that the blog will be undergoing maintenance from today (5/16) through the 17th so that I can catch up on tagging the entries, doing some general structuring around the site, among other minor changes.  I will still have my regular reviews and such going up as usual, but the site might look a bit strange in the middle of changes, so don’t be alarmed if there are a few things moved around between these two days.  The site should be back up to speed on Friday, May 18th.  

Cheers,

Rose