Review: A Midsummer's Nightmare

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
Release Date ~ June 5, 2012
Poppy ~ Hachette Book Group
ISBN13: 9780316084222
ARC received from HBG Canada

Goodreads Synopsis:
Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorcé dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.

Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger's most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about.

Kody Keplinger has this way of writing about ideas we take for granted and then turning your entire world upside down. Her books are laugh-out-loud funny and really appeal to my sense of humour with their tongue-in-cheek lines.

I knew that I loved Shut Out enough to read her next book, but A Midsummer's Nightmare is the book that sealed the deal for me and convinced me I'll read whatever Kody writes next. They aren't typically the books I'd choose for myself based off of cover and synopsis alone (I only read Shut Out because of the Greek-inspired story) and that's exactly what I love about them - how unexpected these books are for me.

1. Whitley is not your archetypal YA heroine:
   
   Every so often, I'll read a book with a girl who's acting out in rebellion in one way or another or is rather jaded for some reason. Very rarely do I read about a character that doesn't feel like they're trying too hard to do this, or who come across as kinda bratty. Whitley is one of those rare gems. She's the very definition of cynicism. She has a complicated love life - but doesn't whine about it. You kind of hate her at first, until those layers start peeling back - because she's the quintessential onion, like Shrek. I feel like the Catcher in the Rye comparison is a fair and good one.
2. Cute nerdy crush? CHECK:
   I know I can't be the only girl who swoons a little at a cute boy who loves his Star Wars. And other sci fi fun! Nathan was a sweetheart and a half - very Cricket à la Lola and the Boy Next Door. And I appreciated that he really grew as a character all on his own, and it wasn't all about Whitney's maturity and changes. Because frankly, he does some really stupid things.
3. Highlights issues many books shy away from:
   
   What happens when you get a girl who uses a guy for selfish reasons? Just read Whitley's story. We always hear about the guy using the girl, but I thought this was some very poignant role reversal. And some binge drinking issues that don't get talked about as much as other problems do. I love that Kody never shies away from hard topics. Love, love, love it.

A Midsummer's Nightmare is far from a light, flawless little story. Quite honestly? It's extremely heartbreaking. This is the story of some young people that very rarely gets shared so openly. But I can understand why some readers may not enjoy it, because it could be very hard to relate to at the beginning when Whitley is heavy into her partying lifestyle. Few will empathize, and some will sympathize, but I'm aware a number of readers just won't get it.

But for those of us who do get it? It'll rock your world.

Kindred Reads {11}

A couple months ago I had a blog survey, and one of the main pieces of feedback I received were that readers were very interested in bringing Kindred Reads back!
Kindred Reads is my weekly feature highlighting YA book recommendations based on their similarities to each other. Each week a theme or idea is chosen, and a few books will be highlighted for dealing with that theme.
This week's theme: teens & sex in contemporary YA; books that pose a thoughtful story with this as a focus, and include some humour

Purity by Jackson Pearce
A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.
Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.
Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity. (Goodreads)

My 4 star review for Purity.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate. (Goodreads)

My 4 star review for Catching Jordan.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention
Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling... (Goodreads)

My 5 star review for Shut Out.

I enjoyed reading all three of these books, but they especially stood out to me with the way they realistically brought up the topic of teenagers having sex (or choosing to abstain). It's something that still isn't talked about that oftne, and I think it's great that they all talked about ways to be responsible and mature about making a decision regarding an indivudal's sex life. All three authors are specially skilled at providing humorous aspects to their books, which only makes them more enjoyable to read! If you've read & liked only one or two of these, make sure to check out the ones you haven't read because I think you'd be sure to enjoy them. There's something refreshingly honest & raw about these books that make them new favourites.

Kindred Reads {6}

Kindred Reads is my weekly feature where I recommend similar books. There's a mix of popular books, and fairly unknown authors and indie books as well. This is something that I personally wish I saw more of; after reading a book I enjoy, I often want to read similar books but they can be hard to discover!

These books contain similar elements, whether it's content, writing style, or other themes found in the stories. They are always books which I have read, and clicking on the title of the book will take you to my review of that book.

If you like...Drink, Slay, Love by Sara Beth Durst

If you haven't read Drink, Slay, Love then you should go pick it up ASAP. Because this one is definitely a must-read for YA lovers; especially if you enjoy paranormal. The description of this book sounds ridiculous and it is, but in a GOOD way. It's a fairly new release, so I know not too many people may have read it yet which is why I'm including this short description. The thing about the 3 books for this week's post is that they all have extremely different settings, but I think they have a similar feel to them while reading; humour, that is.

You might want to read...

Sirenz by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman

An enchanting story of two teenage girls coerced into making a deal with Hades. It includes elements of the Hades/Persephone myth, along with other small details of Greek mythology. But what makes this book is the humour that goes along with it. It is FABULOUS. Full of snark and hilarious outcomes for these two girls, who are both as stubborn as can be; similar to Pearl in Drink, Slay, Love.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

If you're more of a fan of contemporary fiction, then Shut Out is definitely for you. Kody Keplinger writes in such a funny and likeable tone, that it's hard not to buy into this book. It's one of those few books that I found myself actually laughing out loud as I was reading it, even though it dealt (appropriately) with a more serious issue. Even though the three of these books deal with different settings and issues, they all seem to do so in the same vein of each other and I think they compliment each other quite well.

Shut Out

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Release Date: September 5, 2011
Poppy

5/5 Stars!

Goodreads Synopsis:
Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: she and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

Inspired by Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, critically acclaimed author of The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) Kody Keplinger adds her own trademark humor in this fresh take on modern teenage romance, rivalry and sexuality.


You know those times when you hear about a book, it has an awesome description, and the cover is great so you're really excited to read it and then you're disappointed by it?

Shut Out isn't one of those books. Not even close!

All of the above things are true, but so is the fact that Shut Out is awesome; so good you'll want to read it over and over and pass it along to all of your friends. Your best girl friends, that is.

Fair warning, right off the bat: this book is about sex. Oh, and more sex.

And I'll confess that I was a wee bit apphrehenisive going into this knowing that it would largely be about, well, sex. And it is about sex. But in a GOOD, healthy way. It's very cute, super funny.

The kind of book where I found myself literally sitting on the couch and laughing out loud at Kody Keplinger's writing. And that doesn't happen very often, pretty much never with me actually. So this is HIGH PRAISE indeed, coming from me at least. But in all honesty, this is such a fun read!

I will say though that the message Keplinger's writing about regarding sex does come across kind of forced at times. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing either! It's an important message, one that the young women in her novel are just starting to discover for themselves. And even better, Shut Out is a great tool to use to bring up this discussion of sex and exactly what it can mean for people. The best part about this is that Keplinger absolutely does not shy away from this, but she tackles it head on. She deals with all the questions that a lot of teens (and particularly teen girls) are dealing with themselves, and shows that there's no shame in talking about sex.

I loved that she accomplished this using such a smart, strong heroine like Lissa who considers respect a trait she's looking for in a boyfriend. She is such an admirable young woman, and even though she isn't perfect and makes mistakes along the way, she's willing to learn from those too. But she doesn't mope around when bad things happen to her. She finds ways to deal with them, and more importantly she tries to find HEALTHY ways to deal with them and health ways to live her life. This is exactly what made Shut Out such a wonderful novel. Keplinger deals with an issue that most people don't want to talk about, and she does it in a responsible way that will hopefully encourage more young women and teens to look for the same kind of resolution that Lissa and her friends found as they embarked on this small little journey of self-discovery.

I was especially pleased to read about Cash, who was such a good guy. He was just so hot and respectful of Lissa, it kind of reminded me of Zac Efron in 17 Again giving his speech in sex-ed class.... Also, I noticed that Cash is scared of fish swimming around and I am too, so we're pretty much soulmates. Right?

Now for my little input at the end of this: as true as it is, I was disheartened by the attitude Lissa felt regarding religion and sex. It wasn't obvious, and it was very subtle, but it came up a few times and I just wanted to touch on the fact that Lissa felt so uncomfortable having a Bible around when they were talking about sex. And that's understandable. But at the same time, I wish it wasn't. I wish more people could be open about this in every context, but particularly a religious one seeing as I'm Christian myself. Yet I'm aware that it's only recently that I've discovered personally that there are other women out there who are completely devoted to their faith yet also willing to acknowledge that their is a right time and place for sex to be enjoyed and that we can be open about being sexual beings. And I really hope that this is something that more people can come to terms with as well. Like I said, this wasn't explicitly dealt with in Shut Out, but I felt that it was also something worth discussing.

Extra special thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada for providing me with a finished copy in advance of the release date to review in exchange for my honest review! No other compensation was received.

Waiting on Wednesday ~ 7/20

(see this lovely picture? It was made by Lindsay at The Violet Hour. So thanks to her for sharing it!)
 Breaking the Spine hosts weekly "Waiting on Wednesday" for books that haven't been released yet but we are anxious for!

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

 

Release Date: September 5, 2011

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: she and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

Inspired by Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, critically acclaimed author of The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) Kody Keplinger adds her own trademark humor in this fresh take on modern teenage romance, rivalry and sexuality.

I really adore Greek plays/myths/stories, etc. and if I could have continued to study it in university (had there been more courses) I would have loved to! So any book based on Greek stories is a must-read for me.

Dark Passage (Dark Mirror #2) by M.J. Putney

Release Date: September 13, 2011

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Irregulars return home to 1803 England safely, but their worldview has changed.  Not only have their heroic efforts at Dunkirk given them pride and confidence but their dangerous mission has increased their magical powers. 
Tory delights in the ever deepening bond she shares with Allarde until she discovers how powerfully he is connected to his ancient family estate—the lands he will not inherit unless he denies his magical powers and chooses a nonmagical mate. If Tory really loves him, she must walk away—but does she have the strength to leave the love of her life?
Cynthia’s heroic efforts at Dunkirk have won her the respect of the Irregulars, but her sharp tongue keeps everyone at a distance. Isolated and very alone at Lackland Abbey over the Christmas holidays, she reluctantly agrees to join Jack Rainford and his family for their celebration even though they’re commoners, far below her own noble rank. The warm welcome of the Rainfords makes her feel happier and more accepted than she has ever been. But she can’t possibly be falling in love with flirtatious Jack! Can she?
Then the Irregulars are drawn into a dangerous attempt to rescue a vitally important French scientist from Nazi-occupied France. Tory and Allarde must work together because countless lives are at stake. Disaster strikes and not only is their mission threatened, but their very lives. Can magic and their loyalty to each other help them survive to return home?

I won Dark Mirror in a Goodreads giveaway and really enjoyed it. The story was pretty easy to get in to, and I'm excited for this sequel (coming out soon)! You can read my review of Dark Mirror on this blog post. Also, I think this cover is gorgeous! Much better from the first.

So what are you waiting on today?