Audio Review: Monstrous Beauty

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
Release Date ~ September 4, 2012
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers ~ Macmillan
ISBN13: 9780374373665
Audio CDs received from Macmillan Audio for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

I have been hearing phenomenal things about this book from my friend Angel at Mermaid Visions for over year now. I've been fairly hesitant with mermaid books because I'm very picky with them for some reason, but I had heard this one was gorgeous and would sweep me off my feet.

Big, fat checkmark for that recommendation. Monstrous Beauty was everything I was promised it would be and more- that's how special it was. I've read books about friendly mermaids and killer mermaids, forbidden love, and curses but somehow this one still manages to stand out on its own. Also, totally heartbreaking (in a good, moving way).

1. Gorgeous, descriptive writing:
   
   Elizabeth Fama is extremely talented when it comes to writing; there's something spellbinding about it, where you lose yourself in the ebb and flow of her words. Everything felt so lifelike and real, the writing positively stole my breath away. Her descriptions brought the story to life and drew you in easily to the story.
   
2. Intoxicating mythology:
   
   This was easily my favourite part of the book. I couldn't get enough of learning more about Syrenka and the world she came from. There is some much tragedy to it, but it felt so rich and just FULL. I also enjoyed the way Ezra found himself so enthralled by studying mermaids, and yet throughout the book they still retained their mystery.
   
3. A curse that can't be undone?
   
   I love good mystery plots. Just love it. So watching Hester attempt to unravel her past, her family's curse, and discover what happened to Syrenka and Ezra.. well, what could be better? These pages are just bursting with excitement on every page, and the way past events start to culminate just before they blow up...? I don't think my heart can beat much faster. 

Interestingly enough though, I didn't find myself nearly as interested in Hester as I did Syrenka. I'm not sure if her personality just didn't quite relate to me as well, or if I just found her less exciting and mysterious... but I found myself craving more and more for the past story than the current timeline. And I wasn't sold on Hester's romance, completely. It was just kind of iffy for me, again because I think I preferred Syrenka's story.

Thoughts on the audio:
Lovely, lovely, lovely. The narrator had an older voice, but that worked well for Hester's character. And the slight accent made the narration melodic. Katherine Kellgren did a wonderful job with enthusiasm and excitement and the audio never felt boring- she really captured the atmosphere of the scenes very well. 

Audiobook Review: Graffiti Moon

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Release Date ~ February 14, 2012
Random House Audio Publishing Group
ISBN13: 9780307968180
Audio book downloaded from Audible

Goodreads Synopsis:

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

Graffiti Moon is one of those books that really needs to be aborbed properly; you hear the words, and let them sink in for their full affect until you're completely wrapped up in this dreamlike contemporary story.

There were a number of things I really loved about Graffiti Moon, yet a few areas I found lacking. It's deeply moving at times, humourous at others, yet it still felt to me like it lacked a certain charm.

1.  Words that ebb and flow:
   
   I'm so glad I listened to this one on audio, because the prose-like writing in some passages is totally meant to be read aloud. And the writing style really lends to the story's setting, because it gives the whole book this sort of dreamlike quality to it which is perfect for a book that takes place in the middle of the night. And I loved that there was this huge emphasis on art, and different kinds of art, and how it doesn't always have to be traditional.
2. Humour, anticipation, and romance:
   
   First of all, this is definitly my kind of sense of humour. I loved the jokes, and the quirky little bits - like how Lucy punched Ed and broke his nose on their first date after he tried to make a move on her. I loved how they could laugh things off and (eventually) move on. And there's just so much build-up to all the various, mixed-up subplots that the anticipation just keeps building and BUILDING until you're waiting for it to explode. And for them to just make out already.
3. Very much a coming of age tale:
   
   There's a strong theme of growing up and change which is prevelant in Graffiti Moon; and I just loved seeing how these various characters gradually evolved throughout the night and really got to know each other, and themselves, a bit better. And of course, this ultimately leads up to some drastic changes for a couple of characters.

And while I had hoped I would fall in love with this story much like most other readers had, I still felt like something was lacking. It took me a little while to get into the story and connect with the characters, because there felt like a few too many subplots were moving forward for me. I prefer to focus on one or two central, and keep the rest to a minimum. Otherwise it just feels like background noise.

But mostly I felt like there was all of this build up (which I loved)... but with very little by the end. I'd be anxiously listening, waiting to hear what happesn next, holding my breath... only to be caught off guard by rather small conclusions and responses taking place. It was like blowing up a balloon only to watch it slowly fizzle out.

So while I really did like it, especially the poetic writing style and phrases (which are gorgeous and I could read passages from this book without needing any context at all, just little snippets of prose) and I loved the emphasis on art and growing up- I didn't LOVE it. It failed to move me the way I had hoped it would.

Thoughts on the audio:

I'm a big fan of audio books that feature multiple narrators, so having three voices: one for Lucy, one for Ed, and one for Poet worked really well for me. Plus, they all fit the personality of each character SO well & I love listening to accents. No complaints here!
Purchase Links

United States	Canada	International
Amazon	Amazon Canada	The Book Depository
Barnes & Noble	Chapters Indigo	Audible (audio book)

Audiobook Review: Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead
Release Date ~ August 16, 2007 (Audio: March 31, 2008)
Razorbill ~ Penguin
ISBN13: 9781595141743
Audiobook purchased from Audible
Goodreads Synopsis:
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

So I FINALLY jumped on the VA bandwagon - I feel like I'm the last person to have read it! I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Bloodlines last summer for review and decided to give it a shot - much to my surprise, I totally fell in love and it wasn't until I read Bloodlines that I actually had a desire to read VA!

I can totally see what all the fuss is about - I'm not a huge fan of vampires or paranormal books in general, but I really love that VA doesn't feel like every other vampire book out there. And a pretty awesome, strong lead female definitely helps too!

1. This isn't your standard YA vampire fare:
   
   I love that Richelle incorporated her own twists on vampires and different elements. To be honest, the vampires in the VA world very rarely felt like traditional vampires - or even vampires at all - for most of this first book. They just seemed so normal and, well, more like fancy humans. Especially since Rose is a dhampir. And I LOVE the magic aspect to it.
2. Great blend of paranormal and contemporary:
   
   I also love that this one isn't overloaded with paranormal events and elements; there's a distinct contemporary feel to it, similar in the way that a lot of the characters go through very real, very familiar struggles. It definitely makes them easier to relate to, it's just more exciting than any of the highschool drama I ever witnessed haha.
3. Rose is a very different sort of main character:
   
   I think in YA, we kind of get used to reading about the misfit characters - ones who aren't entirely confident, or just don't feel like they fit in. In some ways, Rose definitely is a misfit and there are times when her confidence is a bit lacking... but overall, she isn't like that. She's very confident about herself, overall, and often does find ways to fit in and roll with the punches. It's nice to live vicariously through characters like her at times. And while there were a few times where I could easily see how immature and young she was (which isn't a bad thing, it's factual) I also know that there's plenty of room for improvement in that area too (seeing as there are a whole bunch of books in the series).
4. Strong female friendships:
   
   I know that there are some special reasons why Lissa and Rose are bonded together, but I find it so heartening to read about two characters who can be so close as friends. Too often I feel like the good friends take the backseat in books, or turn out to be jerks. But these two such depths of loyalty and mutual concern for each other, something which I wish we saw more of in YA books.

And yes, there's definitely action. And mystery. Plenty of other elements to keep you intrigued and easily hold your attention for the book and leave you looking for more at the end.

But at the same time, I could definitely tell that this book was really more of a set up for later books because it lacked a lot of the excitement and action I was highly anticipating after hearing so much about these books. And there were too many times when people just felt far too oblivious to what was going on around them. I definitely have the impression that I'll love the later books though.

Lastly, I also don't feel like I missed out by reading Bloodlines & The Golden Lily first. Yes, I am definitely spoiled for some things - but honestly, I never would have read VA without Bloodlines. And I didn't find Bloodlines confusing without having read VA, but I believe I'm in the minority on that one.

Thoughts on the audio:

The other bit that might have taken away from my experience was the audio and narration itself. I didn't love the narrator, but I did get used to her voice. The problem was when she switched to different voices for other characters - Lissa and Mia were just far too annoying, and I really can't stand the Dimitri voice. My sister told me at one point that it reminded her of an old Russian lady, and after that I just couldn't picture anything else.

Purchase Links

United States	Canada	International
Amazon	Amazon Canada	The Book Depository
Barnes & Noble	Chapters Indigo (Signature Edition for only $7!)	Audible

Pandemonium Club: Delirium Audiobook Review

Do you know what week it is? PANDEMONIUM WEEK brought to you by the #PandemoniumClub!

See, a while ago there were a few of us blogger friends who used to jokingly refer to ourselves as the Delirium Club while we were anxiously awaiting Pandemonium... so we decided to do something fun to share our love for Lauren Oliver's dystopian series.

This week, a new post is going to be shared each day on a new blog  highlighting the series and why we love it! We even have a fun, fanmade playlist and interview with Lauren!

And of course, a little giveaway.

HarperCollins Canada has very generously offered to sponsor a giveaway for one winner! The details are pretty simple and straightforward.

Open to Canadian residents only (sorry!)

The prize is a copy of Delirium AND Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver! So if you haven't picked up a copy of them yet, here's your chance!

To enter: all you have to do is leave a comment on the Pandemonium Club posts with your e-mail address. That's it. You can comment once on each separate post, for a total of 5 entries. Good luck!

And now, for my special contest I'm doing a special review for the audiobook of Delirium, which I listened to as a reread of Delirium a few weeks ago :) This is perfect for those of you who haven't read Delirium yet and want to know what you can expect from it without getting any spoilers!

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver ~ audiobook
Release Date ~ February 1, 2011
Harper Audio ~ HarperCollins
Narrated by ~ Sarah Drew
Length ~ 11 hours and 41 minutes

Goodreads Synopsis:
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

"Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.
I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.
I want to get it over with.
It’s hard to be patient.
It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.
Still, I worry.
They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.
The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t."


I somehow thought (perhaps naively) thought Delirium wouldn't be as heartbreaking the second time around as it was the first time I read it. I thought that it would be less shocking, less gripping, less everything. That's my confession, coming from someone who picked Delirium as her NUMBER 1 book of 2011. Of that whole year.

And I can now absolutely, confidently say that I was wrong. If anything, Delirium is even worse when you're rereading it because you remember just enough of what to expect from it.

It's like getting on to that really big, really scary roller coaster for the second time. No, it isn't quite like the first time where every drop startles you but you know it's coming, and even though you're expecting it the ride is still THAT intense. That's Delirium for you. That's exactly what it will do to your emotions.

1. A unique dystopian:
   I had read other dystopian books before Delirium, but this is the book that really sold me on them. And Delirium still stands out even among the numerous others currently being cranked out. Rather than focusing on daring action scenes, most of Delirium is a fairly quiet plot. Lena is a rather quiet, obedient introvert. She has no desire to do anything else besides what she's been told she will do and that day (the day she'll be cured) is coming soon. Delirium is different because it goes so far as having others try to control what's inside you, as well as everything surrounding you in society. Love as a disease? That's scary. Just think about it.
2. Lena's growth as a character:
   I can't stress this enough, but Lena changes SO MUCH as a young woman over the course of Delirium. And that continues into Pandemonium (hint), but it all makes perfect sense. Her development is so gradual and natural that you barely notice it and there really aren't any sudden, jarring changes that don't add up or conflict with her character. Lena, along with Alex and Hana, are all very well-done characters and I love getting to see the different sides of them.
3. Alex:
   I know I'm biased because I'm a total Alex fangirl BUT I really do think that Alex is reason enough to read Delirium. Just give it (him) a chance. Alex is like the perfect dream boy, and I just love him as a YA romantic interest! He walks that fine line between being brave and protective, but without becoming overprotective and controlling. He's thoughtful, and such a warm person. He's just the perfect boy to balance out Lena. He just steps into a scene and does something cute, and it's like "ALEX!!!!! *swoon*". Constantly.
4. Perfect heartbreak:
   If you've heard anything by now about Delirium, I'm sure you've heard mentions of a totally emotional, shocking ending. It might be less so because you've just heard SO much about it by now, but this book is awful when you can't stop thinking about it and how sad it is, and you can't possibly imagine how things will ever work out. EVER. But you want it to happen so badly. And I'm a total baby and sobbed after reading this one. Both times.
5. The ultimate forbidden romance:
   I know there are plenty of these out there. There's no shortage of forbidden romances in pop culture, and we just eat them up. Romeo and Juliet. Buffy and Angel. Now there's Alex and Lena. Seriously, when you can't be in love because one of you is about to undergo a surgery to remove your capability to love, and love is seen as a disease, a SICKNESS (among other things) and you happen to be in love... well, that's really forbidden. Pure treason right there.

My love for this book is undying. I almost feel like I've been ruined for other books, because I really do have a hard time seeing how another book could ever impact me as much as this one. It's definitely a slower paced book, but just go with it. It will pick up. And it needs that slowness to set the stage for everything that's about to happen. And of course, Lauren's writing style is just as beautiful as ever. It's impeccable and everything about it makes the story just feel right somehow.

Thoughts on the audio:
I wanted to listen to the audio as a reread of Delirium since I hadn't found time to read the actual book yet. and I ended up really enjoying it!

Sarah Drew is a fantastic pick to narrate Lena's voice, and I loved how put together she sounded at times but then you could still hear the anxiety and frustration and love sickness in her voice at other times. She also does a GREAT job doing voices for the other characters, especially Hana, although I was conflicted over her voice for Alex. I didn't love it as much as I wanted to, and seeing as Alex is my favourite character I was definitely hoping for more. But sometimes his drawl just didn't come across right and it just sounded odd. And because Alex has so many lines towards the end, you get to hear that odd voice a lot. But that was really the only thing that ended up taking away from the overall experience for me, and sometimes she really nailed Alex's lines. Especially the whispered ones. Oh my, those ones gave me such chills listening to them!