Teen Review: Someday Dancer

Someday Dancer by Sarah Rubin
Release Date ~ August 1, 2012
Chicken House ~ Scholastic Inc.
ISBN-13: 9780545393782
ARC received from Scholastic Canada

Goodreads Synopsis
Casey Quinn has got more grace in her pinkie toe than all those prissy ballet-school girls put together, even if you'd never guess it from the looks of her too-long legs and dirty high-top sneakers. It's 1959, and freckle-faced Casey lives in the red-dust countryside of South Carolina. She's a farm girl: Her family can't afford ballet lessons. But Casey's dream is to dance in New York City. And if anyone tries to stand in her way, she's going to pirouette and jeté right over them!

Casey's got the grit, and Casey's got the grace: Is that enough to make it in Manhattan someday? Or might the Big Apple have something even better in mind? When she meets a visionary choreographer she calls "Miss Martha," Casey's ballerina dream takes a thoroughly, thrillingly modern twist!

When I was young, I used to want to be a ballerina.  That idea was tossed out after about a month, but I'm still always amazed by ballerinas.  When I read the synopsis on the cover, I got kind of excited to read this novel.  It took me a little bit to become fully engrossed in the book, but I basically finished the entire book in one sitting.

1. Casey's Determined Nature:
   
   One of the main drives in the book is how much Casey is determined to become a dancer in New York.  She is willing to try anything to get a chance at her dream.  I admired this because she still believes in dreams, and will stop at nothing to achieve hers.  She is confident in her abilities, and she carries on, even if she is discouraged.  She is a very hard worker, but she also had a lot of fun at the same time.
2. Mama and Gran:
   
   Casey's mother and grandmother are two very different, but very influential people.  Her mother is a very hard working and strict mother, while her grandmother is laidback and encourages Casey's dream.  The three of them are very close.  Gran become one of my favourite characters because she reminded me a lot of my own grandma.  She offers great advice, and is one of the most gentle people I have read about.  Her mother is a bit rough, and doesn't show just how much she cares about Casey much.  I found their little family to be amazing to read about.

I think that Casey and her story is great to read because it teaches a lot of great lessons, such as working hard in order to achieve your goal, or the importance of keeping close family ties.  I enjoyed this novel a lot, and I wish that it was longer.

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Review: Pushing the Limits

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Release Date ~ July 31, 2012
Harlequin Teen
ISBN13: 9780373210497
E-galley received from publisher via Net Galley
Goodreads Synopsis:
"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I've had a hard time trying to formulate my thoughts on this book, and I know I'll never be able to appropriately express what Pushing the Limits meant to be. I know that this book has a number of positive reviews already and I'm not sure what else I can add to those.
This book is remarkable. It deals with a number of heavy, hard-hitting issues and tackles them head on. But with respect, and leaves its characters with dignity and a graceful ending (or, at least, as graceful as it can be).

1. An emotional rollercoaster ride:
   
   Oh dear, this book just kept breaking my heart again and again. I was so emotionally invested in these characters and their stories, and I hated that the WORST things just kept happening to them! But their resiliency and inner strength was inspiring. And it's almost harder because you know that things like this really do happen - some people really do live with these problems. So even though Echo and Noah aren't real- well, little pieces of them are. And that just kills me.
2. Questioning the norm:
   
   Echo and Noah both desperately want to live a "normal" life - but I love and greatly appreciated the extent to wish Pushing the Limits questioned what it means to be normal. I think too often we get swept up in this idea of a picture perfect life and anything else is abnormal but that's not true. We all have issues, we all have struggles to overcome. But I loved how this craving brought them together, and gave them the strength to try and find ways to overcome these difficulties.
3. Beauty in brokenness:
   
   I'm sure we've all known a person or two in our lives who we've recognized as being completely broken down at one point or another - and I love that Katie McGarry points out so well using Echo and Noah as examples that there is still beauty in that. That perhaps there is even a special kind of beauty, because of the amount of strength it takes to fight something to so dark and personal. There's no need for shame.
4. An unconditional romance:
   
   I loved, loved, LOVED seeing these two characters come together in the midst of circumstances and still put the needs of the other before their own. Sure, they're selfish at times (aren't we all?) but they know, in the end, that they want to help someone else at the end of the day. They want to be there for that person, and meet their needs in whatever way they can. It's pretty rare to find something so raw and intimate in YA, and for that this one must be applauded.
5. Most importantly, Katie nails all the emotions:
   
   I was absolutely FLOORED by how well Katie wrote the emotions of her characters, especially Echo and her relationship with her mother. She nailed just about every single feeling from guilt, to anger, to loneliness and longing. They're all there. And it may be hard for some readers to fathom cycling through all these feelings, especially given the circumstances of what takes place between Echo and her mother and the rest of her family, but I can say with all honesty that that is totally what it feels like. It's remarkable that a book captured it so well.

There are so many phenomenal aspects of this book, and I loved the way it dealt with topics normally shied away from including dysfunctional families (to the max), self-mutilation, and mental health. None of these are easy to discuss, but Katie handles them all with delicateness and poignancy.

Noah won't be every girl's dream come true - I mean, he does some things that I don't agree with personally either. But there's so much more to him, if you can see past all that (and you should. You really should).

One of the most emotionally touching and heartbreaking (yet hopeful) books of the year, this is one I'd recommend to every reader.

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Review: Auracle

Auracle by Gina Rosati
Release Date ~ August 7, 2012
Roaring Brook Press ~ Macmillan
ISBN13: 9781596437104
E-galley received from publisher
Goodreads Synopsis:
16 year old Anna Rogan has a secret she's only shared with her best friend, Rei; she can astrally project out of her body, allowing her spirit to explore the world and the far reaches of the universe.

When there's a fatal accident and her classmate Taylor takes over Anna's body, what was an exhilarating distraction from her repressive home life threatens to become a permanent state. Faced with a future trapped in another dimension, Anna turns to Rei for help. Now the two of them must find a way to get Anna back into her body and stop Taylor from accusing an innocent friend of murder. Together Anna and Rei form a plan but it doesn't take into account the deeper feelings that are beginning to grow between them.

Auracle ended up being one of my most surprising reads of the year, at least thus far. I didn't have much of an idea of what to expect at all, besides a fairly typical paranormal YA. I think it was because of this that I ended up being SO surprised by it and thoroughly enjoyed Auracle.
There are very few things in Auracle that I would consider typical - so it's a great choice for those readers looking for osmething a little bit unique and different in their paranormal reads.

1. Childhood friends grow up:
   
   I get a little bit tired of the new "mystery boy/girl" appearance, and a story about two childhood best friends as they grow up doesn't seem to be as common anymore. But it still holds a special place in my heart. I love it because we really get to see and understand WHY Anna and Rei care about each other so much - and so it makes sense when they're both willing to risk so much to help each other out.
2. An interesting premise:
   
   I really wasn't familiar with the concept of astral projection before reading Auracle, but I have to admit that it was a fascinating idea. And I loved that Auracle really explored some possible downsides to it, instead of making it seem simply great and amazing. Plus, this defintely made it a different sort of paranormal read and I loved reading about different ideas.
3. A backwards sort of mystery:
   
   There's a certain mystery element to the plot, but the difference is that Anna (and the reader) already knows exactly what happened - the difficult is proving that without the knowledge that Anna can astrally project herself. So there's a backwards sort of approach to picking up the pieces and trying to work things out. But it definitely made things interesting, in their own way.

The one thing I really didn't love about Auracle was Taylor - she just seemed so nasty and mean for no apparent reason. I just didn't feel that there was enough development given to her, so Taylor ended up feeling rather one dimensional to me and wasn't the most effective villain because of this.

I have to add though that I really did love Rei! He was just so sweet and thoughtful, and I loved seeing the way Anna began to realize that things were changing between the two of them. He's one YA guy to watch out for - different from the norm, but a keeper for sure! <3

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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.

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Teen Review: Cold Fury

Cold Fury (Cold Fury #1) by T.M. Goeglein
Release Date ~ July 24, 2012
Putnam Juvenile ~ Penguin
ISBN13: 9780399257209
ARC received from Penguin Canada
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure

Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.

Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.

This book intrigued me as soon as I read the plot synopsis.  It sounded so thrilling and adventurous that I couldn't help but read it. I've never quite read anything at all like this novel.  It's a thrilling and exciting and adventurous read that I'm so glad I took a chance with.

1. One of the strongest female protagonists I have read about:
   Sara is a main character that I really, really have to admire.  She is incredibly strong and clever.  She is placed in this really hard situation, and yet she manages to almost keep it fully together the entire time.  While she does fall apart at one time, she is able to get back up again and keep moving forward.  She knows when to attack her enemies and when to hold it back.  While she is a really strong heroine, at the same time she is only a teenage girl.  That side of her still shows through in some instances, which I felt made her feel more real. 
2. Easy to understand:
   
   I wasn't quite sure of how much I would be able to understand the parts about the Mob in the novel.  I don't have a lot of background information on it, so I hoped that I wouldn't have to know all about it in order to understand.  I was really glad when I started reading it, and all the things that were mentioned, were explained.  It's good to have a litle bit of information beforehand, but I don't think that it's necessary for the book to make sense.  Complicated situations I thought were explained fairly simply, which I was really glad of.

I will admit that the first third or so of this book goes by a bit slow.  A lot of it is background stuff that happens way before the book's main plot.  While it is a bit tedious, I was glad of it because without it I don't think that the book would make as much sense.  I know that this novel has a lot of mixed reviews, but I think that it's really good.  I would reccomend this to someone looking for a thrilling read.

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Team Peeta Crush Tournament

Hey guys!

So if you haven't heard of the YA Crush Tournament, I'm just going to quickly share with you what it's about and why it matters TODAY (of all days).

The Crush Tournament is a blog event hosted by YA Sisterhood where different guys from YA books go head to head in voting matches to see who will be crowned the ultimate YA Crush.

I'm the advocate for Team Peeta (from The Hunger Games). And we're up today against Daemon from Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux series. Don't get me wrong, I also appreciate some Daemon in my life - but I'm pretty convinced that Peeta (and his breads and cakes) are really where it's at in terms of crush material.

You can check out the advocate posts and vote here.

But I also want to share with you what the incentives for today will be.

When Peeta reaches...

1500 votes: I'm going to give away an official Hunger Games 2013 movie calendar
2000 votes: Give away for EITHER The Hunger Games Unofficial Cookbook OR The Special Edition hardcover of The Hunger Games
2500 votes: Give away for EITHER audiobook download of any Hunger Games book (INT) OR pre-order of The Hunger Games [2-Disc DVD + Ultra-Violet Digital Copy] (US/Canada)

And if Peeta wins? I'll give away the entire trilogy in a boxed set OR you can choose one of the other prizes from above

How do you win?
Either leave a comment on this blog post right here, telling me you voted for Peeta or leaving me a link to where you shared the link to the match asking others to vote for Peeta.
OR ask others to vote on Twitter for Peeta by using BOTH the #TeamPeeta & #YACrushTourney hashtags in the tweet.
OR share the link on Facebook, by telling me where you shared Peeta's match on Facebook or by sharing my Team Peeta posts on my Facebook page.

Blog Tour: The Dead I Know

The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner
Release Date ~ August 7, 2012
Razorbill Canada ~ Penguin Canada
ISBN13: 9780143182122
ARC received from Penguin Canada for blog tour

Goodreads Synopsis:
You wake in the middle of the night, your arms and feet pinned by strong hands. As you thrash your way to consciousness, a calm voice says, “Steady. We’re here to help.” Your mind registers a paramedic, a policeman, an ambulance. You are lying on the lookout at Keeper’s Point, the lookout Amanda Creen supposedly threw herself off. And you have absolutely no idea how you got there.

Aaron Rowe walks in his sleep. He has dreams he can’t explain and memories he can’t recover. Death doesn’t scare him – his new job with a funeral director may even be his salvation. But if he doesn’t discover the truth about his hidden past soon, he may fall asleep one night and never wake up. A potent, intense psychodrama that will keep you gripped to the very last page.

The Dead I Know is one of those books where it's nearly impossible to have an idea of what to expect without having read the book - it's mysterious, and not entirely clear where the story is going at first.

And while it isn't one that instantly made me fall in love, it did have its own charm that won me over in the end. A gritty yet hopeful story mixed with a fresh outlook on issues surrounding death make for a enjoyable read.

1. A story with guts:
   
   I loved that Scot Garnder wasn't afraid or hesitant to tackle some heavy issues with The Dead I Know. It took me a little while to really get into the flow of the story, but once I did I found myself questioning some of the same issues which Aaron struggled with regarding death and grief. These aren't easy issues to bring up, and I appreciated that they were handled carefully yet still remained poignant. I loved that this was a story with maturity, rather than just fluff.
2. A mystery that isn't overbearing:
   
   I'm such a sucker for any sort of mystery plotline, but I liked that the one in The Dead I Know wasn't a typical whodunnit plot (although I enjoy those, too). In fact, it took me a little while to really figure out what the actual mystery was, and why it was so important to figure out what had happened.
3. But there's still something heartwarming:
   
   But what I really loved about this story is that amidst all the ugliness, there's still optimism and hope. For every bad thing that happens, and every bad person, there's something (or someone) good to balance it out. I loved seeing all these kind and generous characters help out in their own little ways - it's something so reminiscent of real life, and it just  made my heart glow to read about it.

That being said, I did feel a bit like the pacing was off for most of the story. It was a fairly slow book in terms of pace, and it isn't until the very end that things finally come together and you realize how important the build up was.

I also had a hard time relating to Aaron at times, because he felt so cold and distand and extremely mature for his age. It could be hard to pin down his character at times, but I think that was a crucial part of the story and of his development.

I do have to say though that I was so pleased with how unique this book felt; not entirely gritty, but a bit dark in its own way. Just enough to create its own bit of charm and stand on its own two feet as a fairly different type of YA book.

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Scot Gardner has written several critically acclaimed novels for young adults. His debut novel, One Dead Seagull, was followed by White Ute Dreaming, a powerful story of first love, mates, and a yellow dog. His third novel, Burning Eddy, was shortlisted for the CBC Award and the NSW Premier’s Literary Award for Young Adults. Gravity was also shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award in 2007. The Dead I Know was published by Allen & Unwin in Australia in 2011; it is the first Scot Gardnernovel to be published in Canada.

Also, make sure you drop by Chapter by Chapter tomorrow for the next post on Razorbill Canada presents The Dead I Know blog tour!