Book Review - Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

From Goodreads:

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

 This is the first book I've read by Courtney Summers, although after this small taste, I will pick up her others. It has one of the best opening lines I can remember in a long time, “My hands are dying.” What a great set of questions that one raises. The grief Eddie feels throughout and the conflicting emotions that go along with it are expertly conveyed to the reader. I felt what Eddie felt due in no small part to the perfect selection of words chosen by the author.

The book is relatively short (224 pages) but doesn't skimp on the character development. The only thing I felt myself wishing for as a reader was a look from Eddie's best friend, Milo's, point of view. Then I stumbled on this link the other day from one of  Courtney's blog posts where she had written a short story just prior to the release of Fall For Anything told from his perspective (no spoilers) and really enjoyed it. You can also read the first five chapters for free here.

So have you read any YA lately dealing with edgy subjects? Or do you tend to stick to the HEA endings?

Review - The Mockingbirds

From Goodreads:

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.
Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it.

I knew a little bit about this book going in. I knew it was about date rape, and I knew it made reference to Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, one of my all time favorite books. The author brings an important authenticity to this book because she lived through a similar situation while at college and therefore is able to convey the complex emotions felt by Alex, our MC throughout the story. She also shows how icrucial it is to reach out to others for help when something terrible like this happens. Whether it be family, friends or teachers, it's important to the healing process to talk about it rather than let it devour you from the inside out.


The self-doubt felt by Alex throughout the book is something all of us can relate to and it makes her journey of remembering exactly what happened to her that night all the more haunting.  

The message in this book is a vital one and I think every girl should hear it. Bravo, Daisy Whitney.

2011 Contemp Challenge - Trapped Review

 The Undercover Book Lover is hosting the 2011 Young Adult Contemporary Challenge. The goal with this challenge is to get people to read more YA contemporary books. And since YA Contemp is second in my heart only to chocolate and the genre I most enjoy writing, I had to join up.

What is contemporary? It's the genre wherein the events can happen in real life at the present time.

Goal: To read a minimum of thirteen young adult contemporary novels published in 2011.

And here's my first review:

Author Michael Northrup describes his latest novel, Trapped, on his website as The Breakfast Club meets The Shining (only because there's a whole lot of snow in an already isolated area, not that there's a crazy writer with an axe running around announcing himself through holes in doors).

From Goodreads:

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision. . . .


The narrator, Scotty Weems, lets us know up front not everyone makes it in the end. It kept me on the edge of my seat as the obstacles mounted. Who would die? How would it happen? When was the damn snow going to stop?

I suggest reading this book while it's snowing, and with the weather across the country being as it has been this year, that should be easy to do for most. My one wish was that the book had been just a little bit longer. At only 232 pages, I could have used an extra twenty-five or so to tie up loose ends and answer a few burning questions.

Reminder - Today is the last day to enter to win a copy of Anna And The French Kiss by Steph Perkins. Just leave a comment on this post to enter. I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow, Feb. 1st!