Sadie Hawkins Sunday Review #26: Froi of the Exiles

Froi of the Exiles
Lumatere Chronicles, Book 2

Author: Melina Marchetta
Pages: 593
Publisher: Candlewick
Read: July 31- August 5, 2013
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review
Recommended by: Lynn (@kuro_rin01) and Steph of Cuddlebuggery

Description from Goodreads:
From master storyteller Melina Marchetta comes an exhilarating new fantasy springing from her celebrated epic, Finnikin of the Rock.

Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home ... or so he believes. Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been taken roughly and lovingly in hand by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper with a warrior's discipline. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds in its surreal royal court. Soon he must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad princess in this barren and mysterious place. It is in Charyn that he will discover there is a song sleeping in his blood ... and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.

Previous Books in Series:
1: Finnikin of the Rock

First Sentence: "Froi's head was ringing."

Review:
Oh, internet peoples, you have not lied to me. Finnikin of the Rock was good but rather slow, due to the set up of the word building. Froi, though, is a thing of beauty, and I loved every single moment of it. All the world building in book one was so that the awesomeness could happen now. *happy sigh* If this is indicative of Melina Marchetta's usual writing, it's safe to say that I'm going to be a huge fangirl.

Where Finnikin of the Rock took a couple hundred pages to really get started, Froi of the Exiles had my attention from the first page and never let go. Though just under six hundred pages long, this book in no way felt long. In fact, I would have read more happily. Were it not for my ridiculous system by which I determine what I read next, I would have gone straight into Quintana of Charyn because I have a FIERCE need to know what happens next. If you're hesitant about wading through the world building in book one, it's worth it, because Froi of the Exiles continues to have awesome world building, but also focuses on the amazing cast of characters. The feels have been located!

Marchetta uses a rotating limited third person narration. Even within chapters, the character being followed can change, but there's always a page break to indicate the switch. Usually, in a story like this, with the main characters split into two different places, one of the story lines is boring and you're just sitting there waiting to get back to the juicy stuff. Though Froi's arc was more exciting, I was also desperate to find out what was going on back in Lumatere, so did not begrudge the POV switches in the slightest. Also, even though third is a bit distancing, I still felt very connected to everyone. Melina Marchetta is a great example of showing, rather than telling.

The beauty of this series lies in just how flawed everyone is. No one is perfect, though Finnikin and Isaboe do come close in the eyes of the people; we know their flaws well from the previous book. Most of them are not unusually attractive, except for Lirah; even the others who used to be have had their looks and bodies destroyed. In Froi of the Exiles, the main characters are even more messed up. Froi, an exile from who knows well, has found a home in Lumatere, but is still haunted by the things he did in his past, afraid to really let himself live lest he break his bond to Isaboe. Froi of the Exiles does focus on him more than anyone else, but it's not just about him.

Sent to Charyn to impersonate one of the last borns (literally the last children born to Lumatere eighteen years before), Froi is charged with assassinating the King of Charyn and Quintana, his crazy daughter, as well. Of course, the people and Quintana expect him to impregnate her, also a last born, to complete the prophecy and end the curse of barrenness in Charyn. Froi must confront his past and his demons to survive his mission.

Quintana is one of the most fucked up heroines I've ever read. There's a brilliant description of Quintana by one of the other characters, so I'll borrow that: "'She'll be strangely intriguing...With a touch of mystery and savagery that will bewitch only the bold and courageous among us'" (572). When I called Quintana crazy, I meant that literally. She also is savage, growling at people and prone to attack at the smallest provocation. However, she's also been abused all of her life, both verbally and physically. Since she was thirteen, she's been sexually abused in attempts to end the curse. There's a reason she's so broken, and it's really just impressive that she functions as well as she does.

Other flawed cast members that I really just can't help loving: Lucian, Phaedra, Arjuro, Gargarin, Tippideaux, Lirah, and De Lancey. Yes, I may have just listed most of the characters in the book, but, whatever, they're the best. Every single one of them will give you cause to hate them at some point, but they're so real and trying so hard and I just want to hug them all and force them to live happily ever after.

Speaking of happily ever after, which totally is not happening in Froi fyi, Melina Marchetta writes the freaking best romances. Or, at least, they work perfectly for me. See, she rocks the whole hate to love gambit and that just gets me every time. The couples are angry and mistrusting and awkward, so I'm just sitting there reading and yelling at them to get over themselves and realize how perfect they are for one another already. With most of the romances in this series, the couples almost don't show one another affection at all, but it's there, and I suspect it doesn't bode well for me that I find that so emotionally appealing. Odds are that several of my ships are going to be separated by death and GAH my body is not ready.

My only slight reservation with Froi is that it felt like Marchetta pulled her punches there at the end. Some really serious shit had gone down and I was about to cry an ocean worth of tears, but then I realized that nothing was really as big of a deal as it was made out to be. On the one hand, I'm happy because tragedy sort of avoided, but, on the other, nothing's more badass then letting that tragedy stand and making everyone get past it. Of course, being somewhat nice here at the end of Froi might just be a trick to make me let my guard down so she can decimate me emotionally in Quintana.

Fantasy-loving friends, this series should probably happen in your life. Melina Marchetta has now proved her adeptness at world building and characterization, and her writing has been stellar all the way through. I will be reading through the other books in my pile as quickly as possible so that I can get to Quintana because I must know what happens.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Quote: "'So plunge that fact into your conscience and allow it to rotate for a while. Until it hurts.'"

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Up Next:

The next Sadie Hawkins Sunday book will be Vigilant by Angel Lawson. Rochelle recommended this title. Also, I have to apologize because I deleted the entry to the list before I made note of her contact info, so I really hope Rochelle finds the review!

Want to tell me what to read? Fill out the following form with a suggestion! For more details, check this post.

Review: The Virgin Cure

The Virgin Cure

Author: Ami McKay [Website|Facebook|Twitter|Pinterest]
Pages: 336
Publisher: Harper
Read: July 4-5, 2013
Source: Publisher for review via TLC Book Tours

Description from Goodreads:
From the author of the number one Canadian bestseller The Birth House comes the story of a young girl abandoned to the streets of post-Civil War New York City.

"I am Moth, a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street, born to a slum-house mystic and the man who broke her heart."

Set on the streets of Lower Manhattan in 1871, The Virgin Cure is the story of Moth, a girl abandoned by her father and raised by a mother telling fortunes to the city's desperate women. One summer night, twelve-year-old Moth is pulled from her bed and sold as a servant to a finely dressed woman. It is this betrayal suffered at the hands of her own mother that changes her life forever.

Knowing that her mother is so close while she is locked away in servitude, Moth bides her time until she can escape, only to find her old home deserted and her mother gone without a trace. Moth must struggle to survive alone in the murky world of the Bowery, a wild and lawless enclave filled with thieves, beggars, sideshow freaks, and prostitutes. She eventually meets Miss Everett, the proprietress of an "Infant School," a brothel that caters to gentlemen who pay dearly for "willing and clean" companions—desirable young virgins like Moth.

Moth also finds friendship with Dr. Sadie, a female physician struggling against the powerful forces of injustice, who teaches Moth to question and observe the world around her. The doctor hopes to protect Moth from falling prey to a terrible myth known as the "virgin cure"—the tragic belief that deflowering a "fresh maid" can cleanse the blood and heal men afflicted with syphilis—that has destroyed the lives of other Bowery girls.

Ignored by society, unprotected by the law, Moth dreams of independence. But there's a high price to pay for freedom, and no one knows that better than a girl from Chrystie Street.

First Sentence: "I am Moth, a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street, born to a slum-house mystic and the man who broke her heart."

Review:

Ami McKay's fiction came highly recommended, and I can certainly see why. The Virgin Cure was my first venture into her fiction but certainly shan't be the last. Slow-moving, contemplative and lush, The Virgin Cure is what I've come to expect from quality historical fiction.

Moth comes from the slums of New York City, Chrystie Street. Her mother works as a fortune teller, but they barely scrape buy, selling their possessions in the lean times. When need be, Moth's mother even trades favors to the landlord so he'll let her pay the rent late. In no way has Moth led a charmed life, so it's no surprise she dreams of escape, in the form of a beautiful house surrounded by gates. Perhaps sensing Moth's desire to fly for the light, her mother finds a placement for her in the house of a lady. Hard as life was with her mother, the lavishness of the upper classes hides damaged interiors, people just as screwed up as those without money. Where her mother withheld affection, Moth's new employer demands it, with pain as punishment for not meeting her every whim. Only twelve years old for most of the book, Moth faces the worst of what 19th century New York has to offer.

What's captivating about Moth is how incredibly young and old she feels all at once. At times, it's hard to believe she's only twelve, because she's so knowledgeable and strong. Other times her innocence and naivete, and the situations such a young girl is thrown into, about make you want to cry. Despite her tender years, she seems much more empowered and in charge of her own destiny than the average heroine. Even so, she's drawn like a moth to the light, but like Icarus it's warmth could be the death of her if she's not careful.

McKay's prose has a timeless quality, both capturing the historical era and not feeling heavy the way much historical fiction does. The Virgin Cure has an interesting format, interspersing little encyclopedia entries, letters, and newspaper articles throughout. Though I'm not entirely sure how I felt about their inclusion, it was esthetically pleasing at the very least, and it was nice having terms defined on the page, rather than having to flip to notes in the back or something like that.

Though I did quite enjoy The Virgin Cure, upon its conclusion I must admit I find myself a bit unsure what the point of it was. It may be that I simply wasn't paying enough attention at some crucial juncture to be able to pull the strings together, but I didn't get anything from it other than the joy of pretty writing and a compelling story, and I feel like there either was or should have been more. The ending came on in a rush, and the fates of the characters were so suddenly determined it has left me reeling.

All told, I deem my first McKay experience a success, and look forward to further of her works. I suspect readers who delighted in Memoirs of Geisha might appreciate The Virgin Cure, as it's a tale of a girl in similarly dire circumstances, only one with more gumption.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Quote: "We came from rear tenements and cellar floors, from poverty and pride. All sneak and steal, hush and flight, those of us who lived past thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years old, those of us who managed to make any luck for ourselves at all—we became New York."

Review: By Referral Only

By Referral Only
Whitman University, Book 2

Author: Lyla Payne
Pages: 284
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Read: June 23
Source: ARC from author for review

Description from Goodreads:
After being unceremoniously dumped freshman year because of her family’s “new money” status, Ruby Cotton has taken care not to put her heart on the line. No matter how enticing Emilie and Quinn make it look, relationships are scary and hard—while a string of flings is easy and fun. That’s what Ruby wants. Easy and fun. The only problem is, when it comes to satisfaction in the sack, most of the boys at Whitman are nothing but pretty window dressing and false advertising.

Ruby takes it upon herself to make campus life more fulfilling, creating a referral database that allows female students to rate their sexual experiences, thereby informing girls of what they’re getting into before agreeing to a date.

When her acting partner, Liam Greene, finally shows some interest, Ruby figures she won’t need to utilize the helpful gossip. He’s handsome, fun, and most importantly, not a guy she’d ever fall for hard enough to let him break her heart.

Not only that, but dating Liam gives Ruby the perfect excuse to say no to Cole Stuart.

As a star swimmer and heir to honest-to-God Scottish royalty, Cole sits at the top of Whitman’s A-list—but he’s also the lowest rated referral on Ruby’s website. The ratings make rejecting his repeated requests for a date a no-brainer, but her real reason for avoiding Cole runs deeper than a string of unsatisfied exes.

He’s gorgeous, he oozes sweetness and charm, and the electricity between them could power half of Whitman, but Ruby knows it will only last until his family or friends convince him she’s not good enough.

Before she knows it she’s falling anyway, waiting for the other shoe to drop but clinging to a tentative hope that Cole might be as different as he seems. When the secret behind his low ratings comes to light, that hope is torn apart, and Ruby wonders if she was right to give him her heart…and whether she has the strength to let him keep it.

Previous Book in Series:
1: Broken at Love

First Sentence: "I hadn't had sex in months."

Review:

When I was in middle school and high school, I was all about romance novels and chick lit. I couldn't get enough of largely idealized love stories. As I got a bit older and realized the universe wasn't soon going to deposit a hot foreign guy on my doorstep, one miraculously only attracted to me and wealthier than Midas, I got a bit disillusioned. Only in the last couple years have I started to enjoy romance novels again, though it's hard to say whether that's because of increased cynicism or optimism on my part. There's something sort of comforting in a familiar, predictable plot arc sometimes, knowing that HEA is coming and that there will be hot sexy times.

Second in the Whitman University series, By Referral Only is technically a companion novel, following the roommate of the heroine of Broken at Love. Ruby Cotton and I got off to a bit of a rough start. She's not as easily likable as Emilie, more judgmental and intentionally crass. Also, she's a virgin-shamer, which isn't a good way to endear a character to me. Still, she did grow on me a bit as time went by and she realized how bad her emotional hang ups were. Also, the fact that she's an actress and loves Shakespeare and musicals, as well as being a great teacher for a class of children was good too.

What's awesome about By Referral Only is that the traditional gender roles are pretty much swapped. Ruby Cotton loves sex and hates commitment. She intentionally seeks out hot guys that she's not attracted to any way but physically for extended flings, because one night stands aren't good enough to be worth the trouble. Ruby's sexually adventurous and emotionally closed off, due to painful relationships in her past. Now, when I say painful, I mean real life painful, not tragically abusive or anything like that, because this isn't one of those stories. She's just had her heartbroken and doesn't want to go there again.

Sick of subpar hookups, Ruby decides to launch a website so that the women of Whitman University can objectify the men on campus right back. The ladies of Whitman can rate the men both in terms of how good the sex was and whether they would recommend him overall. That whole premise is pretty hilarious to me, ngl. Anyway, Ruby immediately catches the eye of a hot boy in class, only to realize he's gotten the lowest ratings of any guy on campus on her site. Whoops.

Of course, Cole, the guy, turns out to be too tempting to resist, despite the lack of referral from her peers. Plus, the whole mystery of why he's such a good kisser, but apparently bad in the sack, engages her curiosity. Oh, did I mention Cole is Scottish? Seriously. Where are all the hot European men in my life? I feel cheated. Cole turns out to be a really nice, rather nerdy guy, who shares Ruby's love of musical theatre. He's also totally the more innocent one in the relationship and very focused on commitment. They definitely made a more believable and shippable couple than Quinn and Emilie, with romantic issues that are way more true to life.

The other awesome aspect of By Referral Only is the focus on healthy female friendships, often absent from romance novels. Emilie and Ruby get along really well, even if they are both busy with boys a lot of the time. Still, when Ruby needs advice, Emilie comes through for her, not just telling her what she wants to hear but what she needs to hear. Plus, it's not one of those situations where they secretly hate or envy one another. Ruby's a bit jealous of Emilie's loving relationship, but in the "I wish I had a love like that" way and not in the misery wants company way. Ruby also has a burgeoning friendship with Cole's sister Audra.

The focus on how well off everyone at Whitman is did get old, though. Seriously, you all bathe in twenty dollar bills, I get it. Ruby liked to mope about because she comes from new money and a lot of the other Whitman students don't respect her. Poor little rich girl, let me wipe away your tears with a big stack of money.

If you enjoyed Broken at Love, By Referral Only will not disappoint. If you're just checking in now, reading By Referral Only probably won't spoil anything, since it's not like it's a spoiler that the couple from Broken at Love ends up together. The Whitman University series is fun, quick and totally entertaining.

Rating: 3/5

Favorite Quote: "'You can't be responsible for anyone but you, Cole. We all make our own decisions, and pay our own consequences. You can love someone, but you can't fix them. You deserve me because I say you do, not because other people think so or don't.'"

Review + Giveaway: Losing It

Losing It
Losing It, Book 1

Author: Cora Carmack
Pages: 288
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: YA Books Central for review

Description from Goodreads:
Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren’t embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She’d left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

First Sentence: "I took a deep breath."

Review:

Of all of the New Adult-labeled books I've read, Losing It is the one that comes closest to being what I ideally want. Though the focus remains on romance, Losing It does actually deal with normal, everyday college stresses. Bliss goes to class and thinks about her future. She has fights with friends and doesn't go through anything incredibly melodramatic. Only the relationship with her professor isn't something an average college student might experience, but even that does happen. Losing It is humorous, romantic, and largely realistic.

The term slut-shaming gets tossed around a lot in book reviews, and it's certainly a big problem in fiction, which tends to really uphold virgins as the ideal. For those who object to the word 'slut,' I'm warning you that you will likely be offended by a handful of moments in Losing It. However, something that I've not really seen in fiction before and that Carmack handled perfectly is virgin-shaming, which is just as real.

Bliss Edwards is in her senior year of college, age 22, and a virgin. The book opens with Bliss' confession to her best female friend, Kelsey, that she's never had sex. Bliss feels embarrassed and stunted for not having had this experience that most people her age have had. Now, as much as slut-shaming is a serious issue in our culture, Americans are just as uncomfortable with virgins. At a certain point, admitting you've not had sex marks you out as a freak. Around the end of college, somewhere from 20-22, being a virgin begins to feel like an onus one bears. People start making assumptions that you've incorrectly identified your sexuality (perhaps you're gay and afraid to admit it or asexual) or that you must have something terribly wrong with you. I know I feel this stigma in my own life.

Carmack completely captures the feeling of being behind the curve on this, and how an attractive, social girl with a sex drive could put sex off. The way Bliss thinks about things and explains her lack of sex life are completely accurate to my own experience. In theory, sex is great, but the idea of actually having to have it is terrifying, because she likes to be in control of everything she does. She worries, too, about her lack of experience compared to others her age. Surely if she has sex now she'll be terrible at it, a thought horrible to contemplate. She also references being able to shut down her analytical, judgmental brain, which has always thrown her out of the mood. All of this is exactly how my own brain works, and I've spoken with friends who think the exact same way.

At the beginning of Losing It, Bliss has decided she's sick of feeling a freak for being a virgin and that she just wants to get rid of her virginity. This impulse, as well, is one that I completely understand. Sometimes it feels like life would be much easier if you could just get that over with, like it's an ordeal to be got through, which really doesn't seem like the ideal motivation for having sex. Still, that's a realistic thought for Bliss to have.

When you're a virgin over twenty for reasons that don't involve waiting for marriage, people like to tell you that "it will happen for you when you meet the right guy." Find him and your brain will shut up, and you'll be motivated enough to work through your issues and eventually have sex. This is the basic premise that Losing It is working from. I do take some issue with the fact that she goes out to a bar once and immediately picks up a hot, British guy, because life is never that easy, at least mine isn't, in which case I would like to upgrade my life now please. However, this is fiction, and such conveniences are what move a plot forward, so I'll accept it.

What I'm so, so grateful for is that, even though Bliss has found the perfect guy who makes her brain shut off, that doesn't immediately make her ready. Garrick may be more than she ever dreamed of, and she feels more comfortable with him than with anyone who has come before, but she still freezes at the prospect of sex. Her issues don't just magically dissipate, like generally happens in fiction. Though she had every intention of having a one-night stand, her brain really isn't wired that way to let her do that, thus why she was still a virgin in the first place.

Of course, for drama's sake, Garrick turns out to be a temporary professor for one of her theater classes. This serves to raise the stakes and create many awkward moments. For a teacher/student relationship, Carmack's done a good job, and I was still able to root for them, since they established a relationship of sorts before he started teaching, but I still would have preferred they wait to really get together until after the semester was over. Teacher/student romances are not my favorite, because the teacher has power over the student and favoritism comes into question. Carmack avoids the grading favoritism question, but Garrick does seem to be largely fair in his treatment of her as a teacher.

I liked, too, the short-lived love triangle that emerges when Bliss realizes that one of her best friends has a crush on her. I've been in this situation before too (well, the friend with a crush, not the sexy British part that makes the triangle), and it is seriously awkward. There are so many feelings in the way that it can be hard to tell precisely how you feel about you're friend. You love them already, but is it the right sort of love? And they're so wonderful that you feel bad turning them down. Plus, what will happen to your friendship if you do or don't? Bliss handles this about as well as can be expected, which is to say that it's messy and uncomfortable.

Garrick and Bliss do seem to fall for one another a bit too quickly, but that's college as well. Every emotion seems heightened, because you have so much free time to spend with people. Friendships and relationships come on quickly in those circumstances. The novel takes place over the course of a semester, so their relationship does take months to grow, even if it feels shorter because of the novel's brief duration.

I do wish, however, that Carmack has skipped the epilogue. Though I was willing to accept the speed and seriousness of their relationship, I feel like the events in the epilogue were over the top. Plus, I'm really unsure as to why it had to be from Garrick's POV. That felt really out of place, and didn't really add anything to the scene.

I have to reward Losing It high points for covering subject matter I've rarely seen touched in fiction and for giving me many feels. Carmack's debut is funny, awkward, sexy, and romantic. If you've been disappointed in the New Adult offerings thus far for not having anything actually to do with the experience of being in college, then you really might want to try Losing It.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Quote: "How can people decide who they want to spend the rest of their life with at this age? I can't even decide what to have for dinner! I couldn't decide if I wanted to be an actor, even though I already had $35,000 in student loans telling me I sure as hell better want to be an actor."

Giveaway:
My new giveaway philosophy is to give away only my very favorite reads, so I'm offering up a paperback of Losing It to one of my readers. This contest is open internationally, so long as The Book Depository ships to your country.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Anatomy of a Single Girl

Anatomy of a Single Girl
Anatomy, Book 2

Author: Daria Snadowsky
Pages: 240
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: For review from YA Books Central

Description from Goodreads:
With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl.

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.

But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through.

Prior Book in Series:
1: Anatomy of a Boyfriend

First Sentence: "The logical thing for me would be to date Calvin Brandon"

Review:

Where Anatomy of a Boyfriend tackles first love, first sexual experiences, and first heartbreak, The Anatomy of a Single Girl considers what comes after all that. Snadowsky delves into the mental recovery process and facing life and dating after the end of a relationship you were convinced would be forever, much as logic insists that most first loves don't end in marriage. The much-belated follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is thematically similar, but very, very different in overall message and frame of mind, yet another wonderful addition to literature for older teens.

Single and depressed, Dom doesn't know what to do with herself. Her parents and friends urge her to date to get over the last vestiges of love for Wes, to move on. At Tulane, her good friend, Calvin, really wants to date her, and she's seriously considering it, but she really struggles with whether she actually has romantic feelings for him. Sometimes she thinks there's something there, but other times not so much. I was SO glad to see this in a novel, because I felt like this SO MANY TIMES in college. When a good friend develops a crush on you, it is really hard distinguish between the love you have for them as a friend and romantic love, especially since you want to make them happy and would like to not be single. That can be a really tough line to draw, and I like that Snadowsky tackled the fine lines between different kinds of love.

The healthy attitude towards sex that I praised so much in the first book continues full steam ahead in Anatomy of a Single Girl. Her first love, Wes, was her only sexual experience, and Dom's not really sure what she's okay with now. She meets a highly attractive frat boy while home for the summer, and they have great chemistry. However, the relationship can only be for the summer. Dom has to decide whether she's okay with a relationship and sex for their own sake, or whether that will make her some kind of person she doesn't want to be. Her experiences with Guy, the frat guy, really open her up to new experiences and broaden her horizons.

Of course, Snadowsky continues to revel in the awkward moments of real life. Though Dom's sex life has dramatically improved, there's still no magic, immediately expert sex. Plus, there's a whole lot of rigamarole to get out of the way beforehand to be safe: getting tested and going on birth control. The description of her trip to the gynecologist was a bit more in depth than I personally would have liked, but it's honest and educational, without coming off like your over-eager health teachers in middle school.

This installment also focuses much less on romance overall, and more on Dom's relationships overall, none of which are especially romantic. Snadowsky dives into various kinds of friendship, like the two with the boys described above. She also gets more in depth into Dom's friendship with Amy, who becomes less of a sidekick now, as she goes through her own relationship problems. Both Amy and Dom turn out not to be quite who the other expected, and their friendship goes through some bumps.

There's also additional focus on Dom's parents, which is both good and bad. On the one hand, I like how involved and supportive her parents are, but the level of their nosiness is a little uncomfortable. They alternate between basically telling her not to get too serious in relationships and that she needs to play the field and telling her she shouldn't be going on dates. I couldn't really figure out their agenda, because they were so inconsistent.

Those that enjoyed Anatomy of a Boyfriend will also speed through Anatomy of a Single Girl. I think it's a bit stronger, with the writing coming across more authentically, and a very satisfying ending, though I do think there's space for more. I will be eagerly anticipating Snadowsky's next project, because writers who can be so open and honest are always a great find.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Quote: "Hugs are really underrated."

Review: Anatomy of a Boyfriend

Anatomy of a Boyfriend
Anatomy, Book 1

Author: Daria Snadowsky
Pages: 272
Publisher: Ember
Source: For review from YA Books Central

Description from Goodreads:
Before this all happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body.

Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn't believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing—and touching—parts of the body I'd only read about in my Gray's Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.

And then came the fall.

First Sentence: "My best friend, Amy, wants to wait until college to 'do it,' but until then she'll do 'everything but' with boys she thinks are cute and have good bodies."

Review:

I debated what to label Anatomy of a Boyfriend. I'm sure most people would not stick it under the New Adult heading, because of the rather graphic nature of the sex involved and the fact that Dom is in college for roughly the last third of it. Honestly, though, it reads like a young adult novel to me, and it's not like teens wouldn't be having some or all of these experiences. However, I'm mentioning the detailed descriptions of sex up front, so that readers who are not comfortable with that are full informed. Personally, I really like Snadowsky's take on teenage sexual relationships and first love.

Dominique, more commonly known as Dom, has always been the studious type to her best friend Amy's boy crazy type. Dom doesn't really understand why Amy is willing to hook up with random guys, but she's also not particularly judgmental about it either. Dom and Amy really care about one another and maintain a strong friendship throughout, even if they're not the focal point of the story.

Dom's never really even been strongly interested in someone until she meets Wes. Something about him sets her teenage hormones ablaze, and they quickly strike up a friendship, emailing and IMing. Much to her frustration, though, the relationship doesn't go anywhere. She spends a lot of time talking with Amy on the phone, unpacking the latest messages for deeper meaning.This Snadowsky got just right, as I know I've been there and so have all of my female friends.

Once they do strike up a romantic relationship, things accelerate swiftly physically. Both virgins, they move through the bases at a fairly fast clip. What I really love about Snadowsky's take on this is that she doesn't spare them any awkwardness or pain. Unlike most fiction, there's not a simultaneous orgasm to be found within these pages; the sex is not romanticized. The depiction of sex is very realistic and descriptive about most basic sexual behaviors, and while it's perhaps more detailed than some parents might want their teens reading, I think it's much more honest and likely to make a teen think things through than the fade to black scenes that suggest perfection. Plus, Dom is always very careful about using protection, which is a very good message to send, and one often left out of fictional sex scenes. Snadowsky also does an admirable job depicting the emotional arc of their relationship. 

Unfortunately, I often found the writing awkward, like Snadowsky hasn't quite manage to simulate teen speech patterns. For one thing, their AIM messages are all fully written out in paragraphs with punctuation and capitalization. Every single one. Some teens do write everything out, as I know I tended to, and Wes and Dom are likely to have done that. However, I don't think anyone consistently sent everything in a big paragraph. Generally IMs were no longer than a sentence or two, so that struck me as very strange. Also, at one point, during a breakup, someone says "'I'm going to have to change my status to "single" on MySpace now'" (233). This book was published in 2007, and, by then, it definitely would have been Facebook. That reference might not have been outdated when the book was written, but certainly was by publication, and is laughable now.

In part because of the occasionally awkward writing, I never really bonded with Dom. She's smart and all, but the amount of time she spent focused on Wes seemed a bit excessive, though I've never been the most romantic girl, so maybe that's realistic for people who aren't me. The biggest thing that distanced me from Dom was her jealousy...of Wes' dog, Jessica. She thinks some seriously mean thoughts about that dog, and, as an animal lover, I could not deal with that. I mean, they're heat of the moment thoughts, but they kept me from loving Dom. She also was generally overeager about things. The first time she's invited to Wes' house, for example, she asks to see his family photo albums, and they weren't romantically involved at this point. That seemed highly odd to me.

Though imperfect, I devoured Anatomy of a Boyfriend, and I really appreciate its frank depiction of sexual exploration and coming of age. I'm very excited to see where Snadowsky goes in the sequel, Anatomy of a Single Girl, which I'm starting next.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Quote: "'Well, it's more than that. I've never . . . done it, or done anything. Heh, maybe that's my Achilles heel,' Wes mutters, his voice drenched in vulnerability. Then he turns around and leans against my windowsill. 'And the fact I've never done anything stops me from every trying anything.'"

Review: Broken at Love

Broken at Love
Whitman University, Book 1

Author: Lyla Payne
Pages: 312
Publisher: Createspace
Source: Author

Description from Goodreads:
When a knee injury ends twenty-year-old Quinn Rowland’s pro tennis career, he’s not only dumped by his hot Russian girlfriend but ordered to attend college by his disinterested billionaire father. A rich kid who’s not used to being disappointed by life, Quinn and his sociopathic half-brother Sebastian create a frat house game intended to treat girls how they see them—as simple game pieces to be manipulated for their pleasure.

College sophomore Emilie Swanson knows Quinn’s reputation—after all, he did send one of her sorority sisters into therapy earlier in the semester—but the game and his charm bring them closer together and soon she starts to believe there’s more to Quinn than people think.

But what if the more is something darker than a game of toying with emotions and breaking hearts?

Quinn and Emilie might be falling for each other, but there are secrets he’s not ready to tell—and lifestyle changes he’s reluctant to make. She willingly stepped on the court, but if Emilie finds out she started out as nothing as a pawn in Quinn and Sebastian’s twisted game, she might never forgive him.

To his surprise, Quinn finds that he might finally care about someone more than he cares about himself…even if that means letting Emilie walk away for good.

First Sentence: "'And Alexandria Ikanova, the eighteen-year-old from Russia, takes her fourth-round match in straight sets, knocking off the reigning U.S. Open champ.'"

Review:

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. I did read a so-called "New Adult" novel, and not even one that's trying to actually make NA a real age grouping rather than just a sub-genre of romance. Broken at Love is a straight-up romance set in college, complete with the super-experienced guy that every single straight woman in the world wants to sleep with. Even weirder, I liked it.

Broken at Love doesn't bring anything new to the table. Romance plot lines have been done to death, and I didn't espy anything particularly original here. You've got the guy who sleeps around to show that he can, because deep down inside he's a lonely little boy scared no one will ever love him because of his deep-seated daddy issues. And, of course, the love of the only woman ever to turn him down for sex can change him. You're probably rolling your eyes right now, and, believe me, I get it, and feel the same way.

On the other hand, though, I could not put this book down. It's like when I watch kdrama: I know exactly where the story is going, but I am SO TENSE waiting for it to get to that point. Lyla Payne does a marvelous job keeping up the sexual tension. Actually, she even does a good job with the sex scenes, because none of them made me laugh at their ridiculousness. This book is hot, so if that's what you like from NA, then you'll want Broken at Love.

What I appreciate most about Broken at Love is that for all Quinn is a player and a bit of a douche, he has lines he won't cross that keep me from completely loathing him. Quinn doesn't lie to women and he would never force a girl to do anything with him that she didn't want to, nor will he stand for his frat brothers to take advantage either. So yeah, he breaks a lot of hearts and does so with really shitty intentions, but he leaves the decision to the women. The fact that he never promised an emotional connection keeps him just slightly likable.

Also, I like that Emilie actually is a strong character. She fights for what she wants, and doesn't need a man's help to get it. Both she and Quinn are fighting with their parents' expectations for them, and it's Emilie who actually has enough courage to go for her dreams and who inspires Quinn. Plus, Emilie does let herself become a conquest of Quinn's, even though she didn't think she was that kind of a girl, but she does so with her eyes open, knowing he'll probably leave the next morning. She could have been smarter about it (like forcing him to get tested, because if this were real life he would probably have STDs like whoa), but she owns her choices and doesn't blame them on anyone else. She's very much characterized as being way stronger than Quinn in just about every respect, which is awesome.

The romance definitely dominates the other themes, so unless you like romance novels, I really doubt you'll enjoy this. However, if you like romance, I recommend Broken at Love, because it was hard to put down, which is a high commendation.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Quote: "Her eyes sparkled, and I loved that she didn't get shy and embarrassed like we'd just committed a crime. A lot of girls did that, and it always bothered me. It was sex, not murder. If we both wanted it—and we did—feeling shame ruined one of the better parts of life."

Review + Guest Post: Things I Can't Forget Blog Tour

Things I Can't Forget
Hundred Oaks, Book 3

Author: Miranda Kenneally
Pages: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: March 1, 2013
Source: Publisher for blog tour
Purchase: Amazon|Barnes & Noble|The Book Depository

Description from Goodreads:
Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker.

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt…with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…

Prior Books in Series:
1: Catching Jordan (Review|Goodreads)
2: Stealing Parker (Review|Goodreads)

First Sentence: "Girls like me do not buy pregnancy tests."

Review:

I've been a fan of Miranda's since I read Catching Jordan, and I will definitely read anything that she writes. Still, I must admit that I entered on Things I Can't Forget with a certain amount of trepidation, having heard some talk of the focus on themes of religion and the personality of the main character. I feared I might not like this one much, but, actually, Things I Can't Forget has turned out to be my new favorite of her three books.

There is no doubt that Kate will rub a lot of people the wrong way. She is unforgiving, judgmental, prudish, hypocritical, and often downright rude. She wears her faith like an excuse to look at others and deem them lesser than she is. However, Kate never really bothered me, because I could completely see where she was coming from, especially since I had insight into her church, where her young mind and values were shaped, from Stealing Parker. I pity her for not knowing any better than to believe what she's only been told, for having been stuck with such manipulative, close-minded people during her youth. I feel for Kate, because it's so obvious that she's confused and that she'll be working through these issues.

Flawed as Kate is, annoying as she can be, I identify with her so much more than Jordan or Parker. Despite the rather glaring difference of religious beliefs, I was a lot like Kate in high school. I had a really strict sense of values, stricter I think than even I realized. I judged others based off of that and as a defense mechanism, because I felt so lonely and it's better to reject than be rejected. Like Kate, I put off a vibe of not wanting companionship when there was nothing that I wanted more. When I went to college, I had a lot of the same struggles with my own personality and moral code that she has working at this summer camp before her freshman year. Learning not to hold other people to the standards that work in your own life is one of the most important lessons that I think I learned as I came of age, and Kenneally handles it beautifully.

Kenneally also tackles the subject of sexual relations, and, more specifically, their relation to the Christian faith. Can a "good girl" have sex before marriage? Where's the line between and acceptable physical relationship and sin according to God? Kate's best friend, Emily, had an abortion and was kicked out of her parent's house. Kate helped her, but is now haunted by the thought of what she participated in, and said some very unsupportive things to Emily. Her judgment of Emily's sexual relationship stems from a lack of understanding, and she gains additional insight into just how complicated love and sex are when she begins a relationship with fellow camp counselor Matt. In all of this, Kenneally does not preach for or against sex, but about making careful decisions when ready, not feeling forced by society or a boyfriend.

In Kenneally's prior books, I admired her development of friendships, and she shines with that again, but this time it's a female friendship. Parker of Stealing Parker is a significant character in Things I Can't Forget. Because of Parker's somewhat racy past (according to Kate), the two do not start off well, but, over the course of the summer, they learn to understand one another and become real friends. Both Jordan and Parker struggled to find female friends, and I was so happy to see Parker find that. Their relationship really helps Kate grow and understand things from a viewpoint not her own, since Emily's mindset changed too suddenly for Kate to be able to adapt. By coming to understand and accept Parker's choices, Kate is able to reevaluate her relationship with Emily.

Surprisingly enough, given how touchy I am on the subject, the religion in Things I Can't Forget never irked me. Kate's beliefs are very much her own, and not preached in any way. Other characters put forth their own religious views that do not necessarily match Kate's. The tone is one of self-discovery, tolerance, and respect for the beliefs of others, messages I agree with wholeheartedly. The way Miranda turns the creation of arts and crafts into a metaphor for beliefs and the right way to live life is so subtle and perfect.

The one element I would have liked to see developed a bit more is the supporting cast. Kenneally creates such vibrant characters, and you learn a good deal about the secondary characters as well as the main. However, at the end, the whole plot line with the exacting Megan seemed somewhat unresolved. I really want to know what her motivations are, and if they're really based on some sort of dislike of other women, which is how she came off to me. On top of that, I'd really like to know more about what was going on with Brad. Obviously, I still loved the book, but having these characters a bit more fleshed out would have bumped my rating to the full five stars.

Things I Can't Forget will not be an easy novel for every reader, but it's a very powerful one. Miranda Kenneally has written yet another book with a cast that comes wholly alive to the reader. I don't think Kenneally can write a book I won't like. If you like contemporary fiction and haven't read any of her books, what are you waiting for?

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Quote:

"That's the thing about art. You can't force it. You can't tell someone else how to do it. You can let them watch you, you can show them examples—like I just did for Parker, but you can't do it for them, or it's not their art.
     Art can't be shared that way."

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Guest Post by Miranda Kenneally

Thank you for having me today to talk about my 10 favorite YA books! This list is in no particular order, as that would be waaaaaay too difficult for me to figure out.

1. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen: Sarah Dessen is the queen of character development in YA. Along for the Ride is my favorite of her books, because it shows the power of how one summer can change everything.
2. Graceling by Kristin Cashore: I love this book not only because it swept me away to a fantastic world and Po (the hot guy) makes me have to *fans self* constantly, but because Katsa is the epitome of girl power!
3. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta: I read this during a twelve-hour flight. I’m pretty sure I cried for most of that flight. This is another book where I adored the character development and enjoyed how much the author made me think.
4. Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn: One of the funniest books ever! It made me feel just like I was in New York at Christmas. If you haven’t read this yet, I’d suggest waiting until Christmastime to read it with cookies and hot cocoa.
5. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart: Not only is this book super smart, Frankie is totally badass. I loved watching her infiltrate and take over a boys-only secret society at her private school.
6. Fire by Kristin Cashore: Like with GRACELING, I loved this world Cashore created, and I enjoyed watching a weak girl become strong and find her place in society.
7. Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson: I loved getting to see the real America in this road trip book. The emotions and watching Amy forgive herself are great too.
8. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card: This book blew my mind up. That is all.
9. The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta: This bittersweet story explored how terrorism can affect a family. I cried for Tom, but the book had some really funny parts too.
10. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen: Again, the author’s character development is fantastic. Remy isn’t a particularly likeable character at the beginning but she grows so much that I loved her by the end. And Dexter the love interest made me laugh like crazy. 

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Miranda Kenneally is the author of CATCHING JORDAN, STEALING PARKER, THINGS I CAN'T FORGET (March 2013), and RACING SAVANNAH (December 2013). Miranda is the co-creator of Dear Teen Me. The Dear Teen Me Anthology was published on October 31, 2012. She enjoys reading and writing young adult literature, and loves Star Trek, music, sports, Mexican food, Twitter, coffee, and her husband. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook. Miranda is represented by Sara
Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency.

Sadie Hawkins Sunday Review #5: Fall for Anything

Fall for Anything

Author: Courtney Summers
Pages: 230
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Purchased

Description from Goodreads:
From the author of Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are comes a gripping story about one girl’s search for clues into the mysterious death of her father.

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?

First Sentence: "My hands are dying."

Review:

Courtney Summers is one of those authors I come to for a really depressing read, and she really delivers in Fall for Anything. Eddie Reeves' has not been the same since her photographer father committed suicide. Of course, who would be with a loved parent dead and no idea why he would do such a thing? Fall for Anything is a girl's search for answers.

In the wake of her father's suicide, Eddie's mother has fallen apart, refusing to leave the house or take off her husband's housecoat. A nosy friend of the family, Beth, moves in to keep the family functioning the way she thinks they should be. Eddie does not approve. I really like how up front Eddie is about her distaste for this person coming and messing with their mourning. The moments when she complains about Beth or about her best friend Milo's girlfriend are when she feels most like a normal teenager.

Seth Reeves hardly left anything behind to explain why he killed himself. Until she knows why, Eddie doesn't know how to deal. To cope, she turns her focus to frustrating Beth and thinking about boys. She's looking for meaning, and if she can't find it in her father's action, maybe she can find it in Culler Evans, his only student. Eddie makes some really dumb choices with regards to romance, but they're so obviously a cry for help even she doesn't know she's making.

My favorite part is the mystery of why Seth jumped from the roof. Eddie and Culler find a box of photographs. From them, they discern clues as to his reason for exiting this world. Their search turns into a road trip and a bunch of life lessons. Those left behind when a loved one commits suicide will always wonder why, and feel culpable; this is why Eddie searches.

One of the most fascinating techniques Summers uses to highlight Eddie's discomfort is the coldness in her hands. Since his death, her hands have not been warm, even though it's the middle of summer. She has trouble using them and it's almost as though they've been damaged by the ordeal and cannot be fixed, in much the way Lady Macbeth couldn't get the damn spot out.

Unfortunately, I never personally connected with Eddie, and I viewed her solely from a distance. My heart didn't ache for her the way it did for Sloane in This Is Not a Test. Both are withdrawn, unhappy, messed up girls, but for some reason Sloane captured my heart and Eddie did not. I think part of my disconnection was how incredibly sad every aspect of this book is. I prefer a bit more humor, even really dark humor, mixed in to lighten the mood. That juxtaposition tends to make points more strongly, I find, than a book that stays consistently sad.

Courtney Summers writes amazing books, though I do not think this one will be my favorite of the bunch. I do, however, plan to revisit this one later in life, because the themes of dealing with grief might be more meaningful for me then.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Quote: "'Eddie, I think . . . sometimes lies bring you to the truth . . . or help you reconcile with it . . . '"

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Up Next:

The next Sadie Hawkins Sunday book will be Earth Girl by Janet Edwards. This suggestion comes from Kayla Beck of Bibliophilia, Please, who also gifted me a copy. Thanks lovely!

Want to tell me what to read? Fill out THIS FORM with a book suggestion! For more details, check this post.

Review: Second Helpings

Second Helpings
Jessica Darling, Book 2

Author: Megan McCafferty
Pages: 357
Publisher: Broadway
Source: Library

Description from Goodreads:
“Knowing that I’ve just done something that will take decades off my parents’ lives with worry, you’ll excuse me for not getting into the fa-la-la-la-la Yuletide spirit this year. . . . The only difference between Christmas 2001 and Christmas 2000 is that I don’t have a visit from Hope to look forward to. And Bethany has already packed on some major fetal flab. Oh, and now Gladdie doesn’t need to ask a bizillion questions about my boyfriend, because she’s already gotten the dirt from you know who.”

Jessica Darling is up in arms again in this much-anticipated, hilarious sequel to Sloppy Firsts. This time, the hyperobservant, angst-ridden teenager is going through the social and emotional ordeal of her senior year at Pineville High. Not only does the mysterious and oh-so-compelling Marcus Flutie continue to distract Jessica, but her best friend, Hope, still lives in another state, and she can’t seem to escape the clutches of the Clueless Crew, her annoying so-called friends. To top it off, Jessica’s parents won’t get off her butt about choosing a college, and her sister Bethany’s pregnancy is causing a big stir in the Darling household.

With keen intelligence, sardonic wit, and ingenious comedic timing, Megan McCafferty again re-creates the tumultuous world of today’s fast-moving and sophisticated teens. Fans of Sloppy Firsts will be reunited with their favorite characters and also introduced to the fresh new faces that have entered Jess’s life, including the hot creative writing teacher at her summer college prep program and her feisty, tell-it-like-it-is grandmother Gladdie. But most of all, readers will finally have the answers to all of their burgeoning questions, and then some: Will Jessica crack under the pressure of senioritis? Will her unresolved feelings for Marcus wreak havoc on her love life? Will Hope ever come back to Pineville? Fall in love with saucy, irreverent Jessica all over again in this wonderful sequel to a book that critics and readers alike hailed as the best high school novel in years.

Prior Books in Series:
1: Sloppy Firsts (Review|Goodreads)

First Sentence: "Hope, by the time you get this, I will already be attending the Summer Pre-College Enrichment Curriculum in Artistic Learning."

Review:

I will do my best to refrain my flailing and fangirling in this review, but it's going to be really difficult, because this series gives me so many feels. SO. MANY. FEELS. Seriously, if you like contemporaries at all and are not easily offended, then you really need to read the Jessica Darling series posthaste. Second Helpings follows Jessica through her senior year of high school, and had me even more on the edge of my seat than the first one.

As I mentioned in my review for Sloppy Firsts, I love Jessica. She is so well-characterized that I feel like I know her up and down. I can tell you her strengths, her weaknesses, and how she fails to see herself properly, as most people do in high school. Jessica grows up a lot in this book, learning to go for what she really wants and to see herself more objectively. In Sloppy Firsts, Jessica did a lot of things to please others, but now she's focused on herself.

One thing (out of many) that I love about this series is that it's so obvious that Jessica doesn't know what she wants. Though, from my perspective, I can tell the right choice from the wrong one, I know Jessica so well that I understand when she missteps. She works out her difficulties in her journal, rehashing them over and over again, trying to process her feelings, particularly about boys. Relationships are confusing, and it can be really difficult to tell how you actually feel about someone, especially if they're also your friend. McCafferty shows that all teen relationships don't last forever, and that romance isn't easy or found at first sight.

In my previous review, I mentioned that I was still a bit unsure about Marcus Flutie. Let the record show that I am no longer unsure. Before I got too far into Second Helpings, I was shipping Jessica and Marcus something fierce. Basically, in book one, he didn't really overcome his sketchy past enough to be someone I could really endorse as a hero, but, by now, he's made good, now using his talents for good rather than substance abuse. He and Jessica have such a strong mental connection, and chemistry like whoa. Also, it's hilarious how, for two forthright, honest people, they have a huge amount of trouble admitting their feelings for one another.

Though I've decided not to rate down for this because I just loved this book so much, this edition had a surprising number of typos. Also, that ending was mean. Just mean. I am very afraid that I will not like the next book, mostly because I have no idea what will happen and I have nerves just thinking about all the bad, but realistic, decisions I will need to watch Jessica make. MAKE GOOD CHOICES, JESSICA.

To reiterate, you should probably be reading this series. Do it. So you can flail with me. Please?

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Quote: "I was going to say how this is easy for him to believe because he is a romantic.  was going to point out how I am a realist. Actually, how I am a defensive pessimist. I always assume the worst, so if the reality is even a wee bit better than my disaster scenario, it's a cause for celebration."

Review: The Death of Bees

The Death of Bees

Author: Lisa O'Donnell
Pages: 336
Publisher: Harper
Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours

Description from Goodreads:
A riveting, brilliantly written debut novel-a coming-of-age story with the strong voice and powerful resonance of Swamplandia! and The Secret Life of Bees-in which two young sisters attempt to hold the world at bay after the mysterious death of their parents.

Today is Christmas Eve. Today is my birthday. Today I am fifteen. Today I buried my parents in the backyard. Neither of them were beloved.

Marnie and her little sister Nelly are on their own now. Only they know what happened to their parents, Izzy and Gene, and they aren't telling. While life in Glasgow's Hazlehurst housing estate isn't grand, they do have each other. Besides, it's only one year until Marnie will be considered an adult and can legally take care of them both.

As the new year comes and goes, Lennie, the old man next door, realizes that his young neighbors are alone and need his help. Or does he need theirs? But he's not the only one who suspects something isn't right. Soon, the sisters' friends, their other neighbors, the authorities, and even Gene's nosy drug dealer begin to ask questions. As one lie leads to another, dark secrets about the girls' family surface, creating complications that threaten to tear them apart.

Written with fierce sympathy and beautiful precision, told in alternating voices, The Death of Bees is an enchanting, grimly comic tale of three lost souls who, unable to answer for themselves, can answer only for each other.

First Sentence: "Eugene Doyle. Born 19 June 1972. Died 17 December 2010, aged thirty-eight."

Review:

For those of you who don't know, I have a sizable obsession with British pop culture. When I signed up for the tour, I, admittedly, didn't know how British this book is, but when I figured that out, oh my, was I ever excited. As odd as this book is, I can compare it to a couple of things. To get The Death of Bees, combine the darker, more disturbing family elements of Shameless with the murder and hijinks of Keeping Mum. If you appreciate the sort of dark humour that Brits excel at, do not miss O'Donnell's brilliantly odd debut.

One of my very favorite narrative styles is multiple first person points of view, but finding one done correctly happens rarely. O'Donnell succeeds with her first novel. The Death of Bees rotates through three perspectives: the two sisters, Marnie and Nelly, and their neighbor, Lennie. Each one of them has a very distinct personality and thought pattern. Telling them apart is quite simple. The narratives are stream of consciousness, and, thus, occasionally quite strange, like the section in which Nelly is singing a song to herself. Though not generally a fan of stream of consciousness style writing, O'Donnell wields this method well.

Marnie and Nelly's parents are useless, on the dole and drug-addicted, the father abusive. When both parents die, in somewhat sketchy circumstances, Marnie and Nelly do the obvious thing: bury them in the background in the middle of winter. Well, actually, the ground's really hard and they got tired, so they just get Gene buried and leave Izzy in the shed for a while. They plant strong-smelling lavender atop Gene's grave, in an effort to cover the stench. Because they bury the body too shallowly, and the other not at all, the neighbor's dog keeps coming over and trying to find the bodies, a continual source of worry for the girls.

Many of the scenes in The Death of Bees, particularly early on, are of a fairly graphic nature. The body-disposal chapters will haunt me for quite a while. If you cannot handle descriptions of fluids and ickiness, this book may not be for you. This is comedy of the very darkest colour. The book also includes drug use, statutory rape, abuse, and probably some other touchy subjects I'm forgetting to list.

Marnie and Nelly were thinking when they buried their parents in the backyard; they did not want to be put into foster care, an inevitability, so better to pretend their parents are on a perpetual vacation. Lennie, their nosy but well-intentioned neighbor notices that they seem to be all alone. An old man living alone after the death of his lover and harassed because he was caught trying to solicit a male prostitute, Lennie desperately desires company, and he adopts the two girls, unofficially serving as guardian and grandfather to them. He gives them the first real parenting they've probably ever gotten.

Marnie is a brilliant girl, pulling straight As, despite the fact that she never does homework and runs with a bad crowd. She's a sassy one, a both entertaining and tragic figure. With all her life experience, it's very difficult to fathom that she's only fifteen. Her sister, Nelly, on the other hand, acts incredibly posh, an affectation she picked up who knows where. She plays the violin with great skill and looks lovely, but is clearly touched in the head. Though Marnie makes a lot of disastrously terrible life choices, Nelly's the one you really have to worry about, because there is some seriously crazy stuff happening in her mind.

O'Donnell's debut plumbs dark depths of humanity, showing both the best and worst of human interaction. This is an ideal read for those with a slightly morbid sense of humor.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Quote: "My guidance teacher Mrs. MacLeod (middle-aged yah trying to do good among the peasants of Maryhill) said the only thing keeping me from the abyss of total delinquency is my gift for learning. Like Nelly I appear to possess qualities she believes to be wasted on a girl 'so utterly destructive in temperament'—she actually wrote that in my report—meaning I smoke and drink and have abortions, actually one abortion, but still, I have an A average that I maintain with little or no effort on my part and they despise me for it, mostly because they can't take credit for it; in other words intelligence should be the reward of the virginal nonsmokers of the world, not some morally corrupt teenager with dead junkies in her back garden."

Review: Sloppy Firsts

Sloppy Firsts
Jessica Darling, Book 1

Author: Megan McCafferty
Pages: 298
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Source: Library

Description from Goodreads:
“My parents suck ass. Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps me sane? . . . I don’t see how things could get any worse.”

When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?

A fresh, funny, utterly compelling fiction debut by first-time novelist Megan McCafferty, Sloppy Firsts is an insightful, true-to-life look at Jessica’s predicament as she embarks on another year of teenage torment--from the dark days of Hope’s departure through her months as a type-A personality turned insomniac to her completely mixed-up feelings about Marcus Flutie, the intelligent and mysterious “Dreg” who works his way into her heart. Like a John Hughes for the twenty-first century, Megan McCafferty taps into the inherent humor and drama of the teen experience. This poignant, hilarious novel is sure to appeal to readers who are still going through it, as well as those who are grateful that they don’t have to go back and grow up all over again.

First Sentence: "Hope, I guess your move wasn't a sign of the Y2K teen angst apocalypse after all."

Review:

When I was a teen a did very little reading of books from the teen section, which I now inhabit on a regular basis, because I like to do the unexpected. Anyway, one of the exceptions I made was Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty, which I remember totally loving. Also, I remember being disappointed by the sequel (or sequels, as I really do not remember how far I read). Having reread this, I commend my younger self for liking this one, but I am unsurprised that my love was short-lived, because I liked happy, escapist reads and this is not that.

Oddly, I do not remember this book having a profound impact on my teen self, which is ridiculous, because Jessica Darling is a heroine I relate to even now, in my dotage. She's intelligent, way more studious than I ever was. She uses her intelligence to be a smart-ass and to over-think everything (hey, soul sister!). I love the way she thinks about everything, because the way she delves into minor details and thinks herself into an endless cycle of worry is completely identifiable. Her constant mental whirlwind reminds me a lot of the Ruby Oliver books by E. Lockhart, though those are a bit on the lighter side tone-wise.

The writing is pitch perfect, capturing the personality of Jessica Darling. Her mental landscape is a very familiar place, and it's frankly terrifying how much I still identify with so far as her insecurities go. Those easily offended by swearing or the use of terms like 'ho' or 'hoochie' will probably be offended by a lot of what Jessica writes in her journal, but McCafferty's not making a statement with those things. This is how a lot of teens talk and think, and she uses these words not to be shocking but to be real. I love watching Jessica evolve throughout, working through things and changing opinions she previously held based on new information.

As with many contemporary teen novels, Sloppy Firsts focuses on popularity and friendship in high school. Jessica's best friend, Hope, has moved away, leaving her to navigate the social minefield of high school alone. Now, Jessica's actually in a pretty popular crowd, but she does not feel any less alone, because, really, she hates their guts. If she left she would have no one, and she's not brave enough for that (and, honey, let me tell you, not having friends is worse). Where most stories would be about embracing your true self and finding perfect happiness as a result, a group of kindred spirits appearing to embrace you, Sloppy Firsts isn't. The themes of being true to yourself are, but sometimes your kindred spirit moved away or just doesn't exist, and it's sad but true. However, she does find that maybe things aren't so bad as she thought they were, too, in that she can be more connected, even if the people here aren't Hope.

Romantic relationships and sex are also a huge part of the novel. Most of Jessica's 'friends' are very sexually active, whether they've done the deed or not. Jessica has had just one (really gross) kiss. Teen sex lives are very openly discussed, and I love McCafferty's frank attitude towards this topic. I'm especially impressed since the book came out in 2000, not in the more permissive current YA landscape. Way to go, McCafferty.

The Darling parents receive quite a bit of focus as well. They are present parents, but highly flawed ones. Due to the death of her brother from SIDS before her birth, they're both emotionally damaged. Her mother spends all of her energy planning Bethany's (Jess' much older sister) wedding. Jess' father only cares about her as an athlete, raising her like the son he didn't get to keep. Jessica struggles with her parents' treatment of her, feeling inferior both to the living and departed sibling. Their familial relationships ache with honesty and miscommunication, as well as naturally disparate personalities.

Marcus Flutie. If you mention this book to anyone who's read it, their first response will invariably be something like this, "MARCUS FLUTIE!!!! WAZZAHHHHH!" Now, I remembered Marcus Flutie vaguely. Basically, I recalled that he eventually becomes the love interest, but that's about it. Imagine my surprise when he's a drug-doing guy with dreads. That threw some serious cold water on my memory. If the book has any weakness at all (a point I'm undecided on, so I'm going for the full rating because this book is really good), it's how quickly Jessica becomes obsessed with Marcus when he's Krispy Kreme, when there's no way I could crush on a guy like that. However, I am not Jessica, and she lives her life in fantasies, so, on a lot of levels, that really makes sense. He pays attention to her, even an irritating non-flattering sort of attention, when she feels incredibly alone. Thankfully, Marcus does evolve as a character, because he's super icky at first. I'm not fully sold on him yet, but I am desperate to find out what happens next because that ending was mean.

You've probably heard of the Jessica Darling books by now, but, if you haven't, I highly recommend giving them a try. Sloppy Firsts is daring, funny, sad, thought-provoking, and unflinchingly honest. If you enjoy E. Lockhart's Ruby Oliver books, you most definitely need to read Megan McCafferty.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Quote:

"Right now I feel guilty to be alive. Why? Because I'm wasting it. I've been given this life and all I do is mope it away.
     What's worse is, I am totally aware of how ridiculous I am. It would be a lot easier if I believed I was the center of the universe, because then I wouldn't know any better not to make a big deal out of everything. I know how small my problems, are, yet that doesn't stop me from obsessing about them.
     I have to stop doing this.
     How do other people get happy? I look at people laughing and smiling and enjoying themselves and try to get inside their heads. How do Bridget, Manda, and Sara do it? Or Pepe? Or everyone but me?
     Why does everything I see bother me? Why can't I just get over these daily wrongdoings? Why can't I just move on and make the best of what I've got?
     I wish I knew."