This book was published by MTV originally when I was in middle school. It was a word on the street book. Passed in the halls in between classes my friends and I poured over the words as a written version of our souls. Now, more than ten years down the road it’s finally getting its recognition with a movie coming out! An updated version of The Catcher in the Rye, it’s a book for a new generation. It made me felt infinite and you will too!
Was this the first book that made me cry? No, I don’t think so but it was the first book that I read that didn’t have a happy resolved ending. The loss has stuck with me even as an adult. Is it important as a child to read books that stretch your emotions? Definitely. I don’t dislike books that make me sad but I don’t go to the bookstore or library in search of them. This book is a child’s level tale of life and everyone should read it at least once.
Simply stunning cover, gorgeous!
What would one give to have the love of their life returned to them? In West Michigan Emma Gentry pines for her boyfriend Daniel who died over the summer from a tragic accident. Once inseparable there’s nothing that can fill Emma’s hollow heart. She hides in his sweatshirt wandering the cemetery after school, wishing for a place to mourn. With her best friend Bree standing by her side Emma tries to adjust. Then the mysterious Alex Franks appears and finally Emma sees through her heartbroken haze.
However, Alex’s dad isn’t favourable about the match and the harder he restricts him from seeing Emma, the more the two are drawn to each other. Guilty over cheating on Daniel’s memory, Emma can’t resist the power Alex has over her. He’s strong like Daniel, opens her locker just like Daniel, and he even winks just like Daniel. The similarities turn eerie as Alex’s father pulls him out of school-leaving Emma no choice but to visit his house, only to discover the truth of what really happened to Daniel…
I adored Broken by A.E. Rought. The language was beautifully spooky for it’s setting making it a perfect autumn read. Throw in a paranormal retelling of one of my favourite classics and it was difficult to put down, this is YA romance at it’s best. Life is hard in high school and it’s unthinkable how one could go on after the death of a boyfriend. Emma is easy to relate too even through her grief and she stands as a good example of trying to move on from tragedy.
The beginning moves smoothly to a fantastic and exciting finish. I’ve always loved Halloween and I wish the book was being released in October instead of January. I’d recommend this book for the real YA audience as well as for adults. It’s a YA crossover of 50 Shades of Grey level (for the heat only!), but cleverly written and wonderfully executed. Read for the romance, stay for the passion and enjoy the gothic language as it transports you to a time when all that mattered in life is love.
Broken will be released on January 8th, 2013. Pre-order your copy from Barnes & Noble in the US or directly from the publisher in the UK.
This book was provided as an ARC from Angry Robot from their imprint Strange Chemistry for an honest review. I’m thrilled to receive the galley because I thought Angry Robot is one of the coolest names for a publisher. Many thanks Angry Robot and Strange Chemistry!
Pricilla ‘Prissie’ Pomeroy likes the color pink, lives in a small town, is the only daughter with five brothers and oh yeah she can see angels. Initially amazed, she struggles with accepting her new reality. When the angels show her their world behind the blue door Prissie accepts that God has destined a higher purpose for her. Mustering her strength in God, she continues her life but is always in the presence of angels. Where there are angels there must also be demons and the realm of the heavenly is in danger. This is only the beginning for Prissie, as trouble lurks at every step and she is the key the angels must protect.
A debut for author Christa Kinde, The Blue Door is an interesting read. I gave the book three and half hearts because on one hand, for the Christian market Kinde hit it out of the park. On the other hand I don’t think the story would translate well for the traditional market. I applaud Zondervan for branching out to the Young Adult genre and I hope the series continues. The book is fantastically written for its audience. The Christian aspects are woven wonderfully together within the narrative that even someone unfamiliar to the faith will still get the meaning of the story.
However, there were some issues. I felt that Prissie came off as younger than she was and for nearly three hundred pages it’s mainly setting and character development with a hint of conflict behind the scenes. Perhaps this is due to it being Christian fiction and as the first book of the series I can understand the importance of covering the strength of Prissie’s faith. I just kept waiting for a big event to happen and unfortunately Kinde has saved it for the second book. I’m still interested to learn more about Prissie’s journey and will keep an eye out for the next installment. I think Kinde is a brilliant writer for the Christian genre and it’s a great choice for young adults strong in their faith. I also recommend it for readers that want to stretch their reading by trying something different. Parents can rest easy with this book in their children’s hands and it was refreshing to read an age appropriate book!
This book was an ARC supplied by Zondervan from Net Galley for an honest review. Thank you so much!
What would you do if offered the choice to live forever? Fourteen-year-old Seraphina didn’t think when her life slipped away, and was saved by the handsome Cyrus. A kind gesture at the moment but even a crush from the 1400’s eventually evolves over six hundred years. Cyrus may have the answer to eternal life but the price becomes too high for Sera. Their routines for survival are flawless, but Sera longs for the next stage in the afterlife.
After an attempt to escape Cyrus’ clutches go awry, Sera finds herself being a teenager with a normal family. Being sixteen with best friends, a secret neighbour boyfriend and parents all over her, Sera settles into this life she accidently stole. But Cyrus isn’t like any ex-boyfriend. He’s looking for Sera and will do anything and everything in his power to find her to bring her back to the fold…
The Alchemy of Forever is an unusual take on YA paranormal romance. Mixed with fantasy and urban magic, I was pleasantly surprised to learn this book is the first in a series. Seraphina gets an opportunity most people long to experience, living forever. It’s refreshing to see her take the side of being tired of having been there and done that. Sera is such a delightful character, a strange mix of naïve teenager and wise old voodoo priestess. Although living through her pasts could have been more prominent to give Sera a deeper sense of character. I hope this issue is further explored in the next book.
As Sera evolves into Kailey and discovers love, perhaps a true love for the first time in six hundred years, she’ll do anything to remain hidden from Cyrus. You can’t help but hope that Sera will find a way to be rid of him, or accept her fate and kill herself for real. The book finishes on such a cliffhanger that I was mad it had ended! With Goodreads showing it’s a series I can’t wait for the next book to be published next year. It’ll be interesting to see if this series will go the Twilight route, meaning focusing on obsessive love or if can dig a little deeper into this idea of living forever. Relevant and in the know it’s a quick read for young teens of today.
Fresh out of the aftermath of his parent’s divorce, Australian teenager Luke Hunter tries to remain calm when his mum declares they’re moving to an unknown place called Phoenix in the bush. Upon arrival, Luke notices Phoenix is a town where there’s more that meets the eye. No phones, no Internet, no cars, everyone travels by bike and are living in homes that look just like everyone else’s. Missing his dad, Luke attempts to settle in and make friends at High School.
With the appearance of a rough homeless man streaking across the prestigious Phoenix town, Luke can’t help but take notice. A mysterious gift of a flash drive with a classmate’s name only adds to the confusion. Even though the event does assist in the process of making friends with cool Peter and fiery Jordan. Curiosity builds as they decode the flash drive, discovering a possible confession that Phoenix was built to save humanity- and that the world would be ending in 100 days….
The countdown at the beginning of each chapter added to my fury in reading this book. Morphew is a talented Aussie in creating action and suspense that encourages the younger generation to read. How would you feel if you learned the world is going to end, and you’ve been selected as a part of the population to be saved? It’s a big question for teenagers to ignore.
The mysterious context of Phoenix blends well with the teenage angst and drama of normal life adjusting to abnormality. It was a joy to be filled with the scenery of a hidden part of Australia, and Morphew left me wanting more. There are four books in the series so far and I can’t wait to get back to learn more about what’s happening to this world. I hope that an American publisher picks up this book; it’s been a wonderful experience to read such a delightful YA series about Australia. Not enough YA books take place in Australia and America needs the Southern hemisphere exposure. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book Contact!
Through a Seattle Looking Glass 