Book Review: Free To Fall by Lauren Miller

This is the same author that wrote Parallel. I didn't like this one as much, but still really enjoyed it. I didn't like it as much because it messed me up. Not like the other one where I just didn't fully grasp how the science behind it worked until the end. No, this was a whole "wtf why are they doing that, why am I reading this, why". When you read it you'll understand. It was very 1984 in the concept. Scary about how the things that are supposed to protect/entertain us can be turned against us very quickly. (Everyone panic! The world is ending because of cell phones and social media!!!!!)

Since it did mess with my brain and made me question any app I ever get again, that means it was written very well. Only books that are written well can make you believe the things they are telling you and mess with your brain like that. 

It's a little predictable however. If you've read enough young adult novels (not saying they're all the same, but there is a trend) to figure out what will most likely happen once you read the blurb. I did read it for those exact reasons, though. The execution wasn't as polished as I was hoping for. It was just too fast for me. Girl meets boy, boy challenges girl's thinking, girl realizes that maybe things aren't always what they seem, happily ever after, etc, etc. Yeah. I'm totally okay with that. There was just one part that ruined it. Love interest does something wrong and the narrator is so quick to forgive him. No! Make him work for it and prove that he'll never do it again. Preferably when one of you is dying- that means more angst and I enjoy angst a lot. Sigh. Girls, make your love interest prove to you that they won't mess up again, don't just believe them right away because you "love" them after three days. Maybe that's just me. I don't know.

The ending was pretty good- a little cheesy, but good. It could've laid off the whole "phones and social media will kill you" morale, but it had some good points in there. If she writes another book, I'll probably read it because I like her style of writing. I hope she continues with the sci-fi genre. Who knows.

Read: August 2015
My Rating: 4.5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

Kate Quinn’s mom died last year, leaving Kate parentless and reeling. So when the unexpected shows up in her living room, Kate must confront another reality she never thought possible—or thought of at all. Kate does have a father. He’s a powerful politician. And he’s running for U.S. President. Suddenly, Kate’s moving in with a family she never knew she had, joining a campaign in support of a man she hardly knows, and falling for a rebellious boy who may not have the purest motives. This is Kate’s new life. But who is Kate? When what she truly believes flies in the face of the campaign’s talking points, she must decide. Does she turn to the family she barely knows, the boy she knows but doesn’t necessarily trust, or face a third, even scarier option?
Set against a backdrop of politics, family, and first love, this is a story of personal responsibility, complicated romance, and trying to discover who you are even as everyone tells you who you should be.

I've been looking all over for this. Seriously. It was worth the wait, though.

To be honest, I was apprehensive when I actually started reading it. I read how the narrator finds out her dad is a politician who's running for president. As a Republican. Isn't that enough to strike fear into your heart? (I kid, I have no hate for any politic affiliation.) My apprehension was coming from the story line of her basically "converting" to something different despite her initial resistance. Or that it would completely demonize that whole party. That's just dumb. No matter how much one may disagree with their standings. 

Thankfully, this was not either at all. 

It was just a story about a girl who finds herself emerged into a new world of politics and what that means. Party affiliation was just details. It also forced her to face what she truly believed in. It was also weird/interesting to read around this time because my background noise for a majority of this book was the candidates for the 2016 election. It's freakishly similar. Also unnecessary 400+ days away from the actual election but whatever. 'Merica.

There was also an element of drama and suspense throughout the novel. Either internally within the narrator or externally with her beliefs vs. those of her father's. It was a different take about politics because it was all behind the scenes. We got to see the moments that lead up to the rallies and interviews. How much was staged and how much was actually real. How true these situations are, I don't know. The narrator handled these situations like a badass. She was a great protagonist to be put in this setting. She kept things under control and only really let go when it was too much. I could really relate to her reactions despite never being in any situation close to what she was going through. 

Now, the romance was okay. It was basically used as a metaphor for the narrator "following her heart". I get that and can appreciate it, but I wish it had developed more. Also more swoons. Or at least moments of connection instead of a montage of phone calls. The end made up for it a little. It was really cute. 

If you don't mind politics and moments that make you want to possibly poison some fictional characters, then give this book a read! It's really good. 

Read: August 2015

My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.
Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.
Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life. 
When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . .

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids has been on my radar for awhile now for multiple reasons. Namely because of; diversity, interracial couple and the Pacific Northwest. 

Oh, and mermaids. Sort of. 

If you're looking for a story about actual mermaids, this isn't that. I think it was sort of like a modern re-telling of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. Either that or just an homage to it. The narrator can't speak, can't sing and her voice was stolen by the sea. She also meets a handsome sailor. So in those details, yes, it's similar to the Disney movie we all know and love.

But that's about where the similarities end. First off, we have a WOC (woman of color) as the narrator. Yay! The book is constantly bringing up parts of her culture without making it stereotypical, like it's "cool" or trying really hard to say that she's different. There was no "I'm [insert culture] so I do [insert thing] because I'm [insert culture]". None of that. It was just the character being herself and it was wonderful. 

The author did a great job with her culture as well as her disability. It was interesting to read from her perspective because while I'm used to constantly hearing the narrator's thoughts, I wasn't used to them not being able to share them easily. It was also interesting to see how others react to her disability. There was a wide range of them and it represented the characters well. It was also a great character development for her to lose her voice only to find it again. You'll see when you read it.

Being a PNW native myself, I was curious to see how the author would represent this rainy wasteland I call home. She did a great job. While the setting was mainly just a backdrop for the story, she captured the essence of it remarkably well. It was nice to see the narrator view it as cold and rainy until she came to realize the ancient power and wisdom it has. If you've been to the PNW, especially the Oregon coast, you'd understand.

Also, I loved the incorporation of the mermaid myth. Atargatis being the first mermaid and the town she lives in being named after her. Unfortunately, the town doesn't actually exist. (Another fictional let down. Why couldn't have Forks not existed instead?) Anyways, mermaids. It was so cool. I don't know what else to say besides read it. Seriously. It's worth it. Also it has a pretty cover. 

Read: August 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars