Review of Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Title/Author: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Publisher/Date published: Hyperion, May 15th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.
That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.
He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.
We are a sensational team."

You guys, know how I said I shy away from books about World War II?? Cause I usually do. But then I saw everyone raving about Code Name Verity and going ALL CAPS on it and I knew I had to give it a try after all. Even if it is DEFINITELY out of my comfort zone. And seriously, it hasn't let me down!

I absolutely loved how Elizabeth Wein could do the voices of both of the girls, Julie and Maddie, and have them be completely different! These girls are both incredible in their own way and seriously, it was just amazing how she let us get to know them both as individuals.
I have to say that I'm partial to Julie and enjoyed hearing the story in her voice much more than I did Maddie's, but well, Maddie's was none too shabby either!
And can I just say that I love an unreliable narrator? Cause I totally do! I want to reread this thing again and catch all the thing we find out towards the end and go all OMG! WHY DIDN'T I SEE THAT???

I have so much love for a lot of the characters that we are introduced to, but seriously, Julie and Maddie will just stay with me for a long time. They are both incredibly brave women who chose to defend their country when this wasn't conventional. And they both kicked serious ass at their respective jobs. I am just amazed by people like them and I feel honored having gotten the chance to know them, cause in my mind they appear very real. And I absolutey LOVE it when this happens.

You know what is funny? Writing this review makes me realise just how much I loved Code Name Verity!

And really, I was RIGHT THERE in the story with all of them, but I connected the most to Julie. I loved her sarcasm and her resourcefulness and just her plain awesomeness. I loved the friendship between her and Maddie and I loved hearing her tell the tale of how they came to be best friends. The storytelling was captivating and I just felt myself slowing down in order to catch everything and I still probably didn't cause I was also in a rush to find out what would happen next! I also loved that while there is the possiblity of a romantic undercurrent, it wasn't really part of the story, cause this story is about the bond of friendship between two young women in the time of World War II with both of them risking their lives for their country. And it was perfect just the way it was without adding boys into the picture.

The hints we get at the cruel torture techniques that are practiced by the German officers are beyond horrifying and the ones we do get to witness took my breath away with their viciousness. I was gaping at one thing that happens towards the end, but ultimately I love Maddie for what she did and she's a better and braver person than I am, cause I don't know if I could have done that.

This book left me feeling heartbroken, but also slightly hopeful and just generally grateful that I read it. Goes to show that stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to amazing experiences and it has convinced me that I may need to try it more often.
If you're a historical fiction fan or just plain like amazing captivating reads, this is your book. Why are you not reading this already?!

My rating: 5 stars

Review of Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow by Juliet Grey

Title/Author: Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow (Marie Antoinette #2) by Juliet Grey
Publisher/Date published: Ballantine Books, May 15th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow spans fifteen years in the fateful reign of Marie Antoinette, France’s most legendary and notorious queen.
Paris, 1774. At the tender age of eighteen, Marie Antoinette ascends to the French throne alongside her husband, Louis XVI. But behind the extravagance of the young queen’s elaborate silk gowns and dizzyingly high coiffures, she harbors deeper fears for her future and that of the Bourbon dynasty.
From the early growing pains of marriage to the joy of conceiving a child, from her passion for Swedish military attaché Axel von Fersen to the devastating Affair of the Diamond Necklace, Marie Antoinette tries to rise above the gossip and rivalries that encircle her. But as revolution blossoms in America, a much larger threat looms beyond the gilded gates of Versailles — one that could sweep away the French monarchy forever."

So you guys might remember that I enjoyed Becoming Marie Antoinette, the first book in this series, especially the last part, in which I finally connected to Marie Antoinette. So of course I was eager to continue learning about her part of history with the second book in this trilogy about her life!

I'm glad to say that I immediately connected to Marie Antoinette again and maybe it was easier to relate to her now because of her age, she's becoming an adult and actually starts to take responsibility for things. Not right away, she's still also the queen who ditched a dress after wearing it once and spend a LOT of money for her couture and her just as much couture hair dressings! The poufs the wore sounds insane and absurd, but apparently it was fashionable at the time.

Like I said in my review of Becoming Marie Antoinette, I'm not that familiar with her story other than that she was killed in the French Revolution. And I knew that the people of France didn't like her very much. I didn't know that their dislike of her went so far that there were a lot of hurtful pamphlets printed and she was critisized for everything, even for wanting to be a good mother and spending time with her children.

I really felt for her, she was trying to be a good queen, but with little guidance, only some through the letters she got from her mother, well, it must have been hard. She did have a huge gambling problem and spent a LOT of money when the treasury was basically going empty. I kept wondering why noone put a stop to this. I mean, sure she was the queen, but that doesn't mean you have to keep giving her money to gamble away right? I could understand the reasoning from Louis that is being used in this story: he couldn't give her what she wanted most, a child, so he tried to give her everything else.

And seriously, I cheered for this pair when they were finally able to consummate the marriage and when Marie Antoinette got pregnant! I truly believe they both were loving parents and also loved each other, even though they probably wouldn't have chosen to marry if they'd had a say in the matter. I really enjoyed the friendship between the king and queen. I don't

But there are the days of sorrow: both times the pair loses a child and the miscarriages and the death of Marie Antoinette's mother. The treachery at court and the downfall and the French Revolution that slowly starts to take form in this novel. I felt real sympathy for the king and queen, cause although they didn't make all the right choices, a lot of it was due to it being done like that for ages and they just fell into the traditions.

I really, really enjoyed learning more about Marie Antoinette's history and the period she and Louis XVI reigned. I think Juliet Grey did a wonderful job breathing life into these historical figures and I am definitely reading the last instalment, The Last October Sky!

My rating: 4 stars

Review of Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Title/Author: Gilt (The Royal Circle #1) by Katherine Longshore
Publisher/Date published: Viking, May 15th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "In the court of King Henry VIII, nothing is free -
and love comes at the highest price of all.
When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men - the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head."

I confess to being obsessed with the Tudors and being an anglophile in general. I cannot help myself. I squealed when the boyfriend and I went to London 2 years ago and we visited the Tower and Hyde Park and Westminster Abbey and just everything! But mostly the Tower, because it's such a dramatic setting for a lot of the stories I love about the tragedies of the English court. So when I saw this YA telling of the story of Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII I knew I HAD to read it!

And I'm so incredibly happy to say Gilt did not disappoint me in the least! I loved the whole feeling of the story! The court of Henry VIII is not a happy place and there's treachery lurking around and well, some people just make really, REALLY terrible decisions, but the drama of it all is intoxicating! The king isn't the handsome young man he once was and he tries to deny this by marrying a young girl who makes him feel invincible and desirable again. I did feel for Henry at times, because even though he had 6 wives, he doesn't seem like he ever had a happy marriage or a wive who truly loved him, aside maybe from his first wive, Catherine of Aragon.

I really liked Kitty, aside from being majorly influenced by Catherine, she's got a good head on her shoulders and knows right from wrong, even if she doesn't always act accordingly. I also loved that she didn't mistake lust for love in dealing with a handsome young man at court. And I loved her interaction with the other guy, there was a real connection there and it was absolutely wonderful. I liked that Kitty isn't fickle with her affection, even though I sometimes wanted to shout at the both of them to communicate!! But it didn't detract from the story, there were wonderful moments filled with tension and I just ate it up!

As we all know, the story of Catherine Howard doesn't end well. And even though I didn't necessarily like Cat, there was something about her that had me wishing it would end differently. Somehow Katherine Longshore managed to still have me rooting for a character I disliked and it left me feeling a bit confused, but major props to the author for this! I also liked that I got to see another side of Jane Boleyn, the widow of George Boleyn. The only way I've ever seen her pictured as before was coldhearted and scheming and well, she still schemes, but not AGAINST the queen. And I liked it, it's nice to see her not be made the villain for once.

Gilt does a great deal in showing how little power women actually had in those times and even if you were a queen, you could be done away with in a heartbeat. Those were scary times, especially at court, and Katherine Longshore did a great job portraying all these feelings.

And I just found out it's part of a series!! HOORAY! :D

Gilt by Katherine Longshore is everything I could possibly want from historical fiction and I believed her story! I as swept up in the drama of the court and the intrigue and just all of it and I loved every minute of reading this book! And though it doesn't end with a happily ever after, because it simply cannot with a head getting chopped off, it did leave me with a sense of hope and I love it when that happens!

My rating: 5 stars

Review of Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

Title/Author: Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway
Publisher/Date published: Bloomsbury Children's Books, May 8th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "In Abby’s world, magic isn’t anything special: it’s a part of everyday life. So when Abby learns that she has zero magical abilities, she’s branded an “Ord”—ordinary, bad luck, and quite possibly a danger to society.
The outlook for kids like Abby isn’t bright. Many are cast out by their families, while others are sold to treasure hunters (ordinary kids are impervious to spells and enchantments). Luckily for Abby, her family enrolls her in a school that teaches ordinary kids how to get around in a magical world. But with treasure-hunting kidnappers and carnivorous goblins lurking around every corner, Abby’s biggest problem may not be learning how to be ordinary — it’s whether or not she’s going to survive the school year!"

Every once in a while I read an MG inbetween my YA and adult historical romances and I usually end up smiling my way through them. Ordinary Magic was no exception! It was adorable and I kept just wanting to hug pretty much all of the characters!

Also, I loved how Caitlen Rubino-Bradway dealt with the issue of Abby being an Ord. It's generally not accepted and people even go as far as selling their children when they find out about it. The prejudice against Ords was just mindblowing. In my mind I kept comparing it to how people react to someone being gay or of a different nationality or skin color or religion because it is THE SAME. And it needs to stop! It's sick how much the treatment of Ords reminded me of those issues, especially with them being afraid they'd 'catch' it and generally not caring if something happened to them because they were 'just Ords'.
I loved how Caitlen Rubino-Bradway handled such a tough subject in a MG novel and managed to make it fun and something to think about at the same time.

I really liked Abby, she's a lovely girl and can I just say how much I loved her family?? I mean, she had an amazing loving family and especially after discovering how people usually react to their kid being an Ord I loved them for how they didn't treat her differently. The family is so close and I just loved the dynamics between the siblings. Also, I LOVED that one of Abby's brothers wrote historical romance! I mean: THAT IS SO COOL! And her big sister Alexa is pretty kickass awesome.

I loved the teachers and everyone at the school. And I really enjoyed the interaction between Abby and the other kids, especially the complicated relationship/friendship/whatever she had with one of the boys, Peter. There's some romantic tension brewing there and I liked that while there's probably something there, the author didn't go there with 12-year-olds.

The only thing that I didn't like was that the last part of the book just sort of ebbed out and then it just stopped. Though the story could sort of be seen as finished, the place where it ended felt off to me. Also, I can't find anywhere if this is a series. DOES ANYONE KNOW??? Cause it felt like there should be a sequel (and maybe several more) because of a lot of unfinished business. There are so many questions that haven't been answered and so much I want to find out about the world Abby lives in!

This was a cute, quick read dealing with not only fun but also a heavier subject that can be compared to actual problems in our world. Caitlen Rubino-Bradway has created an amazingly colorful world and a wonderful set of characters that I am begging to meet again in a sequel!

My rating: 4,5 stars

Discussion: Book Endings

So the book I just finished got me thinking about book endings and what sort of endings I like and dislike.

I'm a happily ever after kind of girl. I am, I'm not ashamed to admit this. It's probably not very literary of me, but it's just the way it is. I love it when a couple rides of into the sunset together and I love it when my hero and heroine have kids and/or get married and go on to live their lives blisfully in love with each other. I cheer when the bad guy get put into prison and the innocent gets his life back.

But I don't necessarily need to have all obstacles the characters face cleared away so they can be happy. I don't need the happily ever after, but I do love it when I finish a book that I'm either smiling or at least left with a sense of hope for the future. The ones where the main characters are still overcoming their difficulties, they have suffered heartbreaking losses and/or know that all will not be right, maybe never, but they still have something to believe in, some sort of goal or something to work towards. And the thing I most like: they are not defeated, there's still some fight left in them and a sense that they can make it better. They can survive these awful things that have happened.

Sometimes, however, I admit that if I know it'll end badly, I don't read the book or watch the movie. I refuse to watch Marly and Me because I've heard someone say what happens in it (and I know that I would cry and be heartbroken over it). I still haven't finished watching I Am Legend. I stoppend when that thing happened to the dog (I don't want to spoil anything, but it made all my hope vanish), it's been 3 years and even though one of the guys I went to college with tried to convince me Will Smith and those nasty creepers would be dancing around beneath a rainbow throwing flowers everywhere, I don't think I believe him.

The exception for this is historical fiction, cause though I know Anne Boleyn's head will get chopped off in the end, as well as another of Henry VIII's wives, I am endlessly fascinated by them and the stories different authors can spin around these historical figures.

So yes, I like my endings to be happy, but mostly I like the ending of a story to fit the rest of the book. I'm looking at Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini when I say this. And I imagine it will be the same if George R.R. Martin ever finishes his A Song of Ice and Fire saga. You can't have so much darkness and depression and death in a book or series and then just have everyone be ok in the end. I would be like ending the Shrek movies with Shrek and Fiona dying a horrible death.

Also, I don't mind not knowing everything that will go down in the lives of these characters after the last page, but I do very much dislike it when major plot points are left unresolved and I feel like I'm left hanging. Or getting swept under the rug cause it's more convenient than dealing with it. This tactic works while tidying up because your relatives are coming for a surprise visit, not with a novel.

So those are my thoughts, what about you? What do you like when it comes to book endings? Are you a happily ever after kind of person as well? Or can you handle the empty feeling of a hopeless situation better than I can? Is there a book that you thought had a perfect ending? Ones that disappointed you? Let me know!

Review of The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

Title/Author: The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland
Publisher/Date published: Penguin Publishing, May 10th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Elizabeth Margaret — better known as Em — has always known what life would contain: an internship at her father’s firm, a degree from Harvard and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is that it’s not what she wants. When she gets the opportunity to get away from it all and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em pursues her secret dream of being a chef, and she also learns that her family has kept some significant secrets from her, too. And then there’s Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can’t resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels she is living on her own terms for the first time."

Ok, so you guys, there was lots of good in The Summer My Life Began. But there was also a big load of things that bothered me. Or maybe it was just that the end royally sucked in my opinion. Let's explore, shall we?

Elizabeth Margaret, who is actually called Elizabeth Margaret by everyone except her little sister, is a girl who wants to make her parents happy (and seriously, there is nothing wrong with this in theory) and does this by conforming to what they see in her future instead of telling them what she really wants. I loved the bond she had with her sister and that she cared about her family. I did not love said family so much, apart from Gwenny, the sister. I mean, really, they were stiff and unforgiving and just did not seem interested in the least in what Em wanted and were not even a warm and affectionate family in the slightest.

Then Em lands into the warm nest that is her aunt Tilly's home and discovers things can actually be different. And I enjoyed seeing Em struggle with her sense of loyalty to her family and their wishes and coming into her own and learning what she wanted out of life.

There were also times I wanted to yell at her. I mean, that time when she goes out with a sorta bland guy, kisses him and then kisses Cade RIGHT AFTER??? Sure, I was cheering at them kissing, but I don't care if you're not officially together, that's still not right. Especially when you're not even telling said other guy about it and even go on another date with him.
I did really enjoy the romance between Em and Cade, they were so sweet together and I loved how they connected and they genuinely spent time together and it was just pretty amazing. Cade is a good guy with some lovely hidden talents!

I had seen the big plot point coming from pretty much the start, I think I was about 20 pages in when I figured it out. But, somehow, Em is just closing her eyes to all the clues falling together around her and did not see it coming at all. And COME ON! She was the valedictorian. She's smart. She should have figured it out. Or at least have had some inkling something wasn't adding up.

But all this aside, I was enjoying myself reading this. Right up until Em discovers the BIG FAMILY SECRET and then it all just felt rushed and everything fell together a little too convenient for me. I mean, Em is making big life decisions and it still FELT convenient. Em is okay with just leaving behind something I didn't think she would and it made me respect her less. Also, I was shocked and horrified by her family's behavior through it all. I mean, it was just plain wrong!

Ok, so I can't rant about this without a SPOILER! LIGHT UP TO READ!:
It went like 'I'm so mad at you, you kept being my mom instead of my aunt from me' to 5 minutes later: 'Oh, I love you and I'm staying here and basically abandoning the parents who raised me and my sister for you.' I was like WTF??? And then write them a freaking letter? And they called her brave? SERIOUSLY? That's not brave! That's taking the easy way out. This does however not excuse her family's behavior. I mean, seriously, you raise a girl for 17 years and then when she doesn't do what you want her to do, you just ignore her for MONTHS? No, just no. They had no right doing this. I mean, Em is the one who should be mad they kept this from her and instead of dealing with it they give her the silent treatment? SERIOUSLY? And then in the epilogue they all just sort of hug it out?? I mean, how about a little communication, hmm? This family is the QUEEN of avoiding confrontations and it annoyed me. A LOT.
**END OF SPOILER**

So, I ranted. I feel better now.

Aside from the things that I can't help but rage against, this was a fun read. But the last couple of chapters just didn't work for me, they felt rushed and it felt easy and I'm left feeling a bit deflated. I was so ready to give this a high rating and it's like someone punched a hole in my birthday balloon or something.
But yay for personal growth and cute boys and sweet summer romance and FOOD! Just skip the ending, I'll fill you in, no worries ;)

My rating: 2,5 stars

Review of Hollyweird by Terri Clark

Title/Author: Hollyweird by Terri Clark
Publisher/Date published: Flux Books, May 8th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Aly King is about to fall for the fallen
My best friend, Des, and I totally freaked when we won the contest to meet THE Dakota Danvers in Hollywood. But now we’re finding out he’s SO not the angel everyone believes him to be. In fact, Dakota is the son of Satan, wreaking havoc on Hollywood and creating an evil army hellbent on world domination.
Lucky for us, Dakota’s super-cute personal assistant, Jameson, is a fallen angel trying to get his wings back, and he’s working undercover to squash his demon boss’s plan. If Jameson hadn’t taken me under his wing I’d be in serious trouble, because I’m a total newb when it comes to conquering evil. But, truth be told, that sexy angel’s got me all aflutter and may be one temptation I can’t resist."

So I'd been expecting a fun, fluffy paranormal romance from the cover and the summary and it was exactly what I got!

The story flows very easily and it was just a breeze to get through the 240 pages that make up the whole of Hollyweird. I liked the characters, and thought that they were all pretty interesting and I though Aly was a well developed character. Her sister and best friend and even Jameson slightly less so. It actually switches POV between Aly and Jameson, but I never felt like I really learned a lot about him. The dynamics in the group were fun and the plot was interesting.

BUT. Yes, there is a but. Because of Hollyweird only spreading out over 240 pages, everything goes by pretty fast and sometimes it felt rushed. Especially the romance. I loved that it starts off with Aly admitting that she has insta-lust for Jameson (though it was a pretty big reaction to someone you've never seen before, but yeah, it can happen), but they go from lust to love in 4 days and I just didn't buy it. I mean, sure, they had good chemistry, but I didn't buy him even considering giving up his wings for her. I did like that he was actually 19 and not 119, cause it can get kinda creepy in my opinion.

Also, I get that the 7 deadly sins are things most humans fall at least slightly for, but what I didn't get was that when these were thrown at Aly, Des and Aly's sister, they know they're coming, know how to 'snap out of it', but each time they almost get themselves into trouble in the process. And this is pretty different from their smarts when it comes to figuring out Dakota's diabolical plan and then stopping him! I mean, they catch on pretty quickly even when Aly didn't believe in all of it 3 days ago. I'm also not quite sure what it was that made the girls so special and that they were the chosen ones by God himself to help Jameson.
Speaking of which, if you're a religious person, it's entirely possible you might take offense to how God and his angels are portrayed in Hollyweird. To me it was funny, if a little overdone at times, but I'm an atheist, and I do admit it is blasphemous at times.

But it was a pretty fun and fast read and I loved the concept of satan's children running all over the world causing havoc and especially one in Hollywood! It's pretty fun imagining Dakota being behind so many of the scandals going around the Hollywoodsphere (like Britney Spears) that have been happening in the last couple of years.

My reading: 3 stars