Review: Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson (sequel to Hattie Big Sky)

Publish date: 2013
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 219 pages

"After leaving Uncle Chester's homestead claim, orphan Hattie Brooks throws a lasso around a new dream, even bigger than the Montana sky. She wants to be a reporter, knowing full well that a few pieces published in the Arlington News will not suffice. Real reporters must go to Grand Places, and do Grand Things, like Hattie's hero Nellie Bly. Another girl might be stymied by this, but Hattie has faced down a hungry wolf and stood up to a mob of angry men. Nothing can squash her desire to write for a big city newspaper. A letter and love token from Uncle Chester's old flame in San Francisco fuels that desire and Hattie jumps at the opportunity to get there by working as a seamstress for a traveling acting troupe. This could be her chance to solve the mystery of her "scoundrel" uncle and, in the process, help her learn more about herself. But Hattie must first tell Charlie that she will not join him in Seattle. Even though her heart approves of Charlie's plan for their marriage, her mind fears that saying yes to him would be saying no to herself. 

Hattie holds her own in the big city, literally pitching her way to a byline, and a career that could be even bigger than Nellie Bly's. But can making headlines compensate for the pain of betrayal and lost love? Hattie must dig deep to find her own true place in the world. Kirby Larson once again creates a lovingly written novel about the remarkable and resilient young orphan, Hattie Inez Brooks." (Goodreads)

Hattie Ever After is the sequel to Hattie Big Sky, a 2007 Newbery Honor that I listened to last summer. I really enjoyed it, as it reminded me a lot of Laura Ingalls Wilder and I liked Hattie Ever After a lot too, despite its lack of a prairie setting (one of my all time fave settings).

Hattie Ever After picks up after Hattie has left Uncle Chester's homestead, but she is definitely the same spunky, positive girl that she was in Montana. One of my favorite things about her is that she has such a great attitude throughout the two books. I loved following her journey from Montana all the way to San Francisco. I've been to San Francisco once and it was cool to imagine how the city has changed since Hattie's time.

I think my favorite thing about this story is Kirby Larson's writing style. It fits so perfectly with both Hattie's character and the time period. The word choice, the dialect, the sentence structure: everything was just perfect for the story. It's obvious everything was well-researched and it was really interesting to read the author's note afterward to learn about Ms. Larson's journey to writing this unexpected sequel.

Hattie Big Sky and Hattie Ever After are the types of books that remind me of why I love historical fiction. Definitely read these two if you are looking for fun, well-researched, and compulsively readable historical fiction!

Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2)

Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publish date: October 2012
Source: Purchased
"Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.
She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?" (Goodreads)

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was one of my favorite books last year and I've been eagerly anticipating the sequel since, oh, the last page of Unbecoming. That cliffhanger about killed me! Usually when I read a sequel a year after the first book came out, I have to either reread book one or find a detailed recap, but I actually remember mostly everything that happened in Unbecoming (this does not happen often!). I devoured The Evolution of Mara Dyer and am happy to report that it did not disappoint.

This book picks up soon after Unbecoming ends and rather nicely recaps events from book one, but not in an obvious or annoying way. I loved learning more about Mara as she did and for probably the first time, found myself enjoying an unreliable narrator. I usually can't handle them, but Michelle Hodkin must be magical or something.

The only issue I had with this book had nothing to do with the actual story. I was cruising right along, inhaling the story when all of the sudden noticed that my book went from page 436 to 469. It was missing 33 pages!! I was angry, mostly because the story was so good and I needed to finish it! It was actually really easy to return to Amazon and I have zero complaints about the process, to be honest. I read the last 80 or so pages as soon I got a new copy from them and NOW I NEED BOOK 3. NOW.

Really, though, I loved the developments in Mara's story and can't wait to see how everything works out! I highly recommend this series and don't be put off by the length: the pages fly by!

Review: Insurgent

Author: Veronica Roth
Publish date: May 1, 2012
Source: Library
"One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature." (Goodreads)

Even though this was my second most anticipated book of the year (behind Pandemonium), it still took me over a week to read. Not because it was bad, but because I have so much going on with the end of the year and taking a class. I feel like I'm going crazy and losing my mind, but I am definitely sure of one thing: Insurgent was FANTASTIC.

Like Pandemonium, Insurgent is not a typical second book in a trilogy or series. This book was full of nonstop action and was most definitely not a boring filler. It picks up where Divergent left off and Veronica Roth does not do any recapping of previous events, so you might want to reread Divergent or check out her blog post bringing you up to speed to Insurgent (obviously book 1 spoilers if you click it!).

After reading all 525 pages of Insurgent, I WANT MORE. I loved everything we got to learn about the factions and characters. As I was reading, I kept trying to figure out what faction I would be in and I have no idea! I don't fit into just one and I think that's part of the beauty of this series: we can see ourselves everywhere and can identify with the characters. Love it. 

Review: Second Helpings

Author: Megan McCafferty
Publish date: 2003
Source: Library
"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." (Goodreads)

Jessica Darling!! This girl has completely won me over with Second Helpings! I loved that in this book, she was still snarky and sarcastic, but at the same time was growing up. However, that's not to say that she made great choices during her senior year at Pineville; she did a few things that made me think, "wth, Jessica?!?" BUT at the same time I completely GOT it. Who doesn't make dumb choices in high school and then learn from them? We live and learn and I like that Megan McCafferty let Jessica live and learn.

I really like that Jessica gets older throughout the series. It's refreshing to read about someone going from a snarky sophomore to a still snarky but more mature senior and then into college in the later books. I also think this narrative/timeline style helps in that you don't feel like you are spending too much time on one plot point. Months fly by in these books!

Re: The Marcus Flutie thing from my review of Sloppy Firsts: I GET IT NOW. I get it and I hope it continues in the rest of the series. YOU. YES. YOU.

Review: Shine (Shade #3)

Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publish date: May 1, 2012
Source: Publisher
"Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.

As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart." (Goodreads)

Oh my goodness, this series... Seriously, it is awesome and I do not say that lightly. I am a pretty critical reader (and I don't mean I write critical reviews, I'm just a picky person) and I freakin' love this series. And paranormal, no less! If you know me, I am NOT a paranormal person whatsoever. In fact, I can only think of this and the Unearthly trilogy as exceptions. Bravo, Cynthia Hand and Jeri Smith-Ready.

Anyway, this book. Fantastic ending to an amazing and original series. It tied up a lot of loose ends and answered all of my questions that were still lingering after Shade and Shift. I don't want to give anything away, since I pretty much hate spoilers, but I feel very satisfied right now. I am in the midst of many series right now and I hope all the other concluding books can live up to what Jeri has done here. Not to say this is a work of perfection, obviously, but I lurved it and you will too.

If you haven't read Shade, Shift, and Shine, what are you waiting for?!?! I got the first two at the library and was lucky enough to have Simon Teen send me Shine. I pretty much exploded in glee when I opened the package, to the point where my boyfriend was like, "What is WRONG with you?" I also had the pleasure of meeting Jeri at RT in Chicago. She is AMAZING. So nice and friendly and seemed so happy to meet her readers. Authors like her are the BEST.

In conclusion: READ THIS SERIES. It is what all paranormal novels should strive to be.

Review: Hallowed (Unearthly #2)

Author: Cynthia Hand
Publish date: January 2012
Source: Purchased
"For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. 

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning."

Hallowed is the follow-up to the surprisingly excellent Unearthly. I read Unearthly on a whim last year and loved it, so I knew I needed to read Hallowed. I bought it because I will be seeing Cynthia Hand at a signing at Anderson's Bookshop tonight and would like to get it signed! I'm sure I'll be tempted to buy a copy of Unearthly too...

I thoroughly enjoyed Hallowed and am happy to report it does not suffer from second book syndrome. We are able to find out much more about Clara's background in Hallowed, clearing up most of the unanswered questions from Unearthly. There was still a fair amount of action, but I really liked learning more about the family and how they all came to be. Hallowed was also much more emotional than Unearthly; Clara is struggling with what she is "supposed" to do and what she wants to do aka rules vs. heart. Don't we all struggle with that??

I am normally not a fan of paranormal novels, but I love this series. Cynthia Hand is a great writer and I am happy that there is one more book in this fantastic series. I can't wait to meet her in person tonight!

Review: Prized (Birthmarked #2)

Author: Caragh M. O'Brien
Publish date: 2011
Source: Library
"Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?"

FYI: This review might spoil things for Birthmarked. Beware.

I love this series! I don't think it gets the recognition that it deserves, so I try to pimp it out to my students and friends as much as possible. The series is quite different from other dystopians out right now, but still great!

Prized picks up immediately after Birthmarked ends and even though it's been 3 months since I've thought about Gaia, I was able to jump right back in. Prized doesn't have quite as much action as Birthmarked does, but that was because the majority of the story takes place in Sylum. Still, the plot moves right along and craziness goes down.

One thing I really like about this series that makes it different from other dystopians is that it doesn't have a lot of fighting, per se, like The Hunger Games or Divergent do. Gaia is a midwife, which makes her necessary to society's well-being, but there is much more to the story than that, especially in Sylum. Sylum was a character in itself and I loved Gaia being all kick ass there and not giving up who she really was.

If you haven't tried this series and are looking for a great and unusual dystopian, check out Birthmarked and Prized!

Review: Pandemonium (Delirium #2)

Author: Lauren Oliver
Publish date: February 2012
Source: Won in contest
"I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite."

Pandemonium is by far my most anticipated 2012 release, more so than Insurgent. I absolutely LOVED Delirium and it was clearly my favorite read of 2011. Obviously I had really high expectations for Pandy and while most of them were met, the book definitely wasn't what I thought it would be. That said, though, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Pandemonium is written in a different style than Delirium in that the chapters alternate between "Then" and "Now." I'll be honest: at first, I did not like that, AT ALL. I was all, why this flip-flopping; just give me my precious NOW!. However, about a third of the way into the book, I realized that Lauren Oliver made a great call with the Then and Now. If she hadn't, I think the story would have dragged a bit and gotten tedious.

As usual, the writing is FANTASTIC. Ms. Oliver just has a way with words that I don't even understand. Everything is perfectly crafted, with so much figurative language that I could imagine everything (but not too much that it was pretentious). I should really have known my mind was going to be blown since of course I read Delirium and Before I Fall.

I liked all of the new characters that we were introduced to and felt that the major players were well-developed. The story was great, although I didn't enjoy quite as much as Delirium and the ENDING. That's all I will say. Oh and also: I need Requiem NOW. The end.

Review: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)

Author: Cassandra Clare
Publish date: 2011
Source: Purchased
"In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart."

What a great book! I don't even know where to begin! This was my second Cassandra Clare novel, after Clockwork Angel, of course, and it was fantastic. I feel like I definitely need to read the Mortal Instruments series now that I love the Infernal Devices!

I love that this series is a combination of historical fiction/ paranormal/ steampunk. I love historical fiction and really need to read more of it, so reading this was a great way to get my fix. All the descriptions of the buildings and clothing is lovely. I noticed that some events would take place in some great library, which makes me wonder why more houses don't have rooms just for books. I would love a library in my home.

There were lots of plot twists in Prince, much more than Angel. There were characters turning on other characters, surprises around every corner, and the usual humor that was introduced in Clockwork Angel. I really have grown to love these characters after reading the two books and can't for loose ends and love triangles to continue and wrap up in Clockwork Princess.

Despite being quite a hefty book (almost 500 pages!), it was definitely a page turner. A must read for Cassie Clare fans!

Review: A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2)

Author: Beth Revis
Publish date: January 2012
Source: Purchased
"Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship."

I read the first book in this trilogy, Across the Universe, earlier this month and loved it! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I absolutely devoured it and couldn't wait to read this one, A Million Suns. It just came out on the 10th and I actually bought it, which is big for me. I loved it, as expected!

This book definitely does not suffer from second book syndrome that can sometimes plague trilogies. No filler here, just lots of action and plot twists like Across the Universe. Ms. Revis kept me guessing the whole time and I loved all the new information that kept popping up in each chapter. There was also some code breaking/scavenger hunt stuff, which I always love in books (even though I can never figure the clues out).

I still really liked the characters and one perk of this book is that we can see how everyone has grown since the events of Across the Universe. The setting of Godspeed is such a great place to show psychological changes among the characters and if you've read AtU, you know they are changing A LOT.

Reading over this review, it is very boring, but I don't know what else to say! I loved the book and cannot WAIT until Shades of Earth comes out next year. A Million Suns ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger and I MUST KNOW MORE! Definitely a must read series!

Review: Crossed (Matched #2)

Author: Ally Condie
Publish date: 2011
Source: Library (ebook)
"In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever."

I read Matched a while back and enjoyed it, although it was not in my favorites of the dystopians I read last year (Delirium, Divergent, and Birthmarked win that award). I was looking forward to read the sequel, despite mixed reviews. My library does ebook lending, so I grabbed it for my kindle Thursday night and read it over a couple days. When I finished, I was basically just...disappointed.

Even though I was overall disappointed, there were a couple things I enjoyed while reading. The first is definitely Condie's writing style. Like in Matched, the prose is rather poetic and enjoyable to read. There were also some plot points that were interesting enough to keep reading the book, like a certain character having a secret. It's mentioned early and I wanted to keep reading to find out what it was. Mentions of secrets will always keep me reading.

Unfortunately, the one word that comes to mind when I think of Crossed is boring. I was just bored through most of it, but not quite bored enough to DNF it. Everything seemed to move extremely slowly and even after finishing it, I'm not quite sure what the point of the novel was. Seemed to be just filler for book three, sadly. Another thing I didn't like was the dual narrative of both Cassia and Ky. Matched was only from Cassia's POV and I don't like that this one was different. I need my parallelism within a series! I can handle dual narratives if the style is distinct between the two, but they were exactly the same. I often forgot whose chapter it was and had to check for character names to remember.

At this point, I'm not sure if I'll read book three. This one was just not enough to continue my interest in Cassia's story and there are still many, many unanswered questions, some of which I think could have been addressed in Crossed. Thoughts?

Review: Shift

Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publish date: May 2011
Source: Library
"Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart."

Note: If you haven't read Shade (and you should!), don't read this review. Unless you want to be spoiled. Which you don't. (Unless you do). The end.

This is the second book in the Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready, and I'd heard that this one was even better than Shade. And in fact, it was! I loved it even more than the first one and am really looking forward to book #3, Shine.

I loved that in this book we get to learn even more about the Shift and what caused it. I knew as soon as the Shift was mentioned in Shade that its background and repercussions would be awesome and I was right. I'm so glad Ms. Smith-Ready gave more information about the circumstances surrounding Aura's birth and her parents, whom I was very curious about. I'm hoping there is even more about her parents and Eowyn in Shine. Also, I kind of love the name Eowyn.

I was really glad that there was some positive development with Logan and Aura (I think). I am totally Team Zachary, by the way. No question. I don't want to give too much away, but I definitely like how this book ended in terms of those characters and I can't wait to see what happens next! 

Review: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins
Publish date: 2010
Source: Library
"Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding."

Here's the thing: I didn't really like this book. I was really looking forward to it, especially since Catching Fire ended on such a cliffhanger, but it was hard for me to get into it. I found Katniss to be a bit whiny and I *SPOILER ALERT* did not like who she ended up with at the end. I assumed and hoped it would be other. The assassination at the end seemed kind of odd to me too. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it just seemed like the author was trying to see how many surprises she could pull out at the end.

I'm glad I read it, mostly to finish the series, but I was disappointed. I'd give it 3/5.