Highlights / Lowlights: RITES OF PASSAGE, THE BODY IN THE WOODS, AFTER THE END

RITES OF PASSAGE

Title: Rites of Passage
Author: Joy N. Hensley (@joynhensley)
Published: September 9th, 2014
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary | mystery
POV: 1st person
Pages: 416
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Electronic ARC
Source: Edelweiss | Publisher
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.

At any cost.

Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

Highlights: While reading, I marveled many times about Sam's strength, guts, and sheer will to complete her goals. This is a girl who has such a fierce determination, and I was rooting for her to succeed every step of the way. The obstacles are both physically and mentally brutal, but Sam uses every ounce of mental and physical strength  she has to prove that girls are capable of completing this training. the atmosphere of the academy is perfectly written, and the romance surprised me with its slow burn, building into something over time in a truly genuine manner. Hensley builds the tension slowly, raising the stakes until finally finishing with a shocking, action-packed conclusion. Rites of Passage is one of those stories that makes you feel - anger, joy, and everything in between. 

Lowlights: A few times, it did seem to get a little this-is-too-dramatic-and-over-the-top-to-be-true, but I don't care. I was sold by that point. My other lowlight is a spoiler involving her brother (I simply feel he could have been more honest with her, and I'll just leave it at that). Also, while the ending settles some aspects of the story, there are few more that are left open. I sincerely hope there will be a sequel!

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf (4.7 out of 5). If this book isn't on your to-be-read list, it should be. Rites of Passage is a story filled with secrets, humor, action, and a dash of romance. 

THE BODY IN THE WOODS

Title: The Body in the Woods

Author: April Henry (@aprilhenrybooks)

Published: June 2014

Series: Point Last Seen #1

Genre: YA mystery / thriller

POV: 3rd person, switching

Pages: 263

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co (BYR)

Format: Print ARC

Source: Publicist

Rating: The Courtyard

In this new series told from multiple perspectives, teen members of a search and rescue team discover a dead body in the woods.

Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own.

Highlights: The Body in the Woods is a tense mystery that will make you second guess your suspects and eagerly turn the pages to the final reveal. Henry builds tension and suspense nicely, and the short chapters from the killer's POV were incredibly intriguing and disturbing. Henry's descriptions were great, especially with the forest settings. 

Lowlights: Third person POV is a hit or a miss with me, and in this case, I feel like it was a miss. I didn't care for the characters, and I only kept reading because I wanted to see if I guessed correctly regarding the killer. Perhaps Henry's writing style isn't for me, because this book didn't have that spark I look for in novels.

Rating: The Courtyard (very low 3 out of 5). While this story didn't quite hit the mark for me, The Body in the Woods did provide a fascinating mystery to unravel. 

AFTER THE END

Title: After the End

Author: Amy Plum (@AmyPlumOhLaLa)

Published: May 2014

Series: After the End #1

Genre: YA sci-fi / dystopia

POV: 1st person, dual, alternating

Pages: 352

Publisher: HarperCollins

Format: eARC

Source: Edelweiss

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future.

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

Highlights: Juneau and Miles are as different as night and day - one is highly intuitive and one with nature, while the other is your typical teenager, making their interactions extremely amusing at times. I found Juneau's point-of-view more intriguing, if only because her background and abilities are more fascinating and creative. The secrets that are revealed didn't disappoint, and I was left curious to see what happens next with these characters. 

Lowlights: The middle of the story lagged a bit. The beginning was fantastic, and the end was interesting, but I grew a bit bored during the chapters between. I kind of wish more of the story had taken place in Alaska, but that's just because I don't read a lot of novels set there. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (very low 4 out of 5). A unique, creative story, After the End is a novel full of surprises. 

I received advanced copies of these novels from the publishers in exchange for honest reviews. 

This is no way affected my opinion of each novel. 

Review: WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE by Trish Doller

Title: WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE
Author: Trish Doller
Published: September 23, 2013
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
POV: 1st person
Pages: 352
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

If there's one thing Callie has learned from her mother, it's how to run – and Callie is always running away from her problems. She can pack a suitcase in an amazingly short amount of time, and knows exactly what it takes to live on the move. But after her mother is arrested and Callie is sent to live with her father, running becomes a bit more complicated. With family, friends, and even a little romance in the works, leaving doesn't seem – or even feel – like an option. But, everyone has their demons, and Callie's mother won't be incarcerated for long...once she's out and Callie turns eighteen, Callie will have to decide where she truly belongs.

Doller amazed me with her debut, SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL, and succeeds in matching that excellency with her sophomore novel. WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE is intense on an emotional level, highlighting the awkward, heartbreaking, and adorable moments that are present in various relationships. The familial aspect is both saddening and heartwarming. The relationship between Callie and her mother is possessive and not quite what it should be. Her mother loves her, that much is obvious, but her actions do not always agree with that sentiment. But it's the slower relationships Callie forms in her new (and old) home that make the strongest impression. Family, romance, and friendship, it's highly enjoyable to watch Callie grow and heal from her past experiences. An incredibly touching and well-rounded story, WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE should be on the top of your to-read list.

Highlights: Family and friendship take center stage in this story. Doller gives readers an unflinchingly honest portrayal of the effects sexual abuse can have on a person. The romance was sweet and enjoyably slow to form. I enjoy how the story leaves that relationship in unclear, fuzzy place, but there is still some hope. And the characters were fantastic (Alex, Kat, Greg, Phoebe, Tucker, Joe, and so on). None are of them perfect, and they all make a strong, realistic impression. Humorous, heartwarming, and intensely emotional, this story has it all. 

Lowlights: *struggles* Any issues I had were small enough that I did not bother to write them down while reading.

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf. I love WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE, so it is going on the top shelves in the royal library where everyone can see it. I'd highly recommend this book, because it is an incredibly moving story. 

My Review of SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL

Review: THE HOST by Stephenie Meyer

Title: THE HOST
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Published: May 6th, 2008
Genre: Sci-fi; Romance; Adult
Series: The Host #1 (?)
Publisher: Little Brown
POV: 1st person
Pages: 619
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

"Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love."

I reread this book in preparation for the film adaptation¹, and I was a bundle of nerves upon beginning the first few pages. I remember, in 2008, eagerly dropping by the bookstore to pick this novel up a few days after it released. I flew through those 619 pages, was sucked into another world, and enjoyed every second of it. I remember being so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, considering my so-and-so feelings toward the TWILIGHT series. I was so worried I would despise this novel now that I'm older, but I fortunately still found THE HOST to be thoroughly gripping and enjoyable.

Envision our world. Now imagine that we have been invaded, our bodies taken over by an alien species that is unnervingly kind and concerned about one another. Wanderer, our narrator, is one of these aliens. She's been given Melanie Stryder's body, but Melanie isn't giving up without a fight. The internal conflict between these two women could be challenging to portray, but Meyer makes it work. Meyer focuses only on a few select settings, but writes them so vividly with her descriptions that you cannot help but to envision them clearly. THE HOST gives readers a glimpse into humanity, raising questions regarding what it means to be human and what it means to be good or evil. The plot itself is nothing new for sci-fi fans, but I definitely believe this novel goes above and beyond Meyer's other works. 

Highlights: Meyer writes the love triangle/square work² perfectly. The setting is also nicely depicted, but it is the characters that take this story to another level. They are imperfect people: some angry and impulsive, while others are thoughtful and slower to act. More surprisingly, Meyer made me change my mind about them repeatedly. Characters I hated in the beginning eventually become ones I sympathized with (or even liked) by the end, and that's an impressive feat. 

Lowlights: This novel is slow moving, and it takes some time to get into the story. This is a very character-focused story, so if you don't like Wanderer, you probably won't like the novel. 

Note: This is an adult novel, but it has high crossover potential. I think the only aspects that make this book "adult" are the 21-year-old protagonist (Melanie's body is that age, Wanderer is older but sounds as if she is Melanie's age) and the intense, physical violence portrayed throughout the novel. Even the steamier scenes are tame in comparison to some that I've read in YA novels.

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf. I loved THE HOST,  so it is going on the top shelves in the royal library where everyone can see it. I'd highly recommend THE HOST, but only to people who are willing to read a slower-paced novel that focuses heavily on characters. 

1 Which I never found time to watch in theaters, thanks to a crazy-busy college semester. I did finally rent the film, though. I have many thoughts - both good and bad! 
2 Don't freak out, it's not your typical love triangle/square. Upon rereading, it is obvious how the romance aspect will work out in the end. The only person with actual conflicting feelings for more than one person is Wanderer. To view my spoiler-ish comments, visit my Goodreads review.

Review: DARE YOU TO by Katie McGarry

Title: DARE YOU TO
Author: Katie McGarry
Published: May 28th, 2013
Series: Pushing the Limits #2 (companion novel)
Genre: YA contemporary
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
POV: 1st person, dual, alternating
Pages: 462
Format: Hardcover
Source: Amazon Vine Program
Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

Like some other people who read McGarry's debut, I was surprised to find that Beth was going to have her own story – and one that did not involve Isaiah as her main love interest. In addition, I was amazed that McGarry chose to write from Beth's POV. In PUSHING THE LIMITS, Beth was hardly an enjoyable or endearing character, so I was a bit nervous when I started DARE YOU TO. Yet, right from the start, McGarry proves there is more to Beth than her rough, don't-f%#$-with-me exterior. Even Ryan, the seemingly Mr. Perfect baseball star who provides the second narration in this novel, proves there is more to him than how fast he can throw a baseball. 

In the beginning of the story, Beth says that she is a piece of a puzzle that never quite fits in. Her words are fitting, because when it comes to Beth and Ryan, they are two puzzle pieces – they're shaped differently, but they still somehow manage to fit together perfectly. Even as their personalities clash and challenge one another, Beth and Ryan simultaneously bring out the better qualities in each other. And, as in any good book, the collision of these two different characters begins with a simple dare, which complicates everything for both of them. Filled with electric tension, surprising secrets, and tantalizing drama, DARE YOU TO is an exceptional story. If you're hesitating when it comes to checking out this story, I dare you to read this book – you won't regret it. 

Highlights: McGarry brought two very different characters together and made their relationship believable and worth rooting for. Beth and Ryan's voices were distinct, nearly impossible to confuse, and they proved to be layered characters. Side characters were fantastic, especially Lacy and Uncle Scott. I especially enjoyed the mystery behind what was going on in Beth's mother's home. As a whole, characters were wonderfully written. 

Lowlights: The story became a bit soap-opera-dramatic a few times. I wish McGarry would have written more about Beth and her Uncle Scott, it would have been nice to see them bond a bit more on page instead off the page.

Notes: Cursing (mostly by Beth), hot-and-steamy moments, mentions of safe sex, mentions of drugs/drug use, and physical abuse. Also, if you take the book jacket off the book so no one will know that you're reading a kissing book, think again. A slightly different version of the cover is printed on the actual book, so you'll just have to bravely read it and ignore the people who stare. Also, you do not need to read PUSHING THE LIMITS in order to understand this novel (you do get to see the two narrators from that novel appear in this story, which is always fun).

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf. DARE YOU TO is fantastic, worth owning, and has earned a spot in the royal library. I enjoyed this story very much, despite a few small issues here and there, and would recommend this book to other readers. 

My reviews of other novels by Katie McGarry: 
PUSHING THE LIMITS

Split by Swati Avasthi

Book: Split

Author: Swati Avasthi

Release: March, 2010

Pages: 288

Source: Publisher/The Teen {Book} Scene

My Summary: 

When Jace Witherspoon gets kicked out of his house once he finally fights back against his abusive father, he heads off to find the person his mother tells him to find: Christian, his older brother who escaped their household years ago.

Except when he gets to Christian's, he finds that his older brother has moved on in life, and never even bothered to tell his girlfriend that he had a brother, let alone what kind of life he had before leaving home. Christian's life is completely different now, and Jace is trying to find his place in it.

As Jace and Christian struggle to live together, Jace must come to terms with who he is before he can truly move on. He'll have to face off with what he's done, the secrets he's keeping, and realize that while some people cannot ever change, other people can.

Review: Split is emotional, raw, and narrated by one of the more realistic voices I've come across lately.

Split is stunning. Each character, from our narrator Jace to his brother Christian, are all unique and realistic. Jace's voice is especially spot-on, and so real. He's charming, athletic, guilt-ridden and complicated. In comparison to Jace, the other characters don't shine quite as much.

The abuse aspect of this story is very heartbreaking, because it's just so complex. It's bitter, honest, and frightening. There's one scene in particular that had me cringing at the mere thought of it happening. It's difficult to read, to imagine. But it's Jace's secrets that were some of the hardest to learn.

It's difficult to say much about this story, except to say that you should read Split if you haven't already. Split will move you and give you something important to think about.

Highlights: Avasthi dives into a difficult story with ease. Her writing flows effortlessly, her narrator is realistic, and the story is impossible to pull away from. The first chapter, even the first line, hooked me. The bonds of family were interesting too, at just how much pain people can let others cause them because they love them. It's sad that the saying "you hurt the one's you love" is so very true.

Lowlights: I would have loved to see more of the side characters, like Mirriam and Dakota. Or at least a bit more depth to them.

Rating: