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:   

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

The Eternal Ones

Kirsten Miller

Release date: August 24th, 2010

Pages: 416 (hardcover)

Source: Publisher

My Summary: 

Haven Moore is as normal as can be...well, except for the whole seeing visions from the past thing. Visions that usually include a young man named Ethan. Her entire hometown is convinced that she has a demon inside of her, or worse.

When things unravel at home, Haven runs off to New York City in search of the person she thinks used to be Ethan. The person she's in search of? None other than rich and famous Iain Morrow, who has quite a controversy surrounding him. She also seeks out the mysterious Ouroboros Society in hopes that they can help her with her past visions. 

The more time Haven spends with Iain, the more conflicted she grows. Can she trust him? Should she trust him? Can she trust the Ouroboros Society? And even worse, how much danger has she gotten herself into?

Mysterious and intriguing, The Eternal Ones is nothing like I expected.

Paperback Cover

With an idea like reincarnation, The Eternal Ones was bound to be interesting. The story doesn't seem to truly begin until Haven runs of to NYC, and that's when everything really gets going. The description of the cities and scenery are wonderful, it's easy to visualize the different places Haven travels. The characters are all intriguing and unique from one another (and some were downright amusing, I wish a few had made more of an appearance).

Yet, the story fell a bit flat for me. The romance wasn't believable to me. I was excepting an epic romance through the ages, and got more of a mystery (but I do love mysteries), with a romance that seemed so sudden and quick. I didn't really see the attraction between Haven and Iain, and it frustrated me to see how quickly Haven changed her mind about him (repeatedly). I don't think this book is perfect, but it was fun to read for the mystery aspect.

Highlights: The ideas were intriguing, and the description is fantastic. The scenery came alive with each of Miller's words. I was a bit surprised at the end too, with one of the revelations made about another character. I still can't believe I didn't see it coming!

Lowlights: I think my biggest complaint would have to be Haven. Haven starts out interestingly enough, strong, independent, and does what she wants. However, by the time she meets Iain, it's like a personality makeover. She's naive and will literally believe anything anyone says to her (and therefore spends a lot of time switching between different theories about who she should trust and whatnot). I think someone could have told her the sky was neon green today, and she'd believe them. I wanted her to have a bit more backbone like she did in the beginning, and to think logically, not just believe the random person you just met.

Rating:   

Waiting On Wednesday (time two!)

Book: Slice of Cherry

Author: Dia Reeves

Release: January 4th, 2011

Goodreads Summary:

Happiness is a bloody knife. 

Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around. 

It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities....

I really enjoyed Bleeding Violet, so I'm definitely curious about Slice of Cherry!

Book: Fixing Delilah

Author: Sarah Ockler

Release: December 1st, 2010

Goodreads Summary:

Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.

She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.

Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?

Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery.

It's written by Sarah Ockler, who wrote the totally amazing debut novel Twenty Boy Summer. Need I say more? It's bound to be spectacular!

-Lea

*WOW is hosted by Jill of Breaking The Spine