We Started This Thing Together

We Started This Thing Together

Mar 17, 2014

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins | Harper Teen
Pages: 400 pages
Source & Format: Bought; Hardcover
Series: Under the Never Sky #3
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do - and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission - because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

Thoughts on Into the Still Blue

I think this is one of the first series conclusions where I truly felt like I was able to confidently say that I think most fans of this series will be pleased by the ending Rossi has written. That's not to say it isn't an emotional or heart-breaking journey getting there, but I do feel like Rossi delivers an ending that's true to everything she wrote up this point. While there will always be readers who are disappointed in a series finale, I think this is one of the stronger endings I've read recently.

It had been almost a year since I read Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night, so I decided to re-read the first two books before diving into this one. I'm really glad that I did because it totally got me invested in these characters and their journey. Sometimes I forget how much I loved the previous books in a series when a lot of time has passed before I read the final book. If possible, I enjoy re-reading leading up to the series ending - not because I can't remember what happened but because I'm more invested in the story when I do.

There have been so many polarizing series endings in YA lately, and it was refreshing to read a complete series that felt so strong, so consistent and so readable. I can see so many readers falling in love with these books! Into the Still Blue picks up where Through the Ever Night ends, and you're immediately thrown into the high-stakes race to find the Still Blue. What I really appreciate about these books is the way the plot had a lot of action but there was still so much emotion in the story. Rossi doesn't sacrifice one for the other, and I was so pleased that she managed to use the plot to highlight the characters' growth and their emotional ties. It's not just about the what because the who matters, too.

One of the strengths in this series are the well-developed characters and their relationships with one another. These characters felt so believable and realistic, even in this science fiction-y setting. I loved Aria and Perry's relationship, as well as her friendship with Roar. There is a lot of pain, grief and heartache in this book, but I also felt so hopeful reading it because I felt like these three would always be there for one another. Even when the characters are fighting or distanced, there's still that feeling that they have such solid relationships.

There were a few things about this plot that dragged just a bit for me, but I still felt like it was an enjoyable read. It didn't blow me away, but I was pleased by how it all wrapped up. Into the Still Blue was a fitting goodbye to these characters I'd come to love, and I felt like Rossi had an overall vision for her story the entire time she was writing. I think that's one reason I really appreciate this series - it's so consistent across all three books (a difficult thing to accomplish). If you loved the first two books, I think you'll enjoy this bittersweet conclusion! It's not my favorite YA series ever, but I can see myself recommending this so many readers.

So Quotable

"What I was trying to say," he whispered, "is that I see you in everything. There isn't a word for you that means enough, because you're everything to me."

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Across the Divide

Across the Divide

Mar 13, 2014

The Housemaid's Daughter by Barbara Mutch

Release Date: December 2013
Publisher: Macmillan | St. Martin's Press
Pages: 416 pages
Source & Format: Gifted; Hardcover
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

When Cathleen Harrington leaves her home in Ireland in 1919 to travel to South Africa, she knows that she does not love the man she is to marry there - her fiancé Edward, whom she has not seen for five years. Isolated and estranged in the small town in the harsh Karoo desert, her only real companions are her diary and her housemaid, and later the housemaid's daughter, Ada. When Ada is born, Cathleen recognizes in her someone she can love and respond to in a way that she cannot with her own family. Under Cathleen's tutelage, Ada grows into an accomplished pianist and a reader who cannot resist turning the pages of the diary, discovering the secrets Cathleen sought to hide. As they grow closer, Ada sees new possibilities in front of her - a new horizon. But in one night, everything changes, and Cathleen comes home from a trip to find that Ada has disappeared, scorned by her own community. Cathleen must make a choice: should she conform to society, or search for the girl who has become closer to her than her own daughter?

Set against the backdrop of a beautiful, yet divided land, The Housemaid's Daughter is a startling and thought-provoking novel that intricately portrays the drama and heartbreak of two women who rise above cruelty to find love, hope, and redemption.

Thoughts on The Housemaid's Daughter

Cassie gifted me a copy of The Housemaid's Daughter for Christmas, and I was thrilled because it sounded right up my alley! I mean, first of all, the cover is gorgeous. And then that summary! It sounded like it was written just for me: early 1900s, woman leaving her home, South Africa, a secret diary, a relationship with mother-daughter qualities...

Here's my biggest issue with The Housemaid's Daughter - the cover and summary are really misleading. I kept wondering if the cover designer and copywriter had even read the book in question! It's not that I didn't like what the book was actually about, but it was so not what I was expecting that I had a hard time overcoming my confusion and frustration about that fact.

For example, I have no idea who that white woman on the cover is supposed to be. Possibly Cathleen - the woman who sounds like the novel's heroine based on the description? Maybe. But, to be honest, she plays such a minor, almost inconsequential role in the book. This isn't Cathleen's story at all. Instead, the story is narrated by and focuses on the daughter of Cathleen's housemaid. The Housemaid's Daughter is a fitting title, so it's a shame the book wasn't marketed in a way that accurately conveyed its contents.

The young black girl, named Ada, gains an education and becomes an accomplished musician through her place in the household, which leaves her caught in a precarious place in South African society. She isn't white, but she doesn't really fit in the black community either. This conflict is important because the majority of the book takes place during apartheid, which was a system of legalized racial segregation that took place in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Again, the cover implies it's going to be a different time period and story completely. I actually enjoyed reading about this time period, but I felt like there was one weakness in the book that I just couldn't get past enough to fall in love with it:

Everything in the book - from the characters to the plot - felt very surface level to me. There wasn't a lot of emotional depth or heart in what I was reading, if that makes sense. I'm not sure if it's because the book covers such a long span of time (resulting in the book just skimming the surface of some events) or if it was just because I, personally, was finding it hard to connect to the characters or the story. There are some really difficult, painful things that are mentioned in this book, but it never really felt like it was fully fleshed out.

Ada wasn't a memorable character, despite the number of memorable things that occur in her life. She seemed so naive, so unconnected from reality, that it made it hard for me to get really invested in her story. And I'm not really sure that it accurately reflects what a black woman would have thought and felt during this time period. I don't think an author has to look like their characters in order to write them. Plenty of women write amazing male characters and vice versa. But have you ever read a book where a man is writing from a female perspective and something just seems a bit off? Like you're too aware of the fact that you're reading a man's take on a woman? I felt like that at times during The Housemaid's Daughter - that it was a white woman's version of the black perspective during this time period.

For me, this book was best when it was describing the setting. I thought Mutch really made South Africa come alive. I loved the descriptive way she wrote about the places, and I could picture it all so well! This was definitely my favorite thing about The Housemaid's Daughter.

Overall, I liked the book but don't think it really lived up to its potential. There are some beautiful things about the writing, but the one-dimensional characters and lack of depth kept me from really connecting to the story. I liked the themes it set out to explore, but it needed an infusion of emotion and more complexity in the characters to really elevate the story and sweep me away.

So Quotable

"And I remind myself that wherever one finds oneself, home and love is lent to each of us only for a while. We must care for it while it's ours, and cherish its memory once it's gone."

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Love In A Hopeless Place

Love In A Hopeless Place

Mar 12, 2014

The Bronze Horseman, Tatiana and Alexander and The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons

Release Date: September 2009 (orig. 2000) | July 2010 (orig. January 2003) | June 2011 (orig. 2006)
Publisher: HarperCollins | William Morrow
Pages: 810 pages | 559 pages | 752 pages
Source & Format: Bought; Paperback
Series: The Bronze Horseman #1-3
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary of The Bronze Horseman (from Goodreads)

The golden skies, the translucent twilight, the white nights, all hold the promise of youth, of love, of eternal renewal. The war has not yet touched this city of fallen grandeur, or the lives of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanova, who share a single room in a cramped apartment with their bother and parents. Their world is turned upside down when Hitler's armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad.

Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana and she to him. Starvation, desperation, and fear soon grip their city during the terrible winter of the merciless German siege. Tatiana and Alexander's impossible love threatens to tear the Metanova family apart and expose the dangerous secret Alexander so carefully protects, a secret as devastating as the war itself, as the lovers are swept up in the brutal tides that will change the world and their lives forever.

Thoughts on The Bronze Horseman (Spoiler Free!)

I've already written a bit on my love for The Bronze Horseman in my The Favorite Factor: Giveaway Edition post. I first heard about this book when Lorren reviewed it and later bought the Kindle copy when it was on sale. For some reason, I just let it sit around unread. When Kelly started book pushing it, I figured it was time that I finally give this book a shot. I started it on a day when I didn't have work because of snow... and finished it that evening. Yep, I read all 810 pages in one day. It was EPIC!

I'm planning on talking about this book (and the series overall) in a new review feature that I'm working on with Kelly, but I thought it was still worth writing up my brief thoughts on this series. As a huge fan of historical fiction, I was already predisposed to like this book. I haven't read much set in Russia, and I really loved learning about what the country experienced during WWII. Most of the fiction I've read during that time period is set in countries like Germany / England / France, so it was nice to read about it from a new setting.

There was so much I loved about this book - the characters who are unlikeable and selfish at times but also loyal and loving, the harsh reality of the setting, the constant struggle to survive, the descriptiveness of the writing, and the emotions this story evoked. But it's also not the book for everyone. Simons revels in descriptions, in angst, in painful barriers that keep the couple apart. I actually think you'll be able to tell early on in the story if this book will work for you. If you're bored in the beginning, you're probably not going to love the rest of it. 

All that being said, I truly debated on how to rate this one. I'd expected to give it my highest rating, but I've really it's not actually going to fall into that category. I read this book while texting Kelly the whole time, and I think I would have been more critical of certain things in it if I was reading it on my own. For example, there's a section of this book that I basically skipped over because of its sexual content. I don't personally like when that is a large part of a book, and it's the one thing I felt took up way too many pages without contributing much at all to the actual plot in this book. 

However, I did fall in love with this story while I was reading it! There's a lot of drama, but I was totally hooked the entire time. It was the perfect read to pass a snowy day.

Thoughts on Tatiana and Alexander (Spoiler Free!)

Once you've finished The Bronze Horseman, you'll be racing to read book two as soon as possible! Well, you will if you loved the first book. And you'll be pleased to know that this is a wonderful companion that I do recommend!

This book picks up after the ending of The Bronze Horseman, which I promise not to spoil for you. So, what do you need to know about book two? Well, Tatiana and Alexandra is more Alexander's story than Tatiana's (although she does have her own part). There are flashbacks to his life growing up, which I annoyed me at first (I just wanted to get back to the story at hand) but ultimately added depth to his character. I liked being able to learn more about him and find out who he was, what mattered to him, etc. It was nice to see him on his own - and not just through Tatiana's eyes!

There was a lot less drama and angst in this book, and more of a focus on the historical fiction elements. It felt more focused and less indulgent, which I appreciated since there were a few too many moments in the first book that just didn't contribute to the overall story or plot. The only thing that annoyed me in this one? There was a part of this book that just re-hashed the events of the first book. In something this long, that felt out-of-place and frustrating since I'd just finished The Bronze Horseman. As much as I loved it, I didn't need to read about it all over again.

The ending to Tatiana and Alexander was perfect! It was resolved and hopeful, which is a great after how much heartache takes place in its pages. I recommend concluding this series with this book because I don't recommend the final book at all. It was a terrible ending for a series I really loved up to that point, so I'm happy to say that you can happily end here without any cliffhangers or unresolved story lines.

Thoughts on The Summer Garden (Spoiler Free!)

Okay, I've got to be completely honest: I absolutely hated this book. And I mean passionately hated. I cannot think of a worse series ending, and I would not have continued reading this book if I hadn't been reading it with Kelly. Y'all, it was bad... like possibly one of the worst books I've ever read levels of horrible.

After researching a little online, Kelly and I discovered that Simons originally intended for the series to be two books and included an epilogue in Tatiana and Alexandra (which was previously titled The Bridge to Holy Cross). I'm not sure why Simons decided to continue with the series, but I think it's so unfortunate that she did choose to do so with this book as her ending.

The Summer Garden takes everything you've come to know and love about the characters... and abolishes it. The characters become the worst versions of themselves: selfish, hateful, mean, cold, abusive and completely disconnected from one another. I am, truthfully, astonished at the number of five-star reviews this book has received. I wasn't rooting for these characters at any point in time because I was too busy being completely disgusted by them. I think you can have beloved characters make mistakes if you're then able to redeem them, but that didn't happen in this book. Actions were justified, excuses made, things overlooked... it was almost painful for me to read this book because I was so angry about what was happening. I realize I haven't written anything about what does happen, but that's because I don't even want to revisit it or try to explain how miserable this was to read.

This book glorifies a relationship that is the complete opposite of loving or healthy. There is not a single part of me that would hand someone this book and call it a love story. A train wreck? Sure. But a love story? HELL NO. I could rant FOR DAYS about all the things I disliked in this book and how confused I am by how it's rated as favorably as the first two books. Frankly, I'm pissed that it even says "A Love Story" on the cover.

Let me rant for a second: love is not just an emotion but an action, too. Feelings can change, shift and sway... they aren't the basis for real love. Real, true love that deserves to be celebrated is seen in actions. And there is a reason people say actions speak louder than words. The kind of love that I want to celebrate is when it's sacrificial and willing to put someone else's needs first. This book made me so mad because I hate that anyone would read this and would call it "love." What an insult to that word!

All of that being said, I do not recommend this book. Not even a little bit. Stop after book two!

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And Though She Be But Little

And Though She Be But Little

Mar 11, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so it makes perfect sense that I'd love this feature!

Sometimes, topics like this week's are a real challenge for me. They are so open - with so many choices available - that it's hard for me to choose something that I can easily narrow down to just ten books and not seem completely repetitive from week to week. So, I thought it would be fun to focus my list a little more instead of just choosing a genre. And that's how I ended up with:

Top Ten Favorite (Childhood) Classics With Young Heroines

1. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 

Orphaned, spoiled, prickly little Mary Lennox. She's the kind of heroine that you just want to shake but also just really love. She moves to Misselthwaite Manor after the death of her parents, and who could expect the change she'll bring to the place? The garden Mary discovers slowly becomes a place of beauty - a transformation that takes place in the hearts of the characters, too.

2. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I like Mary Lennox, but I love Sara Crewe. I have to be honest and tell you that part of it is probably because I adore the movie version of this book. Just like with books, I rarely cry when watching movies. But something about this movie makes me cry every single time I watch, even though I know the tearjerker moment is coming. So, I think that's made me love this book just a little bit more. Either way, I love this story about a girl who becomes destitute after the death of her father but manages to retain her cheerful spirit despite her loss. 

3. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Does this one count? I think it does because Fern is important in the story, even if Wilbur and Charlotte kind of steal the show. Only a book like this could make me love three things I'm inclined to dislike in real life: spiders, pigs and rats. I love this story of friendship! This was a favorite growing up, and I keep meaning to sit down for a long overdue re-read.

4. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

I first read this book in high school, and I absolutely fell in love with Francie Nolan. She felt real to me! This coming-of-age tale just worked its way into my heart, and I've had a soft spot for it ever since. I love how it can be both utterly heartbreaking and absolutely delightful. And I can't even tell you how many things I highlighted in it! Seeing Francie discover the world around her and face the harsh reality of it just felt so honest and relatable. Even though my childhood was nothing like hers, there was something about this book that makes you feel like you understand Francie. I love the hope that infuses this book!

5. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I read this book for the first time in 2012, and I was completely amazed by the fact that I hadn't read it before. It was so up my alley - how did I miss this growing up?! Written as Cassandra Mortmain's journal, I fell in love with her voice and the way she described the world and people around her. As I wrote in my review: "She charms you and disarms you with her thoughtful (and often comical reflections)." It's a book that I wasn't sure whether I should be happy I finally discovered it or mad that it took me so long to find it! Either way, I can't get enough of I Capture the Castle and see myself re-reading for years to come.

6. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This was never my favorite of the Little House books, but I think you've got to start with the first in the series for a list like this one. What little girl didn't grow up reading about Pa, Ma, Laura, her sisters, and Almonzo? Okay, I know plenty of people didn't read these as a child, but they definitely seem like rite of passage reads. I loved how aspects of history came alive through the pages of these books! Homesteading seemed so adventurous but also so dangerous, and I loved this little family so much for the way they faced all the challenges that came their way.

7. The Betsy-Tacy Treasury by Maud Hart Lovelace 

I didn't remember this series as clearly as the Little House and Anne books, so I decided to re-read them all again last year. To say that I fell in love would be a total understatement! This is a ten-book series, and I actually like the later books (when Betsy is in high school and beyond) better than the first four. But I figured I should highlight the series beginning in this post! Anyway, Betsy Ray is one of the best heroines - flawed but admirable - surrounded by an amazing family and incredibly friends. Also, Joe Willard. DUH.

8. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Listen, you should have expected to see Anne Shirley on this list. I cannot get enough of this character! This is one of the books (and series) that made me reader growing up, and I love returning to this feisty heroine again and again. I know so many people who only read the first book, but I really love the entire series. It's so wonderful to watch Anne grow up! I think this is probably my favorite series ever, so you should definitely check them out if you haven't already fallen for this red-headed snippet!

9. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery 

Okay, I'm totally cheating with this book! Majorly. Valancy Stirling is 29, and her "old age" is one of the things that precipitates the novel's action. So, she's not a young heroine, but this is my list and I wanted to push this book... so you'll have to get over it. Aside from the Anne books, this is probably my favorite book by Montgomery. It's such an excellent read, and I wish it got more attention! This has long been one of my favorite books from Montgomery, and I can't recommend it enough.

10. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I think this is the perfect book to wrap up this list! I'm never sure if I read the book or saw the movie first. Sometimes, I think I must have seen the movie first because I remember being surprised by some of the things that happen in this classic novel. It's not because the movie changed stuff, but I just remember reading it and thinking that things are fleshed out so much more over the many pages in this book. These four sisters were some of my very favorites, and I know it's one of the reasons I love reading stories involving sisters even today. There's such a richness in that relationship!

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Sweetness at the Supermarket

Sweetness at the Supermarket

Mar 10, 2014

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

Release Date: December 2012 (originally January 2010)
Publisher: Random House | Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 243 pages
Source & Format: Bought; Paperback
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (from Goodreads)

"Miss Amelia Hayes, welcome to The Land of Dreams. I am the staff trainer. I will call you grasshopper and you will call me sensei and I will give you the good oil. Right? And just so you know, I'm open to all kinds of bribery."

From the moment 15-year-old Amelia begins work on the checkout at Woolworths she is sunk, gone, lost... head-over-heels in love with Chris. Chris is the funny, charming, man-about-Woolies, but he's 21, and the 6-year difference in their ages may as well be 100. Chris and Amelia talk about everything from Second Wave Feminism to Great Expectations and Alien but will he ever look at her in the way she wants him to? And if he does, will it be everything she hopes?

Brief Thoughts on Love and Other Perishable Items

Unlike a lot of U.S. readers, I actually read Buzo's novel Holier Than Thou long before this one. I did a book swap with the kind and lovely Mandee, which is how I was able to read it since it hasn't been published in the U.S. yet. Anyway, I liked Love and Other Perishable Items (published as Good Oil in Australia) but didn't enjoy it the way I did Holier Than Thou. I never reviewed Holier Than Thou for some reason, which is too bad because I can't even tell you what I liked better about it!

I really enjoyed the main character, Amelia Hayes, and liked spending time with her. She's got a lot of growing up left to do but is also mature for her age in other respects. I liked that about her! There's an intensity to her that felt unique, and I appreciated that she seemed like a realistic teenager while also being a bit different from her peers. Chris, on the other hand, kind of frustrated me. But, at the same time, I liked that Amelia sees on side of him and there's another side that's revealed through his journal entries. Both characters had depth and complexity.

I found myself smiling at the way the book depicted having a crush on someone who is unattainable for some reason. In this case, it's due to age. There is just something about those hopeless crushes, and I felt Buzo really captured the emotion well. Those aspects to the story - the wanting someone you can't have, the feelings you can develop without really knowing someone that well - totally worked for me. And I liked the ending being open-ended. Buzo did something similar in Holier Than Thou, which I definitely remembered when I finished this one.

So why is it just okay for me? I can't quite put my finger on it. It was fun and cute, but it also seemed like nothing really happened. It's a very dialogue-heavy book, and I think I needed just a bit more to really fall in love with the book. It seemed like there wasn't anything really driving the story. I kept thinking about how I felt about Holier Than Thou while I reading this one, and it just came up a bit short in comparison.

So Quotable

"She even takes the goings-on of fictitious characters personally."

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