Along for the Ride

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary, romance
Rating: 5 stars

Melissa Thinks: Rereading books is not something I normally do. The most frustrating thing about being a book lover is as I grow older, I find my tastes are always changing. A book I might have read and loved five years ago I might read now and hate. I originally read Along for the Ride six or seven years ago and it wasn't a book that made a large impression on me. On this second read through, I've had an unexpectedly different reaction.

Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors for several reasons. First of all, her novels are always so well crafted. The characters have layers of character development that slowly emerge throughout her stories. She knows how to write about teenagers in a way that is not patronizing or stereotypical. Dessen novels are a perfect example of YA novels or "chick lit" books that can transcend their marketed audience. The themes and messages of this book (perseverance, femininity, elitism in academia, family and motherhood, change)

Another of Sarah Dessen’s strengths is the relationships she builds within her novels. Whether it’s familial relationships, friendships, or romantic connections, Dessen always seems to find the best ways to bring her characters together. Take, for instance, Eli and Auden. Their relationship starts off fairly innocently; they bond over coffee, pie, and insomnia. As they become closer, it’s hard not to want them to end up together forever. But like I said, it’s not just about the romance. Auden’s damaged relationship with her mother, father, and stepmother plays a very important role in Along for the Ride. Auden also connects with a group of girls who work in her stepmother’s store, which showcases the importance of strong friendships as opposed to the female rivalry which can often play a big part in YA books.

To conclude: I just really loved this book a lot more than I thought I would. Oftentimes an author’s later books can be crappy in comparison t their earlier works, but Along for the Ride was an amazing read, much like Dessen’s earlier works. So if you’ve not read a book by this author before, I think this is a great one to start with!

How to Repair a Mechanical Heart

How to Repair a Mechanical Heart by J.C. Lillis

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary, romance, LGTQIA+
Rating: 4 stars

Melissa Thinks: I think that I described How to Repair a Mechanical Heart to a friend as being about “fandoms and Jesus”. Brandon and Abel make vlogs together about Castaway Planet, a Star Trek-like television show they both adore. It’s actually how they met—through a fan forum dedicated to the show. Now they’re getting ready to go on a road trip to visit various cons throughout the country to make good on a bet they made with a rival group of fans (shippers of the two main characters, Cadmus and Sim).

The interesting thing about this book is how it really tackles the good, the bad, and the cringe-worthy side of being a fan—the sense of community, the shipping wars, the fic. It even brushes on things like fanservice and queer baiting (which, for those who don’t know, is when the writers of a TV show will create sexual tension and subtext between two same sex characters without any intention of having them be gay, bisexual, pansexual, etc. They do it to essentially grab the attention of queer viewers).

Additionally, Brandon also provides an interesting narrative regarding his sexuality. There’s a few super common character tropes in m/m fiction: the “gay for you” trope (where a character is essentially “straight” until they meet their love interest and realize how super gay they are), and the “I’m gay, but I don’t want to come out in fear of making everyone I love hate me” trope. Brandon was neither. Instead, the author explores his complex relationship with his parents, religion, and God. His church has taught him to hate gay people, and so now he struggles with self-hatred; he doesn’t know how to love and accept himself while also staying faithful to his religion. His parents, who seem to live and breathe their church, are similarly conflicted with how to accept this part of their son. It’s often shown in the book that they prefer to just pretend he never came out, or they try to change him to fit their own ideas of what he should be.

There was a lot to like in this book in terms of writing, characters, and plot. There was something special about the humor and the voice, which made the book unique in my opinion. The author’s coverage of the dynamics between fans, creators, and (in the case of shows/movies) actors was refreshing and real, albeit exaggerated.

Recommended for lovers of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell!

Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary; romance
Rating: 4 stars

Melissa Thinks: I don't know how to feel about this book. Before I get into the meat of it, I'd like to address a few things. Nicola Yoon has a way with words, for sure. There was a poetic simplicity to her prose that I especially enjoyed. Her dialogue and the voice of her characters was a particular favorite of mine. Maddy and Olly had an charming and clever air about them. They were intelligent without seeming pretentious. There was one particular scene with a bundt cake that really put a smile on my face--cutest and funniest thing that happened in the entire book.

Now for the hardest part of this review: the plot. I found the "Bubble Boy" (2001 movie. Jake Gyllenhaal. Weird but cute boy with no immune system escapes his overprotective parents to find a girl. You should check it out.) concept to be unique in that I've never read a Young Adult book that tackled this issue. There were times, however, when Madeline's dangerous behavior was hard to grasp. It was difficult to believe that she wouldn't get sick what with some of the reckless things she ended up doing. And on top of all that, her mother came off as aggressively clingy and her need to isolate her daughter was pretty problematic in the beginning of Olly and Maddy’s relationship, though it’s never really addressed until the end. Even then, it’s glossed over. But, I really liked the progression of the story. The plot was only predictable in a few places.

There was a touch of insta love in Everything, Everything. Personally, that is a huge turn off for me in books, but I enjoyed the characters so much that I could forgive it for the most part. The two main characters were just heartbreaking. Their interactions had a realness to them that made them likeable and easy to connect with. One of the best aspects of the book by far, though, is its message. There was a large emphasis on living your life to the fullest and taking risks even if they might result in something bad, because life is too short to be cautious.

You guys should definitely read this book! Do it for the beautiful cover, do it for the lovely romance, do it for the bundt cake!

Vengeance Road

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

Age: Young Adult
Category: Historical; romance
Rating: 4.5 stars

Melissa Thinks: A historical western romance? Definitely not something I thought I would enjoy, but Vengeance Road exceeded my expectations. Kate, the main character, is the embodiment of a strong female character. After her father is brutally murdered by the notorious Rose Riders, she vows to track down and kill every last one of them. Along the way she picks up brothers Will and Jesse who, thanks to her disguise, are under the impression she is a boy (think Mulan). This makes it all the more difficult when she finds herself starting to notice the older boy, Jesse, in a "more than traveling companions" kind of way.

Like I said, Kate is an amazing character. Not only is she a badass, gun-slinging, independent, cowgirl-type character, but she also has a sweetness to her that adds to her lovableness. Her need for revenge gets her into some pretty nasty situations and she's willing to kill and even give her life in order to kill whoever murdered her father. I gobbled up this novel in one sitting because I loved Kate's character so much! And it wasn't just her that I loved. The secondary characters complimented Kate well: Will and Jesse--even Liluye, who I would've liked to see more of, made the novel stronger.

I don't think Vengeance Road is completely historically accurate, but it was enough so that I wasn't painfully aware of inconsistencies. My only complaint was the last 1/4 of the book was a little rushed to me. A few things wrapped up in convenient ways that left me feeling unsettled. Besides that, I was very satisfied with this book and I'm finding myself looking forward to reading more western YA books!

Every Breath

Every Breath by Ellie Marney

Age: Young Adult
Category: Mystery & crime; contemporary; romance
Rating: 4 stars

“I admit to being a moron at lots of things. Being a moron in one or two areas serves to highlight my extraordinary brilliance in everything else.” -James Mycroft (beautiful cinnamon roll too good for this world, too pure)

Melissa Thinks: I was not emotionally ready for this book. Like most people, I was absolutely fascinated by BBC’s Sherlock when the first season aired. Not only that, but I also grew up with at least one parent who loved Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series. It’s safe to say I love Sherlock Holmes. When I saw that Every Breath was a modern day retelling (of sorts) about teenage Rachel Watts (Watson) and James Mycroft (Sherlock’s brother was Mycroft Holmes, for those of you who don’t know), I just knew I had to read it.

The writing was more than I ever hoped it would be. It portrays teenagers in a realistic way, by not underestimating or sugar coating them. The prose was poetically beautiful in places in which it seemed appropriate, was precise enough so that I was almost never confused about what was happening, and also held a (distinctly Australian) unique and humorous voice.

Rachel, the main character, was my absolute favorite. When she moves from the country to the city (four months-ish from the start of the book), she doesn’t want to get too attached, knowing that the city life just isn’t for her and one day she’ll end up leaving. Rachel is such an open character—she’s loyal and takes care of her family and Mycroft, though she doesn’t have to. Like most kids her age, she doesn’t know what she wants to do with the rest of her life and genuinely struggles to find her place. She’s also incredibly intelligent and even though Mycroft is technically the shining star genius character, nothing would get done if it weren’t for Rachel. She isn’t a sidekick, nor is she a passive poorly written lady character; she’s equal to her male counterpart.

Then there’s the second main character, Mycroft. Oh boy, Mycroft. He is a deeply flawed character. He is erratic, selfish, struggles with mental health issues, and can sometimes be downright stupid. What I loved about him was his passion and eccentricity. Similarly to Rachel, he has a strong sense of loyalty as well as a need to seek justice for those who cannot do so themselves. And even though I am a grown adult woman, and he’s seventeen, I found him to be just adorable. He has curly hair, he’s British, he’s funny, and you can tell he is so devoted to Rachel. What a cutie.

Fables Vol.1: Legends in Exile (Fables, #1)

Fables Vol.1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham, James Jean, Lan Medina, Craig Hamilton, Steve Leialoha

Age: Adult
Category: Fantasy, Mystery & Crime, Graphic Novel
Rating: 4 stars

Melissa Thinks: For those of you who don’t know, the Fables graphic novel series has spawned a video game by the name of The Wolf Among Us. It is through this quirky video game that I discovered and fell in love with the Fables universe. Hundreds of years ago, the fairy tale characters we know and love were exiled from their homes, forced to find refuge in a place void of magic: New York. In present day NYC, the fable creatures live in a community known as Fabletown, where they’re faced with monetary, political, and magical issues that threaten to tear apart their carefully crafted community.

The first issue of the series begins abruptly with the news that Snow White’s sister, Rose Red, has been murdered. It is up to Snow and the reformed big bad wolf (of Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood fame), now sheriff of Fabletown, Bigby to find out exactly what happened and why.

The most important aspect of theses graphic novels, of course, is the characters. Most of them, if not all, will be recognizable to you, but they’re different than you’ll remember, deeper and darker. This works to their advantage and it brings the reader closer to the characters and the story. Of course, the artwork is another of its shining qualities of this series because where would a graphic novel be without the illustration. It has a 90’s Sunday paper comics feel to it. The dialogue is hardly ever contrived as it can be in many comics, which seem to rely on plot and art instead of characterization and content. It’s dark, gritty, and funny as hell.

I would recommend this series to anyone who is skeptical about comics or graphic novels or who is new to this genre. The recognizable characters, background information, and themes will make the transition from novels to comics easier.

Shadowfell

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier

Age: Young Adult
Category: Fantasy; romance
Rating: 4 stars

“She went on because there was no going back.”

Melissa Thinks: Growing up, one of the only things my sister would talk to me about was books. Although she was substantially older than I was, we both were enthralled with high fantasy YA novels. Juliet Marillier was a staple in our combined diet of books. Her Sevenwaters series was a great source of enjoyment for both my young self and my snotty teenage sister. It was these memories of a bridged relationship that convinced me to pick up Shadowfell this week.

Neryn is a sixteen-year-old girl living in a world where people with “canny” gifts are hunted and often killed by order of the King Keldec. Neryn has been on the run with her father for three years now, ever since her brother and grandmother died at the hands of the king’s Enforcers. After her Father gambles her away to a mysterious stranger, Flint, her journey of takes a strange turn. She learns her gift of seeing and talking to the Good Folk could mean a lot more than she originally thought. Now her only hope lies in Shadowfell, a mysterious place where she might finally find her freedom.

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The Rules

The Rules by Stacey Kade

Age: Young Adult
Category: Science fiction; romance
Rating: 3 stars

Melissa Thinks: To start, I would like to point out that despite the fact that this is a sci-fi story, there won’t be much science fiction in it. I like to think of this as more of a character driven story rather than a plot driven one. That being said, the plot was still intriguing albeit cliché at times. So, let’s dig in shall we?

Ariane is not your typical teenager. She lives by a set of rules put in place by her adoptive father; never trust anyone, they are always searching, don’t get involved, keep your head down, don’t fall in love. These restrictive rules are there to keep her safe and for the last ten years of her life living on the Outside, Ariane has followed them closely. Now she finds herself in the middle of some typical high school drama surrounding one Rachel Jacobs and her stereotypical jock friend Zane Bradshaw. To get back at Rachel for her childish bully behavior, Zane and Ariane team up to give her a taste of her own medicine. What Ariane wasn’t expecting was for Zane to turn out to be an okay guy. In fact, he’s more than okay; better than she could’ve imaged. She’s breaking all her father’s rules for him, but when their “fake” relationship comes to an end, will they stay together? How long can Ariane pretend she’s a normal girl? How long until Zane finds out she’s half alien?

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Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Age: Young Adult
Category: Historical; romance
Rating: 5 stars

Melissa Thinks: Our two titular characters are portrayed as two sixteen year olds struggling to fit in with high school life. There’s Eleanor, the quirky red head who has a problematic home life and a style that warrants the attention of bullies. And then there’s Park: the cute and nerdy half-Korean boy who has trouble relating to his more popular friends and classmates. Together, the two of them must overcome the obstacles that life throws at them. How far will they go to protect each other and their “adolescent” love?

This Printz award winning novel includes vital themes such as: bullying, racism, body-image, abuse, and neglect. At the same time, Rainbow Rowell still somehow manages to keep her readers laughing with quick wit and geeky references.

From the start, the author makes it very clear that this novel does not take place in present time. With the mention of tape players, vinyl records, vintage comics – we are almost instantly aware that we are reading a book that takes place in the 80’s: bad hair and punk rock included.

What I love about E&P is that it’s not simply a love story; it’s an accurate portrayal of life as a teenager and the struggles that teens face every day, though you may not even realize it at first glance. Eleanor’s family plays a huge role in this book. Through her experiences we learn what it’s like to live in an abusive household and how that can affect a person and the ones around them. Park’s family has their own troubles as well. His parents are realistically portrayed as an interracial couple. His father constantly berates him for being too “girly” and often insinuates that he’s gay. Park’s friends don’t seem to understand his relationship with Eleanor which creates some shame and paranoia for him in the beginning of the book.

Eleanor & Park is without a doubt the best book I’ve read this year. The alternating point of views gives a clear and almost poetic picture of Eleanor and Park’s relationship. There is no insta-love here – the relationship starts off slow and burns brighter as the story moves along. I was so emotionally invested in this book, to a point where I stayed up all night to finish it even though I had a class that morning.

With a movie deal on the way and a string of cities already banning it from public school English classes, this is not a book you want to wait around to read.

Tiger Lily

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Age: Young Adult
Category: Fantasy; romance
Rating: 4 stars

“Bad things happen whether you're scared or not, so you might as well not bother being scared. It's a waste of time.”

Melissa Thinks: “Tiger Lily” follows the famous character of the same name from the classic children’s book Peter Pan. As the adoptive daughter of the Shaman Tik Tok, there is a lot of pressure put on Tiger Lily from the tribe. It is her wild nature that makes her endearing as a character, yet condemns her amongst her people. Although the novel is about Tiger Lily, it is told through the perspective of the most lovable character of the franchise, the faerie Tinker Bell.

The book primarily shifts between two settings: Tiger Lily’s village and the Lost Boy’s underground burrow. It is through these shifts that we see the major conflict of the book – Tiger Lily must make a choice between the two. On one hand, the village is where her family and friends are, despite the fact that she’s being forced into a marriage with the vilest man she’s ever met. But on the other hand, with the Lost Boys and Peter, she can be free – she’s a savagely beautiful girl with a fiery spirit. More importantly, with the Lost Boys she can be with her newfound love: the infamous Peter Pan.

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