[Review: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab]

"This Savage Song"
Author: Victoria Schwab
Series: Monsters of Verity #1
Pages: 464
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Dystopian
Date Published: July 5th, 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

To begin with I wasn't all that excited about This Savage Song. I felt like the beginning of the novel was pretty slow, and I wasn't really reading anything that I hadn't read before. Monster trying to be good, girl trying to impress her evil mastermind of a father, it's all been written before. But then something shifted, and I realized that Schwab set out to turn those stereotypes on their heads, by first presenting them in a well known way. It was a brilliant move, and by the end of this book, I was singing it's praises (see what I did there?) to anyone who wanted a book recommendation.  

I have to admit that I'm a Schwab newbie, which is strange, because I own a majority of her books. I've just been too busy to get around to them. After completing This Savage Song, that needs to change, and quickly. Schwab is twisty writer who isn't afraid to take the story in the least expected direction. But she also knows when to play right into your pocket. 

The beginning of the novel focuses on the main characters individually. We see August and Kate in their own worlds, surrounded by their own problems, and dealing with their own insecurities. I see now that Schwab took her time introducing her characters because once the action hits, it never lets up. It was when the two story lines come together that I got really excited about the novel. The way August and Kate interact is brilliant, and though there are moments of spark, I liked that this book didn't become all about a love story, but rather two characters learning to love themselves side by side.

Okay, don't get me wrong, August is cool. I like him a lot, but he pales in comparison to Kate. She's become my little anti-hero queen. Seriously, she's got some mad chops, and it didn't take long for me to become of fan of her. 

All in all this book is about what makes us human, and what turns us into monsters. I liked that there isn't a clear hero or villain. The lines are muddied, and even when you close the book, you can't be sure who the good guys are, but you sure as hell can figure out who you're rooting for. 

I highly suggest that you read this book. It's a good one, and I can't wait for the next novel in the series!

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hand on this NOW!

[Review: Red Velvet Crush by Christina Meredith]

"Red Velvet Crush"
Author: Christina Meredith
Series: None
Pages: 304
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Music
Date Published: June 14th, 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Rock music, a broken family, challenging sisters, and the crush of first love—Red Velvet Crush has everything you need in a summer read. For fans of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Eleanor & Park, and This Song Will Save Your Life.

Teddy Lee’s mother ran off when she was in second grade. And ever since, Teddy Lee, the often-overshadowed middle kid, has tried to keep her family together. But her older brother Winston usually keeps himself busy with smoking, drinking, and girls, and who knows what else. Her younger sister Billie is occupied with her shoplifting habit and boys . . . and who knows what else. So when Teddy Lee finally takes the songs she’s always written and forms a band, maybe it’ll bring everyone closer together, maybe it’ll be her time to shine. Unless Billie steals the spotlight—and the boy—just like she always does. Christina Meredith explores the complicated relationship of sisters—both the unconditional love and the unavoidable resentments—in a novel full of music, urgency, the first blushes of love, and the undeniable excitement of hitting the road. 

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

Finally, a book about music that I actually enjoyed. It's true that I'm really picky when it comes to books that have to do with bands and going on the road. In fact they usually fall really flat for me, but Red Velvet Crush surprised me, and I found that I really liked it. It's much better than the band name the book is named after, but that's beside the point. 

I think that what works so well for this novel is that it's about so much more than just the music. It reminded me of Almost Famous in that way. That the story is actually more about a group of people coming together and learning some really tough lessons, while also rocking out, and having a grand adventure at the same time. It's refreshing, and it's bold.

I also have to say that I really enjoyed Meredith's writing style. It's whimsical, but it's also brash, and I think it's one of the reasons that this book works so well. Her flowery prose makes reading some of the harsher details much more interesting. And she makes sure to make you feel as unsure as the characters in her story as you read along.

The relationships in Red Velvet Crush felt really authentic. They felt real, and that is part of this books charm. Sure Teddy Lee and her family aren't perfect (at all) but there is a love there that can't be denied. Winston, though he plays a part in the novel, takes a backseat to the relationship between Teddy Lee and Billie. Theirs is a sister bond that isn't full of rainbows and butterflies, and that's one of the biggest plot pushes of the book. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but it means that we get to see Teddy Lee grow a lot in the short amount of time that we have with her.

The romance element was fun, but it wasn't the best part of the book for me. In fact my only complaint with the book has to do with the romance and how it all ended. Now, I'm sure that teen readers are going to eat the end up, but as someone who's older, I found that it didn't work for me. 

That being said, Red Velvet Crush is a delightful summer read for anyone who's a music junkie like I am. Meredith fills the pages with old school band references, beautiful words to describe the music that's happening on the page, and some good old "on the road" shenanigans.  

Rating:

4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: Walk On Earth A Stranger by Rae Carson]

"Walk on Earth a Stranger"
Author: Rae Carson
Series: The Gold Seer Trilogy #1
Pages: 432
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Date Published: September 22nd, 2015
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes.

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.

She also has a secret.

Leee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might muder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.

The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush-era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift. 

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Walk On Earth A Stranger,

Hmmmmmmm? You and I didn't connect, which is a real bummer. You're good, don't get me wrong, but there was a divide between us that I just couldn't cross. Your story was awesome. I liked your characters. The flow was good. But still I couldn't get into you until the last 20% or so. I'm going to have to finish the rest of your series, cause now I'm hooked, so hopefully I'll gel with those stories a bit better. 

-The White Unicorn 

I can't believe that I'm not singing the praises of this book. I should be, as I'm a HUGE fan of Carson's Fire and Thorns series, so it would only seem natural. But for some reason I didn't gel with this book, and that makes me sad. 

Carson is a fantastic world builder, but I felt like that was lacking in Walk on Earth a Stranger. There were moments when I was sucked into Lee's story, and other times where I felt like I was an outsider looking in. The world felt sparse. Maybe it was because this book is based on actual events, and things that really happened when people made their way out to California during the gold rush? Maybe it was just my connection to the story? It could have also been the fact that I thought the book's pacing felt rushed, and slow all at once. There was a lot of hurry up and wait happening. 

That being said, I adored the characters that Carson used in her story. Lee (Leah) is wonderful. She's conflicted, strong, brave, intelligent, and cursed. I liked that she hid out as a boy, and in doing so learned so much about herself. I also dug the fact that she can witch for gold the way some people can witch for water. It adds a magical element to the story that was a fun addition. 

Carson also didn't avoid addressing a lot of social issues in this book. It was refreshing to see so many strong women and men come together. The book addresses things like human rites, the woman's place in the home, prejudice, and a slew of other things. It makes for some character driven reading, I just wish that the rest of the plot went as smooth as the characters.

That being said the plot was actually quite genius. I liked it a lot, even though I didn't connect with the execution of it. Carson knows how to throw curve balls at her readers, and that was still evident in this book.

So, in the end, this book is good, even if I'm not as excited about it as I'd like it be. If you dig the gold rush, magical powers, slow burn romances, and a lot of social issues being tackled in one book, read this!

Rating:

3 Unicorns = I liked it, but it had it's issues!  

[Review: The Unquiet by Mikaela Everett]

"The Unquiet"
Author: Mikaela Everett
Series: None
Pages: 464
Genre: YA, Sci-fi
Date Published: September 22nd, 2015
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

For most of her life, Lirael has been training to kill—and replace—a duplicate version of herself on a parallel Earth. She is the perfect sleeper-soldier. But she’s beginning to suspect she is not a good person.

The two Earths are identical in almost every way. Two copies of every city, every building, even every person. But the people from the second Earth know something their duplicates do not—two versions of the same thing cannot exist. They—and their whole planet—are slowly disappearing. Lira has been trained mercilessly since childhood to learn everything she can about her duplicate, to be a ruthless sleeper-assassin who kills that other Lirael and steps seamlessly into her life.

An intricate, literary stand-alone from an astonishing new voice, The Unquiet takes us deep inside the psyche of a strong teenage heroine struggling with what she has been raised to be and who she really is. Fans of eerily futuristic and beautifully crafted stories such as Never Let Me Go, Orphan Black, and Fringe will find themselves haunted by this unsettling debut.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Unquiet,

I think you're one of my favorite books of the year, and that's saying something, because I've read a lot of good books so far. You made me think a lot. You made me feel a lot of feelings. You are a book that's going to stick with me for a really long time (if not the rest of my life). You're based on twisted morals and a main character who isn't supposed to be likable, and yet, still manages to be. I can't get over how many days it's been since I finished you, but I still find myself thinking about your layered themes. You get a gold star!

-The White Unicorn

This book is masterful. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started it, but now, days later I can't stop thinking about it. I think it's the best books that stick with us, and somehow The Unquiet snuck up on me, and won't let go. Everett gives us a layered story about a girl who's trained to be unsavory, and yet still manages to have a heart. 

This book is messy. I'm not talking about the writing. The writing is glorious, and Everett picked the perfect pacing as well as an interesting voice when telling her story. I mean that it's messy from a moral standpoint. It asks a lot of questions about humanity and what you're willing to do, or not do, to hold onto it. Nothing is what it seems, and yet everything is laid out in the open for us to see, if only we search for it. 

Lira has to be one of my favorite heroines of all time. She's the perfect anti-hero. I know that I'm not supposed to like her, and yet I found myself digging everything about her. She's been trained to be something horrendous, but she slowly learns what she's really made of. I can't even begin to imagine what Lira has gone through on top of what Everett shares with us. I think that the best characters make you wonder questions like that. They make you want to know even more about them, even though you've already been given tons of information. 

On top of all of this, Everett adds a really compelling cast of secondary characters. There wasn't one character that I didn't like. In fact some of them I ended up falling a little bit in love with. I'm looking at you Jack. Jack's such an interesting character. Cecily is also a wonderful character, and it was interesting to see Lira's relationship grow with her, since they're not actually sisters. 

The relationships in this novel really pack a punch. I don't think that it would be the same story if Everett didn't focus on the relationship aspects presented. It's how we really start to understand Lira and the world that she lives in. There's even a slight romance, but it doesn't take away from the story, and it fits really well, so it doesn't feel light or silly when thrown into the plot. 

I'm just going to say it, you need to read this book, and you'll do it if you know what's good for you. 

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hand on this NOW! 

[Review: One by Sarah Crossan]

"One"
Author: Sarah Crossan
Series: None
Pages: 400
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Verse
Date Published: September 15th, 2015
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Tippi and Grace share everything—clothes, friends . . . even their body. Writing in free verse, Sarah Crossan tells the sensitive and moving story of conjoined twin sisters, which will find fans in readers of Gayle Forman, Jodi Picoult, and Jandy Nelson.

Tippi and Grace. Grace and Tippi. For them, it’s normal to step into the same skirt. To hook their arms around each other for balance. To fall asleep listening to the other breathing. To share. And to keep some things private. The two sixteen-year-old girls have two heads, two hearts, and each has two arms, but at the belly, they join. And they are happy, never wanting to risk the dangerous separation surgery.

But the girls’ body is beginning to fight against them. And soon they will have to face the impossible choice they have avoided for their entire lives.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To One,

Wow, you really packed an emotional punch. There is just something about a well written novel in verse that I can't dislike. You made me cry. Big, fat, crocodile tears. And it made me like you even more. I don't cry over everything, so the fact that you got some of my tears is a big accomplishment. Good on you!

-The White Unicorn

I didn't know what to expect when I headed into One. I've read a few other novels in verse form, and I actually like poetry a lot, but books in poem form usually miss the mark for me. One is not one of those books. Crossan has crafted a book that hits your right in all the emotions and it will most likely make you feel everything, even though the words are fairly sparse. 

The book also happens to be centered around something that I didn't know much about before. Conjoined twins. Two very different girls, joined at the belly forever. They have their own separate upper bodies, which provides some interesting situations. 

Crossan brings us into Grace and Tippi's lives. Gives them interesting backgrounds, a loving family, and their own agendas. I really liked getting to know them. What made them tick individually. She also gives them two really interesting friends. One of which will end up dying of HIV. I liked that Crossan chose to give the girls a friend who is also facing a possible premature death. 

The facts of conjoined twins are looked at in a brutal light. I'm not saying that this novel is downer, because it actually had me laughing quite a bit. On the flip side, not everything is light and fluffy, hence all the crying I admitted to doing. I feel like this is a book that you just have to experience for yourself, and since it's in verse form, you can do that really quickly. 

Read it, feel it, love it, and then when it's over cry your eyes out!

Rating:

  5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this NOW!