Judgment, No. 18

The Lucky Ones

by Anna Godbersen

"As summer reaches its hottest peak, these sun-kissed girls will find out if their luck can last . . . or if dark surprises are on the horizon."

*

You should all know of my literary crush on Anna Godbersen. In my not-so-humble opinion, she can do no wrong. Her books are the ones I'm so glad I didn't write exactly because that means I can just enjoy them. I couldn't make them better in any way, imagine them any more perfectly, or change them for any new purpose. I practically worship them. Hence my pre-ordering, as soon as possible, this latest installment of her latest series. And even though it's senior finals over here in my real world, I know as soon as I get this, I'll immediately drop everything to read it.  But let's get to the judgy part.

You can read here to get my takes on the last one, and here to see how it turned out. Just remember there are three girls bordering on screwing up their lives in various ways: Letty, the starry-eyed actress has ruined her chances with a handsome but normal young man and is now being courted (perhaps for nefarious reasons) by a famous actor; Astrid, the brash and...let's say passionate one has married the cheating, angry bootlegger and expects to live a life of leisure. Which is doubtful considering she's a flirt and there's an attractive body guard in the mix; Cordelia is the unlucky one who found her match in that fellow bootlegger child a long time ago and is now getting it on with a handsome but boring pilot. As promised at the very beginning, one girl will be married, one will be famous, and one will be dead.

I think Astrid is bound to leave her husband. We all knew that wasn't going to last. I hope Cordelia drops the pilot because he really has become pretty boring. And, again, I hope Letty will finally get over herself, somehow go back to the first cute one, and have enough confidence to actually make her dreams happen.

And I know it will all happen--whatever happens--in the most beautiful way imaginable. And while it is melodrama, it will happen in a very believable way, too. Because Godbersen knows her characters, and that makes them that much easier to love. So enough talking. I'm going to get reading.

Judgment, No. 17

Cloud Atlas

by David Mitchell

"Brilliantly original fiction that reveals how disparate people connect, how their fates intertwine, and how their souls drift across time like clouds across the sky."

*

I found this while watching movie trailers. Well, no, I watched the trailer for this movie and then, about five seconds later, I bought this book on rush order via Amazon.

See, movies are powerful. And if a trailer gives me chills, I hope the book sends me into conniptions of awesomeness.

Basically it sounds like a mess of stories that span time and place, where love triumphs and hope prevails and, above all, life is lived (insert oohs and ahhs here). I know, right? It actually sounds like quite the puzzle and I'm curious to see how these stories, so far-reaching, can interconnect in a way that doesn't seem trite or contrived. I imagine there's a bit to do with sci-fi, though hopefully no...aliens. I imagine there will also be sex and swearing (see previous post for that rant), but I hope beyond hope it will be, uh, tactfully done. Or this really will be my last adult novel.

Because this is also a book heralded by critics, trumpeted by writers, editors, publishers alike. Everyone seems to love it. And I hope it is because it really is a perfectly original tale done with artistry and craft rather than just some mess of events everyone is scared to complain about in case they're the only ones who didn't get it (like the movie The Tree of Life. Nobody actually gets it, they just don't want to be the one to admit it first).

But here goes. Another foray into the inexplicable and often dull world of adult fiction. Here's hoping there's less shock and awe and more just general wonderment. A girl does like to be wowed, after all.  

Judgment, No. 15

Frozen

by Robin Wasserman

"She's not the same person she used to be. Maybe she's not even a person at all."

*

This is some major sci-fi. Something I'm not usually comfortable with, that I usually avoid. Yet here I am. Why? One, it was only 9.99--the exact amount of cash I had in my pocket at the time. Two, Scott Westerfeld said it was "spellbinding." But why am I so intrepid? One, it was only 9.99--and we all know how cheap cheap books usually are (remember that trio of $5 books I bought? Unfortunately, I still do). Two, Scott Westerfeld really disappointed me when he sold himself out and made his epic Uglies trilogy a series. Which brings me to point number three: This is, in fact, a series. And, not only that, it is a reprinting of an old series originally called Skinned. As if they're hoping for more success come round two. Which feels like cheating. But they went for edgy, concept cover-art where the three books stand together to reveal--you guessed it--a (metal?) woman...dripping...with water. So...there's that. And it sounds a lot like Bicentennial Man, but a girl. And it's about a teenager. And they tend to be pretty stupid/annoying/ultra-angsty.

Still. I'm reading it.

And I think/plead that, maybe, it just might be good. The story goes that this girl in a futuristic world gets in a car wreck and her memories are transferred onto a microchip and put in a robotic body Thus, is she alive? Is she human? Is she anything? It's like A.I. Artificial Intelligence meets The Island. That's what I'm getting/hoping for at least. And, hey, if we're lucky, and seeing as she's a non-human entity and all, there won't be a love triangle. Or any romance at all! But...seeing as this is YA fiction, there's bound to be something. I just hope it's stomachable/awesome.

Man, I'm such a pessimist. I should work on that, but I probably won't.

Judgment, No. 14

Blood Red Road

by Moira Young

"A monster sandstorm arrives bearing four cloaked horsemen, and her world is shattered."

*

This seems like some BA post-apocalyptic stuff. I'm kind of tired of the "dystopian" trend, where a perfect society turns out to be not so perfect. But I still love that end-of-the-world, societies-crumbling, life-sucks sort of vibe. What better than a book about a girl living in the deserted outlands (a pun! a pun!), living off of landfills before being forced to go off to save her brother and stage a rebellion with the help of an attractive, rebellious boy?

Maybe don't answer that.

But, really, it sounds interesting. Very dry (hopefully not a pun). And it's gotten a million and a half good reviews--things like, "On par with...Paulo Bacigalupi," "Better than Hunger Games," "a distinct Cormac McCarthy vibe." The critics use words such as "eerie," "powerful," "minimalist," "intriguing," "fast." There are creepy creatures and empowered women and all that fun-loving, angst-ridden stuff. And though someone called it an "epic love story," I'm hoping it's believable and not just...lame.

That, or it's as good writing as everyone says it is, because you all know how easily wooed I am by writing. I mean, I even fell for Delirium. AKA the cliche-ridden-train-wreck of the year.

Three problems:
One: it is a series (known as Dustlands). And I'm really sick of this series trend. When did it become so necessary to have a story that didn't ever officially end? Nothing's safe anymore. Not even if you call it a trilogy--they'll still find a way to throw in a fourth one (I'm looking at you, Uglies and Eragon).

And, is it just me, or does the cover feel like a video game?

It looks a little cheap, okay. 

Two: the set-up sounds cliche. Everything is cliche now, I know. But, seriously? Couldn't they disguise it a little more? Am I really the only one to grow doubtful when I'm told the "unbeatable and cunning" main character will be "teamed up with a handsome daredevil"?

Insert eye roll.

 

Hey, at least it's not some bimbo beauty wondering why on earth all the men around are in love with her. That's one cliche I can't stomach (right at ya, Twilight).

 

Three: last time I was told a book was for the lovers of Hunger Games, it turned out to suck (Yeah, Maze Runner. Epic suck). So I'm a little timorous.

Then again, if they mean it's better than Hunger Games as a whole, 

I might be okay with that, because the third one just sort of ruined it for me. 

That, and the movie trailer. 

Liam Hemsworth, of Miley Cyrus fame--really?

But I digress. 

So, yes, this book might have all the makings of a cliche, but...it still gets me a little hyped up. I read the first page and...it feels different. It reads different. I think it will be good. This is a fresh voice, a seemingly fresh situation and setting, and hopefully some fresh characters (a pun?). Sure, it might be predictable--what, with a handsome love interest and a girl rising from the ash of a crumbling society to save her brother but really save so much more (sound familiar? Yup). And maybe it is a series, but some stories deserve sequels (I'm looking at you, Anna Godberson and...nope, that's it).

So, there, I admit it: I'm excited. Only, don't get ahead of yourself. After all, I'm easily excited--I'm an optimist that way--but it takes lots to actually impress me. 

Dang. I'm such a snob.

Judgment, No. 13

Beautiful Days

by Anna Godbersen

"For the bright young things of 1929, the beautiful days seem endless"

* 

As anyone who reads any of this blog knows, I have a severe crush on Godbersen and her writing. I've read every book and I've loved every book (well, maybe not Rumors of the Luxe series, but that was her sophomore slump, and so I'll give it to her). In my eyes, she can do no wrong. Even if her stories seem superficial or perhaps melodramatic, she at least is unapologetic in her use of melodrama. It's delicious. And it feels real, mostly because her characters don't fall flat; they don't settle into stereotypes. For YA fiction, they are as complicated and plausible as they can get. From the first book carrying on through the entire series, they never stop making sense--their actions, choices, conclusions...it all feels real. 

Which is exactly why I loved Di slipping away in the last book; 

I would have been furious had she stayed because, 

even if it were happy (and it would have been such a happy moment), 

it would have betrayed the character she built. 

And when so many others forget character in favor of plot, 

I practically shouted for joy when Di walked away.

But that's another story. And I could talk about it forever.

This story, though, is the second in her flappers series. I absolutely loved the first one. To be honest, I was worried that it would be just like Luxe, just in another period. But, no, these characters are just as individualistic, just as complex. These aren't just stock characters; there are no straight-up villains, no cookie cutter heroines. I LOVE IT! Every book of hers is like a breath of fresh air.

I'm sounding a little obsessed. Like stalker-ish. But I'm not, I promise. Just impressed. And I'm eager, excited, enthralled to be impressed again. Only problem? This is the second book. Like Rumors was. So I'm a little nervous, a little worried that it will be...dry, busy fixing up plot lines for the rest of the series. But I have faith. Mostly because, hello, look at that cover.

What's going to go down? It's a little hard to say--as in here. Because 1) I can't spoil the first one for those who haven't read it and 2) I can't say anything about this one without having to talk about the first one. So...it's quite the conundrum. But let me try:

I really hope someone gets to flirt it up with the pilot someone. But I also hope said someone comes around to loving the original someone again because, come on, we all know he didn't do that some thing. And I hope one of the other someones gets over herself enough to accept the affection of that affable one and, maybe, get a big break too. And the other someone should stop smoking long enough to really take stock of her life and go after that poor but beautiful someone who--come on--is not hooking up with that one someone's mother. And that male someone, maybe he'll wind up wandering over to that middle someone just to stir trouble with the latter someone and put all the someones in quite a tizzy. And maybe the first someones...someone that she left back in somewhere comes looking for her, because that could get awkward. 

What more can I say? I just love all these someones, and I'm quite looking forward to the release of this something. 

Here's to it being good.

Judgment, No. 12

The Daughter of Siena

by Marina Fiorato

"Amid the intrigue and danger of 18th-century Italy, a young woman becomes embroiled in romance and treachery with a rider in the Palio."

This is real stuff, people.

*

It's books like this that made me start this blog. I mean, look at that cover. I knew I needed it the second I saw it. I think I actually let out a little gasp, my mouth drawn out in a lovely "oh" when I saw it. I picked it up and the world went slow around me. I could possibly, literally look at it all day.

And it's dresses like that that make me sure I was born in the wrong time period. I covet.

But the book itself? I can't really say much. I mean, I haven't read this sort of book in a while. That sort being "adult" fiction. I'm a little nervous that my taste has been worn down to something incapable of stomaching grown-up writing anymore. My brain has been inundated by frivolous YA where everything is predictable and shallow. Real fiction in real settings with real events...and really sprawling narratives. It might be more than I can bear!

It is historical fiction set in Renaissance Italy. 1729 to be exact. There's a horse race and a diabolical father who uses his daughter like a chess piece in the political battle the tournament masks. And we know she goes and falls in love with the mysterious rider who is probably challenging all her father stands for. And who is definitely not her betrothed.

But I don't think it's chick-lit. I know Fiorato respects history too much to water this down into some bodice-ripping romance. Actually, I'm a little worried that all that attention to detail--especially revolving around a horse race--won't entertain me.

But I'd read anything in that cover. Even if I just numbly turn each page, incapable of following the action, I'll read it. Because a book that pretty--it deserves being celebrated. And I'll never regret buying it.

Yeah, I'm that shallow.

Judgment, No. 11

XVI

by Julia Karr

"For Nina, turning sixteen promises to be anything but sweet."

And this could be the most horrifying book I've ever read.
 *

Here's the basic gist: when you turn 16, you're branded with a tattoo on the inside of your wrist. And that means you're free for the taking. Sexually, that is. It's called turning "sex-teen." Clever, huh? Not that rape is legalized, but girls are completely sexualized, any and all traces of feminism removed. Men can do whatever and women should enjoy it, seeing as that's all their good for in this world.

Kind of perverse, right? And it is published through SPEAK, which is famous for "pushing the envelope" with "serious" (read: graphic) topics. And, actually, I rarely like their stuff.

My mom is probably doing her tongue-clicking-gasp thing right about now wondering where I find these things and why on earth I'm reading it. It's a good question, too. In part, I was just drawn inexplicably to the cover. I mean, do I like dramatic covers that hide girls' faces behind the title? Maybe. But the thing is, no matter the subject matter, I really doubt this will get explicit. I don't think this will be some contemporary teen's sexual awakening. It may be the opposite, actually (whatever that means). And the important thing to remember is that this is just another dystopian novel. So there are mainly two things we can be sure of (both of which tend to undercut any serious discussion of the actual world/society):

One, the girl will be indifferent if just a little frightened of her inevitable fate. She'll have to have a best friend who is much more excited--the polar opposite thing again. But this girl, Nina, will have something happen that shocks her into action. Probably at the 50 pages mark (allowing enough angst to build between friends versus the society).

Two, there will be a boy. And he will be pretty and mysterious and the answer to all the questions she didn't know she was asking. While she's been oblivious her whole life, he'll probably be part of the resistance--of which there has to be a sort. He will make her face the truth with his pretty eyes and soft kisses. He will probably get in the way of her settled friendships, including a probable love triangle a la Every Other Book Ever Written. Only, in such a sex-fret world, it will be much harder for her to feel safe with a guy. But he'll succeed. Because love always wins.

Duh.

The one thing I'm really worried about is it reading like a PSA. Or trying to be all preachy and cutting edge. Like a Glee episode. Who knows--maybe it won't be risque enough to satisfy my curiosity.

Just kidding, mom, no worries. 

Judgment, No. 10

Delirium 

by Lauren Oliver

"I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie."

Only a sappy teenager caught in a nightmare of cliches could ever get away with saying that.

*

This book was recommended by a friend. She hated it and wants me to hate it too. Because that's the sort of friends we are (read: awesome). Plus, I've been slowly coming to terms with the fact that I'll have to read this eventually. Because I always cave to pop culture, sometimes just out of the pure joy that comes in despising something everyone else loves (why else do you think I read the entire Twilight series?).

But this book? It sounds like Uglies, minus the awesomeness. A surgery, a government conspiracy, a submissive narrator. Then—BOOM—everything changes, and so close to the deadline too.

Even for such a pretty cover, and even though I loved Lauren Oliver's debut novel, I already know I'll hate it. I knew it as soon as I read the back cover. I mean, the premise has promise—a world where love has been outlawed. Classic. But there are two things against it: 1) this is a YA novel and 2) this is a romantic YA novel. So it's practically destined to suck.

That's not fair. Oliver is an exceptional writer, I think. At least in her first book. And I don't know why she decided to write something so...Twilight but, alas, here we are. Yet another dystopian YA love story. And the weak thing about YA dystopian fiction is that it isn't really about the world or the society (except for The Hunger Games, which was a beautiful exception that ended badly). It's just an excuse for an edgy setting; the same tired plots, stock characters and love triangles are transferred over. And I know that's how it will be in this book.

Love is bad. So what happens? Enter the girl, settled into her unromantic life, probably a bit pathetic and passive just…waiting. Then she'll meet the boy, dark and mysterious and completely inappropriate for her, probably a zillion times more vibrant than her but with enough sensitivity to seek out whispered moments cuddling with his new love. Because that’s what teenage boys want, after all. Of course, he won’t have much to say or any real reason to be there except that 1) this is a YA novel and 2) this is a romantic YA novel. So they're required to fall in love. And they will, quickly and inexplicably. He’ll be perfect and she'll be empowered. Slowly. But even with her manpowered confidence, she’ll spend a good portion of the 400+ pages (oh, wait, seriously?) doubting herself, her lover, her life. It will be all whining and moping with intermittent make-out scenes. There will be her energetic and cocky best friend to clash with and her dull parents who just don't understand. Because, in YA fiction, there's just no such thing as too much drama. 

I just pray to all heaven and earth that there isn't a love triangle. But there probably will be—or at least the promise of one. Because this is a series, after all. I mean, it sort of has to be, seeing as it's YA fiction and all (hate that trend). And with this being the first in the series, it will just be an introduction. I'm sure/hope after pages of dragging it will go out with a bang. 

Hey, maybe the boy will die. Then the girl will go all Rambo seeking revenge on the government. That could be epic. 

...except then there would be a love triangle. Because 1) The love interest never dies; he always comes back, and 2) Girls are stupid in books and don't know this, thus they fall in love with the next available male. And once first love comes back to find second love, the ensuing drama involves the girl taking a passive back seat to watch the two polar opposite men fight over her. 

Maybe a drug discontinuing love isn't such a bad idea. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself--already talking about a sequel when I haven't even gotten (read: struggled) through this one. I really don't understand why it has to be 400+ pages (really?), but I'll read it. It will be dry and lifeless, but I'll read it. I'll resent it, but I'll read it. I just doubt I'll ever enjoy it. 

No matter how gorgeous the cover is. 

Judgment, No. 9

Remember this book? And how right I was? Well, The Flappers? They're baaaack...

I must admit I am more excited for Godberson's flapper series sequel. But that is because of my fetish for Godberson's writing. As you all should know, she's my favorite.  Still, Larkin's first book kept me entertained. It read like a darker side to Godberson's glittery world, the smoky backstage of the golden era. Larkin's a good enough writer and, though she does take on more serious plots, she never takes herself too seriously. Which is great. Because, let's face it, it's just young adult fiction. So it's about stupid young adults doing stupid things. Ah, the drama! So scintillating.

My major gripe with this series is actually the cover art. The more I look at it, the more I hate it. Especially this book. It looks cheap. It looks like a fourteen year old did the photoshop and a twelve year old pasted the fonts on. Why those ages? I don't know; they were the first to come to mind.

It's been hard to find anything but the photograph to go off of. Seeing as it's not being released till next week, I can't find a back cover quote or anything. It's just the same catch phrase as the last one, which makes me a little nervous that this will read like a television series where the popular first season's plot lines are recycled for the second one (Like Glee. But that's another gripe altogether). Larkin doesn't even have a website to preview anything with it. And I don't really want to read the reviews of pre-readers because they will taint my experience (and I just want to be the one to do that for you, see).

So what can I really say when it comes to judging this book by its cover? I guess it will be the same as the first. Pure relationship drama. Except I think it will become more melodramatic and...immense. All the dramatic reveals of last time--the mob, murders, spies, break ups, betrayals--they'll all get tangled up in this one and it will melt into a dirty puddle fit for a daytime soap opera.

But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Larkin will be able to keep her various threads from unraveling, tangling, tearing each other apart. But it will be hard just because there's so much. They've moved to New York and they all hate each other so, for the time being at least, each of their lives will have to have it's own convoluted plot which all then come tearing together at the end, I'm sure. It just can't be as neat as the first. Everything will implode on everyone. Since the love interests of each girl had already been settled, I'm sure Larkin will stir the plot with more pretty boys, more catty fights, more angst hidden by frills.

I just hope its yummy.

Judgment, No. 8

I love sad stories. As long as they feel honest. I am quite the heartbreak-manic. Not with the oh-he-just-dumped-me-my-life-is-over type of stories (please), but serious, wrenching pain that has nothing to do with infatuation and everything to do with real loss.

In Hold Still, a girl deals with the suicide of her best friend. She finds the girl's diary and discovers things she'd never known--like how her friend suffered from depression, and what drove her to the end. But she's still here and she's the one expected to move on (when all she wants to do is...hold still).

I'm a little trepidacious about getting too excited. The tag line threatens melodrama. And not that I want to see a slit wrist or a girl grunged down in black, the artwork seems a little...lustrous. But I'm not obsessively cynical; I believe in hope and happiness even after heartbreak. I'm just scared of how that all comes across in a 250-page novel.

The risk with YA is melodrama. A book like this can become very tiresome very fast. Especially with first-person narration. Not to sound callous, but it's hard to sit through an already-depressing book with a very depressed narrator. Purely meditative novels can feel trite and become boring. The whining can become unmotivating. Think of Thirteen Reasons Why: that worked because the narrator's shock at his involvment; he wasn't the heartbroken one, so it was refreshing. Yet I could barely get through Speak because I got tired of the narrator--I wanted her to just get out of her head and talk already. So depressing themes paired with introspective narrators feel risky.

Also, these books play up a big revelation at the end where the sun is suddenly shining and everything is grand and she's able to move on in a big way (usually with the help of a new, ever-patient boyfriend). As a reader, you do want that closure, but it sometimes feels like a betrayal to the rest of the novel and the serious themes of suicide and loss. But it's hard have some sort of tangible plot when it's really just about coming to terms with reality. Since the climax is the beginning (the suicide), what do you build up to, you know?

So I just hope that this journey feels real enough that the ending--which is bound to be happy, because it has to be--seems natural. After all, death shouldn't ruin a life; it should invigorate it. There should be a newfound will to live and make it matter.

But I'm getting all philosophical. Over a YA book that cost me three dollars. Silly, silly me.

Judgment, No. 7

I am actually pretty STOKED for this book. One, I love typewriter keys. Two, I'm obsessed with amnesia-related stories. Three, I read a sample chapter and I love snarky heroines. You that old ABC show, Samantha Who? I loved it, and this is like the melodramatic, teenage-angsty take on that. Basically, a girl hits her head, wakes up, and can't remember anything after 6th grade. Complications arise.

She won't remember friends or why they're friends.

She won't remember puberty (lucky) or how she became who she is.

She won't remember what she cares about, her likes and dislikes.

And she definitely won't remember her boyfriend. Which is probably the heart of the story--her having to decide if she wants to fall in love with Beau #1 or go for the new guy(s). Because, let's face it: every YA novel has a love triangle. Or rectangle. Or hexagon. And with a set-up like this, the author will try to bank on multiple love interests.

That will be the center of attention: is she different enough to love the completely different new guy? Or will she go back to the guy that represents the past she can't remember? There will be the ex, the best friend, and the new bad boy vying for her attention. Naturally, there will probably be no reason for all these guys to want her so badly (except the fact that she's the protagonist. And they have to), but maybe they'll all learn something along the way.

Probably not, but maybe.

And then, adding to the drama, the review online says she eventually remembers everything. So then what! Is a clean slate really a clean slate, or is there something innate that can't be fought, with or without the memories to support and explain? Dun-dun-DUN!
It's going to be quite the soap opera. I just hope it's a good one. 

Judgment, No. 6

To be honest, these next three books I'm previewing here are not because of their covers (though they are still aesthetically pleasing). I'm getting them en masse because, oh yeah, they were three bucks online. Whether that is a reflection of their worth remains to be seen. But they were on my "To Read" list, they weren't ugly, they're all paperback (I have such a weakness for paperback), and they were practically free. So. There's that disclaimer. And so we begin.

The Compound is a book that hardly seems as aggressive as it's cover. It's a YA novel about a spoiled rich kid stuck in a compound with his family thanks to his all-controlling and paranoid father who thought a nuke was about to go off and so he prepared a place to reside in safely for nine years. Or something like it.

Well, actually, it's only half his family. Because his grandmother and twin brother didn't make it in before the attack. But I'm putting my money on the world still going on above them and they're the stupid jokes stuck in a hole because the father's too proud to admit he was wrong. The twin is going to be alive, the grandma is going to be alive, and the spoiled kid will do a whole lot of growing up to face his father and get him to open the door.

In theory, at least.

It seems entertaining if a little cliche. And, like the cover, it might be trying too hard. Plus, teenage boy POVs are always hard for me to buy into because they're just so...stupid. It's either too stone-age-male-grunting or all touchy-feely-introspective. Either way, I usually can't get along with them. Especially when they're introduced as that unlikeable, spoiled rich kid.

Also, I'm a little worried that nothing can go down in a compound with four people. It could be boring. And seeing as I don't believe the compound is necessary, I might wind up shaking the book and daring them to get a move on and just walk out already. But I don't know; the book with the ultra-macho cover might surprise me.

For three bucks, I'll happily give it the benefit of the doubt.

Judgment, No. 5

 

Before I even knew what this book was about, I knew I wanted it. Badly. That dress! It just seems...romantic--in the traditional sense of the word, a sort of idealized view of reality. And when I found out it was slightly inspired by Robert Browning's (creepy) poem, "My Last Duchess," I only wanted it more.The story of a new-money American family hoping to marry off their daughter to European royalty? It's like Edith Wharton reincarnate. And, just like pretty dresses, Edith Wharton is a weakness of mine. I love sad stories told in a beautiful way.

So I am very excited for this book. It got rave reviews for the very things I'm excited for. Like a plot secondary to character, where it's all a slow sort of ebb and flow. Yet creepy. And passionate. It's supposedly full of witticisms and refreshingly strong characters. And it's a hark back to Wharton. Which is wonderful.

Of course, it will probably be modernized, with a whole bunch of bodice-ripping and sexual tension realized. But I hope not. I hope it's as demure as Wharton was. You think, as a historical fiction novel nostalgic for those last days of American royalty, Ms Goodwin would avoid any Hollywood sort of twist. And I hope she does.

But...I'll still read it. After all, I just can't say no to a pretty dress like that. 

Judgment, No. 4

I have always had a thing for dystopian/apocalyptic fiction. And this book has been on my to read for a while. And why not, right? With a catch phrase like that, you just can't really go wrong.

I mean you can. Definitely. But it's all so shiny and crazy looking. A bit melodramatic, sure--what, with the flames and the cut-up font. But it's teenage angst in a messed up world. Even the back cover reads like a movie trailer for a B-grade action movie full of explosions and drawn out shots of pretty people in love. And at least the concept is original: a society split into five "factions" defined by a single characteristic.

So what do we think? It's obviously character driven. And as a first in a trilogy it's going to be a whole lot of build up. Exposition. Describing the world, making us attached to various characters, spinning a villain who can last throughout the books. As a society touting perfection, you know it's just bound to fall apart. And our protagonist is going to see it happening before it does, very astute-like. She'll be the lynch pin for society failing. She'll be the face of the good guys. And maybe it will be full of cliches, but it's off to an intriguing start.

I just hope there isn't a love triangle.

Judgment, No. 3

Pictorial Evidence

It's gripping, intriguing, unexpected. And it almost doesn't make sense--sleeveless in the Alps? I don't think so. But the title is Impossible, so...

But even for all the chilliness, it seems warm. Like it will be a good book to curl up with, escape into. I'm kind of excited. It has to be magical, with a swirly title like that and the girl just standing in the wind, just waiting for something. Something inevitable. I suspect drama and romance fraught with some inescapable fate. And hopefully the writing is as refreshing as the cover art.

Cover Story

We know it's about the song, "Scarborough Fair" which is all about love and tests and impossible tasks. So the question is, good or bad? Luckily, the author lets us know. Right on the cover. She actually seems to give the whole plot away: she's pregnant, she has three things to do or she'll go crazy, and she has a best friend who I'm sure will turn into such a great lover. And there's a creepy, devilish villain who has to be magical (hence the curse). 

So. The only question is what's so surprising inside, or so great about the writing, that she can afford to give the whole plot away? Because of course the main character will manage to complete all the tasks. That's just how YA works--there's a happy ending. And she'll fall in love with her best friend who will probably have some issues with her being pregnant (unless he's the reason she is...but if it's a curse, maybe the pregnancy just happens) but come around in the end. After all, this book keeps touting true love and all, so he's probably the key to her succeeding. Who knows, maybe they'll get married--seeing as she has a kid and all.

Closing Statement

The giving-everything-away ploy seems to be working: I actually can't wait to read it, to see how it all works out. It's almost like Werlin knew the plot was too predictable and cheesy to worry about making it the heart of the novel, which means the characters must be. And I love that. I already love that, even though we know what happens, something must make it an exciting journey regardless. Maybe it's a risk and maybe it won't pay off, but I think it will be an intriguing read nonetheless, with magic in the background and relationships at the forefront. 

Cool beans.

Judgment, No. 2

I saw this cover and I had to have it. I am so easily wooed by pretty things.

Pictorial Evidence
First, I want her dress. Especially if that is a bow at the bustle. Yes, please.

Second, it looks magical. Which is perfect, considering that it is a fantasy...filled with magic. It will probably be less on the vapid side and more concerned with sentimentality. Instead of humorous or silly, it will try to be more emotional, bleeding into the melodrama. But of the operatic sort--the fine art of overwrought passion.

And it already looks like its trying to hard but, being so pretty and all, it seems forgivable.

Cover Story
It's a retelling of the fairytale, 12 Dancing Princesses (where the girls go out and dance all night, needing new shoes each morning). And since there's not much more than that to go off of, it's kind of anybody's guess what will actually happen here. And this is my guess.

The eldest will be expected to marry someone suitable (read: boring) and, of course, that won't go over well. Not with her leading her eleven younger sisters to galavant the night away. And since magic is always dark behind its allure, this man giving them this world to dance in each night will expect something in return. Such as the pretty princess herself. He comes to them, meaning he has to. This is his last-ditch effort--for revenge, for freedom, for something--and he'll abuse the girls' mourning for their mother to his advantage. He probably has plans to seduce the eldest. After all, don't all villains? But she'll probably become distracted by some pretty young man completely unsuitable for her royal blood.

Ah, young love.

And then, back in the real world, when her father finds out they've been out dancing, there will be hell to pay. Nothing like a father who just doesn't understand.

Closing Statement
I can't wait to dive in and escape to a world of mythical intrigue, heartbreak and, most predictably, romance. Though the writing may be weak (considering who they got their cover quotes from...not that hot), and the plot might finish with the bow tied too neat, it seems like a refreshing take on one of the duller fairy-tales.

Judgment, No. 1

Pictorial Evidence
Gorgeous. Yummy. Obviously enticing. It just makes you want melt in a world of magic, where even booze is classy. It will be vapid, shallow, but sparkly. There will be fantasy against a backdrop of history, where it's true to the time but enhances all the glamour we've imagined for it. With the title so bold, the implications so obvious, the novel doesn't seem to be trying to be anything it isn't. It will be a vixen, teasing for teasing's sake, always keeping at arm's length, never going deeper, never showing fragility or vulnerability, only ever being something beautiful. A puff of smoke meant to excite and entice till all we want is more even if, simultaneously, we remain completely away of how shallow it really is.

And, okay, the armpit is a little freaky.

Cover Story
The basic storyline is this: A sheltered teenage girl is getting married to the golden boy and she's unhappy about it. Wants to live a little, experience the gilded age with a little more thrills and a lot more booze. Then, the other girls: The cousin, a society girl with a dirty secret, sure to get her into trouble. Probably a lover who won't take no for an answer and things will get dirty and desperate real fast. The quiet best friend, second to the spoiled cover character. She'll probably be the root of the drama. She's the one who's been sequestered to the background, a shadow often forgot. She'll start plotting against the ungrateful girl, desperate to have everything the other seems just as desperate to throw away.

And you just know the main girl won't stay faithful to her intended. There will just have to be a love triangle. A boy will come into the picture--some bright, young thing. Blonde, blue eyes. Maybe a scandalous affair with that inappropriate bad boy--opposites attract, right? The best friend will probably fall for the fiance or at least fall in with him. And all these conflicting emotions will tear these fragile relationships apart. Completely.

Since this is only the first part of a series, you know the climax will be gruesome. They'll all hate each other by the end. Except maybe the cousin and the main girl. They'll probably have some sort of camaraderie born from their shared infidelities or other desperate secrets.

Closing Statement
Will it be good? Oh, I hope so. Nothing like a few romantic scandals to keep you turning pages. Such a silly, operatic story--it's just what you want to curl up with to forget the mundane realities around you. I doubt it will disappoint. It definitely won't be anything of merit beyond the shallow confines of Young Adult fiction, but it will shine there. Something utterly divine and addicting. I just want to rip it open and slip in, escaping to the selfish and immature "Roaring 20's" where laws were something to laugh at and worrying was a pastime for the parents.

It just sounds...yummy.