Title: Song in the Dark
Author: Christine Howe
Publication: February 21, 2013 by Penguin Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 216
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Where do you end up when you have nowhere to go, and no one to turn to?

Paul isn’t thinking clearly. After destroying a series of relationships – with his friends, his flatmates, his mum – he finally hurts the one person he cares about most of all. And then he runs away.

An extraordinary and heartrending story of love, betrayal, addiction and hope.

Christine Howe’s debut novel Song in the Dark is a book of tough and mature themes definitely written for a mature young adult audience. It’s nice to know that some authors write to not squeeze into what’s popular within the age group such as young protagonists, cliched romances, and genre trends, but write matters that have meaning and levels of emotionality that you wouldn’t see elsewhere. Song in the Dark is one of those, but sadly for me, I didn’t quite connect with the book. I mean, it was good. But as it was written in third perspective it was hard to connect with our main character Paul as he hurts people he loves, family and friends, and runs away to recover at a rehab treatment centre for his marijuana addiction. I felt incredibly distant from him because of it; maybe it’s because I’m the polar opposite. If it were written in first there might’ve been a difference in the way I felt about this book. Despite it being short and a quick read I had skimmed about 30% of it and that’s really a shame.

Thanks to Penguin Australia via NetGalley for the egalley to review.

• • •

Title: Shadow Kiss, Vampire Academy #3
Author: Richelle Mead
Publication: November 13th, 2008 by Razorbill
Format, pages: Paperback, 348
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

It’s springtime at St. Vladimir’s Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn’t been feeling quite right. She’s having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all… might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose’s forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line – and choose between the two people she loves most.

Richelle Mead has soooo many passionate fans the world over for her Vampire Academy series and I think I slowly am becoming one. I’ve taken my time – even if poorly – with this series and it’s a goal to finish the series this year. Shadow Kiss, the third instalment in the series, was packed with thrilling if not emotional moments, especially the ending between Lissa and Rose. It’s such a genuinely complex relationship between friends and one of the best I’ve read; there’s a lot of depth and history to their friendship that you don’t see anywhere else. It’s at that ending that it explodes and Rose and Lissa ricochet their own ways, and it’s funny how it’s both their faults. I look forward to reading the next three in this series following Rose and the path she takes to find Dimitri. This was a great instalment and the next books seem like they’re just going to cascade down on me.

• • •

Title: Pandemonium, Delirium #2
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publication: February 28th, 2012 by HarperCollins Children’s Books
Format, pages: Hardcover, 375
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Romance
My Rating:  

“So what was your name before?” I say, and she freezes, her back to me. “Before you came to the Wilds, I mean.”For a moment she stands there.

Then she turns around.

“You might as well get used to it now,” she says with quite intensity.

“Everything you were, the life you had, the people you knew… dust.”

She shakes her head and says, a little more firmly, “There is no before. There is only now, and what comes next.”

After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the “cure” – an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love – but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.

Some birds are made for greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them. The raven was of both kinds, which meant that his capacity for greatness was huge. Despite reassuring himself of this, the nerves in his stomach were relentless. Every second they seemed to find something else to have a nibble at. But it would be worth it. He was about to become one of the greatest corvids to fly the skies.

Title: What the Raven Saw
Author: Samantha-Ellen Bound
Publication: February 1st, 2013 by Woolshed Press (imprint of Random House Australia)
Format, pages: Paperback, 278
Age Group: Children’s, Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Raven is having a rough day. All he wants to do is sit in his belltower, marvel over his treasures and revel in his own magnificence.

But if it isn’t pesky pigeons and beady-eyed weatherhens annoying him, it’s those humans tramping about among his grave.

Soon he’s forced to deal with a man stuck up a tree, a lovesick scarecrow and an ancient ghost who doesn’t understand his job description. And re-unite a little girl with her dead brother. And uncover a thief. The list never ends for a raven of his pedigree. But perhaps the raven will find that all these types have got something to offer him.

What the Raven Saw is a story about one cranky raven, one extraordinary churchyard and the songs that inhabit both.

Samantha-Ellen Bound’s children’s debut novel What the Raven Saw is a smart, witty, and ingenious story of showing what the underdogs of today are capable of, how the smallest beings we hold not much regard for can be the beings that hold the most promise in the end. What stands out the most is our protagonist, a raven who flies about the churchyard, proud to be the avian species he is, exhibiting his very nature of guarding his treasure with not much interest in socialising with any of the other – lesser – birds in the vicinity, like the weatherhen and the darned, annoying pigeon. That is until he sees things happening, until he comes across both residents and visitors to the church and its yard, that he evolves into an advisor, helping, changing, a friend to those that are lost, seeking or adapting to change themselves.

The various characters that the raven meet throughout What the Raven Saw, of man, creature, or thing, make this story what it is. They are written with a sharp eye for characterisation. There’s Father Cadman of the church whose faith and hymns influence the raven’s ways. There’s Todd, the dead twelve-year-old boy who now wanders as a ghost, watching his sorrowful sister Mackenzie, wanting a way to communicate with her, for her to know that he is there. There’s the unhappy man high up in the tree who intends to jump off. There’s the scarecrow who longs for company and wants to be alone no more. There’s the old ghost who just wants peace and quiet and for people to stop trampling upon his grave. Lastly, there’s the parishioner turned thief who needs, if unknowingly, to be caught for his wrongdoings. And everyone of them will learn what a raven is able to achieve after all.

Bound is surely a new children’s author to watch. What the Raven Saw reminded me of Roald Dahl’s works and other classic children’s books, with both the writing and the endearing characters the reasons why. There’s a timeless energy surrounding What the Raven Saw that may just make this book one that will be loved and remembered for many years to come, by both children and adults. (And no, I’m not just saying this because I personally know Sam and, well, work with her; this book really is charming! Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up!)

Title: Pivot Point
Author: Kasie West
Publication: February 12th, 2013 by HarperTeen
Format, pages: Hardcover, 352
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Kasie West’s young adult debut novel Pivot Point is a great example of an interesting and fresh idea turned into a compulsively readable and well executed book. What West excels at is her ability in weaving two timelines of two separate futures together seamlessly, each with its own events, characters, mysteries, and romances. With this we see Addie’s two juxtaposing worlds, her Para life in the Compound surrounded by others with high intellectual and mind powers like her, as well as her Norm life outside the Compound in Dallas, Texas where she must keep her abilities a secret and pretend to be a Norm – normal human.

Addie is able to see into the future because she is a Searcher, which means that whenever she must make a choice she is able to experience and look at the two futures and their consequences, making her choice that much easier to make. What forces Addie to Search and which springs the novel’s plot(s) into motion is the decision she must make when her parents announce they’re divorcing: to stay with her mother in the Compound, with her friends, or go with her father to live in the outside world, someplace much different to the one she knows.

What makes Addie such a great character is her innate intuition at knowing what she must do and the fine line between right and wrong; her ability to Search may be the reason for this. Whether it’d be helping her friend Laila with the trouble she is in in relation to this guy called Poison and Laila’s father, to her friendship and eventual fondness with Trevor whom I really liked as a male love interest for Addie (and really… ever!), to her struggling relationship with Duke, her mother, and her father, Addie’s attempts to put things right even within her Searches proves her greatest strength.

West’s dialogue shines bright throughout the book. But what I believed needed a little more explanation was the Compound, its conception and its politics, decision-makers and workings as a society consisting of people with mind abilities. I did not know that there was going to be a sequel when reading this, but now that I know, hopefully a greater understanding for the Compound and it relation to the outside world will be given.

I’m glad I listened to Amber‘s advice to read Pivot Point because I was not let down by it and what was promised. Kasie West is a new author that I’ll be keeping my eye on for years to come in the young adult world.

Thank you to HarperCollins via Edelweiss for the galley to review.

What others said about this book:

Amber @ Books of Amber:

There is literally NOTHING I didn’t like about this book. Definitely check it out when you get the chance, because it’s brilliant. Almost good enough to be rated an All Time Favourite!

Judith @ Paper Riot:

The concept itself (a so-called sliding doors effect) is so unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read before, that I was intrigued by it from the start.

Books in this series:

1. Pivot Point (February, 2013)
2. Untitled (February, 2014)

Here are some challenges that I’m participating in 2013 and hope to complete throughout the year. This will be the go-to post that I will update as I grind through each of the challenges. I will leave a link on the sidebar to this post. Reviews for each book will be linked to the book titles so that you can have the pleasure of visiting and reading them if you would like. To sign up for any of the challenges or are interested in learning more about them, click on the image of each challenge to be returned to the original post and blog.

In 2012 I did no challenges except the Goodreads reading challenge, so with 2013 I hope to have a lot more fun and try them out. In 2011, however, I did some reading challenges but kinda pushed them aside. This year I will not! I will not! I will not!

Personal/Goodreads Reading Challenge

So firstly I might as well introduce my Goodreads reading challenge, which is on the left sidebar, and I have set it to read 100 books in 2013. Last year I got to 89, 11 short of 100 which was such a bummer, but this year I hope to reach that 100 or even try to go a bit further. This year isn’t looking that good already anyway with only 1 book read since day 1 – it’s day 5 now.

2013 Debut Author Challenge

This year I’m going to really try and complete the DAC challenge. In 2011 I participated; in 2012 I didn’t. And with Edelweiss and NetGalley it’s kind of easier to read debut novels without running out of them. The objective is to read twelve (12) YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels from debut authors published this year. Challenge will run from January 1st to December 31st, 2013.  Authors that have “adult” titles currently published but are debuting a YA/MG novel in 2012 can be included and this goes for authors that have children’s books published as well. Novels must be read in 2013 in order to be counted – too bad I read Level 2 in the last days of December; could’ve counted it if I hadn’t. I’ll begin with 12 for now, which is the goal, but I may go over considering on how I go.

What’s in a Name 6 Challenge

Thanks to Gail from Ticket to Anywhere for introducing me to this challenge. It sounds like a lot of fun. Here’s how it works: between January 1st and December 31st of 2013 read one book in each of the categories. Overlaps are allowed between other challenges but not between categories and books can be any media source (print, audio, ebook). Below are the six categories with the titles that I hope to read in 2013 (these titles may alter).

1. A book with up or down (or equivalent) in the title: The Colossus Rises (Seven Wonders #1) by Peter Lerangis
2. A book with something you’d find in your kitchen in the title: Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
3. A book with a party or celebration in the title: A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
4. A book with fire (or equivalent) in the title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
5. A book with an emotion in the title: Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
6. A book with lost or found (or equivalent) in the title: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Other Resolutions and Goals

Since I work at a bookstore it is probably a good idea that I try to read at least 10 Adult books throughout the year, considering most of what I read is YA. However, I do read a lot of adult fantasy and sic-fi so I want to read at least five Adult Fiction (I still need to finish The Casual Vacancy so that will count towards that).

I also want to read some classics as I haven’t since I finished school. I constantly look at my B&N Leatherbound editions of Poe, Lovecraft and Homer as I always want to pick them up and read them. So, therefore, I’m going to attempt to read some of the books in those and see how I go, as well as reading some other classics.

Additionally, I want to read and possibly finish some series that I have on my shelf such as the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead, The Monstumologist books by Rick Yancey, Supernatually and Endlessly by Kiersten White among others. I want to try and minimise what I have to read so I’m up to date with all series I have begun.

This is my 3rd and final year of my undergraduate so there’s definitely going to be a lot more work and I also hope to get a job elsewhere so that I have more money coming my way to save for 2014, so reading may falter – BUT I WON’T LET IT. I will not fail. I will succeed. I will be on top of everything, and that includes the blog.