Book Review: The Jumbee by Pamela Keyes

SUMMARY:

When Esti Legard starts theater school on Cariba, she's determined to step out of the shadow of her late father, a famous Shakespearean actor. But on an island rife with superstition, Esti can't escape the darkness. In the black of the theater, an alluring phantom voice, known only as Alan, becomes her brilliant drama tutor, while in the light of day Esti struggles to resist her magnetic attraction to Rafe, the local bad boy. Toppled sets, frightening rumors of jumbee ghosts, and brewing tropical storms culminate in a tantalizingly spooky finale where romance sizzles and truths are unmasked.

Laced with eerie mystery and the lush scenery of the West Indies, this modern Phantom is perfect for readers who like their love stories served with spine-tingling suspense.

OPINION: 3 STARS

The Short Version:
Rich in West Indies culture and interesting in premise, The Jumbee weaves a new ghost and creates a unique love triangle as a result. Centered on Esti but written in third person perspective, the wide cast of characters is full of life and intrigue. Though seemingly slow in the beginning, the mystery weaves in smoothly and the play style chapter breakdown builds the overall air more. With a heavy emphasis on romance and the dual love angle, The Jumbee is a great blend of romance and ghosts.


The Extended Version:
Esti is a character who is strong and intelligent, though brash in a certain way that makes her relatively unapproachable. Living in the shadow of her now now dead but well renowned throughout the theater circuit father, Esti is striving to make a name for herself that has nothing to do with her last name, while now also living not only in a new place but an entirely different continent all together. Her new school, however, is mixed with Continental students and locals, creating an easy connection for the reader. Esti is intense and passionate in nature, and though her indecision and flip flopping between Alan and Rafe is frustrating and repetitive, the underlying reason and emotion is very strongly written.

Rafe is a seemingly stereotypical character, a true womanizer who is used to get any girl he wants until Esti comes walking into his life, but the underlying reasons and the chemistry and tug between them is fantastic. With some shared history in their pasts and the current drama of Esti's life complicating things more, there is a fire between them that drives the plot in surprising ways. Rafe is smooth in manner and suave in his words, but he, too, holds an underlying vulnerability that shows through at just the right moments to bring him into a good light with the reader.

Alan is a raging ball of mystery, coming off as moody and almost selfish in his actions and manners. The secret meetings he has backstage with Esti, which don't say secret long, are the primary source of social strain and dislike for Esti, yet she feel such a strong connection to him she doesn't immediately drop him. Also unused to the jumbee legends and not sure she even believes it, Esti continues to strongly hope and believe Alan is real. Unfazed by his supposed age of twenty-five and reacting to the intensity and passion she insights in him, which comes off in a very different way than what Rafe causes, it is very easy for the reader to see why Esti feels a constant pull back towards him.

The local culture is written in a beautiful way, slipped in both subtly and flamboyantly. From the parades to the local legends and superstitions, both Esti and the reader get a full immersion in life on this particual West Indies island. The local dialect is written into the book, and though I found reading this type of speak to be very jarring, it did help create the sense of being there to some extent.

The plot itself centers around Esti in the theater, and Esti trying to figure things out with both Alan and Rafe. Though I did find the long passages of Esti spouting Shakespeare and practicing different characters outside of Romeo and Juliet with Alan to become repetitive, I did understand its purpose to build not only Alan but Esti's connection to him. There were a few other slow parts outside of this, but overall, this book is filled with emotion and very internally driven.

The third person perspective made it a little difficult to forge a strong connection to Esti, though her reasons and emotions did come across very well. The descriptions, however, were brilliant and vivid, creating the West Indies boldly for the reader. Though Shakespeare is heavily quoted and referenced, the difference between "normal" English and the local dialect also creates an interesting atmosphere, even if haltingly.

Overall, The Jumbee is a great read, especially for those who like both tangled and torn love, as well as ghost stories. Centered on a cultural belief, there is a certain realistic element even to the jumbees. Well paced overall though repetitive for my tastes in the long Shakespeare quoting scenes, this is still well worth the read. Twisting the Phantom of the Opera story in a way that speaks to modern day readers without being a direct imitation of the original, and heavy on passion and feeling, there is a little something for every kind of reader to connect to in this one.

Details:
Source: Received for review from Media Muscle
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Dial (October 14, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0803733135
ISBN-13: 978-0803733138

In My Mailbox

Though I haven't read it yet, the fact that The Scorch Trials came out this week makes it an amazing week. It is soon in my stack and I am SO excited for it. You should be too, for the record. But enough of that, on to what showed up for Toby and me this week.

And for those of you who will ask... I took this picture at 1 am, and woke him up to put him in his chair. He went back to sleep... He didn't even stay awake while I piled the books on him. That's lazy old fuzzbutt at his best.

For Review:

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
(Thank you to Disney/Hyperion and Little, Brown)

Netgalley Review Titles:
Afterlife by Claudia Gray
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
The Cellar by A. J. Whitten
Butterflies in May by Karen Hart

Gifted:
You by Charles Benoit

Won:
The Hollow by Jessica Verday
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Bought:
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
The Game by Monica Hughes
Gifted: Now You See Me by Marilyn Kaye

And in other not really related but I am putting it in here anyhow news, the best friend came to visit last weekend and we carved pumpkins. We also learned that Toby doesn't actually care for the seeds, though he will chew them up and spit out the pieces. He also will try to each the carved pumpkins.... But here's our pumpkins for you Halloween lovers. Mine is the headless horseman, hers a dragon. I also tried getting Toby's picture, but he was not cooperative outside. He was minimally helpful inside but here he is with my pumpkin. He bolted right as the picture flashed and hid. Punk.
So. Happy Halloween. Yay books.

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Book Review: Crazy by Han Nolan

SUMMARY:

Fifteen-year-old Jason has fallen upon bad times—his mother has died and his father has succumbed to mental illness. As he tries to hold his crazy father and their crumbling home together, Jason relies on a host of imaginary friends for guidance as he stumbles along trying not to draw attention to his father’s deteriorating condition. Both heartbreaking and funny, CRAZY lives up to the intense and compelling characters Han Nolan is praised for. As Jason himself teeters on the edge of insanity, Nolan uncovers the clever coping system he develops for himself and throws him a lifeline in the guise of friendship.


OPINION: 5 STARS

The Short Version:
A wrenching look at what is likely a real life situation for more teens than we realize, Crazy throws into the spotlight the life of Jason. He is determined and strong, but still just a teenage boy with very limited resources. Almost a year after his mother’s death, Jason is struggling to keep the secret of his father’s declining mental state a secret. Desolate in his living situation, but starting to act out and becoming more impulsive than he realizes, Jason inadvertently sets into motion a string of events that drastically change his life. With a wide cast of characters that all touch Jason’s life in different ways, and some gutting scenes that hold nothing back in portrayal, Crazy is a very well handled, very memorable book and a must read.


The Extended Version:
With a unique mental state of his own, a bold determination not often seen, and a subtle helplessness about him, Jason makes for a very interesting protagonist. Weary of making friends, Jason’s thought processes are divided up into voices, so to speak. He imagines his life as a TV show, and different members of the audience take different parts of his mind. This holds a strong presence throughout the book, particularly because of how closely it could mimic his father’s mental state. Jason goes through a striking amount of development, both in how he accepts help and how he sees the world around him. Things he’s kept hidden and repressed finally come to light, leaving both him and the reader with a new outlook.

The three friends Jason makes through a lunchtime therapy session with the school psychologist are a ragtag group that wouldn’t necessarily be close if it wasn’t for the common ground of needing help. Their reasons for being there are different, but they still have that connection. They form a beautiful bond, and the kinship that grows between them really carries throughout the book. A side plot of an unexpected romance and overall resolution with all of these characters also adds another great element overall.

Split between screenwriting style narration with the characters in Jason’s head and his own personal narrative, Crazy gives the reader plenty to dive into. The different styles of writing still hold an overall fluidity and there is both a smoothness and abruptness that comprises the bulk of the prose. There are several scenes in this book that are downright heartbreaking to read, tearing the reader apart as they watch Jason struggle with his father, and struggle to keep things hidden. His devotion to his father overwhelms even his own problems, creating something both hard and understandable.

This is a new twist on the coming of age story, adding in a situation that will go straight to the reader’s heart. Heavy on the crazy aspect and with a character that fights against any kind of help, Crazy is most definitely a contemporary book to read.

Details:
Source: ARC received for review from publisher
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (September 13, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0152051090
ISBN-13: 978-0152051099

YA Love Triangle Week

Pretty soon, I am going to be doing what will definitely be an awesome guest post over at Down the Rabbit Hole for her YA Love Triangle Week. My feature? Team Adrian from Vampire Academy. Basically, Amber's getting teams set up to argue different sides of the love triangles in several YA books. There are prizes up for grabs as well!

Full details can be found here! Posters are still needed for several teams, including Shay (Nightshade), Oliver (Blue Bloods), and Bill (Sookie Stackhouse). This isn't just which guy should the girl in question choose, but who can make the best argument for why their guy is better.

I am really excited for this and will let you guys know when my post goes live, but if you're interested in helping, check out Amber's site and the info!

Book Recommendations

I have to admit, after having done several recommendation posts by this point, and recommending to people on Twitter regularly, I can never remember what I have and have not talked about. But since I think you can never really push a book you love too much, if some of these are doubles, maybe it will twist your arm to go get it, or if it's already in your stack, you'll push it up. But these are some of my all time favorite YA books- the ones I give my friends to read. The ones I will reread, even when there's a million other books that interest me, because they are just that good.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown: This one is gritty and gutting, but it is such a raw portrayal of not only bullying, but what it's like to not actually be the one who snapped but hold the blame anyhow. There is intense emotion throughout this book, and some incredibly rough scenes, but it speaks such an astounding message.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles: Hot Latino gangbanger. Rich girl who acts bratty but is quick on the uptake and intelligent. A bet based in sex and nothing else. Yep, this book has a simple premise but plenty of depth and brilliance. Not to mention, this is one of the hottest books I've read yet. Not geared toward the younger crowd, this one definitely kicks up the heat and shows things as it is. If you want a good romance with drama mixed in, go straight for this one.

Such A Pretty Girl by Laura Weiss: This one is emotional, heartrending, and holds a certain wtf element. But it is powerful and so worth the emotional drainage that comes with it. Handling the rough topic of child sexual abuse gracefully, and pulling in some other great aspects, this one is one of the single most memorable books I've ever read.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers: This one takes the bully thread, but does it in a different way. It's girls turning against their own. It's raw and doesn't hold anything back. Some of the things that happen in this book are disgusting, but the reason they are there is clear. Written with a striking grace as well, if you haven't picked this book up yet, go get it. Now.

Freefall by Mindi Scott: It's a boy POV, which sets it up there in my sights already. Add in the fact that that boy is a bit of a broken mess, has a logic so simple its humorous while still being smart despite some of his actions, and is now falling unexpectedly in love, and it's a mixture for something really fantastic. Seemingly raw, there is actually a lot of humor in this book. It's Seth, trying to figure life out, fumbling all along the way.

Those are the ones I've got for you guys today. I know most hold darker elements, but those are the books I gravitate towards. If you haven't picked these books up yet, go do it.

Author Interview: Amber Riley

Dropping in today is Amber Riley, author of Flash of the Firefly, the first book in the Kindred Blood series. This first book centers around the 600 year old vampire Kadan, and his struggle between his humanity and his darker side.


What was the hardest aspect in creating Kaden, given the years of history and experience he has?

The hardest part was finding an appropriate reaction to certain situations. Most things stopped fazing Kaden a long time ago, but I wanted him to be relatable and somewhat human. Being undead didn’t change his true character – it just made him forget what it was for awhile. His nature was a different story. It was difficult to surprise him.

What is one place Kaden has been or event he's experienced that you wish you could have experienced?

This is a tough one. I would have loved to see the court of King Henry VIII. The gowns were amazing and there was enough intrigue to last a lifetime. I would have to watch my head (I kind of like it attached to my body), but I would have chanced it for an opportunity to meet all six of his wives.

What would be your biggest struggle if you found yourself in Kaden's position, fighting against your own personal demons and darkness?

The personal demons and the darkness ultimately want the same thing. Fighting both things at once would be tough. My biggest struggle would be not letting anyone down. In Kaden’s situation, it would have been hard for me to win without doing something that would jeopardize people’s trust in me.

If you could pair Kaden with any character from any book, who would you match him with?

I think it would be interesting to see him paired up with Pam from the Sookie Stackhouse novels. :::snicker::: I can only imagine the fights they would get into.

What is the most private thing you're willing to share here?

I hate bugs. I hate them with a passion. Ladybugs and butterflies are cool but everything else freaks me out. I think it has something to do with all their little legs. Or, maybe it’s the way they crawl. Ick. Give me the reptiles or rodents any day! Of course, I prefer my cats.

If you could commit any crime and get away with it, what would it be?

I would find a way to rig the lottery. No one would get hurt and I would be rolling in the dough. It’s win-win, I’d say.

What kind of cookie would you describe yourself as?

I would be an Oatmeal cookie with a few raisins tossed in. I’m a traditional kind of girl. I don’t need a lot of extras to make me sweet and delicious, but there are a few surprises lurking under the surface once you get to know me.

Thank you, Amber, and if its any consolation, I have a basically disabling fear of spiders. Now make sure you guys all check out Amber's book!