Release Day Top 5: Wanderlove

Photo jacked from Kirsten's blog.

There's a book coming out today that, honestly, I think everyone needs to read. It's by an author who blew me away with her 2011 debut last year, one who I've had the privilege to meet and is honestly one of the sweetest, kindest people you will ever meet, and one who loves baby animals. And sloths. Yes. Sloths.

The author? Kirsten Hubbard. The book? Wanderlove.

So to celebrate the fact that this book is out, here are my top five reasons why you guys need to buy it. Yes. All of you. You, and you, and even you, person trying to claim you don't like contemp. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed. And if you are, well, that's silly.

5. If you buy this book, then hopefully the publisher will buy more of Kirsten's book, and the world needs that. I, for one, will suffer immensely if I never get to read another Kirsten Hubbard book, and no one wants that, do they? So do all of us a favor, and go buy it.

4.The setting. Stunning, gorgeous, vivid. It helps that Kirsten is a travel writer, and has been to the places she writes about in the book. But she has a way with words, a way of making you feel like you're there. Feeling the sand under your feet, the sights and sounds of the marketplace, the animals in the trees not far from you. I want to go backpacking through Central America because of this book, because of how freeing Bria finds it, despite the fact that I am a total homebody. And Kirsten has incited that, just through her words. And if you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about, but you need to buy it so you can reread it and look at her blog posts, with pictures, to bring it to life even more. There is 11 of them, and they are amazing.

3. Romance. I adored Like Mandarin, and it is one of my all time favorites. It, however, doesn't have any romance (Something I didn't notice till a few days after, its that well done). This one does have romance, with an enigmatic and seriously sexy love interest, and the kind of falling for each other that happens through the good and the bad, without them really realizing it.

2. The art. Yes. Art. There are drawings in this one... done by Kirsten. They are gorgeous, and since I have so far only seen them on my ereader, I need a finished copy to see them in their full spectacular-ness, and you do too. I mean, come on, do you want pixels or the real, glorious thing?

1. Characters. Kirsten knows how to write characters that are so fully dimension, ones that have their flaws, but have the amazing things about them too. Each character stands out so well, with their own little assets and strengths, and their change and development is equally as stunning. You won't love just Bria, but the group she travels with as well.


So there you have it. 5 reasons why you MUST get this book. Then you can join me in the long and, face it, agonizing wait for another book of Kirsten's.

Book Review: Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

SUMMARY: When 17-year-old Rosie's mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington's Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty percent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when Rosie tells her mother's best friend, "Aunt Sarah," that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie wasn't her real mother after all. Rosie was swapped at birth with a sickly baby who was destined to die.

Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, joining her ex-boyfriend on his gap year travels, to find her birth mother in California. But all does not go as planned. As Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonizing decision of her own, one which will be the most heart breaking and far-reaching of all.


OPINION: 5 STARS


Most memorable about this book is how emotional it is. Intense and authentic, Someone Else’s Life ties together both life in England and the States in a great way. With very well rounded and developed characters, a hard scenario to start and an even rougher one to play out, and some awesome twists thrown in, this one is gripping and enamoring, and I seriously could not put it down.

Rosie is a great character, one who can be a bit selfish at times yet is also trying to make it through one of the most painful times of her life. Relieved to have Andy back, but also knowing how much she has messed some things up, watching her navigate everything is both poignant and real. I loved this girl, even at her worst, and truly wanted things to work out for her. Angry that the woman who raised her isn't really her mom, Rosie’s determination to find her real birth mom is understandable and well done. Though she does some underhanded things at times, and was infuriating at others, Dale easily keeps Rosie’s motivations and desires in mind and smoothes any reader annoyances out pretty quickly.

Andy is fabulous, charming and sweet and the kind of boy any girl would be lucky to have at her side. Caring deeply for Rosie, and also trying to make up for his own anger at how she handled things, Andy has some stellar moments and is a very memorable character. He goes through his own fabulous development, and the interactions he and Rosie share are endearing and fun. They play off each other, grow with each other, yet also have their individual elements, and Dale blends this perfectly.

The rest of the cast has its own wit and charm to it, and each character is distinct. Though some were bratty, and there was a little too much drama at times, the overall characterization is well done. Adding to this is the pacing itself, with something always going on to keep readers interesting. I couldn’t put this one down, even when I admittedly found myself rolling my eyes and feeling like it was too over the top and soap opera-ish. Underneath all that, however, is an emotional and sweet story, and one that I loved overall.

Details:

Source: Netgalley 

Reading level: Ages 14 and up 

Hardcover: 464 pages 

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: February 14, 2012

Book Review: Believe It or Not by Tawna Fenske

SUMMARY: Do you believe in...accounting?

Numbers never lie, so Violet McGinn found safe haven in the most boring profession she could find. Until her renowned psychic mother lands in the hospital and Violet has to run her business. Now you can have your taxes filed and your aura read, in one convenient location.

Do you believe in...music?

Drew Watson is the jaded owner of the local hot spot next door, and doesn't need a single thing except a good crowd to dance to what he's spinning on Saturday night.

Do you believe in...love?

The only thing Violet and Drew seem to have in common is that neither believes in that psychic hoo—hah. Except Drew seems to play exactly the right song at exactly the right time. And truth be told, it makes Violet's heart dance just a little ...


OPINION: 5 STARS

Sexy and sweet with just the right amount of humor and emotion mixed in, Believe It or Not is a lusty hit of a novel. With a natural and intense chemistry between them, but their heads getting in the way of their hearts and their parts plenty, Violet and Drew are a realistic and fun couple. More than just opposites in personality, with some pretty conflicting views of things yet a constant connection between them, these two will make any reader yearn to be in that new and intriguing relationship stage again.

Violet is hilarious, with her own outlook on life that has its quirks, but is far from the free spirit and even hippie take her mother has. Exasperated by some of what her mom thinks and does, but clearly loving her all the same, there is something quietly endearing about Violet that will pull readers towards her without them knowing it. Add in her take the bull by the horns way of doing things, and the straightforwardness in her words, and Violet is a firecracker of a girl.

Opposite her is Drew, a straight guy who runs a bar that just happens to have male exotic dancers a few nights a week. Fenske adds in the laughs and jokes about this plenty, using them to both build his character and the story. A charming and good guy at heart, Drew is a bit of a womanizer and someone who is, in all the ways that count, just bored in love. Pained over things in his past, and almost afraid of big attachments, Drew has a few lessons of his own to learn.

While individually these two are great characters, its the interactions and sparks between them that really drive this book. Running into each other in the most random of ways and butting heads plenty, there is plenty about these two to keep them apart. Yet they find a way to keep running into each other, crossing over into the lame reason territory that gets your heart beating. With plenty of witty banter flying between them, crazy and almost unbelievable antics, and just the right amount of emotion and rough stuff, Violet and Drew have a path all their own that is both hilarious and sexy to follow them down.

There are some wowing scenes in this one, not just those that involve kissing or rolling around on the floor, and Fenske keeps the pacing brisk and engaging throughout. With writing that is just the right amount of quirky, yet certainly in different voices than what was seen in Making Waves, this one is alluring from the start. Leaving readers feeling good, and wanting what Violet and Drew have, Believe It or Not is delightful, riotous and tempting.

Details:

Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: March 6, 2012

Book Review: Perception by Kim Harrington

SUMMARY: When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.


OPINION: 4 STARS

I loved Clarity, from the mystery to the characters to the writing. Perception was great, but I admit, for me, it focused too much on the guys and who Clare would ultimately choose and not as much on the mystery this time around. There was definitely still a great mystery involved, and Harrington once again built up to it fabulously, I just felt like the story dropped off at parts to simply be a head game in love for Clare.

That being said, I still love Clare. She is feisty, spunky and insightful, yet she also has a certain vulnerability about her. Used to being a bit of an outcast because of her family, made a bit worse by the fact that her brother was accused of murder, she has a few pieces of baggage she carries close to her heart. Watching her work past these, and break through some of them, added a great element to not only her characterization but the book as well. Her overall growth and change has a smooth flow to it, and she is definitely someone readers will side with.

Despite my gripe about the potential love triangle being played up too much, individually, Harrington has done a great job with both Gabriel and Justin's characterizations. They are great guys, in different ways (other than the whole Justin cheating thing that broke them up before Clarity even opened...), and each have their own strengths about them. I liked Gabe more in this book than I did the first, and Harrington has done a great job with the hurt and remorse that hangs over Justin for what's happened. Though he gets a little too clingy in this one, he is still a sweet guy at his core.

The mystery aspect of this one had a great pacing to it when taken out of everything else. The romance stuff admittedly slowed it down too much, and I felt like Clare didn't realize some things that should have been kind of obvious to her just because she was so caught up in her boy issues, but Harrington still throws in some great twists and unexpected turns. Giving some clues to figure out who is behind everything, but still making it a challenge to pinpoint motive, Harrington certainly knows how to build her mysteries and wow readers with them. With the same sprightly writing and vivid setting, Perception is a good follow up overall.

Details:

Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Reading level: Ages 14 and up 

Hardcover: 288 pages 

Publisher: Point

Publication Date: March 1, 2012

Book Review: Katana by Cole Gibsen

SUMMARY: Rileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline had given her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn't explain her dreams of 15th-century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she suddenly possesses, or the strange voice giving her battle tips and danger warnings.

While worrying that she's going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she's harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that's also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she's always been and embracing the warrior inside her.


OPINION: 3 STARS

Katana is a book that admittedly, for me, didn't quite match up to its potential. Though the samurai and history of the souls in Rileigh and Kim was well done, Rileigh herself wasn't a character I easily connected with. Despite this, there was still something intriguing about the entire book, with some great twists thrown in. This is also a book that has a lot of humor in it, one to not necessarily be taken too seriously, but set against the backdrop of what's happening, it's a hard mix to swallow sometimes.

Rileigh is hugely sarcastic, and though it felt like some of this was trying too hard at times, it still lent itself to plenty of laughs. This was the part of her that I could appreciate it, and while she definitely came off as weak at times, she still had a certain drive in her that helped her face down whatever was thrown at her. Her banter and interactions with her best friend, Quinten, were hilarious and fun, and Gibsen did a great job of keeping Quinten tied into the story even after the whole samurai thing really starts coming into play. Though it could be seen as Quinten having little importance, I felt like the simple fact that he was still there spoke volumes, rather than Rileigh just being too busy or unwilling to tell him the truth of what's going on.

Kim was an interesting character, broody and intriguing, with seemingly little patience at the start. The initial meeting between the two, and the growing attraction lent itself to some great scenes, and was definitely one of the more enjoyable aspects of the book. Layered over the history between them and the souls that live within them, and Gibsen definitely wove their relationship in a good way.

The writing of this one was strong in voice, with some great and hilarious descriptions that are definitely stand out. With a straightforward nature to it, and dragging only a few times, the writing has a great quality to it. Though the pacing of the overall plot fell through at times, Gibsen still provides a great climax and a good ending for the story. The history was woven into the present in a very good way, with some beautifully done triggering moments and switches. Despite the flaws this one had for me, it was still an enjoyable read.

Details:

Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review 

Reading level: Ages 12 and up 

Paperback: 384 pages 

Publisher: Flux

Publication Date: March 8, 2012

Book Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

SUMMARY: It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry to this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.


OPINION: 5 STARS

The Short Version: 
 Enchanting, alluring and empowering, Wanderlove spins a new kind of tale on finding yourself and having fun while doing it. With a vivid setting that is almost magical in its reality, and a main character that every reader can find at least a piece of themselves in, this one holds not only a unique setting but phenomenal characterization that is rapidly becoming a beautiful mark of Hubbard’s abilities. With gorgeous drawings woven into the story at the perfect moments, Wanderlove is a blend of not only traveling but the arts in a magnificent way.

The Extended Version: 
Bria is reserved in enough ways to make her decision to take off to Central America a shock to her family and friends, and even herself. Her determination to step outside of her usual bounds, however, shines strongly from page one and builds an instant bond to readers. With a great internal strength, a sense of constant fortitude that keeps her going even in the roughest of moments, and a depth that is built with each turn of the page, Bria’s definitely the kind of character that will be relatable to just about any reader, no matter their background.

Rowan is endearing in all the right ways, strong and intense yet soft and intriguing. Intelligent yet guarded, Rowan holds plenty of secrets while remaining open in enough ways to keep the reader interested without being frustrated. His interactions with Bria fly off the pages, building their relationship in a realistic, steady manner while moving enough to leave a mark on both early on. With a unique and charming relationship with his sister, and a deep sense of camaraderie between them, Rowan brings plenty of fresh elements to the table while still being everything a love interest should be.

Starling, Rowan’s sister, is about as vivid and full of life as they come, and will leave as memorable an impression on the reader as Bria or Rowan. Though centering in a fantastic way around Rowan and Bria, there are several other characters with plenty of depth and face time without detracting from the central aspect of the plot. The impact each has on Bria is clear and defined, and her overall character growth is tremendously handled not only through what she endures but the people she meets.

The plot is steady, filled with plenty of emotional scenes to tear at reader’s hearts while also giving plenty of laughs, grins and amusement. Though certainly character driven, there is also an external component to this one that adds an extra layer and pulls the reader in more. Unpredictable not only because of the foreign setting and related events, but in the actual execution as well, there is plenty to keep readers on their toes while also giving the satisfaction of being able to piece things together.

Hubbard’s writing is stellar, having an almost magical and entrancing quality to it that cannot easily be put into words. Making the setting as vivid and memorable as any character, and describing in a way that is never mundane or something the reader will want to skip over, Hubbard has an almost unmatched ability in the way she weaves words onto the page. Literary while still being rich in voice, this one pitches the full beauty and extent of Central America in a way that readers without any experience can understand and imagine.

A unique element of this book is the artwork interspersed throughout, drawn by Hubbard herself. Guiding the reader in imaging things without forcing them into a specific picture, and showcasing the author’s talent, these additions build the book in a fantastic and appealing way. Coupled with the rampant and magnetic writing, and the stellar characterization that shines on every page, Wanderlove will ignite a desire to travel in even the most reserved of readers.

Details:

Source: Netgalley 

Reading level: Ages 14 and up 

Hardcover: 352 pages 

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 13, 2012