Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: May 15, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: NetGalley

Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.

As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?

Code Name Verity ranks up there as one of the top 2-3 historical fictions that I've read. Ever.

Told in two parts, Code Name Verity follows a couple of young women working secret missions during World War II. Their stories are told via their desperate writings. Verity must produce a written confession of how she came to be in France and why. Kittyhawk begins her journal as a way to keep track of details for when it comes time to file a report. Part I is an intentionally disjointed narrative, being written by a prisoner of the Gestapo, and takes a bit to build up to the action, focusing on the relationship between Verity and Maddie, how they came to be friends, and how they ended up in France. In Part II, the action and intrigue manifest into something more immediate as events unfold.

Verity and Kittyhawk are both amazing characters. I felt Verity's spirit from the first sentence and only grew to love her more as the story grew in depth. Her situation is awful and she is broken in many ways, but her retorts in the face of those who would torture her reveal pieces of her bravado. I wasn't initially sure if it would be possible for me to love Kittyhawk as much, but she quickly won my heart. I don't want to say too much about either girl because I don't want to spoil anything, but they are both accessible, admirable, and strong characters, each in their own ways, and I loved every second that I spent with them.

This is a WWII story. Horrible, heartbreaking things happen in it. But it is so, so very good. Again, I don't want to give too much away about the plot. It starts off a little slowly, with Verity's disjointed writing of her confession which becomes her story. She is back and forth between writing her past and her present. It is not hard to follow, but it is a slow build to find out how she came to be there. The disorderly narrative and unhurried pace are a nice parallel to Verity's situation. It is only toward the end of Verity's section that things start to pick up and time becomes an issue and things get a little more urgent. Once Kittyhawk comes into the picture, the story is less reflection and more action and the pacing speeds up quite a bit as the reader receives more information.

This is hands down one of the best books I've read this year. I highly recommend it, even if you're not big on historical fiction. This one offers something a bit different from the standard WWII fare. If you like historical fiction, WWII fiction, spies, pilots, intrigue, and/or unreliable narrators, then you need to read this book. And if you're some kind of crazy that doesn't like any of those things, then you need to read this book to see why you should be loving all of this stuff. It's pretty much amazing.

Freedom to Read Giveaway

In honor of the freedom to read, I'm giving one of my readers the freedom to choose his/her own prize. Enter to win a book of your choice.

Let's get right to the rules:

• Must be 13 years or older to enter. 
• If under 18, must have permission of parent or guardian. 
• Open internationally, as long as The Book Depository will ship to you. (You can check their list of countries here.)
• Falsified entries will result in the disqualification of all entries by offending entrant. 
• Please see my contest & privacy policy for more details.

Good luck!

Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Dial
Publication Date: June 14, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: ARC Tour

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them...until one summer evening Jase Garrett climbs her trellis and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love and stumble through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first romance, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own - even as she keeps him a secret from her disapproving mother and critical best friend. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of Samantha's world after a terrible accident, and she's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

This book is like a curious puppy wrapped in mewling kittens and topped with a baby platypus.

That is to say, IT'S FREAKING PRECIOUS!

Sam and Jase's relationship development is so cute and innocent and gentle and just so full of saccharine goodness. In a good way! A snuggly, warms-your-heart way. I love seeing teenage love portrayed in this realistic, normal manner. It is romantic and believable. And there is no brooding or torturous self-loathing or any of that nonsense that has become prevalent lately in many YA books. Just a good, wholesome budding relationship. Yes, complications come up and Sam faces a tough moral dilemma. But even through that, their relationship trials are handled respectably.

One of my favorite things about this book is the characters. They're all completely three-dimensional and well-developed. And, while I love Samantha and Jase, I think that my favorite character might be Tim, the brother of Sam's best friend, Nan. He's a side character, but he could rival Sam and Jase for most character depth and is definitely the most dynamic character in the story. I hope that people do not overlook him just because he's secondary! Jase's family is also pretty wonderful. I could probably rave for a while about the awesomeness that is George, but I'll leave that for people to discover on their own.

The plot doesn't keep us all in suspense waiting for some tense relationship to finally explode into admissions of love in the final few pages. Rather, Sam and Jase fall into immediate like (but not insta-love) and it doesn't take long for their relationship to bud, though they do take things slowly and let it evolve naturally as they become more serious. It is such a great role model for teen relationship growth! Girls, this is how guys should be treating you. If they spend half of their time ignoring you or looking at you like they want to devour you, then you should get the hell away and find a boy like this one. A lot of the story involves the building up of Sam and Jase's relationship, and it's adorable as heck. There is also a little bit of friend and family drama. Then Sam is faced with some difficult realities. So it's not all hugs and kisses. My one complaint, if I had to make one? The dilemma that Sam has to deal with is a little far-fetched. Not impossible, by any means. But improbable. Sometimes I wondered if it might be a little too dramatic or over-the-top in an otherwise down-to-earth novel. But it also is a great demonstration of a really tough moral choice, so I got over it.

I'd definitely recommend this book to fans of realistic fiction similar to that of Sarah Dessen, etc. If you like books with kissing in them, you'll love this. I promise! It's the perfect summertime read as well! (It even takes place during summer break. There is swimming! And stargazing!) Grab yourself a copy if you like these things.

Review: This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This Is Not a Test
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: June 19, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: NetGalley

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.

When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

So when I first found out that Courtney Summers was writing a zombie book, I was all like, "Whaaaaaaat?" And then I read the description and it made more sense to me, because it sounds like it's not really a zombie book, but a book about a girl who wants to die but has been thrown into this survival situation. And that's exactly what it turned out to be. The zombies - they're in there a little bit. But it's not a zombie book. It reads like a gritty contemporary that just happens to have something out of science fiction and horror going on in the background in order to facilitate this survival mentality. So if you're looking for a ZOMBIE book, this is not that. There are a couple of scenes with zombies up-close. But what it is, is a book that takes a look at the monster in all of us, what might bring those things to the surface, what a person could be made to do in the types of situations that can only come about through some crazy survival mode situation. And Sloane, who is convinced that there is no reason to live, is thrown into this situation where everyone else is desperately trying to survive, which forces her to face herself and her demons. It becomes a lot about what the others will do to live, and what she won't do to die.

Sloane is not a character that makes me adore her because she's so [insert adjective for something awesome like nice/funny/smart/strong/snarky here]. But she is very real, and I like that about her. She's not looking for a reason to live. She's looking for a way to die that won't jeopardize the lives of her zombie apocalypse companions. She has to make a lot of decisions, some admirable and some not so much. She's in a world where holding on to your values will get you and the people you care about killed. There are times when it comes down to deciding who one cares more about, who is valuable, who is a liability. Some of it is split-second decision, but some of it is calculated. Everyone in this story has some amount of horrible in them that is brought out when situations become life or death. All of these characters are simultaneously terrible and decent. They all say and do things that they'd probably never say or do in a normal situation. They're selfish. They're self-preserving. They've had to make tough choices, sometimes at the expense of others, in order to keep themselves alive. The precedent for this line of decision making is set even before the zombies show up, via Sloane's sister. But when it's life or death, is that not understandable? These characters, dwelling in their gray areas, captivated me with their harshness.

The pacing is not as quick as one would expect a book with zombies to be. The characters are barricaded in a school for the majority of the story, and there just isn't much to do. It involves a lot of reflection, a few scary situations, and a lot of arguing and slinging blame and accusations and confessions. But it was still a really quick read, because I became so engrossed in the human nature of it all. The ending, I'll admit, is something that might bother me in another type of book, but for this one it felt like the perfect place to end the story, and I liked it.

I really, really adored this book, and the only reason I docked it a half star is because I would've liked just a little bit more presence where the zombies were concerned. I'd recommend it to fans of Courtney Summers and gritty contemporary fiction. If you're in it for the zombies, you might be disappointed at the lack of face-biting. But, if you can appreciate the more psychological parts of a zombie apocalypse, then you would probably still enjoy this book a great deal.

Review: Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Title: Something Like Normal
Author: Trish Doller
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: June 19, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: NetGalley

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again.

Something Like Normal is a great book with some heart-squeezing moments. Travis's character has a genuine voice and is completely authentic and believable. He's not one of those achingly charming literary characters that comes across as too good to be true - he's realistic. He has flaws. He recognizes them and wants to improve upon those things, and maybe he needs someone like Harper to help him do that. I appreciate his flaws even if I don't like some of them. In addition to being an honest example of a normal guy who has not always made the best decisions, Travis is dealing with some issues that weigh heavily on him, and it affects his ability to function normally in certain situations. His struggles are really touching, and it's pretty much impossible not to root for him to get past all of this stuff and get to where he wants to be, emotionally.

Harper is pretty amazing. She doesn't take any crap, and some of the things that Travis has done in the past and does in the course of the novel make her upset and angry. But she's still able to notice that Travis is dealing with some Stuff, and to sympathize with him and want to be there for him. She is great at sticking up for herself, but also recognizes when to let go of a grudge. My one complaint would be that sometimes Harper just seems too nice, but her goodness is not to the point of being over-exaggerated and there are times when she's angry at Travis or her father to balance out the nice, so it's not a significant drawback at all. Travis's mom is another lady worth a mention. She struggles with some troubles of her own, and Travis is able to help her a little bit with that. Their relationship development is touching.

The story has a lot of stuff in it regarding trust and opening up to people, seeing which relationships are worth having and which ones aren't worth your trouble, and dealing with internal conflicts. There are still events taking place, though. It's not all introspective. There are flashbacks to Travis's tour in Afghanistan, date nights, hanging out with friends (civilian and not), dealing with family troubles, and facing the past as well as the present and the future.

I definitely recommend Something Like Normal. It has the cuteness of a contemporary romance for a touch of summertime fluff, but it also hits on some tough issues to keep it grounded and relevant. It's a great book for older YA/New Adult fans, particularly if you like contemporary pieces or appreciate books dealing with PTSD in soldiers.

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Series: Grisha #1
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: NetGalley

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Alina is a reluctant heroine, which is NICE to see. Lately, most of the books I've been reading have been all about the Antihero and Byronic sorts. Now, don't get me wrong, I love me an antihero. Who doesn't? That's why they're so popular. But I've also been craving a good, reluctant hero for a while now. And Alina is definitely that. She is in denial of her powers for some time and, even once she is forced to own up to them, is hesitant to let herself believe that she is powerful and can do important things. She doesn't see how she can possibly do what is expected of her to save her people, and she worries that everyone's high expectations of her will only lead to her letting them down. She needs to be urged on her way and forced down her path of awesome heroics.

I've seen people who don't like Alina's lack of confidence. They think that she should accept all of this stuff readily and know that she can do it and also think herself to be very beautiful even though she is sickly and wan. But the reluctant hero is a THING, you guys! It's an underappreciated thing, and I aim to appreciate it. I like seeing this self-doubting heroine who has to be shoved in the right directions until she can gain a better understanding of herself. It allows for so much more growth by the end of the story, and I find it to be a nice change of pace from the usual. She has to prove to herself that she can be amazing before she can go out and save the day.

The setting and plot have some enchanting elements to them that do a great job of fleshing out the world and the magic. Swallowing a chunk of Ravka in darkness filled with dangerous creatures, the Shadow Fold is effectively mysterious and creepy. The magical system is one that I really like, but I do wish it had been a just a tad more fleshed out because I did find it to be one of the more fascinating parts of the world even though the concept behind it isn't wholly unique. I also would like to have seen a little more to do with the political situation in Ravka because, while it seems to play a pretty important role in the plot, there really isn't that much that we learn about it other than that there are some tensions going around. The struggles for power could have been reinforced with a couple of specifics or a scene in which the power struggles were put on display rather than only being discussed among characters in private. A little evidence of complications on this point could have done wonders for the story, which, despite a minor twist or two, isn't really that intricate. It is fun, though, as well as fast-paced.

There are parts of this book that are influenced by Russian culture, and I've seen a few reviews in which people complain that the portrayal of Russian culture, particularly with regard to names and words, in Shadow and Bone is not entirely accurate. But for me, none of that matters. If this were a realistic fiction or a historical fiction or a nonfiction book, then yes those things would matter. A lot, in fact. But this is a high fantasy set in a second world. And "influenced by" does not equal "historical, cultural, and etymological copy of". So I have no problems with Alina's last name being Starkov instead of Starkova, etc. And I'm of the opinion that those sorts of things shouldn't have any bearing in a fantasy novel set in a world that is not our own. (That being said, I do think that borrowed words retain a better strength if they're used properly so that they cannot become a weak point for readers to fixate on.) I definitely recommend this as a fast-paced, enjoyable story with an interesting cast, world, and magic system.

This or That With Sam from My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

I'd like to welcome Sam, the main character in My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, to the blog today to share some of her preferences with us by playing a little This or That:


Grass is greener: this side or that side?

Literally or metaphorically? Our grass is greener than the Garretts, but my mom uses these scary chemicals to make sure it is, so….

Quiet or Loud?
Quiet peaceful, or quiet ominous? Loud, happy and celebrating or yelling? It’s strange how both can be good or bad.

Neat or Messy?
I’m pretty neat. Maybe a little compulsive about it? Jase teases me, but I hate not being able to find things.

Romeo or Juliet?
Juliet, Romeo was wayyy too impulsive and sort of a drama-fest.

Books or Movies?
Books. I like to picture the characters in my mind.

Fast or Slow?
Slow. From what I’ve seen, the bad things happen fast and the good things take a while

Standing out or Blending in?
I usually have been one to blend in, but I’m getting more comfortable with standing out.

New or Vintage?
I like the way vintage looks on other people, but whenever I try it just looks weird. We were talking clothes, right? Or cars? Because if it was cars, then vintage all the way.

Action or Adventure?
Adventure.

Truth or Dare?
Truth can be pretty daring .

Fantasy or Reality?
I used to like fantasy, but now reality is better.

Numbness or Pain?
Pain. Numbness never works for long.

Spectator or Participant?
Oh, that one is easy. Participant.

Eyes open or Eyes closed?
Open. Or is this a kissing question? In which case…I’m embarrassed.

Reeds or Garretts?
I’m a Reed who loves a Garrett.

Thanks to Samantha for stopping by so that we could get to know her a little better!

You can find My Life Next Door on: Amazon | Goodreads
You can find Huntley Fitzpatrick on: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Thanks to The {Teen} Book Scene for hosting the tour. Be sure to check out the other tour stops for more fun and info!

Favorite Covers: June 2012

Here are some of my favorite covers for June 2012: The Shady Wispy Edition

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
I adore this cover. I love the blood spatter in the corner against the calming blue background, and the girl with her hair blowing in front of her face looks like slow-motion, while the blur of the background gives the impression that it's moving quickly. The overall effect that it gives off reminds me of slow motion car accidents in movies. I think it's absolutely perfect for a zombie book written by an author known for contemporary realistic fiction.
Amazon | Goodreads

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Why, hello, something different! I love the moody coloring, font, texture, stenciling, brushes, everything. It gives the cover a serious undertone and makes me think of creepy fairy tales and faraway places. And it won't put off male readers. Unisex covers always make me happy.
Amazon | Goodreads

Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent
Sigh. I know this is a girl in a dress, and that this trend is so completely overdone and that I just spent my last paragraph praising something new and different. But all of the covers for the Soul Screamers series are so gorgeous, and this one is no exception. The absolutely stunning covers in this series are part of the reason that girls in dresses became a trend in the first place. I love the ethereal feel of these particular girls in dresses, as well. It's wispy and ghostly.
Amazon | Goodreads


Do you also like any of these covers? There are a lot of books with gorgeous covers this month, and it was difficult to choose only three. Are there any that you're tempted to buy for the cover alone? What new little works of art will you be picking up for your shelves this month? Let me know in the comments!