Mini-Review: Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

Author: Jenny Hubbard

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Contemporary

Pages: 192

Published: June 14, 2011

Publisher: Delacorte

Rating: 3/5 Stars

"At the beginning of his junior year at a boys' boarding school, 16-year-old Alex is devastated when he fails to save a drowning friend. When questioned, Alex and his friend Glenn, who was also at the river, begin weaving their web of lies. Plagued by guilt, Alex takes refuge in the library, telling his tale in a journal he hides behind Moby-Dick. Caught in the web with Alex and Glenn is their English teacher, Miss Dovecott, fresh out of Princeton, who suspects there's more to what happened at the river when she perceives guilt in Alex's writing for class. She also sees poetic talent in Alex, which she encourages. As Alex responds to her attention, he discovers his true voice, one that goes against the boarding school bravado that Glenn embraces. When Glenn becomes convinced that Miss Dovecott is out to get them, Alex must choose between them."~Goodreads

I love a good boarding school story.  All of that teen angst and no parents in sight.  It's a great recipe for drama and intrigue.  For some reason stories about all boys schools seem to hold a special place in my heart.  It's probably because I grew up loving A Separate Peace and The Dead Poets Society, "Oh captain, my captain" and all that.  These stories really seem to tug at my heart strings.  That's probably why I went into this story expecting so much.  It doesn't hurt that Paper Covers Rock was a finalist for the William C. Morris Debut Award.  So with my expectations towering, I dove right in (pun intended).  Unfortunately, this particular boarding school story was a little stale for me.

Let's start off on a positive note.  The style of the book was really intriguing.  It is told in journal form through entries, essays, poems and letters.  I always have loved this type of writing style.  It allows you to get inside the protagonists head in a way that simple narrative cannot.  It also usually helps to make the pacing of the story work.  However, with this particular book, the pacing was sometimes off and even at only 192 pages this book took awhile for me to get through.  That being said, the journal style was effective in helping me to understand and connect with the main character, Alex.  Even though I felt I knew Alex, it was hard at times for me to sympathize with him.  He allows others to control so much of what he does and how he thinks and allows himself to be bullied by his (to me totally dull, nothing to write home about) best friend, Glenn.  Together the boys get one student expelled and attempt to have a teacher dismissed all to save their own butts.  I'm not sure why I should feel much sympathy for such a door mat.

My other big problem with this book is that the story line is so similar to A Separate Peace.  There are plenty of differences of course but the characters seem like less likable knock-offs of Phineas and Gene and the main conflict (a student being injured/killed) after jumping into a river was just too on the nose for me.  Really, I probably would have had a much different view of the book if this weren't the case since I spent most of the time comparing the two stories in my mind.  Of course the plot lines were different in many ways and I am not at all insinuating that anything underhanded is going on here, but I just felt like I had read this story before and liked it better the first time.

When all is said and done I can't really say  that I disliked Paper Covers Rock.  It was a solid story told in an interesting way, but it fell short.  I would have like to have seen a more original story-line and more likable characters.  The charm of Dead Poets Society and the bite of A Separate Peace were missing for me.  In the end, it's a story that is interesting but not enduring.  I think this book would be a good introduction if you haven't read a lot of books involving boarding schools.  It may really intrigue some of you, I think for me it was just a little late to the party.

Review: Prince Of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Translated By: Lucia Graves

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal

Pages: 218

Published: May 4th, 2010 (English version)

Publisher: Little Brown

Rating: 5/5 Stars

"A mysterious house harbors an unimaginable secret. . . .
It’s wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they’ve recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house there still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners’ son, who died by drowning.
With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the suspicious circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called The Prince of Mist—a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden, which will change their lives forever."~Goodreads

You know those book you read as a kid that just drew you in and totally consumed you for hours on end?  If this book had been translated when I was that age this would have been one of those books.  What am I saying?  It is one of those books.  I picked up this little novel (the first in the Niebla Trilogy) on a whim.  I didn't feel like reading the next book on my to-be-read list yet and needed something quick to keep me entertained for a few days.  The Prince of Mist more than did the trick.  It was charming, exciting and truly scary.  It was everything a young adult horror novel should be.

LIKES:

• Beautiful writing: Zafon's writing is really beautiful.  He somehow captures the voices of his characters perfectly while at the same time allowing the reader to make their own observations about the world he creates.  The atmosphere was perfect whether that atmosphere was spooky at the time or charming and quaint.  The story moved along quickly and succinctly and kept me wrapped up in it the whole time.  
• Different take on ghosts:  I love ghost stories, they're probably my favorite kind, but there's usually some sort of formula.  Ghosts are usually dead people who hang around and scare the crap out of the living.  Not in this book though.  These ghosts are unusual.  I'm still not 100% sure how the whole thing went down but apparently they could take different forms, inhabit inanimate objects and resurrect terrifying circus statues.  
• Truly terrifying villains:  Speaking of circuses, there is a ghost clown.  I hate clowns, I find them truly horrifying at their best so when one of them is walking around all incorporeal with razor teeth I just about lose it.  Throw in some creepy haunted home movies, wardrobe monsters and a ghost ship and I will be sleeping with the light on for awhile.  A+ on the scares.

DISLIKES:

• Where are the parents:  About half way through the book something happens and the parents and youngest sister leave town.  They're gone for the rest of the book only to reappear in the epilogue.  I was disappointed in this because I really loved the family dynamic at the beginning of the story and it was sad to see them written out for most of the action.  However, I can see why this was necessary so maybe I can't really count this as a dislike.
• The ending (maybe):  I'm really not sure about the ending.  There are things I loved (the drama and sadness and hope) but I also was kind of disappointed that the story was wrapped up so completely.  It looks like Max won't be the focus of the second book and I really liked him as a character so that was a bummer, but it will be cool to see what the author does with the story from here on out.  After all, this is The Prince of Mist's story right?

I can't wait to read the rest of this series and see what type of terror The Prince of Mist will create. The second and third books involve different protagonists and different time periods which is a really unique and fun idea for a series.  It will be interesting to see what Zafon has come up with (hopefully no more clowns).  I only wish these would have been translated earlier so I could have enjoyed this amazing tale sooner.

Video Review: The Watch That Ends The Night by Allan Wolf

Author: Allan Wolf

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Verse

Pages: 480

Published: October 11th, 2011

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Rating: 4/5 Stars

"Arrogance and innocence, hubris and hope--twenty-four haunting voices of the Titanic tragedy, as well as the iceberg itself, are evoked in a stunning tour de force.
Millionaire John Jacob Astor hopes to bring home his pregnant teen bride with a minimum of media scandal. A beautiful Lebanese refugee, on her way to family in Florida, discovers the first stirrings of love. And an ancient iceberg glides south, anticipating its fateful encounter. The voices in this remarkable re-creation of the Titanic disaster span classes and stations, from Margaret ("the unsinkable Molly") Brown to the captain who went down with his ship; from the lookout and wireless men to a young boy in search of dragons and a gambler in search of marks. Slipping in telegraphs, undertaker’s reports, and other records, poet Allan Wolf offers a breathtaking, intimate glimpse at the lives behind the tragedy, told with clear-eyed compassion and astounding emotional power."~Goodreads

With a slow build that leads to an impressive impact, this book is definitely at the top of my list when it comes to Titanic stories.  I've loved reading about Titanic and her passengers since I was a little kid.  The tragedy has always captivated me.  That being said, I'm a pretty hard reader to please when it comes to books about the subject.  I find that many authors have cheapened their tales by focusing on love stories or just regurgitating stories that we've all heard a million times before.  Allan Wolf doesn't do this.  He focuses on the passengers in a way that really makes the reader feel like they know and understand each individual.  He weaves a story of humanity and all the triumphs and failures that come with it.  The story is told by over twenty different narrators including the iceberg, itself.  All of these stories come together as a beautifully told narrative in verse about the ill-fated ship.  It is a quick and engrossing read that will thrill you and break your heart all at the same time.

Mini-Review: Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame

Author: Abby Grahame

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Pages: 276

Published: May 1st, 2012

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster

Rating: 1/5 Stars

" Eighteen-year-old Maggie Darlington has turned into an entirely different person. The once spirited teen is now passive and reserved. A change Lord and Lady Darlington can’t help but be grateful for.
     It’s 1912, and the Darlingtons of Wentworth Hall have more than just the extensive grounds to maintain. As one of Britain’s most elite families, they need to keep up appearances that things are as they have always been…even as their carefully constructed façade rapidly comes undone.
     Maggie has a secret. And she’s not the only one…the handsome groom Michael, the beautiful new French nanny Therese, the Darlingtons’ teenage houseguests Teddy and Jessica, and even Maggie’s younger sister Lila are all hiding something. Passion, betrayal, heartache, and whispered declarations of love take place under the Darlingtons’ massive roof. And one of these secrets has the power to ruin the Darlingtons forever.
     When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details that closely mirror the lives of the Darlingtons, everyone is looking over their shoulder, worrying their scandal will be next. Because at Wentworth Hall, nothing stays secret for long."~Goodreads

Wow, was this disappointing.  After this book came out last year I heard some not-so-great things, but the premise sounded good and I love historical fiction so I figured I'd give it a shot.  Unfortunately I was underwhelmed.  The first two thirds of the story were alright.  I wasn't too enthusiastic about the story line since it was pretty much entirely predictable but I was still on board and fairly entertained.  The plot was clipping along at a nice pace and I wasn't bored so that was a good thing.  There were some signs early on that things were not going in a promising direction.  For one thing, the editing was just not very good.  The tense kept changing, sometimes in the same sentence.

"'Do you mean these?' Richina asked and shimmied with arms outstretched, her many diamonds, bracelets, necklaces, and brooches creating such a commotion that a large chunk of plaster falls from the ceiling." ~pg 63-64

I could have chalked this up to an oversight but it kept happening and it really messed with the flow of the story.  Another huge problem, at least for a history geek like me, was that the author didn't seem to do her research when it came to English titles.  The family's last name is Darlington.  They are titled nobility and therefore should be called by their proper titles.  So if Arthur Darlington is Earl of Fluffbottom (I don't believe his position is ever laid out, so I'm just brainstorming here) then he would be Lord Fluffbottom, not Lord Darlington.  However the parents are constantly referred to as Lord and Lady Darlington.  It may not be a big deal to some people but it really bothered me.  Along the same lines the staff kept calling the daughters Maggie and Lila instead of Lady Margaret and Lady Lila.  But I'm nitpicking.

Let's just move on to the end of the book.  Oh the problems I had with this!  Throughout this entire book there are a million different things going on and while I was able to correctly predict the outcome of each situation at it's first mention I would have like to see them fully played out.  Instead it seems that the author got half way through the book and instead of finishing it just slapped another 50 pages on so it would be over.  In one chapter we have Lord Fluffbottom (whom I refuse to refer to as Lord Darlington) storming off to confront his daughter about the big plot twist and then...boom, books over. We never really revisit the whole reason for Lord Fluffbottom's temper tantrum.  Instead the author lazily explains away everything getting wrapped up and then we find ourselves in the epilogue where everything has either worked out or is still up in the air. I wanted to chuck my book at the wall.

Really Simon and Schuster?  You published this?

This was, overall, just a lazy book.  It seems to be trying to jump on Downton Abbey's coattails but with none of the charm or storytelling, and certainly none of the patience.  I was willing to hang in there and wait for the pay-off, apparently the author wasn't.

Review: The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

Author: Sharon Cameron

Genre:  Steampunk, Historical Fiction

Pages: 318

Published: September 1, 2012

Publisher: Scholastic

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Source:  I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.
Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity.
As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it. With twists and turns at every corner, this heart-racing adventure will captivate readers with its intrigue, thrills, and romance."~Goodreads

 When The Dark Unwinding was first introduced to me it was described as having a Jane Eyre feel.  This is a highly dangerous thing to say to me as Jane Eyre and I have a long-standing love affair going back at least 15 years.  Bronte's novel is my hands-down favorite book of all time, the book I would pick if I could only read one for the rest of my life.  The story is very special to me, so when someone tells me that a book is like Jane Eyre I am immediately cynical and sometimes snarky.  Still, the plot for this new Gothic novel was similar and it sounded quite interesting so I decided to give it a go.  While it, of course, could never live up to Miss Eyre's story for me, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I loved The Dark Unwinding.  

LIKES:

• Amazing characters - This story is very much driven by the characters.  In fact, I don't think the book would have been anything really special without such amazing character development.  Each one, including minor players, is eloquently and lovingly crafted.  They each have their own voice and the reader can easily feel for each character and understand them on a personal level.  This is one of those instances where I really felt a loss when the book was over because I had come to know the characters so deeply.
• Katharine is not your normal heroine - In much of YA literature our heroines are pretty predictable.  They follow certain guidelines.  While they may not all be the same type of heroine there are standards they must meet.  Even the shy, quiet, sort of awkward girl has a certain je ne sais quois that pulls at least one special guy into her orbit.  Katharine does not have this.  She is strange, reserved, and altogether off-putting to the other characters for much of the first half of the book.  They really have to get to know her before they trust her, or even like her a little bit.  I found this to be much more realistic and thus, much more satisfying.
• Mr. Tully's "madness" - We are told at the beginning of the story that Katharine's uncle is mad.  The author doesn't go into why he is mad or what this madness is.  Katharine quickly realizes that Mr. Tully is very different than other men his age.  He is child-like, innocent, rigid in his routine and incredibly sweet.  It becomes clear very early on that Mr. Tully is more like mentally challenged than insane.  This creates a huge dilemma for our main character as she gets to know and love her uncle.  She realizes he needs to be taken care of but she also sees how important his home and his friends are in his life.  Mr. Tully's character is an amazing tool for this story.  He tugs relentlessly on your heartstrings while also providing a quirky sort of comedy.  The reader doesn't laugh at Mr. Tully but with him.  There is always a feeling that he knows more than anyone else and that he sometimes lets them in on the secret.
• An abundance of heart - With the mix of Mr. Tully, Katharine (an unloved orphan) and an entire town full of residents pulled from work houses, the author had a huge opportunity to craft a heartfelt story of love and overcoming obstacles.  She completely capitalized on that opportunity.

DISLIKES:

• Predictable plot points (somewhat) -   Okay, I'm not sure I can really say this is a dislike because this book is supposed to be like a good, old-fashioned Gothic novel.  And it is.  The only problem with this is that it is rather easy to see some of the major twists coming from a mile away.  So instead of being shocked, it's more of a smug "called it" feeling.  Of course smugness brings it's own joys so...
• Pacing changes from chapter to chapter -  Sometimes the story flies by at an alarming speed while other times it crawls.  The fast-paced chapters are tons of fun, but the slower chapters make the story feel somewhat awkward.  I think this is why it took me a little longer than anticipated to move through the book.
• Lane's mood swings, dear lord - Lane is, obviously, a loveable character, but his changeable moods gave me a major headache.  One second he is spinning around the ballroom with Katharine or opening up to her and the next he's distrustful of her and wants nothing to do with her.  Make up your mind already, sir!  It's exhausting.

In the end it was the characters that made the book.  While the story was somewhat formulaic, the astounding characters brought it to life with their unique voices and captivating personalities.  There is such love in this story, not just romantic love, but the love of the author for her creations.  This is certainly a story that will stay with me for a long, long time and I highly recommend it!

 

Review: Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

Author: Anna Godbersen

Genre: historical fiction, romance, drama

Pages: 389

Published: October 12, 2010

Publisher: Harper Teen

Rating: 5/5 Stars

"The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.
Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star. . . .
Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.
The only person Cordelia can trust is ­Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.
Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the ­illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age."- Goodreads

Anyone who has talked to me about books in the last year knows that my love of Godbersen's The Luxe series knows no bounds.  That being said I was really worried about reading her most recent historical fiction series.  I put off reading Bright Young Things for a long time, but I finally got around to it this week.  It blew me away.  It was fun, sexy and full of vibrant characters.  This is an entirely satisfying read.  Set during the last golden days of prohibition era New York City, this glittering novel follows the lives of three girls trying to make a name for themselves in the big city.  The glitz and glam of the 1920's is shadowed by the readers knowledge of the economic disaster that looms just beyond the horizon.  This idea of fleeting opulence creates an attachment to the characters that is totally enthralling.  I loved this one so much that I decided to do a video review so I could gush and gush.  Even though I still love The Luxe I think Bright Young Things now tops my list of best young adult historical fiction.  5 fabulous stars for this beauty!

On a side note, I really hate YouTube thumbnails.  I look like I'm weeping tears of joy.  Close but not quite ;) 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Drama, Historical Fiction

Pages: 348

Published: 2011

Publisher: Quirk Books

Rating:  5/5 Stars

"A mysterious island.An abandoned orphanage.A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive."

Oh my goodness, how I loved this book!  The first thing that drew me to it was, of course, the creepy floating girl on the cover.  And she isn't the only beautiful and haunting portrait in the book.  In fact, there are quite a few.  The story revolves around vintages photographs of children with special talents (all of the photos are real antique prints and most have not been altered).  They are so creepy and beautiful, I just couldn't get enough.  This alone probably would have been enough for me to love the book but, to top it off, it also happened to be a great story!

It revolves around a teenage boy named Jacob and his relationship with his aging grandfather.  All of Jacob's life his grandfather has talked about these children and the incredible photos of their talents.  As a young boy, Jacob is enthralled by his grandfather's stories, but as he grows older they grow apart and Jacob stops believing that the children were really as special as they seemed.  In an attempt to learn the truth about his grandfather's childhood and the children's home where he lived during the early part of World War II, Jacob travels to a small Island near Wales where he must try to find the children and the monster that haunted them.

The story was so complex and rich that I found myself completely wrapped up in it for days, even after I had finished. Jacob is such a wonderful character.  In many ways he is a painfully normal teenage boy.  He is bored, insecure and somewhat lazy, but he is basically a good kid who just needs some direction in his life.  Watching Jacob's personality develop throughout the course of the book was really something.  By the end of the book he is a brave, confident young man with purpose and drive.  

Another great thing about this novel is the creep factor.  It isn't a horror novel really, but it is so unnerving at times that I definitely had trouble getting to sleep some nights.  First of all you have the pile of spooky photos, which I've already talked about.  Then, of course the setting is this tiny, rainy island off the coast of Wales and, in particular, a huge decaying mansion that seems to have just been abandoned one day.  Finally there is the monster, this horrible unseen force that is chasing Jacob and is possibly responsible for the deaths of dozens of children.  One word that I could use to describe the whole thing is: haunting.  The creep factor can be seen in the book trailer as well.  (I wouldn't watch before bed if I were you!)

The ending is satisfying but there is room for a sequel (yeah!). This book was just amazing. The pictures add so much to the story and make it really easy to visualize the whole thing.  There is already talk of a movie and according to Rigg's blog Tim Burton has signed on as director!  I'm so happy that I was able to read this one and I can't wait to see it on the big screen!

Rating: