Please Hold for Baby - a mini review

Pregnant Pause


Written by: Han Nolan

Released: September 19, 2011 by Harcourt Children’s Books

Summary: Nobody gets away with telling Eleanor Crowe what to do. But as a pregnant sixteen-year-old, her options are limited: move to Kenya with her missionary parents or marry the baby’s father and work at his family’s summer camp for overweight kids.

Despite her initial reluctance to help out, Elly is surprised that she actually enjoys working with the campers. But a tragedy on the very day her baby is born starts a series of events that overwhelms Elly with unexpected emotions and difficult choices. Somehow, she must turn her usual obstinance in a direction that can ensure a future for herself—and for the new life she has created.

I’ve said it before; I love reading books about teen pregnancy. I think that’s also where my slight addiction to watching 16 and Pregnant stems from. I always want to know what their decision will be – abortion, adoption, or keeping the baby – and then I almost always put myself into the situation and see if I would have made the same choice.

** On a side note, I was able to read this novel through netGalley and I’ve been super slacking on writing my reviews right away... so bear with me if I’m vague about some things!



Ok, this was one of the books that I started to read during my whole BEA-NYC adventure (see, this review is so late) and it kept some amazing company while I was flying back home. I was immediately sucked into the drama of Elly’s life; her sudden pregnancy, her forced marriage, and her basic eviction from her family. I immediately clicked with her (even in her whiney moments) and was empathetic with her problems. Sure, some of it I felt as though she really brought on to herself, but at the same time I was in awe of how well she was handling everything. Plus, major bonus points for the fact that she quit smoking, drinking and partying as soon as she found out about her sperminated state.

It was the ending of this novel that really made it great. While I don’t think that I could do what Elly ultimately does, I think that I would still feel the completely inner battle that she did. Still, the ending was perfect and even though it didn’t seem quite a few times where things would end on any sort of happy note, I was glad that it did.

Han Nolan is definitely an author who I will be looking out for in the future. This was an amazing novel and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next. I’m giving it a 9/10.

 
Stay tuned for a full review closer to the publication date! And many thanks to netGalley and Harcourt for allowing me an eARC of this novel.

The Stassed Beauty

A Long, Long Sleep

Written by: Anna Sheehan

Released: August 9, 2011 by Candlewick Press

Summary: Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for 62 years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically-induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew.

Now, her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose - hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire - is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes - or be left without any future at all.

I tried to explain this novel to a friend just after I finished reading it and I did the story absolutely no justice. So I’ll try to better capture it in my review.

I really enjoyed this novel. I thought that it was a very different take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale; definitely one that I never would have ever imagined before. Once I was able to really get into the story (it took a few chapters) it took a lot for me to put it down. This, of course, resulted in long periods of reading and one really late night. The only thing I really had a problem with was the slang used – obviously made up to give that futuristic feel, but slightly annoying to translate nonetheless.

Rose was an interesting character to get to know. You could tell that she had missed out on most things in life but what was really fascinating was how it didn’t affect her in the ways that one would think. Instead I was surprised to see how she embraced it and even flourished in it. Her artwork and artistic abilities was one coping mechanism of hers that really showed just that.

The story and the entire concept of it was so, so different to read. I’ll admit that I’m not one to actively go in search for the more scifi novels out there, but the fairy tale aspect really drew me in. Plus, with the added dystopian undercurrent and the intriguing summary, I couldn’t help but need to know what this novel was about. I also never imagined that this novel would touch on some rather questionable subjects, but I loved it’s take on genetically modified organisms, the constant quest humanity has for the cure for the common cold, the repercussions of society achieving everything that they could ever want, and exactly what defines humanity. And that’s just the top layer. There’s parenting issues involved, human slavery, age-differences in relationships, and so much more. It’s a novel that will make you think while you’re sucked into the action.

As far as debut novels go, this one is top notch and I don’t think that I could have asked for more in a novel. In fact, I almost hope that there’s a sequel because there were a few questions left unanswered which are eating at me a little. But I would be able to live if there wasn’t an accompanying novel... though it would be nice.

Overall, this isn’t a debut to be overlooked. I really enjoyed it and I’m giving it an 8.5/10.



My eARC copy of this novel was graciously provided by Candlewick Press and netGalley.

Wish List Wednesday - Number Fifty-Six

At some point during today I will more than likely have broken my book buying ban since I fully plan on going into the city and more than likely going into a Chapters. I hope that I'm able to get a copy of the Sara Shepard's new Pretty Little Liars book, but this week I am adding to my wish list another one of her novels.

Two Truths and a Lie

Released: February 7, 2012 by HarperTeen

Summary: Sutton Mercer watches from the afterlife as her long-lost twin, Emma Paxton, takes over her identity to solve her murder. But after ruling out her early leads, Emma still hasn’t found Sutton’s killer. A lot of people wanted her dead—but one name keeps popping up: Thayer Vega. When the gorgeous and mysterious Thayer returns to town, Emma has to move fast to figure out whether he’s back for revenge…or if he already got it.

Set in a town where friends can turn into dangerous enemies and everyone harbors dark secrets, The Lying Game is a juicy new series that fans of the #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series—and the hit ABC Family show—will love.

I also can't wait to be able to see the television show (if it ever airs in Canada). I also can't wait to find out what happens in these next books with this series. It's so full of mystery I am waiting very impatiently!

In My Mailbox (59) - a later than usual posting

First of all, can I just say that I absolutely hate this new blogger draft. It takes forever to load and it just generally stinks. As someone who deal with dial-up because there's no high speed coverage, it's almost enough to make me stop blogging.


Now that that's taken care of, on to the real topic at hand; IMM!


I was so incredibly good this week and I didn't buy anything! Of course, I attribute that mostly to the fact that I've worked the last 9/10 days, so I haven't had time to really do anything. But this is also a good thing, so I'm not complaining.

This is also the reason this post is so late and why I've been in such a book slump; I'm exhausted. So as soon as this is posted, I'm off to watch season 4 of Heroes and fall asleep... only to wake up in the morning to work again.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you got in your mailbox!


Oh, and don't forget to enter the July giveaway!



Disclaimer: IMM is the brainchild of The Story Siren. Visit her amazing site for more information.

My Best Friend's Guy

Sometimes it Happens


Written by: Lauren Barnholdt

Released: July 12, 2011 by Simon Pulse

Summary: On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Sebastian dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss.

The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Sebastian, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

I was interested when I spotted this novel on Simon and Schuster’s galley grab. I hadn’t heard of the author and after I cross-referenced the novel with Goodreads (in order to read the summary) and as soon as I did that I was incredibly intrigued as to what direction this novel would take. I was incredibly pleased to see that this was really based in reality; meaning that I could picture the events of this novel unfolding exactly as they do. There wasn’t any instance where I thought that something ridiculous happened and it was nice to read a novel like that.

I’m not sure whether or not I liked Hannah as a character. I mean, there were so many times when I just wanted to slap her – either to get over herself or to stop whining – but I also felt as though she could be a great person to be around (so long as she didn’t develop a crush on my boyfriend). She just reminded me so much of the high school girls I know, which is part of why I loved how she was written. Her realism made for a good story.

After reading this novel I definitely want to check out more by Barnholdt. Luckily, she has a few novels already floating around out there in book-land. If this is the standard, I can’t wait to read more. However, I’m only giving this novel a 6.5/10 because nothing special really happened and the total ‘wow’ factor wasn’t there; which isn’t a bad thing, though it may sound like it.



My eARC of this novel was provided by Simon and Schuster through their galley grab.