Between The Lines

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

WorDissection: Not Like You by Deborah Davis

Did I like it? Definitely.
You'll love it if you liked: Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler
Aura: Realistic,Heartwrenching
Read If: You're looking for something that deals with reality and everyday struggles
Narration: First Person
Main Character: Kayla Hanes, 15 year old female
Themes: Mother-daughter relationship, Moving, Loneliness
Plot: 9.25/10
Narration: 8.5/10
Characterization: 9.5/10
Overall: 9.25/10
Did I get bored anywhere? Nope. It was a very enticing read.
Did any part confuse me? No.
Line/ Page Skippability: 0.75/5. Not much, really.
Writing Style: Average Sentences, Informal, Expressive.
Uniqueness: 8/10
Predictability: 2/10
Imagery: 8.5/10
Song(s) to go with book: She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5, Home Improvement by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
Favourite Quotes: "I almost said no just to see if she would react. I could raise the bar, or the hoop. Light it on fire. Build up a higher wall of flames. Jump, Mom. Jump. She was waiting. I bent down, pretending to scratch my knee. 'Okay.'"
Cover: 8/10
Ending: Hopeful, Realistic, Satisfying Closure.
Reading Priority: Definitely Read
Reading duration: Fast readers-Approx. 4.5 hours, Slow readers- Approx 8 days.
Synopsis:
“Starting a new chapter” is how Kayla’s mother, Marilyn, has always referred to their abrupt moves—five in the past two years. But what Kayla hates even more than moving is Marilyn’s drinking. It once landed Kayla in foster care, so she’ll do whatever it takes to keep her mother from falling apart again. Just until she turns eighteen, less than three years away.
Now Marilyn has moved them to New Mexico, and promised, yet again, to quit booze for good. Kayla knows better than to believe her, but something about this move does feel different. Kayla is putting down roots, earning money as a dog walker, and spending time with Remy, a twenty-four-year-old musician. He’s her refuge from Marilyn’s daily struggle to stay sober. And after years of taking care of her mother, Kayla is starting to think of herself and who she wants to be. She knows for sure who she doesn’t want to be. But is she willing to do whatever it takes to create her own life—even if it means leaving her mother behind?
Sharply honest and beautifully written, Deborah Davis’s powerful novel is about loving someone else enough to stay with her through anything—and loving yourself enough to let her go.

WordVore Prod's Review:
Not Like You was a pleasant surprise. From the description on the back, I thought the novel would be packed with instances when Kayla would go off to get busy with Remy, the 24 year old musician but that was definitely not the case. The story flowed like a poignant ballad of two hermits lost and stranded even from each other. I loved the conveying of emotions in this book—it was raw and heart wrenching. Characterization was extremely well done—each character had its fair share of flaws but depth of actions. The struggle to keep relationships standing was beautifully portrayed—falter, then get up again. The development of Kayla’s character was very smooth and polished. She is someone you would root for, yet someone whose actions you will disapprove of at times. The plot had a strong grounding and moved at a balanced pace. The themes of mother-daughter relationship and everyday struggles were addressed with great sensitivity. It took them a lot of hard work and weathering to meet halfway, but they did. Even the secondary characters had voices of their own—they had their own lives and own identities. Tough issues like drinking and teen pregnancy were approached not in a preachy but realistic way. I was impressed by the way the story could communicate to me and make me build a personal attachment to it.
What got on my nerves was Kayla’s mother’s dependence on her. Sometimes when she kept on doing it, I felt like shaking her by the shoulders and tell her to grow independent. Even though at times this stagnancy will annoy you, in the end it is made clear that Kayla’s mother is just another soul lost amidst the complexities of the planet.
Not Like You is reality in its purest form. Happiness, sadness, hope and redemption are all mingled and intertwined so well that sometimes it’s scary how real the whole thing can feel. Added to that was a good enough imagery mechanism and voila! I am definitely looking forward to more of Deborah Davis’ works—Not Like You was such a captivating and recommendable read.

Labels: Adaptation, Deborah Davis, Mother-Daughter, Moving, Not Like You, Relationships, WorDissection

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Sunday, August 23, 2009

WorDissection: Epitaph Road by David Patneaude

Did I like it? Heck YEAH!
You'll love it if you liked: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Gone by Michael Grant
Aura: Intense, Chilling, Edgy, Heartwrenching
Read If: You're looking for something that pulls you into a fantasy world and makes you believe in it
Narration: First Person
Main Character: Kellen Dent, 14 year old male
Themes: Post-Apocalypse, Conspiracy, Death, Friendship, Parents, Love
Plot: 9.8/10
Narration: 9.8/10
Characterization: 9.7/10
Overall: 9.75/10
Did I get bored anywhere? No way!
Did any part confuse me? No. It was intense and a lot to take at once, but no.
Line/ Page Skippability: 0.1/5. None. Nada. Zilch.
Writing Style: Average Sentences, Descriptive, Graphic, Vivid.
Uniqueness: 9.85/10
Predictability: 0.1/10
Favourite Quotes: "In the end, the throwbacks and loners of Afterlight and the rest of the Peninsula had only one freedom--the freedom to die."
"Ain't no late night heart-to-hearts, ain't no summer since you've gone."
Cover: 9/10
Ending: Hopeful, Realistic, Satisfying Closure. No fairytale-ishness.
Reading Priority: Must Read
Reading duration: Fast readers-Approx. 6 hours, Slow readers- Approx 10 days.
Synopsis:

In 2067, an airborne virus wiped out 97 percent of the male population. Thirty years later, women rule the world and have ushered in a new golden age on Earth. Poverty, crime, war and hunger have all disappeared. Growing up in this utopia, 14-year-old Kellen Dent feels isolated as one of the few males alive.
When a rumored outbreak of the virus threatens Kellen's outcast father, he knows that he must warn him of the coming danger. During his desperate race to find his dad, Kellen uncovers a secret so frightening that his life and the future of the world will never be the same.
A fast-paced, post-apocalyptic thriller, Epitaph Road is an exciting and fresh new entry in this best-selling genre.

WordVore Prod's Review:
I loved Epitaph Road is an understatement.
Seriously, this novel had everything a reader could want. The writing style was absolutely fantastic. I felt drawn in to the post-apocalyptic world so easily that even I was surprised, considering how I almost always have a difficult time being drawn into anything other than contemporary. Patneaude’s word choice was extremely clever—balanced out and artistic. The plot was extraordinary! Reading the summary you may think that it will turn out clichéd, but believe me—far from it. The plot was packed with originality and creativity, and the story moved at a smooth but fast pace. I did not come across any bumps at all, neither did I ever feel detached from the story; not once. The characters had just the right amount of depth—not too in-the-reader’s-face, not too vague. Kellen is so believable that it’s scary. His feelings and loneliness are conveyed in the most subtle yet heart-wrenching of ways. He keeps struggling with the pain of losing his loved ones and at the same time frantically searching for a valid source of love and caring. Tia and Sunday were anything but secondary characters—their roles were individually crafted and attributes were evenly distributed. The plot had so much unpredictability and twists and turns that it will keep the reader even farther from the edge of their seat. The way I laughed and cried with the characters moved me to the core—I rarely do that.
David Patneaude has designed a world that is believable, chilling and scary at the same time that will blur the lines between right and wrong. What surprised me was that since I had to read this one with a lot of breaks due to horrible circumstances, but the next time I picked it up, I didn’t feel like I’ve forgotten anything at all—not even the smallest details. Overall, I would say March 2010 is in for a big bang and each and every reader should go grab a copy of Epitaph Road! Start saving money, now!

Labels: Conspiracy, David Patneaude, Epitaph Road, Family, Friendship, Post-Acocalypse, Relationships, Thriller, WorDissection

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Thursday, July 23, 2009

WorDissection: Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson

Did I like it? Loved it to the power of infinity. Now how much does that make?
You'll love it if you liked: It's for anyone looking for a good read, really.
Aura: Light, yet bears depth. Not something you'll forget in a while.
Read If: You're looking for something that is a light read yet has depth and meaning, and you're looking for a perfectly balanced YA read.
Narration: First Person
Main Character: Leigh Nolan, 18 year old female
Themes: Indecisiveness, Overanalysis, Friendship, Respect, Relationship, College
Plot: 9.5/10
Narration: 9.75/10
Characterization: 9.95/10. It's THAT good.
Overall: 9.75/10
Did I get bored anywhere? HECK NO.
Did any part confuse me? Nope, not really,
Line/ Page Skippability: 1/5. Only when Leigh is talking at length about something, but only a line or two.
Writing Style: Midlength Sentences, Fun, Descriptive, Graphic, Vivid, Informal.
Uniqueness: 9.8/10
Predictability: 0.5/10. Just the ending.
Favourite Quotes: ""Hey there's one Coke left in the fridge. What would jerkface do?"
'Take it?' "No. He'd pee in it, and then he'd take it."
"I do it, too. Make up stories to pass time as I lie in bed?" 'Oh yeah? What are yours about--cats?' "No...are yours?"
"I'd always been a wader. It was time I did a cannonball."
Cover: 9.5/10
Song(s) to go with book: Anything upbeat!
Imagery: Doled out in perfect amounts. Thou canst visualize.
Ending: Cute and sigh-worthy. Slightly fairytale-ish, but you'll love it! It's nothing impossible and you could believe it can happen in real life.
Reading Priority: Must, Must, Must Read
Reading duration: Fast readers-Approx. 7 hours, Slow readers- Approx 11 days.
Synopsis:
Using the skills you've learned so far in Introduction to Psychology, please write a brief self-assessment describing how things are going in your freshman year. Presenting Concerns: The Patient, Leigh Nolan (that would be me), has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards, not Rorschach blots).
Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much.

Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year, ever invite her to spend the night? Or why can't she commit to taking the next step in their relationship? And why does his roommate Nathan dislike her so much? More importantly, why did Nathan have a starring role in a much-more-than-friendly dream?

Aggravating factors include hyper-competitive fellow psych majors, a professor who's badly in need of her own psychoanalysis, and mentoring a middle-school-aged girl who thinks Patient is, in a word, naive. Diagnosis: Psych Major Syndrome.

WordVore Prod's Review:
I’m in love.
I stayed up until 4 in the morning finishing Psych Major Syndrome.
It was one of the best books I’ve ever read. Not because of endless depth of the story, not because of Shakespearean lingo—but because of the perfectly balanced constitution of all the elements that is behind the making of a great book. I laughed out so many times that i've lost count. Leigh was charming, funny, loyal, intelligent in her own way, afraid of change, over-analytic to a fault and absolutely adorable. Reading the summary you would think that you’ll be blasted away with over-the-top over-analyses from the main character, but lo and behold. It’s completely believable how she fusses over small details a little too much—in fact, she’s someone you know could exist right at this moment but yet be unique. Like Cassie from Wintergirls, I found myself rooting for her and cheering her on as she realized the hollowness of her relationship with Andrew. The path to her self-discovery as well as realizations and decision-making involves the reader. Basically, there is sizzling chemistry between the reader and the story. And by sizzling, I mean acid-to-water sizzling. Downright explosive. There are things that are explained without any confusion, and then there are things that the readers realize themselves so as to create a certain level of intimacy with the plot and characters. I mean seriously, do you have your best friend give you play-by-play of his/her emotions and motives? I bet you figure a lot out yourself and that's what cements the relationship further.
The relationships in the book are tied together in an adroit manner. The friendship between Leigh and Ami is something you’d keep craving for all your life (and Ami rocked! So witty, funny and unique!), and the relationship between Leigh and Andrew reminds us how much respect matters in a partnership. I was absolutely impressed by how Ms Thompson brings up issues like sex and teen pregnancy and advices readers without even letting them know she’s doing so. Therefore you need not be afraid of even a hint of preachy tone. Imagery was a perfect quantity—I could visualize everything yet not be bored by droning of details, since they weren’t long-drawn. Another mind-blowing aspect of the book was the depth and individuality each and every character bore. Even Leigh’s parents were characters by themselves and not stupid shadows that have to be in the story just for the sake of it. Leigh's decisions give us a prime example of how change is not always for the worse but sometimes for the better. The story teaches us how sometimes you should root for your own happiness, and also seize the day without worrying about tomorrow. Carpe diem, bay-bee, carpe diem.
The part I’m getting to definitely deserves a separate paragraph of its own—the chemistry between Leigh and Nathan. Oh my. Nathan is absolutely remarkable, with his smarts but charming reclusiveness, his depth of emotions, maturity and also, hotness. Leigh is consumed by the supportiveness, respect, attention and friendship Nathan offers, while Nathan is mesmerized by the uniqueness and good heart that Leigh is beholder of. However, he is irritated by how Leigh sticks out her relationship with Andrew just for commitment’s sake and doesn’t stand up to him for all the less-than-deserving treatment she has received from him.
I was just a little irked by the absence of much insight into Nathan’s character because sometimes he may fool the reader as a Gary Stu, but then you realize that it’s just because we don’t know all that much about him. I would also have liked a little bit more time taken on the development of Nathan and Leigh’s relationship—not because what’s there is vacantly inadequate, but because it’s so intricately woven and so beautifully portrayed that you can’t help but ask for more. The book is pretty clean of cliché and has surprises jumping at you every page or the other. Even Leigh’s name has a surprise behind it. I kid you not.
Overall, it’s an amazing read and you must, must, MUST, read it. It’s one of those books that goes far beyond the summary at the book and one that you’ll read a gazillion times yourself and then pass it on to your great-great-great descendants until one of them finally decides to eat up the pages (being a toddler, of course. I wasn’t suggesting your descendants were herbivores/pagevores or insulting them, I swear). Reading this book feels like watching the waterfalls or a sunset by the beach for the first time while sipping Starbucks. Now that’s gotta be good.
Now, back to business. I want my Nathan. NOW. Is he available for pre-order on Amazon?

Labels: Alicia Thompson, Friendship, Going to College, Overanalysation, Psych Major Syndrome, Realistic, Relationships, Respect, WorDissection

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

WorDissection: An Off Year by Claire Zulkey

Did I like it? Yup, I did.
You'll love it if you liked: Any book about a college-bound teen, or transitions.
Read If: You're looking for a life-size story you can relate to. If you like action-packed thrill rides, then this is not the book for you.
Narration: 8.5/10
Aura: Simple and Realistic
Main Character: Cecily Powell, 18 year old female
Themes: Simplicity, Indecisiveness, Stepping Out of Comfort Zone, Relationships
Plot: 8.5/10
Characterization: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.5/10
Did I get bored anywhere? Not really. Sometimes the story got too mundane to captivate attention, but it manages to jump back up afterwards.
Did any part confuse me? Nope. It was simple--that was the beauty of it.
Line/ Page Skippability: 1.5/5. Only when the pace dropped a little too much.
Writing Style: Average sentences, Casual, Flashbacks, Smooth flow.
Uniqueness: 9/10. It's not everyday a girl turns back from college.
Predictability: 2.5/10
Reading Duration: Fast Readers-3.5 hours; Slow Readers-6 days.
Favourite Quotes: 'Hey can we hang out in your room? It just feels like it would be more normal.' "I'm not having sex with you, Cecily, if that's what you're hoping."
'You'd think an entire class could afford to donate more than just a bench, but maybe they were moe expensive than they looked.'
Cover: 8/10. It's cute.
Imagery: 6.5/10. Could do better.
Songs to go with book: The theme song of Matilda the movie (that music at the end...I can't remember!), The Smiths- Let Me Get What I Want, Asher Roth - I Love College.
Ending: Hanging, Realistic Closure. The ending was awesome--very deftly done.
Synopsis:
Cecily has always done everything as she was supposed to: taken the right classes, gotten the right grades, applied to the right colleges. But after a lifetime of following the rules, she surprises everyone by arriving for her freshman year of college . . . and turning around. There are infinite possibilities for Cecily’s unexpected gap year. She could volunteer, or travel around the world—but, for now, Cecily is content to do absolutely nothing. What follows is a year of snarkily observed self-doubt and selfdiscovery during which Cecily must ask herself, for the first time, what does she really want to do with her life?
WordVore Prod's Review:
An Off Year focuses on a girl’s indecisiveness about going off to college and facing the unpredictability offered with it. Cecily is someone who doesn’t like blending in and knowing that she has no friends around her, and she’d rather avoid stepping out of her comfort zone. On her first day of college, she just turned back and went home. Throughout the book, it’s subtly shown that she was not ready to take on the challenges of finding new friends and keep from dissolving into the background. The eroding friendship between Cecily and Kate disarms us of the notion that staying put in the same place in life is not going to change relationships. Very realistically, Cecily and Kate drift apart due to the growing differences between their personalities. I liked the overall portrayal of the people in this book—they were shown as pragmatic individuals that we can imagine walking by the streets in our everyday life. The book slaps brutal honesty into the reader’s face at times, which doesn’t come off as harsh but worldly. Youth issues are lightly touched but not in a preachy way, so everyone has something to relate to. I really appreciated the nature of Cecily and Mike’s friendship—it was fresh and not clichéd. Cecily’s relationship with her siblings was drawn excellently. None of them were unbelievably mean or unbelievably stereotyped—rather they both had the capability of feeling for their sister but had the relationship strained because of Cecily’s dad babying her and pampering her only. Here again, we see that it’s not like Cecily’s father doesn’t love all his kids, but he just sometimes lets Cecily get away with things because she’s the youngest. I loved the simplicity of the book; it’s like regular life put on paper. It comforts and advice anyone who has suffered from indecisiveness during a major decision of their lives.
The problem I had was that: I would’ve liked a bit more of imagery. Vivid descriptions were avoided, so it was hard to be completely pulled into the story. The story-to-reader connection could have been a little better, in my opinion.
But anyways, I would still recommend the book because the flow of the story and splashes of sarcastic humour along with everything else I have listed rolls in very well, and any young reader can relate to at least one element in the entire book. There’s something for everyone—that’s the core motto of the book.

Labels: Advice, An Off Year, Choices, Claire Zulkey, Friendship, Going to College, Indecisiveness, Realistic, Relationships, WorDissection

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