Joint Review: Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

Title: Saving Francesca
Author: Melina Marchetta
Published: May, 2006
Source: The Library
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastians, a boys' school that's pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom.  Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an an impossibly dorky accordion player.  The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is.  Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

Title: The Piper's Son

Author: Melina Marchetta

Published: March, 2011

Source: The Library

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca - but five years have passed, and now it’s Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can’t forget. Shooting for oblivion, he’s hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom’s in no shape to mend what’s broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper’s Son redefines what it means to go home again.

I read these books back to back, and as there set in the same universe I didn't see the harm in reviewing them at the same time. Melina Marchetta is a truly spectacular author. I am so happy her books are available in the United States because she is now one of my favorites. It all started when I read Jellicoe Road. Now I know that if it's by Melina Marchetta it's bound to be amazing.

Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son both have a quiet grace. Honestly, the stories really aren't very remarkable. The lives of both Francesca and Tom aren't especially extraordinary. They don't have special powers, or an undead love interest, and they both live in the present. The characters are what make these books special. They are so defined, so real, that I feel like I know them. And oh, how I feel for them.

Both Francesca and Tom have had hard things in their lives. Francesca has to deal with her mothers depression, as well as going to a mostly boys school. Tom's uncle died because of a suicide bomber. Both of these things affect more than just Francesca and Tom, they affect their entire families. These books aren't just about the main characters dealing with these things, they're about their families and friends as well.

I'm not a huge fan of third person narrating, as you may know. Somehow Marchetta makes me like it. I feel the same connection with the characters I would if it was in first person, which is quite a feat. Something remarkable is not only can I tolerate third person when reading these books, I actually view it as an advantage. Most of the books I've stopped reading before finishing are told in third person. This is a huge deal.

To say that I enjoyed these books is an understatement. I adored, loved, and devoured these books. Melina Marchetta is now cemented on my list of favorite authors, and I'm definitely going to read everything she ever writes. So, if you have yet to read one of her books I suggest you do, and soon!

Saving Francesca:

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 9/10

Originality: 10/10

Writing: 10/10

Ending: 10/10

Overall: 49/50 A+

The Piper's Son:

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 8/10

Originality: 10/10

Writing: 10/10

Ending: 10/10

Overall: 47/50 A

Review: The Candidates (Delcoix Academy #1) by Inara Scott

Title: The Candidates (Delcroix Academy #1)
Author: Inara Scott
Published: August 2010
Source: The Library
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden.

But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome.

And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

I'm just going to start by saying that I didn't love this book. I thought it was okay, not great. I'm definitely not saying that me not loving it has everything to do with the book, because some of it has to do with me. I think that I'm outgrowing a few things: mysterious, unexplainable powers, boarding school, and love triangles. All three of those things are featured in this book.

I felt that most of the characters in this book were flat. I couldn't get a good feel for a lot of their personalities, and a couple of them switched from friend to foe back to friend so many times that I didn't even know what to think by the end. I think that Dancia being a freshman was something that kept me from fully connecting with her or viewing her romantic feelings as legitimate. Her personality was also hard for me to get a feel for. It seemed a little inconsistant.

The pacing of the book was erratic. At times I would feel like it was dragging, then it would speed up and I would be confused. I also didn't think the setting was described well. I found myself skimming the end because it was just going way to slow, but where I normally would have been skimming setting description I was skimming Dancia's thoughts.

There were things I enjoyed about this book. Dancia's grandmother was the most dynamic character of them all, and she was fun to read about. Dancia not having much money at all was also nice because I don't see a lot of YA where the main character is concerned about money.

As I stated above, some of why I didn't like this book is simply because I've started to outgrow love triangles, boarding school, and mysterious powers. If you love those then you should definitely give this book a chance.

Basically, I liked this book but didn't love it. You should give it a shot if you love paranormal books.

Characters: 7/10
Writing: 8/10
Originality: 8/10
Plot: 7/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 39/50 C+

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Published: February 2010
Source: The Library
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I'm not a faery person. I've tried to like books about fey, really. Wicked Lovely? Meh. Tithe? Bleh. The fey and I just don't seem to get along well. When I first heard about this book I just dismissed it as another fey book that I wouldn't like. Then I kept seeing these reviews that were positively glowing, and I was intrigued. That's why I picked it up when I saw it at my library. I'm so, so happy I did.

The beginning was a little hard to get into. I wasn't a huge fan of Meghan in the beginning, and when the weird stuff starts happening I normally start to not like the book. Somehow that wasn't the case with this book, it was compulsively readable. Even if I didn't really like what was happening I still had to keep reading.

Meghan grew on me, and once I was a good chunk into the book I realized that the impossible had happened. I actually liked a faery book! I think a large part of the credit goes to Puck and Ash. The whole love triangle thing isn't super obvious yet, but there's a subtle tension that makes things so much more interesting. Dark, broody, sexy Ash is my favorite. I like Puck, but his personality would not mesh well with mine.

Something that bothered me is that the book could be kind of wordy. I'm not someone who reads all of the details, I like getting the general idea. I do understand that she had to describe a completely foreign world along with imaginary creatures, but I found myself skimming paragraphs quite a few times. There were also a couple times that I thought the plot was dragging a bit.

Basically I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would! I would recommend it to just about anyone!

Characters: 8/10
Writing: 9/10
Originality: 9/10
Plot: 8/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall: 44/50 B+

Review: Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Prom and Prejudice
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Published: January 2011
Source: The Library
Synopsis from Goodreads:
After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.
 
Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?
 
Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.
 
It should be noted that I read this book less than a week after finished Pride and Prejudice...for the third time. So, yes I was very familiar with the storyline and the characters going into this book. I'm still trying to decide if that's a good thing or not. On one hand, I got all of the references the Pride and Prejudice, but on the other it was really predictable.
 
Eulberg did a great job with keeping the characters in character. Jane was sweet and unassuming, Lizzie was a bit more cynical and smart, Bingley was his usual charming self, and Darcy was, of course, misunderstood. The ways they were modernized and made younger were great. Making Lizzie and Jane best friends instead of sisters worked really well, as did making Lydia Jane's little sister, not Lizzie's.
 
I also loved the way that prom was such a big deal. I'm not talking the usual high school half excited/half whatever, I'm talking a huge deal. It was especially fun since prom is on the forefront of my mind right now. That was the main difference that I found between Pride and Prejudice and this book. As a whole I would say that the book was very predictable, but not in the annoying way. Eulberg found many ways to make it fresh and new for the reader, and I enjoyed the subtle differences.
 
Basically I enjoyed this book immensely. It's great for a fast, light read. I would not recommend it if you're a Pride and Prejudice purist or if you despise predictable. Otherwise, read and enjoy!
 
Characters: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
Originality: 8/10
Writing: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 43/50 B

Review: The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

Title: The Cardturner
Author: Louis Sachar
Published: May 2010
Source: The Library
Synopsis from Goodreads:
When Alton's ageing, blind uncle asks him to attend bridge games with him, he agrees. After all, it's better than a crappy summer job in the local shopping mall, and Alton's mother thinks it might secure their way to a good inheritance sometime in the future. But, like all apparently casual choices in any of Louis Sachar's wonderful books, this choice soon turns out to be a lot more complex than Alton could ever have imagined. As his relationship with his uncle develops, and he meets the very attractive Toni, deeply buried secrets are uncovered and a romance that spans decades is finally brought to a conclusion. Alton's mother is in for a surprise!

I've been a fan of Louis Sachar ever since the good old days of Sideways Stories from Wayside School. I loved Holes with a passion, and liked Small Steps, but it's been so long since I've read anything by him that it took me the better part of a year to pick up this book. I'm pretty disappointed in myself for that, it was really enjoyable.

Let's start with the characters. All of them were very well developed, and very enjoyable to read about. Alton is a great narrator, and he actually knows that he's a narrator! He makes comments like "If I were a better author...", and "A good author would..." I always find it fun when the narrator knows he or she is narrating. It gives the book a different feel. I loved that it was from the point of view of a guy. There really aren't enough books out there from a guys perspective, which is frustrating when you're a girl and you're trying to understand guys in general.

I loved Trapp, Alton's uncle. He took some getting used to, but once I got a feel for him I thought he was hilarious. And the dynamics between Trapp and his bridge partner Gloria were great. I could just tell that they knew each other really well. Toni, the love interest, was interesting. At first it was hard to separate who she was supposed to be from who she really was. Oh, and Alton's parents! They just made me so mad! All they cared about was money!

The pacing of this book is hard to judge, because a lot of the book is used to explain something in relation to bridge. Which I don't understand. At all. Admittedly I didn't try very hard; I skipped over all of the parts that were designated as only about bridge. I thought that Sachar did a pretty good job writing a book around a card game few people play anymore; I was never outright confused as to what was going on and I only got really bored a couple times.

Something that it took me a while to remember is that Sachar has no problem with supernatural things. This book seems completely normal, but there are a few parts that, well, aren't. I'm not going to elaborate because that would give away a couple very important things.

Basically, this book was very enjoyable! I love that it's from a guy's perspective, and it was very easy to read.

Characters: 9/10
Plot: 7/10
Originality: 10/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 44/50 B+

Me, This Blog, and How Things Are Going to Change

So, as some of you may have noticed I basically dropped off the face of the Earth there for a while. I could go on and on about how BUSY I've been and blah blah blah, but truthfully? I didn't want to blog. I didn't want to read. I didn't even want to read other peoples' blogs. Yeah. And I've figured out the problem. I don't do well with doing something because someone tells me to do it. Which means that when I receive a book to review I don't want to read it. I don't care how much I wanted to when it was just a cover and a blurb on my computer screen. Now that the book is actually in my hands? It goes on my shelf and stays there. So here's what's going to happen.

• I'm going to start reviewing books again, BUT
• I'm going to STOP accepting books for review. ALL books. 
• I might do a meme now and again, but only if I find it necessary.
• There will be no schedule. I post when I post.
• I'm going to read books because I actually want to read them, not because everyone else does.

So that's what my blog is going to be from now until further notice. Exactly what it was in the beginning; a place where I review the books that I read because I want to, not because I have to. I hope you enjoy it :)