Follow Darlene's book nook Follow Darlene's Book Nook Follow Darlene's book nookFollow Darlene's book nookFollow Darlene's book nookFollow Darlene's book nookFollow Darlene's book nookFollow Darlene's book nookFollow Darlene's book nookFollow Darlene's book nookFollow Darlene's book nook

OPEN GIVEAWAYS

None at this time. Check back soon!
Showing posts with label Simon and Schuster Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simon and Schuster Canada. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

#Book #Review: 3 out of 5 stars for The Deep by Nick Cutter #NickCutter @SimonSchusterCA

TITLE: The Deep
AUTHOR: Nick Cutter
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Canada
PUBLICATION DATE: January 13, 2015
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 400 pages
GENRE: Horror, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781501101519
From the acclaimed author of The Troop—which Stephen King raved “scared the hell out of me and I couldn’t put it down.…old-school horror at its best”—comes this utterly terrifying novel where The Abyss meets The Shining.

A strange plague called the ’Gets is decimating humanity on a global scale. It causes people to forget—small things at first, like where they left their keys…then the not-so-small things like how to drive, or the letters of the alphabet. Then their bodies forget how to function involuntarily…and there is no cure. But now, far below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, deep in the Marianas Trench, an heretofore unknown substance hailed as “ambrosia” has been discovered—a universal healer, from initial reports. It may just be the key to a universal cure. In order to study this phenomenon, a special research lab, the Trieste, has been built eight miles under the sea’s surface. But now the station is incommunicado, and it’s up to a brave few to descend through the lightless fathoms in hopes of unraveling the mysteries lurking at those crushing depths…and perhaps to encounter an evil blacker than anything one could possibly imagine.

Part horror, part psychological nightmare, The Deep is a novel that fans of Stephen King and Clive Barker won’t want to miss—especially if you’re afraid of the dark.
MY REVIEW:

After I read Cutter's The Troop earlier this year, I couldn't wait to read more of his work. Though not as good as that one, I still enjoyed this one.

 There is a bizarre phenomenon that is occuring in the world called the 'Gets. The early symptoms are much like Alzheimer's disease, such as forgetting little things. As the disease progresses, the body forgets how to do things on its own and it becomes critical. It's not viral or spread through physical contact or transmission of bodily fluids, and animals do not seem to be affected by it except for honeybees.

 Luke Nelson, a veterinarian, receives a call that he needs to go see his brother, Clayton. The two brothers have never been close, and it's not unusual for years to go by without speaking or seeing each other. The surprising thing about the call is that Clayton is eight miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean in the Marianas Trench, trying to find a cure for the 'Gets. 

 Luke is taken down to his brother's lab under the sea, and one of the other researchers has holed himself up in his lab and seems like he's gone crazy. Clayton has been experimenting with a jelly-like material that he has found in the darkest depths of the ocean that he calls ambrosia. His early experiments have shown the ambrosia to have healing properties when ingested, but he still knows very little of how it works.

 I loved the setting of the book, which takes place entirely in the deepest depths of the ocean. That feeling of being isolated and stranded so far below the surface makes such a creepy setting and it makes the people there so vulnerable because getting back isn't so easy! I liked the premise of the story, and it is definitely really weird.

 If you are interestested in reading something by this author, I would recommend starting with The Troop.

MY RATING:

3 stars!! It was good, and I enjoyed it.

Posted by at 7:30 AM 1 comments
Labels: , ,

Friday, January 6, 2017

#Book #Review: 5 out of 5 stars for The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware @RuthWareWriter @SimonSchusterCA

TITLE: The Woman in Cabin 10
AUTHOR: Ruth Ware 
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Canada
PUBLICATION DATE: January 3, 2017
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 352 pages
GENRE: Mystery
ISBN: 9781501151774
From New York Times bestselling author of the “twisty-mystery” (Vulture) novel In a Dark, Dark Wood, comes The Woman in Cabin 10, an equally suspenseful and haunting novel from Ruth Ware—this time, set at sea.

In this tightly wound story, Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins. At first, Lo’s stay is nothing but pleasant: the cabins are plush, the dinner parties are sparkling, and the guests are elegant. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for—and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong…

With surprising twists and a setting that proves as uncomfortably claustrophobic as it is eerily beautiful, Ruth Ware offers up another taut and intense read.
MY REVIEW:

I received a complimentary Advance Reading Copy for voluntary review consideration.

This was one riveting ride from start to finish! I had a hard time putting it down, and I’m glad that I started this while I was on holidays!

Laura “Lo” Blacklock is a journalist for a travel magazine, and she lands a sweet perk when her pregnant boss is unable to attend a luxury cruise liner’s launch and she has the opportunity to take her place. This is also a good way for Lo to show off her writing skills and propel herself up the corporate ladder, so that she can take her boss’ place once she is on maternity leave.

Before the cruise, a burglar breaks into Lo’s flat in London and leaves her a bit shaken up. He steals her purse containing her wallet and phone and locks her in her bedroom. She is already prone to anxiety, and this makes matters worse for her. She has difficulty sleeping, and she is looking forward to getting much needed R&R on the cruise.

The boutique cruise ship is owned by Lord Richard Bullmer and his cancer-stricken wife, Anne Lyngstad, who is heiress of a car manufacturer. It contains ten luxurious cabins on the middle deck, with four cabins in the front and six cabins in the back, each containing its own private veranda.

The other invited guests are a who’s who of professionals in the travel industry, with other journalists including Lo’s ex-boyfriend, a photographer, and several big-wigs who Bullmer hopes to land as investors.

As Lo is getting ready for the first evening’s presentation and dinner party, she realizes that she had forgotten to replace her mascara that was stolen from her purse. She knocks on the door to the cabin next door, and she asks to borrow her mascara. The woman hands the mascara to her and insists that she keep it. At the party, Lo looks for the woman from the cabin next door but does not find her. After an evening of good food and a few too many drinks, Lo heads back to her cabin and hopes to fall into a dead sleep. She awakens in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. She hears the veranda door of the cabin next door sliding open and then a big splash. She runs to her own veranda and looks out over the rail into the dark water, and she thinks she seems something in the waves. She also notices a dark streak of something on the glass barrier between the two verandas, something that she thinks looks like blood. She calls the cruise ship’s operator to tell them that she thinks someone went overboard. However, not only are all guests accounted for on the cruise ship, but there is no passenger on the manifest for Cabin 10. The guest who that cabin was intended for was unable to join the cruise. She is adamant that she met the woman who was in that cabin, but the cabin is vacant and there is no sign that there ever was anyone in that room. The next morning, the security guard takes Lo to meet the staff, but there is no one who resembles the woman that she met.

Ruth Ware is a new-to-me author, and this psychological thriller had me spellbound! It was fast-paced and, just when I thought that I figured out what was going on, Ware threw in another twist! The book is divided into eight parts and, at the end of each part, there is an email/text/article dated in the future to give you a glimpse into what will happen. I found that this clever technique was very anxiety-provoking, and it made it very difficult to stop reading! I absolutely loved it, and I am eager to read Ware’s debut, In A Dark, Dark Wood.

MY RATING:

5 stars!! It was superb! I loved it, and you should definitely put it on your TBR if you enjoy psychological thrillers. Thanks again to Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to review this book! It was such a treat!!

This book qualifies as:
Posted by at 7:00 AM 2 comments
Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Book Review: Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason


TITLE: Three Graves Full
AUTHOR: Jamie Mason 
PUBLISHER: Gallery Books 
PUBLICATION DATE: February 12, 2013
FORMAT: Hardcover, 307 pages
GENRE: Thriller
ISBN: 9781451685039
For fans of the Coen brothers’ films or for those who just love their thrillers with a dash of sharp humor—an engaging and offbeat story about a man driven to murder, who then buries the body in his backyard only to discover that there are two other shallow graves on his property.

"There is very little peace for a man with a body buried in his backyard.”

But it could always be worse. . . .

More than a year ago, mild-mannered Jason Getty killed a man he wished he’d never met. Then he planted the problem a little too close to home. But just as he’s learning to live with the undeniable reality of what he’s done, police unearth two bodies on his property—neither of which is the one Jason buried.

Jason races to stay ahead of the consequences of his crime and while chaos reigns on his lawn, his sanity unravels, snagged on the agendas of a colorful cast of strangers. A jilted woman searches for her lost fiancé, a fringe-dweller runs from a past that’s quickly gaining on him, and a couple of earnest local detectives piece it together with the help of a volunteer police dog — all of them in the wake and shadow of a dead man who had it coming. As the action unfolds, each discovers that knowing more than one side of the story doesn't necessarily rule out a deadly margin of error.

MY REVIEW: 

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. 

 This debut sounded so promising, but I struggled with this one.

The protagonist, Jason Getty, is plagued with nightmares over a murder that he committed and got away with. He cannot even bear to look in his own backyard, where the body is buried. Some landscapers are working on his yard, and one of them rings the doorbell and asks Jason to come take a look at something. Right away, Jason fears that his dirty little secret is out. Only, it’s not! The landscapers have unearthed the remains of a different body that was buried under his bedroom window. When the forensic team comes out, they find another body buried on the other side of the house. Just how long will it be before Jason’s secret is uncovered, and what will he do to ensure that it will stay buried forever?

I like dark tales and flawed characters, and this book sounded like it would be right up my alley. The premise of the story sounded so good, but I had a really hard time getting into it. It took me nearly a month to finish reading it because it failed to hold my interest. I believe that my inability to become immersed in the story was due to the fact that I did not really care for any of the characters. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that I have to like a character to enjoy the story. Some of my favourite books are because I loved to hate the villain! I just didn’t care enough about the characters to feel strongly about them one way or the other.

MY RATING:

2 stars!! Meh, it was just "okay."

This book qualifies as: 
#14 for my 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
#14 for my 2013 Read-a-Latte Challenge
#6 for my 2013 Let Me Count The Ways Reading Challenge: Book Version  
#5 for my The In the Middle Reading Challenge 
#7 for my 2013 ARC Reading Challenge  
#11 for my 2013 Women Challenge
#7 for my New Authors Challenge 2013
#7 for my 2013 Reading Challenge: First-Reads  
#1 for my 2013 Debut Author Challenge
#9 for my 2013 Free Reads Challenge    
#12 for my 2013 Literary Exploration Reading Challenge  
#6 for my 2013 Eclectic Reader Challenge
#12 for my 2013 Genre Variety Reading Challenge
#2 for Task #3 of my 2013 Sub-Genre Reading Challenge
#4 for my 2013 Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge  
#11 for my Monthly Mix-up Mania: 2013 to 2015 Edition    
Posted by at 1:46 PM 0 comments
Labels: , , ,

Friday, October 12, 2012

Book Review: Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh


TITLE: Enshadowed
SERIES: Nevermore, Book #2
AUTHOR: Kelly Creagh
PUBLISHER: Atheneum Books
PUBLICATION DATE: August 28, 2012
FORMAT: Hardcover, 429 pages
GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy/Paranormal
ISBN: 9781442402041
True love takes a twisted turn in the second book of this modern gothic romance trilogy channeling the dark brilliance of Edgar Allan Poe.

While Varen remains a prisoner in a perilous dream world where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life, Isobel travels to Baltimore to confront the dark figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster. This man, the same man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams and abandoned her in Varen’s nightmare world, holds the key to saving Varen.

But when Isobel discovers a way to return to this dream world, she finds herself swept up in a realm that not only holds remnants of Edgar Allan Poe’s presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen’s innermost self. It is a dark world of fear, terror, and anger.

When Isobel once more encounters Varen, she finds him changed. And now Isobel must face a new adversary—one who also happens to be her greatest love.

MY REVIEW: 

I received this Advance Reader's Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. 

Because I recently finished reading Nevermore, the first in the trilogy, I thankfully did not have to wait 1.5 years to continue the story!

Enshadowed picks up approximately two months after Nevermore ends, where we left off at The Grim Facade ball on Halloween. Now, the setting is Christmas and Isobel is determined to get to Baltimore for Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday on January 19th because she believes that the Poe Toaster will make an appearance and that he will lead her back to Varen. I was eager for Isobel and Varen to be reunited, and I was approximately 300 pages into the story before the monumental event of Poe’s birthday finally took place! Even though Varen was absent for the majority of the book, we learn some valuable insight into what is going on through Isobel’s interactions with Pinfeathers (love him!) and Lilith. I flew through the final 130 pages of the book, and I was horrified that the book ended on such an emotional cliff-hanger that I was rendered speechless!

Creagh does not disappoint, and the momentum that she built up through the first two-thirds of the story were anxiety-inducing! I found Enshadowed to be slightly darker than Nevermore. Isobel seems obsessed and driven to find Varen and will stop at nothing. Even knowing that her family will be hurt at her betrayal does not persuade her to change her mind. There is a particularly poignant moment, the restaurant scene in Baltimore, where Isobel even comes to grips with her own mortality. She realizes that she may not come back.

I love quirky Gwen, and I hope that she will also figure prominently in the next book. I have to admit that I missed Varen. I was so hoping for Isobel and Varen to be reunited, and what happens is just tragic. I am aching to find out what happens next!

The final book in the trilogy is slated for release in 2013. In the meantime, since Creagh has re-awakened my interest in Poe, I plan to read The Fall of the House of Usher and other works.

 MY RATING:
 
4 stars!! It was really good! You should put it on your "To Be Read" list.

 This book qualifies as: 
Posted by at 8:35 PM 0 comments
Labels: , , ,

Monday, September 3, 2012

Book Review: The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent


TITLE: The Unnaturalists 
SERIES: The Unnaturalists, Book #1
AUTHOR: Tiffany Trent
PUBLISHER:  Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
PUBLICATION DATE: August 14, 2012
FORMAT: Hardcover, 320 pages
GENRE: Science Fiction/Steampunk, Young Adult
RECOMMENDED AGES: 12 and up
ISBN: 9781442422063
In an alternate London  where magical creatures are preserved in a museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and danger.

Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.

As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.

MY REVIEW:

I received this Advance Reviewer Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

I was so excited when I learned about this Young Adult Steampunk novel. The plot sounded to me like a cross between steampunk, fantasy, and dystopia because the protagonist, Vespa, is trying to save the world which is inhabited by mythological creatures. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations.

The story was told in alternating points of view between Vespa Nyx, a 16 year old teenager, who works with her father in the museum cataloging creatures known as Lesser Unnaturalists (such as sylphids); and Syrus Reed, a 13 year-old boy who is a Tinker and lives in the forest with the rest of the Reed Clan.

Vespa wants nothing more than to be a Pedant, a scholar. Instead, she is approaching the age where a woman must be trained and groomed to find a suitor.

Syrus possesses magical powers. He can speak to and understand the Elementals better than anyone, and he is bound to one of them, a hob named Truffler. Cityfolk are terrified of Tinkers, and they abandon babies who display any magical abilities. The Tinkers are the forest’s last defense to protect the Manticore, whose life is bound to the forest. They stay there in case they ever have to fight. Without the Manticore, the Waste (not really clear what that is, but in my mind I picture something like “The Blob”) would swallow it up. The forest is home to other magical creatures, such as dryads and fairies.

The plot sounded promising, but this book failed to hold my interest. I really struggled with it because I found the world-building to be utterly confusing. It felt like the book was missing a crucial piece of the story, something that would fill in all the blanks. The story was extremely difficult to follow, and I felt hopelessly lost. I even checked into Trent’s backlist to see if this was a sequel in a series, whose debut I hadn’t read yet, in an effort to explain my confusion. I forced myself to keep reading to see if things would start making sense, but I found that the story just became more convoluted.

The cover is gorgeous, but who is this woman? Vespa is described as having auburn hair and green eyes, which doesn’t match the person depicted on the cover! 

MY RATING:
Posted by at 6:54 PM 4 comments
Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Book Review: Never Enough by Denise Jaden

TITLE: Never Enough 
AUTHOR: Denise Jaden
PUBLISHER:  Simon Pulse
PUBLICATION DATE: July 10, 2012
FORMAT: Paperback, 400 pages
GENRE: Young Adult, Contemporary
AGES: 14 and up
ISBN: 9781442429079
From the author of Losing Faith, a novel about two sisters and the eating disorder that threatens to destroy their family.

Loann’s always wanted to be popular and pretty like her sister, Claire. So when Claire’s ex-boyfriend starts flirting with her, Loann is willing to do whatever it takes to feel special… even if that means betraying her sister.

But as Loann slips inside Claire’s world, she discovers that everything is not as it seems. Claire’s quest for perfection is all-consuming, and comes at a dangerous price. As Claire increasingly withdraws from friends and family, Loann struggles to understand her and make amends. Can she heal their relationship —and her sister—before it’s too late?



MY REVIEW:

I received this Advance Reviewer Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. 

Wow! I feel emotionally spent!

The Contemporary Young Adult genre is not one that I normally read. However, when I read the synopsis, I was immediately drawn to the heavy themes of the book.

Never Enough is narrated in the first-person by Loann Rochester, a high school junior. She has been eclipsed her entire life by her older, beautiful sister, Claire, who is a high school senior. Claire is Miss Popularity, hanging out with the "in" crowd, while her sister feels dumpy with her curly, frizzy hair and chubby tummy and thighs. When her two best girlfriends, Shayleen and Deirdre, turn on her, Loann feels suddenly alone. She makes friends with a boy named Marcus, who is a bit of a loner and constantly picked on by the jocks. They develop a great rapport, and Loann wonders whether Marcus is developing feelings for her in the same way that she is for him.

Loann has always had a school-girl crush on Claire's boyfriend, Josh, who happens to be one of the guys in the jocks crowd. After Claire and Josh break up, Josh puts the moves on Loann.

Loann breaks the cardinal rule: She sleeps with her sister's ex-boyfriend. Even though she probably deserves a little punishment for betraying her sister, she doesn't deserve being used and thrown away the way that she was. Word gets around that she had a one-night stand with Josh, and other boys from the "in" crowd start to pay her some unwanted attention because they think she will put out for them. Loann starts to realize that things in her life are changing very quickly, and not just for herself; Claire, too, is changing. She is getting too thin and refuses to eat protein. Her once-beautiful hair is becoming dull and lack-luster. Loann sees what Claire is doing to herself, but she is helpless to stop it. Claire drops not-so-subtle hints to Loann to mind her own business if she doesn't want their parents to find out what Loann has been up to with her ex-boyfriend! By the time that their parents finally catch on to what is going on with Claire, her health is already in jeopardy.

Never Enough is an emotional roller-coaster! The first part of the book started off a little slow for me, and it brought back those high school memories of the cliques and how difficult it was to fit in. There is a lot of angst in the story. Loann is a very real character, and I could immediately identify with her. Even though a girl like her would normally be jealous of her prettier big sister, Loann never came across that way. She admired and was proud of her, and her love for her sister is palpable. Their family life was difficult to read. Their mom, Beth, feels like she has failed Claire by not recognizing the signs of her illness. I think she actually did realize what was going on but didn't know how to deal with it. Their dad is the typical absent father who is so self-absorbed that he fails to realize that he is at the root of the family's problems. He is never home and leaves Beth to run the home and be the disciplinarian. His way of dealing with the familial strife is to not come home. I found myself furiously flipping the pages and getting mad at him for his lack of interest in his children.

This is a Young Adult novel, so I was quite surprised by the scene of Loann's encounter with Josh. I don't think I have read a Young Adult book yet that went into such graphic detail, so I think it definitely qualifies for the upper end of the age-range. I like how Jaden handled the aftermath of the tête-à-tête. Loanne is a smart girl and, truth be told, I was a little peeved at how she fell for Josh. She does appear to learn her lesson, though, and realizes that she is not mature enough to handle a sexual relationship.

I loved Loann's blossoming relationship with Marcus. I thought it was very sweet and progressed in a healthy way, in sharp contrast to Loann's fling with Josh.

Jaden really tackles so many tough issues: Peer pressure, cliques, sex, and eating disorders (bulimia and anorexia). There was also a side-story concerning Marcus' family, and we learn that he is being abused by his father. By mid-way through the book, I found it impossible to put down. Jaden really puts the reader through a gamut of emotions, and I couldn't help shedding a few tears!

This is Jaden's sophomore book, and I'm hunting down her debut, Losing Faith, which was released in 2010. A companion book, Never Enough Stories, will be available on September 1st which contains deleted scenes from Never Enough, as well as further details of how the friendship began between Marcus and Loann from Marcus' point of view.

Because I enjoyed this book so much, I am willing to try more of the Contemporary YA genre! 

MY RATING:
Posted by at 1:42 PM 3 comments
Labels: , , ,

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Book Review: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer

PUBLISHER:  Emily Bestler Books/Atria/Simon Pulse
PUBLICATION DATE: June 26, 2012
FORMAT: Hardcover, 358 pages
GENRE: Fantasy, Young Adult
ISBN: 9781451635751
New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult and her teenage daughter present their first-ever novel for teens, filled with romance, adventure, and humor.

What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?     Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah. And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.     Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

MY REVIEW:

I received this Advance Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. 

Between the Lines is a sweet story about a teenage girl who is looking for her prince, and she finds him in a fairy tale – literally!

Delilah McPhee is a 15 year-old teenager, who comes from a broken home. Her parents are divorced, and she feels abandoned by her father who has since remarried and started a family with his new wife. Delilah’s always had a thing for fairy tales, and she and her mother often watch Disney movies together. There is one particular book, a fairy tale, which brings Delilah great comfort. She has read it so many times that she knows the book by heart.

One day, Delilah notices something different about one of the book’s illustrations – something that wasn’t there before. Then, she actually sees one of the characters in the story move on the page! When she hears the prince in the book speaking to her, Delilah thinks that she is imagining it but it is actually true! Delilah is determined to find a way to bring Prince Oliver from the book into her world.

Meanwhile, Delilah’s mom is growing ever-more concerned about her daughter’s obsession with this fairy tale. She insists that Delilah needs psychological help. The only way to prove that she isn’t really crazy is to prove that Oliver is real, but how can she do that? No one else seems to be able to hear him.

Between the Lines is told from the alternating points of view of Delilah and Oliver. In Oliver’s chapters, we find out what happens “behind-the-scenes” when the book isn’t being read and how the characters within the story go about their every-day lives. In addition, there are chapters for different pages of the storybook which tell us about the actual fairy tale. To differentiate the different parts of the story, a different font is used and the names of the chapters are changed to either “Delilah” or “Oliver” or “Page X” with “X” being a scene from the fairy tale. 

Picoult co-wrote the book with her daughter, van Leer. It is a shame that I am not familiar with Picoult’s work because I’d love to know what parts are Picoult’s and which ones are van Leer’s. Regardless, I really enjoyed their literary style. I thought the book was very creatively written, and I immediately felt a connection with Delilah. She is a very likeable and relatable protagonist.

Some memorable quotes from the book:

“No one ever asks a kid for her opinion, but it seems to me that growing up means you stop hoping for the best, and start expecting the worst. So how do you tell an adult that maybe everything wrong in the world stems from the fact that she's stopped believing the impossible can happen?” ~ Delilah
 
“He understood, in the crystalline instant, that courage wasn't something you were bequeathed at birth, and it wasn't a lack of fright. It was overcoming your fear, because the ones you love mattered more.” ~ Oliver

I have a number of other Picoult books on my bookshelves, which I just haven’t had a chance to read yet. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of her work!

Posted by at 12:37 PM 6 comments
Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Book Review: Surrender by Elana Johnson

TITLE: Surrender 
SERIES: Possession, Book #2
AUTHOR: Elana Johnson 
PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse
PUBLICATION DATE: June 5, 2012
FORMAT: Paperback, 469 pages
GENRE: Science Fiction/Dystopia, Young Adult
ISBN: 9781442445710
Forbidden love, intoxicating power, and the terror of control…

Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn. Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque....

MY REVIEW:

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

This series just keeps getting better and better!

Surrender is the second book in the Possession series. Until now, the novella, Regret, was my favourite in the series but that one just got bumped into second place! This latest installment in the series focuses on the city of Freedom, which is actually a misnomer – the residents don’t actually have any Freedom! Rather, Director Van Hightower makes all the choices for them. The two central characters to the story are Raine Hightower and Gunner Jameson.

Raine is Director Van Hightower’s 17 year-old daughter. She is Vi’s flatmate and is ordered to spy on Vi and send reports to Assistant Director Thane Myers. However, Raine is actually working both sides, much the way that Zenn is. In an effort to make her own choices, she joined the Insiders about a year ago. She always wears gloves because of her talent, which is the ability to “touch and see.” She can “drain” someone’s wants out of their mind and project them onto a screen, and she can also see what would be the result of someone getting their heart’s desire.

Raine’s match is Cannon, who is a Seer. When that prophetic part of him takes over, he has no recollection of what he says but he knows that what he says is important. Although they are best friends, Raine and Cannon do not have romantic feelings for each other.

Gunner is Number One on Director Hightower’s list, and he has a rare and powerful voice talent that he can use to coerce people to do what he says. The Association, naturally, wants Gunner to work for them and are eager to monopolize his talent but the Insiders want him on their side. When he joins the Insiders, he learns that his crush for the past year – Raine Hightower – is to be his main contact and trainer on the Inside. His flatmate, Zenn Bower, warns him to get and stay on Thane Myers’ good side.

The Insiders must rescue Jag and help him to escape from Freedom. The only problem is that Freedom is surrounded by towering walls that have an invisible tech-barrier extending above them that forms an arching dome over the city. It will take all four of them – Raine, Gunner, Vi, and Zenn – to complete this mission.

I loved Raine and Gunner! Great chemistry between those two!! Check out this excerpt:

"When his lips met mine, the oxygen in my lungs ignited. I expected dark images to form from the contact, and when they didn't, I relaxed into him even more.

By the time he pulled away, my whole body vibrated.

"I'm sorry, Hightower," he whispered out loud. "That wasn't right. Or fair."

I didn't know how to respond. I wanted to kiss him again, wrong, unfair, whatever. So I did. He let me for a few seconds, long enough to make me want to kiss him forever and short enough to make me miss his mouth when he moved away."

That scene is totally swoon-worthy!

I also loved the tender scenes between Raine and her match, Cannon. Although not in love with each other, they clearly do love each other and it was great to see a genuine platonic friendship.

In Possession, the first book in the series, I found the world-building a little confusing. I am really pleased to see that Johnson has provided a lot more depth to the characters and their inter-relations in Surrender. We learn more about both the Association and the Resistance, as well as Freedom. Johnson even provides some back-story on “The Great Episode,” which is the event that nearly destroyed Earth and how the Thinkers came to be in control. More parts of the puzzle are falling into place, and Johnson has really built up the intrigue and suspense for the next book in the series.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book which is my new favourite in the series! I am anticipating that the next book will be even better!!

Posted by at 12:08 PM 2 comments
Labels: , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Copyright 2012 Darlene's Book Blog Design by Parajunkee Design