Sam's Ramblings

Lately, I've been having trouble getting into some of the books I've bought, some that have been touted as AWESOME YA books, because they tend to get on the juvenile side. And this kind of worries me because the only genre I've ever stuck with is YA, but the only ones that I've been able to stomach lately have been exceptional.

For instance, coming off the high that was Anna and the French Kiss and Finikkin of the Rock, I read Across the Universe by Beth Revis. And even though it wasn't terrible by any means, I found myself unable to get into the characters because they acted so... young. Elder especially, although I know his naivety was part of his character. It just seemed very quaint to me and not in a bad way, just in a way that didn't suit my reading style. I think maybe my tastes must be maturing, which accounts for some lack of enthusiasm with blogging as of late.

I've been trying to read some more mature novels - I just finished Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris - and though I liked it, it wasn't any more so than most of the YA books I've been reading. So I don't know aht the problem is, exactly.

Any ideas?

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Page Count: 398 pages
Summary: A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.


Review: So, this book was totally not what I was expecting. I'm not quite sure exactly what it was that I was expecting, exactly, and it certainly didn't blow me away the way I'd anticipated, but it was definitely a good, solid read.

First of all, the whole Elder/Eldest thing threw me off. At times, it seemed really contrived and kind of stupid, not to mention that I totally got confused whenever they were in the same room together. Secondly, the person behind the killings was ridiculously obvious to me the entire time. I pretty much knew from the beginning. And while it's good to have little hints, it was practically GLARING at me.

Onto the good: Elder and Amy were absolutely adorable together. Elder was such a good character (almost too good, at times) that I just rooted for him in everything that he did. But in the parts where they were separate, I wasn't too compelled. I really wanted to get into the story because the premise had seemed so interesting and Beth Revis can definitely write a love story, but I just thought there should've been more focus on one or the other. I didn't think it all flowed well together, if I'm articulating myself correctly.

That is not to say that I didn't enjoy Across the Universe, because I definitely did. But I wasn't as into it as I thought I would be, mostly because a lot of the science fiction aspects seemed contrived and kind of overplayed. I really loved the descriptions of the getting put in the cryo chamber and almost drowning getting out of it - I thought those were wonderful.

Also, I'm not a huge fan of books that change perspective. It seems like lazy writing to me, honestly. While I wouldn't say that I liked that this did so, but it didn't take away from the story either.

Overall, I did like Across the Universe but the mystery of the murderer as well as the science fiction aspects of the book felt a little lacking. I would definitely recommend it, though - maybe you can articulate yourself better than I can?

Overall: 3.5/5 stars

Review: Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Title: Finnikin of the Rock
Author: Melina Marchetta
Page Count: 416 pages
Summary: At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh in order to save the royal house of his homeland, Lumatere.

And so he stands on the rock of three wonders with his childhood friend Prince Balthazar and the prince's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood. And Lumatere is safe.

Until the 'five days of the unspeakable', when the King and Queen and their children are slaughtered in the palace. And an imposter king takes the throne.
And a curse is put on Lumatere, which traps those caught inside and forces thousands of others to roam the land as exiles, dying of fever and persecution in foreign camps.

But ten years later Finnikin is led to another rock to meet the young novice, Evanjalin. A girl plagued by dark dreams, who holds the key to their return to the Land of light...

Review: I loved this book so much. Like with Jellicoe Road, it took me a while to get into the story, especially since when I read fantasy, I hardly ever pay attention to the politics of it. But you definitely have to pay attention to the politics in this book, because it is without the epic magic you are used to in fantasy. But it grew on me and by the time I was done, I didn't want it to be over. I wanted to keep reading about Evanjalin and Finnikin - both of whom I loved as characters. I think that's one of Marchetta's strong points: the characters. They're just so deep and their motivations are so strong. Argh, I can't even put it into words.

The only thing I didn't love about this book - AND THIS IS A SPOILER - is that, at the end, when it is revealed who Evanjalin actually is, she becomes some kind of saint. I know it is because they hold her in th highest respect and because Finnikin is hopelessly in love with her, but it just seemed forced, because throughout the entire book, she has definitely had her flaws. It just seemed stupid to take that away.

Other than that, though, I loved Finnikin of the Rock. It's not one of those books that I could speed through and still get everything that I wanted out of it. It was like a flower - it slowly opens itself up to you, little by little, until you don't even realize how entranced you are by it.

I would definitely recommend this book.

Overall: 5/5 stars

Kitty from Where I Belong Interview!

Today, I have had the honor of interviewing a character from a novel I recently finished, Where I Belong! Kitty is Corrine's best friend, albeit she is befriended reluctantly, and one of the most awesome characters I've  come across in a while!

Corrinne Corcoran’s upscale Manhattan life is perfectly on track—until her father announces he’s been laid off and she’s shipped off to Broken Spoke, Texas, to live with her grandparents. All alone in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the glamorous life she’s supposed to be living. But as she grudgingly adjusts—making new friends and finding romance along the way—this city girl begins to realize that life without credit cards and shopping sprees may not be as bad as it seems.... 

In this sparkling debut that flawlessly balances romance and humor, readers will grow to love sharp and sassy Corrinne as she goes on her totally reluctant but completely irresistible journey of self-discovery.

1. You have such a positive outlook on life. What is your advice to people who get down sometimes?

I’m a cheerleader for the football team, but I also try to be a cheerleader for myself. It’s important to root for your own success too.

2. What was your first impression of Corrinne?

That we’d never be friends. She seemed way too glamorous to want to hang with a country girl like me.

3. When did you first start to notice a change in Corrinne once she moved to Broken Spoke?

When she was willing to pee cowgirl style.

4. Are you ever planning on leaving Broken Spoke?

Yes, I am looking into summer art programs in NYC.

5. Do you and Corrinne still keep in touch?

I might be from small town Texas, but we still have the internet, facebook and cell phones. I am constantly in touch with Corrinne.

Sam's Ramblings

I'm not sure what number I'm on, but whatever!

So, as I'm working on my list of top 10 favorite reads of this year, I realized how much I love being a blogger. Although I definitely can get careless at times and not update (usually from laziness) for long periods of time, everything else makes it worth it.

Especially when some of my favorite authors retweet me or @reply to me on Twitter! It's such an honor to be able to talk to them and know they ACTUALLY respond, that they aren't these famous people who don't have any time for a reader like me.

I think that's why I want to be an author so much. Because it's not about fame or money to the people who write books - it's about the books.

I love you guys! :)

Review: Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

Title: Fall for Anything
Author: Courtney Summers
Page Count: 224 pages
Summary: When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

Review: I am a huge Courtney Summers fan - Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are are two of my favorite books. And even though Fall for Anything was definitely different in tone, I think it worked really well. Before, in her writing, we've seen characters that are witty and sarcastic or ex-mean girls, but while Eddie is broken like they both are, she is nothing like them.

For the first half of the book, I wasn't quite as into it as I have been with Summers' other novels; it felt as if there was something missing to make the story interesting to me. From the get go, I loved Milo - he was sweet and obviously cares so much about Eddie, whereas Culler just seemed super creepy to me. And while I wasn't quite taken in by the first half of the book, the second half had me going. It was just really interesting how Summers' can give you this impression of the characters without explicitly saying anything, while barely even hinting at it. I think that takes real talent, because I wasn't sure who I was supposed to like until nearer to the end of the book. And the suspense of that definitely made it worth it.

The thing I always like about Summers' books is that they are raw. There isn't any narration that isn't in character and the story is told more through the actions of the characters than any fluffy inner monologues, which I style that I strive to write in.

But while I did like Fall for Anything, I didn't quite as much as Summers' other books. Maybe because this one was so dark and there wasn't any funny sarcasm to lift me out it for a moment, but it definitely worked for the story. I couldn't see it being written any other way.

Overall: 4.5/5 stars

Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week I'm reading Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky!

"Because at some point, you need to start calling the shots. At some point, you have to start believing that you know what's best. Or, I thought with a smile, you just stop asking for their permission in the first place." - Page 124