The Infinite Curio - Tag Archive for "fiction"

Retro Friday Review : Being Nikki & Runaway

Published on May 25, 2012 by Kay in 3 stars reads, 3.5 stars reads, Featured

Retro Friday is a meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc. Everyone is welcome to join in at any time!

* * *

Being Nikki : Runaway : by Meg Cabot
Genre : YA, Fiction with a touch of science-fiction
Series : Book 2 & 3 in the Airhead series

On Goodreads : Being Nikki and Runaway

My Thoughts :

Whenever I start reviewing a series on the blog, I feel that I need to review the following books too (if I don’t drop the series, of course!) Which is why today I decided to feature books 2 and 3 in the Airhead series for Retro Friday.

I read and reviewed Airhead, the first book in the series, in 2010 (you can find my review at the bottom of this post). I called it “fun, intriguing and entertaining”, and was captivated enough that I went on to read the following books soon after. Both were one-day-readings, and though the second one definitely suffered the sophomore book syndrome, I really enjoyed it. Meg Cabot is a favorite author of mine, (even though I still have plenty of her books to read!) which is another reason why I really wanted to do this post!

When I look at the notes I took while reading these books, oh so long ago, one of the words that comes up a lot is “twists”. There are many surprises in this story, which took turns I didn’t expect. Yes, the romance part of the story was a little predictable, but that’s usually how they go. I still really liked sweet and down-to-earth Em, although there were a few moments where she definitely would have needed someone to give her a good kick in the right direction! But I also feel it is the burden of Meg Cabot’s characters to often be unaware of what’s happening around them, so in that sense, maybe Em is just what a Cabot fan would be expecting!

If I had to use one word to describe the series it would be : fun. It’s not dark and serious and questioning the world or society, like most YA books do right now with the trend of dystopia. And you know I love dystopian universes, but sometimes, it’s also fun to sit and read something completely silly and light like the Airhead series. If you want a series where you can just turn your brain off and relax, this might be the one for you!

Series Reading Order :

Airhead
Being Nikki
Runaway

Tags: contemporary, fiction, read in 2010, science fiction, Young Adults

1 Comment

Review : Wanderlove

Published on May 18, 2012 by Kay in 4.5 stars reads, Featured

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
Pages : 338
Genre : YA, Contemporary Fiction
Stand Alone
My Rating :

What it’s about :

Bria has a lot on her mind : a difficult breakup, a family she has a hard time relate to and a passion for art she decided to bury, however heartbreaking that was. It’s the summer between high school and college, and all Bria wants is to clear her head and reinvent herself.

When her plans to visit Europe with her friends fall apart, Bria decides to join an organized travel group in South America. There she meets Rowan and Starling, and leaves the group behind to embark on a spontaneous and life-altering journey.

My Thoughts :

I had read gorgeous reviews of this contemporary YA novel and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I cracked open Wanderlove ready to be either really pleased or really disappointed, but it took me only a few pages to know that I had in my hands a book I would love.

If you have read novels or memoirs about travel, then you already know that travel books are always more than travel books. They are journeys of self-discovery, transitions from past to future, eye-openers to the world. The beautiful sights and the unusual customs, however interesting or intriguing, are often nothing more than pretexts for the hero’s personal discovery. Wanderlove is no exception, and it succeeds in developing a complex character (Bria) while also painting an intriguing portrait of the places she visits. Never have I ever wanted to visit South America as much as I did after reading this book!

"No one seem to have seen the lake. But how could they have missed it? It was the color of a gas flame, so blue it nearly stung my eyes." (p. 31)

Wanderlove felt surprisingly intimate for a fictional tale. I know Kirsten Hubbard traveled a lot, so I would expect this intimate aspect comes from her own life’s experiences. Between excerpts from Bria’s journal, her drawings (which are also the result of Kirsten Hubbard’s talented hand), her lists and her narration, I felt I had a complete picture of who Bria was. She was neither perfect nor annoying with faults, but a good balance of both. I related to her for many reasons, even as an adult reader; it’s never easy to get over a broken a relationship, even a bad one; it’s not easy to feel different and disconnected from your family; and it’s not easy to give life to your passion, whether it’s art, writing, or anything else. I’ve lived through all this and still struggle with parts of it, and I found in Bria a character I could understand from a personal point of view.

It was interesting for me to see how I reacted to the book, too. I was in love from the first few pages, but in the end it didn’t shape itself into a warm, fuzzy feeling like I did for other books (think Stephanie Perkins or Sophie Kinsella) in the past. Bria’s story is more down-to-earth, and the impression I was left with was a more long-lasting one.

If I have to point out aspects I enjoyed less, I would say that I didn’t connect much to Rowan. I liked his slightly mischievous, humorous side, but the mysterious, ex-bad-boy part left me cold. The romance between the two is cute though, just not what I felt was the focus of the story. I was much more interested in Starling, who sadly isn’t a big part of it all.

I do believe many readers will appreciate this travel novel. I highly recommend that you read it in proximity to an internet access; seeking pictures of Bria’s itinerary is a must to fully appreciate the book!

Similar reading :

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Reading Wanderlove reminded me really early of 13 Little Blue Envelopes. While this one was a little lighter and cuter than Wanderlove, it shared a similar sense of adventure and discovery. You’ll discover a fun story that will take you all around Europe, with humor and charm.

Tags: contemporary, fiction, read in 2012, travel, Young Adults

5 Comments

Review : Fools Rush In

Published on May 8, 2012 by Kay in 3 stars reads, Featured

Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgins
Pages : 379
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Stand Alone
My Rating :

What it’s about :

Millie’s life seems to be on its way to perfection : she just got a job as a local doctor in her hometown, along with a new home and mostly adorable puppy. Now, all she needs to be a hundred percent happy is to complete her makeover and seduce Joe Carpenter, her former high school crush.

My Thoughts :

Kristan Higgins has quickly become my go-to author when I need a “pick-me-up” read. Her romance novels are closer to what is commonly called “chicklit”, with main characters who have more than love on their minds – which is essential to me. Fortunately, Fools Rush In was no exception to this rule.

I liked Millie from her first words. “I’m a stalker. The good kind”, she says on page one, and her description of a young teen’s crush immediately had me laughing. So even though she turned out to be the silliest of Higgins’ main characters (at least of the novels I have read so far), most of the time, I was just having fun watching her trying to seduce Joe Carpenter. And while we’re at it, can we just take a moment to mention how ridiculous Joe Carpenter’s name is? Of course, he is a carpenter not only in name, but in profession too. It is perfect in its context! Just by the name, I imagined him like a Ken doll. I don’t know why. The power of words, what a mystery! That’s the kind of silly details I really enjoy.

So, yes, I was having fun with Millie’s story. She had just enough personality and wits, with a history that explained her insecurities. Family was again an important theme, but I enjoy that Higgins always treats it differently. Millie’s complicated relationship with her sister is something that I have seen many times in novels, but it still worked well. Higgins writes with humor and charm, so I don’t mind when parts of her stories are, maybe, a little less original.

What I did mind, and really affected how I felt about the novel, was the romance itself. If you read the book’s jacket (which might spoil the book for you, so read carefully!), you’ll immediately know what I mean and guess why I was slightly uncomfortable with it. Millie and her loved one definitely had a great chemistry and connection; there was no denying that. They were, very obviously, a perfect match. However, context really mattered in this case. I had a hard time getting over that and it definitely tainted my enjoyment of the book. In the end, the situation was a bit of a mess and I can’t imagine that, in real life, things would fix themselves so smoothly. Not with these characters, anyway, but that’s just my opinion.

This being said, I’m still a fan of Kristan Higgins, but if you want to give her books a try, I would recommend starting with Too Good to be True or Just One of the Guys.

Tags: chick lit, contemporary, fiction, read in 2011, romance

4 Comments

Review : Glimmer

Published on May 1, 2012 by kay in 3.5 stars reads

Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis
Pages : 352
Genre : YA, Paranormal
Stand Alone
My Rating :

What it’s about :

A girl and a boy wake up together in bed. Both are confused and lost; neither of them know who they are, where they are or why they are there. They remember how to talk, walk and use objects, but they have lost any memory that could give them information about their personal life.

After some suspicion on both parts, they decide to work together to solve the mystery that is their lives. Soon they discover that Summer Falls is no usual town, and that their memory loss might be only one of many mysteries…

My Thoughts :

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I cracked open Glimmer; fantasy, paranormal, science-fiction, aliens? Or what? I was kind of in a “meh, whatever” mood and Glimmer looked intriguing enough to pull me out of that bored state of mind. I am happy to report that it did, and with great success!

From the start, the story is intriguing. We do not know the main characters’ names (we learn later that they are Elyse and Marshall), and both are terrified and suspicious of each other. I often complain about dual narratives, but in this case, I felt it worked well enough : it gives us a better insight into each of their story than a third person narration would have. You can see how they react to each other, and though their voices are similar, their personalities are different enough.

Elyse and Marshall quickly bond over their peculiar situation (maybe a tad too quicly?) and as a team, they start to investigate. And then things become even more interesting : not only the two of them have lost any memory related to their identities, but the town where they find themselves is weird. Elyse sees some people where Marshall sees no one – until these people connect to Marshall and blue sparks fly. Summer Falls’ residents are also all a bit too cheery and distracted – so much so that, despite their condition, Elyse and Marshall almost feel like they are the only normal people left.

The beauty of Glimmer is that it mixes a little of everything; paranormal, magic, the town’s strange history, heatnaps, creepy characters, and a mystery that keeps you reading past your bed time. Elyse and Marshall’s quest for truth gets even more interesting when they have to face who they were before losing their memories, their qualities and, most importantly, their faults. And while they both have a complicate family situation, I have to say that Elyse’s broke my heart a little.

In the end, I really enjoyed Glimmer. Though I found the ending a little too rushed and filled with too much information, it had a strong conclusion that answered all important questions. I am also thrilled that Glimmer is a stand alone novel! I read enough series as it is. But I do hope I get to read more stories coming from Kitanidis’ fabulous imagination.

Tags: fiction, mystery, paranormal, read in 2012, Young Adults

1 Comment

Review : If You Follow Me

Published on April 26, 2012 by kay in 4 stars reads

If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous
Pages : 354
Genre : Fiction
Stand Alone
My Rating :

What it’s about :

Still grieving her father following his suicide, Marina hopes teaching English in Japan will be the change of scenery she and her girlfriend Carolyn need. However, the culture shock is bigger than she expected, and Marina soon finds out that you can’t really escape your past, no matter how hard you wish you could.

My Thoughts :

My impression of If You Follow Me was that it had a very quiet pace, yet contained so much on an emotional level. Some parts had me smiling and almost laughing, while other parts made my heart break. Marina’s journey through grief and integration to a new culture had no boring moment, while being written very realistically. The characters had depth and the culture was explained with great respect (by which I mean, a culture carefully described to foreigners without relying on common stereotypes).

An interesting aspect of the book was Marina’s relationship with Carolyn. While their relationship is part of the story, it isn’t the only focus (or even the main one) of the book. Even more interestingly, I appreciated the author’s effort not to label the two girls. They both had some interest for men, too, Carolyn having dated many (but not exclusively girls) before, and Marina having been only with guys. To have their sexuality not clearly defined, and not being the only defining characteristic of their lives, was extremely refreshing.

I loved discovering Japan through Marina’s eyes. It feels like Asia will never cease to surprise me; no matter how many books, mangas, magazines or stories I read, there is always more to discover about it. If You Follow Me was no exception. Marina discovered great differences through important things like her work or smaller things like the garbage, and I was fascinated by it all. I felt like I was there, trapped in this strange country, learning the rules of life all over again.

I really loved If You Follow Me, and after I finished reading it, I found myself thinking about it quite often. Watrous created strong images with her quiet narration, and because of her talent, I felt like I both met interesting characters and visited another land for the time I read.

Tags: fiction, glbt, japan, read in 2012

7 Comments

Review : Across the Universe

Published on April 19, 2012 by kay in 4 stars reads

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Pages : 416
Genre : YA, Science-Fiction, Dystopia
Series : Across the Universe, book 1
My Rating :

What it’s about :

The plan for Amy’s family was simple; cryo-sleep aboard the Godspeed ship, to wake up on another planet a few centuries later. Only, something goes wrong, and Amy wakes up alone, too soon.

Before long, Amy discovers something bad is going on Godspeed : other sleepers get murdered and the ship’s ruler, Eldest, isn’t friendly towards the new girl. As she tries to uncover the truth and protect her family, Amy has to decide whether she can trust Elder, next in line to rule the ship.

My Thoughts :

The first thing I thought about when starting to write this review was “Should I really tag it as dystopia?” Because in truth, Across the Universe is more science-fiction than anything else. Even the romance, which the cover hints at strongly, takes a backseat to the mystery, the ship and the characters’ own personal issues. As for the dystopian aspect, it’s a part of the plot that is not clearly revealed from the beginning, but I did feel the hints were big enough that this is not a spoiler in any way. So, yes; Across the Universe is a slightly dystopian futuristic novel with an intriguing premise.

I’m not sure why the book sat so long on my shelf. When I finally decided to read it, I got hooked to the story instantly. While the narration itself didn’t particularly stand out, I was curious about Amy’s situation. Being put to sleep sure didn’t look like fun! However, I was disappointed by the dual narration. Nothing against Elder, but his voice wasn’t particularly different from Amy’s. I think I would have preferred to discover the ship and the future only though Amy’s eyes.

I also had a few problems with the technological side of the worldbuilding. Maybe it’s because I’m currently reading Physics of the Future, but I couldn’t accept that the technology used on the ship wasn’t more advanced, more sophisticated. Parts of it were; but some parts of it were too easy, too similar to the technology we already use. Sadly, there was no explanation in the worldbuilding to justify that.

I do wish the characters were more dimensional, too, and less stereotyped. As a villain, Eldest had very little depth, but this is something that could be said of other secondary characters, too.This being said, I do think the strong point of the novel was the story itself. Even though it felt predictable and I could tell, mostly, who did what and what would happen, the pace and the twists kept me reading.

I also loved that, while Amy and Elder had a certain attraction for each other, the novel wasn’t about the romance itself. It was something happening on the side, and that never truly developed into something more. To be honest, I wouldn’t even be surprised if the author introduced another love interest for Amy, since her interest for Elder seemed to be more about curiosity, loneliness and friendship.

Across the Universe sure differentiated itself from all the dystopian stories coming out these days. I’m looking forward to reading book two, A Million Suns, which is already waiting on my shelf.

Series Reading Order :