Review: The F-It List by Julie Halpern

With her signature heart and humor, Julie Halpern explores a strained friendship strengthened by one girl’s battle with cancer.

Alex’s father recently died in a car accident. And on the night of his funeral, her best friend Becca slept with Alex’s boyfriend. So things aren’t great. Alex steps away from her friendship with Becca and focuses on her family.

But when Alex finally decides to forgive Becca, she finds out something that will change her world again--Becca has cancer.

So what do you do when your best friend has cancer? You help her shave her head. And then you take her bucket list and try to fulfill it on her behalf. Because if that’s all you can do to help your ailing friend--you do it.

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Julie Halpern brings something new to the "YA cancer lit" subgenre with The F-It List... simply put, I love this book.

Most YA cancer novels feature either a teen who has cancer or who has a parent with cancer, but this is the first time I've seen that the main character is the best friend of someone with cancer. The fact that Alex is the best friend, not the patient, adds an entirely new perspective to the mix. When you consider the fact that Alex has recently lost her father (to a car accident), her boyfriend (after he slept with her best friend, Becca), and her life is now a complete and utter mess, then throw in Becca having cancer, you know that Halpern is going to steer readers towards some pretty heavy topics.. What you might not expect is that there will be plenty of laughter, plenty of hope, and even more living within the pages of The F-It List.

One of the defining elements of The F-It List was Alex and Becca's relationship. It isn't every day you come across best friends like these two. Sure, they've done some pretty horrible things to one another, but, honestly, what best friends don't find themselves in those situations? Becca, in a moment of misguided weakness, sleeps with Alex's boyfriend... the day of Alex's father's funeral. In response, Alex refuses to speak to or see Becca for the entire summer following the funeral and betrayal. But, the first day of the new school year, Alex goes in search of Becca... because they're best friends and people make mistakes sometimes and deserve to be forgiven. Best friends are sometimes selfish and sometimes entirely self-sacrificing: Alex and Becca have been both, they understand and accept one another, and they're stronger because of it.

For a cancer book, The F-It List, is surprisingly funny. It's easy to expect quirky and/or touching when it comes to "cancer lit," but I can't remember the last time I literally laughed aloud; there is usually a lot more crying than laughing happening. Alex and Becca, however, keep living, with the help of the f-it list, and never give into the cancer that threatens Becca's future. It's clear from the start, when Becca flashes her neighbor to fulfill a goal on the f-it list and decides to shave her head to beat the chemotherapy to taking the hair she's so proud of, that she isn't the type to go down without a fight.

In the midst of Becca's struggle, Alex has other things vying for her attention. Like the father she's recently lost, her mother and two brothers who feels broken without her father, and a mysterious and distracting boy, who should be the least of her worries with all the death and drama currently surrounding her days, but who somehow keeps inserting himself into the forefront of her mind.

I truly appreciated that Halpern never made Alex's issues seem less than Becca's. Instead, the two girls were a united front. They were each fighting battles, sometimes together and sometimes separate, but neither was more or less important. 

I highly recommend Julie Halpern's The F-It List. It deals with difficult topics in a very real, alive sort of way. There are tears, but there is also laughter and real, genuine happiness because Alex and Becca refuse to stop living, no matter what life throws their way.

Feiwel & Friends, November 2013, Hardcover, ISBN:  9781250025654, 256 pgs.

Review: Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner. 

Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus. 

But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran. 

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. 

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

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Emmy Laybourne's Monument 14 blew me away. I devoured this debut novel and, when I finished, I found myself in a satisfied stupor wondering where the past few hours had gone.

I sometimes have difficulty connecting to male main characters, so, when I opened Monument 14 and discovered that the narrator was one of the boys trapped in the superstore, I paused for a moment. I was entirely too interested in the premise to ever put down the novel, but I wondered if Dean would detract from my reading experience... I very much wanted to put myself in the position of the main character and I didn't know if I could make myself think like a teenage boy. I can't guarantee that Dean's thinking and actions were entirely true to life, but he felt realistic enough to me that I never forgot the fact that he was a boy, but I could still understand his emotions and motivations. In the end, I grew to like Dean a lot and I was happy that he, rather than one of the girls trapped in the superstore, was the narrator.

One of the most interesting aspects of this novel was the presence of small children as well as teens. I think having small children trapped as well added another dimension and sense of urgency to the situation. I found the differences between the reactions of each age group really put things into perspective... for both the characters themselves and the reader. It's already crazy that these teens are trapped and had to learn to trust one another and work together, but then to throw in small children that are alternately panicked or wanting to play and do something fun... the situation was terrifyingly real.

The giant hailstorm, the chemical weapons spill, the bus crashes, and the other events that lead to the fourteen kids being trapped inside the superstore all seemed carefully thought out and contained just enough detail to create a realistic picture within the reader's mind. The entire novel felt very cinematic. I actually found myself matching characters from the novel to people I knew in real life. Each character felt so impossibly real that my mind needed a three-dimensional body to go along with the personality Laybourne created.

Monument 14 has landed a spot on my Best of 2012 list. I'm already anxious for the next installment, as the novel ended on a cliffhanger... I seriously get shivers just thinking about the intensity of the final scenes!

Feiwel & Friends, June 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780312569037, 294 pages.

Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Galen, a Syrena prince, searches land for a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. It’s while Emma is on vacation at the beach that she meets Galen. Although their connection is immediate and powerful, Galen's not fully convinced that Emma's the one he's been looking for. That is, until a deadly encounter with a shark proves that Emma and her Gift may be the only thing that can save his kingdom. He needs her help--no matter what the risk.

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I was hesitant to read Of Poseidon. If I'm going to read a book about mermaids or sirens, I prefer the mermaids to be a bit more monster than fairy tale. While the mermaids, or Syrena, in Of Poseidon aren't monstrous, they were interesting, and that's what really set this novel apart for me.


The Syrena population is composed of two kingdoms which have been divided for years due to a tragic accident. The only way to repair the rift between the two kingdoms is by royal marriage. Galen thinks he might have found a lost heir to the Poseidon throne. If he's right and Emma really is - somehow - descended from Poseidon, he must convince her to take her rightful place at his brother's side which will reunite the two kingdoms and preserve the Gifts she uniquely carries.


Emma, on the other hand, is just a normal girl... or so she thinks. She's practical, but she can't deny what Galen claims when the proof is right in front of her. Honestly, I'm glad that she didn't try to deny her heritage for a large chunk of the book because it was much more fun to see her embrace and explore her gifts rather than fight them.


There were times that I was unsure of whether I really liked the romantic elements of this novel, but I think, overall, I liked the love story. I enjoyed Galen and Emma together, they definitely had chemistry, but I found their denial of their feelings and Galen's overwhelming commitment to delivering Emma to his brother tiring at times. I understood where he was coming from, but, for goodness sake, if you feel that strongly about a girl, take the time to at least explore other options. Why are you giving in so easily, mister?


I'll definitely be reading the next book, which I hope will take readers off dry land and into the sea. I really would like to learn more about the Syrena and meet more friends of Galen & Co!

Feiwel and Friends, May 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9781250003324, 324 pages.


And don't forget to check out the trailer below!

Review: Paradise by Jill S. Alexander

Title: Paradise
Author: Jill S. Alexander Website
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pub. Date: 7.5.2011
Genre: Contemporary
Keywords: Music, Relationships, Bands, Love, Romance
Pages: 256
Description (from Goodreads):
Paisley Tillery is the drummer for a country rock band. If they can make it to the stage at the Texapalooza music fest, then Paisley will be closer to her dream of a career in music and a ticket out of her small Texas town.

Drumming and music are what Paisley has always wanted. Until the band gets a new lead singer, the boy from Paradise, Texas. With Paradise in her life, what Paisley wants, and what she needs, complicate her dreams coming true.


It isn't easy for me to coherently explain my feelings about Jill S. Alexander's sophomore novel, PARADISE. I really enjoyed Alexander's first novel, THE SWEETHEART OF PROSPER COUNTY, but I wasn't at all prepared for how much I would adore PARADISE. Not only does PARADISE feature a fantastic plot and engaging setting, the characters are phenomenal. 


The main character, Paisley, caught me off guard... The name Paisley seemed a bit pink to me. I literally pictured a pink paisley pattern when I first saw her name and that didn't seem all that appealing at the time. (Okay, I never find pink paisley appealing... I'll admit it.) Eventually I stopped picturing her as a pink psychedelic pattern and accepted her for the badass she is. I think her parents really wanted her to be a Paisley, she just refused to be one... She's spunky, direct, and a drummer. And the fact that she's a drummer was, in my mind, a key part of her being a legitimate badass. She wasn't up on stage do wear skimpy clothes and dance around, she was behind an entire drum set rocking out and being awesome. Love it!


And then there's Paradise. Not only was he an interesting character on his own, he was a great match for Paisley. I liked that they challenged one another and didn't immediately fall madly in love. Paisley may have acknowledged his good looks early on, but she didn't fall for him for shallow, physical reasons, which sometimes happens and leaves the reader perturbed and not at all supportive of the relationship. I appreciated the banter between the two and the small moments that eventually led them to develop feelings for one another.


And the ending... oh my goodness. I definitely didn't see it coming at all. Since I read this novel in one sitting, I actually reread the ending a couple times just to make sure I wasn't just getting a bit loopy and imagining things. After becoming so invested in PARADISE's characters, I may have cried a bit to see it end, especially so surprisingly. 


Okay, I'm lying, I cried a lot. Sobbed really. This isn't a bad thing though: if I hadn't cared about the characters, I wouldn't have been moved to tears... Especially not big, sloppy tears. I won't be forgetting about Paisley and Paradise any time soon.


Alexander is one of those authors whose books are, for me, an automatic buy. I highly, highly recommend both her debut and sophomore novels.

Helpful Links:

BUY it on IndieBound.

ADD it on Goodreads.

Review: Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

Title: Perchance to Dream
Author: Lisa Mantchev
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pub. Date: 5.25.10
Genre: Fantasy YA
Keywords: Theatre, Shakespeare, Fairies, Love, Family, Adventure, Magic
Pages: 384
Description (from GoodReads):
The stuff that dreams are made on.

Act Two, Scene One
Growing up in the enchanted Thèâtre Illuminata, Beatrice Shakespeare Smith learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts, but she didn’t know that she, too, had magic. Now, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales, and determined to follow her stars. She is ready for the outside world.
Enter BERTIE AND COMPANY
But the outside world soon proves more topsy-turvy than any stage production. Bertie can make things happen by writing them, but outside the protective walls of the Thèâtre, nothing goes as planned. And her magic cannot help her make a decision between—
Nate: Her suave and swashbuckling pirate, now in mortal peril.
Ariel: A brooding, yet seductive, air spirit whose true motives remain unclear.
When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Along the way, they collect a sneak-thief, who has in his possession something most valuable, and meet The Mysterious Stranger, Bertie’s father—and the creator of the scrimshaw medallion. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?


I love so many things about Lisa Mantchev's novels. The settings and characters are imaginative, colorful, and undeniably fun. Both EYES LIKE STARS and PERCHANCE TO DREAM are gorgeous novels, inside and out.
 
I am definitely Team Nate, so the parts of the novel where Bertie's relationship and love for Ariel deepens was complete torture. I don't think I've ever been so unsure of a character as I am with Bertie; I really have no clue who she'll choose. And I can't help but hope, that if she doesn't pick Nate, that she'll decide to choose neither. I don't know what it is about Ariel, but I just loathe the thought of her being with him. I think Ariel is a bit too pretty for my tastes. I feel like Nate genuinely loves Bertie, while her relationship with Ariel is based more on lust. I'll never understand you, Team Ariel.
 
Bertie learns more about her role as Mistress of Revels and Teller of Tales and her magical word-related abilities in PTD. The mishaps that occur due to sloppy word choice were entertaining and redefined the importance of choosing your words wisely.


The fairies provided many hilarious lines and situations... as well as a growling stomach with all their talk of scrumptious treats.


The ending of PTD left me a bit disappointed and anxious for the next installment. I can't say too much without spoiling it for those who haven't read it yet, but it simply didn't satify me. I'm confident that Mantchev will resolve the issues in the next novel, but I'm too impatient to wait!


Grade: B+


Cover Notes:
I always look forward to seeing the cover art for the Theatre Illuminata books because they are always stunning!

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What team are YOU? And if you've read PERCHANCE TO DREAM, what did you think of the ending?

Cover Alert: Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev!!

Oh. my. goodness. I am so, so excited about the sequel to EYES LIKE STARS! Check out the cover art below!

PERCHANCE TO DREAM BY LISA MANTCHEV

EYES LIKE STARS was one of my favorite books of 2009 and I've been dying to read PERCHANCE TO DREAM ever since I read the last line in ELS! This definitely a book that I think is worth preordering! ...And counting down the days until its release...!

Review: Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Title: Eyes Like Stars
Author: Lisa Mantchev
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pub. Date: 2009
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Magic, Theatre, Orphans, Love, Friendship, Family
Pages: 356
Plot (from book jacket):
"All her world's a stage.
Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater...
She's not an orphan, but she has no parents.
She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.
Until now.

Enter Stage Right

NATE: Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie (as she's known at the theater).

COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARDSEED and PEASEBLOSSOM: Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. Bertie's sidekicks.

ARIEL: Seductive air spirit and Bertie's weakness. The symbol of impending doom.

BERTIE: Our heroine.

Welcome to the Theatre Illuminata, where the characters of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Theatre by The Book - an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family... and she is about to lose them and the only home she has ever known."

I was first drawn to Eyes Like Stars because of the cover. My first glimpse was quite some time before the book was released, and without even reading the summary blurb, I was intrigued by the character on the front cover. Blue hair, smoky eye makeup, awesome dress: how could I not think she was awesome. Once I had read the blurb I knew I would read this book, but I didn't know just how much I would love it.

Eyes Like Stars has a magical and wholly original premise. I loved seeing the characters that I loved from plays, like Ophelia from Hamlet! I have a bit of a fascination with her character, so seeing this interesting take on her personality, etc. was so fun. Also, Bertie's quest to save the theater and to find out the truth about how she came to live at the theater kept me furiously turning pages.

Bertie was an amazing character. Not only is she totally unique, stylish, and smart - she's hilarious. She is definitely in  my Top 10 for favorite heroines. Sometimes I like characters, but only love them as part of a couple, but I loved Bertie simply for being Bertie.

But wait - I loved her as part of a couple too! Yes, this book has a love plot line too! Yup, it seems to have everything... There is actually a bit of love triangle. Can you guess from the character descriptions above which characters are involved? :) I don't want to say too much, but I'm totally Team Nate; I need a Team Nate button to go along with my Team Peeta button!

All of the characters were vividly imagined, I really did fall for all of them, even the villainous ones!

I can't write a review for ELS without mentioning the fairies! They are so much fun and so cute...well mostly.

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10
Total: 50/50 (A!!)

READ THIS BOOK. I had a copy from the library, but I'm definitely getting one to keep at home. Even though I just finished it and have tons of books to read right now, I kind of just want to reread ELS... :)

Also, I want to mention this awesome Custome Contest that Lisa Mantchev is currently hosting for Halloween! Not only is it a fun idea, there are also chances to win prizes! I'm totally going to participate, so look for my pictures dressed up as my favorite character! Well, as long as I can find the perfect pieces for my outfit... After all, it will be my favorite character, so it can't be taken lightly... :)

Review: The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander

Title: The Sweetheart of Prosper County
Author: Jill S. Alexander
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pub. Date: September 1st 2009
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Friendship, Bullying, Self-Esteem, Love, Family, Identity
Pages: 224
Plot (from back of ARC):
"Almost-15-year-old Austin Gray is tired of standing at the curb and watching the parade pass her by. Literally. She decides this is the year she’ll ride on the hood of a shiny pickup truck in the annual parade, waving to the crowd and finally showing the town bully that she’s got what it takes to be the Sweetheart of Prosper County.

But far from simply being a beauty contest, becoming Sweetheart involves participation in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), raising an animal, and hunting or fishing. Austin will do almost anything to become Sweetheart, and has the support of her oldest friend, Maribel, her new FFA friends (including the reigning Sweetheart, and a quiet, cute cowboy), an evangelical Elvis impersonator, a mysterious Cajun outcast, and a rooster named Charles Dickens. If only her momma would stop overprotecting her, and start letting Austin live her own life. But Austin can’t move on until Momma moves on, too—and lets the grief of losing Austin’s daddy several years before out into the open."

This novel is absolutely adorable! That makes it sound a bit like a middle grade book so something, but it really isn't. Austin is young, only fourteen actually, but she really seems older. Everytime that attention was drawn to her age and I remembered she was only 14 I was a bit startled actually. While she isn't the most mature character, she definitely didn't seem that young.

I was never in FFA, but I'm from a small town where FFA is a bit of tradition, and in ways a lifestyle, for many families and kids. Reading about Austin's adventures in chicken-raising made me wonder if a missed out a little!

I was pleasantly surprised by the references to noodling and Matthew McConaughey! I know what you're thinking, "that is such a random comment to have in a review!" But it is true. One of the best parts about The Sweetheart of Prosper County was that it was so well rounded. There were all sorts of references: FFA, southern, current/pop culture references all blended together to make Austin's world believeable.

Austin was definitely the star of this novel, but the minor characters helped it shine! Charles Dickens the Rooster, Maribel, Lewis, Josh, and Sundi all were amazing characters, no matter how big or small their part in the novel.

I thought Austin's friendships and budding romance were believable and well written. There was even a subtle sexual reference that I thought was tastefully done and reflected Austin's age and personality well...

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10
Total: 50/50 (A!)

I loved Austin and her quest to become a Sweetheart - even though I think she was a Sweetheart all along! Jill S. Alexander is an author to watch - I can't wait for her next novel!