Book Review: Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas

Title: Top Ten Clues You're Clueless Written by: Liz Cxukas Published: September, 2014 by HarperTeen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Top Five Things That Are Ruining Chloe’s Day  5) Working the 6:30 a.m. shift at GoodFoods Market  4) Crashing a cart into a customer’s car right in front of her snarky coworker Sammi  3) Trying to rock the “drowned rat” look after being caught in a snowstorm  2) Making zero progress with her crush, Tyson (see #3)  1) Being accused—along with her fellow teenage employees—of stealing upwards of $10,000  Chloe would rather be anywhere than locked in work jail (aka the break room) with five of her coworkers . . . even if one of them is Tyson. But if they can band together to clear their names, what looks like a total disaster might just make Chloe’s list of Top Ten Best Moments.

When I closed this book the first thing that came to mind was "that was really cute." I'm not a huge fan of YA contemporaries but this was definitely a year full of really good ones for me and I'm slowly starting to change my opinion of them, which is great. And Top Ten Clues You're Clueless is just one more on a list of fun contemporary novels that I read and really liked this year.

Part of what I enjoyed about this book was the plot development. It was a little on the basic side of things but entertaining. I actually decided to impulsively start this after being kind of deadlocked in a pretty complex book that I was reading to quench my palate so to speak and that's exactly what this book did. In a few hours I was about 100 pages in and really liking it. The concept of being stuck in "work jail" on Christmas Eve was very reminiscent of The Breakfast Club and Empire Records which I'm a big fan of so right there that was a huge plus. And it also had a hint of mystery which was cool. I appreciated the mystery though it was very simple and as a fan of mysteries I would have liked something a little more substantial. But on the whole there was so much going on in this book and it all worked together well to create a fun and entertaining story.

The characters were also really fun and engaging. This is one of those ragtag group of misfits coming together kind of stories. Yeah, they can be kind of cliche sometimes. And yes, there were some moments when the characters interactions and revelations felt forced and unrealistic bit it worked. I really like the concept. One of the things I like about those kinds of stories is that the characters are really diverse and you can always find someone like you and someone totally different from you to connect with. That's definitely what happened for me in this this book. Each member of the group was complex and likable. I was particularly fond of Micah, a homeschooled naive optimist, Tyson, the black guy who is so sweet and kind, and Zaina who is the strong silent type Muslim. It's pretty easy for these characters to come off as caricatures but they never did. However the heart of the story was Chloe who is awkward and adorable in the best possible way. Although the not telling anyone about her diabetes thing was very Babysitter's Club. The diverse and quirky cast of characters was one of the great things about this book.

I also really enjoyed the setting for this book. It all takes place in a supermarket during Christmas Eve. Now I'm not one for the pomp and circumstance around holidays so this was the perfect holiday book for me because it wasn't all about Christmas, and snow, and special things happening this time of year. It was just another super busy day at the store. Which actually was the best part. The first half of the book when the store was open I felt like I could relate to the hustle and bustle, doing odd jobs you don't really like, and the fun of working with people your own age that you basically just met. I never worked retail but it reminded me of one of my all-time favorite jobs, when I worked at a Six Flags. Plus then when the store closes and they are left alone that was fantastic as well. Another thing you see a lot but it's so fun. It just all made for a fun setting for this book and added to it's charm.

On the whole, this is a fast and fun contemporary read with an engaging plot, a quirky diverse cast of characters, and a fun setting. Despite the fact that the mystery was really basic and some of the interactions felt odd it was a good read that only took me a matter of hours to read.

I give Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. As someone not really a big fan of contemporaries (but enjoying them more and more) I would definitely recommend this one. It's a fun read that you can fly through. It's perfect for fans of YA contemps or anyone looking for a good palate cleanser.

Have you read Top Ten Clues You're Clueless? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater

Title: The Scorpio Races Author: Maggie Steifvater Published: September, 2011 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.  Some riders live.  Others die.  At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.  Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

This book is so beloved and after reading it I can understand why. It's the kind of book that works it's way into your heart and before you even realize how much it has effected you, you're crying tears of sadness and joy. I haven't read all of Maggie's books but the ones I have read, I've really enjoyed. She has a very particular style and I love the way she builds worlds and creates characters. The Scorpio Races was no exception.

This Thestral is supposed to represent the capaill uisce

I think my favorite thing about it was probably the setting. What and amazing place, Thisby. It was a place that felt so familiar but so unique at the same time. It's like the kind of place that could be anywhere but seems like something you have never experience before. On the one hand it had this gritty realism that made everything seem so bleak and atmospheric but on the other hand it had this beauty and fantasy to it. Maggie has always done a great job walking that line. But everything was so descriptive that you could perfectly visualize the waves crashing along the beach, the white cliffs, the fishing village, and of course the capaill uisce. The vicious and powerful water horses were such an amazing part of the world and this book. The world of The Scorpio Races was absolutely brilliant and it made for the perfect setting for this book that was just as bleak and atmospheric.

The plot and pacing of this book really built to something thrilling and fantastic. It took me a little while to get into the book and get used to Maggie's writing style but when I did I was hooked on the book. It took me three days to read the first 120 pages but after that I couldn't put it down. I often complain about the beginning of the book being slow and the ending going to quickly but here it totally worked. It slowly built to a huge climax that had me enthralled. I read the last 120 pages in about two hours because I couldn't put the book down, I was so invested. Similarly I'm surprised that I didn't miss the horse racing even though it was a much smaller part than I expected. There were a lot of different elements to the story and each part of it was interesting and complex.

I think that is because so much of the book is about the characters and their relationships. I have always loved Maggie's characters. She can write a whole book full of complex and unique characters and In The Scorpio Races she once again made me fall in love with every single one of them, especially the main characters. The book alternates perspectives between Puck and Sean who are both so similar and different at the same time. For one thing, they're adorably perfect in their brooding. It's easy to empathize with them because neither one has had an easy life. They're both Thisby orphans, trying to make their way in a place that they love but it's hard to make it there. It's made Puck sassy and surly while Sean is brooding and stoic. Like the island itself they have been hardened by their experiences but they're still sweet and caring. What I love about Puck is that she's not trying to be this feminist hero in the races because of the political stance. She's just being herself, which is as much a statement as anything. Sean also is just trying to be himself and do what he loves, which is working with and racing capaill uisce. He's really good at it, and could have been cocky and conceited but he isn't. I was invested in both of their success, which was really hard because for one to succeed the other one would not be able to. But that just added to the drama and investment in the book.

But while the characters were great in their characterization I loved the relationships between them. Puck and Sean had a great relationship for one thing. They understand each other so deeply that things grow throughout the book. Their romance was such a small part of the book that for someone like me who is romancephobic, it was perfect. They were both so dismissive of it despite the feelings that seemed pretty obvious to everyone around them and ultimately them. It was a great slowburn. But the non-romantic relationships. Puck's relationship with her brothers was so realistic making it both heartbreaking and sweet. Sean's relationship with his boss' son and his boss was so interesting. But then there is the amazing connection between Sean and Corr, his horse. That to me is the real love story.

I absolutely loved this book in the end. It took me a while to get into it but once I did, I was taken on a roller coaster ride of emotions that has me wanting more from the characters and the world. I can absolutely see why this book is so popular, it's beautiful and atmospheric with characters you cannot help but love.

I give The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are one of the people like me who hasn't read this book then I would absolutely recommend it. It has a bit of a slow start but keep reading and let the bleak and atmospheric island of Thisby take you through the lives of Puck and Sean on the back of capaill uisce. In the end you will become attached.

Have you read The Scorpio Races? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss Series: Anna and the French Kiss #1 Author: Stephanie Perkins Published: December 2010 by Dutton Juvenile (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.  But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Anna and the French Kiss is one of those books that I waited forever to read because I thought it wasn't my thing. And it's not really, it's out of my comfort zone but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy it, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. It's one of the most highly recommended YA contemporary romances. And now that I've read it, I understand why. Anna and the French Kiss is just so likeable.

Perhaps my favorite thing about this book is the world that Stephanie Perkins created. It sounds like a weird thing to refer to the "world" in a contemporary novel but setting just doesn't feel like enough explanation. Because the city of Paris comes alive for the reader as it does for Anna. From the description of the city and it's many beautiful architecture and tourist traps, to the food, and the culture it was lush and realistic. It's been almost ten years since I visited Paris and I desperately wish I could go back. While reading this book I got a feeling of wanderlust that I almost never get. But during this book I felt what it was like to be visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I wanted to go there myself. But Perkins also created a really fantastic boarding school within this book. I love books that take place in boarding schools. She perfectly walks the line between the glamour and difficulty of that concept.

But part of what made the boarding school so good was the sense of comradery and friendship with the characters. When Anna moves to Paris to attend school she is adopted by a diverse group of people who are so different but they make this fantastic little group of friends. They're complex and interesting characters that I enjoyed despite the fact that they are not very likeable in the traditional sense. In fact if you ask me, they are pretty unlikeable. They're kind of selfish and rash but they're realistic teenagers and that's what made them so interesting in likeable. In particular the main character Anna was easy to connect with not despite of her insecurities but because of them. As the book developed she had this great redemptive arc and it definitely gave the book a coming-of-age story feel and I love that in my contemporary reads. On the whole I was glad I was along for the ride.

And while I liked the relationships in this book I'm not sure I fully connected with the romance. I'm a fan of the friends become more relationship format that you experience in this book. I really liked that Anna and Etienne got to know each other well before they  took it to the next level. I also liked that it was a slowburn.It took awhile for them to get together even though you knew all along that it's how it was all going to end. Maybe that was my problem. I've never been very good at being patient. But in general I think I just didn't feel the swoon and I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe I just didn't connect with Etienne in that way. I liked them a lot as friends and being the kind of person who can take or leave romances in my novels, I didn't fall in love with the romance like most people have.

But that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Anna and the French Kiss. It was a fun contemporary romance with a great coming-of-age story vibe and characters that will work their way into your heart despite them not being traditionally likeable.

I give Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 8.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: ???? I'm putting question marks because I feel like I am one of the only people who has never read this book. If you are a fan of YA contemporary romances you should absolutely read it if you haven't. If you are looking to explore the genre a little more, like me then yes check it out. It's definitely a good read and worth picking up if you haven't yet.

Have you read Anna and the French Kiss? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Title: The Wise Man's Fear Series: Kingkiller Chronicles #2 Author: Patrick Rothfuss Published: March 1, 2011 by DAW (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In The Wise Man's Fear, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, forced to reclaim the honor of his family, and travels into the Fae realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived...until Kvothe. Now, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.

*** This is the second book in a series and therefore the review may contain spoilers for The Name of the Wind. Read that first and then come back. If you need encouragement, here's my review. ***

What an enjoyable series! I read The Name of the Wind in January as my month long audiobook and decided to do the same thing for The Wise Man's Fear. And while I thoroughly enjoyed it and like how the series is progressing, I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book in the series (words I almost never say). While it had a lot of the same great things like an interesting and atmospheric world and unique characters, I found the pacing to be a little slow and the plot not as cohesive.

I will say, I think listening to the audio for this series was the perfect choice for me. I love audiobooks but sometimes I get let down, this series however was a perfect fit. Not only did the narrator perfectly capture the voices for the ridiculous amount of different characters, male and female, but he also perfectly captured the tone of the book. It felt atmospheric and immersive. There would be times where I was listening at work or in my apartment where it would be jarring to come back to reality because it was that good. If you are a fan of audiobooks I definitely recommend this series.

My enjoyment of the book and my enjoyment of the audio really went hand in hand with my enjoyment of the world. This is seriously one of the most imaginative fantasy worlds that I have read in a long time. It's so complex that it's hard to explain. In the first portion of the book, Kvothe is studying at the university and learning about naming and other magical and scientific things. In The Name of the Wind, the education was very specific to what Kvothe was learining, but book teaches a lot about different types of magic that we didn't get to see before. Snape would love this magical system because it's not about silly wand-waving. It's about intelligence, knowledge, and working with the world around you. It's a very science based kind of magical system. I really enjoyed it. I also really enjoyed getting to see and meet more of the larger world in this book. It took us away from the university and into different locations around the countryside. We met many different people and cultures. I particularly enjoyed the Adem people who had such a different culture, and the time that Kvothe spent in the Fae was really interesting as well. It was great to explore more of this world because it is one of my favorite part of this series.

But not these girls, they're fantastic!

I also really enjoy the characters in this series. Kvothe is such an interesting protagonist and narrator for this story. We are told he is this legendary figure that people tells stories about but I see him as this sort of anti-hero. We are given his side of the story here so he comes off so much more sympathetic though. He's far from perfect but that's what makes him all the more likable. What I like more than that, however, is that he's an unreliable narrator. In the back of my mind I know that these are all stories and they are not necessarily the whole truth. But even better than Kvothe, I love the secondary characters in this series. From his friends to his enemies Kvothe surrounds himself with some pretty eclectic and interesting people. I particularly loved getting to learn more about and spend more time with the women in this series. Devi got some serious screen time and she became all the more odious and dark. Denna also got a lot of time but she still remains a pretty big mystery. But the biggest mystery and my favorite character is Auri. She's such an inigma. I need more Auri! *adds The Slow Regard to my wishlist*

But I did found the pacing to be a little problematic here. First thing that I didn't totally enjoy was the travel monologues. There were just so many moments throughout the book where it felt like the general plot would slow down so that the characters could get to a different place. You know how I feel about travel. In general, the book just felt a little too slow and a little too wordy for me. While it made sense with the format of the book, being a personal story you are of course going to spend more time on the happier or more memorable moment and less time on other moments, but it didn't always work for me. This sort of fell into the trap that you see a lot in fantasy where it takes a very long time to get from point A to point Z. It's not a bad thing, it's good to take your time to explain and elaborate on how your characters achieved their goals and got to the places they are today. It can just run away from you sometimes. And I think that's what happened here. It's a very long book and it felt long. It was taking it's sweet time to explain things and when everything was all said and done it didn't really bring it full circle for me.

Which brings me to my thoughts on the plot of the book. In The Name of the Wind I loved the fact that there was a clear resolution and little hints along the way to help you figure out what it all meant. That was not the case for The Wise Man's Fear. There was no clear resolution. There wasn't a cliffhanger either, it just wasn't as good a conclusion for me. It did still have it's basis in a coming-of-age story kind of plot though. The purpose of this series is to have a man who is a legendary figure explain the truth about what happened to him. In this book you really get the sense about how he became a legend. There were so many moments where you can tell that people are telling stories and sharing gossip about Kvothe. In this book he starts to become larger than life which is something that I am excited to see in the final book.

And despite the fact that I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, I did really love the book. It's definitely a new favorite fantasy series for me and I am really hooked. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I'm so hooked that I now feel the urge to read the novellas connected with this series, which is a rarity for me. But I seriously need more from this world and more from these characters.

I give The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss a 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. This is a fantastic fantasy series that fans of the genre should definitely check out. And while I do still think that this series has some crossover appeal, this one was definitely more adult. There were some really enjoyable romantic elements that I thoroughly enjoyed. But it also has a fantastic world and great characters that make it worth a read.

Have you read The Wise Man's Fear? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkowski

Title: The Winner's Curse Series: The Winner's Trilogy #1 Author: Marie Rutkowski Published: March 4, 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Seriously everyone raves about this series. I feel like I am one of the last people in the blogosphere to read it. But with The Winner's Crime having come out last week I figured this was my opportunity. I had high hopes for this series because of all the amazing reviews I've seen, and I was not at all disappointed. It's a refreshing and interesting YA Fantasy read with a fascinating world and great characters.

One of the more refreshing things about The Winner's Curse was the world and the world-building. This is the kind of book that I would recommend to people who are new to fantasy because the world is more on the subtle side. As a person who likes their fantasy really fantastical I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. There was no magic or mythical creatures but there was tons of political intrigue. The society that Marie created was reminiscent of Ancient Greece with warring city states that have very different ideals. Our main character Kestrel is from the Spartanesque society and she lives in a conquered land where the people are enslaved. As the book develops that becomes the main basis for the plot and I don't want to give anything away so I'll stop explaining it there. But I found the different cultures really interesting and the idea of seeing the oppressed land from the eyes of a "conquerer" was such a unique concept. It was a very unique and captivating world different from the typical YA fantasy.

Another thing that I loved about this book, that was really unique, was the main character. Our MC Kestrel is the daughter of a general. In her society she has two options, she can get married or join the army. What I loved about that is that it sort of communicates the two different female cliches we see in literature and especially in YA fantasy these days. She can either be feminine and take on traditional genre roles or she can go the opposite way and become a badass warrior woman. But Kestrel lives somewhere in between. Throughout the novel she has moments where she embodies both personas but never either one completely. But Kestrel is smart, she's a tactician and planner. It's not really a role that society allows her to have unless she wants to become a soldier but she doesn't let that stop her from being that way. I really admired her for being her own person and following her own path, it made her likable and refreshing.

In addition to Kestrel, there was also a host of fantastic secondary characters. I did like Kestrals father despite the fact that he was forcing her to choose between being a soldier or wife, you could tell that he really loved her and was trying to be a good dad. They had a good relationship and he seemed amenable to what she wanted. Kestrel also had a great group of friends surrounding her. Her best friend Jess who was fun and spunky, Jess's brother Ronan who was flirty and entertaining. Plus there were some great lords that embodied the societal idea of being a ruthless fighter. And then of course there is Arin. I really enjoyed Arin but not for the reasons that I think most people enjoy him. It wasn't at all romantic. I wouldn't say I ship it yet, but it was a pretty good slowburn kind of romance. No, I liked Arin because he's an incredibly complex character who has some interesting character development and some really tough choices he has to make throughout the book. He was the kind of multi-dimensional character that I always enjoy.

But I think what surprised me most about this book is that the plot and pacing was slower than I like but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.  It sets up the world, it introduces you to the characters, and it builds the suspense. Then halfway through when the plot starts to pick up you're so hooked you can't put it down. Maybe I'm just getting used to this in first books in a series. I usually get annoyed that they're not telling me anything but here I didn't really mind. Or maybe it was because there was a lot of dramatic irony in this book. That's also kind of hit or miss for me. I don't often like knowing things that the characters don't know but instead of making them seem unintelligent it made them more complex and interesting.

The Winner's Crime is one of the most refreshing and interesting YA fantasy I have read in a long time. It was so captivating and I can't wait to keep going with the series. (I have it on hold at the library, if only they would process the book. How long does that take? No seriously, how long?)

I give The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkowski 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. Regardless if you are a fantasy newbie or a frequent reader of the genre, this book is work a read. It is refreshing and interesting with a fascinating world, complex characters, and an interesting plot that will draw you in then take for a thrilling ride.

Have you read The Winner's Curse? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!