Review: The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

THE UNQUIET
By: Jeannine Garsee
Published By: Bloomsbury
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 388
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: TLA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home, undaunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom. At school, her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?



The Unquiet was one of the books I was very excited for this year, and it didn't disappoint. With all of the elements this story blended together, it was extremely captivating, keeping me reading late into the night to find out what happened.

Rinn Jacobs never expected to find herself in the middle of rural Ohio with only her mother. But when her bipolar disorder led to the death of her grandmother and her suicide attempt, her parents decide that time away from California would be good for her. Even though Rinn thought life in a small town would be incredibly dull, she soon discovers that she was wrong. From her first day, she discovers that the town is hiding secrets, secrets that she begins to uncover once she starts her new school. She learns that the pool of the school is haunted by Annaliese, and she is convinced Annaliese is behind the strange things that start happening. However, she needs proof, and getting the proof might require her losing her grip on the distinction between fantasy and reality. Can Rinn manage to figure out what's going on and keep everyone safe? More importantly, can she keep herself that way?

The Unquiet is one of my favorite kind of books - it crosses genres, blending a darker contemporary story with a ghost story, finishing it off with a dash of romance. Because of this, what would have been a good story became a great story. I found the parallel journeys very engrossing, both the journey through Rinn's mind that led to her eventual suicide attempt as well as her journey to uncover the secrets of her school. This book really captures the small-town feeling, and the connections that Rinn has to Annaliese and her family make the story that much more intense. Though this book isn't necessarily scary, as a ghost story, it does have its creepy moments. Compound that with Rinn's mental disorder, and there are more than a few instances that will leave you wide-eyed.

Of course, Rinn isn't alone in her quest to solve the mystery. Though she does have a few friends, her biggest help is Nate, the boy next door. He was just the friend Rinn needed, and I loved reading their interactions, from the snarky to the touching. This book was an intense read, to say the least, and I appreciated the lighter moments that Rinn and Nate brought to the story.

If you love a good ghost story, or a darker contemp story, then you will not want to miss this book. I look forward to seeing what Jeannine Garsee writes next!

Review: Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL
By: Trish Doller
Published By: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: June 19, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 214
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.



Some books don't live up to the hype they receive, but Something Like Normal certainly does. I knew that this book would be an emotional read, but I wasn't prepared for just how real the story would become as I read it.

Travis has returned home from Afghanistan, but he hasn't completely left the war behind him. As if it wasn't hard enough to readjust to civilian life, he is forced to relive his best friend's death in his dreams. Add to that issues at home, and Travis is really just trying to survive the month that he is on leave. One night when he is out, he runs into Harper, one of the few girls who can't stand him. But war has changed Travis, and soon he and Harper begin seeing more of each other. With her help, he is slowly able to come to terms with what happened in Afghanistan as well as what's happening at home. But will he ever be able to be normal?

Some books portray a journey; Something Like Normal, however is like a perfect snapshot. And yet there is so much packed into this snapshot. From beginning to end this book felt incredibly real. There was no powerful, defining moment, no moment that made me fall in love with this book; instead, it was a gradual progression and a slow change for Travis that was wonderful to read. Everything in this book displayed Travis' emotions so well, and I loved reading his point of view. In addition, the nightmares and flashbacks of his that were interwoven were very moving and provided a good look at PTSD. However, Travis wouldn't be the character he is without Harper. Harper is a great, strong female character and one that I enjoyed reading. Her relationship with Travis was refreshing because there was no insta-love but instead a gradual bond that formed between them.

I wish that I could say more about this book, but its emotional nature is one that has to be read and experienced firsthand. My only complaint about this book is that it is too short. And yet, perhaps that is also what makes it so moving - that this only captures a brief moment in time and the rest is left to our imagination.

Something Like Normal is a fantastic debut novel from Trish Doller and one that you will not regret reading. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Review: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

BREAKING BEAUTIFUL
By: Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Published By: Walker Children's
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 354
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA Midwinter
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.



I was drawn to this book for the cover, especially the phrase on it: "Does time heal all wounds?" After reading the synopsis, I knew that this would be an emotional book, but I didn't realize just how many aspects of life this book would touch.

Since the night of the car accident involving her and her boyfriend, Allie has mostly stayed in her room, hardly talking to her parents or her twin Andrew, merely tolerating her friend Blake's presence when he comes to deliver her homework for the day. But when a new detective is brought to town to continue the investigation and learn what really caused Trip's (Allie's boyfriend) death, Allie realizes that she will have to go on with life as best as she can. Slowly Allie starts to rebuild her life, dealing with the sympathy from her fellow students and trying to maintain the pretense that she is alright, but she still cannot escape her memories. She knows that Trip was abusive, but she doesn't know what exactly happened the night he died. As her memories gradually return, she begins to question not only her friends but also herself. And through the course of her journey, she finds that things are not always black and white...

Breaking Beautiful does have an element of mystery and suspense, but what really makes this book are the characters. Although it was difficult to connect with Allie at first because she was so numb, as the story progressed, her thoughts and feelings became much more clear. I appreciated seeing the flashbacks of the night of the accident, as well as other times with Trip, as she came to remember them; these scenes really added to the story. I loved her relationship with Andrew; they were friends and tried to protect and care for each other rather than being simply bickering siblings. I also enjoyed Blake's character - who could help but fall for the tortured artist who clearly cared so much for Allie? He evoked almost as much sympathy as Allie, in his own way. Finally, I really liked Caitlyn's character and what she stood for. Throughout the book, Allie, Blake, Andrew, and Caitlyn could all be seen as victims in their own different ways, reminding us that everyone has their own burdens to bear and has to find their own ways to overcome them.

This book may have dealt with heavy, serious topics, but there were moments of startling normalcy and lightheartedness scattered throughout the story that relieved the tension and allowed me to really connect with the characters. After finishing the book, I have to admit that I am conflicted about one detail of the ending. Even though I understand why things happened the way they did, I wonder what the consequences might have been of that decision.

Breaking Beautiful is certainly a worthwhile read, full of meaning and important messages. I will look forward to reading more from Jennifer Shaw Wolf!

Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

PERFECT CHEMISTRY
By: Simone Elkeles
Published By: Walker Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Dec. 23, 2008
Series: Perfect Chemistry (#1)
Pages: 357
Genre: Contemporary / Romance
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.



I heard a lot of good things about this book, but for some reason I kept putting off reading it. But after hearing Simone talk at the Austin Teen Book Festival, I knew that I had to move this book up on my to-read list, and I am so glad I did.

Brittany has worked hard to make sure that her life appears perfect to everyone else, but in reality, her life at home is in relative shambles. On the outside, however, she is co-captain of the pom squad, has the football boyfriend, and takes great care of her appearance. She has her senior year planned already. Then everything changes when she becomes chemistry partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the wrong side of town. She tries to get out of their partnership, but their chemistry teacher won't allow it. Brittany finds herself inexplicably drawn to Alex; soon she is finding ways to spend more time with him and is thinking about him more than she should. And while Alex may have just been trying to ruffle Brittany's feathers at first, he can't deny that there is something more between them. Yet Alex has his own family issues, and he knows the life he's chosen for himself. Can Brittany and Alex make things work despite the odds?

Both Brittany and Alex are characters that could have so easily fallen into stereotypical molds, and yet they didn't. Though the characters could perhaps be considered cliche (the "perfect" girl who isn't perfect, the gangster who wants to be better), these characters became so real to me that I didn't mind. I loved that we got to see both Brittany and Alex's points of view in this book. The chapters alternate between them, so we really get to know them both. Brittany, instead of coming across as "that girl" that most people would have hated in high school (and in fact many people in the book do), was very relatable. I really appreciated the compassion that she had for her sister and the fact that she finally gathered the courage to speak her mind. My heart broke for Alex on more than one occasion, which meant that I had to keep reading because I had to know that everything would be alright. And when everything is alright...talk about steamy (YA steamy, of course).

I also loved the realism in this book; Simone does not shy away from any situations, but everything is handled very tastefully. With this, there are a variety of slang Spanish expressions in this book. Some I understood, and some I didn't; while I could usually gather the meaning from the context, I do wish there had been translations. I'm also not sure how I felt about the epilogue - I liked the idea of it, but it will be interesting to see how that does or does not affect the future books.

Perfect Chemistry lives up to its name - there is sizzling chemistry between Alex and Brittany, and while their relationship isn't flawless, it is the imperfections that make it perfect. I am so glad that the rest of the trilogy has already been published so that I don't have to wait to read more of these books!

Review: Between by Jessica Warman

BETWEEN
By: Jessica Warman
Published By: Walker & Company
Release Date: Aug. 2, 2011
Series: None
Pages: 320
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Elizabeth Valchar--pretty, popular, and rich--wakes up the morning after her eighteenth birthday on the yacht where she'd been celebrating with her closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, she finds her own drowned body is hitting the side of the boat. Liz is dead.

She has no memory of what happened to her, and can only observe in horror the fallout of her death. She's also soon joined by Alex Berg, a quiet boy from her high school who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The two keep each other company, floating in and out of memories and trying to piece together the details of what happened to each of them.

In her regular life, Liz was a runner. It wasn't abnormal for her to run 8-10 miles per day. But as memories from closer to her death begin to surface, Liz finds that she'd been running much more than normal, and that she'd all but stopped eating. Liz's mother, who died when Liz was nine, had battled with anorexia as well, and those around her worried Liz was following in her mother's footsteps. But something more sinister was consuming Liz from the inside out. . . .

From critically acclaimed author Jessica Warman comes a shocking mystery, a heartbreaking character study, and ultimately a hopeful tale of redemption, love, and letting go.



I've read a lot of ghost stories lately, but Between is not your typical ghost story. Instead, it is the story of a girl, her life, her love, and her choices, and how they lead to her untimely death. Told in alternating past and present tense, Between shows how events can shape lives and that all actions have consequences.

On her eighteenth birthday, Liz Valchar is awoken by a thumping sound. When she goes to find out what it is, she sees her own body, face down in the water, obviously dead. Thinking that she is dreaming, she desperately tries to wake up, but to no avail. She is dead, with no real memories of what happened the night before. Fortunately, she isn't left to wander in this strange semi-existence alone; Alex Berg, a boy from her high school who died the previous year, comes to meet her. Together they weave in and out of memories, trying to piece together what happened the night that Liz died. Alex is insistent that there is a reason they were brought together and that they have to figure out what it might be. As the memories become stronger, it is soon clear that despite the perfect facades of so many high school students, nothing was really as it seemed...

In some ways, Between is almost a story within a story - there is the overall mystery of how Liz died, but there is also her time with Alex, which she spends reinterpreting her memories and learning about herself and about human nature. While the mystery is interesting, it is Liz's journey that really makes this story. Liz may not always be the easiest character to like, but I enjoyed watching her grow. There are some heartbreaking moments in this book, especially when Liz is longing for just a little more time with Richie, her boyfriend. In addition, I loved the way that she and Alex finally came to an understanding about one another. They were simply friends, and the lack of an overt romance was refreshing. Even though I didn't live in the Northeast, I did go to high school in a small town where everyone knew most everyone else, and so in some ways reading this book was like a trip through my own memories.

I will admit that Between reminded me of a few other novels I've read, but I think that within the first few chapters this story did develop its own unique identity. While this book is of a more reflective nature, the underlying mystery of how Liz died, combined with character exploration, made for an intriguing read. Although some of the characters are frustrating at times, the book as a whole is very realistic and very powerful.

Between is by no means a light book. It is a book that makes you think, a book with messages, and a book that will stick with you. I will definitely be reading more by Jessica Warman in the future.