Book Sketch: American Panda by Gloria Chao

AMERICAN PANDA
By: Gloria Chao
Published By: Simon Pulse
Release Date: February 6, 2018
Series: None
Pages: 311
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: King's English

Goodreads Summary: At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents' master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.

With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can't bring herself to tell them the truth--that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.

But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?

First Thought After Finishing: Such a sweet romance story, and I loved learning about Chinese/Taiwanese culture!

I’ve had American Panda on my shelves for a while, and when I was looking for a humorous book for a readathon, this one jumped out as an obvious choice! It was a perfect palate cleanser after reading a lot of fantasy and sci-fi books, and I loved the added elements that made it more than a contemporary YA romance!

Mei is a seventeen-year-old freshman at MIT, one step close to fulfilling her parents’ dream of her becoming a doctor. There’s only one problem—she doesn’t think she can handle being a doctor. Biology doesn’t interest her, and she’s more than a little squeamish about medical issues. She’s also not ready to be paired for marriage with the boy of her mother’s choosing. But after everything her parents have sacrificed for her, how could she ever tell her parents the truth? Instead, she keeps hiding pieces of herself—her hobbies, her crush, even her reunion with her estranged brother. But secrets always have a way of coming out, and what will happen when her parents finally discover the truth?

I love books with a college setting, especially ones that make me feel like I’m right there on the campus. American Panda has so many great details about MIT, including special vocabulary, great descriptions of their special buildings, and more. It made me remember my own college days, where we used acronyms for everything and had our own special traditions involving clock towers and fountains. I also found myself identifying with Mei more than I expected, despite the cultural differences. She wanted to please her parents, but she also wanted to follow her own artistic path; my parents had hopes of me going to medical school, but I was a music major instead. The difference is that Mei had generations of cultural tradition and responsibilities heaped onto her shoulders. Her mother especially was overinvolved in her life, always trying to care for her daughter but smothering her with guilt at the same time. The voice mails and “horror” stories her mother told were quite comical to an outsider but were certainly a lot for any teenager to handle.

Mei’s romantic adventure was also entangled with her journey to independence. As much as she liked Darren, she always worried about what her parents would think about the fact that he wasn’t Chinese. Still, the attraction was undeniable. They had such a sweet courtship—Darren was just the kind of guy that anyone would want for a first boyfriend. Still, Mei had to work through years of emotional baggage to be able to find her own happiness. Her brother ended up coming through for her in this respect, just like a big brother should. Unlike some books, where the side characters don’t seem to fit in or aren’t that likeable, all the characters here were integrated into the story and helped it come to life.

I always appreciate “heavier” contemporary books, and this one certainly delivered. All the heartache was also balanced with laughter and smiles. I look forward to reading more from Gloria Chao!

Most Memorable Aspect: All of the references to Chinese culture and the MIT descriptions.

Blog Tour & Book Sketch: This Mortal Coil & This Cruel Design by Emily Suvada

THIS MORTAL COIL
By: Emily Suvada
Published By: Simon Pulse
Release Date: Nov. 7, 2017
Series: This Mortal Coil (#1)
Pages: 425
Genre: Sci-Fi
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.

That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.

When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.

Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?

First Thought After Finishing: I’m so glad I have the next book already!

I have always been fascinated by genetics—it’s one of the few aspects of science I actually enjoyed. I was highly intrigued by a book about genetic coding, and This Mortal Coil did not disappoint!

In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a virus, living outside security bunkers is dangerous. But that’s exactly what Cat Agatta, daughter of the foremost genetic coder, has been doing. She’s managed to stay alive on her own, and she would have kept surviving. But when a stranger shows up to inform her that her father has died, her world begins unraveling. Soon she is drawn into a mission to complete his work on a vaccine that could literally save the world. Despite the danger, Cat agrees. She never imagined that she’d barely scratched the surface on what coding could do...

Computer coding is not my forte, but I’ve dabbled in it here and there. Reading about people who can code endlessly, with a thought, made me want to dive into it again. But this book is so much more than coding. It’s a glimpse into what our future could be if technology keeps progressing, and that’s both scary and exciting. Apps and virtual reality abound—but not for Cat. She has hypergenesis, an allergy to most technology, and this made her immediately relatable. Although she had a few minor upgrades, she mostly had to rely on her own mind. Cat is brilliant and fierce in her own right, and for teens reading this, I love that they have a character like this.

The world was complex, with many layers to government agencies and the people who work there. As more characters were introduced and I got to know them, they became a group of friends I would want to be part of. With life itself hanging in the balance, emotional tensions ran high at times, but that helped to forge bonds quickly. Romance certainly does play a part, but it is not as straightforward as it might seem. Honestly, there is so much that I could say about the characters and their gradual development, but why spoil the surprise? Some aspects of books just need to be experienced.

As much as this book can be considered science fiction, it also has elements of a thriller. With high stakes and constant twists, it was an engrossing, fast read. I flew through the pages, eager for the next confirmation of suspicions or surprising revelation. This book does have some similarities to other recent sci-fi novels, but the coding continues to set it apart. I’ll be diving into the sequel right away!

Most Memorable Aspect: The coding and intrigue.

THIS MORTAL COIL
By: Emily Suvada
Published By: Simon Pulse
Release Date: Nov. 7, 2017
Series: This Mortal Coil (#2)
Pages: 425
Genre: Sci-Fi
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary (May Contain Spoilers for Book 1): Cat thought the Hydra epidemic was over, but when new cases pop up, Cat must team up with an enemy to fix the vaccine before the virus spirals out of control in this thrilling sequel to This Mortal Coil, which New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman says “redefines ‘unputdownable.’”

The nightmare of the outbreak is finally over, but Cat’s fight has only just begun.

Exhausted, wounded, and reeling from revelations that have shaken her to her core, Cat is at a breaking point. Camped in the woods with Cole and Leoben, she’s working day and night, desperate to find a way to stop Lachlan’s plan to reprogram humanity. But she’s failing—Cat can’t even control her newly regrown panel, and try as she might to ignore them, she keeps seeing glitching visions from her past everywhere she turns.

When news arrives that the Hydra virus might not be as dead as they’d thought, the group is pushed into an uneasy alliance with Cartaxus to hunt down Lachlan and fix the vaccine. Their search takes them to Entropia, a city of genehackers hidden deep in the desert that could also hold the answers about Cat’s past that she’s been searching for.

But when confronted with lies and betrayals, Cat is forced to question everything she knows and everyone she trusts. And while Lachlan is always two steps ahead, the biggest threat to Cat may be the secrets buried in her own mind.

First Thought After Finishing: I’d like the third book now please!

Some books take you on an emotional journey; some books raise philosophical questions; and some books keep you frantically turning pages to see what happens next. This Cruel Design does all three.

This Cruel Design starts just where This Mortal Coil ended. Cat’s work fighting the Hydra vaccine and saving the world is nowhere near done, but at least she does not have to do it alone. Armed with new knowledge, she goes in search of the one person who can help her fix the problem—but is she prepared to find him?

Second books in a trilogy can have a tendency to be slow and feel unnecessary, but that is certainly not the case here. The pacing was on par with the first book, keeping me engaged page after page. And Emily Suvada has no shortage of surprises. The fate of the world once again hangs in the balance, which would create enough tension on its own, but Suvada skillfully weaves in past memories and revelations that serve to up the ante.

We meet new characters in this installment, and once again, they are fascinating and complex. Knowing who to trust is never easy in this world, and the shifting loyalties and heroism only adds to the air of mystery pervading this book. There were so many other aspects that I appreciated—subjects like sexuality and gender were explored in a way that felt authentic, and the moral/ethical dilemmas presented here by technology are good food for thought.

Writing a spoiler-free review—especially for a second book, and one like this—is nearly impossible. As with the first book, I want to say so much about the characters, but why deprive you of experiencing Cat’s emotions and discoveries firsthand? This is definitely a book that should be on TBR piles, so go forth and read it!

Most Memorable Aspect: The roller coaster of plot and emotions.

~ ~ ~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~ ~ ~

Emily Suvada was born and raised in Australia, where she went on to study mathematics and astrophysics. She previously worked as a data scientist, and still spends hours writing algorithms to perform tasks which would only take minutes to complete on her own. When not writing, she can be found hiking, cycling, and conducting chemistry experiments in her kitchen. She currently lives in Portland, OR, with her husband.


Find her online:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram


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Opening Lines (27)

Opening Lines is a new feature here on Portrait of a Book that showcases the first lines of recent and/or upcoming releases. If you're looking for your next read, let these first lines help you decide!


FRAGILE LIKE US
By: Sara Barnard
Published By: Simon Pulse
Release Date: July 18, 2017
Buy the Book: Amazon

In the tradition of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson comes a pitch perfect novel about friendship and what it takes to break the bonds between friends.

Caddy and Rosie have always been inseparable. But that was before Suzanne. Now the twosome has become a triangle with constantly shifting alliances.

Caddy’s ready to be more than just the quiet one. She wants something to happen. Suzanne is trying to escape her past and be someone different, someone free. But sometimes downward spirals have a momentum of their own. And no one can break your heart like a best friend.

"I thought it was the start to a love story. Finally."

Do any of these lines and covers grab your attention? What are your favorite opening lines?

Book Sketch: How to Disappear by Ann Redisch Stampler

HOW TO DISAPPEAR
By: Ann Redisch Stampler
Published By: Simon Pulse
Release Date: June 14, 2016
Series: None
Pages: 416
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: This electric cross-country thriller follows the game of cat and mouse between a girl on the run from a murder she witnessed—or committed?—and the boy who’s sent to kill her.

Nicolette Holland is the girl everyone likes. Up for adventure. Loyal to a fault. And she’s pretty sure she can get away with anything...until a young woman is brutally murdered in the woods near Nicolette’s house. Which is why she has to disappear.

Jack Manx has always been the stand-up guy with the killer last name. But straight A’s and athletic trophies can’t make people forget that his father was a hit man and his brother is doing time for armed assault. Just when Jack is about to graduate from his Las Vegas high school and head east for college, his brother pulls him into the family business with inescapable instructions: find this ruthless Nicolette Holland and get rid of her. Or else Jack and everyone he loves will pay the price.

As Nicolette and Jack race to outsmart each other, tensions—and attractions—run high. Told in alternating voices, this tightly plotted mystery and tense love story challenges our assumptions about right and wrong, guilt and innocence, truth and lies.



First Thought After Finishing: Wow. It all makes sense, but wow.

Nicolette Holland—aka Cat—is on the run from the police, determined to make Nicolette disappear. Jack Manx, son of infamous Arthur Manx, is sent to eliminate her. They aren’t used to their new life, but they know that not succeeding could have dire consequences. Every action, reckless or calculated, passionate or desperate, is driven by the need to survive and take care of loved ones. The characters bring us into their world, one most of us will hopefully never live in, and it’s a whirlwind.

There’s a running joke that authors’ Google search history could get them in trouble. That could definitely be the case with How to Disappear. The details of how Cat kept herself hidden were fascinating and made me impressed with her resourcefulness. Jack, on the other hand, is a character that you can’t help but want to put your arms around. He’s trying to move past his past and his family’s reputation, but at times it seems impossible. These are two strong characters who make an impression.

When I started reading How to Disappear, I expected an exciting cat-and-mouse game that spanned the country. I kept turning pages to see what would happen next, wondering the whole time what Jack would do if he found Cat. After a while, however, the book shifted to focus more on the characters’ inner battles. Getting glimpses into Cat and Jack’s minds were intriguing. Even though the book slowed down (and admittedly I missed the fast-paced adventure), I was still curious enough to know how things ended for Cat and Jack. It’s almost impossible to stop reading because there would be so many questions left unanswered. And the answers are definitely necessary.

Most Memorable Aspect: The details in this book made what could have been a glossed-over adventure turn into a vivid survival story. It was almost like a guide about escaping an old life and finding a new identity.

Review: The Program by Suzanne Young

THE PROGRAM
By: Suzanne Young
Published By: Simon Pulse
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Series: Program (#1)
Pages: 408
Genre: Dystopian
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.



This was my first book by Suzanne Young. I'd heard good things about her writing, so I was looking forward to this book. Even though I liked the premise, I had mixed feelings after finishing the book.

Keep your feelings to yourself, and don't let anyone see you cry. That's what Sloane has learned to do in order to avoid The Program. Ever since suicide became a national epidemic, anyone deemed at risk is taken for treatment and returns without their memories intact. Sloane lost her brother that way, but she's determined that she won't let herself or James be taken. As long as she and James have each other, they can avoid The Program. But with every day that passes, Sloane has more memories and more obstacles to face. As hard as she tries, she can only be strong for so long. But the consequences of breaking down are unthinkable...

At the beginning, I found the idea of suicide as an epidemic interesting, and I was curious to see how the government could prevent this. However, after reading the book, I can't help but feel that in many ways, the program creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. When people are so afraid of expressing emotions and aren't allowed to show sadness even when it's appropriate, it seems like a recipe for unnecessary treatment. However, this book was a good example not only of how you can only be so strong before something has to give, but also of the deep connections that can form in trying times. I loved how Sloane and James' relationship was portrayed in the beginning of the book. Even though he tried to take care of her, at times he was vulnerable and she was strong for him. It was clear how well they fit together (without insta-love), and there were certainly tender moments and heartbreaking moments that made me want to hug them both.

By the end of this book, I felt unsettled. The book is dark, which is expected given the subject matter, but it is more than that. As the book progresses, Sloane became an unreliable narrator, which was interesting in some respects but frustrating in others. It was hard to know who could be trusted, and even harder to know what the actual truth was. But because of this, I am curious to see what happens in the next book, and I'm certainly eager for more closure.

The Program is a different kind of dystopian novel, one that is much more driven by emotions than actions, but still engrossing nonetheless. I know there is so much more of the story for Sloane and James, and I am looking forward to seeing where the next book takes them.

Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

VIRTUOSITY
By: Jessica Martinez
Published By: Simon Pulse
Release Date: Oct. 18, 2011
Series: None
Pages: 304
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: BEA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....



I love books about musicians. Granted, I may be slightly biased, but I think that serious musicians, especially in high school, aren't always understood well and are often shunned by others who aren't as serious about music. I think it is great that books like this can help show others what life is like for them.

Carmen is a child prodigy and one of the best violinists in the world. She has toured the globe, played in some of the best concert venues, and even been homeschooled so that she can devote more time to practicing and performing. But one disastrous performance led her to Inderol, an anti-anxiety drug that she takes to get through her performances...and her lessons. Soon she's relying on these much more than she should. Enter Jeremy, the arrogant but oh-so-hot competition. They wind up talking one night, and Jeremy's description of performing causes Carmen to begin to question many things about her own musical life. As the prestigious Guarneri competition grows closer, Carmen finds herself more drawn to Jeremy and more inclined to rebel against her mother the manager. When an unexpected event calls the entire competition into question, Carmen must make an important decision - what is she willing to lose in order to win?

Virtuosity has a little bit of everything YA - the struggle to define yourself, the question of what do you really want from life, striving for independence from parents, and romance - blended together in a fresh and engaging way. I found Carmen's character incredibly easy to relate to. But even if you're not a musician with performance anxiety, we all have things that we dread. No matter what profession we're in or what our hobby is, there is always somebody who is better. This book explores those issues. And I loved the budding romance between Carmen and Jeremy. The cynicism of Carmen's mother Diana toward their relationship sounded just like the doubts that we all let ourself have. Virtuosity embarks on an emotional roller coaster that doesn't stop until the last page. The feelings, struggles, and situations were incredibly vivid, which made for a very intense (in a good way!) read.

There were a few things about this book that I found frustrating, however. Carmen's mother, for instance. She is your classic overbearing, controlling mother (not to mention she's Carmen's manager), and I wanted to defy her right along with Carmen. Even still, I couldn't hate her completely - unfortunate circumstances forced her to give up her dream, and so she shifted the pressure of success onto Carmen. Then there was something that Jeremy did. While some people may find it endearing, I was actually very annoyed with it. So, if you are like me, keep reading - you will be glad you did.

You do not have to be a musician to appreciate the depth of this book. Complete with the butterflies and beauty of first love and the quest of one girl to find her place in the world, Virtuosity is a debut not to be missed!

Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

FORBIDDEN
By: Tabitha Suzuma
Published By: Simon Pulse
Release Date: June 28, 2011
Series: None
Pages: 464
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives — and the way they understand each other so completely — has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.



I bought Forbidden on the recommendation of one of my friends - she said that it ripped out her heart and stomped on it and a few other painful-sounding things (read the exact quote in her review here). If someone could feel that emotional about a book, I knew I had to read it. And wow. This might be one of the saddest books I have read, but it's also one of the most beautifully written and moving books as well.

Lochan and Maya have never been ordinary teenagers. While their mother spends her time drinking and galavanting around town with her boyfriend, trying to recapture her lost youth, Lochan and Maya have had to become parents to their three younger siblings. Lochan, the oldest, tries to keep everything together, but it's extraordinarily difficult. He excels in school, and his teachers expect this, but he has a difficult time talking to anyone outside of his family. Maya struggles to fit in, but even with a few friends at school the true details of her life are kept secret. At the end of the day, Lochan and Maya are the only ones who understand each other. This understanding eventually grows into love. Both Lochan and Maya know it cannot last, both try to fight against their attraction to one another, but to no avail. But how long can their secret love stay hidden?

Where to start? I guess I should throw this out there: Yes, this book is about incest. No, I do not have any siblings, so I can't imagine exactly what that would be like. But this book is so much more than an incest story. It's about two teenagers who have been dealt an unfair hand in life and survive the only way they know how - by relying on each other. Forbidden alternates between Lochan and Maya's point of view, and my heart went out to both of them. They were both under so much pressure: pressure to keep the family together, to take care of their siblings, to succeed in school, to try and fight their love. They so desperately needed healing, solace, and love, and they found that in each other. Their story really makes you question if such situations happen and we simply don't know it as well as think about the nature of love. The lines between right and wrong quickly become blurred in this book.

Even though Forbidden deals with difficult subject matter, it was beautiful. The emotions are so vividly portrayed and felt from the first page until the last one. The story alternately tugs gently and rips at your heart, making it impossible to read this book without feeling something. And yes, I will admit that there were tears while reading this. Many tears. But as emotionally exhausting as this book is, it is certainly worth the read.

In Forbidden, Tabitha Suzuma has told a story that is riveting, emotional, moving, and heartbreaking. Her writing is beautiful, and I will definitely be ordering her other books to read as well.