Bittersweet Review

Bittersweet

Author: Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

Average Rating: 3.68/5.0

Personal Rating: 4.5/5.0

Amount of Pages: 400

Finished Reading: May

According to Goodreads: 

Suspenseful and cinematic, Bittersweet exposes the gothic underbelly of  an American dynasty, and an outsider's hunger to belong.

On scholarship at a prestigious East Coast college, ordinary Mabel Dagmar is surprised to befriend her roommate, the beautiful, blue-blooded Genevra Winslow. Ev invites Mabel to spend the summer at Bittersweet, her cottage on the Vermont estate where her family has been holding court for more than a century; it's the kind of place where swimming boldly is required and the children twirl sparklers across the lawn during cocktail hour. Mabel falls in love with the midnight skinny-dips, the wet dog smell lingering in the air, the moneyed laughter carrying across the still lake, and before she knows it, she has everything she's ever wanted: wealth, friendship, a boyfriend, and, most of all, the sense, for the first time in her life, that she belongs.

But as Mabel becomes an insider, she makes a terrible discovery, which leads to shocking violence and the revelation of the true source of the Winslows' fortune. Mabel must choose: either expose the ugliness surrounding her and face expulsion from paradise, or keep the family’s dark secrets and redefine what is good and what is evil, in the interest of what can be hers.

My opinion:

Before we continue we must all give a round of applause for "Bittersweet" to celebrate how much I loved this book! (claps vigorously while wiping a tear away from face) 

To be quite frank with all of you, there isn't a ton of action throughout the novel. However, I was able to fly through this book. It would feel like I had been reading for maybe 15 minutes, and then I would look at the clock to realize I had been reading for three or four hours. One aspect I absolutely loved about the format of the book is how the chapters are not that long. I think the longest chapter was about three and a half pages. Whenever a book has short chapters like that, I feel like I am able to finish the book faster. Is that just me? 

Throughout the whole novel I was rooting for Galway Winslow. I think I was drawn to him the most, because he seemed to be the most grounded out of his whole family. The Winslows had millions upon millions. They all knew that fact, and used their wealth to their advantage. However, Galway was...different. Mabel was drawn to the fact that Galway didn't seem as interested in those millions. I have to admit I was pretty jealous that Mabel got to hang out with this guy, because let me tell you he is my dream guy.  

My biggest pet peeve out of the whole novel was Mabel's insecurity with her friendship with Ev Winslow and her relationship with Galway. I'm not being condescending towards her having insecurities, because I am certainly not insecurity free. It got to the point that she was practically whining, and insecurities that turn into whining gets under my skin sometimes. We can figure out why she is insecure as we learn more about the characters and her back-story. It's just the fact that there were a lot of times where I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and tell her that everything will work out if it's meant to be! 

I'm glad this novel brought attention to the reality of how many people suffered during the Holocaust, and how many people were able to flourish due to obtaining the property of the suffering. I had a slight notion that it did happen, but it was never taught to me. It was something that I came across at some point in researching or reading another novel. The Winslows represent many families that became wealthy from the victims, and another offense added to the list of actions against the Holocaust victims that people today want to ignore.

Overall, I loved this book! I am giving "Bittersweet" a 4.5 out of 5. If you are looking for a novel that is filled to the brim with action, then this novel is not for you. However, if you are a love of suspense then DING DING DING you have found a winner! I was guessing the outcome of the story only to be completely stunned when the truth came out. 

For More Information:

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/233658/bittersweet-cby-miranda-beverly-whittemore

http://www.randomhouse.com/author/183774/miranda-beverly-whittemore

DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

The Girl with All the Gifts Review

The Girl with All the Gifts

Author: M.R. Carey

Average Rating: 4.08/5.0

Personal Rating: 2.0/5.0

Amount of Pages: 416

Finished Reading: May

According to Goodreads:

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her 'our little genius'. Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh. Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favourite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad.

My opinion:

I received an electronic copy of this book to review from NetGalley, but in no way does that have an impact on my views and opinion. 

I was basically blind going into this book. I had read the the summary on NetGalley, and read the summary from Goodreads. I thought this novel was about this little girl who had all this special talents and intellectual gifts.  

It wasn't like that.

Not even close.

This novel is a full fledged sci-fi novel. I clearly did not do my research, but I felt like the summaries were enough. They sounded intriguing, and I personally thought the story was going to be taken place in a mental ward, or some special building. 

Man, was I wrong.

I will be fair, and say that it wasn't boring. I just found myself very disturbed by what went on in the story. I want to never read about how to remove a brain from a skull ever again. I'm being dead serious. (Note the underline, italicized, and boldness of the word ever.) 

The story was written in third person, which I am not a huge fan of in general. I don't feel like writing in third person allows the author to properly portray how a character looks. I could never really develop that clear picture of the characters in my head. Having clear images of characters in my head is crucial to my reading experience, because when I read the book runs through my head like a movie. The two most important parts of a successful movie is the plot and the characters. If one is missing then the whole experience is basically ruined.   

This brings me to the inevitable time to rate the novel. I gave "The Girl with All the Gifts" a two out five. I know that's going to anger a lot of people, but hear me out when I say this book wasn't for me. I found it disturbing and disgusting. My stomach literally churned during some parts that I read. I am surprised that I even finished it, because there were a lot of times that I wanted to put it down. 

With all that said, this book is perfect for all the sci-fi lovers out there. I highly recommend all lovers of the genre to pick up this book, and read it. I don't think you'll regret it. However, if you're not into trudging through long scientific words or reading about rotting bodies releasing spores then this novel isn't probably going to make it to the top of your to-be-read list. 

Happyface Review

Happyface

Author: Stephen Emond

Average Rating: 3.74/5.0

Personal Rating:  3.5/5.0

Amount of Pages: 320

Finished Reading: May

According to Goodreads:

Enter Happyface's journal and get a peek into the life of a shy, artistic boy who decides to reinvent himself as a happy-go-lucky guy after he moves to a new town. See the world through his hilariously self-deprecating eyes as he learns to shed his comic-book-loving, computer-game playing ways. Join him as he makes new friends, tries to hide from his past, and ultimately learns to face the world with a genuine smile. With a fresh and funny combination of text and fully integrated art, Happyface is an original storytelling experience.

My opinion:

There are two things that I loved about "Happyface." One is how fast paced the story was. It seemed like I just kept turning the pages without stopping to blink. Second, the information about what happened with Happyface's family and Chloe, the girl he left behind when he moved. Emond delivers this information at a very slow pace, and at times you're wondering what really happened. You're probably thinking I am contradicting myself, because I just said the story was fast paced. The story moved quickly, but the information that I think all the readers of this novel were looking was delivered very slowly to keep us all guessing. I know when clues were starting to be dropped I began to make my own assumptions, but the truth of what really did happen with his parents, his brother, and Chloe caught me off guard. It was like a swift blow to the stomach that took my breath away. 

The main character, Happyface, has a sarcastic humor and is very insecure with his status. His older brother is the all American boy who is athletic, gets decent grades, and has many friends. He can do no wrong in the eyes of his parents. Of course, Happyface grows up in his brother's shadow. I noticed early on how Happyface would write a lot about not having any friends, and how he believed he needed to become more popular for Chloe to like him more. He moves to this new school, and he decides that he is going to reinvent himself as person. Happyface develops this theory that if he smiles all the time then more people will want to be around him, because everybody likes being around someone who is always happy. He becomes obsessed with the attention, and thirsts for the popularity that he has gained. He struggles with the fact that if he confronts the truth and just be himself he would be truly happy.

I despised the characters of Misty and Karma. They are sisters, and are friends with Gretchen who is Happyface's new love interest at the new school. When I first met Misty and Karma in the novel, I just felt something off with them. I knew if I met them in reality I wouldn't be able to trust them. Sure enough they stuck their noses into Happyface's past. They would ask him nonchalant questions about certain people or events right in front of everyone. They added a lot to the premise of the story, and were probably the main reason that Happyface had to eventually confront the truth. However, they just irritated me a boatload, and made me cringe whenever they opened their mouths. 

Even though I gave this novel a rather low rating, I still encourage all of you out there to read it. This novel is a great example of how many people hide behind "masks" or smiles to run away from the truth. We all have these "masks." I know I have had several. The truth will always be there, and when we confront it we will then be truly happy. We don't have to conform to what society says we need to be in order to make friends. As long as we act like our unique selves, then we can find those true, sincere, and supportive friends that will be there for everything. 

The Murder Farm Review

The Murder Farm

Author: Andrea Maria Schenkel

Average Rating: 3.23/5.0

Personal Rating: 4.0/5.0

Amount of Pages: 192

Finished Reading: May

According to Goodreads:

A whole family has been murdered with a pickaxe. They were old Danner the farmer, an overbearing patriarch, his put-upon devoutly religious wife, and their daughter Barbara Spangler, whose husband Vincenz left her after fathering her daughter, Marianne. Also murdered was the Danners' new maidservant, Marie, who was regarded as slightly simple. Despite the brutal nature of the killings and the small village where it has taken place, the police have no leads. Officially the crime is unsolved. And then a former resident returns home The Murder Farm is an unconventional detective story. The author interweaves testament from the villagers, an oblique view of the murderer, occasional third-person narrative pieces and passages of pious devotion. The narrator leaves the village unaware of the truth, only the reader is able to reach the shattering conclusion.

My opinion: 

I received an electronic copy of this book to review, but in no way does that have an impact on my views and opinion. 

"The Murder Farm" is a fine example of how a thriller should be. I believe that goriness, as in buckets of blood and guts, is completely unnecessary. A thriller needs to have several parts that send your heart beating, and having you glance over your shoulder once or twice. 

I highly enjoyed how the novel began, even though I thought I was reading a little excerpt from the author, but in reality it was part of the story...whoops. Every so often there would be a page or two with a part of a prayer asking all the saints and God to watch over the murder victims. I thought that was a unique touch that I as a reader doesn't see that much. I don't necessarily get uncomfortable when faith or God gets brought up in a novel that I am reading, but if it's thrown and shoved down my throat I will stop reading the book. However, Schenkel weaves this prayer intricately and beautifully throughout the novel. I would forget about the prayer while I was reading, and then at the perfect moment I would turn to a page with more of the prayer. 

As far as the character development goes, there wasn't too much. The chapters were set up so that part of them was a character giving their account of what happened, and the other parts of the chapters was actually what happened. I loved that set up, because usually if a question arose while reading, the second part of the chapter supplied the answer. You just find out bits and pieces of each character while they give the information about the murders that they know or witnessed. This is definitely not a novel where you can form a relationship or connection with the characters. 

Black Chalk Review

Black Chalk

Author: Christopher J. Yates

Average Rating: 3.52/5.0

Personal Rating: 5.0/5.0

Amount of Pages: 352

Finished Reading: May

According to Goodreads:

One game. Six students. Five survivors.

It was only ever meant to be a game.

A game of consequences, of silly forfeits, childish dares. A game to be played by six best friends in their first year at Oxford University. But then the game changed: the stakes grew higher and the dares more personal, more humiliating, finally evolving into a vicious struggle with unpredictable and tragic results.

Now, fourteen years later, the remaining players must meet again for the final round.

My opinion:

I received an electronic copy of this book to review, but in no way does that have an impact on my views and opinion. 

First things first, we need to take a moment for the cover...moment over. The main reason I chose this novel was because of the cover. Now I know what you're all thinking, "Meredith, don't judge a book by its cover!" *wags finger in my direction* To my defense, this time it was different! I fell in love with the cover, because it seemed so mysterious, dark, and twisted. I will admit I was confused about the tower, but it gets explained towards the end of the novel. In other words, don't strain something trying to figure out the meaning of the tower. 

Also, I wouldn't recommend this novel for the younger people out there. This novel is definitely made for adults due to its obscenities and the density of the information that is given. 

One aspect of the novel I highly enjoyed was how the chapters would alternate between the past and the present day. Most of the story takes place in the past, and in the past is where you meet all the characters. You also learn about how the Game came to be, and how it ended. The chapters written in the present portrayed how the events during the Game psychologically affected one of the main instigators for the Game. 

Three characters' development throughout the novel stuck out to me. Jolyon was known by everybody on campus, and was the clear leader of the pack. However, you come to realize and take notice of how his mind deteriorates due to resulting events caused by the Game. He just wants to be free from the whole thing. Chad is a shy, book smart, and socially awkward boy who befriends Jolyon on the first day on campus. As the game progresses his mind can only think of the Game. He only cares about what is next for the Game, and anything else that isn't the Game doesn't matter. He becomes stronger, and refuses to be walked all over. Dee is another friend who takes part in the Game. In the beginning stages of the story we learn that after she writes 500 poems she wants to commit suicide. After her college days, she does a 360 with herself. She stops wearing the black clothing and dyes her hair blond. She plays a major role in the present day chapters of the book, especially towards the end of the novel. I'm not her number one fan for decisions she made in the chapters that took place in the present. I was and still am questioning if the decisions that she made were decided correctly. 

My heart was heavy with boredom, light and happy with the action, shattered when unexpected events and truths came out, and finally patched with hope for the futures of the remaining characters. I have never had a novel affect me psychologically as much as this one did. I felt like I was right there with the characters experiencing the same distress. I highly recommend this novel to everyone, especially from college and up, who are in search for a book that will tear you apart, confuse you, and then gather up the pieces to soldier on to the end with the characters. 

After the Kiss Review

After the Kiss

Author: Terra Elan McVoy

Average Rating: 3.15/5.0

Personal Rating: 3.8/5.0

Amount of Pages: 382

Finished Reading: May

According to Goodreads:

This moment changes everything. 

Becca has been head-over-heels for Alec from the instant they met. He's a brainy jock with a poet's heart; in other words, perfect for her. 

Camille is careful with her words and protective of her heart, especially since Chicago. Then a new boy in her new town catches her off guard with a surprise kiss. 

Too bad that new boy is Becca's boyfriend, Alec. 

Camille and Becca have never met, but their lives will unravel and intertwine in surprising ways as they deal with what happens after the kiss.

My Opinion:

It was extremely random that I picked up this book. I had a completely different book in mind to pick up next, but I came across this novel when I was trying to make room on my bookshelf. I remember buying the novel, but it soon became one of those book purchases that I told myself I would read sometime in the future. And of course, I ended up forgetting about it. I hate neglecting my books like that, but sometimes some novels just get lost in the shuffle. 

I am quite pleased with decision to read this novel, because I was looking for a light read that I could get through quickly. I have been reading some not so fluffy reads lately, and I truly needed a break. I feel like this read is perfect for the summer, even though the setting doesn't take place in the summer. It just gives me that vibe of being a summer read. ( Nothing to do with the fact that I read the novel out on my deck with the sun shining. pshh.) 

One thing that intrigued me was the writing style that McVoy used throughout the novel. There were two character perspectives that she would flip between. The first one was Camille who was written in second person and did not follow the capitalization rules that we are all used to. The second character was Becca, whose voice was written in prose with the use of  first person. I thought it would take me longer to grasp the two different styles, but there were only a few times that I had to go back to read a sentence or two over to understand what was going on. I know there are several books out there that have been written in prose, but I found it unique how this particular novel switched between the two contrasting styles. 

My one pet peeve about the story line was how there was no confrontation between the two girls involved in the triangle. They were part of this dance crossing in front of each other, but never coming together. I'm a girl who loves to see some action with this sort of thing. I'm not saying I like cat fights, but I do enjoy when two characters come together to confront the issue at hand. 

I believe After the Kiss takes the common topic of a love triangle, and puts a creative twist on it with the stylistic way of writing. I do not believe my time has been wasted reading and getting to know the characters. This novel is a light read that lets your mind relax and time fly by. I would recommend this novel to any who are looking for a quick read, and stories involving romance. 

Billy Tabbs (& The Glorious Darrow) Review

Billy Tabbs (& The Glorious Darrow)

Author: Michael P. Michaud

Average Rating: 4.0/5.0

Personal Rating: 4.0/5.0

Finished Reading: May

According to Biting Duck Press:

A youthful vagrant, Billy Tabbs has been living in the streets for as long as he can remember, scratching out a pitiable existence in a city that doesn't much care if he lives or dies.

Amid rumors that his kind are disappearing from the alleyways and the overpasses, Billy is recruited into a bizarre homeless sect living in the underbelly of high society. It is here where he meets Darrow — the mysterious and volatile leader of an organization committed to escalating acts of civil disobedience; an organization meant to force the people of the city toward equal respect for all inhabitants of society.

Following a brazen public initiation, Billy is accepted into the group, soon becoming a valued member. However, as their movement gains popularity, and their own numbers continue to swell, can they avoid becoming that which they’d originally set out to fight? Compounding this disturbing trend is the growing divide among their leadership, with their ideology ever teetering between violent and non-violent activism.

My Opinion:

I received an electronic copy of this book to review, but in no way does that have an impact on my views and opinion. 

This novel is the debut novel of Michael P. Michaud. For a debut novel, I was pretty impressed. I was a bit skeptical when I first started reading it. There was not a real attention grabber that would grab my attention for an extended amount of time. I found my mind drifting to other things that I needed to finish, or just zoning out in general. One thing that really irritated me was how the chapters were not consistent in length. I am not saying that every chapter needs to be exactly the same, but I felt like there were chapters that could have been made into separate chapters. 

I bet you're wondering how this novel got a four out of five star rating. I have this rule for myself that I must finish a book no matter how terrible it may be. Like I've said, I thought this novel was going to be torture to get through when I began reading. However, I set myself down one day to read it, and really focus my mind on it. A little over a third of the way in I started enjoying it. I began to understand what was going on, and I started thinking about what the outcome would be. Events began to take place, and more characters were being introduced resulting in the speed of reading to pick up. 

My favorite character out of the novel would be Darrow. Darrow is the leader of the House of Darrow. I feel like he embodies the concept of greed and desire that so many people fall victim too. He starts out with good intentions, which allows him to gain a small following. He is able to provide an abundance of supplies for his followers. The small organization begins developing, and pretty soon it expands considerably. Darrow sees this as great progress, and begins to desire an even larger impact on the society they are fighting against. All this desire and greed eventually goes to Darrow's head causing him to lose sight of what he originally built his organization on. 

Overall, I'm glad that I stuck with this book, because it did end up being a wonderful book. It was refreshing to read, because it wasn't about vampires or girl falls in love with boy who lives next door. The novel was difficult at first to grasp, and at times difficult to swallow due to events that took place. I would recommend this novel, especially if you are looking for a novel that isn't the norm right now.