MY PLAIN JANE by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton

Rating: A-
Release Date: 6/26/18
Synopsis:
You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

My thoughts on the book:
I really adore the Lady Janies' books. Their novels are always fun, hilarious takes on classical novels, and My Plain Jane was no exception. This book, like its predecessor, is one of those light-hearted stories that makes your world feel a little bit brighter, just by reading it. I enjoyed Hand, Meadows, and Ashton's take on Jane Eyre, and agreed with most of their quips about the novel. I wasn't a huge Jane Eyre fan due to my dislike of Rochester, but I have immense respect for both of the Brontë sisters. This book does Brontë's novel justice and pokes fun at some of the ridiculousness in the original story, too. I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fun, unique read. 

The characters in this book were amazing. Charlotte, Jane, and Alexander each told the story from their own perspectives, and each character was fully developed and so "human," that I couldn't help but relate to all of them in some way. The secondary characters were equally engaging, and Bran was a particular favorite of mine, as was Helen. I love how they painted Charlotte as a clever, creative, and mischievous teenager. In all of the portraits of the Brontës, they always looked so stern... I prefer to think of Charlotte as these authors created her - an adventurous spirit who appreciated everything in the world around her. I also enjoyed the idea that Charlotte and Jane were friends and that's how Jane Eyre came to be. 

The writing was brilliant, of course. These authors are professionals, and it shows in every novel they create. They tempered humor with seriousness, and at times, sadness. I felt a range of emotions while reading this novel and found myself rooting for all of the characters who weren't "nefarious villains." This is a longer novel (when it comes to YA lit, over 450 pages), but I flew through it. The pacing is spot on and nothing feels rushed. The plot has a few holes that may be corrected before the final copy goes to print, but it's also clear (as it was in the last novel) that this is supposed to be a lighthearted story and some of the outlandish plot points are supposed to be accepted for the sake of the story. 

Overall, I say give this book (and series) a try. If you're a fan of classical literature, or you just like people named Jane, then you'll love this book. Each novel can be read as a standalone book, too, though there was a cameo from Jane and G from the first book that I enjoyed. This novel is the perfect light summer read. I can't wait to see what these authors come up with next. 

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RESTORE ME by Tahereh Mafi

Rating: A+

Synopsis:
Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she's got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

My thoughts on the book:
I have to admit, I loved the ending of the Shatter Me (what I thought to be) trilogy so much that I was hesitant to revisit this world. I didn't know what was going to happen to my beloved characters, and I didn't want to see the lives they'd worked so hard for be upended again. However, I was intrigued. Most authors leave a happily ever after alone and don't revisit to let the readers know what happens after the "end of the story." That always irked me a bit because no one's story ends until their life ends, and sometimes it doesn't even end then, so how could a character's story just end at this really convenient spot? The nice, neat endings do offer a reader some comfort, a sense of closure, if you will. Clearly Mafi didn't want us to have closure with Juliette's story, though, because Juliette's story continues AFTER the happily ever after, and we find out that things aren't so happy... and that we don't know half as much about any of these characters as we thought we did. 

Juliette got on my nerves a few times in this book, and I used to love her so much. I felt like she was a bit bratty at times, but I could understand her frustration at everyone underestimating her. I think she also underestimated herself, though, and needed to take advice instead of running off to prove she was a grown up. Warner disappointed me some in this book. He just, ugh, he is just so bad at peopling. He grew a lot in this installment, and I enjoyed that, but he broke my heart at times, too. Kenji was hilarious as usual, and I love some of the new characters. I was glad that I didn't have to see much of Adam in this novel, since he's not my favorite.

The writing was glorious, which is typical of Mafi. It felt different, though. It also showed how much Juliette had grown. No longer did she have disjointed sentences in her thinking. Her thoughts were more coherent, less desperate, and less broken. Some of the passages still blew me away, though. I think my favorite quote in the entire book was, "For years my goal was to minimize myself--to fold and refold myself into a polygon of nothingness, to be too insignificant to be remembered. I wanted to appear innocent; I was worried always about how my very existence was terrifying to others and I did everything in my power to diminish myself, my light, my soul. I wanted to desperately to placate the ignorant. I wanted so badly to appease the assholes who judged me without knowing me that I lost myself in the process. But now? Now, I laugh. Out loud. Now, I don't give a shit." By this point in the book, Juliette is turning into someone we can all be proud of. She's a strong woman and a force to be reckoned with.

The pacing was spot-on, and the big reveals kept me guessing. The ending was a cliffhanger, which I hate, so I am counting the days until the next book in the series comes out.

If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now: You need to read this series. These books change lives. They have given me strength when nothing else could. You need the Shatter Me series in your life.

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I'm back!

After living through the absolute worst two years of my life, I am finally back in blogger land. I'm ready to put the past behind me and start doing things I enjoy again, starting with book reviews. Expect my first review to come this evening.

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THE BLACK KEY by Amy Ewing

Rating: A-
Synopsis:
For too long, Violet and the people of the outer circles of the Lone City have lived in service to the royalty of the Jewel. But now the secret society known as the Black Key is preparing to seize power.

And while Violet knows she is at the center of this rebellion, she has a more personal stake in it—her sister, Hazel, has been taken by the Duchess of the Lake. Now, after fighting so hard to escape the Jewel, Violet must do everything in her power to return to save not only Hazel, but the future of the Lone City.

My thoughts on the book:
As most of you know, I have been in love with this series since The Jewel came out. It started out as a unique view of dystopian worlds, and the second book in the trilogy brought up deeper thoughts and ideas to think about. The Black Key expanded on the themes of colonialism, freedom of choice (and consequences), and classism. This final installment did not disappoint, and Ewing left me with a lot to think about after I finished the book. 

Violet, like most leading characters, grew throughout the course of the trilogy. However, unlike a lot of literature, she was still flawed and still made mistakes, even after she learned to take responsibility for her actions and saw what some choices cost. While I was frustrated with her at times, I really appreciated the fact that she remained a real and relatable character. Through Violet's trials and mistakes, other characters grew as well, including Ash. He wasn't my favorite in this installment, but he at least got more fleshed out and became a strong character in his own right. Lucien and Garnet were my favorites, though I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Garnet's complexity toward the end of this book. I also would have liked to have seen more of how being in the Jewel changed Hazel. I felt like that her growth was a bit rushed since she was such a background character until midway through the 2nd novel, and I think that really didn't do her justice. 

The Black Key started off kind of slow, in my opinion, but by the 4th chapter, things really picked up and I became invested in the story. After that event/Violet's decision, which started the narrative of freedom of choice and consequences, the Violet had trials coming at her from all directions, and it was interesting to see how she navigated each of those. Some of her decisions had dire consequences, and it really helped me see that even though we all can make small "incorrect" decisions from time to time, it's not our fault when something horrific happens because of those choices. Yes, Violet could have made a couple of decisions better, but the outcomes of those choices were a lot harsher than they should have been. I've made some small decisions in my own life that ended terribly bad, and I always beat myself up over that, just like Violet did. But through Ewing's writing, I was able to see that Violet wasn't at fault. The people who took things too far were the ones to blame for the horrific consequences, and that helped me view my own life differently. I love when novels can change the way that I look at things as well. 

In addition to the narrative of choice, there was also a background narrative of colonialism and the prices that are paid for people colonizing an area. As this novel shows, history is written by the winners, and because of that so many people didn't know who or what they were. The royals attempted genocide on the indigenous race, much like the English attempted genocide on America's indigenous peoples, and many colonizers (royals) didn't know that the indigenous race still survived. The terrifying lengths that the royals went to in order to control the indigenous population and get all that they could out of them mirrored how many corporations, and even our own government, treats our very own indigenous population in America. Ewing masterfully weaves these two narratives together and creates a unique and enthralling story about Violet and the history of the Lone City.

Overall, I'd recommend this series to anyone who enjoys unique dystopian and/or fantasy novels. Ewing assumes her readers are intelligent people, and she gives us a lot to think about with this trilogy. Her storytelling is excellent, and while there were some really harsh moments in this book, I feel like I'm a better person for reading it. Ewing has a strong voice, and she definitely has a lot to say about society. I look forward to her next project.

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THE FATE OF THE TEARLING by Erika Johansen

Rating: A+
Synopsis:
In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has grown from an awkward teenager into a powerful monarch and a visionary leader.

And as she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, she has transformed her realm. But in her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies - chief among them the evil and feared Red Queen, who ordered the armies of Mortmesne to march against the Tear and crush them.

To protect her people from such a devastating invasion, Kelsea did the unthinkable - naming the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, Regent in her place, she surrendered herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign from her prison in Mortmesne.

So, the endgame has begun and the fate of Queen Kelsea - and the Tearling itself - will be revealed...

With The Fate of the Tearling, Erika Johansen draws her unforgettable story full of magic and adventure to a thrilling close.

My thoughts on the book:
I finished this book a few hours ago, and I'm still stunned. The only way to describe what I'm feeling is mindblown. This novel took me on one hell of a rollercoaster ride, and the ending surprised me. It was a satisfying ending, but wow did it have some hard learned lessons in it. This story was exactly what I needed to read at this point in my life, but I just have so many things spinning around in my head because of it that this review may not make much sense. In short, this is the best fantasy trilogy I've ever read. 

Johansen managed to seamlessly pull off the free indirect discourse point-of-view; I haven't seen someone wield a pen (so to speak) so well since Emma by Jane Austen. I was 100% invested in all the characters, and while I had my favorites, I loved learning so much about each character that we followed throughout the series. Kelsea really impressed me. Her strength was admirable, and her willingness to sacrifice was inspiring. Katie was a fascinating character, one who was also very smart and strong. The narration style varied with each character, which was very well-done on the author's part. The Mace's narration left some mysteries about him because, just like the man, the narration was closed off. Everything about the narrative was flawless. 

It's clear from how much I enjoyed the narration that I felt that the writing was extremely well-done. I haven't read many books that had such a plethora of "big words." Johansen assumes her readers are intelligent, and I enjoyed her descriptions much more because of the vivid language she used. The Tearling and Mort both came alive on the page, and each area had an energy about it that was palpable as I turned the pages. I felt like I was along on the journey with Kelsea and crew, and that made me fully engrossed for the whole 500 pages. The plot twist and the ending shocked me. I mean I was expecting some of it, but how everything ended up really surprised me, and the message that was clear at the end was heartbreakingly beautiful. This book left me feeling inspired, and that doesn't happen often anymore. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and trilogy to anyone who is looking for something a bit different in the fantasy realm. This is no run-of-the-mill fantasy novel. This series will make you think and evaluate your own life, and that's a good thing. Well done, Ms. Johansen. 

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THE FORGETTING by Sharon Cameron

Rating: A-
Synopsis:
What isn't written, isn't remembered. Even your crimes.

Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person's memories – of parents, children, love, life, and self – are lost. Unless they have been written.

In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn't written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.

But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.

My thoughts on the book
In some ways, I felt this novel was misleading. It's kind of billed as a fantasy book, and it isn't. Also, a lot of the big reveals seemed to come out of nowhere to me. Sure, thinking back, there were tiny hints, but not enough to put stuff together. That being said, the writing itself was phenomenal. The world-building was spot-on. The characters were intriguing, and the plot kept me completely engaged until the very last page. Sharon Cameron is quickly becoming one of the stars of YA literature. 

Nadia was a great leading character. She's damaged and has experienced trauma, and unlike the rest of the village, she remembered it. She's still strong, though, and she used her pain to do something about terrible situations. That's not her intent at first, I don't think, but she grew throughout the novel, and by the end, she was definitely one of the strongest heroines in YA lit. Gray was also a fantastic leading man. He was just good-hearted. He treated Nadia, and everyone else with respect. He wasn't a jerk, and he cared about people's well-being. He's what leading males should be, in my opinion. Each of the supporting characters was also unique, and I enjoyed Genivee the most. I wish we had gotten to see a bit more of her. 

This novel is completely different from any other book written by Cameron. I loved all of her other work, but this one is unique and I think she found her niche with it. I felt like some of the big reveals could have been a little more obvious, but maybe I'm just bitter because I didn't figure it out before it was revealed. Even the bad guy took me a tiny bit by surprise. The writing was simply beautiful, and the idea of memories making up the person is a poignant topic. I would love to do a psychoanalytic reading and discussion of this book here, but I don't want to give anything away. The pacing was perfect, and I couldn't put the book down. The first page grabbed me, and I was hooked. The ending was wonderful and tied things together nicely. I was actually satisfied with this ending. Very few endings are satisfying anymore, so that was a nice change within itself. This was just a very well-written novel, all the way around. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something different. There are a lot of twists, turns, and surprises. The characters are very real, and the concept is thought-provoking. You can't go wrong with this one. 

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THE THOUSANDTH FLOOR by Katharine McGee

Rating: B-
Synopsis:
NEW YORK CITY AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

A thousand-story tower stretching into the sky. A glittering vision of the future where anything is possible—if you want it enough.

WELCOME TO MANHATTAN, 2118.

A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. Everyone there wants something…and everyone has something to lose.

LEDA COLE’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

ERIS DODD-RADSON’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

RYLIN MYERS’s job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world—and a romance—she never imagined…but will this new life cost Rylin her old one?

WATT BAKRADI is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy for an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is AVERY FULLER, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Amid breathtaking advancement and high-tech luxury, five teenagers struggle to find their place at the top of the world. But when you're this high up, there's nowhere to go but down...

My thoughts on the book:
This novel was definitely unique, and the beginning grabbed me and kept me reading until the very end. The writing was pretty well done, but the characters were a bit generic at times. Also, the plot dragged a bit in places, and some stuff is just creepy. I couldn't really connect to any of the characters, either, and the multiple viewpoints all sounded very similar. They needed to be differentiated a bit. The pacing was pretty slow, so it took awhile to get through this one. 

The characters themselves were difficult to relate to. They were kind of shallow, and at times vapid. Avery really annoyed me a lot. Leda was selfish and obnoxious. Everyone else was kind of boring. Not a lot of personality in this book. More cliches than anything, and that's a shame. Especially with multiple viewpoints. It made it more difficult to get through than it should have been.

The plot was a bit loose in the middle. It just lagged more than it should have. The beginning was amazing, though, and the ending flew by. The writing was fairly well done, though the character dialogues were similar. The setting was unique, and the world-building was spectacular. I was fully immersed in this futuristic world. The romance that tried to exist was weak. It was more soap opera caliber betrayals than anything else. 

Overall, I'd say this book was just okay. Give it a try if you're looking for something different and sci-fi. Not a lot of actual romance, so don't count on that. You may want to check it out from the library before buying.

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