Micro Fiction Monday - Freedom (BEDS 404)

I keep my eye on the horizon. It stretches forever; I’m not used to it. I’m used to concrete towers, buildings stretching high into the sky, people visible from every corner and every coordinate. Business and busyness, cramped and crazy, where the closest thing to freedom is stepping on a balcony as high as you can get. Where you try to see everything, but can only ever get a fraction of all the uninterrupted movement. Flatness is foreign to me.

But here, flat is everywhere—where the tallest building is a storey and a half, and I can see the end of every street I turn onto. Where the greens outnumber the greys, and the sky is so blue that it seems more like a cartoon backdrop than reality. The air smells different, tastes different, feels different. Here, freedom is seeing the world open up around you, its limits beyond your line of sight, if there are even any limits at all. Freedom is reaching up towards the clouds, because they’re so close that touching them is somehow closer to a reality than a mere possibility. Freedom is reaching out on either side, and never touching another soul.

Freedom is feeling like, at any moment, you can jump and never come down.

Review: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

"I think we ought to live happily ever after." - Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle

I was introduced to this story first throuh the Studio Ghibli animated film. Although confusing at first, it's earned its place in my heart as one of my all-time favourite movies. Once I discovered it was based on a book, that got added to my TBR so freaking fast, and after putting it off for forever, I finally got around to buying it and giving it a readthrough.

Howl's Moving Castle follows Sophie, a young hat maker who gets cursed by the Witch of the Waste and is turned into an old woman, unable to tell anyone she is actually under a spell. After running away from home, so as not to cause confusion or fear, she turns to the mysterious moving castle, and the wizard Howl who owns it. There, she strikes a deal with the demon Calcifer--break his contract with Howl, and he'll break the spell the Witch put on her.

Although Howl is well known for eating the hearts of young girls, Sophie soon learns the rumours running wild aren't as true as she believed--but his contract with the fire demon is much more complex and mysterious than she originally anticipated. On top of it all, things are never very ordinary around the castle--from a door that opens to four different places, to a magic scarecrow following them across the hills of Ingary. Sophie must navigate through this world of magic, spells, and curses, if she ever wants to return to her true self.

The problem I have with any book-to-movie or book-to-TV adaptation is that I have a big tendency to prefer the version I experience first, and Howl's Moving Castle seems to be no exception. One of the only reasons I kept reading was my love for the movie. (Another was that I was too far into it and didn't have time to read through another book before my review was due WELP.)

Don't get me wrong, though--the world was just as magical as the movie portrayed it, for which I was grateful. They don't often go into too much detail or backstory about the world, and just sort of let you take the reigns and run with it. Heavy world building is what normally turns me away from the fantasy genre, so I like that a book with a premise so highly dependent on fantastic elements is able to make the world come alive without having to go into the whole history of how it all began. That much, at least, the book did right.

This version of the story failed me, though. The things that I found most interesting--namely, Howl's history and background in Wales--wasn't explored anywhere near as much as I thought they should have been. I wanted to know how he found Ingary, why he left Wales, what form magic takes in our world. Instead, we got no explanation--we just had to accept that that was Howl's history and move on, with little more detail or answers. 

Meanwhile, my favourite bits that were included were sort of left up in the air until the last minute. Sohpie and Howl's relationship barely seemed to progress at all until the final few chapters, until suddenly Sophie was jealous and they were in love. I got absolutely no indication of Howl or anyone knowing of the curse, and quite frankly the appearance of her family towards the end was just kind of random. I did love Michael's relationship with Martha, and enjoyed watching as that progressed on the sidelines. But that was about the only saving grace for me.

I don't know. I feel like this book had so much potential, but as much as I loved the movie, the book just didn't give me the same feeling.

Final rating: 2.8

Until later,

- Justyne

Review: On the Other Side by Carrie Hope Fletcher

"I've never been able to figure it out, but your mother had a word for it.""And what was that?""Magic."- Carrie Hope Fletcher, On the Other Side

Evie Snow is 82 when she passes away peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her family and loved ones. When she wakes up, she's 27 again, and the door to her apartment--her own personal heaven--is locked. To open it, she has to lighten her soul of the burden of a lifetime's worth of secrets she's kept hidden from her children over the years. Revealing these secrets from the Great Beyond, though, means revisiting one magical year where everything was perfect--and the man that she was never meant to be with.

I reviewed Carrie's first book, All I Know Now, shortly after its release last year. Since that one was nonfiction, I had no idea what reading this book--her first work of fiction--would work out. It sounded intriguing, and I was very, very excited to read through it!

If there was ever a book that best encompassed the concept of magical realism, it's this one. The supernatural elements of this book are sudden and spaced out in such a way that it never fails to catch you off guard, even as you reach the finale. The sentences that start out as metaphors end up being literal, which make for a very quirky fantasy. There often seems to be no rhyme, reason, or rules to how this magic works--like Carrie summoned her imagination and let it take the reins whenever it had the urge. It's not a method I would recommend, necessarily--but I didn't dislike it. It gave the story a certain unique charm that I don't normally see in the books I pick up.

Carrie has stated herself that she made an effort to create a timeless setting. She avoided mention of any technology beyond the realm of cars and animated movies. I can see the longterm benefit of this decision, but I honestly feel like she could've benefitted more from picking a timeline and identifying it from the beginning. It would've given the setting a lot more character--because as it stands, the setting is just a dull backdrop behind extraordinary characters.

Speaking of--Carrie is very good at portraying her characters fully in fewer words. She did a lot of backstory, though, which wasn't always needed, and was written in a way that sometimes just dragged the story on longer than necessary.

Overall, the story was imaginative, quirky, and full of wonder--much like Carrie herself. It's not necessarily a story that I would read again, but her voice and style are solid in her first novel.

Final rating: 3 stars.

Until later,

- Justyne

Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

"Write about what disturbs you, particularly if it bothers no one else." - Kathryn Stockett, The Help

Set in Mississippi in the 1960's, The Help follows three women--Skeeter, a recent college grad; Aibileen, a coloured maid specializing in raising white children; and Minny, Aibileen's best friend, who is as great at cooking as she is bad at keeping her sassy mouth shut. Inspired by advice from a New York publishing house, Skeeter approaches the two maids with a project--a book written from the perspective of black women working for white families. The idea is to portray the good, the bad, and everything in between in as honest a fashion as possible.

I normally try to avoid stories with more than two narrators. I've found that any more than two can cause confusion if not done properly, but Stockett does an excellent, excellent job of setting each character apart from the other, and switching between the three in a smooth, unjarring way. Their voices were very distinct, and each character brought a unique perspective to the story that made it as great as it was.

One of the few complaints I have about this book is that I found that it dragged on a bit at times. It took a solid hundred pages before the idea of the book was even brought up, and more still before anyone even agreed to working on it. The book is a whopping 522 pages--it's a beast. I enjoyed it, but I definitely think it could have shortened down by a bit.

That being said, in comparison to the movie (which I watched once a couple years ago, and again after reading the book), I did enjoy the extra details that the book gave to the characters involved. It showed alternative sides that the movie never got to explore, gave more mystery to characters like Celia Foote before giving away all their secrets. Sometimes, though, there was almost too much mystery, and the story dragged because of it. 

Overall, the characters are phenomenal, but it definitely could have been taken down a hundred pages or so. I can understand a lot of the things the movie cut back on to save run time. The movie didn't suffer from what it ommitted, and I'm sure the book wouldn't have, either, if it received the same alterations.

Final rating: 4 stars.

Until later,

- Justyne

Micro Fiction Monday: Freedom

I saw the movement before I felt it. I had already been staring out the window for a solid ten minutes, unblinking, as I willed the metal mechanisms to pull the train forward. Then, the flowers began to move outside the window—slowly, at first, then faster, as the car lurched forward. Gears moaned and clunked together,  and I heard the engine puff and wheeze with the effort. The whistle sounded.

We were moving.

The attendant had told me to sit still, especially if this was my first time, but the energy and excitement and anticipation had built too high. I was overflowing, and like the wooden cars surrounding me,, I needed to move.

I pushed myself out of my seat and started walking, then running, then flying down the aisle. I leaped over bags and dodged passengers, yelling their complaints to my vanishing figure. I jumped from one car to the next, running opposite from where the train was taking me, my feet no longer fast enough to keep up as the scenery began to whiz by the windows. 

I pushed open a final door and felt the rush of fresh air, the wind grabbing my silk hair and running wild with it. I caught myself on the railing of the caboose, watching as the city already started to disappear from view. So it wasn’t as big as everyone thought, after all.

The whistle blew again as the train reached full speed, pulling my away from the place I had hated for so long. I closed my eyes and breathed in the freedom, the relief, and the peace.

Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

"The best discoveries always happen to the people who weren't looking for them." - Morgan Matson, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

This wasn't my first Morgan Matson book, but it's the one that I've owned the longest. I've heard many, many, many good things about this book, but never actually got around to reading it.

But now it's summer, and since Sarah Dessen doesn't have a new book coming out this year (//sobs quietly in corner//), then I have to start picking up other contemporaries. Enter: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, stage right.

After Amy's dad died in a sudden and tragic accident, a lot of things changed--her brother Charlie went into rehab, for one. Her mother decided to move the family across the country, for another. And now, her mom wants her to drive the family car to their new home, and enlists family friend Roger to drive, giving them the itinerary and the funds to get on their way.

The itinerary, though, is....lacking. (In interest, adventure, and fun....pretty much everything you'd want from a road trip.) So instead, Amy and Roger take a detour--and a big one, at that. The two of them each have baggage that extends beyond the trunk of their car, and each new stop brings them each closer to coming to terms with it--and closer to each other. 

What to say about this book? Well, for starters, it made me have an intense and dire need to go on a road trip of my own. (My bank statement doesn't agree with this, nor does the fact that I don't actually have a car. Or a driver's license. Or anyone who's willing to do all the driving for a cross-country adventure.) But that's okay, because it broke my dreams in a very well-written way!

One of the things I really like about Maston's book is the way she paces them. This book, in particular, framed much of their journey in a sort of literary montage, formed by snippets of conversation as they made the long trek from California to Conneticut. It was something that I don't normally see, as most books normally skip through the boring bits and cut straight to the action. But these snippets provided great insight to the progression of their friendship, without dragging the story on. It sped up the narrative without rushing it--a difficult balance, sometimes, but a rewarding one.

The thing with this book, though, was the Big Tragic Thing that was alluded to throughout the story wasn't as shocking as she might have hoped it would be. It was very, very easy to pick up on and guess what it was, long before the flashabck that expalined it, and that almost took away from the story in a way that doesn't normally happen. I don't care about being caught off guard, necessarily, but it was just so painfully obvious what had happened that it was almost frustrating that we didn't find out what it was until almost the end of the story.

Also--and this is extremely shocking for me--I didn't find myself caring a whole lot about the romantic attraction between Amy and Roger. Their friendship was great, and I enjoyed the way they got to know each other and interacted throughout their journey. But I feel like the chemistry between them was rather lacking, which is something I don't often (or ever) find myself saying about a rom-com contemporary. Normally I hop on board the ship right away, but no matter how far their feelings progressed, I just wasn't feelin' it. (This can't be said for any other of her books, though, which I am grateful for.)

What I did love, though, was the slew of characters we met as they travelled from state to state on their detour. I loved the snapshots of the lives we saw, how it compared and contrasted to our main characters. More importantly, I love how each location brought Amy a step closer to where she needed to be, teaching her the things she needed to learn and showing her how to move on from the grief that was plaguing her at the start of the novel. 

All in all, it's a fantastic summer read, and I would definitely recommend it--although you may find yourself planning a grand adventure of your own afterwords.

Final rating: four stars. (Maybe 4.2, even!)

Until later,

Justyne

Micro Fiction Monday: Sunken Memories

The smell of campfires hit me in the face as I turned the page. Not literally, because I was in my room in the middle of the afternoon, and in no way remotely close to a bonfire. But this slightly dented hardback, its pages already creased from the dog ears of another read-through, was one I bought last summer. The first time I read it was by the light of the fire pit outside our tent, and the smell came back to me now, as though the pages had absorbed the smoke when I was reading.

~~

The next book I read brought a cool breeze to my cheeks, and though the air was silent, I could hear the jingle of holiday songs. I closed my eyes and saw soft yellow lights among thick green branches, could feel the satisfaction of wrapping paper tearing beneath my fingers, revealing the cover that I was now holding in my hands. The first time I read it was that afternoon, during the peaceful quiet of a holiday.

~~

I crack open my new book as I exit the bookstore, the rush of a new addition to my collection still fresh in my bones. The air has a chill to it, and I quickly zip up my jacket, tugging my silk scarf farther up my face. My eyes drift over the new, unfamiliar words as my boots crunch through the dead, fallen leaves.

And like every book I’ve read before, this memory will soak itself into the pages of this book, only to be released when I start the story anew. 

Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

"Sometimes in life, we need a few bad days in order to keep the good ones in perspective." -- Colleen Hoover, Maybe Someday

Do y'all remember when I did a review on November 9? Do you remember how much I loved it?

WELL BUCKLE UP CUZ WE'RE ABOUT TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN.

It is becoming quickly evident to me that I am absolute Romance Novel Trash, which I feel like I've always known but never wanted to admit. (I haven't started buying books with half naked guys on the cover yet, though, so progress??) Anyway, this book follows Sydney, a 22-year-old college student who comes home from work on her birthday to discover that her best friend / roommate has been cheating on her with her boyfriend for lord-knows-how long. She throws a punch, grabs her stuff, and moves out...only to quickly find herself homeless in the rain, because she actually doesn't really have anywhere else to go.

Enter Ridge, her neighbour from across the apartment courtyard. He offers to let her live in their apartment, rent-free, if she agrees to work with him writing songs for his band. She agrees, and the two quickly form an attraction--which is a problem, because he has a girlfriend, and Sydney absolutely refuses to let what happened to her happen to another girl.

My favourite thing about this book is the absolutely refreshing honesty that was present throughout their relationship. It often feels like the conflict in just about any romantic comedy / drama / subplot in an action movie derives from an utter lack of communication between partners. Sometimes it's warranted, sometimes it's not, but either way it is utterly overdone and frustrating every time it arises.

Good 'ol Sydney and Ridge, though, are completely upfront and honest about their feelings for each other. They know that they are mutually attracted to each other, and instead of trying to ignore it or deny it, they put all of their feelings on the table and c o m m u n i c a t e. They express themselves, they explain and understand why they can't pursue these attractions, and it feels SO GOD DAMN REFRESHING. All of their conflicts arise from outside sources, not from screts between them. This only strengthens their relationship, too, because they learn to rely and trust one another in ways that a lot of fictional couples don't in romantic plots. WRITERS EVERYWHERE, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD TAKE NOTES.

That being said, though, I got a little frustrated with their actions throughout the story. Like yeah, being honest is good, and it definitely helped avoid a lot of would-be issues, but...come on. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, GUYS, REALLY.

I was also a little let down by the bonus playlist. Basically, the book contains a QR code that leads you to a free online playlist of the songs that Ridge and Sydney wrote in the book. It was an excellent concept, to give the reader an actual song to listen to along with the lyrics instead of creating some bad makeshift version in their mind, but I feel like it could've been done a little better? For example, I found myself wanting to listen to the songs as they were sung in the book, right? But I was a little disappointed to find that all the songs were sung by the same guy--even the ones that Sydney was singing in the book. I just think it would've been cool to get another, female artist to step in and sing the songs that Sydney was singing in the story. Granted, I wasn't a huge fan of the songs in general, so that didn't help, either.

Anyway. That aside, Hoover's writing was super vivid and well done, her characters well developed, and the plot caught me off guard a number of times--which, I think I've mentioned before, is really hard to do. And the concert scene at the end? A. DOR. A. BLE. I almost died.

All in all, I give it a solid five stars. (Or at least like 4.8)

Until later,

- Justyne

Review: The Selection

WARNING: The following blog posts contain spoilers for the novel under review, ranging from mild to heart wrenchingly major. If you have yet to read this novel and dislike being spoiled, leave now and return upon completion.

If you HAVE read this novel (or just don't give a crap about spoilers), then continue on.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

~~

HELLO, FRIENDS! It's that time of week again! Today we'll be talking about The Selection, by Kiera Cass!

THE PLOT-Y BIT

Prince Maxon has just come of age, which means that it's time for the Selection--a competition between 35 girls to win his heart and, subsequently, the crown. It's the chance of a lifetime; one that America Singer wants nothing to do with. She knows what she wants--a future with Aspen, the love of her life, even if it means spending it in poverty.

Against all odds, she's chosen as the representative of her province, and is whisked into a world of ball gowns, fancy jewels, and life in a glittering palace. Nothing is what she imagined it to be--not even Maxon, who isn't nearly as stiff as he appears on TV. Slowly, she finds herself falling for him, realizing as she does that her ideals for the future are shifting, as well.

THE REVIEW-Y BIT

Do we have a tally going for the amount of books read in one sitting this year? No? Well, we should.

This year is quickly being filled with these kinds of reading experiences, and I am in no way complaining! Stories like these are the reason reading is so exciting! They're never intentional, of course--more of an oops-I-accidentally-read-300-pages-in-one-day-might-as-well-finish kind of experience. But that's also what makes them fun!

To be honest, I was a little iffy about this book going into it. Judging from the premise--a girl who competes against others for the prince's affections--it sounded a lot like The Bachelor on steroids. Still, I had heard good things about it, so I picked it up nonetheless.

Do you ever buy a book, intending to read it right away, only to leave it on your shelf for months, collections dust? And then, when you finally DO get around to reading it, the only thought going through your mind was, "Holy crap this book is amazing WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG??"

That. This book was that.

As cheesy as America's name is (Singer? Really?), I really liked her as a character. She knows what she wants out of life and is more than willing to fight for it. While stubborn at times, she's able to admit when she was wrong. And she's so full of compassion, I just know she would make a great queen. (She and Maxon have to get together. They must.)

Speaking of Maxon--God, how adorable is he? He's so socially awkward, yet at the same time so caring and kind and such a gentleman. He obviously cares about his people, too, judging from his quick actions to enforce a food bank type of system for lower caste families. He and America would / will make an amazing team--talk about a power couple!

I think Illéa's scoiety structure is super interesting. A lot of those dystopian-esque books take place way in the future, and even though this one techincally did (it takes place after WWIV), it didn't seem like it. Their technology was about the same as ours; not too advanced, but not described as a post-apocalyptic wasteland, either. It's just like ours, except...well, slightly different.

But that's what makes it so interesting! It parallels our society in a way that's so simliar that we can easily picture it and relate to it as easily as we can our own lives. It takes the things that are already wrong with our society--we're talking wealth distribution, homelessness, poverty--and emphasises them. It places further rules and restrictions, turning it into a bigger and more obvious problem.

Yes, there's something wrong in this imaginary world. But there's something wrong with our world, as well--all this book does is reflect on it and bring attention to it, in an interesting and compelling way.

STAR-Y BIT

This book earned a 5 star rating from me very quickly. Although it could have used some distance from the traditional topes we're used to in YA dystopians, it was still a great read!


What were your thoughts on this week's read? Be sure to discuss down in the comments!

Until later,

- Justyne

Review: We Were Liars

WARNING: The following blog posts contain spoilers for the novel under review, ranging from mild to heart wrenchingly major. If you have yet to read this novel and dislike being spoiled, leave now and return upon completion.

If you HAVE read this novel (or just don't give a crap about spoilers), then continue on.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

~~

HELLO, FRIENDS! Today we're going to be talking about We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart!

THE PLOT-Y BIT

The Sinclairs are a rich family. They are a beautiful family. They are a perfect family.

The Sinclairs never grieve. They never break. And they certainly never fight.

Every summer, the head of the family meets his children on their private island, just off the coast of Massachusetts. Every summer, the first born granchildren reunite on the beaches.

They call themselves the Liars.

It's what the Sinclairs do best.

THE REVIEW-Y BIT

This book was a lot different than the books I normally read. It's no secret that I tend to lean towards the light, fluffy, happy romantic comedies.

This book was none of those things.

The narration style is different from what I'm used to, which isn't a bad thing...but isn't exactly a good thing, either. The narrator is seventeen years old, but from the way she narrated I'm not quite sure she sounds like one. That being said, there's something about her extensive use of metaphors and descriptions that makes for a very interesting read.

I think my favourite aspect of this book was Cadence's personal fairy tale retellings. I loved how they allure to her life and sort of gradually build up to the reveal of her accident. They change and get gradually darker in tone as the story progresses, while still remaining consistent in theme and format. It was a unique contribution to the tsory that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Lockhart's use of foreshadowing is top-notch. The shocking twist at the end was completely unexpected, but not completely out of the blue, which is exactly what you want from a book like this. I'm especially impressed that I didn't guess the ending beforehand (I have a bad habit of doing that...).

But for the love of God--couldn't the Liars have thought out their plan a little more? I mean, I know that they were only fifteen, but this is just plain common sense we're talking about, here. Schedule a meet-up time beforehand, or make a signal, or just stick together from the beginning! Really.

But I did enjoy the final air of mystery that the ending left us with: was Cadence seeing ghosts, or was she just hallucinating? Everybody seems to have their own theories about it!

THE STAR-Y BIT

I don't think I've ever struggled with a rating so much. In the end, I settled with a 3.75--a very well written and compelling read, but a little dark for my tastes nd not much reread value, either.


What were your thoughts on this week's read? Let me know in the comments!

Until later,

- Justyne

Review: Saint Anything

WARNING: The following blog posts contain spoilers for the novel under review, ranging from mild to heart wrenchingly major. If you have yet to read this novel and dislike being spoiled, leave now and return upon completion.

If you HAVE read this novel (or just don't give a crap about spoilers), then continue on.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

~~

HELLO, FRIENDS! It's that time of week again!

This week, I'll be reviewing Sarah Dessen's newest--Saint Anything. Enjoy!

THE PLOT-Y BIT

Sydney has always been the invisible one, living in the shadow of her charming and self-destructing brother Peyton. Even now, after a drunk driving accident lands him in jail and a young boy paralyzed, Sydney feels lost amongst the endless lawyers and court dates. To her parents, she is the least of their concerns.

Then she meets Layla, self proclaimed expert of boys and french fries. With her comes her older sister Rosie, graceful and beautiful beyond compare; her mother Mrs. Chatham, sweet with a heart of gold, never letting anyong fall through the cracks; and brother Mac, quiet and oh-so-observant. They welcome her immediately, and accept her into their world filled with pizza, lollipops, and bluegrass music echoing into the late summer nights.

As Sydney enters this world, struggling to balance it with her old one, she begins to find her place. A place where she feels accepted, loved, and anything but invisible.

THE REWIEW-Y BIT

Have you ever read a book that just gave the feeling of a familiar setting, the whole time? Because to me, Saint Anything felt like a cool summer night, the kind perfect for s'mores and bonfires, with a cool breeze that was just refreshing enough to bring the hot temperature down, but not so much that you needed to dig up some layers. Just...perfect.

It's hard to pinpoint why it felt like that for me.Maybe because the bulk of this book was read in one night, with a window open in my bedroom while the sun set to provide just the breeze I was talking about. Maybe it was because my favourite scene, with the carousel and the talk of Saints and the blue grass festival in the living room, gave off that same vibe.

Either way, I really loved this book.

There's something satisfying with starting a streak of fantastic books, and this book did just that. While I didn't finish this book in five hours (like my last read), it was finished within 36 hours of being bought--something that only ever happens when a highly anticpated book meets and/or exceeds my expectations.

I'm no stranger to Sarah Dessen books. And once again, Dessen's characters shine brightly throughout the book, from french fry connoisseur Layla to slightly condescending, self-proclaimed music expert Eric.

And then there's Sydney.

Before the story even starts, Dessen sets the tone for Sydney's journey with a chord-striking dedication:

"For the invisible girls

and for my readers, for seeing me."

Sydney's desire to be seen for herself, and not for her brother, is so real and relateable for so many people. It's a great quality of all of Dessen's stories that make them so good.

I love the way that Dessen portrays the parents of her characters. A common danger in YA lit is to have the parents mysteriously MIA for the majority of the book, or to have them clueless or useless for just as long. Or the parents are immediately turned into the enemy, mean and strict just for the sake of being mean and strict.

But Dessen doesn't write them off, keep them in the dark or antagonize them for no reason. No, her protagonists don't often get along with their parents...but how many kids do? The difference here is that the parents are human--they make mistakes, but they're trying their best to do what's best for their children. Throughout the story, Dessen's protag often has a second parental figure in their life, an impartial third party who sees both sides of the story.

For Sydney, that's Mrs. Chatham.

Mrs. Chatham sympathizes with Sydney; she knows what Sydney's going through. But she also sees and understands where her parents are coming from, the motivations behind their actions. And it's because of this dual understanding that Sydney is able to reconcile with their parents by the conclusion.

The book wasn't without its issues, of course. My biggest problem was that the whole Eric-and-Sydney storyline is kind of lost throughout the climax and resolution. He's hinted at having feelings for her for a good portion of the book, right up to the point where he asks her out, and then...nothing. She avoids giving her answer, and the issue is never brought up again. Not when Sydney and Mac's secretive relationship was revealed, or when Eric and Layla rekindled their pre-plot romance. I even forgot about it, too, until the cover was closed after the happily ever after. Now, I'm left to wonder.

I also thought that the relationship between Sydney and Mrs. Chatham was extremely underdevelloped. They had their moments, of course, but I feel like their bond could have been used even more throughout the story than it was. 

THE STAR-Y BIT

Forgotten and misused plotlines aside, Dessen's newest quickly earned another five stars from me. Saint Anything has already made it onto my reread list!


Until later,

- Justyne

Micro Fiction Monday: One Part

He fiddled with his neck pillow, fluffing it and adjusting it before settling back into his seat. He closed his eyes for a moment, if that, before fiddling with the pillow again. He reached for the packet of gum tucked into the seat pocket, purchased from a stand in the airport. He fumbled with the packaging, dropping the first piece onto the floor, before he popped one into his mouth. He chewed it quickly and aggressively, so much so that his jaw quickly grew sore.

He jerked back in his seat as the plane moved forwards, gaining speed quickly. He gripped the edges of his seat, so hard that his knuckles turned white and the tips of his fingers went numb. He kept his eyes focused on the TV screen in front of him, his destination outlined on the map.

His eyes darted to the side only once, and he took some comfort in the fact that the young woman beside him looked just as nervous as he felt. Perhaps, he mused, he was not the only one new to flying.

~~

This wasn’t her first time on an airplane. Her family travelled to Florida when she was seven, again when she was ten. She flew to Mexico at age fifteen, and back and forth from the West coast once she started college at eighteen.

Her nerves didn’t derive from the sudden jolts of movement, or the force of gravity as they lifted up into the air. She twisted her hands nervously in her lap, afraid that this plan was futile; that he would find her, no matter how far she went. She was scared that she had left behind some clue, or that he would notice her absence too quickly. He had held his grasp on her for so long...a part of her didn’t think she could get away.

Another part of her didn’t want to.

~~

Until later,

- Justyne

Favourite Books: 2014 Edition

Have you ever tried making a Top 5 list of your favourite books? It's hard. Like, really hard. Especially when you're only trying to include books from the previous year. (I'm lucky if I remember what I ate for lunch yesterday, let alone what I read back in January.)

The list below went through several drafts; I have lots of books that I love, and quite frankly it's not fair that I'm only allowed to pick five of them. (But if I were to list all of them, well, we'd be here all day.) I think I'm finally satisfied with what I ended up with. Until next week, anyway.

Now, before I change my mind again, here are my TOP FIVE FAVOURITE BOOKS OF 2014 (more or less):

5. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

One of the three--count 'em, three--adult fiction novels I read this year, and let me tell you, I adored it. I was a little shaky on the premise at first, I'll admit--I mean, it centers around an IT guy reading the e-mail correspondences of two female coworkers in another department, which can definitely come off as a little creepy--but it was executed VERY well! I myself loved reading the characters' e-mails, as well as the changes the main character made in response to them. Everything linked together so well and to top it all off, it takes place in the late 90's. Who doesn't love the 90's?

4. Just One Day by Gayle Foreman

This book, to me, is magic. There's this large sense of adventure, and the character development is perfectly on point throughout. Not to mention the mystery that unfolds throughout the second half of the book--it all unfolds so wonderfully. I loved it!

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Congrats, Rainbow, you made it on the list twice! Fangirl is probably one of the most relatable books I've ever read. It's about writing, it's about fanfiction and internet fandoms and the emotions that you connect with a story that's been around since you were a kid. And it's about growing up, and bringing the story into your life in different ways. I never thought I'd be able to relate to a story so well, and yet, here we are.

2. The Divergent series by Veronica Roth

Minor cop-out here. I had to choose the series as a whole, because choosing just one book just isn't fair; they all contribute to the plot and to the character development and I JUST LOVED THEM ALL OKAY. (Yes, even the last one. More or less.) The world was so wonderfully crafted and the characters and emotions just so real. And again, character development. On point.

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

This is the only addition to this list that I didn't have to second guess myself on. This book has been sitting on my shelf for quite some time now, but I didn't get around to reading it until this past July.

THE ONLY THING I REGRET IS THAT I DIDN'T READ IT SOONER.

This book was so happy, and wonderful, and fluffy, and romantic, and cute, and basically everything I look for in any book ever. How I made it this far without this book in my life is a mystery that will forever go unsolved. I absolutely ADORED this book, with all of its characters and relationships and locations. (Paris. PARIS!! I've been to Paris and this just played it in an entirely different light.) This is one of those books that I just hugged to my chest for hours after I finished because I loved it so much. (I proceeded to do the same with its companions, Lola and the Boy Next Door and Isla and the Happily Ever After. All three books are beautiful and if you are at all a fan of romance or contemporary or rom-coms then PICK UP THOSE BOOKS RIGHT THE FRIKKITY FRACK NOW.)



If you'd like to take a look at the other 30 books I read throughout 2014 and the countless books I read before, you can check out my Goodreads page here.

How many books did you read this past year? Do you have any reading goals for 2015?

Until later,

- Justyne