The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden (Review)

Title: The Casquette Girls
Editor(s): Alys Arden
Edition: Paperback, 565 pages
Publisher: Skyscape (imprint of Amazon Publishing)
Publication Date: November 17, 2015
Source: Won through Goodreads Giveaways
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

The Summary

Seven girls tied by time.
Five powers that bind.
One curse to lock the horror away.
One attic to keep the monsters at bay.

After the storm of the century rips apart New Orleans, sixteen-year-old Adele Le Moyne wants nothing more than her now silent city to return to normal. But with home resembling a war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normal needs a new definition.

As the city murder rate soars, Adele finds herself tangled in a web of magic that weaves back to her own ancestors. Caught in a hurricane of myths and monsters, who can she trust when everyone has a secret and keeping them can mean life or death? Unless . . . you’re immortal.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

I had never heard of this book before I won it from Goodreads.  The premise sounded interesting, so I figured why not?  Not a bad decision because The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden was excellent.  Set after the desolation from Katrina (though the hurricane is never named), Arden pays homage to the macabre history of the city, and the resilence of the people of love New Orleans.

The story follows two girls living centuries apart, Adele and her ancestor Adeline, both destined to save their loved ones from a supernatural threat: vampires.  Yes, this book does have vampires in it, but that falls in line with the history of New Orleans.  As the title of the book suggests, young brides sent from France, came to the new world with nothing but their "hope chests", a box that resembled a coffin.  Hence the name Casquette, or Casket, Girls.  Legend has it that vampires stowed away in these boxes to come to New Orleans and started feeding on the people.  This is the lore that Arden works with, changing some of the origins for her own purposes, but still keeping her vampires close to the traditional vampires of old (no sparkling here).

Vampires aren't the only supernatural element either.  Arden also incorporates New Orleans long history with magic, both voodoo and witchcraft.  These are the two forces working against each other, with both Adele and Adeline learning what they are capable for through trial and tribulation.  Both girls have a journey of survival and rebuilding, one trying to build her home back from destruction and another trying to build a new home in a completely new place.  

To tell both girls stories, Arden uses alternating chapters, which I thought was done very well.  I was never confused about who's point of view I was reading from, which can sometimes happen when their's alternating narrators.  Her prose was beautiful, the description of New Orleans obviously lovingly crafted, but the pace was slow, so don't expect a fast resolution.  This books comes in at a whopping 565 pages, and most of that is setting up the last quarter of the book.  I personally don't mind a slow build when the pay off is good, so if this bothers you keep that in mind.

The each character was much more complex than at first glance, and I loved them all...well the mortal characters.  I did not like any of the vampires, which is good because honestly why should I like murderers (think about it, they drain people of their blood; that is NOT sexy)?  But man, of course there is a romance, which I don't think will ever be written out of supernatural books nowadays.  So while I really liked the characters and the plot, the romance aspect annoyed me.

I got really into this book right away: Adele is a great leading lady, the plot is engrossing and has many twists and turns, the setting paints a picture of New Orleans both pre- and post-hurricane, and I love the lore within it.  It was slow, but with all the twists it still kept you on your toes.  I'm trying not to reveal too much because I think it's really important for you to discover everything that happens for yourself.  I know this is a big book, but it is very good.  Also fun fact: this is a part of a series, which is another reason why I'm cool with the slowbuild.

If you love the supernatural, if you love New Orleans, if you love kick-butt leading ladies, and if you love the slow build, then you have to check out The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden!

Extras

Final Rating

Book Cover: 3/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Endings: 8/10

Overall: 41/50: B-

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The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson (Review)

Title: The Impossible Knife of Memory
Author(s): Laurie Halse Anderson
Edition: Hardcover, 391 pages
Publisher: Viking Children's Books (imprint of Penguin
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Source: Bought from Amazon
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

The Summary

For the past five years, Hayley Kincain and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

I love Laurie Halse Anderson.  I am obsessed with Speak and I love Wintergirls, so I thought I was going to really love this book as well and I'm disappointed to say I didn't.  Don't get me wrong, it was still very good.  I'm happy I read it and it is worth the read, but it was not my favorite.

Hayley, the protagonist, has been living with her father, moving from city to town to on the road, for a good chunk of her life.  Her father has been dealing, or in this case, not dealing, with the trauma he suffered from his time fighting in Iraq.  With his major PTSD issues, Hayley has had to be the parent in this relationship, and it is becoming harder as they start over again in her father's hometown.

I realize that in reading a book you don't always connect with the characters, especially if their lives are different from yours.  But in my experience I have always found something to connect to, but while reading this book I couldn't find much.  This surprised me because I am such a fan of Laurie's other books, so I thought I'd instantly fall in love.  But the characters, all the characters, rubbed me the wrong way.  I don't know if this was on purpose to highlight the major issues with how our country deals with PTSD and soldiers coming home from war, or if it was just that I didn't like these characters.  It's hard to tell, so I'm running with the former theory.

Each of the characters in this book had something messed up with them, a lot of which stemmed from hiding the pain/suffering they were feeling.  I think there is a major problem within our society that goes with "Don't air your dirty laundry", but as I wasn't raised that way, I can't really relate.  The fact that Hayley allows her father to spiral so much or that the VA allows him to spiral so much is ridiculous.  No one in Hayley's life is calling them on the bullshit.  Even with her hiding the extent of it, and them moving all the time, I feel that someone should be noticing.  But again, I think that this situation probably very accurately depicts what happens at home after living through such a tumultuous and violent experience.

I think that's really the root of my not loving this book: it made me extremely uncomfortable in parts.  The possibility of violence, the abandonment, the hopelessness, it all made for a hard read.  I think I also take it harder because that could have been my Father having to deal with that war (luckily he retired right before the first wave was deployed).  Overall, the writing was still beautiful, with Laurie's deft hand at lyricism.  The characters, while I couldn't relate, still feel real.  I feel like each of them are a real person alive out in the world dealing with these issues.  And of course the "moral", or issue I suppose, that is at the heart of all of Laurie's books is quite striking and gets at the heart of it.

While this wasn't my favorite, as I said, it is still a very important book.  I think that if you're a fan of Laurie's go in without the typical expectations.  If you're a fan of contemporary problem fiction, then I think you'll enjoy this.  The Impossible Knife of Memory leaves you on a razor's edge keeping you teetering though moments of joy and moments of pain; an uncomfortable journey to be had, but one worth traveling.

Extras

Final Rating

Book Cover: 3/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 8/10

Overall: 40/50: B-

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LIFE BY COMMITTEE (Review)

Title: Life by Committee
Author(s): Corey Ann Haydu
Edition: ARC, 304 pages
Publisher: Katherine Teagan Books
Publication Date: May 14, 2014
Source: Inkwood Books (Blog ARCs)
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Inkwood Books

The Summary

Some secrets are too good to keep. 

Tabitha might be the only girl in the history of the world who actually gets less popular when she gets hot. But her so-called friends say she’s changed, and they’ve dropped her flat. 

Now Tab has no one to tell about the best and worst thing that has ever happened to her: Joe, who spills his most intimate secrets to her in their nightly online chats. Joe, whose touch is so electric, it makes Tab wonder if she could survive an actual kiss. Joe, who has Tabitha brimming with the restless energy of falling in love. Joe, who is someone else’s boyfriend.

Just when Tab is afraid she’ll burst from keeping the secret of Joe inside, she finds Life by Committee. The rules of LBC are simple: tell a secret, receive an assignment. Complete the assignment to keep your secret safe. 

Tab likes it that the assignments push her to her limits, empowering her to live boldly and go further than she’d ever go on her own.

But in the name of truth and bravery, how far is too far to go?

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

I was happy to get this ARC from the awesome staff at Inkwood Books (PLEASE check out this amazing indie bookstore if you're ever in Tampa, Florida).  Sometimes, if I'm an especially good customer that day I am gifted with some ARCs to dive into.  I was browsing the ARC shelf (yes they have an ARC shelf, but it's in the back and only available to super secret awesome people), when I saw the spine of this book.  I had heard of Corey Ann Haydu's first book, OCD Love Story, so her name caught my eye.  Even though I had not read that book, I read great reviews on it, so I figured her sophomore novel would be good as well.  I was right!

I really enjoyed this book.  It was an interesting mix of contemporary with a little bit of  mystery.  I thought that the characters were portrayed as realistic, and I could totally relate to the concept of the secret sharing because when I was in 9th/10th grade I use to post to an anonymous forum where we would tell secrets and write poetry and be all "emotional".  A little different, but a lot of the same feelings welled up in me when I read about Tab and her secret sharing.  This is the best part of Life by Committee; Haydu has crafted a slice of life that feels real.

Tab is a teenager, so sometimes she's whiney, sometimes she's ungrateful, but at other times she's loving and insightful.  Just like any young adult, she is trying to figure out her place in the world and she doesn't do it gracefully at all times.  But this expansive emotional range is what I really love about teenagers; they have such big feelings because everything is so personal to them.  Haydu captures this brilliantly.  Of course I know some may find Tab annoying for this reason, with the whole "typical teen" attitude, but I loved her and found her very relatable. 

As I mentioned above, the idea of secret sharing was very cool, and intrigued me.  Can you imagine divulging some deep secrets and then allowing complete strangers to decide what you have to do in order for those secrets to stay secret?  I don't think I'm either brave enough or reckless enough to do something like that.  Of course, it could be freeing at the same time, which is the precipice Haydu works with.  At any moment Tab's world could get so much more complicated than it already is, but that's what makes being a member of the Committee that much more enticing.

Overall, this is a fun contemporary that has both real feelings and humorous moments throughout.  I think it is a good sophomoric follow up to Haydu's previous book OCD Love Story, and makes me want to pick up her next works.  I would recommend it to readers who want a contemporary with a secret twist.

Extras

Other Books by Corey Ann Haydu
(Click on the images to go to Goodreads)

Final Rating

Book Cover: 4/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 43/50: B

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Falling in Love with English Boys (Review)

Title: Falling in Love with English Boys
Author(s): Melissa Jensen
Edition: Paperback, 293 pages
Publisher: Speak
Publication Date: December 23, 2010
Source: Borrowed from library
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Inkwood Books

The Summary

Sixteen-year-old Catherine Vernon has been stranded in London for the summer-no friends, no ex-boyfriend Adam the Scum (good riddance!), and absolutely nothing to do but blog about her misery to her friends back home. Desperate for something-anything-to do in London while her (s)mother's off researching boring historical things, Cat starts reading the 1815 diary of Katherine Percival her mom gives her-and finds the similarities between their lives to be oddly close. But where Katherine has the whirls of the society, the parties and the gossip over who is engaged to who, Cat's only got some really excellent English chocolate. Then she meets William Percival-the uber-hot descendant of Katherine-and things start looking up . . .

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

I loved Melissa Jensen's sophomore book, The Fine Art of Truth or Dare, so I wanted to get my hands on her debut novel, Falling Love with English Boys.  It was just as quirky, funny, and well-written as her other book, and one of my new favorites!

The story takes place in both modern London and 1800s London, revolving around two girls: Cat and Katherine.  Cat has been transplanted by her mother to London in order to finish a research project her mom conducting on Katherine's family, The Percivals, a family that is part of the Ton of Regency England.  While researching, Cat's mom comes across Katherine's diary, and gives it to Cat to read.  Paralleling Cat's own blog posts, Katherine's life seems very similar to Cat's own: an absent father, a nosey mother, some awesome friends, and boy troubles.  As Cat reads more she realizes that while she and Katherine are separated by centuries, their experiences are the same.

The writing really shines in the book.  Someone could separate Cat's and Katherine's stories out and have two complete books, that is how well crafted the characters and details were.  I like this particular distinction, as it really helps focus the reader into the time period.  If either world was too close in tone and word choice, it would make the book disjointed.  But while the stories could be separated, the similarities between the two lives creates a harmony.  It sounds funny, but trust me it works. 

The characters also shine.  I love Cat; she's a great mix of snarky, smart, flirty, and naive, just the kind of teenager I enjoy.  Along with the three girls she befriends, the awesome just grows.  Of course, Will, the Percival of the modern century, is just the type of swooney English boy us American girls fall for.  Each character from the modern century really made an impact to the plot.  While this may be the case for Cat and Company, I didn't really connect with any other characters in the 1800s except for Katherine herself.  The other characters, while important to her story, where not as interesting.  But this is most likely a personal preference, as I don't enjoy very many historical fictions.

Overall, this book is full of humor, romance, and friendship, while also posing a great example that humanity, even across time, share common threads.  A fun read for sumer, you won't regret picking up Melissa Jensen's Falling in Love with English Boys.

Extras

Check out Melissa Jensen's second book, and my review of, The Fine Art of Truth or Dare!

Final Rating

Book Cover: 4/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 44/50: B+

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Paper Covers Rock (Review)

Title: Paper Covers Rock
Author(s): Jenny Hubbard
Edition: Paperback, 192 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 14, 2011
Source: Won from Random Buzzers
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Inkwood Books

The Summary

At the beginning of his junior year at a boys' boarding school, 16-year-old Alex is devastated when he fails to save a drowning friend. When questioned, Alex and his friend Glenn, who was also at the river, begin weaving their web of lies. Plagued by guilt, Alex takes refuge in the library, telling his tale in a journal he hides behind Moby-Dick. Caught in the web with Alex and Glenn is their English teacher, Miss Dovecott, fresh out of Princeton, who suspects there's more to what happened at the river when she perceives guilt in Alex's writing for class. She also sees poetic talent in Alex, which she encourages. As Alex responds to her attention, he discovers his true voice, one that goes against the boarding school bravado that Glenn embraces. When Glenn becomes convinced that Miss Dovecott is out to get them, Alex must choose between them.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard has a high literary tone.  It reminds me of Catcher in the Rye or The Dead Poet's Society based on the characterization and quality of writing, as well as the incorporation of other literary works within the story.  While I enjoyed this book, I'm not sure it would appeal to a large number of readers.

The story is paralleled extensively with Herman Melville's Moby Dick.  The protagonist, Alex, uses it as a guide to express himself and deal with what has happened to Thomas, one of his friends, as well as using poetry to express his guilt.  As I was reading, all I could think that this was an English major's book.  The imagery and prose is beautifully crafted utilizing literary references and self-reflection to a create a story within a story.  Like Ishmael, Alex is fighting to find his place after feeling alienated, and this is where the book transcends YA to Adult fiction. 

Now I'm not saying that teenagers wouldn't enjoy this book, but I think it would be a small demographic and most likely older teens from 17-19 (Juniors and Seniors by grade).  This is due to the elaborate plot and duality of narratives.  Alex's exploration of what happened within his journal and the physical events of the story mix together to create a layered reality.  Adding to that, there are illusions of a sexual relationship with Alex's English teacher, Miss Dovecott.  While never acted upon, the fantasies are very specific and lend a slight predatory tone to the story.  This works well for the story, but increases the maturity level of the book.

Overall, this is a beautifully written narrative with some gorgeous poems interspersed, which are meant to be "written" by Alex.  It is not a "contemporary story", but a realistic story, one that will capture the book lover and mystery lover alike.  But don't take my word for it, check out Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard for yourself!

Extras

Final Rating

Book Cover: 4/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 44/50: B+

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The Seven Days of Secret Diamonds Day 2 - Review!

Title: The Secret Diamond Sisters
Author(s): Michelle Madow
Edition: ARC, 382 pages
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Source: Received from author for review
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Inkwood Books

The Summary

Savannah. Courtney. Peyton.

The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite. Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

The premise of the book is not generally something I gravitate to, but I had previously read Michelle's other books, The Transcend Time Saga, and absolutely loved them!  So when she contacted me about reviewing her newest book, The Secret Diamond Sisters, while it may not usually appeal to me, I agreed.  And I'm so glad I did because this book is fantastic!  Also I'm so happy the book got picked up by a major publisher! It'll give Michelle and her awesome writing so much more exposure, so that's awesome!

Savannah, Courtney, and Peyton are three completely different girls, but their bonds of sisterhood definitely bring them together.  With their mother's drinking problem the girls have had to rely on each other to survive, with much of the burden fallen on Peyton and Courtney as the two oldest siblings.  This has allowed Savannah to be a little more naive and carefree, which as the youngest of the three worked really well with her character.  Character development is what Michelle does best, and the three sisters are fully developed, dynamic characters.  The differences and similarities is what makes them work.  As I said, each sister is different: Peyton is the alternative rebel, wanting to be free and on her own; Courtney is the hardworking nerd, always chasing after the best in everything; And Savannah is the happy-go-lucky dreamer, who's always wishing for the next bigger thing.  But they also all contain such love for each other that their bond can stand up to a lot, even the high intensity, dizzying Vegas elite life style full of backstabbing and seduction.

Las Vegas itself is another character. Michelle has said on her blog that she vacations a lot in Vegas with her family, and it is one of her favorite cities.  That's extremely apparent as she describes The Strip to a T.  all the glitz and glamour that people expect from Vegas is there, but always with that undercurrent of danger.  From what I've read Vegas isn't a city to mess around with; due to the massive amounts of money moved through the casinos crime can be rampant, and while that isn't in the book I think Michelle does a good job of always reminding you that there is much more to the city than meets the eye.  But on a more fun note, the buildings are majestic, the people are glamorous, and the parties are epic, making me want to hop a plane on over.

I don't want to give too much away but I will say that hold on to your love triangles, because we got more of a pentagon going on here.  There are a lot of boys in the Diamond sisters' lives, and wooh boy do things bounce around.  Each of the guys are sexy as hell and offer a different perspective on life on The Strip for Savannah, Courtney, and Peyton.  Some may be working with better intentions than others, though!  Full of drama and romance, this was such a fun book to read.  I think lovers of the Gossip Girl series or The A-List series will fully enjoy diving into The Secret Diamond Sisters!  The book comes out February 25, 2014 and I'm part of an awesome seven day event celebrating all things Diamond.  Check it out here AND enter my giveaway to win a signed copy of the book here!  Happy reading!

Extras

FUN FACT: 

Michelle started outlining The Secret Diamond Sisters in October 2010. That’s almost four years from idea to bookshelves!

Check out Michelle Madow's other books, The Transcend Time Saga!

Final Rating

Book Cover: 5/5
Book Title: 3/5
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 43/50: B

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Zenn Scarlett (Review)

Title: Zenn Scarlett

Author(s): Christian Schoon
Edition: ARC, 3o4 pages
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Publication Date: May 7, 2013 (US)
Source: Received from publisher
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Inkwood Books

The Summary

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When you're studying to be exoveterinarian specializing in exotic, alien life forms, school... is a different kind of animal.

Zenn Scarlett is a resourceful, determined 17-year-old girl working hard to make it through her novice year of exovet training. That means she's learning to care for alien creatures that are mostly large, generally dangerous and profoundly fascinating. Zenn’s all-important end-of-term tests at the Ciscan Cloister Exovet Clinic on Mars are coming up, and, she's feeling confident of acing the exams. But when a series of inexplicable animal escapes and other disturbing events hit the school, Zenn finds herself being blamed for the problems. As if this isn't enough to deal with, her absent father has abruptly stopped communicating with her; Liam Tucker, a local towner boy, is acting unusually, annoyingly friendly; and, strangest of all: Zenn is worried she's started sharing the thoughts of the creatures around her. Which is impossible, of course. Nonetheless, she can't deny what she's feeling.

Now, with the help of Liam and Hamish, an eight-foot sentient insectoid also training at the clinic, Zenn must learn what's happened to her father, solve the mystery of who, if anyone, is sabotaging the cloister, and determine if she's actually sensing the consciousness of her alien patients... or just losing her mind. All without failing her novice year!

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

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I was lucky enough to be contacted by Christian himself to be a part of the blog tour for Zenn Scarlett.  As soon as I read the summary, I knew I had to get my hands on this book!  I've been looking for a fun, original sci-fi story, and Zenn Scarlett is just what I wanted.

Zenn Scarlett is a teenager living on Mars in one of the many colonies founded by early Earth settlers.  She lives with her uncle, the head of the local exoveterinarian cloister, studying to be an exoveterinarian.  But with a dwindling crop yield and the mysterious disappearance of intersteller transport ships, the cloister is looking at rough times.  And that's when the accidents start to happen.

I loved the world-building in this book!  Christian did an amazing job crafting a complete world, with far reaching implications.  I feel like with all the details the reader gets just in book 1, the next installment will have even more.  There are a lot of interesting things going on with the potential to continue past Zenn's story.  This is the kind of sci-fi I love, one that's rich with backstory and fully fleshed out for the future.  And while Mars doen't seem like an original setting, I think it's nice going back to the first planet men use to dream about visiting.

I like that much of this book is looking at Zenn's life in the cloister, but there are surprises and problems that crop up to disturb the normalcy of her life.  The fact that she's studying to be an exoveterinarian is really cool, with interesting, huge beasts being treated.  In some ways the book reads much like a contemporary but just set on a whole different planet.  It also has a very Western feel to it, with Mars being a frontier of sorts.  But then again it is very technologically advanced.  If any of you have watched the show Firefly, it feels like that when I'm reading.

I can't wait to see what the next installment of Zenn's story will bring.  She's learned some truths about her mother and herself, with more to come in the future.   Along with some important friends, Zenn will have to jump into the unknown, and I'm excited to be a part of the ride!  Zenn Scarlett by Christian Schoon is a wonderful debut by a wonderful author!  But don't take my word for it!  Check it our for yourself at your local bookstore or library! 

Extras

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Check out my stop on the Zenn Scarlett Blog Tour and read a post by Christian Schoon all about how Zenn came to be the kick-butt heroine we read about!

Final Rating

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Book Cover: 4/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 44/50: B+

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And Then Things Fall Apart (Review)

Title: And Then Things Fall Apart

Author(s): Arlaina Tibensky
Edition: Paperback, 254 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: July 26, 2011
Source: Got at NCTE
Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

The Summary

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Keek’s life was totally perfect….Keek and her boyfriend just had their Worst Fight Ever; her best friend heinously betrayed her; her parents are divorcing; and her mom’s across the country caring for her newborn cousin, who may or may not make it home from the hospital. To top it all off, Keek’s got the plague. (Well, the chicken pox.) Now she’s holed up at her grandmother’s technologically barren house until further notice. Not quite the summer vacation Keek had in mind.

With only an old typewriter and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar for solace and guidance, Keek’s alone with her swirling thoughts. But one thing’s clear through her feverish haze—she’s got to figure out why things went wrong so she can make them right.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

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This is a book I picked up last year at NCTE. I got to meet Arlaina Tibensky, and chat a little bit before getting my copy signed. She is hilarious, and based on her signature, has a love of Battlestar Galactica; it simply endeared me more to this awesome book! And Then Things Fall Apart is an introspective and intense look into a young woman’s life dealing with family, friend, and relationship issues. Keek, the protagonist of the story, is stuck at her grandmother’s house with a gnarly case of the chicken pox. The only items she has to entertain herself are a busted old typewriter and a worn-out copy of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. To make matters worse she had an epic fight with her boyfriend, got stabbed in the back by her best friend, and saw her parents’ marriage crumble. This is all taken in and regurgitated in Keek’s journal, which is the format of the book. Keek is kept just on the right side of self-centered, angsty teen. Tibensky uses The Bell Jar in a very clever way, juxtaposing many of the book’s events with instances of Keek’s life. The story is very stylistic, with minimal dialogue and a stream of consciousness prose. this won’t appeal to everyone, but the crafting of the inner thoughts never borders on the dull. There are inserts of present events that make the book relevant, and the development of some of Keek’s relationships are nicely done. The best one is between Keek and her grandmother. There are familial connections subtly placed throughout the book, and Tibensky shows those connections strengthening under the worst conditions. You should all know by now that I’m a sucker for family relationships, so I love the results of all the events. Besides the her ability to craft those connections, Tibensky also handles the realities of cheating carefully and thoughtfully. She’s able to convey the fact that things aren’t black and white, but complex and unfair and heartbreaking. Adults can be completely selfish, both the cheaters and the cheatees, but at the same time can give everything to bridge the destruction. It is these intricacies that allow Keek to move past much of her selfish tendencies and really evaluate the important parts of her life. Definitely not a book for everyone, I think And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky is a great addition to the YA Contemporary genre. Not a fast sugar puff, but a slow reflection; you’ll need to freshen up on The Bell Jar and take your time during reading. But don’t take my word for it, check out And Then Things Fall Apart at your local bookstore or library!

Extras
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Interview with Arlaina Tibensky


Final Rating

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Book Cover: 5/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8.5/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 43.5/50: B+

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