Book Review: Firecracker - David Iserson

Title: Firecracker

Author: David Iserson

Release Date: May 16th 2013

Publisher: Razorbill

Source: NetGalley

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Being Astrid Krieger is absolutely all it's cracked up to be.

She lives in a rocket ship in the backyard of her parents' estate.

She was kicked out of the elite Bristol Academy and she's intent on her own special kind of revenge to whomever betrayed her.

She only loves her grandfather, an incredibly rich politician who makes his money building nuclear warheads.

It's all good until...

"We think you should go to the public school," Dad said.
This was just a horrible, mean thing to say. Just hearing the words "public school" out loud made my mouth taste like urine (which, not coincidentally, is exactly how the public school smells).

Will Astrid finally meet her match in the form of public school? Will she find out who betrayed her and got her expelled from Bristol? Is Noah, the sweet and awkward boy she just met, hiding something?

Find out in this hilarious tragicomedy from New Girl and SNL writer David Iserson!

When I think of how to start this review, the only thing that comes to mind is 'Did I really think of skipping this book?', because yes, I did. The blurb/description/whatever-it's-called doesn't hint at even one percent of this book's awesomeness. It's only May, but I think I've read one of my top five faves this year.

Let me just say this now: the best thing about Firecracker was Astrid Krieger herself. She was obviously a spoiled, rich kid and an all-around professional asshole—there's just no better word to describe her—but instead of irritating me, I actually loved her for it. She liked exacting revenge and pranking with her group of misfits slash minions; if you've read Looking for Alaska by John Green, you'd know what I'm talking about. And I was about to say her sarcasm was hilarious, and I've just realized how wrong that is because she was rarely sarcastic but always outrageous, instead.  

"How long was I out?" I asked.
"You weren't really out. You were sort of muttering."
"What did I say?"
"Ms. Sharp asked if she should call an ambulance and you said, 'Not sure, I left my medical degree in my other purse. Why don't you figure it out yourself?'"
"Sounds like me."   

Astrid also thought she was great, and that everything she did was, too.

There was a boy named Jacques Durang whose father was an international assassin. Jacques Durang was pretty much evil. When I was thirteen, I kicked him so hard he had to get testicle retrieval surgery.

Yep, there was that. So watching her grow into the kind of person she'd never wanted or even thought she could be was really heartening.

The writing was smart. I found it reminiscent of The Catcher in the Rye, which I also loved not for the plot but for the character-building and the main character's insights. Firecracker had something more of a plot than Catcher, though, and that's due to how other characters were more involved. That said, I also thought Astrid was very similar to Holden Caulfield. 

Although the romance wasn't a very big part of the story, I still found it nice because it stayed true to the kind of person that Astrid was: wise and cautious. It didn't overpower the other parts of the plot, but instead, it fit in nicely with them to challenge Astrid's character.

Firecracker was supposed to be a quick read—seeing as how I finished the last quarter in an hour, then it's safe to assume that I could've read the entire book in four hours—but it took me three days because of mundane life. But already I'm looking forward to reading it again in one go, because Firecracker is one of those books that I would never get tired of.

MY FAVORITE PART were the last lines:

"Take care of yourself, Astrid," he would say.
And then I would say, "I always do."

RATING:

{Guest Post} Leigh Hershkovich

Hi everyone! Today, I have the honor to have Leigh Hershkovich, author of Shattered Illusions, here on the blog! Without further ado...

‘Fear can you make you compromise.’ A simple statement, but the effect ripples and is immensely powerful. Have you ever found yourself in such a deep state of fear that it causes you to forsake every logical voice in your head? The fear is so deep and so intense that it momentarily makes you believe that it has super human powers. Can you envision that kind of fear? It grips you, shakes you and literally causes you to rethink your entire existence. We’re not talking about a ‘simple’ fear, like a fear of dogs or a fear of, say, jello. We’re talking about the type of fear that turns you into an invalid. A complete and total fool. Have you ever felt such a fear before? Perhaps you haven’t, but trust me, when you do finally feel this fear, you’ll understand just how crippling it can be.

For the characters of Shattered Illusions (due out May 23rd from Full Court Press), this type of fear is an every day occurrence. Though they are different people that come from unique backgrounds, their fears pull them together and create a family of them. These four people, from diverse backgrounds and different personalities, are run by their fears. Every one of them bases their life, and the decisions they make, on their fears. Fear controls them. When they are brought together by unlikely circumstances, the murder of a local business owner, their fears reach an all time high, and they can begin to heal. It is through the communal pain that Ella, Sarah, Danny and Marco learn how to face their fears and recreate themselves.

Is there a cure for something so crippling? There may be, but it is not one that is found with ease, or can make everything disappear for good. Perhaps it is facing the hardest fears that give a person the option to choose. Fear is a choice. A person has the right to choose whether or not they will allow things, big or small, to control who they are and the decisions that they make. Fear can make you compromise everything you know, everything you are, however, it doesn’t have to. Fear does not have to become the deciding factor of your life. These characters, as crippled as they are, slowly make the decision to stop allowing their fears to define them. From fear of loss to fear of divorce, they all come to terms with who they are and what they have to face. It is only through their greatest lose that they learn this lesson. Not everything in life must uproot itself due to difficulty. The greatest cure for such crippling fears is to decide that you are beyond the fear, as they characters do. It is not what the fear is, it is how you handle it that makes all the difference.

Now, for more about Leigh's book:

Title: Shattered Illusions

Author: Leigh Hershkovich
Release Date: May 23rd 2013

Publisher: Full Court Press

Goodreads

When Sam, the unassuming, salt-of-the-earth proprietor of a local cafe is shot dead on the street, four strangers become the unwitting witnesses to a seemingly inscrutable crime. As the investigation progresses, this quartet of accidental onlookers find themselves not only haunted by the homicide, but pursued by their own pasts.

The deeper into the death they delve, the further into their own personal histories they plummet, as each is forced to face the fact that the loss of Sam is far from their most devastating. As the case continues, inner anguish reaches crescendo points for Danny, Ella, Marco, and Sarah as the answers they want continue to elude them, and the evidence they want to escape refuses to retreat...

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Stripped - Brooklyn Skye

Thanks for visiting my stop for the Stripped blog tour! You can follow the tour here.

Title: Stripped

Author: Brooklyn Skye

Release Date: May 14th 2013

Publisher: Self-published

Source: ecopy for blog tour

Goodreads

“I like you.” His voice is low and soft, which I don’t deserve. I look away, down the rutted parking lot.
“Don’t... waste those words on me.”
He touches my cheek. “You just need someone to show you.”
“No.” I ease back again. “I don’t. So please, Torrin, stop trying to swoop in and save me. I don’t need saving.”

College freshman Quinn Montgomery will do anything to avoid the mistake her sister made—killing herself over a boy. But when she is forced into nude modeling at a local college to support her family after a bankruptcy, she begins to crack, just enough to let Torrin, the university’s top varsity oarsman, see that the real Quinn is not as feisty and unapproachable as she wants everyone to think. But letting someone in comes at a steep cost and, it turns out, Torrin is connected to Quinn’s family in more ways than she could ever imagine.

Stripped turned out to be a very nice surprise for me; I went into it expecting a heavy read, so I'm glad to find out that it's actually just very emotional. It was a bit slow at first, but that worked out entirely fine in getting to know each of the colorful characters.

The star of the show, Quinn Montgomery, was introduced into the story in an off-putting manner, with her vulgar words and repulsion to anything related to love, the way she acted like a spoiled, bratty princess to her parents, and how she was dating a boy just as unappealing as her to avoid falling in love for real. But I soon learned that her sister's suicide wasn't the sole reason for all of that. This reminded me that every person has more than one story to tell, and even after we hear the last one that they have, we still don't have the right to judge them. Anyway, despite her all-around rudeness, Quinn was strong and determined, always going after what she wanted, and she knew when to apologize.

And what Quinn wanted the most was Torrin. Honest and kind, he tried with all his might to break down Quinn's defenses so she would let him in, but what I liked about him was how he stood up to her and how he didn't chase after her like a lovesick puppy for the entirety of the book. He let her know how he felt, and when she still chose to clam up in her shell, he respected her decision and let her live with it. Now that's not something I see often in the books I read. Soon enough, though, Quinn finally gave in, and their romance was both sweet and steamy.

Three big reveals were made in the last quarter or so of the book, and while I'd correctly guessed one of them, the other two were quite shocking. Also, I'm not the biggest fan of the choppy writing, but it did give life to Quinn. I felt each of her emotions in this roller coaster ride of a story, and I certainly wouldn't want to be in her shoes—except in the ending, maybe, which was satisfyingly happy. Stripped is a short read, perfect for a plane ride or a day-off, and the length actually made it easier for me to connect with the characters. Kudos to Skye for knowing how to keep her readers reading.

MY FAVORITE PART was when Quinn took the first step towards being with Torrin.

RATING:

 

About the author:
Brooklyn Skye is just your average awkward girl who's obsessed with words. She grew up in a small California town where she quickly realized writing was an easy escape from small town life.

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Giveaway!

Book Review: The Summer I Became a Nerd - Leah Rae Miller

Title: The Summer I Became a Nerd

Author: Leah Rae Miller

Release Date: May 7th 2013

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Source: ecopy from publisher

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On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

Oh, The Summer I Became a Nerd. Where to start? Hmm. It was so good that even a day after finishing it, I'm still in awe, and at times I find myself grinning like a lunatic when remembering the story of a girl who struggled to hide her real interests in order to fit in. The story sounded quite dramatic at first, but this book actually kept it light and funny while still managing to provoke my thoughts. All the nerdiness also reminded me of my high school years, especially of when I'd gone to cosplay conventions (where I dressed up. Twice.)

From page one, I knew Maddie was the kind of girl I'd be best friends with because I identified with her so much, except for the double-identity thing because, thankfully, I give less thought to what others think of me and I have an amazing group of friends who share my nerdy interests. I usually hate cowards, both in books and real life, and sure, Maddie hurt a lot of people by lying to them for a long time, but her case was presented so well that I couldn't find her completely guilty.

And then there was Logan who I also totally loved—and not just because he has the same name as my favorite X-Men member. He was honest, sweet, and smart, and he made me swoon at first read with all his hot nerd glory. His romance with Maddie was built up very well, and I felt like my face would break with my huge smile every time they were together, even when there was trouble in paradise.

I admit, I went into this book with apprehension because I've read—and hated—a book that also dealt with being a nerd, but I think what made this book for me was the writing and how it made all the nerdiness feel very real and natural, never forced. The pacing also helped; the book never bored me and I devoured it in two sittings. And I'm totally not lying when I say that I felt physical pain when I saw "Acknowledgements". I want more Maddie/Logan!

MY FAVORITE PART was the bring-the-bitch-down confrontation, LARP-style.

RATING:

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Trailer + Giveaway: Chantress - Amy Butler Greenfield

Thanks for dropping by my stop for the Chantress blog tour hosted by Shane at Itching for Books! You can follow the tour here.
 

 Title: Chantress (Chantress Trilogy #1)
Author: Amy Butler Greenfield
Release Date: May 7th 2013
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source: Edelweiss
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Lucy’s Chantress magic will make her the most powerful—and most hunted—girl in England.

“Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing—and she is swept into darkness.

When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses—women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector. The only person powerful enough to bring about his downfall is a Chantress. And Lucy is the last one in England.

Lucy struggles to master the song-spells and harness her power, but the Lord Protector is moving quickly. And her feelings for Nat, an Invisible College apprentice and scientist who deeply distrusts her magic, only add to her confusion...

Time is running out, and the fate of England hangs in the balance in this entrancing novel that is atmospheric and lyrical, dangerous and romantic.

I admit, what drew me to Chantress was its pretty cover—black, violet, and pink! Stunning combination, eh?—but from the start, this intensely fast-paced book proved itself so much more than physically entrancing; it was imaginative and, for some reason, it reminded me of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart. The writing was beautiful and very descriptive, perfect for the era the story was set in: England in the 1600s. I don't think I've ever read anything that went as far back as that.

The story followed Lucy, one of the last few Chantresses who had been hunted down to near extinction, as she discovered the truth about her identity and fought to eliminate the tyrant who haunted her country. Chantresses are very similar to witches, the only difference I can think of being that they work their spells through singing. Anyway, Lucy was a likable character, although I was never really able to connect with her. She was brave and curious, with bouts of stubbornness that often worked against her. Still, her good heart was a constant from beginning to end.

With Lucy's mission to emancipate not just her kind but the whole country gripped in terror, came equally mysterious characters, each of who I, at least at one point, suspected would stab her in the back. This doubt, added to the high stakes for everyone, only made the book even more unputdownable.

Although Chantress dragged halfway through, things picked up as it entered the climax and took a surprising turn in the end, especially for the romance, which was very well-developed and unhurried. The sizzle between Lucy and Nat was left unexplained—whether deliberately or not is unclear. And even if I felt like the plot could have been made more complicated, I'm still looking forward to reading the sequel.

MY FAVORITE PART was the ending.

RATING:

About the author: 
Amy Butler Greenfield was a grad student in history when she gave into temptation and became a writer. Since then, she has become an award-winning author.

Born in Philadelphia, Amy grew up in the Adirondack Mountains and later studied history at Williams College, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Oxford. She now lives with her family in England, where she writes, bakes double-dark-chocolate cake, and plots mischief.

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