ARC Review: Ten by Gretchen McNeil

TITLE: Ten                                         AUTHOR: Gretchen McNeil PUB: Balzer+Bray                            PUB DATE: 9/18/12 FORMAT: ARC, 294 pgs SOURCE: from pub inexchange for honest review

And their doom comes swiftly.It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

THREE WORDS: Creeptastically Fun & Suspenseful

MY REVIEW: I've been told that Gretchen McNeil's Ten is a retelling of sorts of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, and while I've never read that book in full, I am familiar with the basic storyline and I think Ten is a great modern, hip revisioning of this classic tale. 

One isolated island. One huge house. One creepy DVD. One killer. And ten terrified teens. BFF's Meg and Minnie think they're in for the best weekend ever and they certainly end up at one killer party. Meg, Minnie and eight other seemingly unconnected teens gather for a weekend party on Henry Island and on the first night they watch a sinister DVD with a message: Vengeance is mine. Then one by one the teens start to die and with a raging storm outside and no phone or internet connection, the teens must wait for the ferry to come Monday morning. But the mysterious killer has no plans to let any of them leave the island alive.

I'm a big horror movie fan and I love my horror campy and over the top...is Ten campy and over the top? YES and YES, but in the best, most fun possible way ever! I started this book late at night and finished it even later at night because I couldn't put it down; I was so engrossed and had to know how it ended. 

Gretchen McNeil is a fabulous and engaging storyteller and weaves a creepy fun and suspenseful story that had me furiously turning pages, checking over my shoulder for crazy killers the whole time. McNeil sets a wonderfully eerie and cinematic scene. I love how palpable the feeling of isolation and being trapped feels and how well it permeates through the whole book. Every moment of reading this story was filled with spine-tingly and heart-racing excitement.

The story McNeil lays out is captivating with its twists and turns, but not entirely unexpected. I wouldn't say the story is predictable, just smartly crafted and planned, from the way each person is ironically killed to the way the whole story comes together. For me, part of the fun of a good horror mystery is collecting the clues, analyzing the red herrings and figuring things out. And the red herrings dropped throughout the story are never too blantant or in your face; they're cleverly subtle. By about page 150 I had figured out the connection between the seemingly unconnected ten teens and by 3/4 of the way in I had a strong inkling of the killer's identity...and I was totally spot on! But again, I don't consider this predictability and it no way ruined the suspense for me. I mean, don't we want that "Aha moment" when the killer is revealed, the story comes together and we scream "Yes! I knew it! I totally knew it!"?! 

The story is told in the third perspective, but I'd call Meg the MC. I really liked Meg and connected with her; she's smart, witty and adorkably awkward. The other nine characters each had a distinct personality, from the bossy bitch to the jocks to the douche canoe to the hot nice guy and more. Some were really likable, some not so much, but I think that was intentional. There were those characters that I dreaded getting killed and those that I couldn't wait to see get offed! 

Meg and T.J. (the hot, nice guy) have a flirty romance thang going on and I could have done with less of this. Not that I didn't like the idea of the two of them together, I just felt like some of their flirtiness was out of place amongst all the horror and death. Then there's Meg and Minnie's odd-couple BFFness which was equal parts complexly layered and annoyingly frustrating. 

The last quarter of the book is furiously paced and gripping! There's a thrilling climax between the finally revealed killer and the surviving characters and a fiery, explosive ending. I really like how the book ends with a wrapped up, but easily open-ended conclusion that leaves room for more.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Ten kept me thoroughly entertained and enthralled from beginning to end with its smartly crafted creeptastic and cinematic story. A scarily awesome MUST read!

MY RATING

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Singer. Writer. Clown.
Gretchen is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown. Her YA horror/paranormal POSSESS debuts with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins, August 23, 2011. Her second novel, TEN – YA horror/suspense about ten teens trapped on a remote island with a serial killer – also with Balzer + Bray is tentatively scheduled for a Fall 2012 release.
Gretchen is a former coloratura soprano, the voice of Mary on G4's Code Monkeys and she currently sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Berzerk. She is a founding member of vlog group theYARebels where she can be seen as "Monday," and she is an active member of both The Enchanted Inkpot, a group blog of YA and middle grade fantasy writers, and The Apocalypsies, a group blog of 2012 children's debut authors.

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Review: Smart Girls Get What They Want

TITLE: Smart Girls Get What They Want AUTHOR: Sarah Strohmeyer PUB: Balzer+Bray                                   PUB DATE: 6/26/12 FORMAT: ARC, 352 pgs SOURCE: from pub for review

Gigi, Bea, and Neerja are best friends and total overachievers. Even if they aren't the most popular girls in school, they aren't too worried. They know their "real" lives will begin once they get to their Ivy League colleges. There will be ivy, and there will be cute guys in the libraries (hopefully with English accents) But when an unexpected event shows them they're missing out on the full high school experience, it's time to come out of the honors lounge and into the spotlight. They make a pact: They will each take on their greatest challenge--and they will totally "rock" it.Gigi decides to run for student rep, but she'll have to get over her fear of public speaking--and go head-to-head with gorgeous California Will. Bea used to be one of the best skiers around, until she was derailed. It could be time for her to take the plunge again. And Neerja loves the drama club but has always stayed behind the scenes--until now.These friends are determined to show the world that smart girls really can get what they want--but that could mean getting way more attention than they ever bargained for. . . .

THREE WORDS: Cute, Lighthearted RomCom

MY REVIEW: Sarah Strohmeyer’s Smart Girls Get What They Want is not my usual type of contemporary read, as it is a very light, predictable romantic-comedy. There are things about this book that I really like and things that I don’t like, but overall I found it an enjoyable read.

Gigi, Bea and Neerja are the smart, overachieving, no-real-life-having girls of the 10^th grade class. Up until sophomore year the three BFF’s haven’t cared about their almost non-existent social life because they’re sure that once they walk through the ivy gates of the universities of their choice their lives will really begin. But they realize that maybe high school isn’t all about studying and grades and just maybe they’re missing out. So they make a pact to do the one thing that they’ve each been too afraid to do. Bea decides to ski again, Neerja decides to try out for the school play and GiGi decides to run for student rep…what could go wrong? Along the way the girls are derailed by boys and their own fears and may just end up with things they never knew they wanted.

This is a cute and lighthearted read with a predictable, yet entertaining story. The high school world Strohmeyer creates is fresh and realistic and her teenage dialogue and characters are authentic. The premise is relatable, especially for nerdy gals like me, and I really like the idea of invisible girls finding their own voices and place in a less than equal high school world.

At almost 400 pages, this is a longer read and, at times, the story moves slowly. I didn’t really start to enjoy it until at least a quarter through and I definitely think the story could have been cut down a bit and dragged out less. I tend to read darker, more serious contemps, so I was a bit out of my element at first when this book proved to be more light and fun, but I eventually found myself opening up to the cuteness and feel-good vibe. There isn't much depth to the overall story, the author does touch upon the whole unfairness surrounding the typical high school social world, but doesn’t really explore this in-depth, which I found disappointing.

The story is told from GiGi’s point of view and I had a hard time relating to her. For a girl who has been ignored and looked over most of her high school career, she’s awfully shallow and judgmental and suffers from a superiority complex. And for such a smart girl, she can be really dumb! And not dumb in a “haha, you just had a cute, blonde moment” way, but dumb in a “OMG! Can you NOT see what’s going on here?!” kind of way. But thankfully, I really liked Bea and Neerja. Bea has a feisty charm to her that is irresistible and Neerja is such a sweet, funny girl.

The romance elements are, again, predictable and somewhat cliché and they dominate the story, but they are still enjoyable. Gigi finds herself in a bit of a love triangle with two guys: one asshat and one guy who you want to hate but can’t help fall for. The asshat I could have done without, but I really liked the scenes between Gigi and the other *coughrightcough* guy and I actually liked what he brought out in Gigi. Neerja, poor girl, experiences something that most girls can relate to: she convinces herself she’s in love with the dreamy guy only to find out that he’s kind of a bore. These romantic entanglements have happy (and maybe a little bit cheesy) endings, but they'll definitely make readers go Awww.

The girls do discover more than just love and cute boys though; they do find their courage and voice. There’s definitely the beginnings of a message, about staying true to yourself and not judging others, within this story; I only wish that message had shone brighter.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This book has its faults, but it kept me entertained. Smart Girls Get What They Want may not move or inspire readers, but it does offer a fun, warm and fuzzy read, perfect for when you want the romance and laughs without any of the heavy thinking.

MY RATING

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Sarah Strohmeyer is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of fifteen novels one of which, THE CINDERELLA PACT, became a Lifetime Movie, LYING TO BE PERFECT.Her first mystery, BUBBLES UNBOUND, won the Agatha Award and THE SLEEPING BEAUTY PROPOSAL was nominated for a prestigious RITA™. Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, Turkish, Taiwanese and a bunch of others.Her first young adult novel, SMART GIRLS GET WHAT THEY WANT, will be published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins, on June 26, 2012.

ARC Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

TITLE: For Darkness Shows the Stars AUTHOR: Diana Peterfreund           PUB DATE: 6/12/12 PUB: Balzer+Bray                                  FORMAT: ARC, 403 pgs SOURCE: from pub for review

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

THREE FIVE WORDS: This Ain’t Yo’ Momma’s Austen

MY REVIEW: Diana Peterfreund’s For Darkness Shows the Stars was nothing like I expected it be, which is actually a good thing. My enjoyment of this story kind of slowly crept up on me and multiplied the more I read it, and it turned out to be quite the captivating read.

Generations after the Reduction (genetic experiment gone awry) all but destroyed humanity, three new classes of people have risen: the aristocratic Luddite, the simple-minded Reduced and the Post-Reductionsists, children of the Reduced who are born “normal”. Elliot North, a Luddite, must run her family’s farm since her mother passed and her greedy and irresponsible father and older sister have no knack for it. Elliot’s best friend and secret love, Kai (a Post), left the farm four years ago, but returns a new man. When Elliot is forced to rent part of their land to the rich Cloud Fleet, Kai returns as the renowned Captain Malakai Wentforth. This new Malakai has nothing but anger and resentment for Elliot and he harbors a dangerous secret. A secret that could change everything, but whether for the better or worse, Elliot doesn’t know.

For Darkness Shows the Stars is inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, but one needn’t read that in order to enjoy this YA dystopian. But those who have read the Austen book will recognize the similarities in the basic storyline (apart from the dystopian and sci-fi elements) and the familiar names. Peterfreund has made a bold move in retelling Austen’s famous story and adding her own mix of post-apocalyptic dystopian and sci-fi elements.

I’ll admit that, for a good portion of the first half of the book, I had my doubts about this book and just where the story was going. But something about the story gripped me tight enough to keep me reading. And I’m so glad I did because in the second half of the book Peterfreund’s breathtaking and striking story really plays out in unexpected and enthralling ways. This isn’t a fast-paced story and at times it does move too slowly, but for the most part it paces nicely. Peterfreund has crafted a very layered and complex story and has done so deftly, and her writing is quite lovely, capturing both an old world and modern essence.

The world-building is impressive, although in some places it is lacking. I wish there were more backstory or history about the Reduction threaded throughout the story, but the main focus really seems to be on Elliot’s immediate world and story. The southern farm setting is lush and vivid, although at times I found it difficult to blend the 19^th century plantation like elements with the more modern and even futuristic elements, even if this is a very original mix of elements.  And the mix of an Austen inspired romance, post-apocalyptic dystopia and plausible sci-elements is without a doubt refreshing and intriguing, but I did find this mix a bit jarring at first. But as the story picks up and finds its flow, this blend of elements begins to mesh really well.   

The world of Luddites, Reduced and Post-Reductionists is as fascinating as it is thought-provoking.  The technology-lite environment the Luddites have created and the extreme religious and political laws they’ve instated are understandable in the wake of the apocalypse their ancestors survived. Although I’ll admit that the Luddite’s self-righteous and intolerant outlook on science and technology is hard to relate to, even if I understand the purpose it plays in the story.

There’s an eclectic group of characters in this book. I have a very love/hate relationship with Elliot. I admire her compassion, determination and the way she loves, but her extreme selflessness is over the top and I didn’t like the way she let people walk all over her.  She does grow a great deal by the end of the story though and I really like the mental/emotional/spiritual place she’s at in the end. Kai as a young boy is endearing, but when he returns as Malakai he’s harsh, bitter and cruel. His anger, resentment and bitterness are understandable, but his cruelty and thoughtlessness make him hard to like. For the most part I did not find him swoon-worthy, but his character is redeemed by the end of the novel. Elliot’s father and sister are unbearable, but I think they’re supposed to be. I liked the various Posts and Reduced workers on the farm and the charming Innovations.

This is a stand-alone novel, although it could easily be turned into a series. I like how the book ends, with a resolved but open ended conclusion.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: A post-apocalyptic-scifi- Austen inspired romance is about as original as it comes and thankfully Diana Peterfreund has blended these genres beautifully and created an unforgettable story. This may not be a perfect novel, but it is a captivating and worthwhile read.

MY RATING

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Diana Peterfreund has been a costume designer, a cover model, and a food critic. Her travels have taken her from the cloud forests of Costa Rica to the underground caverns of New Zealand (and as far as she’s concerned, she’s just getting started). Diana graduated from Yale University in 2001 with dual degrees in Literature and Geology, which her family claimed would only come in handy if she wrote books about rocks. Now, this Florida girl lives with her husband and their puppy in Washington D.C., and writes books that rock.

Teaser Tuesdays (37): Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Teaser Tuesdays... is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: • Grab your current read • Open to a random page • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

And their doom comes swiftly.


It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.
But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.
Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?
TenGretchen McNeil9/18/12Balzer + Bray

MY TEASER

That said, no freaking way in hell was she going to plop down at the kitchen table in the House of Many Dead People and start dissecting the diary of a killer while surrounded by his or her victims. Screw that.  ARC, pg 204

YOUR TURN TO TEASE ME!  LEAVE LINKS IN COMMENTS

ARC Review: Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis

TITLE: Glimmer                    AUTHOR: Phoebe Kitanidis PUB: Balzer + Bray               PUB DATE: 4/17/12 FORMAT: ARC, 344 pgs SOURCE: from pub in exchange for my honest review

What if you forgot your identity and had to rely on other people to tell you who you were?And what if to discover your true self, you first had to unravel a mystery so big and terrifying you were not sure you’d survive solving it?When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.

THREE FIVE WORDS: Weird…in a good way

MY REVIEW: Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis turned out to be quite different than I initially expected it to be based off its blurb, but this isn’t a bad thing. Glimmer took me on a strange and complex, yet completely intriguing journey.

A teenage boy and girl wake up naked and entangled together with no memory of each other or even of who they are. Scared and confused, the two band together to uncover their missing memories, but end up uncovering a whole town’s worth of secrets. They soon learn that they are Elyse Alton and Marshall King- the resident popular girl and cocky, hot computer nerd- and they live in Summer Falls, a seemingly idyllic town. Summer Falls is paradise for its residents and a haven for tourists…but underneath its glimmering façade lays a sinister power that deprives the residents of their bad memories and hungry ghosts. Elyse and Marshall race to save their town, the people they love and their intense relationship.

Phoebe Kitanidis has certainly crafted an enthralling story that is original and, well unusual and weird…but, I use the term weird in the best way possible. Weird is good. Weird is intriguing. Weird is unexpectantly, but welcomingly different. I’m going to try my hardest to not include any spoilers, so forgive me if I’m a bit vague…

Glimmer wastes no time jumping right into the mystery and intrigue, which I really loved. Told from alternating perspectives- Elsye’s and Marshall’s-  the story unfolds with the two teens simply trying to figure out who they are and why they’re connected, then once this is accomplished the story delves deeper into the bigger mystery. All the mystery is captivating, but the book has a bit of a pacing problem. The first quarter moves slowly, the last couple of chapters seem sorta rushed, while the rest of the book paces nicely. But this didn’t keep me from enjoying the story as a whole.

And the overall mystery is written very well. There are plenty of suspenseful twists, turns and unexpected revelations and Kitanidis adds very rich and complex layers to each storyline.  This is a fantasy/paranormal book, but some readers may find the magical/supernatural elements and story too farfetched or even confusing to believe. I felt this way when the main paranormal and magical abilities were revealed, but once I simply let myself fall into the story and just go with it, I found that I was truly captivated by and appreciated the “out there-ness” of it.

While I think the story and mystery really shine, I found the characters a little lackluster, at least as individuals. I like Elyse and Marshall well enough, but I just don’t love them. I admire Elsye’s determination and strength and Marshall’s compassion and humor, but I never really connected with them individually on a deeper level. I really enjoyed them as a pair and team, but I didn’t like that they never felt complete or developed enough as separate characters.

I’m surprised that I liked the romantic aspect of Elyse and Marshall’s relationship as much as I did. Like I said, as a pair the two are engaging and they have palpable sparks and chemistry. At first their relationship seems to be of the dreaded insta-love variety, but eventually you realize it isn’t…and I can’t elaborate more than that without totally spoiling the book ;)

As I already stated, the last few chapters feel kinda rushed, but the mysteries and storylines are wrapped up in a way that left me satisfied.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Glimmer is a refreshing read, with an intriguingly weird and captivating story full of well written mystery and root-able romance.

***Oh and one more thing- the cover is really beautiful and all but who the heck is that blonde, smoky eyed gal supposed to be? ‘Cuz it looks NOTHING like how Elyse is described…this bothers me more than it should…that is all***


***I learned from the author that in the finished book Elyse is actually blonde so she does look like the girl on the cover :-)***

MY RATING

4/5 Cupcakes

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Phoebe Kitanidis is a West Coast writer. She is the author of the young adult novels WHISPER and GLIMMER, published by Harper Collins. Phoebe grew up in a variety of places, including Athens, Greece; the American Midwest; and the San Francisco Bay Area. After her graduation from U.C. Berkeley, she taught Language Arts, then worked in a few high-tech corporate offices. In 2004, she earned her M.A. in Communication from San Jose State University. A former contributor to Discovery Girls magazine, she also wrote THE FAB GIRLS GUIDE TO FRIENDSHIP HARDSHIP, published by Discovery Girls Inc. She lives with her family in Seattle.