Book Review: After by Amy Efaw

I actually read this a while ago and drafted the review, so sorry if it's a bit on the shorter side.

Summary (as seen on Goodreads):

An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant . . . 

Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is made. Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, there's only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer.

And yet gifted author Amy Efaw does the impossible. She turns Devon into an empathetic character, a girl who was in such deep denial that she refused to believe she was pregnant. Through airtight writing and fast-paced, gripping storytelling, Ms. Efaw takes the reader on Devon's unforgettable journey toward clarity, acceptance, and redemption.

After by Amy Efaw

Yays:

• The research that went into this novel. It’s very obvious that the author took a long time researching the court system, that she has knowledge of pregnancy from her own personal life, and wrote Devon into a three-dimensional character.
• The details in the novel. From the colors to size and shapes, especially most people descriptions, the details really helped with immersing readers into the story.
• The supporting characters. Each of them seemed like realistic people, even though the story wasn’t from their points of view, and they are well developed.
• The rawness of some of the things mentioned in the story. The shock for Devon as she adjusts to Remann Hall and everything following her pregnancy add to realism, and are a brave choice of details that I applaud.

So-sos:

• Not every story has to wrap up every loose end. In a way, it was nice that some things weren’t wrapped up, but at the same time it felt like there were too many open-ended stories left behind, which is both good and bad.
• Devon and Karma’s relationship. It would’ve been nice if Devon had the opportunity to tell Karma that she really didn’t have a perfect life. Perhaps there wasn’t really a place for it in the story, but this would’ve been a nice end to wrap up, at least just a little more.

Nays:

• In many respects, Devon is a mature teenager who has had a very difficult life, yet the way she reacts is a little more juvenile than expected. Her refusal to cooperate and vehement denial are important to the story, and although the author writes very well, this reader is still not quite convinced that this is a truly realistic way to behave in such a situation.
• Devon’s mom. While she did care for Devon when she was young, she is too obviously dislikable with not enough redeeming qualities.

Overall, this is the kind of novel I would read again to do research on jail, the juvenile system, legal issues, and as a mostly good example of realism. For this one, I'll give 4 jellyfish.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day! :)

Book Review: The Fall of Five (Lorien Legacies #4) by Pittacus Lore

Again, it bothers me that I didn't review the first three books, but it can't be helped now.

Summary (as seen on Goodreads):

The Garde are finally reunited, but do they have what it takes to win the war against the Mogadorians?

John Smith—Number Four—thought that things would change once the Garde found each other. They would stop running. They would fight the Mogadorians. And they would win.

But he was wrong. After facing off with the Mogadorian ruler and almost being annihilated, the Garde know they are drastically unprepared and hopelessly outgunned. Now they’re hiding out in Nine’s Chicago penthouse, trying to figure out their next move.

The six of them are powerful, but they’re not strong enough yet to take on an entire army—even with the return of an old ally. To defeat their enemy, the Garde must master their Legacies and learn to work together as a team. More importantly, they’ll have to discover the truth about the Elders and their plan for the Loric survivors.

And when the Garde receive a sign from Number Five—a crop circle in the shape of a Loric symbol—they know they are so close to being reunited. But could it be a trap? Time is running out, and the only thing they know for certain is that they have to get to Five before it’s too late.

The Garde may have lost battles, but they will not lose this war.

Lorien will rise again.

Yays:

• Like that a member of the Garde died. As bad as it is, plot armor is really unrealistic, so this added realism to the piece. Also, it makes other possible prophecies very interesting.
• The story behind Ella is very intriguing, looking forward to learning more.
• Glad that they found Sam and his dad, and that it was a really important element in this piece.
• Adam seems like an interesting character. Looking forward to seeing the role he plays.
• On the whole for this series, I like that there's action moving it forward. (In contrast to a series I recently read.) It's nice to get a bit outside of my comfort genre and poke around.
• I'm trying to make sense of all the titles. Previously I thought there was a dual meaning but now I'm not so sure. I guess I'll have to find out the hard way. Poor Eight, who never got a book...

So-sos:

• As much as I dislike Five, at least his powers are kind of cool.
• Having so many characters who are so different from each other was really cool. However, it was hard getting back into this story because it's been a while and I was also, like Sam, overwhelmed with a ton of characters that I was suddenly meeting and it was kind of chaotic.
• I feel like the title gives away a major secret, which, while it's a cool way to play with words is kind of unfortunate. Then again, I accidentally ruined that with Wikipedia, so it's not really fair for me to say when I started suspecting Five as a traitor.

Nays:

• Five's betrayal felt a little too predictable, like something like this happens too often in other books like this.
• The Garde spent too much time in the "safety" of Nine's place. Not that it was completely safe, but so much of the novel revolved around them being there that while a lot of things happened, it was a bit boring at times as well.
• The POV changes made my head hurt, although it was cool to have Sam's POV. Then again, it didn't serve as much purpose in the latter part of the story.

Overall, I considered docking a star due to the whole annoying POV thing, especially considering that it was hard to tell who was who and voices didn't have much distinction,  but in the end I've been kind of mean lately so I'll let this one have 4 jellyfish.

By the way, freaking out waiting for that last book to eventually come out. And crossing my fingers that I can get my hands on The Revenge of Seven soon.

Wacky Wednesday: You Look Different in Real Life by Jennifer Castle

It feels nice to be reading again. Enjoy another book review!

Summary (as seen on Goodreads):

For the rest of the world, the movies are entertainment. For Justine, they're real life.

The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There'd be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star.

Now sixteen, Justine doesn't feel like a star anymore. In fact, when she hears the crew has gotten the green light to film Five at Sixteen, all she feels is dread. The kids who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who hardly know one another. And Justine, who was so funny and edgy in the first two movies, feels like a disappointment.

But these teens have a bond that goes deeper than what's on film. They've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how it feels to have fans as well as friends. So when this latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to see yourself is through someone else's eyes.

Smart, fresh, and frequently funny, You Look Different in Real Life is a piercing novel about life in an age where the lines between what's personal and what's public aren't always clear.

Yays:

• Justine is a very complex MC who is clearly not perfect, and in an odd way, that makes her all the more likable. Perhaps it makes her easier to relate to.
• The uncertainty of the ending. It doesn’t wrap up neatly into an ending storyline, in a way. All the characters have come so far, but have so much further to go. Leaving that open to interpretation makes this story beautiful because the characters’ stories are going to go on, and this installment is a continuation of two previous ones.
• The basic premise. This book would be such a great movie. The author managed to execute this very visual story in a relatable way, which is a huge challenge, so kudos to her.
• The fact that there was rock climbing in this novel is a huge plus. :)
• Felix and Keira’s nationalities. It would’ve been nice to have their cultures play more into the story, but it’s a good start.
• The characters are very dynamic, and it was very interesting to watch them all grow and change.

So-sos:

• Felix having a secret was an interesting part of the story, but the content of it and the way it came out were not executed in the best way. It was impossible to foresee the secret, and while a good writer surprises their readers, it felt like there was a lack of buildup toward its release.
• The way homosexuality was dealt with in the story felt like it was just inserted in there for the sake of having it mentioned rather than it being part of the characters’ lives. This is a pattern that happens in other YA novels as well. However, the inconclusiveness of what the character decides to do is nice, and refreshing and different.

Nays:

• Both of the other girls start off having issues with Justine. Although a lot of the book focuses on the renewal of Justine and Rory’s friendship, most of it feels like it focuses on her relationships with Nate and Felix, which made the book a little more romantic-based than need be.
• Nate’s relationship with Justine. It kind of feels forced, and there’s something about its build up that’s a little off. The end result is fine, but the gradual steps to getting there jump too quickly. It might’ve been nicer to have a different relationship pan out while leaving Nate and Justine’s more hanging in the balance.
• The writing wasn’t always as tight as it could’ve been. It wasn’t poorly written, but it also doesn’t really show off the author’s voice or come across as especially unique.
• Some cliché phrases get said throughout the course of the novel, which makes it not as powerful as it could’ve been. There is a lot to think about and ponder upon reading it, but the cliché phrases make it harder to grasp despite overall big picture themes that aren’t as cliché.

Rating this one was tough, but I’ll give it 4 jellyfish. Many elements of it were great, but there’s something missing that can’t be pinpointed that doesn’t make this quite a 5-star novel.

Wacky Wednesday: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Everyone has been insisting I read this book, so here goes!

Summary (as seen on Goodreads):

Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything" — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.

This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.

Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Yays:

• Kirsten and Whitney's development over the course of the story. It shows that main characters aren't the only ones who develop, and is true to the fact that people are dynamic.
• Owen throwing a punch. Up until then he seemed a bit too perfect, in a way, so it was nice to see that he is still human.
• The pushing for honesty throughout the story. It was really refreshing to read about.
• The car-washing scene. For some reason, it was so different and out there and makes me want to drive through a car-wash now just to see if Annabel is right.
• The disagreement on what is good music. It's natural for Owen and Annabel to not agree on what kind of music they happen to like, and I enjoyed that they agreed to disagree and learned to work with each other.
• Totally did not see the explanation for what happened to Sophie and Annabel's friendship coming. Nice surprise.
• I really like Clarke. She's pretty cool.

So-sos:

• Mallory as a character was mostly just bothersome. Parts of her character weren't unrealistic, per say, but a little more credit can be given to girls her age. They're not all as annoying as Mallory came across as.
• Annabel came across as just an okay character as well. She took a little too long to learn certain things, which made it frustrating to be reading from her point of view sometimes.

Nays:

• This is probably just personal preference, but the fluctuation of really long first chapters to shorter last chapters was a bit strange, and it was hard to focus during the first part of the book.
• Lack of hints about what actually happened when Annabel and Sophie stopped being friends. While it is a plausible explanation, a little more build up to what happened would've helped.
• Annabel mostly getting through her problems with the help of a boy. While there is nothing wrong with this, it felt a little odd and dangerous to insinuate that a boy is necessary to someone overcoming a problem, instead of one among a few people who can help.
• More about Sophie would've been nice. She just comes across as a really mean girl, and most people are not as simple as that. More character development for her would've been nice.

Overall, not a bad book. I'm not absolutely in love with it and maybe something about Dessen's writing style doesn't resonate with me enough to rate it a 5, but I'll give it 4 jellyfish still.

Thanks for tuning in, and see you next week for another book review!

Wacky Wednesday: The Vow by Jessica Martinez

Welcome to yet another attempt by Jelsa to actually review a book. As last time, I will try to follow the same structure of Yays and Nays.

Summary (as seen on Goodreads):

No one has ever believed that Mo and Annie are just friends. How can a guy and a girl really be best friends?

Then the summer before senior year, Mo’s father loses his job, and by extension his work visa. Instantly, life for Annie and Mo crumbles. Although Mo has lived in America for most of his life, he’ll be forced to move to Jordan. The prospect of leaving his home is devastating, and returning to a world where he no longer belongs terrifies him.

Desperate to save him, Annie proposes they tell a colossal lie—that they are in love. Mo agrees because marrying Annie is the only way he can stay. Annie just wants to keep her best friend, but what happens when it becomes a choice between saving Mo and her own chance at real love?

Yays:

• Loved how Mo's ethnicity played into the story. Not only were issues present that many minorities encounter, but those that are specific to Mo for being from Jordan. It was wonderful to have a non-white character represented in a true, authentic way--that his culture didn't override the story, but didn't hide either.
• The friendship between Annie and Mo. It really is true that some guys and girls can be extremely close and just never end up falling in love with each other in a romantic way. It is definitely possible for people to love more than one person of the opposite gender.
• How each chapter flowed into the next. It was so beautiful to watch the characters have the same thoughts as each other, but in different ways. It really is proof of their friendship and their individual differences at the same time.
• The way information was weaved into this novel so that readers get the information they need without feeling like they're reading a book. For example, the way Annie's last name's pronunciation is revealed to the readers is very subtle, and evidence of good editing and writing.
• The basic story idea. It's a reminder of The Proposal movie, but involving many more issues. It was really interesting to see that idea done in a different way with a completely different ending.
• Each character's distinctness. When walking away from this novel, there are distinct things that can be remembered about each character, even each parent, which is proof that the author did well in introducing the characters to the readers.

Nays:

• It was too easy to get lost in the dialogue and not know who was saying what, which was frustrating. This could have been fixed with extra body language or even just a few tags here or there.
• The beginning started off just a little too slow for my personal taste, but I feel like this is probably just my own opinion.
• Some stereotypes were a little overdone. While it is understandable that Mo faces a lot of his issues due to his ethnic background, a balance needs to be in place for how often this comes up. It should add to the story but not overwhelm it, and at points it did feel like the racism issues present in the book were a little much. Not extreme, but appearing more than necessary. Racism is a very relevant and imperative issue to discuss, but maybe one or two fewer instances of it would make the book work better overall as a whole.
• Minor detail: Mo's full name is repeated three times in the entire novel, and the explanation for how it affects him given twice. It might have worked better to only have this mentioned once in the beginning, then later on in the novel where it is currently mentioned.

Overall, complaints for this novel were few, but the one that really made this book a little more difficult than it should be was the first point under Nay. The lack of body language detail detracted from the "I don't feel like I'm reading a book" feel, and if that were to improve this book would be much better.

It was really difficult to choose a rating for this book, but I'll give it 4 stars. It's one of the few 4 stars I would actually recommend, however, and I did enjoy reading this novel.

Agree? Disagree? Please leave your thoughts below! Thanks again for tuning in!