Review: Blood Red Road

It's interesting. Usually when I pick up a book, I can peg its genre fairly easily. When I bought Moira Young's Blood Red Road, I thought that I was grabbing one of the many dystopian novels that have flooded the market post-Hunger Games. I was wrong (I think). Blood Red Road seems to fall into more of the post-apocalyptic category. A sort of "we survived a  complete disaster and the world is still pretty crappy" story. Either way, this book was already surrounded with hype before it was even published. Ridley Scott is signed on for the film, you might know him from some little movies like Black Hawk Down or Gladiator...yeah, it's going to be awesome. 

Saba and her family live at Silverlake, a dried up wasteland surrounded by landfills and dumps. They survive by scavenging the remaining junk of the "Wreckers,"  the long since dead civilization of the world. Saba is content surrounded by her twin brother Lugh, her father and younger sister Emmi. When a sandstorm arrives and her brother is kidnapped by the mysterious Tonto, Saba must take a journey across the Sandsea to rescue her other half. She quickly adapts to her surroundings and becomes aware of her inner strength and determination. Along the way she picks up some friends, the handsome stranger Jack, a bartender named Ike and a group of fierce warrior women known as the Free Hawks. Together they must face cage fights, giant flesh eating worms and a drug that is being used to control the population, all the while searching for Lugh before it's too late.

Saba is completely bad-ass. She wields her crossbow like it's an extension of her body and seems to have no fear when facing disaster after disaster. She has one goal in mind and it is to find her brother no matter what. There are things I loved about Saba and things I couldn't stand. She was so one track minded that she wore blinders to everything else around her, while she was a kick ass heroine, she didn't have much of a worldview and this often interfered with her relationships (including the one with her sister). She is definitely a flawed character, but she does come to terms with her shortcomings and develop as the novel progresses (so really, what more could you ask for?). Which brings me to Jack, Oh be still my beating heart! I absolutely adore this boy, he is strong, funny, witty and dare I say incredibly handsome. He absolutely steals every scene he is in, and I can't help but want to smack Saba every time she pushes him away. What I really appreciated about these characters was the sibling relationship between Saba, Lugh and Emmi. It is completely dysfunctional, even disturbing at times, but always realistically portrayed, Saba is unflinchingly honest about her priorities which can be a bit of a slap in the face for the reader.

Young's writing is hard to adjust to. She uses a vernacular that is very much reminiscent of a novel like Huck Finn. For some readers it may be a roadblock to actually enjoying the novel. For me it took awhile to adjust to, for the first couple chapters it distracted me from the actual storyline, but as I became more absorbed I found I didn't even notice it. In fact, I enjoyed it, it made the story authentic and unapologetic. The first half of this book is fast paced and action packed, I literally couldn't put it down. As the group begins to travel deeper in the mountains however I found myself losing momentum. Young slows things down and I feel that the story is almost diluted by predictable plot twists. This is not to say its horrible, on the contrary, I still found this book to be incredibly powerful, but it does seem to loose some of it's steam. While this is an engaging and smart novel, it doesn't have the allegorical feel that books like The Hunger Games and Divergent do. It is a great story but doesn't seem to have any real underlying agenda or moral. Again, this is not a bad thing at all! It is an adventure story that leaves the reader wanting more, more, more. I can't wait for the next installment. Highly recommended.

Review: Bloodlines

For my biggest fan-

I am a big fan of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series, so when I heard she was writing a spin off, I was insanely excited! I loved the world that Mead created, it was new, unusual and completely different from other Vampire YA out there. She tackled tough issues like dating someone older, betrayal and cheating on someone you care about. She also integrated the idea of Alchemy into her books, something that is rarely seen in YA. For those of you who don't know Alchemy can be viewed as a precursor to modern chemistry. However, alchemy also includes various non-scientific mythical and spiritual concepts, theories and practices. In Bloodlines the role of the alchemist is more fully developed and Mead creates a heroine whose Alchemy is rooted in Christianity and purity of the soul. Very intriguing.

Mead last left her readers with Rose and Dimitri riding off into the sunset, and the other characters a little less decidedly settled. Sydney Sage, an Alchemist gone rogue, must face the consequences of helping Rose and Dimitri. Her fellow alchemist's view her as a "vamp-lover" a traitor to her own kind. Sydney herself is torn, she has been raised to believe that Moroi, Strigoi and Dhampirs are evil incarnate, unnatural and an abomination of the soul. She knows what she is supposed to believe and how she needs to act but she is questioning the very foundation of who she is. To top it off, she also faces re-education, a procedure that has left other Alchemist's as robots or worse. To save her sister from the life of Alchemy, Sydney steps in for a mission to protect the young and newly discovered Dragomir princess, Jill. Her older sister Lissa is Queen of the Moroi, and in order to keep her throne, she must keep her only family member alive. When an attempt is made on Jill's life, she is sent into hiding at a boarding school in Palm Springs, with Sydney as her new roommate, Eddie as her Guardian and Adrian...well Adrian is a bit of a mystery. In addition to Sydney's job of keeping Jill alive and hidden from the human population, she also must deal with mysterious tattoos that give the owner's supernatural power, a complicated relationship with Adrian, and a complete lack of social skills after being home-schooled her entire life. Needless to say she has a lot on her plate.

At first it was hard for me to transition away from Rose and Dimitri, I enjoyed this new story but I still missed the characters that I fell in love with. My comfort was immediately Adrian, although I was a hardcore Rose and Dimitri fan, I absolutely adored Adrian and his snarky attitude. Having him back allowed for an easier transition into a new series and I was actually very excited to see his character develop. Right away you are instantly reminded of how badly Rose damaged Adrian, he is still a wreck and it broke my heart to see how hurt he was. On the other hand, Sydney is not the most lovable character in the world, but I really, really liked her as she grew and developed. She struggles with nearly everything in her life, but doesn't complain. She is incredibly smart, intuitive and caring (even if she doesn't always let that show). She is a type A personality, someone who thrives on organization but begins to let that go as she gets deeper into the Moroi world. Her black and white views of vampires begin to change to gray as she gets to know Jill, Adrian and Eddie better. Let's just say that her heart does begin to feel something for Adrian (I mean really, who could resist him!). The plot in Bloodlines does move slowly, I think mainly because Mead is setting up an entirely new story for her characters, a lot of the twists and turns are fairly predictable for any VA reader but that doesn't make it terrible. The ending leaves readers with a HUGE cliffhanger, and the appearance of a much beloved character from VA. It leaves it open to an interesting storyline for the next installment. I highly recommend this to any fan of Vampire Academy, you will not be disappointed! I can only hope in the next book we get to more development between Adrian and Sydney and perhaps a little bit of steam if we are lucky ;)

Review: Unearthly

One of the trends we have seen in the last year of Paranormal YA has been the idea of the Angel. I have read a few of these (Hush, Hush and The Fallen) and have enjoyed the interesting take on mythology and religion that they present. I think the most fascinating thing about this genre is the way authors are able to take something as obviously religious as an Angel and separate it from the doctrine that it is affiliated with. Christianity is by no means shoved in your face when you read these stories, it is simply a means to tell an interesting story. After reading several fantastic reviews I decided to pick up Cynthia Hand's Unearthly. I am always a sucker for a beautiful cover and couldn't resist reading another take on this subgenre. 

Clara Gardner is one-quarter angel, a Quartarius. From an early age Clara has been fully aware of her identity and her role as an angel. Her mother, a half angel, has never hidden Clara and her brother from their destinies. In California, Clara has a vision-- a reoccuring dream revealing her "purpose" on Earth and a mission that will relocate her family to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When Clara starts school she meets Christian, the boy from her vision. The problem is, he is popular, dreamy and already in a relationship with the queen bee of Jackson High. While trying to figure out the meaning of her visions and get closer to the elusive Christian, Clara meets an annoying, but hunky cowboy named Tucker. In addition to juggling her burgeoning angelic powers, being the new girl and fufilling her purpose, Clara must make sense of her romantic life. The day of her purpose comes, and Clara must make a life altering decision, fufill her destiny, or create her own.

Let me start out by saying that there is nothing, and I mean nothing that I hate more than the insta-love relationships that pervade YA. In a matter of pages our hero and heroine are ready to die for their love, there is nothing more important than one another. GAG! I know that most romantic young adult literature features this, and I have come to terms with it, however Hand proves that it is not a necessary plot device. This may be spoilery but I just have to say that Clara falls in love the good old fashion way, through friendship, spending time with her guy and learning who he is. It is sooo refreshing.  She is a down to Earth girl, complete with insecurities and intelligence. She is definitely the type of girl you would want to be friends with. Which brings me to the boys...oh the boys! Both of these guys are fabulous, but I have to admit, I completely fell in love with Tucker. There is something ridiculously sexy about a guy who knows his way around the wilderness--so completely swoon-worthy. Overall, Hand's writing is very conversational, it flows well and leaves the reader wanting more. Unearthly is  a fantastic debut and I can't wait for the sequel!

Review: Perfect Chemistry

 I have been on this kick lately with YA books that portray their character's sexuality in a realistic fashion. As readers, teachers, and parents we like to think (or more likely, hope) that our youth doesn't experience the very real conflict of coming into their own sexuality. I like these books for two reasons, one being that I love a little steam in my books, it drives me crazy when all that happens is a chaste kiss...I mean come on! The other reason is that it helps teens and really any reader come to terms with their own sexuality and experiences. Isn't that the purpose of all literature? It makes us feel connected and it shows us a different worldview-we don't often get to escape our own existance and books allow  us to without any fear. The reason I picked up Perfect Chemistry is kind of a funny story. I was book conferencing with one of my ninth graders for her independent reading requirement and fell in love with the storyline. A small group of voracious readers in my second period class had all devoured this book so I was excited to read it myself. I am always on the lookout for a book that not only has a realistic story line, but also embraces the diversity of its characters. Simone Elkeles's Perfect Chemistry fit the bill, well, perfectly.

Brittany Ellis is the reigning queen of Fairfield High. She is everything you would expect in a queen bee, beautiful, smart, rich and popular. On the surface she has everything the average girl could want, but at home she faces controlling parents who are unable to deal with her younger sister's disability.  Enter Alex Fuentes. Alex is known by the student population as a dangerous member of the Latino Bloods Gang. However, what people don't see is Alex's incredible intelligence and his desire to make something more of himself. When Brittany and Alex are assigned as lab partners neither are all too thrilled.  But what starts out as a deep loathing transforms into something more. The question is, can their relationship escape the brutal realities of being in a gang and the cultural differences between their families? Told in alternating narratives, Elkeles weaves a beautiful tale of diversity, courage, romance and ambition.

The romance and relationship in Perfect Chemistry will not surprise you. The good girl meets bad boy is a storyline that has been rewritten by authors for hundreds of years. However, Elkeles rendition of this story is made unique by allowing us into the minds of both Brittany and Alex. While Brittany's chapters are heartfelt and the realistic portrayal of her sister's Cerebral Palsey is moving, it is really Alex's chapters that will draw in readers.  His story is vividly painted for the reader, his dialogue interspersed with Spanish, and his tenderness and love for those around him contrasts with the necessary tough exterior he wears for the gang. You will absolutely fall in love with him. As a bonus, he is absolutely gorgeous with a rocking body, no wonder Brittany fell for him! The epilogue is sweet albeit cheesey, and readers will be happy to know that Elkeles has two more books about Alex's younger brothers for readers to indulge in.

Highly reccomended, enjoy the steamy romance, contemplate the cultural differences and enjoy!

Review: Blood and Chocolate

Like many readers out there, I have been sucked into the paranormal romance genre that has saturated the Young Adult market. Most of what we see on the shelves is a complete cliche and is often poorly written (not that it stops me, or most readers from devouring it).  For the last couple of years I have seen reviews and praise for Annette Curtis Klause's  Blood and Chocolate. B&C was published in 1997, in other words, before Twilight and the paranormal craze. This story is unique and unabashedly honest.

Vivian Gandillon is a teenage werewolf. After a fire kills her father, her pack is forced to relocate to Maryland when several members  cause mayhem and almost reveal their pack's secret. The transition is rough, Vivian has never been able to make friends. Her intimidating beauty and self confidence have always led humans to reject her, that is, until she meets Aiden. In Vivian's world wolves do not consort with humans or "meat". It is beneath them and a temptation for flesh and blood makes it difficult to form a viable relationship. Vivian struggles with her own identity and whether or not to tell Aiden her most important secret. Her relationship problems also coincide with a serious reorganization of the pack and escalating leadership problems.  Can she actually have a relationship with the boy she loves or will the pack come first?

The reason I loved this book was Vivian's acceptance of herself and her sexuality. She is self assured and by no means a weak character. Krause does not shy away from Vivian's instincts as a wolf and as a young woman in charge of her body. She is the perfect embodiment of beauty, strength, and sensuality. Blood and Chocolate impresses me because Krouse does not repress her character's urges and instincts. She shows us that being in touch with our primal needs resides in all of us. Vivian just chooses to embrace it. The book is well written and doesn't conform to a typical love story. I won't give it away but the ending will shock you and upon further contemplation make you wonder how you didn't see it coming.

Highly reccomended, it definitely is a YA book that requires a mature reader. AKA it is YA with the sexiness that us 20 somethings crave ;)

For the ladies who are in between

Post-college, post-adolescents and post-anything else out there...I feel your pain! There is nothing harder than the in between stages of life. I myself am a 20-something headed in no particular direction and I acutely feel the liminality of my life on a daily basis. I am by no means a teenager, yet I feel like I am in no way an adult either. When I walk into the bookstore, do I consider myself an adult, or a young adult? Which shelf should I visit? Better yet, which shelf is socially acceptable? Young adult literature often gets a bad wrap. It is seen as literary trash, akin to the romance novel or a comic book. However, I firmly believe that  any book, regardless of its genre or inherent social value, has something to tell its reader. Young adult is not just for teenagers, it's for those of us who still feel and live and partake in the trials of human life. Chic Geek Reads is going to be a blog that strives to show the value (or the lack-of in some cases) of young adult literature. Each and every book I read (and review) is picked because I feel that I can somehow relate, enjoy, or be challenged by its contents. I do read YA with a more mature eye, with a critical eye, and I want to share that with my readers and fellow in-betweeners!