Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in fragile bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the thinnest. But then Cassie suffers the ultimate loss - her life - and Lia is left behind, haunted by her friend's memory and feeling guilty for not being able to help save her. In her most powerfully moving novel since Speak, award winning author Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's struggle, her painful path to recovery, and her desperate attempts to hold on to the most important thing of all - hope.

Wintergirls was a stunning first for me. I have never read a book that has touched on the topic of anorexia, let alone capture it so thoroughly, as Laurie Halse Anderson has managed to do.

Lia is anorexic. That becomes clear to us at the very beginning. She is living with her father and step-mother, and just trying to float by without anyone noticing. This book was both heartbreaking and eye-opening, and by the end, it was definitely moving.

Experiencing Lia's life and thoughts was truly emotional and incredible. Anderson painted such a vivid picture of the disease, and did it so effortlessly. The writing style was perfect, and really allows the reader to see inside of Lia's psychosis, and really just complete the book. The plot is also perfect, and the events that we experience with Lia are not only believable, but also seem necessary, and really make the book a work of art.

I recommend this book to readers of all ages. It is interesting, insightful, and emotional, and I think that adults and teenagers alike can not only learn from the remarkable story being told, but also appreciate its icy warmth.

Thoughts provoked--Cheers & Enjoy♥

The Killer's Cousin by Nancy Werlin

Recently acquitted of murder, 17-year-old David has moved to Massachusetts to complete his senior year of high school. His aunt and uncle have offered him shelter--escape from the media's questions and from the uncertain glances of his neighbors and ex-friends.

His attic apartment doesn't feel much like a shelter, though. He sees ghostly shadows at night, his aunt is strangely cold, and his 11-year-old cousin, Lily, is downright hostile. And as Lily's behavior becomes more and more threatening, David can't help but wonder what ugly secrets lurk within the walls of her home.

There's one thing that David knows with certainty. The more he learns about his cousin Lily, the harder it is to avoid thinking about his own past.

                                                                                   -Chapters Canada

Having read a book by Nancy Werlin a few years ago, I decided I would pick this one up after I saw it at the library. It also helped that the summary caught my attention right away with its amazing intriguingness.
This book did not disappoint me with it's creep factor, psychological aspect, and diverse characters. I haven't read a whole lot of books that contain the themes conveyed in A Killer's Cousin and I would like to read more!

Ok, so what was the ever captivating plot? Well basically we are introduced to David, right off the bat, and learn that he has a pretty terrible past. We don't learn what exactly constitutes said past, but we do see in the first chapter that the book is mostly not about that; it is about David's cousin, and the role she plays in his life after a tragedy. David goes to live with his Aunt, Uncle, and cousin, and the events that ensue are epic.

This novel is a great one about deep psychological issues relating to a wide variety of topics: family, death, siblings, jealousy, friendship, romance. Pretty much everything. Werlin writes it flawlessly and effectively, and even adds a pretty swell ending, with lots of heartfelt emotions and events. I recommend it to young adults who are looking for a deep, emotional read.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!

As much as I loved David's character, his thoughts, inner struggles, reactions to his family, and interactions with other characters, I think the star of this book is crazy cousin, Lily. Which follows logic, since the book is aptly named after her. She was so messed up, I couldn't pull myself away from her psychopathic tendencies for even a minute, even though they enraged me at times.

I started to figure out pretty soon that she had something to do with the taboo topic of Kathy's death, and was so rewarded, if mortified, when I found out that she fed her own flesh and blood ammonia and watched her sister die. Anyway, in the end, she got hers, even though David was noble enough to save her (I can't say I would have the courage to do it, myself) and she evidently got to live with the fact that she killed her own sister.

The parents aggravated me. David's Aunt and Uncle were so out of touch, I just wanted to stick my head into their little world and scream until they listened. They were so ignorant and clueless to their lives and the lives of their children, it was uber frustrating. But so is life, and it made for a much more interesting novel. I just hope that in the end (even if they seemed to still refuse that their own spawn could have been responsible for the apocalypse of their family, and David's sanity) they realized that David wasn't the problem after all. One can hope.

David's own story really broke my heart, and I loved the addition of the back story in little snippets throughout the novel. The whole things was structured so perfectly, that there was never a dull moment between characters or revelations.

This was a suspenseful novel full of dark and sad themes, but also one of healing and hope, as we see that David was able to take his tragedy and turn it into help for someone else's crazy. Thoroughly enjoyful, I say!

Until next time--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York-and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn't think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship. Ari's family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future. 
When misfortune befalls Blake's family, he pulls away, and Ari's world drains of color. As she struggles to get over the breakup, Ari must finally ask herself: were their feelings true love . . . or something else?

                                                                                 -Chapters Canada

What first attracted me to this book, not to seem too shallow, was the cover. I love me a good cursive font, which this one showcases beautifully, and I love the juxtaposing images of those swollen lips and the faded retro cityscape. I think this evokes exactly what the book is about. It captures the vulnerable concept of love that this book offers in spades, and also the cool 80's setting that the book takes place in.

I love that the book was set in the 80's. I feel like I haven't read a book in this seemingly forgotten era, and it contributed a retro edge that was just noticeable enough.

But that is not really what made this book a 4. This book encompasses love in all aspects. It is just so genuine, and even when it was heartbreaking, this book spoke the truth about love in all forms: love between sisters, enduring love in a stressing marriage, hard love from a mother to her daughters, complex love between a father and his daughters, first-time love, skanky love, unconditional love, love between friends, and unrequited love. The heart-wrenching love stories that make this book amazing are so true and bittersweet. They kind of broke my heart, but I wouldn't have it any other way! I couldn't think of a more perfect title for this book, and I think the only complaint that I have about it is that the summary doesn't quite do the story justice.

This is an adorable book that can be enlightening for young adults and also reminders for adults. I think that it is a adorable, and worth everyone's time :)

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!

First things first: the love story between Ari and Blake makes me want to swoon and cry at the same time. It was definitely my most favourite of the many complex love-related plot lines going on in the story. Ari was so young and innocent and perfectly characterized to meet experienced, smart, sexy Blake who showed her love for the first time, and then breaks her heart. Which broke my heart. When all was said and done though, I loved the bittersweet ending, with Ari's heartache not only leading to growth within herself, but also growth within all of her other relationships. It was such an accurate portrayal of young love, and an awesome example for young adults trying to get through something similar.

The other relationships that we see throughout the story are also so genuine and important, and I love them all. Even the creepy crush that Ari has on her older sister's husband. I mean, ew. There are some things that are just pushing it, and I'm really glad that she got over it! And when she did, it was really cute, because then he got to help her learn about her relationship, and he became the older brother figure to her that he always should have been. As we saw said hot firefighters relationship with said sister struggle, endure, and flourish, it was so hope inspiring and cute. Just showing how not every marriage is perfect, and not to give up even though things aren't perfect. 

That relationship also brings in the love that is shared among Ari's whole family. Her mother's tough love, that was sometimes hard for even me to take, but ultimately the kind of all-knowing motherly love that can straighten out any situation. Unconditional. Just like that of Ari's father, even though he was typically less outward with his affections.

Ari's relationship with her friends was also constantly evolving and truly deep. I learned so much from her shallow best friend, even though I wanted to kill her half the time. The dynamic that we saw when her new friend Leigh was introduced was also enlightening and showed a whole different side of love, along with Leigh's own struggles with love and fitting in.

Overall, I really think that this book deals with so many important teen issues and captures every emotion perfectly. It is not only a cute, genuine read, but also a life-lesson wrapped up into booky-smelling beautiful-cover-toting perfection. I really just keep thinking about all the different aspects of this epic book, and I can't help but smile.

Oh, the power of books--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Completely Classic: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Completely Classic is a feature (started here!) that discusses Modern and other Classic literature.

 In this nightmare vision of a not-too-distant future, fifteen-year-old Alex and his three friends rob, rape, torture and murder - for fun. Alex is jailed for his vicious crimes and the State undertakes to reform him - but how and at what cost?
                                                                                       -Chapters Canada

I've been wanting to read some Classics recently, and when a friend of mine brought this book for me to borrow, I knew it was time to commence my reading of classic literature.

This book, a Modern Classic, is dystopian, which I always love, and is written in 1962. This made for a very interesting read since it's written about the future, ergo our past and/or present. Some of the things were pretty accurate, and some things were pretty off, and strange. Like the language. Wow. Am I ever glad that I read the introduction before reading the book, because I had no idea that the language was at all anything special, and it TOTALLY was. The language in A Clockwork Orange is completely unique and not in any way English. Which was pretty confusing at first, but, after I got the hang of it, was completely cool. I found it fascinating how quickly I could incorporate Alex's slang words into my vocabulary and understand every word that he said. I am really looking forward to seeing the movie, and to see how Alex and his crazy language translates into film! 

It's a movie!

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!

So a little bit about the book: Alex is pretty much a psychopath, and that becomes quite evident early on. Burgess gives us such a vivid look into Alex's psyche that I felt like I understood him right off the bat. In the society in which Alex lives, not only do the youth speak using their own slang language, they are completely without morals. Alex and his 'droogs' (friends) go around stealing 'pretty polly' (money), raping women, and beating up whomever they please (usually 'starry' people, which refers to anyone elderly).

The book is written in three parts, 7 chapters each, and all start out with the same clever phrase, "What's it gonna be then, eh?" I found this really clever and I loved how Burgess divided the novel so interstingly. In the first part we are introduced to Alex and his 'droogs' and all of their crazy antics. We also see some of Alex's wisdom despite the fact that he seems lost to the world and humanity. Some of the things that he says were just so wise and smart, and made me love him against all the odds :)  Throughout the rest of the novel, Alex goes through many changes, going to jail, and enduring crazy torturous treatment that makes it so that he literally cannot commit violence. And even though I feel like this is supposed to be the main theme or idea in the novel, I really just took away my own message from it. Because when all was said and done, I saw Alex in part three, who finally choose to not do wrong and actually wanted to find love and family, as just a normal dude. This just kind of reminded me of how teens are nowadays (obviously not as drastically rebellious) and how society views them to be menaces. But really, we all grow up and learn from our mistakes (obviously there are some exceptions), and I think that is what Burgess demonstrates through Alex. Even if it was a little scary to read.

I have to also say that it completely broke my heart when Alex was brought back to 'HOME' in part 3, after his previous friends had raped him and beat him up, and he discovers the old man willing to help him, only to find that he, Alex himself, had killed the man's wife. It really made me sad, more than anything else in the book. And I could tell that Alex was saddened by it, which is maybe the first time I thought that he could turn out alright. It was so ironic and beautiful, and probably my favourite part of the whole story.

Overall, I think that A Clockwork Orange is a timeless piece of fiction that anyone can enjoy, whether young or 'starry'.


Tehe-Cheers & Enjoy♥

Ordinary People by Judith Guest

The Jarrets are a typical American family. Calvin is a determined, successful provider and Beth an organized, efficient wife. They had two sons, Conrad and Buck, but now they have one. In this memorable, moving novel, Judith Guest takes the reader into their lives to share their misunderstandings, pain . . and ultimate healing.
                                                                   -Book jacket







I had never heard of this book previous to someone lending it to me with other books, saying that it would be a great read. Well they were right. This book was so emotionally dead-on, and really made me think outside of my own situation.

The book explores the themes of a normal American family, whose exciting plot is made up of nothing more than hardships that are commonly found in various households. The Jarrets lose one of their sons, and we are introduced to the surviving son, Conrad, when the book opens. We see immediately the pain that is weighing down on Conrad, and view his insight after he tries to commit suicide and spends time in a mental hospital.

The book really is very moving and is full of dynamic supporting characters, many who will make you angry, and some that make you never give up hope for Conrad. I really enjoyed the book (and can't wait to watch the 1980 Oscar-winning movie!) and must say that Guest really captured the emotion perfectly, and I had no trouble believing that the struggle to recovery that we see Conrad and his family endure, was anything but genuine.

    It's a movie!

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!

As mentioned before, we see right off the bat that Conrad has experienced hardship, and something really traumatic, even if we don't learn until later that he has lost his only brother (and thinks it's his fault) and suffered from severe depression finally exploding when he tries to take his own life.

As the book goes on, Guest lets us in more and more into what really happened, which kept me really interested in the book, and gave it an even more realistic quality, as if I was Conrad's psychologist. I loved that aspect.

I also loved the various points of view that we get to experience. Cal, Conrad's father, gave us an interesting view on the situation and also into his own problems, which is so characteristic of the situation; another thing I loved! I enjoyed being in on the problems within the marriage as well as his heartfelt struggles to reconnect with Conrad, holding on to the last string for dear life, and trying to know what to say and how to act. Which was so authentic. This book was just so spot-on and accurate and true. I loved it!

The only thing I hated was Conrad's mother. She just never seemed to get it. It infuriated me, but in a good way. I knew that she was paramount to the story, and I just loved hating the hell out of that biatch. She just never seemed to understand her own son's struggles and never even wanted to. This book truly showcased a heartbreaking situation that occurs often in our society, and did it amazingly.

I recommend this book to both adults and teens, because I think it should be read by all, and can be interpreted, understood, and helpful to all!

Moved--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

Delivering forensic revelations guaranteed to "chill to the bone"(Entertainment Weekly ), Kathy Reichs plunges Dr. Temperance Brennan into a shattering case from the past: her own past. As a child, she was told to forget about the missing girl. But some memories don't die....
The discovery of a skeleton in Acadia, Canada, reawakens a traumatic episode for forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan: Could the young girl's remains be those of Évangéline Landry, Tempe's friend who disappeared when Tempe was twelve? Exotic, free-spirited, and slightly older, Évangéline enlivened Tempe''s summer beach visits...then vanished amid whispers that she was "dangerous." Now, faced with bones scarred with inexplicable lesions, Tempe is consumed with solving a decades-old mystery -- while her lover, detective Andrew Ryan, urgently needs her attention on a wave of teenage abductions and murders. With both Ryan and her ex-husband making surprising future plans, Tempe may soon find that her world has painfully and irrevocably changed once again.

                                                                                                                      -Chapters Canada


Let me start out by saying that it was hard to give a rating to this book. Pretty much all of the other Kathy Reichs books that I have reviewed fall under the 4 rating category. This book was different though. I was really really good, and contained siginificantly interesting character development for Tempe, which leans me towards a 4½, but then, as dynamic as the development was, it also was something that I wasn't too happy with, warranting a 3½, ergo, the rating remains at at solid 4.

So having said that, you already get an idea about the book, obviously there was an amazing case to be solved, and, as always, Tempe gets personally involved in one way or another, always putting her safety (and the safety of someone she cares about) in jeopardy. Which quite frankly I never get sick of! The books obviously share similarities and always take on the same themes, but Reichs does so in a way that is refreshing, and has kept me hooked into book 10!

I mentioned that there is a lot of new character development, which really intensified emotions for me. I mean, these books never cease to tickle one's emotions, with such heavy themes of violent murders and often depressing content. But in this case, we really saw Tempe show immense sadness and loss, and I really felt it with her and for her. And, as always, I am ripping and ready to get into the next book.


Too bad I'm taking a hiatus from Tempe-for now--Cheers and Enjoy♥

Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs

To some, the dead are a commodity. For Tempe Brennan, they hold the key to cracking a horrific crime ring.

Among the ancient remains in a Native American burial ground, Tempe discovers a fresh skeleton -- and what began as an ordinary teaching stint at an archeology field school in Charleston, South Carolina, fast becomes a heated investigation into an alarming pattern of homicides. The clues hidden in the bones lead to a street clinic where a monstrous discovery awaits, and Tempe -- whose personal life is in upheaval, with two men competing for her -- can''t afford any distractions as she pieces together a shattering and terrifying puzzle.

                                                                                                                    -Chapters Canada

Keeping with my Kathy Reichs-a-thon, I read Break No Bones, the 9th installment in the Temperance Brennan series, and, once again, thoroughly enjoyed it. Kathy Reichs' attention to detail and wonderful imagery never let me down!

We seem to be going back and forth in the novel between Montreal and Charlotte, which I do love, and this time it was Charlotte's turn to shine. As always, the case was immensely suspenseful and equally dangerous for Tempe. We also get to see some more intense personal development for our favourite forensic anthropologist, which let's be honest, I will never shy away from. I think that the circumstances Reichs set up are ideal for an interesting theme that can carry through the next few installments, and, as always, I am looking forward to reading the next book...

Which I may or may not have already started...Cheers & Enjoy♥

Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs

The secrets of the dead are in her hands.

The bones of three young women are unearthed in the basement of a Montreal pizza parlor, and forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan has unsolved murder on her mind as she examines the shallowly buried remains. Coming up against a homicide cop who is convinced the dead have been entombed on the site for centuries, Tempe perseveres, even with her own relationship with Detective Andrew Ryan at a delicate turning point. In the lab, the clean, well-perserved bones offer few clues. But when Carbon 14 confirms her hunch that these were recent deaths despite the antique buttons found near the bodies, Tempe's probing must produce answers quickly to stop a killer whose grisly handiwork has seen the light of day.
                                                                                      -Chapters Canada

The seventh book in the Temperance Brennan series was suspenseful, mysterious, emotional, and all-encompassing. Just like all the ones before it!

This time, we see Tempe just in Montreal (yay for Canada!) and she is investigating a case that once again she has to fight for. Tempe never gives up, and what she finds is devastating and so interesting at the same time. The subject of this particular installment in the series was particularly bone-chilling. Just so darn good.

As usual as well, we see great personal struggle for Tempe, in all things involving her friends, family, pets, and love life. And as per usual, I am never disappointed in the end :)

Kathy Reichs truly knows how to keep her audience on the edge of their seats intellectually, emotionally, and suspensefully.

Need I say more?--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs

She works with the dead, but she works for the living.

"Down time" is not a phrase in Tempe Brennan''s vocabulary. A string of disturbing cases has put her vacation plans on hold; instead, she heads to the lab to analyze charred remains from a suspicious fire, and a mysterious black residue from a small plane crash. But most troubling of all are the bones. . . . Tempe''s daughter''s new boyfriend invites them to a picnic -- a pig pickin'' -- in the North Carolina countryside, where a cache of bones turns up. But are they animal or human? X-rays and DNA may link the crimes, but they can''t reveal who is closing in on Tempe and her daughter -- and how far they will go to keep her from uncovering the truth.

                                                                                                                      -Chapters Canada




The sixth installment in the Temperance Brennan series, Bare Bones, was just as much of a smash hit as its predecessors. It embodied mystery and plausibility at every chapter, and of course incorporated wonderfully written themes of romance and family.

Well, Kathy Reichs does it again! I must admit, its getting tough to find different ways of saying the same things; I just love these books. The content is always fresh, and the ideas never boring. Forensic anthropology has never been exposed in such a captivating fashion, and the ever-present wit and spunk of Temperance Brennan is so compelling. I love everything about them.

This time we see Temperance Brennan only in North Carolina (boo-I ♥ Canada), with the addition of her hunky suitor. We see much more character development (which I have been patiently waiting for) that seems to be timed perfectly throughout the series, a characteristic shared with the show, Bones as well.

Well there really isn't much more that I can say other than to try them out for yourself! ( and the show :)


You won't be disappointed!--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

She has a passion for the truth . . . and this time, it's taking her down.


A commercial airliner disaster has brought Tempe Brennan to the North Carolina mountains as a member of the investigative agency DMORT. As bomb theories abound, Tempe soon discovers a jarring piece of evidence that raises dangerous questions -- and gets her thrown from the DMORT team. Relentless in her pursuit of its significance, Tempe uncovers a shocking, multilayered tale of deceit and depravity as she probes her way into frightening territory -- where someone wants her stopped in her tracks.                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                         -Chapters Canada




As per the usual, Kathy Reichs totally won me over (which is not that hard, having fallen in love with her other amazingly great novels; find the reviews here!) with her amazing prose, stunning mystery, and realistic romance. I love Kathy Reichs' novels, and Fatal Voyage was no different.

This time Tempe is dealing with a mass death toll from a plane crash, which was interesting to learn about by itself. Of course, there was a second aspect to make me more interested: a murder. The personal, professional, factual, and mysterious aspects were remarkably linked throughout the novel, and there really was never a dull moment. Once again we see Andrew Ryan (swoon) and he is incorporated to perfection. He always keeps me yearning for the next novel :)

The way that the book unfolds is of course enlightening, entertaining, and just plain amazing. Without giving too much away, the answers Tempe finds and the overall denouement were fascinating and so good. I cannot wait for the next book!


Already half-way through it--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties. Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star. . . .

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined-and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is ­Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the ­illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall-together and apart. From the New York Timesbestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

                                                                -Chapters Canada

As a big fan of The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen, I just had to read Godbersen's new book debuting a new series: Bright Young Things. 

Hold that thought...

So I did have a completely well written post done for this book, about 2 weeks ago, but Blogger was down (as many of you probably already know) and it got erased. My comments were restored, but unfortunately only about one sentence of my amazing review was left.

And if some Blogger tech person is reading this, I still do very much want my post restored!


So after careful consideration through my rage and sadness, I have decided that I shall not try and write the post to its original glory, but instead highlight some of my overall thoughts on the book. So here goes:

-Although at the beginning I found myself pining for The Luxe series, and reminiscing in it's awesomeness, Bright Young Things did eventually win me over.

- I feel that it portrayed the roaring 20's truly and uniquely from other novels based in this time period.

- I felt myself turn over my trust to Godbersen, who never fails to wow me with her character development and twists in her books. Even though I don't know where the story is headed, and what is going to happen to every character, I just kind of relaxed into it, instead of playing out how I want it to happen, like I do in most books. I know that Godbersen will not let me down, and am very much looking forward to the next installment.

- The heroines were all so amazingly strong and I loved them. Cordelia was so astonishingly real and powerful, and took the city on her own terms. Letty was innocent and heartbreaking, but I know she will prevail. And Astrid provided the contrast that we needed, that maybe isn't very contrasting to our small town girls as we think.

- I adored that the girls spent the duration of the novel pretty much separate, but seemed to come together in the end, promising me greatness to come.


Overall, I really enjoyed the book and cannot stress enough that I love Anna Godbersen and her writing style. She is one of my favourite authors and has the rare ability to make me trust where she is taking me in the novel, which pretty much never happens to control freak me :)


Hope this suffices--Cheers & Enjoy♥