The Breakaway by Michelle Davidson Argyle

May 2012, Rhemalda Publishing

320 pages, Paperback & eBook
Review copy

Young adult contemporary suspence
kissing, closed-curtain sex

Summary from Rhemalda:

When Naomi Jensen is kidnapped, it takes her parents two days to realize she’s missing. Escape isn’t high on her list of priorities when all she has to return to is an abusive boyfriend and parents who never paid much attention to her. For the first time in her life she’s part of a family—even if it is a family of criminals. But she’s still a captive. In a desperate attempt to regain some control in her life, Naomi embarks on a dangerous plan to make one of her kidnappers think she’s falling in love with him. The plan works too well, and when faced with the chance to escape, Naomi isn’t sure she wants to take it.

Amy's Thoughts:
I had the privilege of reading this book in draft form many years ago, and I had the most wonderful experience when I read the completed version recently. You know how you tend to remember books you like holistically, as general impressions of what was good, and so on? And sometimes, when you pick them up again years later, they're not quite as good as you remember, and you realise you'd forgotten all the flaws. But sometimes, you pick them up, and they are exactly as great as you remembered. That's how I felt about The Breakaway. I know it's changed since the early-ish draft I read, and I can even point to the places where it's changed - but the overall story, the essence of the book, is exactly how I remembered it, and it's wonderful.

Michelle explores an issue not often explored in YA literature - Stockholm Syndrome - and does so thoughtfully and sensitively. The MC Naomi grows up in the course of this novel, and I love how real her journey is; she isn't some fictional hero full of verve and courage and strength, she's just an ordinary girl - and I mean a real ordinary girl, not as in "Oh look at me, I'm so ordinary and average, even though really I have no flaws at all and am actually just a Mary Sue, written so that you can fill my blanks in with your own personality and pretend you are me." I'm not a fan of that kind of story; can you tell? O:)

For all that this is categorised as suspense, it is, like much of Michelle's writing, a very quiet sort of suspense. It's not a high-pace heart-pounder; it's thoughtful, and intelligent, and the suspense is elegantly done, revolving around Naomi's mental state and decision making rather than chases and physical danger. If you like real MCs who have real, mixed up emotions and can't always bring themselves to be strong, and if you like intelligent stories about intelligent people, and if you like thoughtful stories about real issues - with a smattering of romance, of course - then this is very much the book for you.


Final Conclusion:
This is a smooth, effortless read and a really interesting exploration of a topic that doesn't see much attention in YA usually - a fantastic book.


You can pick up a copy of The Breakaway at Amazon or from the publisher's website. Find Michelle Davidson Argyle on her website, and view the trailer for The Breakaway here.

Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She loves the seasons, but late summer and early fall are her favorites. She adores chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in whatever time she can grab between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life.

Review: Even Villains Fall In Love by Liana Brooks

April 2012, Breathless Press

eBook
Personal copy

Science Fiction Romance (Superhero fiction)
Kisses, caresses, off-screen sex, quadriplets who want their Mummy NOW

Summary from Breathless Press:

If you believe the rumors you know that Doctor Charm, the wickedly sexy super villain, retired in shame seven years ago after his last fight with the superhero Zephyr Girl. The fact that the charming Evan Smith - father of four and husband of the too-beautiful-to-be-real Tabitha - bears a resemblance to the defeated Doctor is pure coincidence. And, please, ignore the minions.

Everything is perfect in the Smith household until Tabitha announces her return to work as a superhero. Evan was hoping to keep her distracted until after he rigged the 2012 presidential election, but – genius that he is – Evan has a backup plan. In his basement lab Evan has a machine whose sole purpose is keeping Tabitha hungry for him.

But children and labs don’t mix. The machine is broken, and Tabitha storms out, claiming she no longer knows him. World domination takes a back seat to meeting his daughters’ demands to get Mommy back right now. This time his genius isn’t going to be enough – he’s going to need both his evil alter-ego and the blooming super abilities of his children to save his wife. But even his most charming self might not be enough to save their marriage.

Amy's Thoughts:
Those of you that follow me on Twitter will probably not be surprised by my adoration of this book. Not only is it my twinny's debut (SO EXCITING), I helped out with the betaing and proofreading of this one, so it's completely amazing to have seen it go from a casual summer joke to Real Live Proper Book. YAY!

EVFiL is a fun, quirky story about the super villain who married the superhero. He's hot, she's gorgeous, and it was just the kind of scandal the world needed :D Only now they have four kids, Evan's plan to take over the world via the US presidential elections is falling behind schedule - and his wife decides she wants to go back to superheroing. Seriously, is this not the most awesome set up? But of course, everything goes wrong, and Evan has to decide between ruling the free world, and getting his wife back - and, of course, everything is not as it seems >:)

So, reasons why you should read this book:
1) It's funny.
2) If you like anything in the superhero genre, you will probably like this.
3) It's SO nice to have a romance novel(la) based on a married couple for a change. Romance does not end with a wedding, people!
4) It's funny.
5) I helped proofread it.

O:)

Excerpt:
Maria rolled her eyes. "We won't get hurt, Daddy. You'll protect us. You never got hurt as a super villain, did you?"
"Um..."
"See? We'll be safe."
Delila raised her hand.
"Yes?"
"Can we have costumes?"
He was blindsided with nowhere to run. "Sure. I'll have a minion get right on that. You do realize that if I let you near a fight, your mother will kill me? She will skin me alive. Literally. This is a very bad idea."
"Mommy doesn't like you leaving us alone either," Maria said.
"Minions don't count," Angela added.

Final Conclusion:
If you enjoy lighthearted romance, real family dynamics, and a bit of superhero magic on the side, this is definitely the book for you. It's funny, it's quirky, and I really can't wait to read the next in the series :D


Find Liana Brooks on her website, or see the publisher's page for Even Villains Fall In Love.

Liana Brooks was born in San Diego, California. Years later she was disappointed to learn that The Shire was not some place she could move to, nor was Rider of Rohan an acceptable career choice. Studying marine biology so she could play with sharks seemed to be the only alternative. After college Liana settled down to work as a full-time author and mother because logical career progression is something that happens to other people. When she grows up, Liana wants to be an Evil Overlord and take over the world.

In the meantime, she writes sci-fi and SFR in between trips to the beach. She can be found wearing colorful socks on the Emerald Coast, or online at www.lianabrooks.com.

My Shameful Secret

Don't forget to enter the contest to win a copy of Michelle Davidson Argyle's awesome debut, Monarch.

My name is Amy, and I’m an English teacher, and I have not read To Kill A Mockingbird. Or One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Or All Quiet On The Western Front. Or anything by Dickens, or Tolstoy, or any Russian authors full stop actually.

I’ve only read two Austen novels. I’ve read one Hemmingway story – a short one. I hate The Turn of the Screw. I loathe Heart of Darkness with an undying passion. Wuthering Heights bored me so stupid I never finished it.

I threw Gone With The Wind at the wall with two chapters to go and never picked it up again.
I am a Bad Person.


What books haven’t you read that you really feel like you should have? What books would you kill me for not reading before I die? And what books have you read because people told you you had to, only to mourn the fact that you’ll never regain those hours of your life again?

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

October 2011, Scholastic
404 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Literary fantasy
Some brutal, horrible deaths

Summary from Scholastic:

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

Amy's Thoughts:

This is not a book to squee over; this is a book to quietly die for. I really, really don't know how to do this book justice in a review, so bear with me while I try.

The Scorpio Races is set on a small island in the UK, and the ocean permeates the story. More. This story IS the ocean. The ocean is vast and deep and dangerous and compelling, moody and tempestuous and utterly, utterly charming while at the same time pervaded by a dangerous undercurrent. Ocean, water, blue-brown-grey, gull crying in loneliness from the craggy cliffs and the wind whipping in your face - this is Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races.

It's quiet, and compelling, and oh, so utterly, utterly true. No, it's not a factual story, but what it says about people and life and grief and love - it's real. It's true.

I've never in my life hated an author before, not even when J.K. killed off beloved characters in her Harry Potter series. I cried, sure, just like I bawled my eyes out for the last three chapters of Marley and Me; but I've never hated an author for something they made happen in a book.

I hated Ms Stiefvater. At a certain point in the last quarter of The Scorpio Races, I wanted to throw it against a wall and scream in outrage and horror at the unfairness of it all. But I couldn't, because what she'd written was right; it was true. And I couldn't bring myself to not read the end, not see how it finished. And I'm so, so, so glad I did finish it, because the ending was worth waiting for, and is so bittersweetly beautiful that I'm literally crying again now remembering it.

I love this book. If you love human-animal connections, real romantic relationships that are more about mutual respect and understanding than mushiness, difficult decisions, wild places, bittersweet endings and of course, killer water horses, please: love this book too.

Final Conclusion:
This is the most heart-wrenching book I can ever remember reading. I want to carry it around with me forever to remind me of all that is beautiful and important in life - and what exactly love is.

Find Maggie Stiefvater on her website, and view the trailer for The scorpio Races here.

EXCITING CONTEST NEWS: I'm doing a joint giveaway with Nayuleska of Nayu's corner. To enter for your chance to win an ARC of The Scorpio Races, tell someone about this contest (FB, Twitter, your blog, in person, whatevs) and fill in this form. And no, we don't require proof that you told someone; we trust you. Although if you came up with a way to show us that you told someone in person, that would be kind of awesome. *imagines photos, videos, audios* *cackles*

The contest will close on SEPTEMBER 13 and is open INTERNATIONALLY. Oh, and the cover is not as pictured since it's an uncorrected proof ;)

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

January 2011, Penguin/Razorbill
408 pages, Paperback
Library copy

YA science fiction
Some graphic pain, murder, sex (not MC)

Summary from Penguin:

Amy has left the life she loves for a world 300 years away

Trapped in space and frozen in time, Amy is bound for a new planet. But fifty years before she's due to arrive, she is violently woken, the victim of an attempted murder. Now Amy's lost on board and nothing makes sense - she's never felt so alone.

Yet someone is waiting for her. He wants to protect her; and more if she'll let him.

But who can she trust amidst the secrets and lies? A killer is out there – and Amy has nowhere to hide . . .

Amy's thoughts:
Oh, my gosh! I LOVED this book! I read it in a single sitting, past my bedtime, and adored every minute of it. This book is full of twists and turns and surprising reveals, and although I guess one or two I didn't actually guess how they would work, and made exclamations of delight often enough that my husband kept giving me strange looks.

The characters are interesting and well-rounded and, most importantly, smart and active. Although they're in a very difficult situation (stuck on a gen-ship several centuries away from Earth) with mysterious murders of an odd variety happening all around them, they Get Stuff Done.

The worldbuilding is just gorgeous - rich and layered and entirely logical - sometimes scarily so. But most importantly, this book does EXACTLY what science fiction is, in my opinion, supposed to do: it asks important ethical and moral questions. What is the truth? Does everyone actually deserve - or need - to know it? What constitutes good leadership? Does the end ever justify the means? And just exactly how much can love overcome?

A very, very awesome book.

Final Conclusion:
This is one of my favourite books all year. Well done, Ms Revis!

Find out more about Across the Universe at its website, or more about Beth Revis at her website :)