Split by Swati Avasthi

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 9th 2010 
Source: Teen {Book} Scene

Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret.

He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret. At least so far.

Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. First-time novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split—how do you begin to live again? Readers won’t be able to put this intense page-turner down.

"My face will tell half the story. For the other, I'll keep my mouth shut and lie by omission. Someday I'll fess up, tell him the whole deal, and then he can perform a lobotomy or whatever it takes. But right now, I just need Christian to open his door, nudge it wider and let me stay." -page 2 of Split

Just by reading the first two pages, I knew instinctively that Avasthi's debut was going to be something wonderful. My instinct proved to be correct: Split was a fantastic novel from start to finish that I could not put down until I reached its hopeful and ultimately satisfying conclusion. There were so many aspects and details to this story that Avasthi got right and I was extremely impressed with her talent for executing everything so fluently.

Jace was such a compelling narrator. Despite his young age, he is extremely intelligent, perceptive and okay, a bit of a smart ass at times (I can't say I didn't enjoy his witty remarks though). His vulnerability would sometimes peek at the surface and break through his pleasant facade that he was very good at maintaining---but during these particular moments is where I truly marveled at Avasthi's writing ability. Jace's memories of abuse and conflicted feelings towards both his parents, including his own brother, never felt contrived at any point in the story: it was totally authenic, one hundred percent of the time.

Christian, Jace's brother, is another character worthy of mention: older and enigmatic, he suffered under the same abuser that Jace did but his emotional journey was altogether different from his brother's. Their relationship served as a cataylst for both brothers and as the story progessed, their clashing together and then gradual reconciliation was extremely fascinating to read and ultimately moving.

Unrelenting in its honesty and quiet strength, Split is a literary gem for various reasons. Swati Avasthi has written a beautiful novel that deserves all the accolades it's received; Jace's story truly resonated with me and I know it'll have the same impact with others who decide to give it a try. The title for Jace's story is aptly given--Split is essentially about Jace being split over his identity--will he be a product of his past or let the future reshape him into something that he hadn't imagined for himself until he finally left home?

Rating: 4.5

Mini-review: Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Release Date: May 25 2010
Source: Around The World Tours

Sixteen-year-old, music- and sound design-obsessed Drea doesn’t have friends. She has, as she’s often reminded, issues. Drea’s mom and a rotating band of psychiatrists have settled on "a touch of Asperger’s.”

Having just moved to the latest in a string of new towns, Drea meets two other outsiders. And Naomi and Justin seem to actually like Drea. The three of them form a band after an impromptu, Portishead-comparison-worthy jam after school. Justin swiftly challenges not only Drea’s preference for Poe over Black Lab but also her perceived inability to connect with another person. Justin, against all odds, may even like like Drea.

It’s obvious that Drea can’t hide behind her sound equipment anymore. But just when she’s found not one but two true friends, can she stand to lose one of them?

Drea's a pretty rockin' main character: I loved how blunt she was with everyone around her. Her Asperger's might be considered a handicap to some but for Drea, it's just who she is and she never lets it stop her from being who she is. Her lack of a filter made her extremely honest and that is rare these days. Something else that I loved...the relationship she has with Justin. Ohmygoodness, these two are just so sweet together! Their attraction to each other, their gradual friendship and then their official boyfriend-girlfriend relationship was very real and completely unrushed. There was one moment with a character in the novel that was extremely jarring but the bittersweetness of it felt right for the story.

Final Verdict: Read this! It's very well-written, it's a Tenner debut, and it has a really cute boy thrown in the mix! Music and drugs make an appearance in the story but it's mostly centered on Drea's journey of self-discovery. She learns to open herself up to more possibilities--and people. (Did I mention a really cute boy? Srzly, I love Justin.) Rating: 4.5 stars

Clickables: {main site}, {official book site}, {twitter}

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan

Reading level: Young Adult
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Release Date: June 1, 2010
Source: BookSparks PR

Here Comes the Bride — If She Can Pass Chemistry.

Eighteen-year-old Bronwen Oliver has a secret: She's really Phoebe, the lost daughter of the loving Lilywhite family. That's the only way to explain her image-obsessed mother; a kind but distant stepfather; and a brother with a small personality complex. Bronwen knows she must have been switched at birth, and she can't wait to get away from her "family" for good. Then she meets Jared Sondervan. He's sweet, funny, everything she wants — and he has the family Bronwen has always wanted too. She falls head over heels in love, and when he proposes marriage, she joyfully accepts. But is Jared truly what she needs? And if he's not, she has to ask: What would Phoebe Lilywhite do?

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, to any reader's eye, seems like the type of book you can quickly gobble up because it seems like a light, uncomplicated story--what takes the reader by surprise, however, is the more serious, underlying element that makes Erin McCahan's debut more than just a fluffy escapist read. Bronwen Oliver had a humerous, quirky voice that pulls the reader into her story and her feelings of alienation within her family feel justifiable as the story goes on: her mother, who seems to love to point out how different her daughter is from the family, will undoubtedly give the reader a lot of sympathy for Bronwen's plight.

But Bronwen's life turns for the better when Jared Sondervan finds his way back into town; sweet, intelligent and with a loving family that Bronwen immediately feels normal with, Jared seems like the perfect dream. I definetely loved Jared-he was very good to Bronwen and the best thing about their relationship was how they gradually fell in love with each other-their relationship wasn't a case of insta-love (which I was extremely thankful of); they slowly became a part of each other's lives and the way their families were included was wonderful to read about. It seemed very natural and not at all forced.

But I Now Pronounce You Someone Else isn't just a love story--if anyone were to think that's all this book was about, they would miss the subtle message that McCahan has placed within the pages. I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is the story of a girl finally finding herself, of coming to the realization that her identity is all her own and that particularly poignant message is what this story so much more than the typical romantic set-up of boy-meets-girl. This novel has layers to peel through and what you'll find is an honest, charming and memorable story that anyone can identify with.

Rating: 4.5

A huge thanks to Christelle for providing me a copy of this book and for giving me the chance to work with BookSparksPR!

Tweet Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Release Date: June 29, 2010
Source: The Teen {Book} Scene
Language: English

Synopsis: Claire is a #hopelessromantic.
Lottie is determined to set up her BFF with Mr. Perfect.
Will wants his #secretcrush to finally notice him.
Bennett is a man with a plan.

Claire can’t believe it when her dream guy starts following her on Twitter. She never thought he noticed her, and suddenly he seems to understand her better than almost anyone. But the Twitterverse can be a confusing place, especially when friends act differently online than they do in person. Things get even more complicated when Claire realizes she’s falling for someone else, the last person she ever would have expected….

Told in an innovate format combining tweets, emails, and blogs, Tweet Heart is a contemporary romantic comedy that will set your heart atwitter.

This isn't the first time I've read a novel written through emails and blog posts but Elizabeth Rudnick has added an original, new twist to the few epistolary novels floating around-Tweet Heart, Rudnick's debut novel, is a fun and relatable story combining emails, blogs and tweets. (as in Twitter!) The four narrators of the story each have distinct voices so there's no danger of confusing one for the other and the reader (especially if they're not familiar with how Twitter works) will quickly adapt to the layout of the story. Although there are four main characters, Claire and Will's voices are the prominent ones and their actions are the reason for the story's swift pace. Claire is kind, a loyal friend and completely oblivious to the fact that her close friend, Will, is desperately in love with her. Will is funny, sweet and perfect for Claire-he's willing to do anything to make her smile and the lengths he goes to to make her happy might seem a little crazy to the reader (especially when he ends up having disastrous results!) but his misguided attempts to genuinely make Claire happy will melt the reader's heart with how devoted he is. Lottie and Bennet are a little bit more behind the scenes but their interactions with Claire and Will are hilarious! They're great foils to the more serious personalities that Claire and Will possess. Bennett and Lottie, however, aren't so fond of each other in the beginning. Their relationship actually reminded me a little of Beatrice and Benedick* from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. They make digs at each other but gradually they become more civil to each other and end up a little like Beatrice and Benedick. Tweet Heart really surprised me with how much I enjoyed it-I cared about all of the characters and what they would do once everything was out in the open.

Light, comical and absolutely adorable, Tweet Heart is a fast read that, while a little predictable, leaves the reader satisfied with its hopeful ending. Rudnick's debut showcases her talent for creating believable characters and her novel is the perfect choice for someone that needs to read something that'll pull them out of a dark mood.

Rating: 4.5

*Anyone who's read Much Ado knows what I'm talkin' about! ;)

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: June 1, 2010
Source: Traveling ARC Tours
Language: English

Synopsis: Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it's not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but when you're half human, half mermaid, like Lily, there's no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid—she's a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn't feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been living on land and going to Seaview High School ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems—like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince Fletcher—but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type—the instant they "bond," it's for life.

When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Tera Lynn Childs has done it again with Forgive My Fins--her characters, whether they're naive or snarky, still maintain that loveable charm and this special brand of charm is purely Childs's. Unlike Phoebe from her Oh My Gods series, Childs has created a more clueless (but still likeable) character with Lily Sanderson. Although she was naive and silly at times, Lily's character never made me angry; she's just so bent on seeing things her way that it's difficult for her to realize what's right in front of her. There to swoop in and shake her out of her daydreams is Quince Flether. Quince has joined the ranks of my favorite love interests in YA literature-through Lily's eyes we're introduced to a sarcastic troublemaker with a penchant for mocking Lily but as the reader delves deeper into the story, Quince's tender and perceptive nature is made obvious. Their relationship is full of teasing moments and humerous fights, often ending with Lily's sea-related euphemisms ("Son of a swordfish!"). It's pretty much guaranteed that you'll be cheering for Quince and screaming at Lily to open her eyes to the amazing boy that lives next door. The plot moves along swimmingly (and yes, I totally used that word on purpose), leaving no doubt as to what's going to occur between Quince and Lily; the story is almost entirely about the pair but Childs offers far more than a cliche romance. Her colorful descriptions of Lily's home in Thalassinia make me yearn for an underwater world that I could escape to and there is even a hint of danger lurking near the end of the book that will makes readers even more curious as to what will happen next.

Imaginative and always entertaining, Tera Lynn Childs has proven in Forgive My Fins that she is capable of blending light and dark elements while making also maintaining a playful tone in this enjoyable new series. Any of her books will appeal to those looking for a fun and fufilling read: her novels are perfect for reading at the beach with a smoothie at hand ;)

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Flux
Release Date: January 13, 2009
Source: Bought from Borders :)

In the late seventeen century, famed teenage pirate Emer Morrisey was on the cusp of escaping the pirate life with her one true love and unfathomable riches when she was slain and cursed with the dust of one hundred dogs, dooming her to one hundred lives as a dog before returning to a human body-with her memories intact. Now she's a contemporary American teenager and all she needs is a shovel and a ride to Jamaica.

Alternating between Saffron's voice in 1st person and Emer's in 3rd, Dust of 100 Dogs chronicles the life of Emer Morrisey, a young girl who grows up during the Cromwell invasion in Ireland. After years of sadness and hardship, she defies everyone by becoming a terror on the open sea. But when she's finally reunited with Seanie, her childhood love, she's ready to leave her past behind and settle down. She looks to the future until fate intervenes; Seanie is murdered before her eyes and before she is killed, she is cursed to the lives of 100 dogs.

Before I start, let me say that this was not an easy read. It wasn't boring or written in a way that I couldn't get... there were many times where I wanted to weep at the tragedy Emer's put through and enough cringe-worthy moments where I had to put the book down, remembering that I wasn't a pirate lost at sea. Alternating between Saffron's voice in 1st person and Emer's through 3rd, Emer's story immediately hits me with how powerful it was. She loses her family in the war and her only solace is with Seanie Carroll, her best friend. Both are children of war and are driven to silence by what they've seen; instead of talking, they sit side by side in contemplative silence and a bond grows between them that blossoms into romance. As time passes, Emer transforms into a fierce pirate, destroying whatever shreds of the sweet irish girl she once was. She slaughters countless men and reserves her hatred for one menacing man in particular... but unfortunately, before she can achieve true happiness, the chance is snatched away. Once her soul finally reimerges as Saffron, she decides to go back to get her treasure.

What I liked about this book was how Emer had the strength to fight back against all the crap she had slung at her. I admired her resilience and how despite everything, she still had hope for something more. Seanie was a character I really liked; their love for each other was so pure...I found that wonderful. I also enjoyed Saffron's sarcasm as she reminisced about being Emer and dealing with her parents. Saffron's parents placed all their hopes and dreams upon her, pushing her to get a better education so she could make something of herself. After having her soul recycled 100 times, she just wanted to return to where the nightmare started and find some sort of closure. Emer's soul shined throughout the entire novel; instead of carving my eyes out (which is Emer's signature mark), she pried them open with how bittersweet her life was the first time around. The book's hopeful ending pacified me, making me happy for Saffron's epiphanies.

This book was not what I expected AT ALL. A.S. King managed to create a tale so powerful that it could knock all the other books off the shelves!

rating: 4.5

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: May 1, 2008
Source: Library 
Language: English

Synopsis: Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.
The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils...

(SLIGHT WARNING: There are some spoilers so read at your own risk!) Leslie’s noticed that ever since Keenan’s shown up, Aislinn’s been different; she hardly recognizes her friend who splits her time being with Seth, her official boyfriend and Keenan, her “close” friend. Well, whatever. Leslie has enough to deal with-a father who’s never around, a useless brother drowning himself in drugs and her waitressing job that earns her barely enough money to pay the bills. But something’s happened to Leslie that she’s refusing to acknowledge...instead, she’s decided that the best way to erase the past (and reclaim herself) is to get a tattoo. Months pass before her eyes land on the perfect image: inky-black eyes surrounded by shadowy wings. Drawn to the image, she saves up until finally, it’s hers. But then she realizes that the tattoo does change her...irrevocably it seems. What was once her greatest desire turns into her worst nightmare.

In Wicked Lovely, Leslie was a minor character mentioned in passing...in Ink Exchange, though, she is front and center. Frustrated with her life, she decides that the best way to bring positive change is to get a tattoo, a symbolic gesture that proves her body is hers. Her friendship with Aislinn is strained and she wonders why Aislinn seems intent on keeping her away from Keenan’s crowd, especially Niall, Keenan’s (sexy!) older uncle. Leslie’s attraction to Niall grows...and Niall feels the same way. But! (for there’s always a but in these kinds of stories) Niall is part of Keenan’s world and Aislinn, knowing this, tries her hardest to keep Leslie safe. Meanwhile Irial, the King of the Dark Court, begins following Leslie and whenever he’s around Leslie feels connected to him, almost as if she’s a part of him. Ignorant of the faery world, Leslie doesn’t know that Irial’s presence means sinister events are only just around the corner and as she finds out, she must fight to not lose herself in the seductive world of faeries. I was honestly blown away by this book! Leslie had something horrific and in desperation decides that she must get a tattooo. In her mind, it’s the only way to ever regain a shred of normalcy from her old life. Not even Aislinn is the same and Leslie knows she’s holding something back. Then she finally receives that tattoo, Irial shows up and Leslie’s life spirals into oblivion as her involement with Irial grows to epic proportions. Leslie then finds out everythnig about the faery world, how its influence s are greater then she’s ever known and that she becomes instrumental in the Dark Court's survival. Despite Irial being the villan, you can’t help liking him a little...his main concern is how to regain his court’s strength since Beira’s (the last Winter Queen) death has crippled it enormously. Niall has his own past and as the story unfolds, you see how his relationship with Irial continues to plague him even though his loyalties lie with the Summer Court.. Ink Exchange is a amazing novel that depicts its characters perfectly, showing each one’s vulnerabilities and that difficult decisions must be made. It’s bittersweet, wonderful and proves that the choices you make hace an impact on everyting.

rating: 4.5