Author: Corinne Duyvis
Date of Publication: June 17 2014
Pages: 387
Source: Library Ebook

Amara is never alone. Not when she's protecting the cursed princess she unwillingly serves. Not when they're fleeing across dunes and islands and seas to stay alive. Not when she's punished, ordered around, or neglected.

She can't be alone, because a boy from another world experiences all that alongside her, looking through her eyes.

Nolan longs for a life uninterrupted. Every time he blinks, he's yanked from his Arizona town into Amara's mind, a world away, which makes even simple things like hobbies and homework impossible. He's spent years as a powerless observer of Amara's life. Amara has no idea . . . until he learns to control her, and they communicate for the first time. Amara is terrified. Then, she's furious.

All Amara and Nolan want is to be free of each other. But Nolan's breakthrough has dangerous consequences. Now, they'll have to work together to survive--and discover the truth about their connection.

My Review

I'm shocked that Otherbound ended up being a standalone. I suppose that's what you get when you attempt to read books blind of any actual information on said book. What this meant however is that, by the end, I had to reevaluate my thoughts of the story as a whole.

Otherbound drew me in from the very beginning. It's the story of Nolan and Amara who are from two very different worlds and it's about how their lives intersect. Nolan is living two lives. Every time he blinks, he is thrown into Amara's world as a presence inside her head. Amara doesn't know Nolan is there, and her life is more of a fantasy story: she is on the run with a princess and a mage, and she's responsible for protecting the princess from a curse that was cast on her by some evil ministers.

The contrast between the almost contemporary feel of Nolan's life and the fantasy of Amara's was jarring, but in a good way. It was impressive how Nolan and Amara had such different lives and concerns, and the way they interacted was realistic to me. I also thought that adding this other layer to a fantasy story just made it elevated because there were some big questions that were asked and answered. Nolan often felt like he wasn't really living any life because his whole life was dominated by Amara's, and that's something he had to figure out.

The diversity in the story was very strong. Nolan's parents speak Spanish, and Amara's world is full of people of colour. The diversity wasn't a subplot, and what I loved was that it was simply there. I'm just saying that many would enjoy how naturally everything was integrated into the story.

I ended up being incredibly engrossed in the plot from the start, but it did kind of wear at me eventually. The story ended up being different from what I wanted and I kind of think if there was a weakness, it would be the characterization of the villains(s). Frankly, I thought what they did, especially the motive was stupid and when you have a story so well thought out, having such sucky villains kind of cheapens everything. That's why I have some issues with how I would rate this story. Everything was complex, but the villains really weren't.

I also think that so much focus was put on the characters that the actual plot almost fell by the backside. I thought the emotions were genuine, but the story arc was weaker than it felt while reading, now that I look back at it. I don't think the plot was that strong, while the main characters were. Every other character had their moments, but weren't really the focus of the story.

All in all, I did think the plot and villains were a weakness, but the main characters and writing was nice. The story does capture you, but I thought it wasn't as good of a story as I would have thought from the beginning. I guess with that, I'd rate Otherbound between 3 and 4 stars. I did like it as a whole, and thought it was really good at some parts. The negatives are still significant, and I think for that it gets downgraded from 4 stars. So I'll give it the very rare, almost impossible to get half star. 3.5 stars for a story that for the most part I really liked.

-P.E.

This is a new feature that will be looking at blogging, books, and anything of any relevance to the YA Blogosphere in short form. It's meant to start a discussion by offering quick thoughts from Mari and P.E. on a variety of topics. 

Amazon is Evil?

by P.E.

I assume everyone has heard of the Hachette/Amazon dispute, and the letter that was sent out, and I suppose everyone has formed their own opinion. I can't really comment on what's happening between Hachette and Amazon because frankly, I don't know enough. However, I'm more inclined to want to limit the power Amazon has. That's because Amazon is building a monopoly. They are a retailer and they're trying to become the seller of ebooks. And as a Canadian already screwed because our phone/tv/internet companies overcharge because there's only a few options, I don't think it's safe for the book industry to have Amazon dominate them so much. They'll build a monopoly, there will be little viable competition, and then there will be little incentive to have good prices or continue to progress. I guess I want to see some alternatives to Amazon, and am hoping for good things from places like Smashwords. 

The Invisible Threads Attached: Reviewers POV

by Mari

It's always horrible when we come to dislike a book. But it's worse in the case of books that have been sent to us for review. We're pumped because we obviously thought it was going to be good and the publisher and authors are also pumped because they can share what they love with us and through us, also get some attention. Then everything goes wrong and out comes the negative review. We as reviewers feel bad and I know some sites have even adopted a positive review only policy like I Eat Words. Here at The Sirenic Codex we like to share our negative reviews because we like to read them. I always go through a positive and negative review to decide if I want to read a certain book. However, this doesn't help the sense of guilt. I've recently started using Net Galley more because I want to build my profile and as a result I'm even more concerned when I rate a book negatively because in that case, it's not just my readers who are seeing my review but also publishers.

Back to Business

By P.E.

So I took one week off the blog when I visited my aunt's house, and now getting back into blogging is hard. There are posts that need to be written (especially some discussion posts that just aren't happening), books to be read, comments to make, social media, emails to respond to, and gosh you don't realize how much work blogging is until you're away for a bit and then get back to it. It's hard because I'm so overwhelmed with getting back into the rhythm I was before, and it's hard to get back there because there's so much that needs to be done, for the blog and for school. Due to the upcoming commencement of university, I feel this need to make sure a lot of TSC posts are prepped and ready so that I don't have to worry as I'm figuring school and residence out. And I feel all this stress even with a co-blogger. *sigh*

I'm taking part in Parajunkee's Back to School Book Blogger Challenge. Check it out!

Day 3: Share your most memorable school memory.

This is very hard for me considering my life, thus far, has been ALL school. I still remember everything because the school reality still exists for me. I guess then that I'll try to pick one.

I'll pick the one that matters most to me, and obviously omit all names.

So it was during an era that wasn't the best for me. A lot was going on and I didn't trust people very much. At the same time, it's hard to reconcile what you want with who you are.

A teacher I liked told me to stay in after class. I wondered if I was in trouble, but I didn't know because this was one of the teachers I trust. And because I liked her, I tried to make every assignment I did shine. Anyway, she told me to stay in after class and just said some kind words about the type of student I was, and what I was looking to do in the future.

That's it. Maybe it's not the most exciting memory, but it's one that matters, because I really needed it. She was sweet and supportive and to be honest, I really didn't say much to her at the time, but to take time out of her day just to tell a student that they're capable of a lot meant so much.

It's a talk I've never forgotten, and it has truly impacted my life. Not all teachers realize how much of an impact they can have on a student's life, and she is one teacher I won't forget.

-P.E.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Exquisite

October 7, 2014

Forced to obey her master.
Compelled to help her enemy.
Determined to free herself. 

Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Stuffed into a bottle and sold by a slave trader, she’s now in hiding on the dark caravan, the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command. She’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle.

Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to free Nalia from her master so that she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother—all for an unbearably high price. Nalia’s not sure she can trust him, but Raif’s her only hope of escape. With her enemies on the hunt, Earth has become more perilous than ever for Nalia. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle…and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him. Battling a dark past and harboring a terrible secret, Nalia soon realizes her freedom may come at a price too terrible to pay: but how far is she willing to go for it?

Inspired by Arabian Nights, EXQUISITE CAPTIVE brings to life a deliciously seductive world where a wish can be a curse and shadows are sometimes safer than the light.

Goodreads

I'm a big fan of enemy love.. in fact I have a whole list dedicated to those types of books on Goodreads. This one just looks like a lot of fun and adventure which is what I'm always looking for.

What are You Waiting For?

-MARI 

I'm taking part in Parajunkee's Back to School Book Blogger Challenge. Check it out!

Day 2: If you were/are an English Teacher, share with us your dream lesson plan as far as reading assignments.

I'm lucky in the sense that I've had one really incredible high school English teacher, and I would probably model my class after hers. I've also had a pretty awesome French teacher, and our French class was basically English class but in French.

Now, I don't really read classics so my class will not have many of those. I'll mostly try to incorporate different themes through modern reads. So, let's look at my reading list!

 

Hyperbole and a Half is the first book my class will read. I picked this one because it focuses on dark subject matter, but it also has some incredibly funny moments. It will be a book we can discuss and laugh over, and it will be a bit of an ice breaker. It also brings in the idea of media, and that's always been part of my English class's curriculum.

 

Crash and Burn is much longer, but it's written in a style that I feel the class would enjoy. The writing is full of voice, and the actual story is twisted, but ends up being powerful. I would give this one to the class so we can talk about our lives, and our interactions with other people. It will expand a little bit on the themes in Hyperbole and a Half.

 

I'll give my class a bit of a break from the length of Crash and Burn and contrast it with A Monster Calls. I feel like both books are so different yet so strong. A Monster Calls is a packed read whereas Crash and Burn is a bit rambly. This one is more literary, and we'll discuss that, along with some rule of threes, and more typically writerly stuff.

 

 

Stolen is a great introduction to the tougher issues that we'll be discussing by the end of the class, and I picked it because there is a lot of symbolism. We'll talk about what different animals and events mean, and we'll also discuss whether did a good job at portraying an abduction, and whether the writing was persuasive. Also, the story is written in second person which very rarely happens, so of course it will be in an English class!

 

 

By this point, I will have more confidence in my class's ability to handle dark material so we'll all read Rabbit Ears by Maggie De Vries. It deals with so many issues, and we can approach it from so many perspectives. We can talk about racism, abuse, homelessness, adoption, family, drugs, everything. I expect that I would get my class to do presentations on these various topics based on Rabbit Ears, and it's a powerful read, so we would also make sure to learn a little bit about the dark part of our society.

Hey! I am capable of reading a classic, you know. So, the last book we read will be the hardest to get through because it is long and very text-booky at times. Still, we will persevere and after looking at issues for our society, we will look at the necessity for activism and put some thought into the future. We will discuss what's happening in our world with drones/police/politics, and the class will end with students being able to focus on the future.

I guess I don't see English class as being about reading comprehension or grammar. Obviously, that is important, but to me, English is where you can be creative and explore the world and the people in it. We'll be dealing with tough issues, and there will be lots of presentations, debates, different types of texts, and lots of discussions. I see this as more of a high school grade 11 or 12 class. Every book will take a couple of weeks to discuss and I'll end up teaching my class the importance of reading really fast. :p

Anyway, I ended up really getting into this topic! What do you think of my class?

-P.E.

Cover Wars is a weekly showdown of two beautiful covers. The winner, as voted by you, goes on to face a new cover, and wins bragging rights. This is basically a fun way to discuss what we like in covers.

Frostfire was victorious again last week. This week the champion is back to face Melissa Marr's newest cover Made For You.

One thing both covers seem to be focusing on is contrasting the warm colours with the cold, specifically blue and white with red. Now it's up to us to decide, which pop of red do we like best?

What do you think? As always, you have a week to vote. 

LET THE COVER WARS... BEGIN!

Which cover should win Cover Wars?
	Made For You
	Frostfire
pollcode.com free polls

 

School is a big part of our lives here at The Sirenic Codex, and so we're super excited to take part in Parajunkee's Back to School Book Blogger Challenge!

 

Here's what the challenge will look like:

 

 

 

Now I can't guarantee I'll get through all of this on time because I'm actually starting school soon, but I'll give it a shot.

 

Day One

Today is about sharing a little bit about me. I've always found this a difficult question, but I'll do my best.

 

So hi!

 

You know me as P.E., and I've been blogging on The Sirenic Codex with my co-blogger Mari for over a year now. I used to blog on Tantalizing Illusions before. I'm currently entering my first year of university, and it's quite scary and exciting.

 

 

I'm from Canada, although my heritage is Persian. I love Canada and Ottawa, which has been my home for the overwhelming majority of my life. I love that the weather here is intense, and it gets ridiculously hot and ridiculously cold. I love hockey, which actually many Canadians don't like, but I've been converted into liking and I adore my hometown Sens.

 

 

I live with my mom and sister, and kind of my dad, although I'll be moving out to live in residence this week. I'm in a management program, although most of my first year courses are focused on my current interest of politics.

 

 

I believe in social justice, laws, rights, and having a global perspective. I took a philosophy class in high school and the subject interested me, except now I'm not sure how to move forward with it (if you have any good philosophy texts that are readable, please do let me know! I'm considering starting The Birth of Tragedy, is that recommended?). I think it's due to my upbringing and the diversity in my surroundings that have pushed me towards this kind of international focus.

 

My favourite colour is red.

 

My favourite TV show is Game of Thrones, although the show I've been watching for longest now is Supernatural.

 

My favourite movie doesn't exist because I'm not a big movie person.

 

I can not pick a favourite book. Recently I read Torn Away by Jennifer Brown and I bawled my eyes out.

My toothbrush is orange.

 

My favourite stories to read are those with depth and the ones that are powerful and inspire me in some way. I usually like epic stories.

 

I hate needles. I don't like anything that stabs skin, which is why I stopped wearing earrings a few years ago.

 

I also despise bugs.

 

I'm not really sure what else to say, so how about you leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer any questions. I'm really good at advice, although I'm not too good at following my own advice.

 

Your turn!

 

-P.E.

Author: Anne Blankman

Date of Publication: April 22, 2014
Pages: 401
Source: Library

In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet. 

Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.
Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews. 

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

GOODREADS

Review:

Blankman has joined the troop of story weavers whose writing makes me shudder with a mixture of emotions yet keeps me so riveted that I can't bear a moment away from it. Evidently, I was glued to my copy of Prisoner of Night and Fog and for good reason; it is a gold mine.

I adore historical fiction and I feel that I haven't read enough. Those that I have, I remember commenting on their realism and the authors' dedication to staying on point with history. But I've never read something like Prisoner of Night and Fog. This book is the perfect example of a masterful intermingling of real life events and people into fictitious works. To me it is a sign of fantastic things to come.

Blankman managed to not only bring her added characters to life but she breathed a new air to many real life characters. All I've read about Hitler are Wikipedia articles and a few chapters in my Canadian History textbook; not much besides evil! In this book, Blankman showed us a personality, a real life person to which we can attach all our past knowledge. He fascinated me the way a wild beast fascinates curious onlookers. I was always awaiting the breaking point, the time when Blankman would stray from her story and add a little bias, but she never did.

A big part of this book was the Muller family. Gretchen hales from a regular family of shoemakers who by a force of luck (or bad luck) become acquainted with Adolf Hitler in his early days. Their familial struggles were so pure in nature. The everyday struggles of making a living, the expectation of women and the troubles that came with not having a patriarch in the house. I enjoyed reading about Gretchen and her brother Reinhard's relationship. It was fascinating to read as not many authors have tackled a psychopath before. I was thoroughly engrossed and once again horrified.

As for Gretchen, I adored having her as a narrator. She was so young, alive, brave and intelligent. She taught us that one shouldn't just agree to everything they are told without question. To a girl who has never seen anything different, being told that a Jew is a monster isn't hard to believe. But without questions and a need to make our own opinions on things the atrocities would've worsened. Gretchen, albeit being a loyal daughter and follower, is also someone who is true to herself and only that truth and her love for her family helped her find the truth.

Her partner in crime, the sweet Daniel Cohen was a force to be reckoned with. He was so open and eager to help. His dedication to his dreams made him an inspiration. Put him together with Gretchen and the two fit perfectly. Their romance was the slow and deep type. No night of raw passion, just a sweet pure adoration and need to always protect the other on equal footing.

I honestly have not read a novel of this calibre in a long time and it makes me want to stop, take a break from reading and just skim through its pages remembering my favourite parts, the revelation and resolutions. Prisoner of Night and fog is sure to be a book that will stay with me and I shall recommend it to all lovers of a great story.

-MARI

The Weekly Progress is a type of wrap up post that happens every Sunday at The Sirenic Codex looking on the week that was.

I was away for a lot of August to visit family. It was a nice break and just relaxing, especially since my family lives in a different sort of setting than me. I live in the city, although a residential area. They live in a residential area, but one with lots of space between houses and they have deer eating the flowers in their garden regularly. Plus, there's a lake in view, so it's much more natural than I'm used to. It's good to change things up once in a while.

Books Read

Okay, so I haven't been reading much recently. Here are the books I've read while I've been gone. 

Hasn't been all that many. I liked Stolen, didn't like Feuds, Torn Away made me cry and cry and cry and Cold Spell was good. Of the bunch, the one I  recommend most is Torn Away. Make sure to bring a box of tissues while reading it. 

Currently Reading

I've been reading this one for some time now. I'm getting worried I'll never end up finishing it, and that's an awful thought. It's just that both these books need to be returned to the library before I leave for university. In six days. *deep breaths*

On the Blog

Oh wow, so I have a lot to cover. Let's get at it!

So before starting college, Mari and I wrote a little about what high school was like for us. So if you're starting high school and are worried, or are looking to reminisce about your high school days, check this out. Bonus: prom picture!

While I've been gone, Mari has gone through two WoWs: Boneseeker (ooh creepy!), and The Mermaid's Pearl.. 

There are so many reviews so I'll list them: 

• Cruel Beauty by Mari, and duh she loved it :)
• Black City by me, and I didn't like it. But read the review for the Supernatural gifs!
• Pointe by me, and it's a book you should read.
• Reality Boy by me, and like my grandmother says, "It's good but I didn't like it."

Mari also continued with #FridayReads and she's reading Biggest Flirt.

And did you know Mari can count backwards? Like what? (It's actually a really cool bookish survey!)

So if you've read Reality Boy, you will get this reference. If not, you don't need to read Reality Boy to get this post. Because these are my ransom demands.

The Week That Was

I got home and I've been taking care of things pertaining to moving away. I bought a laptop for university (and mostly for myself) and I'm currently in the honeymoon phase with it. I've kind of been figuring out money stuff too, which is really the suckiest part about school. Does anyone have any tips for that? Or how about university life in general? 

Song of the Week

There hasn't been that one song that has screamed to me that it deserves this title. I've listened to some Melbourne Bounce, and I don't like the pureness of the sound. I guess I like my music a lot more chaotic with many more melodies. So, as I always do when I'm looking for new awesome music, I checked out the latest from Protocol. And, here you have it, a song I've missed and that is pretty awesome. Saffron by Row Rocka, which is full of melodies, crescendos and these awesome little hints of Middle Eastern sounds, which fits the name perfectly. See, saffron is this reddish thing that comes from the middle of a certain flower, and it is expensive as heck, but having good saffron is one way to show your money. So, predictably, everything buys it and loves it anyway. 

I know I usually end with "Have a great week!" and I hope you guys do have one. But I need advice, so...

What are dorm essentials?

-P.E.

Help! P.E. has been kidnapped! Well, who's the kidnapper? P.E. herself.

I recently read Reality Boy by A.S. King and it wasn't the read I wanted it to be, but there is one theme it explored quite well that is sticking with me, days later in all situations. It's the idea of demanding what you should rightfully have.

This idea makes me quite uncomfortable because I think as a person, I feel guilty a lot. I live somewhere peaceful in a decent family and have friends and will be going to university. I have a great life, and I feel guilty sometimes because I wonder if I'm not living it to the fullest because I really ought to for all the people that want to be in my position but can't.

So demands are not things I'm very comfortable with, but it's something I know I can do. So, let's talk about some of my bookish demands.

1. I demand my right to love what I love.

This is a quite general demand that is true in numerous ways. First of all, there are people that are slightly rude when they find that I'm a reader. It's totally a nerdy thing to do, and you know what? Nerds are great. Nerds are just people that really love something deeply, and I'd rather be a nerd in love with the world than someone that enjoys condemning other people's interests.

Furthermore, there are the people that are snobs about what types of books I read. What I've noticed thus far is that there are ALWAYS people that don't look well upon what you're reading. Some books are too pretentious to read. Some are for boring people. Some are not mature enough.

I really give no shits about what people think about what I'm reading (books make me too happy for that) so this is more aimed towards the people that enjoy just shitting on what you love. Stop that.

2. I demand to read what I want.

Oh, the blogging pressure. No one will outright say that certain books needs to be read (well, we all say it but not seriously!) but absolutely, there is an undercurrent that the best blogs have ARCs of the most hyped up books first. There's pressure to stay on the curve and keep up with your audience: new books.

The fact that I'm writing on a YA blog now doesn't mean I'm not allowed to read books on philosophy or memoirs. I'm allowed to grow as a reader.

This pressure doesn't exist for everyone, and it's probably self made, so I'm going to demand this of myself: I have a right to read whatever the hell I want. I don't need to read a review book because some author seems very sweet and the synopsis might possibly work for me. I don't need to force myself to try ARCs to keep my blog going. I don't even need to stick strictly to YA. I demand that my life is too short to spend doing what I don't want to do, and I will read what I want.

3. I demand that I stop feeling guilty for not liking something.

I am sad whenever I don't like a book. Especially when other people whom I respect immensely like the book. I always wonder, what am I missing? It can make reading a strange experience because I'm wondering if I'm not empathizing enough, or if I expect too much from a certain book.

I've been told my ratings for books are quite harsh because as soon as I remember a book with negative feelings, it gets a 1 star and five stars are quite rate. 2 stars is my average read. Just as I am capable of loving books, I am equally capable of clearly not liking a book, and I shouldn't feel so incredibly guilty at the thought of an author looking at my review. They're grown-ups  (for the most part!) and they can handle it. It's not like I'm shoving my opinion in someone's face, either.

I'm sure there are more demands I'm probably forgetting, but three works for me. Reality Boy made me remember that demands aren't always selfish, and it's important to be kind to oneself.

-P.E.

I've been looking around for some fun tag-ish posts when I came around Christy's Book Addiction's idea. So here goes.

10  Books already released on your wishlist

1) Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

2) The Fault in our Stars - John Green

3) Queen of Tearling - Erika Johansen

4) Since You've Been Gone - Morgan Matson

5) To All The Boy's I've loved Before - Janny Han

6) Curses and Smoke - Vicky Alvear Shecter

7) Played by Liz Fichera

8) Red Rising - Pierce Brown

9) Biggest Flirt - Jennifer Echols

10) City of Heavenly Fire - Cassandra Clare

9  Favorite Covers

8  Not yet released books that you can’t wait for

1) Gates of Thread and Stone - Lori M. Lee

2) This Shattered World  - Amie Kaufman and Meagen Spooner

3) Heir of Fire- Sarah J. Maas

4) Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins

5) Mortal Heart - Robin LaFevers

6) The Young Elites  - Marie Lu

7) The Winner's Crime - Marie Rutkoski

8) Lady Midnight - Cassandra Clare

7  Auto-buy Authors

1) Jennifer Echols

2) Cassandra Clare

3) Morgan Matson

4) Kristin Cashore

5) Kody Keplinger

6) Marie Lu

7) Maria V. Snyder

6 Book Boyfriends

1) Will Herondale - Infernal Devices

2) Dimitri Belikov - Vampire Academy

3) Alex Fuentes - Perfect Chemistry

4) Four - Divergent

5) Alexander Belov - The Bronze Horseman

6) West Young - Take Me On

5  Books you recommend the most (I'm skipping the most well known)

1) The Bronze Horseman - Paulina Simmons

2) Mistress of Rome - Kate Quinn

3) Between Shades of Grey - Ruta Sepetys

4) Eon - Alison Goodman

5) Don't Breathe a Word - Holly Cupala

4  Books you thought you’d like but didn’t

1) Wild Cards - Simone Elkles

2) Reboot - Amy Tintera

3) Bloodlines - Richelle Mead

4) The Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater

3  Books that made you cry

1) The Bronze Horseman - Paulina Simmons  (Buckets were filled!)

2) Second Chance Summers - Morgan Matson (It hurt my insides but I loved it. )

3) Where She Went - Gayle forman (I love Adam so much <3)

2  Books you never plan on reading

1) The Raven Boys -  Maggie Stiefvater (Not my thing plus birdphobia)

2) The Host - Stephanie Meyer (No thanks, Stephanie)

1 Favorite Genre at the moment

Fantasy

-MARI

Author: A.S. King
Date Published: October 22, 2013
Pages: 368
Source: Library Ebook

Gerald Faust knows exactly when he started feeling angry: the day his mother invited a reality television crew into his five-year-old life. Twelve years later, he’s still haunted by his rage-filled youth—which the entire world got to watch from every imaginable angle—and his anger issues have resulted in violent outbursts, zero friends, and clueless adults dumping him in the special education room at school.

Nothing is ever going to change. No one cares that he’s tried to learn to control himself, and the girl he likes has no idea who he really is. Everyone’s just waiting for him to snap…and he’s starting to feel dangerously close to doing just that.

In this fearless portrayal of a boy on the edge, highly acclaimed Printz Honor author A.S. King explores the desperate reality of a former child “star” who finally breaks free of his anger by creating possibilities he never knew he deserved.

My Review

This was a book I didn't hear too much about in the blogging world, but I knew about A.S. King since Lauren Oliver recommended her book in an author event. The majority of the reviews for Reality Boy are sparkling, and I'm sad to say that I don't feel like I really "got" the story.

My biggest comment is that this was not a book that ever interested me. Gerald never resonated with me. His character is traumatized from the time he spent on reality TV on one of those nanny shows, Network Nanny, but also his life with his family. Gerald's family is screwed up and I guess my major issue is that while I saw Gerald as a real character, he wasn't someone I could really relate to. Not even because of the experiences, but I feel like we act differently. I couldn't understand why Gerald did what he did for so much of the novel, and rather than enthrall me, his character confused me over and over again.

So Gerald didn't really work for me. I can't say he's a bad character. He's well fleshed out with interests and hobbies. He has a lot of background and that plays a role in who he has become. His family is awful, and there were points where I was absolutely outraged at them for what they did. He even had a pretty nice narrative style, with some wit here and there and an overall realistic portrayal of teen-speak. I just didn't feel like his story resonated with me, and that could be a complete personal issue and that's okay.

The plotline in Reality Boy was again, not my type. It's so slow and a lot of the story comes through the details rather than specific events. There's a lot of conjecture about the past, and frankly, the recollections of Network Nanny were my favourite parts to read. So much of the story is character development which can sometimes work for me, but in this case didn't. I just felt like the characters didn't endear themselves to me.

The other thing is that the story made me really sad. There's a lot of really horrible issues that are touched upon, and it was just so bad to go read about how some people can feel so trapped by the life they live. A lot of emotions from Reality Boy are meant to be inferred. The entire story is well written (if not over-written) and has a lot of showing. It's pretty easy to see why so many people like Reality Boy because all the technical aspects are there.

I kind of feel sad that it didn't work for me. I think it's because I never really bonded with Gerald. Sure, I felt sad for him, but also incredibly distant because he's so different and I had a hard time understanding his personality. I didn't feel very much through Reality Boy and because I was so disconnected to Gerald, who is really an essential to this story, every other part of the book suffered. The other characters didn't interest me too much although their interactions with Gerald seemed real. The whole story was so awkward with so many events happening just like life and I would recommend taking Reality Boy slow and really thinking about what is being read.

I did think the plot was not interesting. In fact, I was pretty bored by it. I didn't have any epiphanies like Gerald and I find the ending of the story kind of strange because it seems like I never realized at what point everything changed.

Although I wanted to like Reality Boy, the store has done very little for me except force me to reconsider those shows with the nannies I used to watch. I think there's a reason why Reality Boy has so many fans, but because this is my review, it is about my enjoyment. And that is 2 stars, which is neutral/average.

-P.E.