Teen Talks (1)

Teen Talks is a sporadic little feature, created by the wonderful Aneeqah from My Not So Real Life where I/whoever blogs about things relevant to teens

Summer

Summer. One word that has the power to elicit a multitude of emotions, ranging from elation to dread. I’m certainly excited for summer. I mean, who doesn’t need a break from school? But, I’m also struggling with my parents (and others) who believe that I need to do *something* amazing during the summer. Something like hang out with friends every day, but not because I must see my family sometime; something like work a lot, while somehow hanging out with friends a lot and also not going to sleep right when I get home; something like enjoy every single second that I’m out of school, but also prepare for the next school year and finish all my summer assignments. Sometimes (like the majority of the time), I just want to relax, curl up with a good book, and read. Or watch Netflix. I feel like there’s this stigma surrounding summer where teens have to be doing magical things in order to “make the most of it.” Trust me, lazing around and relax is *my* idea of fun.

I guess what I’m saying, is that summer has begun to feel like it is a competition between my peers and I to see who can do the most fun things during the summer. I don’t know, maybe its just me, but that kind of takes away from the relaxation part of summer.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Genre: Contemporary

Source: Library

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Anna and the French Kiss was a light-hearted, cutesy read that was perfect to begin my binge-read of contemporary books. The characters were relatable-especially Anna and her awkwardness. Perkins is a master at encapsulating the thoughts and feelings of teenage girls. Plot-wise however, Anna and the French Kiss was almost a little too buddy-buddy with some other realistic/romance YA novels that I’ve read in the past.

Anna embodied the teenage spirit and emotions.

She felt and she felt it deeply and sometimes overdramatically. Often, I can catch myself overreacting in a situation and while reading this book, I was able to identify with Anna. I am truly in awe of Perkins’s ability to capture these feelings in their whole entirety. No, I’m not saying she or other authors aren’t/couldn’t be able to accurately portray teenagers; I’m making the observation that sometimes, authors can overlook the complexity and genuine emotions of us. We teenagers are complex beings that simply continue to grow even more complex as we continue to grow and develop. Anna and the French Kiss portrays teenagers in a way that doesn’t devalue changes in emotions or mistakes.

Perkins’s writing style is girly, flowery, and flowy. While some may find this style to be shallow, I found it to be a perfect fit for this genre and type of book. It coordinates well with the characters and allows the book to be a pleasant and relaxing experience-in contrast with other genres, like Game of Thrones for instance. For me, contemporaries almost solely centered on a romance aspect require a similar writing style because without a more flowery-ish writing style, I might feel like the romance is forced or doesn’t fit.

“Why is it that the right people never wind up together? Why are people so afraid to leave a relationship, even if they know it's a bad one?”

Although I did enjoy Anna and the French Kiss, some of the plot was too cliché. It’s difficult for an author to make their book stand out because there’s already so many books that attempt to capture the emotions and feelings behind teenage romance and first loves. I definitely saw some common plot points of the contemporary romance YA genre within Anna and the French Kiss, which made it a tad bit less special and stand out-ish.

Anna and the French Kiss was just what I needed to get back into contemporary YA fiction. It had stellar characters and genuine emotion, yet the plot felt slightly similar and overdone.

The Wrath and the Dawn

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Genre: Historical Retelling, Romance, Fantasy

Source: Library

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

The Wrath and the Dawn was slightly underwhelming. I’ve been to panels and heard sooo many fantastic things about this book and then I read it and I was left wondering what all the hype was about. Yes, the Shazi was powerful and sassy. Yes, Khalid was mysterious and enigmatic. Yes, its part of the beginning of a bubbling of diverse books. Yet, the magical element was off-putting and the plot dragged. 

The characters are what made this novel stand out. Shazi is a firecracker. Her wit and her secret skills are so fascinating to discover and each time she revealed that she was awesome at yet another thing, I giggled. She’s similar to many other YA characters, but yet different. The voice behind the character seems genuine and life-like. It was refreshing in a YA world overrun by sassy, strong female leads. Khalid was another strong point. His past defines his present and his future, and at first he lets that happen. Then, he lets someone in finally and things actually happen (I’m tryin’ to keep this spoiler-free people). It sounds a little cliche, and maybe it is, but in this book, it felt right. The handmaiden was kickass and veritable in her own way. She was similar to Shazi with her quickfire comebacks and loud opinions,  but Ahdieh managed to make them different. Their inner voices are different. And its amazing.

“Some things exist in our lives for but a brief moment. And we must let them go on to light another sky.” ~ Renee Ahdieh

The romance was the typical YA romance. Boy meets Girl. Girl irrevocably changes Boy. Boy becomes a better person. And I’m usually not bothered by this or even annoyed by its prevalence. Remaining true in The Wrath and the Dawn, this trope didn’t necessarily annoy me, but it slightly ruffled my feathers. But, it fit the characters so stinkin’ well that it complemented the book quite nicely.

However, I was not a fan of the magic. I know, I know. This is a retelling. But the magical element just didn’t sit well with me. I did not like the way it was introduced into the story. I understand that it was a mystery and Khalid’s deepest secret, but the delivery was lacking. It wasn’t the magic itself; the magic was fine and dandy. My main problem with the magic was its existence in this story, as the introduction did not allow it to fit.

Also, the plot could get a little draggy at points. This is understandable as we have to experience what Shazi does everyday to continue to win her spot in the palace. Yet, I found this to be boring at times and wished it would’ve been spiced up a little.

The Wrath and the Dawn was a character-based novel that was pleasantly enjoyable, with a few dings along the way.

 

Dirt Daughter by Michele Shaw

Dirt Daughter by Michele Shaw

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Synopsis: “In Dirt Daughter, seventeen-year-old Elena Black has concealed the secret to her childhood friend’s murder for eight years. With the possibility of a college scholarship looming, she plans to keep that secret and flee her dysfunctional home; one with a drug-addicted mother, a stepsister she just met, and a bitter, abusive uncle. But, when a detective reopens the cold case and a friend sets her up on a date with the new boy at school, the past and present collide, threatening Elena’s future plans…and her life.”

Review: I haven’t read a true mystery novel for a while. I don’t know if this is because I’m not into the genre anymore or they don’t appeal to me as much as I always seem to think that they will. I’m not sure. However, Dirt Daughter was a pleasant surprise and a sort of gentle re-entering into the mystery genre.

Shaw’s writing style was a tad too straight-forward and at points felt like she used words that the main character wouldn’t. Yet, it was overall good for the suspense and confusion of the main character.

One of the defining characteristics of this book was the extreme unreliability of the main character. I love this aspect. Shaw pulls it off marvelously. Elena herself is keeping everything confusing and secretive for the reader and its one of my favorite parts of this book. It creates so much more suspense. I think that this book would be a completely different, flat book if Elena wasn’t written the way she was.

From the beginning, I was very intrigued about what happened. The mystery part was meh. I was ticked that the secret was revealed before the end. It made the part that was supposed to be wow omg can’t believe it was that person! moment not as big as I would’ve liked. Basically, the mystery itself was interesting, but the actual reality wasn’t as exciting.

The relationships in Dirt Daughter were also a good point. I enjoyed the continual effort on Chayton’s part. It didn’t feel like he made her better; it felt like his presence was encouraging her to be better. That’s definitely more picturesque than it is in reality, but that’s the goal for real life relationships (in my opinion anyways).

Dirt Daughter was a suspenseful and satisfying book, but it wasn’t a Wow! caliber book. The plot, characters, and relationships were enjoyable aspects of the book, while the style and the reveal itself were lacking.

Top Tuesday (4) : Books I’d Love to See as Movies

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where you share your top ten books on a certain topic.

Top Ten Books I’d Love to See as Movies/ TV Shows:

 

1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: This would totally be a fantastic movie! I can just imagine the cuteness, fluffiness, and awesomeness that would ensue if this book was made into a movie!

2. The Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare: This fantastic series should be made into a TV show. I adore the characters, story, and ships. Honestly, I would love but also be very nervous if this was made into a show because they haven’t had a good track record with The Moral Instruments Series (hopefully the show will be better!), but I would probably still be excited!

3. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: I would be happy if any of Stephanie Perkins’s books were turned into movies, but since this one is my favorite of the three, I would most love it if it was adapted into a movie. I mean, the cast would have to be absolute perfection (as with all the others), but I think I would suffer from cuteness overload if Isla was made into a movie.

4. Tiger’s Curse Series by Colleen Houck: I really like where the series is heading and I feel like the plot is stimulating enough to be a show. Each book can be a season and everything would be grand!

5. Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson: These books are a part of my childhood and seeing them being made into either a movie or a TV show would probably bring me great joy! As far as I know, there isn’t a TV show about a semi- d0ystopian world with mutant teens who can fly, so that alone would be highly fascinating!

6. Looking For Alaska by John Green: Okay, sorry to be cliche, but this is my favorite John Green novel. I was very moved by the end and I seriously believe it would make a perfect movie.

7. The Selection Series by Kiera Cass: This series would make the PERFECT TV show! Seriously. Think about it. There’s plenty of intrigue and mystery and suspense. The characters are good enough. It would be reminiscent of the Bachelorette and Bachelor, but would have its own quirks and nuances that would make it completely original and gorgeous.

8. Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas: OKAY SORRY I LOVE THIS SERIES IT HAD TO BE INCLUDED. Obviously, I would have to cast the movies, but ya know it would be perfect. Perfect.

9. Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: This novel would make a beautiful movie. In a perfect world, where book adaptation movies are absolutely perfect, a movie version of this book would be poignant and moving. I would love it.

10. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson: This book has great characters, is imbibed with history and yet is original, and has a intense plot. Fantastic movie right there.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black 

Genre: Dystopian Fantasy

Source: Library

Rating: 4/ 5 Stars

Synopsis: “Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.”

Review: So I read this book for Battle of the Books since I’m on my school’s team. I previously had wanted to read it, but it wasn’t at the top of my TBR list (honestly, I have no order to it really). Also, I went into this book thinking that it had zombies in it, which I’m not really into. Obviously, I discovered that there wasn’t zombies, but there was vampires.

I have a love-hate relationship with vampires. On one hand, I love fantasy and those sorts of creatures. On the other hand, the whole vampire thing has been so overdone that I kind of don’t want to read anymore of it at this point. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was similar to other vampire reads, but also very refreshing.

“We all wind up drawn to what we're afraid of, drawn to try to find a way to make ourselves safe from a thing by crawling inside of it, by loving it, by becoming it.”

I really enjoyed the characters. I think Tana is extremely life-like. She has conflicting emotions and makes a lot of dumb mistakes (but not too many that I want to slap her) that makes me feel like Tana reflects a real person. That’s an incredible feat. I know a lot of people dislike Tana because she makes mistakes and is stupid, but I think that her emotions and conflicts were life-like.

Dudes, don’t get me started on Gavriel. Yeah I know, he’s the typical YA love interest. But I can’t resist. I really can’t. Also, its made perfectly clear that he has bad intentions and isn’t a good guy. Obviously, I can’t stay away. Their romance is not a focal point in the book and only exists occasionally, but the slow-burning tension. I felt it building throughout the book.

The relationships were great. The love and dedication within Tana and her sister’s relationship was so sweet and so awesome. Also, I loved Tana and her ex-boyfriend’s interactions.

Plot-wise, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was good. Plot twists happened, but I felt little to no suspense. Action happened. Some dull parts happened. Overall, plot was average.

The world building was incredible. It was well-crafted and went hand-in-hand with Black’s marvelous descriptive style. I would say that I would want to live in that world, but that would be really frightening. The concept, although not new, is revamped (<- pun intended) to have a fantasy element.

Overall, I enjoyed The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. The characters really made the book for me and I liked the dark and gritty undertones. I’m extremely sad and disappointed that this is a stand alone. I thought the ending perfectly set up the book for a sequel or even a full-fledged series, but ITS NOT. :(

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

Source:Library

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis: “Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.
While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?”

Review: Gosh. This. Book. Was. So. Amazing.

Heir of Fire has solidified Maas as one of my favorite authors. Honestly, I loved it from start to finish.

***BEWARE SPOILERS AHEAD***

I know that a lot of people had the complaint that the middle was boring, but to me the relationship building between Rowan and Celaena made up for it. Plus, the whole middle built suspense for the FANTASTIC ending. I was in tears. I screeched. I furiously texted Aneeqah and begged her to hurry up and read the second one and this one so I could talk to her about my feels. The end was one giant plot twist. Every time I thought I had recovered (who am I kidding, I will never recover) from one twist, I was hit with another! My feelings were all over the place. Thank goodness I was home alone when I read this because I’m sure my family would’ve been really concerned about my mental state. The plot alone guaranteed at least a 4 Star rating.

You know what got the 5th and final star? The bad*** characters. I LOVED Celaena’s development. I LOVED Rowan. I LOVED Chaol (okay… more on Chaol later). I LOVED Dorian. I absolutely adore Celaena and she and Tris Prior are tied as my favorite characters of all time. Her development was phenomenal. She finally stepped up to the plate and I might have shed a tear (or ten). Rowan was hilarious. He tried to act like he didn’t care, but I saw through his little facade and enjoyed every second of Celaena’s and his dialogue. It was pure gold. I want to applaud Dorian for moving on. He deserved better than the Celaena in book two. I can’t wait to see the truly magnificent things that Dorian accomplishes (although I don’t know how he’s going to deal with the ending because man).

Chaol. Oh Chaol. I feel such pity for you. I don’t feel like you aren’t good enough for Celaena, but you have such an imaginary image of Celaena. Do you love her or do you love the image of her that you’ve created in your mind?

The relationships in this book were so profound and so good. Also, I felt EXACTLY what the characters were feeling. There are no words except to say that while I was reading Heir of Fire, I was fully immersed in the book. I was there.

Now that I’ve fangirled about the marvelous characters, let’s talk business. I know I’ve said this in the first two books’ reviews, but I need to reiterate it. Maas is a fantastic story teller and world builder. I LOVE the fantasy and how it developed in this book now that we’ve met actual faeries.

The love I have for this book is astronomical. The ending blew me away and I cannot wait for the rest of the series.

How many times did I type the word ‘love’? 9