Flat Out Love by Jessica Park

When Julie moves to Boston for college, she finds the apartment she rented from Craigslist doesn't actually exist. Stranded in an unknown city, she moves into the home of her mother's old college roommate. The Watkins family is a little strange to say the least. The parents seem a bit absent, one son is traveling the world, the other is practically a social recluse, and the daughter speaks without using contractions and carries around a life-size cutout of her absent brother which she calls "Flat Finn." Julie finds the family odd, but lovable, and quickly finds herself becoming a part of their home.  As she tries to find a way to help the awkward daughter Celeste, she finds herself falling in love with one of the brothers. But which one? The nerdy boy in the bedroom beside her? Or the adventurous traveler that she's been chatting with online? And what is the big secret that everyone seems to be hiding?

Flat Out Love is a sweet story about a girl finding her way and a family finding each other. The characters are quirky and interesting. I have to say the storyline was a little predictable, but I kept reading and second guessing myself right up to the very end. In short, it's a neat little love story that is just different enough from all the others to keep you turning pages well into the night.

**If you love this book, there is a companion piece called Flat Out Matt that retells some of the important chapters of the book from another character's point of view. I haven't read it yet, but my curiosity is piqued!

The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick

Thirty-eight year old Bartholomew Neil lived with his mother his entire life.  When she is diagnosed with brain cancer and dies because of it, Bartholomew is left lost and alone.  His assigned grief counselor, Wendy, encourages Bartholomew to set new goals for his life (i.e. having a drink at a bar with someone his own age).  Bartholomew believes he has found a way to deal with his loss when he discovers a letter written to his mother from her favorite actor, Richard Gere.  Because his mother loved Richard Gere so much, Bartholomew decides to correspond with the actor and share about his life and struggles.  The letters written to Gere reveal elements of Bartholomew's past along with his longings for the future and a family of his own.  

My Thoughts: 
As you read Bartholomew's story you will find a lot of sadness, but you will also find an abounding amount of hope.  The Good Luck of Right Now is written completely in letter format. Each letter is written from Bartholomew to Richard Gere.  While it is unclear whether Bartholomew ever actually sends these letters, it is clear that the correspondence is one-sided.  This was a little weird to me at first, but I soon realized that it was perfect for Bartholomew.   

With this being the third Matthew Quick book I have read in the past month, I have to say that I have yet to be disappointed.  Quick does such a fantastic job of creating characters who are quirky, but also genuine.  His first person narratives allow readers to jump inside the minds of his characters and find their way around.  If you haven't picked up a Matthew Quick novel, you are definitely missing out. 

Note:  I received an advanced copy of this title via Edelweiss. The Good Luck of Right Now is expected to be published February 14, 2014.  

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I'm sorry I couldn't be more than I was—that I couldn't stick around—and that what's going to happen today isn't their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday.  He has big plans for the day that include delivering gifts to four friends, killing his former best friend with his grandfather's WWII pistol, and then shooting himself. Leonard's mother is completely disconnected from her son's life.  Working as a designer in New York, she leaves Leonard to fend for himself in New Jersey.  She doesn't even remember that today is his birthday.  In fact, no one knows that today is his birthday.  

Leonard spends the first hours of his day delivering gifts to the only four people he considers to be his friends.  He first visits his neighbor, Walt,  who is intensely obsessed with Humphrey Bogart films.  He then visits Lauren, a Christian homeschooler who has worked very hard to convert him to Christianity.  At school he delivers gifts to Baback, a violinist whose practice sessions he has listened to for years, and Herr Silverman, his favorite teacher who teaches his Holocaust class.  As Leonard meets with each of these four friends, he reveals not only his past experiences with them, but also what brought him to this day.  

My Thoughts: 

Matthew Quick tackles a very difficult subject in this novel.  In a time where school shootings are prevalent, I very much appreciate a book written from the shooter's perspective.  So often, and rightly so, we focus on the people that are victims of these shootings.  I do feel that we often forget to consider the young teenagers who feel that they are left with no other option than to kill their classmates and then end their own lives. What brings them to this point? Did they ever reach out to parents, friends, or teachers?  Was help offered?  In this novel, Matthew Quick creates a story that gives his readers an opportunity to see where Leonard has come from and why he has been brought to such a dark place.     

Note:  I received an advanced copy of this book to write this review. It is set to release on August 13, 2013. 

Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

After spending time in a neural rehab facility, 34 year old Pat Peoples returns home with hopes of getting his life back together.  Pat is convinced that if he works out enough and reads enough classic literature, his wife will return to him.  Pat refers to their separation as "apart time" and is thoroughly convinced that it will soon come to an end.  Now living with his parents, things don't turn out quite like Pat planned. His family refuses to talk about his wife and he doesn't understand how so many things (i.e. the Eagles' football stadium being blown up) could have happened in the few short months he was away.  Pat eventually meets Tiffany, an eccentric woman who has experienced her own share of pain and sadness.  Tiffany convinces Pat that entering a dance competition with her will surely cause his wife to return to him.  

My Thoughts: 
Silver Linings Playbook is an excellent novel.  I actually saw the movie before I knew anything about the book and was so intrigued by it that I had to read the book as well. The book was even better than the movie, mostly because, as the reader, I was allowed inside Pat's head.  Pat's brain injury causes him to have many issues and reading the story from his perspective allowed me to understand him so much more.  While this book deals with a very serious subject, it is also hilarious.  The people in Pat's life are often difficult and their lives messy, but they are also what pulls him through in the end.  

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder is set in a futuristic world where cyborgs, androids, and visitors from the moon (Luna) are all part of every day life.  Sixteen year old Cinder is a cyborg who lives in New Beijing with her wicked stepmother.  She remembers little to nothing about her life before age eleven when she was adopted by a scientist who soon dies and leaves her with his wife and two daughters.  While cyborgs are are considered a mistake of society, Cinder has many helpful capabilities:  Her brain interface allows her to be extremely adept at fixing things mechanical in nature and her portscreen is installed inside her brain allowing her to retrieve needed information quickly. Her mechanic's reputation brings the prince of New Beijing, Prince Kai, to her booth seeking assistance with his malfunctioning android.  Cinder is eager to be of assistance to the prince, but is soon distracted when her younger step-sister (and friend) is diagnosed with the plague that has been killing the citizens of Earth for over a decade.  Cinder's step-mother blames Cinder for her daughter's illness and volunteers her for plague research.  Cinder is poked and prodded and then injected with the plague virus.  What the royal scientists discover is utterly surprising and Cinder's status quickly changes from guinea pig to a commodity.  

My Thoughts: 
While I wasn't sure about the sci-fi parts of this novel when I first picked it up, I was quickly drawn in by the well developed characters and fairy tale elements.  Cinder is the first in the four book Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer.  This fractured fairy tale series is excellent.  I read Cinder in just a couple of days and quickly moved on to the second in the series, Scarlet. I have also had the privilege to read an advanced copy of the third book, Cress, due to release in February 2014.   While Cinder was an amazing book all on its own, what I love most about this series is the way Marissa Meyer weaves the characters together in the subsequent books.  Fans of dystopia... this is a must read! 

Note:  Check Marissa Meyer's website to find out more about the series.  

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Tana lives in a world where vampires are a real threat to society.  After years of living in hiding, they have made their presence known among the living.  To deal with the problem, Coldtowns (walled cities where vampires and humans coexist) were created.  The only problem is that once you enter a Coldtown you are not permitted to leave. 

One morning after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up to find a house full of corpses.  The only survivors are her arrogant ex-boyfriend and a boy with red eyes and pale skin. She finds that Aiden, her ex, has been bitten by a vampire and is beginning to go cold.  Gavriel, a vampire, is tied up and weakened by the sun coming in through the cracks in the blinds. Tana is determined to save them both and plans to take them to the nearest Coldtown.  The rescue mission goes as planned until the sun begins to set and the killer vampires emerge from the basement.  Tana attempts to follow Gavriel and Aiden out the window to her car, and is almost free, when vampire teeth make contact with her skin. Once they finally begin their journey, tensions rise as Aiden's blood thirst increases and Tana faces the possibility that she, too, could go cold.  

My Thoughts:

I know, I know... You are probably thinking: "Not another book about vampires."  Please believe me when I tell you that this is nothing like any other vampire book you have read. The slightly futuristic world that Tana lives in is not a pretty one. While most live in fear of being infected, some also desire to become immortal vampires.  Live feeds broadcast the happenings in Coldtowns and this depiction makes the quarantined areas look like exciting, non-stop parties. Once actually inside, humans discover that reality in a Coldtown is very different from how it is shown to be on television.  What I like most about this novel is that the vampires are not romanticized; they are depicted as blood thirsty predators who wreak havoc.  Interestingly enough, some still desire to become a part of the vampire world.  The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story that will leave you thinking about its plot and characters for days after you have read the last pages.  

Note:  I received an advance copy of this book to review.  It is scheduled for release on September 3, 2013.  You can read the first 8 chapters via Amazon and also watch the book trailer (below) in the meantime!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Fifteen year old Clary Fray expects nothing other than a normal night when she heads to a local New York City club with her friend Simon.  She definitely doesn't expect to see someone murdered by three tattooed teenagers in the club's store room.  And she is even more surprised when the body disappears into thin air.

This is Clary's first encounter with Shadowhunters.  Their job is to make sure downworlders (demons, vampires, etc.) don't get out of control.  Usually mundanes, ordinary people, can't see them and they are as equally surprised as Clary when they discover that she can see their dealings with the demon.

Clary is quickly thrown into the world of Shadowhunters when her mother is attacked and kidnapped by a demon. Determined to find her mother and to find out why she can suddenly see this whole new world, Clary embarks on a mission to discover the truth.

My Thoughts:
The Mortal Instruments series has been in my "to read" pile for a while.  I kept hearing how great the series was, but I just wasn't very interested.  I picked up this first book because I wanted to have at least read the first in the series before the movie comes out in August.  Maybe the story gets better as the books progress, but I had a very hard time getting into it.  To be fair, there are four more books in the series and the story definitely has potential to improve.  While the book wasn't my favorite, I am very eager to see it on the big screen.  I have a feeling that this is one of those rare books that I will like better as a movie.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Diana Bishop is a middle aged librarian/historian studying alchemy.  She has spent her entire life pretending not to be a witch, despite a long line of renown witches in the Bishop family.  While studying at Oxford, Diana accidentally uncovers a long lost manuscript that holds some sort of secret desired by all those in the supernatural community (witches, daemons, and vampires).  Not knowing its value, Diana sends it back into the stacks only to soon find the Oxford library packed with supernatural creatures wanting to get their hands on it.  Diana notices one vampire in particular, Matthew Claremont, who has begun to consistently lurk around her area of study.  After a few more intimate encounters (yoga and a couple of breakfast and dinner dates), Diana finds that Matthew is the only one she can trust to help her discover the secrets of the ancient manuscript.  

My Thoughts:
This book has been on my radar for quite some time.  I finally picked it up a few weeks ago and was not disappointed.  I was instantly drawn in by the characters and setting.  Diana is a woman who has tried desperately to avoid her magical abilities, but they just seem to seep out of her.  She is also a historian studying at a famous library in Oxford, which makes the story all the more interesting.  As I read this book, I often thought of it as an adult version of Harry Potter (and when I say adult, I mean it has adult characters not that it is X-rated).   The fantastical world in this novel is beautifully crafted and left me pining for the next book in the series.  

Note: A Discovery of Witches is the first book in the All Souls Trilogy. The second in the series, Shadow of Night, has recently been released.  

One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis

One seemingly normal day, Emily Coleman walked away from her life. She left her little family and her lovely home behind and created a new identity and a new life. What could drive a person to do this? Could you really completely reinvent yourself? Is running away ever the right answer? What is the mysterious date that looms before her and will force her to face her past? No one can guess Emily's secret. Will you?

One Step Too Far is a brilliantly crafted book. I never guess Emily's secret. It's rare that a book catches me off guard, but this one did it! I had to reread the ending twice just to make sure I read it right, then I went back through the story looking for the clues I missed.  The book is so well-paced, you will keep turning the pages to see where Emily will take you next. The most interesting part of the book was unraveling the secret, but the book poses other underlying questions. Is there anything that could justify simply walking away from your life? Is Emily broken or just selfish? Is it possible to leave yourself behind and become someone new? 

White Trash by Alexandra Allred (Blog Tour!)

Set in the small rural town of Granby Texas, White Trash follows multiple characters whose lives are all somehow connected.  The story begins when Thia Franks returns to Granby after having sworn to never return to the small southern town.  After finishing her undergrad at Duke, Thia follows in the footsteps of many Granby young women and gets knocked up.  Not knowing what else to do, Thia brings her daughter Ella back to her hometown to live with her mother.  As Granby's top newspaper reporter, Thia hears about everything that goes on in her town including racism, ignorance, abuse, and affairs.  Alexandra Allred elaborately describes the inhabitants of Granby including characters like Chester Kennedy, whose fainting goats constantly wreak havoc on the small town.  Things spin out of control even more when James Otis, a young black man, is brutally murdered.  The town cops have few leads and racial tensions continue to rise.  

Erienne's Review:  
I throughly enjoyed this novel.  Having grown up in a small southern town myself, I could relate to many of the happenings within the book.  Allred paints an accurate picture of life in small southern towns and is able to exemplify the complexities within.  While many of the character's actions are looked down upon, Allred also presents characters who are hard working, caring, and honest.  I at times had trouble keeping up with all of the characters, but found myself wanting to know more about each of them.  I especially liked how Allred created a mystery that tied so many of the characters together in the end.  

Sarah's Review: 
White Trash does an excellent job of reaching into the heart of a small southern town. I really enjoyed the descriptions of all the characters and found myself wrapped up in the mystery of James Otis' murder. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out "whodunnit," but I could not guess this one! There were so many crazy characters that I could imagine any of them being capable of anything, even murder. The book was very funny in parts and serious in others. Alexandra Allred spins a good tale while exposing prejudices, and showing the underside of life in a small town.

Note:  We received an advance copy of this title to review.  The actual publication of the book is scheduled for June 6, 2013.  To connect with the author visit:  http://www.alexandrapoweallred.com/