Wondrous Words (3)

Source: (we♥it)

"I have crossed over to a place where I never thought I’d be. I am someone I would have never imagined. A secret. A dream. I am this, body and soul. Burn me. Drown me. Tell me lies. I will still be who I am."

- Alice Hoffman

The Mockingbirds - Daisy Whitney

Publisher: Little, Brown

Indiebound Summary:
Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

Review:
The Mockingbirds opens with Alex waking up in an unknown person's bed with no memory of the night before. She had sex, but she never remembers consenting. As fragments of the night comes back, Alex realizes that she been raped. What follows is an exceptional debut book about a young girl's stand for justice. Complex and authentic, Whitney weaves a story that's part courtroom drama and part emotional journey as Alex struggles to find her self and her voice in the aftermath of her rape.

I really love this book. It was one of my favorite debut novels of 2010. The characters and plot were so skillfully crafted that this is an impressive story that I would advocate every teen and their parent read this book. Alex's characterization felt very spot-on and realistic as she struggles with her feelings of doubt, guilt, shame, etc. as she attempts to feel 'normal' again. Her vulnerability and strength as she confronts her demons and her rapist definitely got me rooting for her. I also enjoyed the strong secondary female characters Whitney writes. Maia, Amy, T.S., etc. were all incredible characters as they help support Alex through her healing process. My internal feminist was definitely jumping up and down as these characters appeared on the page. Additionally, Whitney does not fall into the trap of characterizing all the boys as one-dimensional stereotypes. There were the jerks (Carter), but she also has Jones and Martin, boys who have a strong moral code and different ideas on how to approach justice.

One major aspect that I notice in many reviews is the commentary that Carter did not get a fitting enough punishment for his crime. That date rape is something that need to be address by the public legal system and that he should be given time in prison, etc.. I don't disagree with that statement. Rape is a serious issue and I completely agree that Carter should be given a harsher sentence, but given the confines of the premise, the punishment the Mockingbirds give for the guilt sentence is as far as their power can go. Because the Mockingbirds is a student-run society, anything harsher is out of their reach. The other comments I notice is about the version of justice that the Mockingbirds use on Carter. I can understand their point, but my counterpoint is that since the Mockingbirds is not a formal court of justice, they have to use other avenues to ensure that the accuse show up for the case and accept their punishment if found guilty. If they did not use ways to compel the accused to show up, how will they try the case or punish someone, the Mockingbirds will be an ineffective group. And it is very checks and balance as attest by Alex when she signed the contract. If Alex was found lying, she'll have to accept punishment.

"Sexual assault is against the standards to which Themis students hold themselves. Sexual assault is sexual contact (not just intercourse) where one of the parties has not given or cannot give active verbal consent, i.e., uttered a clear "yes" to the action. If a person does not say "no" that does not mean he or she said "yes." Silence does not equal consent. Silence could mean fear, confusion, inebriation. The only thing that means yes is yes. A lack of yes is a no."

This quote above is one of the most candid messages I read about rape in a YA book and one of the best messages in this book. Especially today, where society still stigmatize women for not being a virgin or acting morally (getting drunk or high, dressing provactively, etc.). And if they do act unmoral, they are therefore "asking for it." The Mockingbirds empowers women with its strong message that rape isn't simply the act of sexual intercourse and that being drunk or expressing sexuality through clothes or words is not an agreement to sex. That silence does not equal consent. And a lack of yes is a no. This message alone makes The Mockingbirds a must-read for anybody and everybody, but combined with the awesome characters and plot, its not only empowering, but page-turning as well.

Book Source: Brought my own copy

Author Website | Indiebound | Goodreads

The Maze Runner - James Dashner

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Indiebound Summary:
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Review:
I actually got this book a long time ago and I finally got around to reading it when I got the sequel from the librarian that runs my book group. Honestly, this book wasn't too high on my to-read list partly because the main character is male and this seemed very much a book marketed for boys. I can't really explain it, but I am just not a big fan of most boy books. I'm a pretty girly person and my reading tastes reflect that. But since I got The Scorch Trials, I figure it was time that I read The Maze Runner.

It starts with a boy in a dark box with no memory. When the box opens, Thomas finds himself surround by a ragtag group of boys. Where was he? Who were they? Why is he here? What happen to his memories? As Thomas finds out more about the Maze, the reader learns along with him since the whole story is from Thomas's perspective and voice. There were moments where I was intensely frustrated with Thomas and his lack of knowledge because I wanted to know why were they in the maze, who put them there, why is there only boys, etc. I almost gave up because the pacing in the beginning moved too slow for me. I wanted more about the world to be revealed, but it's a good thing Dashner did not reveal a lot since the mystery kept me reading.

After the beginning, the story picks up and is filled with well-placed cliffhangers and hooks. While some questions are answered, new questions were being formed. Dashner keeps the mystery going using those hooks, but also moves the story steadily along. Another one of his strength is his writing style - it is incredibly descriptive and Dashner spends a lot of time building this world of the Maze with the changing walls and creepy Grievers. I definitely don't want to bump into one of those in a dark alley anytime. I really enjoy the vivid world he created.

On the other hand, his characters did not have as strong of an impact compared to the setting. The only female character, Teresa, wasn't that fleshed out and felt very flat. She was always needing to be rescued by Thomas, which did not jive with my feminist sensibilities. Thomas didn't stand out either - a very typical boy hero figure to me. A big problem with Thomas is that he seemed too perfect - he comes in with no memory and saves the day. There was no emphasize on Thomas's flaws which would have made him more realistic, more human for me.

Despite some flaws, I did enjoy The Maze Runner. Once I got through the beginning, the plot really moved, the action was fun and the questions grew. The main compelling element throughout the book was the mystery of the maze.

Given that YA lacks boy books, I'm glad this book is out there for me to recommend to the boys. The mystery and the action will definitely draw boy readers. And since it ended with more questions than answers, I'm off to read the sequel to satiate my curiosity.

Book Source: own copy

Author Website | Indiebound | Goodreads

Wondrous Words (2)

Source: (we♥it)

"One day I would have all the books in the world, shelves and shelves of them. I would live my life in a tower of books. I would read all day long and eat peaches. And if any young knights in armor dared to come calling on their white charges and plead with me to let down my hair, I would pelt them with peach pits until they went home."

- Jacqueline Kelly, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Things I Know About Love - Kate Le Vann

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Indiebound Summary:
Things I know about love.

1. People don't always tell you the truth about how they feel.
2. Nothing that happens between two people is guaranteed to be private.
3. I don't know if you ever get over having your heart broken.

Livia Stowe's past experiences with love have been nothing but disappointing, but all that is about to change. After years of illness, she's boarding a plane for the first time to spend the summer in Princeton, New Jersey, with her brother who's studying abroad. This Brit is determined to make the most of her American summer and to record every moment of it in her private blog.

America is everything that Livia's ever dreamed of. And then she meets Adam.

Swept up in the promise of romance and the magical New York City that Adam shows her, Livia is smitten, but with all she knows about love, is Livia really ready to risk her heart again?

Review:
At first sight, I expected this 150 page novel to be a fun, fluffy story about love. When I delved in, I got much more than that. Things I Know About Love is a fast-paced story that explores Livia Stowe experiences with love as she journeys from the UK to visit her brother in the USA.

Livia is an easy character to root for. Since the story is set up in blog posts, the readers gets to hear Livia's voice as she recounts the one relationship that she had, her desire to find true love, and her experiences and emotions as she starts falling. It's definitely something every teenage girl can relate to.

What I love most is how the author avoids the cliche rampant in YA of absent/indifferent parents. In this story, Livia has a strong relationship with both her mom and brother. It's heartwarming to see how that kind of open relationship is showcase in the story.

I had some reservations with the ending, partly because it didn't seem that realistic, but overall, a touching book on love - all different kinds of it.

Book Source: borrowed from library

Author Website | Indiebound | Goodreads

Chinese New Year

Source: (we♥it)

Happy Chinese New Year!

The DUFF - Kody Keplinger

Publisher: Poppy

Indiebound Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Review:
I'm not quite sure what to make of The DUFF. On one hand, it is an amazingly authentic YA book. On the other hand, I spent most of the story annoyed at Bianca and frustrated by the plot.

Bianca comes off as jaded, sarcastic, cynical. She judgmental of the world and self-absorbed. I couldn't stand the negativity. Right at the start of the book, Bianca is at a teen club watching from the sidelines and she jumps right in to judging people who were enjoying themselves dancing. Even her actions toward Wesley seem sort of extreme. When she kisses him in the beginning, she stopped herself and proceed to yell at and hit him. Violent much? Even her treatment of her friends, who were amazingly loyal and awesome, grated on my nerves. And her decision to sleep with Welsey… argh, I wanted to shake her. How was this empowering to women - sleeping with the guy that called you the ugly friend. It's a horrible lesson on self-esteem.

But, I was ranting to my friend about this character and she pointed out that the character is acting like a teenager. And she was right - Bianca portrays a typical teenager that many people can relate to. As a teenager, when haven't we made stupid decisions or fallen for the bad boy. Okay, so maybe I can't relate to the bad boy thing, but I made plenty of dumb decisions as a teen. Nothing as serious as sleeping with a boy, but still dumb choices. And I think that what's appealing about this book is that Bianca is not a flawless heroine and that she is easily relatable. When haven't we compared ourselves to our friends and felt inadequate. I know that sometimes I still feel like the DUFF when I'm with my friends. But as this novel points out, everyone feels like the DUFF sometimes.

I had some problems with the plotting. There were some issues, like Bianca's father battle with alcohol, that I felt she took shortcuts with. But overall, I didn't regret reading this book. I enjoyed the character development and Bianca improved in the end.

Book Source: ARC Copy borrow from library book group

Author Website | Indiebound | Goodreads