Book: Daughter Of Xanadu by Dori Jones Young

Published January 2011 by Delacorte Books|336 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: Daughter Of Xanadu #1

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Athletic and strong willed, Princess Emmajin’s determined to do what no woman has done before: become a warrior in the army of her grandfather, the Great Khan Khubilai. In the Mongol world the only way to achieve respect is to show bravery and win glory on the battlefield. The last thing she wants is the distraction of the foreigner Marco Polo, who challenges her beliefs in the gardens of Xanadu. Marco has no skills in the “manly arts” of the Mongols: horse racing, archery, and wrestling. Still, he charms the Khan with his wit and story-telling. Emmajin sees a different Marco as they travel across 13th-century China, hunting ‘dragons’ and fighting elephant-back warriors. Now she faces a different battle as she struggles with her attraction towards Marco and her incredible goal of winning fame as a soldier.

I liked Daughter Of Xanadu!  I don’t read a lot of historical fiction (and I really should read more of it) but I think Daughter Of Xanadu was enjoyable.

I like that Emmajin wanted so much to be a soldier, but realized it wasn’t what she wanted after fighting in battle.  I’m usually not the biggest fan of characters like Emmajin, but I actually liked her a lot, and she did seem pretty vulnerable at times.  She is a warrior woman, but not in the traditional sense.

It was really nice to see a YA historical fiction set in Asia!  I read a lot of European historical fiction, so something set in Asia is really different for me.  I really liked the map, and how the places had a modern correspondent.  I also liked the glossary and the family tree, because I know nothing about the Mongols or this time period.  It’s actually a really good introduction to the time period and place.

I’m not sure how I feel about the tentative romance between Emmajin and Marco Polo.  I think I might have been fine without, because there was something about it that felt like it was just there, and I didn’t believe in them as a couple.  But I also felt like meeting him provided Emmajin with some new opportunities, and a different path than she expected.  I also felt like meeting him, and people from neighboring countries opened up her world.

I liked it enough that I might read the sequel someday.  Part of me is curious where the story is headed (clearly, Emmajin is going to be travelling, but other than that I couldn’t begin to hazard a guess), but at the same time, things are resolved enough that could work quite well as a stand-alone.

3 stars.  I liked it, but I didn’t fall in love with it.

Book: Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin

Published May 2013 by Atria|343 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: Adult Contemporary (but I think it has a lot of crossover appeal)

Max Walker is a golden boy. Attractive, intelligent, and athletic, he’s the perfect son, the perfect friend, and the perfect crush for the girls in his school. He’s even really nice to his little brother. Karen, Max’s mother, is determined to maintain the façade of effortless excellence she has constructed through the years, but now that the boys are getting older, she worries that the façade might soon begin to crumble. Adding to the tension, her husband Steve has chosen this moment to stand for election to Parliament. The spotlight of the media is about to encircle their lives.

The Walkers are hiding something, you see. Max is special. Max is different. Max is intersex. When an enigmatic childhood friend named Hunter steps out of his past and abuses his trust in the worst possible way, Max is forced to consider the nature of his well-kept secret. Why won’t his parents talk about it? What else are they hiding from Max about his condition and from each other? The deeper Max goes, the more questions emerge about where it all leaves him and what his future holds, especially now that he’s starting to fall head over heels for someone for the first time in his life. Will his friends accept him if he is no longer the Golden Boy? Will anyone ever want him—desire him—once they know? And the biggest one of all, the question he has to look inside himself to answer: Who is Max Walker, really?

Written by twenty-six-year-old rising star Abigail Tarttelin, Golden Boy is a novel you’ll read in one sitting but will never forget; at once a riveting tale of a family in crisis, a fascinating exploration of identity, and a coming-of-age story like no other.

I have so many thoughts about Golden Boy!  Golden Boy was a frustrating/okay read for me, but I also get why people love it so much.

I think I’m going to start off this review with everything I didn’t like, because it’s hard to talk about what I did like without mentioning what I didn’t like.

From this point forward, there are going to be spoilers, because I just can’t be vague in this review.

Initially, when Max was raped by Hunter (his cousin in the sense that they’re not blood-related but grew up together, thus making them related), it seemed like Hunter knew that Max was intersex, but Max didn’t know.  At least very least, it seemed like Max knew something, but wasn’t sure what.  The rape scene was hard to read (it’s about 20 pages in, and is over in a couple of pages if that’s a trigger for you) but it does set up everything else that happens in the book.  We do learn that Max does know, but we also see throughout the book how little he knows.

Karen, by far, was the most frustrating character in the book, and at one point, I reached for a highlighter before remembering that highlighting in a library would be a very bad idea.  So instead, I used those sticky flag things to mark a few things I wanted to remember for later.  Basically, the mom’s way of dealing with everything is to have her husband deal with it, and to pretend like it isn’t happening.  Max being moody makes her uncomfortable, and she’s terrified of losing him to adolescence. I’m not a parent, so I can’t speak to that, but the thought of not being in control seems to bother her.

She also sees intersex as a disease, and that Max will no longer be intersex if he has a hysterectomy.  It has to be hard, but…it also doesn’t mean it’s going to magically go away, and it seems like she has a really hard time accepting it.  Understandable, because she’s a person and a mother, and maybe she blames herself, but… She wants him to have it right after having an abortion to get it over with.  Max needs some time to think about the abortion, because everything moves so fast, but his mom ignores it, and doesn’t say anything to the doctors.  This, of course, causes problems with her husband and Max.  It just really seems like what Max wants isn’t super-important to her- it’s a lot to handle, especially for a teenage boy, and he is, I think, old enough to have a significant part in things.

As for the other characters: the doctor does seem to care, and willing to explain things to Max, which is more than I can say about the other characters.  His opinion seems to matter to her.  Sylvie- I honestly can’t remember much about her, but she is also awesomely accepting of Max.  His younger brother seems to handle Max being intersex remarkably better than Max and his parents, more than you’d expect for a 10 year old. He’s mature enough that I kept forgetting he was 10, so he either needed to be less mature or older.  And Max’s dad wasn’t really in the picture- he’s there enough, and it seems important to him that Max have a say, but no one really seems to talk about it either.  Until they have to, of course.

As for Max, he seems to be really well-adjusted with everything, until he’s not.  Then again, he does try hard to be perfect, and I wonder if it’s because he feels pressure from his mom to be perfect.

I can also see why it would be shelved in the YA section, but I felt like the narration from the adults were too frequent for it to be in the YA section.  Plus, there was something about the tone and feel of the book that seemed more towards the adult end of things, but there is something about it that I think older teens would like.

Still, as frustrated as I got when reading Golden Boy, I did like the family dynamic, and how they did (or didn’t) deal with Max’s pregnancy/intersex-related issues.

2 stars.  The family dynamic was interesting, and I certainly felt for Max, but I found myself frustrated enough with the mom that I couldn’t overlook it.  I would still recommend it, though, because it deals with issues most people probably don’t think about.

Book: Mismatch by Lensey Namioka

Published February 2006 by Delacorte Books|217 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

Sue Hua just moved from racially diverse Seattle to a suburban white-bread town where she feels like the only Asian American for miles. Then she meets Andy, a handsome and passionate violin player who happens to be Asian American. Sue feels an instant attraction to Andy, and her white friends think they’re “made for each other”–after all, they both use chopsticks and eat a lot of rice, right? But there’s just one problem. Andy’s last name is Suzuki. And while that may mean nothing to the other students at Lakeview High, Sue knows that it presents a world of problems to her family.

I’m not sure how I feel about Mismatch!  There were some things I liked, and some things I didn’t like.

I thought Mismatch did a great job at highlighting racism and stereotypes.  I did find it to be repetitive at times, which did get frustrating, particularly by the end of the book.  But at the same time, I can put the book down and walk away from it, but people who experience it can’t do that, so it did get me to think about that.

I totally understand why her grandma hated the Japanese.  You don’t get a lot of detail, but you do get enough to see why.  It’s the same with Andy’s dad, and even Sue’s mom.  You do get a glimpse of the history between China and Japan, and some of the things that happened during World War 2 and after, especially once Sue goes on the orchestra trip to Japan.

Some of the conflicts seem to be resolved really fast, and overall, the book skews towards the younger end of YA…maybe (MAYBE) the older end of middle grade.  (That’s a strong maybe, though, it sort of depends on the kid).  I wish there had been a little more to it, but I also think it’s a good way to talk about history and stereotypes and racism.

2 stars.  I don’t have a lot to say about Mismatch, other than what I’ve already said.

Book: Guardian Of The Dead by Karen Healy

Published April 2010 by Little, Brown & Company|342 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Re-telling

“You’re Ellie Spencer.”

I opened my mouth, just as he added, “And your eyes are opening.”

Seventeen-year-old Ellie Spencer is just like any other teenager at her boarding school. She hangs out with her best friend, Kevin; she obsesses over Mark, a cute and mysterious bad boy; and her biggest worry is her paper deadline.

But then everything changes. The news headlines are all abuzz about a local string of killings that share the same morbid trademark: the victims were discovered with their eyes missing. Then a beautiful yet eerie woman enters Ellie’s circle of friends and develops an unhealthy fascination with Kevin, and a crazed old man grabs Ellie in a public square and shoves a tattered Bible into her hands, exclaiming, “You need it. It will save your soul.” Soon, Ellie finds herself plunged into a haunting world of vengeful fairies in an epic battle for immortality.

Debut author Karen Healey introduces a savvy and spirited heroine with a fresh, strong voice. Full of deliciously creepy details, this incredible adventure is a deftly crafted story of Māori mythology, romance, and betrayal.

I really liked Guardian Of The Dead!  What made this book really unique was the fact that it was a re-telling of Maori mythology, which is such a nice change from the Greek mythology re-tellings that are everywhere these days.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Greek mythology re-tellings, but it’s also nice to see myths from the rest of the world.

Guardian Of The Dead takes place in New Zealand, and you can tell there are a lot of traditions, which was really nice to see! There wasn’t a lot of info-dumping, which was nice, but at the same time, it made me wish I were more about New Zealand and Maori myth.  It’s not that you can’t understand what’s going on, because you can (and you can always read more about it) but I think part of why I didn’t love it was because everything was slightly unfamiliar to me.  Which also made it interesting and pretty awesome because there is so much I didn’t know and it makes me want to read more about Maori myths.  The glossary at the end of the book was really helpful, and I liked that Healy had some recommended reading at the end. And that she explained the inspiration behind the book.

I’m not really sure what I was expecting when I started reading this book, but it was quite the journey! Everything starts to come to get as you keep reading, so definitely give the book some time for everything to be revealed.  And the fact that the myths were there as long as people believed in them was a really cool concept that really reminded me of Antigoddess by Kendare Blake (but in a completely different way).

Another thing I really liked about the book is the fact that Ellie’s best friend is asexual.  I liked that it wasn’t a big deal (except to anyone who has a crush on him, which seems to be quite a few people) but there was a point where I felt like it was there to make a certain plot point really stand out.  (Thankfully, that feeling didn’t last long, and it wasn’t really something that came up in that way again).  And I’m actually willing to overlook it, because I was just really excited about an asexual character.

4 stars.  Guardian Of The Dead is a really unique book, and I love that it re-tells Maori myths!

Book: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Published May 2015 by Simon & Schuster|260 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: To All The Boys I Loved Before #2

Genre: YA Contemporary

What It’s About: 

Given the way love turned her heart in the New York Times bestselling To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which SLJ called a “lovely, lighthearted romance,” it’s no surprise that Laura Jean still has letters to write.

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of makes it so amazing.

What I Thought:

I liked P.S. I Still Love You!  It’s cute and light and fun and it’s a good summer read.

There is something that’s sweet about how much of a romantic Lara Jean is.  There is a certain innocence about her, and she is naive, and it’s refreshing and not irritating (well, to me, it might be irritating to you, but I like that about her).  I totally get that she needed to let go of Genevieve, and that it was hard for her, and especially when someone else comes into the picture.

I loved Kitty, who is just full of awesome, and she is my favorite character.  Peter Kravinsky is pretty awesome too, and while I liked Lara Jean, I kind of wish we saw more development.  Like, I like that she’s a hopeless romantic, and had a hard time not comparing her relationship with Peter to the one he had with Genevieve, and she has changed over the last couple of books, but not as much as I would have hoped for.

It hard, because I keep comparing to her Summer trilogy, which I loved, and it didn’t have the same charm and nostalgia that series had, but it did have its good moments (it is Jenny Han, after all) and there is something about her books that have a certain charm.

I also kind of wish that there was a happily ever after, because I felt like there was a happy for now ending, and I wanted a happily ever after for Lara Jean, who totally deserves that, because she’s Lara Jean.

My Rating:

3 stars.  I liked P.S. I Still Love You, but I really wish it had another book after it, as the second in a duology, it was a little bit of a let-down.  I wish that I knew why I feel that way, but I really don’t.

Book: Orleans by Sherri Smith

Published March 2013 by Putnam|324 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Post-Apocalyptic

What It’s About: 

First came the storms.
Then came the Fever.
And the Wall.

After a string of devastating hurricanes and a severe outbreak of Delta Fever, the Gulf Coast has been quarantined. Years later, residents of the Outer States are under the assumption that life in the Delta is all but extinct… but in reality, a new primitive society has been born.

Fen de la Guerre is living with the O-Positive blood tribe in the Delta when they are ambushed. Left with her tribe leader’s newborn, Fen is determined to get the baby to a better life over the wall before her blood becomes tainted. Fen meets Daniel, a scientist from the Outer States who has snuck into the Delta illegally. Brought together by chance, kept together by danger, Fen and Daniel navigate the wasteland of Orleans. In the end, they are each other’s last hope for survival.

Sherri L. Smith delivers an expertly crafted story about a fierce heroine whose powerful voice and firm determination will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

What I Thought:

Orleans is such an interesting book.  I think it might be one of the more interesting books I’ve read so far this year.

Hurricanes have battered the Gulf Coast, which has lead to those states being cut off from the rest of the U.S., because of a horrible, horrible disease.  Of course, Orleans is pretty resilient, and is bouncing back.  One thing I liked was the list of hurricanes over the years, and also the order that the states along the Gulf Coast were quarantined.  It’s a hard world to live in, and you definitely get a really good glimpse of the struggles people have in surviving in this world.

The world-building is so interesting!  It is a world that I can picture so well, and New Orleans is such a different place that it’s now called Orleans, and a shadow of the city it once was.  And the fact that people live according to blood type, which is fascinating because Delta Fever affects each blood type differently, from what I could figure out.  The book doesn’t go into a lot of detail about it, and I want to know more about it, because that is definitely different.

Daniel’s part of the story really balances out Fen’s story, because you learn what’s happening in the rest of the country.  Which leads me to the fact that this book is a stand-alone, with no apparent sequel in sight.  The book ends, and you are left wondering if that was all.  It’s very open and ambiguous, and you’re left wondering how things work out, since Orleans is a stand-alone.  I didn’t mind it, because it works really well as a stand-alone, and it wraps up the story really well.  And even though I have some questions, especially with what happened to the characters, I didn’t mind that it’s a stand-alone (even though I would love some sort of sequel, hopefully without a tacked on sort of feeling).

My Rating:

3 stars.  I liked it, and the world is different and there’s so much more to the world than what we get Orleans, but I wish that we had a sequel, to tie up some of the things that weren’t resolved in this book.

Book Review: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie

Published October 2003 by Algonquin|307 pages

Where I Got It: Borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: Adult Fiction

What It’s About: 

Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu, Nigeria. They live in a beautiful house, with a caring family, and attend an exclusive missionary school. They’re completely shielded from the troubles of the world. Yet, as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account, things are less perfect than they appear. Although her Papa is generous and well respected, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home—a home that is silent and suffocating.

As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili and Jaja are sent to their aunt, a university professor outside the city, where they discover a life beyond the confines of their father’s authority. Books cram the shelves, curry and nutmeg permeate the air, and their cousins’ laughter rings throughout the house. When they return home, tensions within the family escalate, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together.

Purple Hibiscus is an exquisite novel about the emotional turmoil of adolescence, the powerful bonds of family, and the bright promise of freedom.

What I Thought:

I really liked Purple Hibiscus!  I am really impressed with how Adichie can tell a story, because I couldn’t wait to see how things would go for Kambili and her family, and if things would get better for her.

Reading the book, I realized how much I take for granted.  Like being able to get gas for my car, and not have to worry about if there will be gas available, or food going bad because of random power outages.  She makes a dysfunctional family compelling and different and fascinating, and it’s just brilliant.  You feel everything, and she makes you feel it and she does an amazing job with making you feel every single thing.  She shows everything really well, and so you don’t need to be told how suffocating it is to be at home.

The characters feel like they’re people you’d meet in real life, and you really understand why people acted the way they did, and that people aren’t just good or bad but both.  I loved seeing Kambili experience the world as it changed around her, and the safety she found when staying with her aunt and two cousins.  She really is sheltered, and it’s so easy to relate and empathize with her, because you see how new some things are her. And I feel like I have a much better of what living in Nigeria is like during this time (which is never mentioned, and I’m really curious about when the book takes place).

My Rating:

4 stars.  I’m just really impressed with this book and with Adichie.  It’s hard to believe it’s her first book (not that all first books are bad or have to bad or whatever) but I really am looking forward to reading her other books, just to see how her voice and her writing changes and grows.