My Thoughts: Plus One by Elizabeth Fama

Divided by day and night and on the run from authorities, star-crossed young lovers unearth a sinister conspiracy in this compelling romantic thriller.

Seventeen-year-old Soleil Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller prohibited by law from going out during the day. When she fakes an injury in order to get access to and kidnap her newborn niece—a day dweller, or Ray—she sets in motion a fast-paced adventure that will bring her into conflict with the powerful lawmakers who order her world, and draw her together with the boy she was destined to fall in love with, but who is also a Ray.

**Review copy received from publisher**

I have been seeing a lot of buzz regarding Plus One for a few months now. Loads of people are talking about it. So, naturally, I was curious about it. I even requested it from Netgalley (I was denied). So, I was very excited when I was sent an ebook copy to review from Raincoast books.

One of my new years resolutions, regarding my reading habits, had been to come out of my comfort zone and read more fantasy/dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels. Plus One fits right into that resolution, and I was excited to see what the story brought me. However, I am not sure what I would categorize Elizabeth Fama's most recent novel... maybe alternate reality.

In the Plus One version of the world, society is split into two, there are day dwellers (Rays) and night dwellers (Smudges), they are completely separated, the two groups do not really interact with one another and there are enforced curfews. The story follows Sol, and Sol lives in the night. She however gets caught up in this grand conspiracy that takes her on a crazy adventure with D'Arcy (who is a Ray).

I am going to jump in and say that I loved this book. It was so good. I really really liked the characters. Every single one of them. I loved Sol. She was feisty and sarcastic, but incredibly intelligent. She's a headstrong girl and is guided by her emotions. This really resonated with me, it's how I am 90% of the time. Sol's reactions are direct responses to how she is feeling. Which makes her a bit of a time bomb, you never know what she's going to say or do. And then we have D'Arcy. Who is basically the complete opposite of Sol. He's completely logical, and analyses everything. He doesn't let his emotions get in the way of things. That's not to say he isn't emotional. He is. D'Arcy is sweet, so sweet. And as the novel develops, we get to see him become a bit more vulnerable.

A secondary character in Plus One that I liked was, Jean, D'Arcy's dad. He was very accepting. His son brought him a whooper of a mess and he just went with it, tried to problem solve like he saw that sort of thing all the time. He thought outside the box, I liked that. I also liked that he, as a parent, had a role in the story. A lot of YA novels these days are missing parental figures. As in, parents have no idea what their kid is up to. Not in this story.

I also really liked how the relationship between Sol and D'Arcy matured. It was slow and easy. Sol didn't really like him in the beginning, I wasn't sure I liked him. So much so, that I wasn't sure if he was the second protagonist. I thought for sure she was going to meet someone else. But things started to make sense once you got to know him a bit more, once his motives were flushed out a bit more. Fama did a good job of that. She was able to develop Sol and D'Arcy's story without revealing to much, and without making it seem hokey.

Really, I can say the same thing for the whole story. You really have to let go of your sense of reality to read Plus One, but that's what makes it fun. The plot moves along at a fantastic pace, I never felt bored or annoyed with the story, and I never felt like it wasn't going anywhere. Things were revealed when they needed to be, Fama never kept you guessing for long- that was nice.

The only thing that bugged me about this book, and it might be a biggie for some: The ending. Plus One is a stand alone novel. WHAT?!??! No way. There are so many things left hanging. Okay, everything is sort of wrapped up, but more in a- let's prepare you for a second book, but let's not leave it at a cliff hanger- kind of way. I was grumpy when I found out that there was no sequel in mind. It's funny, because some books are series/trilogies when they really don't need to be, while this one could be, and would be a great series/trilogy, but it's not. I was not impressed.

Overall, I loved Plus One, I loved the characters and they way they grew throughout the story, I loved the plot, I found it unique and interesting, I just really did not like the ending. I thought it was a cop out, and it really made me wonder whether I want to read more by Elizabeth Fama, no matter how much I enjoyed the rest of the book. I do not like, nor appreciate bittersweet, ambiguous endings.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Covers

It's been a couple of weeks (maybe even months) since I've participated in a TTT. However, this week's topic I am just way to excited about. SO I needed take part. TTT is hosted over at The Broke and Bookish.

Top Ten Book Covers I'd Frame As Pieces of Art

Ps- I have a bunch of covers that I love and you can see some of my favourites here. These are specifically covers that I would hang in my house as decorations. 

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I did not like this book when I read it. It was a very strange read. But I do like the cover. It would make a wonderful print for a home library, or above a bookshelf. 

The Winner's Curse by by Marie Rutkoski 

This was an interesting pick for me. While I like covers like this, I don't think they would make great framed pieces. This one however, I love. And I would hand it in my house. I'd put it in the guest bedroom. 

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

I love this cover (specifically this one). I would put a print of this anywhere in my house. But I do think it would look great in a breakfast nook or a bright kitchen (why? I don't know). 

Pantomime by Laura Lam

I have a thing for masks. This is a bit creepy, but absolutely beautiful. 

French Kissing by Catherine Sanderson

I love covers like this. They're simple but fun. This is something I would decorate a guest bedroom with, or even my living room. I have a calender that is in a similar style and I love it. 

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles 

This is one of my favourites. I seem to like my covers to be in black and white. They have a certain class to them. I love this cover, and I would hang it anywhere. I also love the twenties theme. 

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

While this wasn't my favourite book ever, I absolutely love the cover. I really appreciate the simplicity of it. 

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

This is amusing to me, because I hated this book. But the cover is exceptional. There is something great about it. I love the jar and the butterfly, again, it's simple and I really like that. 

The Spectacular Now by Time Tharp

How many times can I say simple... but really. I love this.

A Season of Eden by Jennifer Laurens

Another black and white cover. What can I say?

That's my list for you this week. I hope you enjoyed! 

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

My Thoughts: Four Seconds to Lose by K.A. Tucker

When a gorgeous young dancer walks through his door, a strip club owner must decide whether to follow his rules or his heart in the third novel by the author of One Tiny Lie and Ten Tiny Breaths.

Owning a strip club isn’t the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine-year-old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict “no sleeping with the staff” rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain’s self-control…and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.

Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it’s too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she’s putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she’s not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn’t really exist—and the girl pretending to be her can't get distracted by romance.

Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, and that those feelings may not be unrequited—but losing him when he finds out what she’s involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her.

**Review copy received from publisher**

I think K.A. Tucker is quickly becoming a new favourite of mine. I read her debut Ten Tiny Breaths last summer and for the most part I really enjoyed it. Then I read One Tiny Lie and I absolutely loved that one. There was little I found wrong with that book. Now, here I am having read Tucker's most recent story Four Seconds to Lose, and again, I was pleased with what I got.

Four Seconds to Lose tells Cain's story. The enigmatic strip club owner we first meet in Ten Tiny Breaths. Cain's an interesting fellow: Strip club owner, who is fiercely protective of the girls he employs, a real vigilante. When Charlie walks into his club, Cain is flung back in time, and he's unsure about his feelings and what to do with them. Charlie is having to deal with her own issues, and walks into Penny's with an ulterior motive. To make enough money to get out of there. She's keeping secrets of her own, and isn't interested in making friends. So, naturally. Cain and Charlie end up battling this intense attraction... and you get the picture.

I was expecting a little more steam from Four Seconds to Lose. After reading One Tiny Lie and seeing what Tucker could do, I was expecting there to be more sexual tension between Cain and Charlie. However, sadly, I was disappointed. It could have been so much more. I also, wasn't a huge fan of the setting. I didn't like how the majority of the story took place at the club. I know that Cain owns the club, and Charlie is his new dancer, however, there were plenty of opportunities for them to interact outside of the establishment. I didn't like that emphasis.

Four Seconds to Lose wasn't my favourite out of the bunch, but it was good. It is grittier and darker than it's predecessors, because it deals with heavier themes. Such as, drug trafficking, the mob, beatings, murder and so on. This may seem like a lot, but Tucker has a real talent for not overwhelming the story with a lot of heavy material. She's able to keep the story moving without making things feel overly dramatic and over done.

Overall, While Four Seconds to Lose may not have been the strongest of this series (so far), it was still an entertaining read and I enjoyed the story immensely! K.A. Tucker did a good job and I am SO excited for Five Ways to Fall, and what she has in store for Ben.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

 

My Book Buying Habits (1) Online vs. In-store

Hi everyone. I want to talk to you a little about my book buying habits and why/where/how often I buy books. I have been thinking about writing something like this for a long time now. But I haven't done it. Mostly because I wasn't sure what I wanted/needed to say, also, I wasn't sure that I had enough to say that warranted a full discussion about it. But something happened recently that kind of blew my mind and I just needed to discuss it.

This discussion is going to be a series of posts. This one got a lot longer than I expected it to.

Image from: Meebsie's World

Let me start by telling you a story.

As many of you know (or maybe not), I am a big fan of The Black Dagger Brotherhood novels by JR Ward, and I get pretty excited for all the new releases in the series. I generally will go to the book store on release day, buy my book and start reading the moment I get home. It's a spring tradition for me now. However now that the series is released in hardcover, buying in-store has become a lot more expensive (A LOT). I have been willing to pay the price because I am impatient and I need the book in my hands immediately.

Now... Last Week when The King (book 12) was released I went to the store to pick it up and almost died when the cashier announced that I owed $34.09. You have got to be kidding me! $35.00 for a book. That is the most I have ever paid for a book in my life. I did expect to pay at least $30.00 for the book- Last year's release of Lover at Last retailed at $29.50 for the hardback. However, I paid the $35.00 and went home.

When I arrived home, I was still a little unsettled that I had just paid $35.00 for one book. That is a lot of money for me, and I wasn't sure that I could justify that amount. I decided to check Amazon and see what the price of the novel was there. This is where things get wonky. Last Wednesday (April 2nd), The King by JR Ward- Hardback- was for sale for $16.47 cnd.  That is half the in-store price. This completely baffled me. I was horrified that the online price could be SO much lower, and I was infuriated that the in-store price was SO much higher.

So, naturally, I ordered the book from Amazon and returned the book I bought from the store. I mean the book was half price online.

In my experience, online prices and the in-store prices aren't that much different. The in-store price is usually higher by $5-$7. However, when buying online you have to pay shipping so that makes up the difference. I usually don't mind purchasing my books in-store (especially if I am only buying one book), because I like supporting book stores and I want them to stick around. I tend to order my books online when I know I am going to be bulk ordering.

I still don't understand how there could be such a huge price difference between the online price and the in-store price. If you have any insight please share it with me. And, I am curious to know where you buy your books. Do you strictly buy the from book stores? Do you order them online? Or, are you like me, and do a little of both? I wonder.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

My Birthday Wishlist

It's my birthday!! Well, almost. My actual birthday is next Monday- April 7th. I love birthdays. I love my birthday. It's my special day. Heh. Anywho. I thought I would share with you my birthday wishlist. Please know this is all in good fun. Don't think bad thoughts at me.

1) Scarlet and Cress by Marissa Meyer in Hard cover- I am not sure why I don't own these two books yet. But I know that I want them in my life and I want them to match my copy of Cinder. I actually really want to reread Cress already.

2) Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special: The Day of the Doctor on DVD- I love all things Doctor Who... and I really liked the 50th Anniversary special. I want in in my life.

3) Catching Fire on DVD- I wouldn't mind owning this. I have only seen it the one time and I kind of wouldn't mind rewatching it.

4) Infinite by Jodi Meadows- My trilogy is incomplete without this one. And I am dying to read it, to see how it all ends.

5) Supernatural: The Complete Eighth Season- I own this whole series- seasons 1-7. I would really like season 8. It was a good season.

6) The Great Gatsby quote 'So we beat on' vintage book page framed print- that I found on Etsy. I love it.

7) The Fault in Our Stars IPhone 5 case- Because I am obsessed with this book. I found the one I want on dftba.com

8) Theo James- No explanation needed- but if he could come with a bow...

9) Thor: The Dark World on DVD- Because I am shallow and Chris Hemsworth is beautiful. And I liked the movie.
Thanks to my friend Hannah (and Dave)

10) Cheesecake- I saw this peanut butter cheesecake with a brownie base on Pinterest a few weeks ago and I want it. I love cheesecake and I love peanut butter. This would make my life. I have sent the link to my housemate (at her request) and I am hoping it makes it's way to my belly.
Thanks to my friend Stephanie- This cake was amazing!! 

I hope you enjoyed my Birthday wish list. I will also attach a link to my Amazon wishlist in case you're interested in seeing what else is there.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

From Book to Movie: The Book Thief

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

DISCLAIMER: This is full of spoilers. For both the movie and the book. I ramble and bit. But go ahead... read it anyway.



The Book:

What can I say about this book? I finally caved and read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak early this year, and I was overwhelmed with how amazing it was. A lot of trusted bloggers and friends had read this book and had nothing but good things to say about it. However, I am usually reserved when it comes to the hype that surrounds books,  because I dislike being disappointed. Therefore, The Book Thief sat on my shelf for years (seriously) before I finally picked it up. And I am kicking myself for not reading it sooner.

I loved this book. There are so many reasons why I loved it. First, the writing. It had been a long time since I felt completely immersed in a story- as I was reading The Book Thief I felt like Markus Zusak's words were a comforting blanket wrapped around me, I felt surrounded. The beauty of his writing is something I am struggling to express.

This story is not a light read as it takes place during the Second World War and the Holocaust. But what's interesting about this novel is that it takes a look at the war from the perspective of the Germans. This is not something I have experienced at a reader prior to this novel. The majority of the novels that I have read that focus on this war are seen through the Jewish lens. I appreciated this new look. The fear the German civilians lived with, the hunger, the poverty, how difficult it was to take a stand against the Fuhrer and if you were not a part of the Nazi party it greatly affected your quality of life, were not things I would have considered. Also, The Book Thief is narrated by death. This is an essential part of the story. Death's voice really enhanced the tone of the book, and made it an enriched experience.

Quickly, there are a number of powerful relationships in The Book Thief. Liesel (our protagonist) is a lovely character and she certainly has gotten the short straw. But her relationship with her foster father (Hans Hubermann) is beautiful. They love each other and it's so special. I also want to quickly talk about Liesel and Max (the Jewish boy, the Hubermann's are hiding).  They also develop a really strong and intense relationship and it tugged at my heart.

Overall, The Book Thief is an amazing novel, and I think that everyone needs to read it.


The Movie:

Now, I was so concerned with being spoiled by this trailer that I didn't watch it until after I read the book. Which is funny. Once I had completed the book I was really excited about the film. Because of how I felt reading the book.

Initially I did not really have an opinion about who was cast is in the film. But, I think they did a very good job in casting Geoffrey Rush as Hans Hubermann, I thought he was perfect for the role. He wasn't who I pictured as I was reading The Book Thief, however, while watching the film I found that his portrayal of Hans was spot on. I also really liked Sophie Nélisse as Liesel. Sophie's Liesel wasn't as snarky as book Liesel, but I still think she did a good job.

I watched this movie with my sister who hadn't read the book (my sister doesn't read), and it was interesting to watch The Book Thief  with someone who didn't know the story. It's a pretty long movie at just over two hours, and unfortunately, it got really boring. Because my sister hasn't read the book and she was often confused during the film and didn't know what was going on and why. And because I was familiar with the plot I found myself explaining back story and context to her that the film adaptation failed to do.

In all honesty, I did not enjoy the film adaptation of The Book Thief. There were so many amazing things about the book that failed to make it into the film. As I previously mentioned, the book is narrated by Death, whose voice makes the reading of The Book Thief a really profound experience. His voice is all but absent in the film. What I also found lacking was the depth that was found in the interactions between Liesel and Hans Hubermann. They had this really amazing and inspiring relationship and it's not nearly as intense in the movie- they are very reserved and almost distant in the movie.

My biggest hang up about this movie is how off the movie makers were when it came to capturing the essence of the relationships Liesel has with a number of the characters. With Rudy, with Rosa, with the mayor's wife even with Max. They didn't capture what books meant to Liesel and how they influenced her life. Movie makers just missed the mark on this one (for me at least).

Overall, I would suggest to simply read The Book Thief. Don't think you've experienced this story by seeing the movie alone. Because you are truly missing out.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

Top Ten Tuesday: Spring TBR (2)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over at The Broke and Bookish. 

Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List (to be read list)

I'm doing things a little differently. I've had some major success with these TBR post in the past and I have been wanting to whittle down the amount of unread books on my shelf. I've split this week's list into two sections, books that have been sitting on my self for eons, and books that I don't own but I am excited about. Hope that makes sense. 

From My Shelf:  

1) A Discovery of Witches by by Deborah Harkness- I bought this book, maaaaaybe three years ago. It's time to get it read. 

2) The Last Letter From your Lover by Jojo Moyes- Again, another book that has been sitting on my shelf since the beginning of time that I need to get read. 

3) Tear You Apart by Megan Hart- Just sitting there unread. Which is shocking because I love Megan Hart. 

4) The Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella- I won this book last year sometime and I think it looks pretty cute and I need it in my life. 

5) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan- I bought the box set of this series sometime in the summer and thinking that I would finally get the chance to read it. I still haven't and this needs to change. 

Excited For: 

6) Infinite by Jodi Meadows- This is the last book in the Incarnate trilogy, and I really enjoyed this series, so I am eager to finish it. 

7) The King by JR Ward- Love this series. I have already pre ordered The King and I never Pre order anything. 

8) Take Me On by Katie McGarry- I am amazed at how quickly McGarry can get a book out and that they're never bad. They are actually amazing!! 

9) Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor- Can. Not. Wait. Three more weeks. 

10) Half Bad by Sally Green- I am very curious about this book. I am hoping to get to it at some point this spring. 

So what say you? Do you think I'll be able to read all of these books in the next three months? I hope so. Don't forget to leave links to your TBRs so I can go check them out. 

Happy Reading Everyone.