Review: Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pub Date: October 14th 2014
Pages: 320

Short Sweet Synopsis: Glory is graduating from high school, but unlike her classmates, she has no plans for her future. While hanging out with Ellie, her best friend, they decide to drink a petrified bat (no joke) and they both develop the power to see a persons past, present, and future just by looking them.

I'm sure some of you are rolling your eyes, but A.S. King makes this crazy plot work! Yes, Glory's psychic ability that shows a future less than ideal is a bit of a stretch, but Glory faces plenty of real life issues.  Some of her problems are complex, like worrying that she might have the same flaw that lead to her mother's suicide, Glory also faces more mundane teen problems, such as questioning her friendship with Ellie. As the friends have gotten older, Glory feels like Ellie is too self-absorbed and that their interests no longer align.

If you think these are the only struggles Glory faces, you are mistaken. She is trying to piece her remaining family back together, because things have just been in a weird limbo since her mother's death. If that wasn't enough, Glory is creating the History of the Future to figure out how to avoid the terrible future her new ability has unveiled.

I like that Glory is a quirky character. She isn't super popular and doesn't have a lot of friends, but she isn't a social outcast. She follows her own lead and enjoys viewing the world through her camera's lens than through other's perspectives. This may sound lonely, but Glory is a bit of an introvert and likes to take her time deciphering the world around her.

Maybe this all sounds a bit complicated and bizarre, but that is what makes the book so exciting! It is unlike anything I have read before and I fully appreciate A.S. King's willingness to take risks on writing a completely out there story. If you are looking for a book unlike anything you've read before then Glory O'Brien's History of the Future is a book for you. I would recommend it to fans of Going Bovine by Libba Bray and Every Day by David Levithan.

Review of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pub Date: March 25, 2014
Pages: 301

Short Sweet Synopsis: Follows the mysterious lives of the Roux family and their tragic experiences with love. Ava, the newest member of the Roux family, is born with wings adding to their enigma.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrow of Ava Lavender is a beautiful novel. If you enjoy realistic fantasy and whimsical storytelling then you should read this book. I highly recommend the audio book, I felt like I was listening to someone telling me a modern fairy tale. Even though this book has magical elements, it still has real heartbreak and, just like classic fairy tales, there are some very graphic and disturbing scenes. Honestly, as I am writing this review I am left wanting more of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender. I'm pretty over sequels, but I wouldn't mind reading more of the Roux family.

Review of "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pub. Date: May 13th 2014
Pages: 240

Short Sweet Synopsis:  Cadence Sinclair Easton, Cady, was in an accident that she can't remember, which has altered her life forever.  No amount of her family's fortune can mend her brain; she will have to find a way to remember on her own, but will she be able to handle the truth?

"We Were Liars" was a wonderful book; I read it in just a few sittings.  I had to know what happened to Cady!  What is Gat's issue?  Why are Johnny and Mirren being so selfish?  My brain was full of these questions and more.  At first, I found E. Lockhart's writing style to be a bit confusing, but I got used to is pretty quickly.  Cady's brain is broken, so how can you expect her narrative to be clear?  I thought Lockhart did a wonderful job of showing us Cady's mental instability.

"We Were Liars" was not just about Cady's personal struggles; it was also about the family dynamic.  Yes Cady's family has more money than I can imagine, but we learn that family expectations and pressures add conflicts that wear down on all its members.  It was awful seeing how the family was, essentially, tearing themselves apart.

By the end of the book I was completely shocked when all was revealed.  I did not see any of it coming.  I would never have guessed what the accident was!  If I had taken time to stop reading and really think about what was happening, I guess I might have been able to figure out some of it.  I was just so entranced with "We Were Liars" that there was no way I was going to put it down!  I was truly caught up in this book and I think that, if you read the book with an open mind, you will too!

Review: "Every Day" by David Levithan

Every Day by David Levithan
Pub. Date: August 28th 2012
Pages: 336
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Short and Sweet Synopsis:  The story of a 16 who wakes up in a different body of a random 16 year old everyday.

I just finished "Every Day" and LOVED IT! I'm sure there are other people at my library who can attest to the fact I hunted them down and went a little fan girl trying to express their need to read the book immediately. While "Every Day" didn't take me long to read, I found myself thinking about some of the situations that the main character was put in.

"Every Day" is hard to describe, but I think realistic fantasy sums it up. While it has fantastical elements, the main character waking up in a new body every morning, the story still deals with real issues. It felt like the characters were regular people in our world dealing with both normal and paranormal issues.

"Every Day" has a unique plot and great characters that will keep readers of all ages up all night frantically reading to find out what will happen next!