The Secret History

Title: The Secret History

Author: Donna Tartt

Gist: “The Secret History” is the story of six friends  (Richard, Camilla, Charles, Edmund, Francis and Henry) who attend a very posh university in rural New England. They have it all: beauty, wealth, sophistication, intelligence, exclusivity, mystery, and are connected by an unparalleled devotion to studying Ancient Greek.

Driven by the boredom of not having a care in the world, they begin to engage in a wide array of immoral activities that test their apparent limitlessness. Their demented devotion to extreme experiences eventually tear them apart and leads to their individual demises. 

Told though the first person narration of this groups latest inductee, Richard (who unlike the other five comes from a middle-class family and is most sensitive to the strange behaviors of the group), this is a tragic but extremely sophisticated coming-of-age mystery that starts with the death of one of group member and and ends with the death of another. The suspense surrounding the reason behind each death is worth the 576 page effort because it unveils the ugliness behind the impeccably beautiful introductory facade Camilla, Charles, Edmund, Francis and Henry put up when they first meet Richard. The five of them easily comprise the most attractive and captivating set of supporting characters I’ve encountered in all fiction I’ve read this year. Like some mysterious, beautiful yet dangerous creatures, they live their outlandish lives beautifully and meet their tragic ends just as beautifully.

Richard is the narrator, but in many ways he is no more involved in the story than the reader. Like us he is taken for a strange ride as a spectator, incapable of changing the course of events set in motion by the other five. It’s only his sense of undying devotion and curiosity about what is to unfold that keeps him and us astride for the whole ride. We are Richard and Richard is us from start to finish. 

Quote:

"It's a very Greek idea, and a very profound one. Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it. And what could be more terrifying and beautiful, to souls like the Greeks or our own, than to lose control completely?...To be absolutely free!...To sing, to scream, to dance barefoot in the woods in the dead of night, with no more awareness of mortality than an animal! These are powerful mysteries...If we are strong enough in our souls we can rip away the veil and look that naked, terrible beauty right in the face; let God consume us, devour us, unstring our bones. Then spit us out reborn." 

Pros: 

• Great supporting characters-Camilla, Charles, Edmund, Francis and Henry are like an unhealthy addiction. You hate them, but can’t tear your gaze away either. 
• The gothically romantic and sometimes chilling mood Tartt is able to infuse into her writing (if you’re into that stuff, of course).

Cons: 

• There is a feeling of pretentiousness about this book and its supposed complexity, which can be off-putting from time to time.

Target Audience: lit majors

More Like It: Brideshead Revisited 

Extra: Check out Fravorwire’s casting of “The Secret History” the the movie. 


Rating: A-

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Summary (from Goodreads): In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

I recently finished reading "Ender's Shadow", which is a novel told in the same time-line as "Ender's Game", but from the point of view of the character Bean, following his journey into battle school instead of Ender's. I really enjoyed it, just as much as I enjoyed Ender’s Game, and now want everyone to at least read this first book.

Ender's Game was one of those sci-fi classics that I'd heard of, but didn't know much about. No movie yet (main characters are both very young and time-line spans a few too many years for casting to be easy). Then, one Christmas, I bought and started readed it, brought it home with me and told my dad about it. I didn’t see that book again until my dad was through reading it himself. He’d even read Ender’s Shadow by the time I left. (moral of the story: tell people about books you love only after you're done reading them yourself ;))

In Ender’s Game, you’ll find mock battles in zero g, kids playing at war, humanity scrambling to defend itself against an alien race that has twice invaded Earth. The heavy weight of an all-out war of worlds is put on these child geniuses. It’s games now, but ever-present is the knowledge that there is a real war going on out there. The buggers (the nickname for the alien race) might come back at any time. These kids are being trained to command armies in the war to come. Humanity is depending on them. No, humanity might just be depending on Ender alone, the boy who seems to take war strategy and leadership to a level no one else can compete with.

Okay, so maybe this book isn’t for everyone. It’s all war games and soldiers in training, and not a drop of romance and not much comedy, but the story and characters are great and the books are hard to put down. If you’re at all intrigued by this book, read it! Read it now.

Lit Snit Verdict: A+

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution By Michelle Moran

Summary (from Goodreads): In this deft historical novel, Madame Tussaud (1761-1850) escapes the pages of trivia quizzes to become a real person far more arresting than even her waxwork sculptures. Who among us knew, for instance, that she moved freely through the royal court of Louis XVI, only to become a prisoner of the Reign of Terror? Her head was shaven for guillotining, but she escaped execution, though she was forced to make death masks for prominent victims. Novelist Michelle Moran covers this breathtaking period without losing the thread of its subject's singular story.

I've never read anything by Michelle Moran, but you can tell right away she really does her research on a time period (I see she has also has several other books that take place in ancient Egypt).

In Madame Tussaud, we see the French Revolution from the perspective of someone who is right in the middle of it all. Marie runs the Salon de Cire, and in order to fill her salon with wax figures of popular and interesting people (and thereby keep her income steady in these hard times of food shortages), Marie listens to the gossip, takes every opportunity to meet with prominent figures in society, even if she has to visit the local prison to do it.

When an opportunity arises to be the tutor to King Louis’s sister, pious and mild mannered Madame Elisabeth, Marie must take it (what an opportunity to find more faces for her wax museum!). But the public is hungry and unhappy with the lavish spending of the French royalty (though Marie could see Queen Marie Antoinette would be blamed no matter what she did). In Marie's salon, people like Robespierre and Marat meet and lash out against the monarchy.

This book was interesting because it straddles both sides of the argument. Marie and her family don’t really want to take sides, but in this political climate, and especially given their prominent role in the spreading of information (through wax figures, posters, and newsletters posted throughout their salon), not choosing sides is hardly an option. Refusing to wear the revolutionary’s cockade (symbol of loyalty to the cause) is not really an option, not when men will stop you on the street and demand to know why you are not supporting the revolution.

To stand against the king is treason, to stand against the revolution is just dangerous … but which side will win? What will that mean for Marie’s new friend in Madame Elisabeth? How long can Marie last?

The guillotine doesn’t even show up until most of the way through this book, and I see now how much more there is to the French Revolution, so many subtleties and shifts in thinking. I only knew the basics before, that aristocracy were rich and arrogant. That common people were poor and starving. Heads were lost. The fictional Scarlet Pimpernel gallantly saved aristocrats from the guillotine when the revolution turned bloody.

I really enjoyed this book. I especially loved that, at the very end, there is a section with some bits of the author's research that didn't fit in the novel (mostly because it took place after the story was over). There was a picture of the very first person to ever be photographed—a random guy on the street who happened to stand still long enough to be caught by the extra-long expose time.

Lit Snit Verdict: A-

Review - Waiting For Columbus by Thomas Trofimuk

Summary (from Goodreads): On a beautiful April morning, a man is brought to an insane asylum in contemporary Spain, claiming to be the legendary navigator Christopher Columbus. Found in the treacherous Straight of Gibraltar, he is clearly delusional and has suffered a trauma so severe that he has turned away from reality. As he spins the tall tales of adventure and romance of someone who existed in the late fifteenth century, the lonely Nurse Consuela can’t help but be enchanted by his spirit. Who is Columbus? Where did he come from? This dazzling story about one man’s painstaking search for truth and loyalty will haunt the reader long after the final page.

Modern-day Spain is beautifully blended with the 1400s Spain, as the man who calls himself Christopher Columbus tells nurse Consuela his stories. A chapter might start with a scene in the institution (playing chess or talking to another inmate who believes herself to be the pope), and in the next scene, we’re in Spain in era of the Inquisition and the push for finding a new route to Marco Polo’s Indies, hearing about the lovers Columbus had, the attempts to convince Spain’s royalty to back his explorations.

Nurse Consuela is intrigued by Columbus… Who wouldn’t be? A masterful storyteller reminiscing on the days (in recent past, according to him) of struggling against the perception that the world is flat (though Columbus is quick to call anyone who still thinks that an idiot). Still, it is a challenging feat to get the queen and king of Spain to buy into Columbus’s obsession with learning what would happen if you sail West. The question is not whether or not the world is flat, but how big the world is. Could a ship can survive long enough to make it to the other side?

My one gripe with the story (and it’s a small one) is that the book switches point of views a lot. The three main perspectives were Consuela, Columbus and Emile (an Interpol investigator looking for a missing person). Even in Columbus’s stories to Consuela, though, we might find ourselves switching--mid-scene--to seeing the story from inside the head of Queen Isabella, perhaps, or his friend Benito. While each of these perspectives were interesting, I found myself needing to pay more careful attention than I was used to, rereading passages when I missed a POV switch.

There is a love for the written word in this tale. The characters have discussions of philosophy, religion and poetry. This is not a plot-heavy story. Most of it is told through the flashbacks (as Columbus is telling Consuela). Peeking through the story of Christopher Columbus is perhaps a real man hidden behind the historical figure. He wears a wedding band. His stories contain elements that don’t belong in the 1400s. He wants to call the queen on the telephone. How much of his stories are real? Why does this man think he is Christopher Columbus?

This was memorable story with a satisfying conclusion.

Lit Snit Verdict: A-

Review — A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Jennifer Egan’s spellbinding new work circles Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Bennie and Sasha never discover each other’s pasts, but the reader does, in intimate detail, along with the secret lives of a host of other people whose paths intersect with theirs in the San Francisco 1970s music scene, the demimonde of Naples, New York at many points along the way from the pre-Internet nineties to a postwar future, and on a catastrophic safari into the heart of Africa. We meet Lou, Bennie’s charismatic, careless mentor; Scotty, the young musician who slipped off the grid; the uncle facing a failed marriage who goes in search of seventeen-year-old Sasha when she disappears into Italy; and the therapist on whose couch she dissects darker compulsions.

A Visit from the Goon Squad is a book about time, survival, and the electrifying sparks ignited at the seams of our lives by colliding destinies. Sly, surprising, exhilarating work from one of our boldest writers.

Review:  “Time is a goon.”  That’s the saying, isn’t it?  Maybe not, but it doesn’t mean it’s not true however you interpret it.  Egan’s novel is more a narrative web than any kind of linear story.  The web extends from Bennie Salazar and through him we meet a whole host of other characters, some directly related to him, some that aren’t.  Each chapter jumps in time in what I want to call “past, present, and future” but, really, they are all the present. 

At first A Visit From the Good Squad reminded me of Tom Rachman’s The Imperfectionists, but where I found Rachman’s book to be a little depressing, I was strangely inspired by Egan’s use of multiple points of view and non-linear storytelling. We have a wide array of narrators, but I never felt pulled in different directions or confused. I realize now that while it’s not linear storytelling, it is an emotionally linear story.

Each chapter feels like it could be an entirely different book, but they all work together incredibly well.  There’s a chapter that’s told entirely in graphs and charts and I think that might have been the most emotionally affecting chapter in the entire book.

Not every chapter works perfectly.  The chapter staring “LaDoll” felt a bit out of place in the greater picture, though it was engrossing in it’s own right.  Ted’s chapter wasn’t my favorite, though I did like the chance to see Sasha as a teenager.  Egan uses a variety of devices throughout the book, from the charts, like I mentioned, to an omniscient narrator who sees characters future’s while we’re in their present, and she even uses the dreaded second person.  And it actually works.  That kind of literary device could take you out of the narrative, but I didn’t even realize I was reading in the second person until a few pages into the chapter.

As I finished Goon Squad, I felt the need to sit back and have a few minutes of reflection, something that doesn’t happen often, sadly. I feel like I’m still trying to work this one out, sort out all my thoughts and feelings. Egan makes you think about time, family, friends, music, regrets, and so much more in such an emotional, visceral way.  A Visit From the Goon Squad is one I know I will definitely visit again and again, each time taking away something different.  There’s something sad, hopeful, and beautiful about this novel and I really can’t recommend it enough. 

Lit Snit Verdict: A

Review - Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

Synopsis (from book cover): Imagine you and your best friend head out West on a cross-country bike trek. Imagine that the two of you get into a fight—and stop riding together. Imagine you reach Seattle, go back home, start college. Imagine you think your former best friend does too. Imagine he doesn’t. Imagine your world shifting… Shift is a tour de force—a literary debut that’ll knock the wind out of you as it explores the depths of loyalty, the depths of friendship, and the unknowable depths of another person.

Review: Two friends go on a cross-country bike trek together after high school graduation. They get separated. Only one of them goes back home. Now, an FBI agent is asking questions.

We know this much in the first chapter, meeting Chris, who is starting his first year of college without having heard from his supposed friend, Win, in weeks. Win’s powerful and disapproving father wants to know what happened to Win, if Chris has heard from Win, if maybe Chris had something to do with his disappearance. Chris starts to wonder how much Win was hiding from him.

Then, we're taken back to the beginning, before graduation, when the bike trip was first conceived. The story splits into two time-lines, flip-flopping between Chris’s first year of college and the summer before, fleshing out the story of Chris and Win’s journey from West Virginia to the west coast.

We get to know Chris and Win, best friends since sixth grade, so close they practically shared a brain. The cross-country trip is a life-changing one, and not just because of the way it ended. More important are the people they meet along the way, the stories they share, the things they learn about themselves and each other.

With simple but elegant prose, this is one of those stories where the characters and the relationships between them can outshine even the best plots. It felt real, and had a lot of heart.

Lit Snit Verdict: A

Review — The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig

Summary (via Goodreads): "Pride and Prejudice lives on" (USA Today) in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series, which has been hailed for its addictive blend of history, romance, and adventure. In The Orchid Affair, Willig introduces her strongest heroine yet. Laura Grey, a veteran governess, joins the Selwick Spy School expecting to find elaborate disguises and thrilling exploits in service to the spy known as the Pink Carnation. She hardly expects her first assignment to be serving as governess for the children of Andre Jaouen, right-hand man to Bonaparte's minister of police. Jaouen and his arch rival, Gaston Delaroche, are investigating a suspected Royalist plot to unseat Bonaparte, and Laura's mission is to report any suspicious findings. 

At first the job is as lively as Latin textbooks and knitting, but Laura begins to notice strange behavior from Jaouen-secret meetings and odd comings and goings.
As Laura edges herself closer to her employer, she makes a shocking discovery and is surprised to learn that she has far more in common with Jaouen than she originally thought...

As their plots begin to unravel, Laura and Jaouen are forced on the run with the children, and with the help of the Pink Carnation they escape to the countryside, traveling as husband and wife. But Delaroche will stop at nothing to take down his nemesis. With his men hot on their trail, can Laura and Jaouen seal the fate of Europe before it's too late?

Review:  I had planned on reviewing A Visit From the Good Squad (which I have been calling Welcome to the Goon Squad for a good couple weeks now, embarrassingly enough), but I think I’m going to get the chance to hear Jennifer Egan speak this week so I thought I’d hold off and instead talk about the latest in the Pink Carnation series, The Orchid Affair, which I read in one night, as I do most of Lauren Willig’s books.

There’s something addictive in Willig’s writing. Like chocolate, caffeine and some good wine all rolled into one, I just can’t seem to stop myself from devouring each book as soon as I can get my hands on it as quickly as possible.  Maybe it’s her heroines.  No matter their place in society, there’s always something strong, but slightly tragic about each of her characters, even if they’re heiresses, royalty, or, in this case, a self-sufficient governess.  Or maybe it’s that she blends so many genres so well.  Historical fiction, romance, and chick lit all rolled into one.  She’s created the perfect blend of suspense and sentimentality (and I use that word in the best way possible).

At first I was a little put off by the idea her love interest was a widower.  Something smacked of Jane Eyre to me (which I loved, but Laura is no soft-spoken governess like Jane).  There’s also something that always rubs me the wrong way about romances with widowers, as if the heroine is second best, and he’ll never really get over the love of his life who’s gone.  However, Willig deals with this incredibly well, turning what could just be a typical romance into an adult look at love and relationships.  Out of all eight of her books, I think this might be the most mature romance.  Plus, the kids were actually kind of interesting characters instead of an annoying nuisance like they could be.  I’ve read my share of historical romances and trust me, it can go very, very wrong when kids are introduced into the picture.

And though all of her books deal with war and spies, this was the first time I really understood the gravity of the situation.  Maybe because it was set in France or the fact there was a state of paranoia throughout the country, but this was the first book where I actually feared for the characters.  I always thought of these as fun spy romps, but as Willig described a “republican marriage” (where they strip ‘traitorous’ men and women, bind them together and throw them in the river) things didn’t seem so fun anymore. It made me want to read a historical non-fiction or two to I could fully understand the political and social landscape.

My only gripe is that things wrap up a bit too quickly, which I guess is the best gripe to have.  It seems like we get to the second half of the story and Willig realized she only have 100 pages or so to finish up and glossed over certain aspects of their travels.  Things moved especially quick when it came to Laura and Andre coming clean with each other and their relationship is resolved.  Their romance is underplayed overall for the bigger political tension and spy suspense, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but, hey, I'm not ashamed to admit a big draw for me with this series is the fact that Willig writes a damn good romance without feeling like I'm reading something that should have Fabio on the cover or something.  Andre seemed to find resolution faster than I would have expected.  (Plus, I just like my romance a little tortured so I wouldn’t have minded twisting the proverbial knife a bit)

There are so many good things that outweigh my nitpicking.  Eloise’s story, which could easily get stale now that she’s “got the guy,” is taking an interesting turn.  There were some great new characters, both likable and villainous (was Delaroche in the first Pink Carnation book?  I wasn’t sure if he was a call back to Selwick’s time as a spy or not).  I really hope to see the poet Whittlesby (who could easily be the new Turnip) in future books.  Willig seems to have a lot more stories to tell with the introduction of three new young females in Mischief of the Mistletoe, her Christmas-centric installment of the series. Now I’m just going to have to deal with some Pink Carnation withdrawal until book number eight.

Lit Snit Verdit: A

Review -- Room by Emma Donoghue

Review: If you've heard of this book at all, you probably know basically what it's about: a woman is locked in a room, raising her young son (she was impregnated by her abductor/rapist). This is not going to be a cheerful story…

The story's told from five-year-old Jack's point of view, in Jack’s language. He says “disappeared it” instead of “took it away”, and turns the objects in Room into proper nouns (dinner isn’t laid out on the table, but rather on Table) because of course in his world there is only one table, period. In Jack’s world, nothing is real outside Room*, stuff on TV is all pretend, and stores don’t really exist.

* Has anyone ever read Robert Heinlein’s "Orphans of the Sky”? A self-sustaining ship journeys through space for so many generations that people on board have forgotten the ship is not all there is to the universe. In "Room”, we see how easily that could happen. Though Jack knows something exists outside room, because Old Nick comes at night, providing them with food and clothing.

I found the first 80 pages or so to drag a bit, though they were crucial to the story: The author needed to establish exactly what it’s like in Room before any moves can be made to shake Jack’s world view. I also found Jack’s child-voice a little annoying at first, but grew used to it as the story progressed. I say this not as a criticism to the book, but to say not to give up on it.

I have to give the author credit for telling such an adult story from a child’s perspective. Jack doesn’t understand all that is going on, but faithfully dictates what he sees and hears, and so Ma’s feelings and motivations are clear to us, the readers. I think this really enriched the story. If it had been told in Ma’s voice, it would have been more her tale, rather than a shared story.

This is a well-written novel dealing with a dark side of humanity. I liked that even in Room, we still see some typical parent/child battles. (For example, when Jack sees a mouse behind the stove, it instantly becomes his best friend, though Ma reacts by shoving foil into the hole so the mouse can’t come back.) I thought the characters were all realistic, and the author handled the entire topic well.

Lit Snit Verdict: A

Review: In The Time of Butterflies--Julia Alvarez

Synopsis: From the author of How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents comes this tale of courage and sisterhood set in the Dominican Republic during the rise of the Trujillo dictatorship. A skillful blend of fact and fiction, In the Time of the Butterflies is inspired by the true story of the three Mirabal sisters who, in 1960, were murdered for their part in an underground plot to overthrow the government. Alvarez breathes life into these historical figures--known as "las mariposas," or "the butterflies," in the underground--as she imagines their teenage years, their gradual involvement with the revolution, and their terror as their dissentience is uncovered.
Alvarez's controlled writing perfectly captures the mounting tension as "the butterflies" near their horrific end. The novel begins with the recollections of Dede, the fourth and surviving sister, who fears abandoning her routines and her husband to join the movement. Alvarez also offers the perspectives of the other sisters: brave and outspoken Minerva, the family's political ringleader; pious Patria, who forsakes her faith to join her sisters after witnessing the atrocities of the tyranny; and the baby sister, sensitive Maria Teresa, who, in a series of diaries, chronicles her allegiance to Minerva and the physical and spiritual anguish of prison life.

Review:  What an incredibly moving story.

As I stated a couple of months ago, I've been having trouble finding the time to complete books these days due to a crazy and chaotic schedule (and I know most of you can relate!). So what a joy it was, when I finally found the time to get back into reading, for my first book to be this one.

Alvarez, through 4 completely distinct perspectives, tells us this fascinating story of four incredibly strong women fighting for a cause they truly believed in; sacrificing their lives for the good of their country and standing against a government that showed no remorse in getting revenge against those who disputed it.

This book, a work of historical fiction, gives insight into the bleak side of Dominican history through the Mirabel sisters, whom (and Alvarez notes this herself) have been praised and revered they've become somewhat of a myth.  (They were real women and I applaud Alvarez for taking these women and giving us the, albeit fictional, human side of these women making them relatable.) Alvarez presents this story in a way that is simple yet fascinating.

I loved this book. I loved the story of these women and it made me wonder if I necessarily had the strength or courage to do something along the lines of the Mirabel sisters. All in all, definitely an entertaining read.

Grade: A

Review — Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

Synopsis (Goodreads):  The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.
The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.

The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?

Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.

Review:  I first heard about Five Flavors of Dumb over at Capillya's blog, thatcovergirl.  This was one of those books that I picked up purely for the cover.  It sounded interesting and the cover was pretty badass so I thought I'd give it a try.  However, unlike Her and Me and You, this one delivered with the story as well as the cover.

I skimmed the synopsis so quickly when I was looking into this book that I didn't even realize Piper was deaf until I picked it up and started reading.  You quickly realize Piper's deafness isn't a disability or hinderance, but it's a part of her.  John wove her deafness into Piper's character, without falling back on any kind of cheesiness or cliches.  You never forget that Piper is deaf, but it's not who she is, just another aspect of her personality.

Piper is one of those characters that you just kind of wish were real so you could hang out and become BFFs.  There's something inspiring about watching her evolve from a scared, pseudo-wallflower to the leader of a rock band.  As much as I don't want to admit it, I was surprised when I realized that this book was written my a guy.  I know, I know, a good writer can write any gender, so I should know better.  John created a fantastic, complex, strong female character that rivals, in my mind, Katniss, Buffy, and Jessica Darling.  There were moments when I wanted to shake her (mostly when it came to her utter blindness to the guy who was in love with her), but I couldn't help but love her.  There's a great moment with the band's "mentor," Baz, impersonating her father that had me laughing out loud and solidified Piper's position as favorite female character of the year.

I was impressed how well the other characters were complete, well-rounded characters.  Well, except for Will and Josh, I would have liked to see a little more of who they were outside of the band.  Josh was a bit one-note.  But Piper's parents were particularly well done.  They weren't necessarily perfect, but they weren't terrible parents either.  You could see that they were doing the best they could, and sometimes they made mistakes.  While I seriously hated her father though most of the book, his character had a nice progression.  The cynic in my wonders if he would have such a profound turnaround, but my heart is a black shriveled up husk so I'm going to go with it.  (Kidding...it's only mildly withered)

There's also real reverence for music throughout the book.  Though Piper can't totally hear their music, she finds inspiration from Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix.  She's inspired by who they were, how they came to be musicians, and how they affected millions of people as much as any of us can be inspired by the music they made.  In these moments of music history, Dumb became much more than a book about a band trying to make it.  It was about the importance of music as, not just an aspect pop culture, but an aspect of history.

Also, I can't end my review without giving some love to Ed Chen.  If I ever complain that fictional nice guys are boring, remind me of Ed Chen.  Adorable, adorable Ed Chen (See also: Piper's brother, Finn).  Score one for the nice guys, Ed Chen.  (I think I just like saying "Ed Chen")

Review: A-

Review - How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead by Ariel Gore

Review:
Whew! It’s December and NaNoWriMo is over! OVER! If that challenge has taught me anything, it’s that writing a complete novel might be one of the toughest things to accomplish in life All authors whose work I has the chance of reading this year, including the ones I didn’t particularly enjoy (yes, I’m thinking of you, Liz Berry) deserve a hardy pat on the back for their achievement!

Now, should you be an individual who (unlike me) earnestly undertook the NaNoWriMo challenge and are well on your way to completing your first novel, but have never actually published anything before, you might be overwhelmed by the thought of the hurdles to come in transforming that NaNoWriMo baby into a tangible book.

It was with this in mind that I decided to read Ariel Gore’s writers’ self-help book entitled How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead, in which she shares the secrets to publishing superstardom. Gore’s main argument is that the secret to success in the novel-wring world has more to do with one’s conviction than raw literary talent, and that we’re all capable of improving ourselves in both areas with a little discipline. Gathering an assortment of tips she has learned through her own journey as a writer and literary coach, she’s manages to create an excellent argument for writing. If you ever gave up on your dream of becoming a famous novelist because of age, time constraints or lack of ideas, you might find yourself inspired by Gore’s own success story. She made it while being a teenage single mother! And really, what’s tougher than that?

Interspersed in Gore’s narrative are snippets of advice from a few prominent literary figures from a variety of literary niches. Although they all have their own story to tell about what lead them to success, the key terms of discipline and self-confidence permeate throughout everyone’s advice. You might even be surprised by how basic yet profound their writing tips and recommendations are.  

Bottom line, Gore’s voice is filled with so much energy that even if you never dreamed of writing a book, you might get sucked into believing that you could and perhaps even should! I really enjoyed How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead. Despite having little aspiration of writing a book myself, Gore’s word were compelling enough to make me add “write a novel” as a goal on my list of things-to-do-before-I-die.

LitSnit Verdict: A

Review - Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore

Review: Bloodsucking Fiends introduces us to the love affair between two very different beings: Jody, a newly created vampire, and Tommy, a writer wannabe who moves to San Francisco in search of adventure. The two are drawn together by their individual need for somebody else. Jody needs a man who can take care of business during vampire off-hours: while the sun is out and she is out-cold in her dark hiding hole. Meanwhile, Tommy, who has never had a girlfriend, can’t resist the promise of excitement that someone like Jody can provide. Soon enough they both get more than either had expected as the ancient vampire who transformed Jody starts committing sinister crimes all over San Francisco and leaves clues pinning Jody and Tommy to his doings. Running out of options, it becomes Tommy and Jody’s goal to stop the fiend, a complicated task for a newbie vampire and her mortal boyfriend. 

Overall, I was impressed by this book. Vampires (as conventionally sinister as they might be) are make-belief. And so, while writing about them in a serious tone can work, mixing them into a comically predispositioned plot definitely works better! Christopher Moore used this to his advantage in Bloodsucking Fiends. Jody and Tommy are light-hearted characters thrown in unbelievably above-average circumstances, which in the hands of someone like Moore produces some very funny results.


My favorite part of the story were the characters themselves: Tommy and Jody. They are very different individuals. Tommy is steady and responsible but very naive about women. Jody on the other hand has a lot of experience with men, but has an unhealthy self-image. Over time, as they experience their relationship and explore Jody’s abilities, they manage to change and grow, becoming better individually and as a couple. Their love is never unrequited or based on struggles. Instead, its about exploration and compromises, which is refreshing knowing some of the other vampire love triangles floating around out there. 

The once mysterious vampires have quickly lost their literary appeal due to recent over-usage by many authors. And while some writers should have never gone down the vampirism path, I’m really glad Christopher Moore did. This is a vampire series worth reading.


LitSnit Verdict: A

Review — American Vampire Volume 1 by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquereque

Summary (via Goodreads): This volume follows two stories: one written by Snyder and one written by King. Snyder's story is set in 1920's LA, we follow Pearl, a young woman who is turned into a vampire and sets out on a path of righteous revenge against the European Vampires who tortured and abused her. This story is paired with King's story, a western about Skinner Sweet, the original American Vampire— a stronger, faster creature than any vampire ever seen before with rattlesnake fangs and powered by the sun.

Review:  I thought I'd review something different this week and talk about a graphic novel I just finished.  Even if I wasn't intrigued by Stephen King's involvement, the cover alone had me waiting impatiently for the first volume of this series.  It combines two genres you would think wouldn't mix: the Western and the Roaring 20s.  Two eras that marked a dramatic change in American culture, moments of growth and change for the country.  As we follow two stories, one charting the origin of  Deadwood-esque vampire, Skinner Sweet, and the other a rising 20s starlet, Pearl.  Both characters are intriguing representations of the American spirit.

The two stories are told simultaneously, and sometimes it does get a little confusing, but ultimately it works, allowing us to see how both Pearl and Skinner deal with their fate.  Snyder, the creator of American Vampire, has done something I wouldn't have thought possible: made a vampire story that isn't just fresh, but is a whole new look at the genre.  His vampires aren't sparkly or swoon-worthy (er...okay, 1920s Skinner was kind of hot), but brutal and violent and, yes, scary.  There's nothing nice or pretty about these vampires, yet they're entirely compelling.  

My only gripe is the sudden romance toward the end involving former Pinkerton, Agent Book.  It felt a bit forced and something that was there to appease some sort of male fantasy.  Though his character was a little boring to me next to the badass Skinner Sweet who you can't help but kind of root for (or maybe that's just me).  And, like I said, there were some structural issues, but I was so wrapped up in the story I didn't mind much.

I loved Albuquereque's art, which perfectly captured the spirit of the West and the vivacious Twenties.  He depicted Pearl's attack and transformation with the brutality it needed, but never went overly gratuitous.  His rendering of the vampire's "face" was something new and savage, and pretty awesome to see in contrast to the vein-y, dark-eyed vampires out there today.

The best thing?  It's about vampires.  It's not about a girl in love with a vampire or inspiring some sad-sack vampire to lead a better life.  It's actually about creatures that were created to elicit fear and horror.  There's no whitewashing the fact they kill, and they don't try to.  Watching them survive in a world that's not ready for them is far more interesting to me than any love story or redemption tale.

I can't wait to see more of Pearl and her boyfriend Henry, who are like an even more savage version of Bonnie and Clyde, and how their paths cross with Skinner Sweet, the most disturbing, yet enigmatic vampire I've seen in years.  Whether your a fan of the vampire genre or not, a King fan or not, hell, if you just like a good story, give American Vampire a chance.  It'll make you forget that there are even other vampire stories out there. 

Lit Snit Verdict: A-

Review - Get Lucky by Katherine Center

Summary: (via Goodreads) Sarah Harper isn’t sure if the stupid decisions she sometimes makes are good choices in disguise—or if they’re really just stupid. But either way, after forwarding an inappropriate email to her entire company, she suddenly finds herself out of a job.
So she goes home to Houston—and her sister, Mackie—for Thanksgiving. But before Sarah can share her troubles with her sister, she learns that Mackie has some woes of her own: After years of trying, Mackie’s given up on having a baby—and plans to sell on eBay the entire nursery she’s set up. Which gives Sarah a brilliant idea—an idea that could fix everyone’s problems. An idea that gives Sarah the chance to take care of her big sister for once—instead of the other way around.


Review (with a small spoiler): Get Lucky is a chick lit novel about Sarah, a semi-happy 30 year old workaholic, who has decided to devote her life to building that reputable NYC career everyone dreams about. Suddenly, things turn from great to grim, when an unfortunate lapse of judgment gets her fired. Uncertain about what to do next, Sarah decides to take a trip back home to Texas, where she discovers that her older sister Mackie has been facing a dreary predicament of her own: the inability to become a mother. Heartbroken over the situation, Sarah decides to solve the seemingly impossible problem in a very interesting way; it’s a decision that transforms her from a big city hotshot into a pregnant, hormonal, jobless single woman in about a month’s time.

            Okay, at this point, there is a chance you’re feeling slightly dismayed over the whole pregnancy factor about the story. Certainly, not everyone’s interested in reading about gestation and morning sickness when they turn to the chick lit genre. But I strongly advice you not to be alarmed! Even though there are some important physiological changes that the book discusses during Sarah’s nine months of “community baby” bliss, the story’s focus lies more in the non-physiological inner changes that happen to our heroine. In many ways, she’s a broken woman when she arrives in Houston. This pregnancy was her way out, a way to reinvent herself into a kinder, more altruistic person; it was also a way for her to restore the closeness she once shared with her sister. But, this being the chick lit novel that it is, things have a way of turning out exactly the opposite to how they should. Having to share her body with someone else’s babies was supposed to be difficult for Sarah, but having to deal with being jobless, single and increasingly prospect-less (in both those departments) in conjunction to the growing belly, starts to become increasingly disagreeable (and also hilarious.) Raging hormones contribute to the roller-coaster of emotions and impulsive actions that start to ensue, which will have you oscillating between laughter and pain.  

             Essentially, Get Lucky is a book that chronicles the process of creating a life, while also rebuilding one’s life. The best part of the story is Sarah’s honesty. She has made a lot of mistakes in her life, and continues to make more as the story moves along, but being 30 means that she also has to find ways to deal with everything. And so she does. Sarah’s solutions to her predicaments are nothing if not interesting, but with the advertising background that she has got, you’d be foolish not to expect her to think outside the box. She’s a great character. I loved her and I even loved the vicarious pregnancy experience she gave me.  

Lit Snit Verdict: A

Review — Bachelor Boys by Kate Saunders

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Cassie is determined to grant the dying Phoebe her last wish and see her two sons Fritz and Ben safely married off. Yet, entertaining as they were as children, they make terrible adults. Surely no intelligent woman could be persuaded to take one on?

Review:  A few months ago I was lamenting the current state of chick lit.  It seems like a genre that was once exploding with great reads, died quickly with little to no forewarning.  Emily shared my dismay and made a great recommendation of If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend, which I listed as one of my unexpected treasures of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week.  When she recommended another chick lit title, Bachelor Boys I immediately set out to find it (which ended in a semi-embarrassing moment at the library when I couldn’t remember the title and the aging male librarian boomed “Bachelor Boys!?” and I could only meekly say “yes, that’s it.”  Why do chick lit titles always have cheesy titles??)

Anyway, I devoured this book on one perfect rainy evening with a glass of wine (and possibly a few Kleenex...it's sad, okay?!).  Bachelor Boys has everything I want in my chick lit:  a sympathetic, slightly neurotic protagonist, non-romance drama, discovery of self and self-worth, and, of course, a guy.  (Plus, in my book, anything set in Britain makes it just a little bit better...)

I planned on only reading a few chapters, but was hooked from page one and may or may not have been reading wearing a goofy smile at certain points, just because I was so excited to have a new fun, smart chick lit novel.  After I finished Bachelor Boys, I realized it was slightly similar to Marian Keyes’ Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, but with the roles reversed and let me tell you, it’s infinitely more frustrating to have be looking at the story from Daniel’s point of view.  You just want to scream at Lucy, “what are you doing!?!”

I loved every single character in this book (okay, I kind of hated Felicity, but that's what she was there for).  Cassie sometimes makes stupid decisions and, at times, is so transparent, but you can't help but love her.  She's smart and endearing, and I loved every scenes where she interacted with the Darling family.  There was a real sense of long-time affection and vibrancy to the Darlings.  I kind of wanted them as my next door neighbors.

I think what I really loved about Saunders’ book is the story of family and dealing with loss.  While Cassie is dealing with losing the woman who is the only real maternal figure she knows, she gets to know her own mother better.  The development of the relationship between Cassie and her mother was slow, but realistic and complex.  Her mom, a shrink and too smart for her own good, really reminded me of Brennan from Bones in her analytical approach to social and emotional situations.  She's difficult to understand at first, but as you peel away the layers you see that she feels as much as anyone else.

Yes, Bachelor Boys was slightly predictable, a little gender-biased, and convenient at times, but having been starved for some good chick lit I really loved this book and will probably pick it up at the bookstore sometime soon so, like Lucy Sullivan, it can be there when I need a good chick lit book after a long day.  

Lit Snit Verdict: A-

Review and Giveaway — Jane by April Lindner

Summary (via Goodreads): Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, an iconic rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer, and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance. But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is tested by a torturous secret from his past.

Part irresistible romance and part darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers.

 Review (spoilers if you haven’t read Jane Eyre):  It’s been a while since I read Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, but it’s been one of my favorites of the classics so I was excited and more than a little nervous when I heard there was a modern retelling of the iconic story to be published.  I’ve had this book on my shelf a while and have been reluctant to start it.  I wasn’t sure if it could be adapted well in this modern era.

I have to say, it was done pretty darn well.  Lindner keeps mostly to the original story, but changes it up enough to make it her own and keep you from feeling like you know exactly what’s going to come next (even if you kind of do).   

Jane is a heartbreaking character.  You see snippets in flashbacks and memories of her childhood and how misunderstood she was (and still is).  Her mother, in particular, calls her “a cold fish” at one point and it killed me because not is she a horrible mother, but I felt Jane’s frustration at not being able to fully articulate her passion and emotions. 

Rochester, however, was a character that I reacted to totally differently in this version than I did in the original.  I remember thinking Rodchester was brooding, dark, and compelling.  Maybe it was because I was younger when I read the original or maybe it’s easier to forgive certain male character flaws in Victorian and pre-Victorian era novels like those by the Bronte’s or Austen than it is in a modern setting, but in Lindner’s version I didn’t find him nearly as attractive, and it has nothing to do with the way she wrote him.  I saw his actions in a completely new light.  Instead of finding him brooding I just thought Nico was pretty childish and emotionally manipulative.  I mean, really, you’re going to try to make Jane jealous by teasing her that you’re going to marry some rich photographer?  Um, no thank you.  I’d like not to re-live the games I played when I was in 6^th grade trying to get Matt Baker to notice me.  I remember thinking at one point, “Jane, you should just run now, because you could do so much better than this head case.”

Yet, just when I started to worry that she was going to overlook his immaturity and the fact that he was still kind of in love with this crazy ex, she stood her ground. There’s a passage right before she leaves Thornfield where Jane realizes that her relationship with Nico won’t work.  It was pretty much word for word all the reasons I had been mentally compiling as to why their relationship was toxic (though she’s way more forgiving of his emotional immaturity).  I so admired that she was so completely in love and utterly heartbroken, but she still knows that she can't stay.  She’s strong when she needs to be strong and is rational throughout the entire relationship without losing any kind of romance or sympathy.

In the original I was so caught up with the epic love story, that Jane’s journey didn’t completely sink in.  In this version, it was watching Jane discover her self-worth that really made this a compelling story.  She moved me to tears several times and impressed me with her independence and courage.  By the end, you don’t fault her for going back to Nico because although he hasn’t really changed, she is better equipped to deal with him and put him in his place.

Whether you’ve read the original or not Jane is a great read.  The second I finished I grabbed my copy of Jane Eyre off the shelf to re-read.  I love that Lindner’s version doesn’t try to replace the original, but it’s a fantastic story on its own and makes you slightly nostalgic for Bronte’s version.  Jane just proves that Charlotte Bronte created a fascinating and timeless character.  Luckily, Lindner is more than capable of capturing her spirit.  Though…I still think Jane could do better than Rochester/Rathburn.

Lit Snit Verdict: A-

I was lucky enough to receive two copies of this book from the publisher and want to share one with you!  Enter below for your chance to win the fabulous Jane by April Lindner.  This is a US/Canada giveaway only (sorry!) and will end 9/24.

Review - Hairstyles of the Damned by Joe Meno

Summary: (via Goodreads) Hairstyles of the Damned is an honest and affectionate depiction of wanting to belong, but never quite belonging. Joe Meno’s pitch-perfect prose illuminates the tumultuous realities of American adolescence, the disintegration of the modern family, and the way a mix-tape can change a person’s life. Following the riotous exploits of Brian, a Catholic school malcontent, and his best friend Gretchen, a punk rock girl fond of brawling, this work of fiction unflinchingly pursues the truth in discovering what it means to develop your own identity.

Review: In his novel, Hairstyles of the Damned, Joe Meno does at least one thing right, he conveys his love and knowledge of punk-rock music – a definite essential for anyone writing within the indie rock novel genre, which this book certainly falls into. And between this and our narrator, Brian Oswald, a high school outcast and total freak who cusses way too much and litters every third sentence with a maybe or an I guess, you get the sense of what the American misguided adolescence is all about: music, getting high, trying to get laid, and avoiding your depressed parents, who at age fifty find themselves just as desperately misguided about life as you are.

Set in the 1990’s in Chicago’s South Side, Hairstyles of the Damned is a hodgepodge of so many different elements, it’s truly as rash and wandering as the mind of a teenager. Brian’s narration is a composition of rants describing his complacent aimlessness: he hates school, doesn’t know what type of music he should like, and his girl situation isn’t very peachy either. Worst of all, the non-plans he invents to get himself out of these dilemmas fire right back in his face. Yeah, he gets the chance to get laid, but what if he doesn't really care about the girl who's offering? Yeah, he manages to get a job, but major coworker issues soon ensue. Yeah, he feels aversion toward the racial inequality in his neighborhood, but what exactly is someone like him expected to do about it? And with parents as uninvolved and as uncaring as the ones he has got (and really, all the parents in this book are represented quite deplorably), we know exactly who to blame for all these problems: contemporary American adults who seem more than happy leaving teenagers to their own devices. And in Meno’s eyes such carelessness leads to two things: teenage aimlessness and the thoughtless immersion in pop-cultural trends without any regard for the loss of individuality.

It’s not all bad though, even if all the characters in the book sport neon-colored hair or shaved heads (Meno didn’t endow his novel with this title for nothing) and often quote angst-y band lyrics in regular conversation. Filtering out all the adolescent craziness –and of this there’s quite a bit – Brian is just as endearing as the next YA character you’re going to meet; he is just a lot more honest. Being a geeky freak isn’t just about not fitting while stumbling upon your one true love, the way a lot of other YA novels want it to be, but about not fitting, falling flat on your face when you try and being bluntly and repeatedly rejected by your one true crush – who in this case is borderline obese, unpopular, and only the more lovely because of it…at least in Brian’s eyes. Yeah, it’s not the most optimistic of pictures, but sometimes neither is life.

What’s perhaps most enticing in this book is the playfulness of Meno’s writing. He writes the way a teen might think, using short and simple words organized in sentences that more closely resemble speech instead of writing. Some of the chapters are written in script, other are nothing more than mix-tape track listings, and one chapters is written completely in reverse, describing everything as though we’re rewinding a movie in slowmo. It’s pretty cool and very in-tune with the carefree feel of the story as a whole.

Lit Snit Verdict: A

Review - Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos

Summary (via Goodreads): "When Martin Grace enters the hip Philadelphia coffee shop Cornelia Brown manages, her life changes forever. Charming and debonair, the spitting image of Cary Grant, Martin sweeps Cornelia off her feet, but, as it turns out, Martin Grace is more the harbinger of change than the change itself." Meanwhile, on the other side of town, eleven-year-old Clare Hobbes must learn to fend for herself after her increasingly unstable mother has a breakdown and disappears. Taking inspiration from famous orphans (Anne Shirley, Sara Crewe, Mary Lennox, and even Harry Potter) Clare musters the courage to seek out her estranged father. When the two of them show up at Cornelia's cafe, Cornelia and Clare form a bond as unlikely as it is deep. Together, they face difficult choices and discover that knowing what you love and why is as real as life gets.


Review: Um, Marisa de los Santos? I have one question.  

Can I have a hug?

Love Walked In is the type of book you curl up with on a rainy day in front a large bay window. It's a fairy tale...fantasy with a dash of reality thrown in. I finished this book and, I'm not lying, hugged it. I HUGGED IT.

The story alternates between Cornelia and Clare. Cornelia is a 30 year old cafe manager, who is not quite sure how's she's ended up where she is. Clare is a 11 year old girl whose mother abandons her; she mentally checks out at first and then, right before Christmas, completely leaves by letting Clare out on the side of the road. Their lives intersect by one man: Martin. 

Santos gives both Clare and Cornelia their own distinct voice. Cornelia is...effervescent. She's smart, she's witty. She references and compares many moments of her life to old movies; she idolizes the likes of Katherine Hepburn, Ingrid Berman and Bette Davis. This is a woman who, regardless of the circumstances, is positive. She's grounded & realistic, direct & honest. She's a delight to read. 

Clare, on the other hand is struggling. She's trying to cover for a mother who has a breakdown of sorts (we later learn this is bipolar disorder). She's makes lists of what she needs to do in order to make her mom seem perfect. When she reaches out to her father, whom she describes as a "near-stranger", he brushes her off and tells her that her mother is fine and that she's exaggerating. She feels like she's invisible with him, and rightly so, as every time she reaches out to him, he's busy.  Because of this, Clare's voice is one of an adult.  It's somewhat sad to read because this voice is much older than an eleven year old's should be.

Now, Martin? Martin is the bridge. The first line of this book is about Martin. Cornelia says:

"My life--my real life--started when a man walked into it, a handsome stranger in a perfectly cut suit, and yes, I know how that sounds"

When Martin enters Cornelia's life, he is perfect. He's gentle, charming and romantic. The banter they share is similar to the quick quips traded between Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn in the movie Holiday (which everyone needs to see, btw! Just sayin'...) They're a dream. We love Cornelia and because he's good to her, we love Martin.

So imagine when we find out that our dream man is Clare's bum of a father? UGH.

It's from this point that Martin becomes somewhat of a background character because the relationship between Clare and Cornelia? It's vibrant. It's golden. It's the 'true love' of this story. From Cornelia, Clare gets the unconditional love and stability that she's been craving. From Clare, Cornelia gets validation--validation that there's nothing wrong with the life that she's chosen...and that she should go after what she wants. This is not to say their road is easy; there are deaths to contend with, as well as the return of Clare's mother. Still, these incidents do not diminish the joy that comes from this relationship. If anything, it makes it stronger.

I also want to point out that there were no villains. She's fleshed these characters out so that there are no bad people. There are people who have made mistakes. I never disliked anyone in this book. I disliked the choices they made but everyone was flawed in their own way. Everyone was human.

I don't want to keep rambling. I'll just say that it's a warm, genuine read. It's the closest you'll ever get to a hug from a book.

Lit Snit Verdict: A 

Review - The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz

Summary: (via Goodreads) With a summer job at Bob & Bob Records in Berkeley, California, teen music junkie Allie is ready for anything. She’s poised to fall in love, catch a thief, and make a mix that’ll break your heart. And when she blogs as The Vinyl Princess, Allie is the sort of mystery girl you can’t resist tuning into. Get ready for the vinyl revolution!

Review: In the novel The Vinyl Princess Yvonne Prinz recreates the life of a 16 year old vinyl record collector, Allie, who spends a lazy summer working in a small California record store (Bob & Bob's). Allie’s life is consumed by a singular passion: vinyl records. She lives for the crackle produced by the turntable’s needle as it dances its way to the right place, and nothing—not her mother’s miserable online dating fiasco, her best friend’s cheating boyfriend, or the thieving ways of her crush—can distract her from this obsession, which she actively rants about in a blog entitled thevinylprincess.

The unfortunate part of Al’s situation is that she was born about half a century late. Vinyl is almost extinct and the mp3-addicted, iPod listening generation that she belongs to could care less about album track arrangements or cover art. Her outdated music interest relegates her to a small group of oddballs that either work or shop at Bob & Bob’s. As mundane as it sounds working retail in a musty, hole-in-the-wall record store, Allie’s narrative manage to bring out its charms. She an eloquent observer that can give a romantic feel to everything and everyone around her, from the misanthropic co-worker lurking in the store’s stack collection, to the petty and homeless cross-dressers that practically live on the store’s premises, to the mom-and-pop eateries of Telegraph Avenue where she eats lunch.

Even those of us who could never understand the charms of clunky vinyl records can appreciate Allie’s music addiction as she includes all sort of interesting music-related tidbits throughout her narrative. After throwing us a plethora of music information and tracks to listen to, Prinz delivers a music-pinnacle of sorts in the form of a mixtape (ahem, “the mating call of the romantically challenged”) that Allie receives from Zach, a fellow vinyl purist. This is perhaps the most interactive part of the book and should the reader be invested in the story enough—like I was—they’ll assuredly listen to all the tracks listed (in their correct order) to discover Zach’s message.

The story’s actual pinnacle isn’t very dramatic. Allie was never created with some moral, personal or familial issue to resolve but is a rather content character trying to amicably deal with the issues stirred up by those around her. In a rather false-autobiography type of way, Allie was probably conceived to simulate the author, who herself works at a record store and is the active brain behind the thevinylprincess blog (which does exists in real-life and is filled with all kinds of purchasing suggestions for vinyl enthusiasts).

I liked this book; it made me happy to know that passions can bring such contentment to life, even to a teenager’s life.

Lit Snit Verdict: A

PS-Click here to listen to one of the songs Prinz raves about in her book.

Review - The Duff by Kody Keplinger

Summary (via Goodreads): 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 (Warning—Light Spoilers): I had to give myself a week and one re-read to write my review so this review didn’t come out full of incoherent fangirl squeeing. Since reading The Duff I've been slightly internet stalking Kody Keplinger as I do most authors I love. (Note to Kody: it's harmless stalking...I swear. Just ignore that feeling like you're being watched all the time. It will fade once you get used to me.)

Just seventeen when she wrote this, I’m torn between admiration and insane jealousy of Keplinger. Her writing is realistic, but incredibly nuanced. (Note again to Kody: not "insane jealousy" like I'm going to 'Single White Female' you. More like I want to steal your words and make your brain mine...yeah...now that I think about it, that sounds worse, doesn't it?)

Fast-moving, charming, and honest, The Duff (which stands for Designated Ugly Fat Friend) hooked me from page one. Bianca is smart, spunky, and just a little insecure. Wesley, who could easily be a flat character with his “playboy” ways, is he’s as well-developed as Bianca. I totally understand how Bianca could fall for this guy she supposedly hated (heck, I kind of fell for him myself). The way their relationship evolves is completely believable. Their transition from "enemies with benefits" to friends to something even more happens so smoothly you don't even realize it's happening, much like the characters themselves. Their banter is witty and their hookups are, well, pretty hot. As they get to peel back the layers and emotional barriers you begin to see why these two people are so right for each other. Without really realizing it, each helps the other deal with larger issues. Bianca deals with her parents’ divorce and her father’s alcoholism, while Wesley faces absent parents and a grandmother that despises him.

I loved Bianca’s friends, Casey and Jessica. Both are very different from Bianca but incredibly loyal and clearly the trio cares very deeply for each other. At one point, Wesley says that he really only has one friend, who is gay, because other boys are jealous of him. I wish we could have seen a bit more how this affected Wesley. Girls so often turn against a girl that is seen as more sexually active I thought it was interesting that Wesley’s open attitude regarding sex made him a social outcast among the guys.

My only major gripe is that I think Bianca’s father’s alcoholism perhaps doesn’t get the attention it should. His outbursts and recovery are waved aside with a heartfelt apology and mention of AA, but I felt like the issue should have been more developed, especially since he gets violent with her. Also, her absentee mother showing up and expecting things to just work themselves out irked me.

And while I hated how Bianca let Wesley get away with calling her such a horrible name for so long, the scene where she finally admits how much it hurt her is so poignant and emotional you realize that Wesley has no idea how much weight that word carried. In their relationship, Keplinger elegantly explores issues of self-respect and self-worth that aren’t just regulated to teens. All women, young or old, feel like “the duff” at one point or another.

By now I'm sure it's apparent that I loved The Duff. I think I’d put it up there with Some Girls Are and The Sky is Everywhere as my favorite YA books so far this year (maybe ever). Unfortunately, The Duff doesn't come out until September. I know, I know, I'm sorry for raving about something that isn't in stores for you right now. But, I'm counting down the days until you guys can get your hands on this awesome debut novel. I'm sure once you read it you, like me, will be waiting eagerly to see what else Keplinger has in store for us.

Lit Snit Verdict: A+

*This book was provided by the publisher.