A Few Short Reviews

Well, despite my best efforts to review each book as soon as I'm done with them, I have fallen behind and as a result I can't remember much about some of the books that I read.  This is unfortunate but such is life.  I will give a few mini-reviews of some those books though.

Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

Summary from Goodreads:
When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.
 But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.
 Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.
 Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

Well, there was a lot of hype about this book and I had high hopes for it.  All that to say, I was disappointed.  This book started off strong but in the end it was just a little too quirky and off the wall.  At times I found myself very confused and having to re-read parts because I didn't know quite what was going on.  It seemed like a good premise but something just fell short.  I have to say that I'm not sure if I'll read more from this author.  Many enjoyed this book but it just wasn't for me.  

Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

 Summary from Goodreads: 

"Love and Leftovers" is a powerfully written debut novel that chronicles one teen's journey navigating family, friends, and love.

This is a book told in verse about a girl who moves to another city because her parents are getting divorced and her father has come out of the closet.  The girl struggles with fitting in at her new school and in the end this messes up her love life.  I have to admit that I really enjoyed this book.  It's not a book with a lot of depth but I can relate to trying to fit in.  I wasn't a popular girl in elementary or high school and I found it difficult to fit in at times.  I have also found myself in a few messy romantic situations.  I thought the book was quirky and I really liked the main character.  I have been really enjoying books told in verse as of late and this one was really cute.  I recommend picking it up.   

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

 Summary from Goodreads: 

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.Engrossing and suspenseful, All These Things I've Done is an utterly unique, unputdownable read that blends both the familiar and the fantastic.
This book was all over the blogosphere when it came out and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.  I find it difficult to read books with a lot of hype though because sometimes they don't live up to my high expectations.  I always wonder if I would have liked the book if I had picked it up without knowing anything about it.  I think this was the case with this book.  That is not to say that I didn't enjoy it but it just wasn't all I was hoping it would be.  I quite liked Anya's character and I liked the mystery around everything.  I can't imagine a world where chocolate is banned. I don't know what I would do and it was funny to think of chocolate in the way one would think of alcohol during the Prohibition.  I liked the whole gangster element to this novel and I liked the predicaments that Anya gets herself into.  I like that she is true to herself and she is such a strong character.  She never stops caring for her brother and she has a strong moral compass.  I think I will have to continue reading this series to find out what happens next.