Review: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Book: Monstrous Beauty    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12971662-monstrous-beauty?from_search=true

By: Elizabeth Fama

Published: September 4, 2012

Published By: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Description: Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

My Thoughts: Monstrous Beauty is  (quite obviously) a story about mermaids. In this story Mermaids are said to be monsters that lure humans to their deaths with their unearthly beauty. Our MC, has some weird connection to them, and to people on land who no one can see or hear. She soon learns about a curse upon her family, and is the only person who can break it.

This book was pretty predictable and often a bit unrealistic. I had to ignore some things, like parents who let a kid stay out all night, or museums who don’t have tougher security, or libraries who allow unknown people to read locked/secured books without proper identification or some kind. Still, despite its predictability, I still enjoyed the ride to see how everything was resolved. I give this one 3 Stars.

Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Book: Pandemonium     

By: Lauren Oliver

Published: February 28, 2012

Published By: HarperTeen

Description: I’m pushing aside
the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana
and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

My Thoughts: Pandemonium picks up right where Delirium left off. And is told in a series of “now” and “then” where she explains her process of leaving the fence and joining the resistance, and her current assignment. There is a new romantic interest, despite the loss of Alex and Lena has really changed a lot from the timid , scared, weak girl in Delirium.

I enjoyed seeing Lena’s transformation into a stronger, smarter woman. Still, she doesn’t really seem to trust her instincts very well and often she gets caught because of it. This story held my interest throughout and I was often extremely invested in Lena’s actions.

I’m not sure if I’ve just read too many books recently, but lately a bunch of them have just been  predictable, and this one is no different. I expected all the big reveals, and so they didn’t surprise me. Still, it was pretty good and I will be reading the next book in the series shortly. I give it 4 stars.

Review: Every Day by David Leviathan

Book: Every Day    

By:  David Leviathan

Published: August 28, 2012

Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Description: Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

My Thoughts: Every day is an interesting book told from the point of view of A. Neither male nor female, A floats through life unknown to all. A has no parents, no friends, no real identity other than the one “he” gave “himself.”

A lives by taking over a body every day, following each person’s normal patterns of behavior so as not to ruin lives. That is, until he meets Rhiannon.. Only then does A realize how lonely his life is. Only then does he realize what exactly he’s missing out on, and only then does he break all the rules he spent his entire life trying to carefully cultivate.

The book was at first hard to get into, jumping from one life to the next is hard to understand, and the sexless MC made it even more difficult. Still, once the love story gets in full swing, this story is heartbreakingly amazing. I loved seeing the intensity of first love and loss and sacrifice. Some say this book made them cry, and though I didn’t have that reaction, my eyes did prickle a little at the end. It was sweet and I loved every second of it.

If you’re a fan of contemporary romance and young love stories and you’ve been glancing at this one, I’d suggest you take a look at this one. It’s absolutely great. 4.5 Stars