How to make the outcome of a love triangle more clear: make one of the love interests a rapist.
Category: Books
MAKE-YOU-CRY MONDAY: Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
This book was not what I was expecting. I'm guilty of skimming a book jacket and coming home with a completely different book than the one I bought ("Regency England!? I thought this was a sci-fi novel!") So I thought this was a love story about two teens who could only communicate honestly via the… Continue reading MAKE-YOU-CRY MONDAY: Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
BOOK REVIEW: Defy by Sara B. Larson
The premise: Alexa Hollen has been disguising herself as Alex Hollen for years to escape the king's ominous "breeding house." She and her twin brother Marcel are part of the prince's guard, sworn to protect Prince Damian above even the king. A series of events results in Alex being kidnapped, along with the prince and her… Continue reading BOOK REVIEW: Defy by Sara B. Larson
BOOK REVIEW: The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
The premise: "Good girl" Wren Gray has just done the unthinkable--she's withdrawn from college and decided to move to Guatemala for a year, much to her controlling parents' chagrin. Wren continues to disappoint her parents by pursuing foster kid Charlie Parker. The rest of the book chronicles their intense, confusing, and ultimately triumphant relationship. I've… Continue reading BOOK REVIEW: The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
BOOK REVIEW: Geek Girl by Holly Smale
Tagline: Meet Harriet Manners. Girl. Geek. International supermodel? When I saw "New Girl" for the first time, I didn't think I'd like it. I started watching it as a joke and was surprised at how funny it was. The writing made me laugh out loud--a rarity--and, after one episode, I couldn't wait to watch another.… Continue reading BOOK REVIEW: Geek Girl by Holly Smale
TERRIBLE PROSE TUESDAY: Stakes
I love adaptations, especially of Austen's books. I think they can work, if done well. This book...not so much. Even though the main characters are teenagers, I can't stomach the unnecessary drama. Jenni James acts like everything that happens between the two leads is the most traumatizing thing ever. Every conversation they have spirals out of control. I… Continue reading TERRIBLE PROSE TUESDAY: Stakes
MAKE-YOU-CRY MONDAY: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Sometimes characters have to make impossible decisions. This often manifests as them having to choose between their best friend or their love interest, or deciding which of their children gets to live, or rescuing either their family or millions of strangers. This happens to protagonist Todd Hewitt in The Knife of Never Letting Go, the first book in… Continue reading MAKE-YOU-CRY MONDAY: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
TERRIBLE PROSE TUESDAY: Boundaries
I wasn't going to write about this, but I changed my mind because I'm outraged. I'm not sure if there's a cultural difference at play--maybe it's a Mormon thing--because I can't imagine parents in the United States who would actually do this to their child. In the original Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie rejects the odious Mr.… Continue reading TERRIBLE PROSE TUESDAY: Boundaries
TERRIBLE PROSE TUESDAY: Obvious villain is obvious
Love triangles are a fixture of many romances. I have mixed feelings about them, but I have no problem with another character posing an obstacle to the main love story, especially if it's done well (see Clockwork Prince.) As this book is a modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice, it's only fitting that the heroine of Jenni James' Pride… Continue reading TERRIBLE PROSE TUESDAY: Obvious villain is obvious
TERRIBLE PROSE TUESDAY: Death by plot necessity
Dear Janna Nickerson: I will leave you alone soon. I promise. But not today. I'm not here to poke fun at the death of a parent. I don't think losing both parents in the same day is funny. I do think in many stories it's unnecessary and only serves to up the angst quotient. In… Continue reading TERRIBLE PROSE TUESDAY: Death by plot necessity
Narrative Paradise 