I fully intended on writing up full posts talking about these here books. Unfortunately BEA happened and my brain has become mush to actually write full posts on them but they deserve to be talked about for sure!! Plus it’s summer and mini book talks are going to me a lot of what you see because I CANNOT SIT INSIDE ON THE COMPUTER IN THE SUMMER. My body won’t let me do it when the sun is shining and the temperature is actually Jamie-approved.
Making Pretty by Corey Ann Haydu
May 2015 – Katherine Tegen Books
I received this for review consideration from the publisher. As always, this did NOT affect my opinions of it.
I loved Corey’s novel Life By Committee so I was very excited for this one and she didn’t disappoint! I loved the messy family dynamics — no really the dad is shallow, goes through many women and offered his young daughters new boobs for their birthday — explored in this novel. I LOVED the portrayal of two sisters who have been in it together and partners-in-crime until cracks appear in their relationship and everything feels different between them. Also super loved the NYC setting! The main character’s voice felt so….frenetic to me? I couldn’t get a handle on her but then I realized “OH MY GOSH THIS IS SO HOW MY BRAIN WAS AS A TEENAGER.” These intense emotions and feelings and highs and lows. Exquisitely written and full of that raw and unflinching honesty that I’ve come to love from Corey’s books.
Rating
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
March 2015 – Balzer & Bray
I received this for review consideration from the publisher. As always, this did NOT affect my opinions of it.
Have you ever read a book that you were like OH MY GOSH THIS IS BRILLIANT but you almost felt like you didn’t FULLY get it? Like MAAAAYBE you weren’t smart enough for it? Yeah, that’s how I felt about this book. It was unlike anything I’ve ever read and so freaking smart and awesome and WOW. But I also feel like it hurt my brain a little. It was this blend of contemporary and fantasy…maybe a little magical realism? I can’t even label it really. Very surreal and dream-like. Definitely ~literary~ sooo I have another book in my arsenal for people who don’t think YA can be literary. I loved the mystery of trying to figure what happened to Roza and I really grew to love Finn. It’s confusing at times but the end really brings it together.
Rating
Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider
May 2015 – Katherine Tegen Books
I received this for review consideration from the publisher. As always, this did NOT affect my opinions of it.
OH MY GOSH I LOVED THIS ONE. Seriously raced through it! So beautiful and emotional and GAH SO GOOD. I loved that it felt like it was contemporary but the only thing is that in this world there is a strain of tuberculosis that is incurable and has these teens in a sanatorium as they wait a trial that could maybe cure them. It feels like half summer camp/boarding school and half a hospital setting which is a jarring setting at times as you watch them be normal teens but yet NOT AT ALL. I loved the group of friends and I loved the romance — it was so bittersweet because for all the really great and fun moments between them you watch them fall even more sick. I found myself really racing through it to see if a cure would come in time or not! I LOVED Robyn’s writing and definitely plan to go back to her debut for sure!
Rating
Have you read any of these? What did you think? If not, are you planning to read any of them?
JoLee says
Bone Gap!!! I loved that book so much. Best surprise of the year so far. Also, I’m currently 3/4 through Extraordinary Means, and its fabulousness is killing me too.
Jamie says
YES I am so happy you are loving Extraordinary Means! REPORT BACK WHEN YOU FINISH!! 🙂
JoLee says
Okay, so I finished Extraordinary Means yesterday. It is so devastatingly good! The writing is pretty glorious. I am not a highlighter, but I found myself marking lots of sentences. Also, this will reveal what I huge nerd I am, but I found the Acknowledges and Author’s Note completely fascinating as well. Robyn Schneider has a masters in bioethics (she mentions taking a Cinema of Contagion class) and wrote her dissertation on YA disease narratives! I want to meet her and talk about it.
Stormy says
I’ve read both Making Pretty & Bone Gap, but unfortunately was disappointed by Making Pretty. It didn’t hold my attention really, which is is unfortunate because I really liked Life by Committee! I think I had similar thoughts on Bone Gap–it was brilliant and I think I mostly got it, but for me there was something kinda missing on an emotional level. It’s funny though, because it’s the kind of book I wouldn’t really buy for my shelf or re-read, but yet I can myself recommending it a lot? It’s so smart & thought-provoking, and I could see it being an excellent book to discuss with someone!(I actually DNF’d it the first time I tried it back in. . . January, I think? Just read it recently and definitely liked it better on the second attempt).
Jenna @ JMill Wanders says
Great review, Jamie! I’m excited to read Extraordinary Means ASAP. Love that Robyn Schneider. Also, I’m excited to attend my very first BEA next year in Chicago!
Emma @ Miss Print says
Since I read Life by Committee on the strength of your review, I’m glad to hear you liked making Pretty. I really need to get to Bone Gap soon!
Lauren @ Bookmark Lit says
SO happy to see that you loved Extraordinary Means! I loved The Beginning of Everything but felt a bit hesistant about EM for some reason. The idea of a camp/boarding school place full of sick kids is kind of crazy and awesome.
Cynthia says
I have heard so many great things about Extraordinary Means. I can’t wait to read that one!