The Rules by Stacey Kade: Review

The Rules

by: Stacey Kade

I'm not going to use a lot of the synopsis provided by the publisher for this novel, because I'm not sure that it's a great reflection of the novel. Basically, our dear Ariane is an escaped hybrid alien human science experiment. She's still living a few short miles from where she was grown, raised, and went through awful stuff. Her adopted father is a security guard for said evil science lab, and broke her out when she was young to replace his dying daughter. Ariane (not her real name, but the name of the girl whose identity she's adopted) keeps a low profile, keeping the very strict set of rules made by her father. And then stuff starts to change.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Rules. This is my first introduction to Kade's work, and I thought that it was compelling, interesting, and surprisingly emotional. Having read and not been impressed by other escaped science experiment novels (see Origin), I went into it with relatively low expectations.

There was something about Ariane that I really liked. I loved her motivation to look out for the weak and helpless. I also liked her insights into being an alien masquerading as a human (i.e. setting up a routine, and making small adjustments to appear more human-like). She's obsessed with freedom, and yet isn't much of a risk-taker. Very savvy, which I liked.

But, there is also the dual perspective of Zane Bradshaw, the son of the over-zealous police chief that is dying for a way into spooky science lab. On the surface, he appears to be rich, snotty, hangs out with the A-listers and a jerk. But, by getting his perspective, it reveals a whole new side of him that I really liked. Otherwise, the romance would have been a no-go.

The Rules has a lot of heart. But, it wasn't perfect. First, I am weary of the "scientist are immoral" plot line. So, thankfully, very little had to deal with the actual scientists running the experiment. But, I feel like it should be noted that scientists are actually a very moral bunch for the most part, and it would be nice to see some variety in their portrayal in media. Second, is the very flat character of Rachel. She was just flat out mean. No motivation, and very little deviance from her villainous role.

I'll definitely be checking out the sequel to The Rules and recommend it to anyone looking for a page turner! And, check out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a copy!

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Eve & Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate: Review

Eve & Adam
By: Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
Review by: Anna Rose Johnson

Dystopia, romance and syfy mix and explode, creating Eve & Adam, a book about love and science. The cover is the immediate hook, tempting you with unexplained phenomenons dating back to biblical times. I felt like the original Eve when I dove into this book…thinking it might be a little blasphemous to read a story where “and girl created boy.” But when I got into the meat of the story, there really wasn’t anything too forbidden about it. The plot lines were littered with so many points of view that I never connected with any one character. I liked the premise, but wasn’t enthralled.

Evening Spiker, Eve, is a likeable enough character in the beginning of the book. She’s very smart, logical and a romantic – a pretty good representation of how I want people to see me – probably why I liked her and hated her. But she’s spoiled. There’s no getting around it. Her mother, Terra Spiker, is an incredibly rich business woman who throws money at Eve like its nothing. Terra comes to Eve’s rescue after a terrible accident, transporting Eve to Spiker Biotech where she recovers at a rapid rate. Come to find out, Eve has been genetically modified to heal as a child. Instead of being mystified or even grateful, all Eve can see is a controlling mother.

Terra allows Eve to play with a new computer program where she can build the “perfect guy” during recovery. Unbeknownst to Eve, the perfect guy, Adam, is actually being created in a lab somewhere with every key stroke and eye color selection. While Eve is creating Adam, a connection forms between Eve and Solo, a mysterious boy living in Spiker Biotech. Solo was my favorite character, mysterious, good-looking, smart – forget Adam, Solo’s the perfect guy! He has an unexplained past that comes out later in the book that rocks each character to the core. Really, Solo’s the saving grace of Eve & Adam.

While I wasn’t completely engrossed in the characters or the plot, it was an enjoyable read. Not too fluffy with an interesting message. Eve & Adam is a story about how the perfect person for you, really isn’t the best person for you.

    

Sexuality: Mild.
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild.
Profanity: Mild.
Violence: Moderate.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys: Review

Out of the Easy
By: Ruta Sepetys

Set in the 1950's in New Orleans, Out of the Easy follows the story of Josie Moraine, the daughter of a prostitute that wants a way out. Josie's plans to leave are thwarted by a mysterious death in the French Quarter that may involve her mother and others.

Another great novel from Ruta Sepetys. I was a mega fan of Between Shades of Gray, Sepetys's debut novel, and had high hopes for this one.

There are many things about Out of the Easy that I think showed Sepetys's style. Josie's character is definitely one of these. Much like Lena, Josie is a very sympathetic character. Her situation as the daughter of a really lousy mother is frustrating as a reader. There was nothing I wanted more than for her to just get out!

Having recently read East of Eden by John Steinbeck, I also noticed some parallels between his portrayal of prostitution and Sepetys'. Now, Out of the Easy is not a retelling of East of Eden, and I don't know that there is any intended connection. However, Willie, the owner of the brothel, is very similar to a character in Steinbeck's novel. She's more of a mothering type and creates an environment where the reader feels very sympathetic towards the institutions of prostitution.

Another trademark of Sepetys's style is the ambiguous romance. Josie has interactions with a couple male characters, but I would definitely not go into this novel expecting a swoony romance. It's much more subtle than that, and it isn't completely resolved. But, as a reader, I'm all over the slow burn anyway.

As a whole, Ruta Sepetys ranks up there with other great historical fiction writers that I've love. And I'm eagerly anticipating her next novel.

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My Mountain Home

Utah is my home. It wasn't always though. While my dad was getting his Ph.D. and doing some post-doctoral work we lived in Pennsylvania and Arizona. We didn't settle in Utah until I was almost 10. We moved to a very small town that you won't find on anything more detailed than a county map, and I felt entirely out of my element. Cliques for friends had been established since before kindergarten and much of my elementary and middle school years felt very lonely.

If you've ever been to Utah or have even seen pictures of Utah you'll notice that there are mountains everywhere. And they are close. When I started 4th grade during my first year in Utah I felt trapped by them. I used to dream of the day that I could drive a car right over them and go back to Arizona. Or anywhere. As long as it was far away from those mountains.

When I was in college, I moved to Hawaii for a few months. When I landed at the airport and took a car to my new house, I felt lonely. I missed my family and my friends. As I handed my debit card to the driver to pay for my ride to my house, he looked at the photo on it, which is a picture of the Wasatch mountains with snow on them. He said, is this where you are from? I said yes. He said, these mountains are beautiful, you are so lucky to call this place home.

That moment was a turning point for me. I could not imagine how this man, who had lived in Hawaii his entire life could call my desert mountain home beautiful. Those mountains, the valley, everything, they were restrictive. Hawaii was beautiful! Their volcanic mountains had trees and vegetation that grew up to the peak! I lived across the street from the beach! Heck, everyone lived across the street from the beach!

Then I looked at the card again. This time with the eyes of an outsider. And suddenly I saw what he saw. They were beautiful. And it wasn't just the mountains, my home was beautiful.

Ever since that moment, I try to take time every day to really look at my surroundings and appreciate them no matter where I am. Because happiness is not about your physical location, but about your attitude and how you respond.

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith: Review

This is What Happy Looks Like
by: Jennifer E. Smith

One of my most unexpected favorites from last year was The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, which cemented Jennifer E. Smith as an author whose books are an instant read. I got a copy of This is What Happy Looks Like all the way back in November 2012, and dropped everything to pick it up and read.

Graham Larkin, a teen movie star, mistypes an email and sends it to Ellie O'Neill, a small town girl in Maine, which sparks a conversation between the two a la You've Got Mail. Graham then convinces the director of his next movie to film in Ellie's hometown in the hopes that they can meet.

I knew I was going to like this book when Ellie's story was introduced. See, one of the things that really captured me about Smith's writing is her ability to take a very sensitive issue and frame it in a way that is both light and poignant. And this was the first line that just sunk me:

"She had only been four when she and her mom moved here, and after the long drive up from Washington, D.C.—the car heavy because of all they'd taken with them and silent because of all they had not—they'd stopped in town to ask for directions to the cottage they'd rented for the summer."

From that moment, I knew that I was going to feel protective of Ellie. Her mother has worked so hard to create an environment for Ellie where she can grow up happy and safe from the prying nature of the media and scandal.

But, what I didn't expect was to also feel attached to Graham. His stardom was an accident, a happenstance that has alienated him from his friends and even his family. Because once you become famous as Graham has, everything changes.

So where does this relationship go when you have one that wants to stay away from the fame, and the other that can't escape it? Well, that's the magic. It's funny at times, poignant at others, but always entertaining.

Both Ellie and Graham's journeys separately as well as their relationship together was so well-crafted. And in each chapter there were snippets of such masterful writing that I found myself wishing I had a highlighter so that I could mark every one.

Basically, both The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and This is What Happy Looks Like are definite keepers for me, and I can't wait to see what else comes from Jennifer E. Smith.

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