Stand-Off (Winger #2) by Andrew Smith

* * * * *

Reviewed by Bel

It’s his last year at Pine Mountain, and Ryan Dean should be focused on his future, but instead, he’s haunted by his past. His rugby coach expects him to fill the roles once played by his lost friend, Joey, as the rugby team’s stand-off and new captain. And somehow he’s stuck rooming with twelve-year-old freshman Sam Abernathy, a cooking whiz with extreme claustrophobia and a serious crush on Annie Altman—aka Ryan Dean’s girlfriend, for now, anyway.

Equally distressing, Ryan Dean’s doodles and drawings don’t offer the relief they used to. He’s convinced N.A.T.E. (the Next Accidental Terrible Experience) is lurking around every corner—and then he runs into Joey’s younger brother Nico, who makes Ryan Dean feel paranoid that he’s avoiding him. Will Ryan Dean ever regain his sanity?

From the author of the National Book Award–nominated 100 Sideways Miles, which Kirkus Reviews called “a wickedly witty and offbeat novel,” Stand-Off is filled with hand-drawn infographics and illustrations and delivers the same spot-on teen voice and relatable narrative that legions of readers connected with in Winger.

Ryan Dean is now a senior at ripe young age of fifteen. Things are a bit different in the year since losing Joey. He and Annie are officially dating now; O Hall, his former dorm is closed, as a result he now has to reside on the first floor of a different dorm with a new roommate. Here’s the rub: this new kid, Sam Abernathy is only twelve. Not only does Ryan Dean have to bear the embarrassment of being the only senior on the first floor but he’s now stuck with a pre-pubescent kid! The powers that be thought it’d be a good idea for Sam to room with him since he himself was the youngest kid at the school. Ryan Dean has no interest in being friendly to him. He looks at Sam aka The Abernathy (also called a host of other ridiculous names he assigns him) as an outsider. Still dealing with the loss of his best friend, Joey last year, Ryan Dean has this constant dread looming over him that the worst is going to happen at any moment.

Rugby which usually provides some kind of solace for Ryan Dean has now become a weight on his shoulders. When his coach asks him to be the new team captain, replacing his former teammate and best friend, he’s reluctant to do it. How can he live up to that? Then he runs into Joey’s younger brother Nico, who he feels this desparate need to reach out to. Nico is probably the only other person who can understand the loss that Ryan Dean feels but he's reluctant to talk.

While I’ve been excited about Stand-Off for some time, I was also hesitant to read it. As phenomenal as Winger was, I was so shaken after reading it that I was afraid of what new turmoil might be awaiting me in these pages. However, as soon as I was done with the first page I felt an instant wave of affection for Ryan Dean. Some things may have changed but his humor and self-deprecation are very much intact. It’s impossible to not find his awkwardness and knuckleheaded moments endearing. And his doodles are as always, hilarious! What sets him apart is that he's experienced a tragedy that you wouldn't want befall on anyone. Otherwise, he’s like any goofy fifteen year-old with a wild imagination, a strange assortment of friends and a certain stubborness that lands him in some trouble. Believe me when I say that Ryan Dean and his antics have given me plenty to think of as I prepare for my own son's steps towards adolescence!

Fans of Smith's works will enjoy Stand-Off. Mind you I'm slowly making my way through his catalog and have read three of his books so far, including this one, but they all carry his unmistakable style and wit. For those who've read Winger, fell in love with it like I did and felt a need for some closure, I certainly found it here. Stand-Off is the perfect follow-up!

~ Bel

Even In Paradise by Chelsey Philpot

* * * 

When Julia Buchanan enrolls at St. Anne’s at the beginning of junior year, Charlotte Ryder already knows all about the former senator’s daughter. Most people do... or think they do.

Charlotte certainly never expects she’ll be Julia’s friend. But almost immediately, she is drawn into the larger than-life-new girl’s world—a world of midnight rendezvous, dazzling parties, palatial vacation homes, and fizzy champagne cocktails. And then Charlotte meets, and begins falling for, Julia’s handsome older brother, Sebastian.

But behind her self-assured smiles and toasts to the future, Charlotte soon realizes that Julia is still suffering from a tragedy. A tragedy that the Buchanan family has kept hidden... until now.

Once again I was taken by a book on display at the library thanks to the lovely cover and intriguing plotline. I enjoy mysteries that slowly unravel themselves to the reader and this seemed like it would fit the bill.

When Charlotte comes to Julia’s aid after the latter’s night of excessive partying, little does she know how much her life would change as a result. Julia has this mystique about her and Charlotte can’t help but be pulled into her orbit. Befriending her means that her current steady social circle goes by the wayside. Her friends don’t care much for this but Charlotte, or Charlie as Julia calls her, sees nothing wrong with it. Soon these two are inseparable and then Charlie meets Sebastian, Julia’s older brother. Their friendship becomes something more and they both have a hard time knowing how exactly to proceed as she is Julia’s friend first and foremost.

The prologue at the beginning hints at a major secret and resulting fallout. Okay, I know I said I like for mysteries to unravel slowly, however, I kept hanging on for the big reveal even when I’d already kind of, sort of, figured it out. I just thought there’d be more to it to explain the rather curious family behaviour. For example, The Buchanan family takes to Charlie instantly and is quite overwhelming in expectations of her as Julia’s friend, as if appointing her Julia’s guardian. 

When the big secret comes out, Charlie feels as if she has been lied to. I had a hard time with that. Charlie is a new friend, only knowing them for a small while. I felt it was unfair of her to feel that way. I’m not saying the secret isn’t awful – it is – and it does go some way in explaining Julia a little. It's just that I was left with the feeling that this story just stopped short somewhere. Personally, I would have liked more exploration into the family dynamics. This peculiar family is a tight, loving unit and I would have liked a peek into their perspective of the events both before and after Charlie came into their lives. This is of course my preference. May be the intention was to have the reader feel just as Charlie, that she was left adrift and disconnected from these people once things came to light.

All in all, Even In Paradise has a decent premise and kept me engaged. BiblioJunkie Nat actually read some of it and found the tone of it similar to that of We Were Liars.  I read this book in one go and pondered on it over a two-day period. I think your feelings about the ending depend on how strongly you feel about gray areas. Believe me, there are plenty of those in this story. Give it a shot and let me know what you think. 

~ Bel

Winger (Winger #1) by Andrew Smith

* * * * *

Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

I’ve seen this book around and was both intrigued and grossed out by the cover.  I mean who wants to stare at a bloody nose? But once again, if I’m at the library and it’s in front of me, I go for it. And boy, what a story this turned out to be!

It took me a couple of chapters to get into Winger and once I did, I just had a blast with his fourteen year-old sense of humor and wit. This kid is hilarious and smart! Every time he quipped about what a loser he was, I could honestly hear the disdain and resignation in his voice. He is such a hapless, awkward hero and it’s most glaringly apparent when he’s around his crush, Annie. His inner monologues are ridiculous. When he’s assigned to room with Chas, one of the meathead teammates from his rugby team, even he’s surprised that he hasn’t been beaten to a pulp yet. The two of them form a shaky and unlikely friendship based on poker, beer and taunts.

What makes Winger enjoyable is that Ryan Dean is essentially an "every kid" going through those rough and awkward stages of growing up: puberty, girls, being one of the guys. In his case, the horrors are magnified because he’s in 11^th grade. Being the youngest gives him a slight disadvantage when it comes to his love life, but you’d never realize it seeing how his other friends treat him. Ryan Dean ends up bonding with his fellow teammates, guys he is either been intimidated by or thought would have no interest being friends with him. His confidence grows both on and off the field as does his own awareness of the people and relationships around him. His teammate Joey, who is becoming his best friend, happens to be gay, and many times Ryan Dean acknowledges that Joey’s “gayness” does not affect him. I fully appreciated his introspective observations about the relationships surrounding him, sorting out for himself how he feels about all his friends and all the changes they’re experiencing. As read it, I kept thinking how I hope when my son gets to that age, that he can be as bright and true to himself as Ryan Dean. I also kept thinking, wow, boys are such perverts. Yeah, I realize those two thoughts cancel each other out!

The unexpected and life-shattering event that occurs has a very somber affect throughout the remainder of the book.  I was too blindsided and stunned to even absorb the rest of what was happening. I had a restless night’s sleep after I’d read it and each time I tossed and turned I remember wondering if that really happened. Sure enough, it did. I re-read that brief chapter again, willing so desperately for it to be different. Once I accepted it (unwillingly), I went through the rest of the chapters a couple of times, but I could not escape that feeling of being punched in the gut.

I cannot express enough how much I love this book. Five stars is our highest rating and I wish I could give it an entire cluster. This is my favourite kind of discovery, where you grab a book without suspecting in the least that it will impact you significantly. Winger is a profound journey through the ups and downs of growing up, changing relationships, endless embarrassing moments (oh just wait til you get to the Spongebob bandaid story) and loyalty among friends, making it a strong contender for my Top 10 of 2014.

~ Bel

The Deepest Night (The Sweetest Dark #2) by Shana Abé

* * * *

It’s 1915, and sixteen-year-old Lora Jones is finishing up her first year as a charity student at Iverson, a prestigious, gothic boarding school on England’s southern coast. While she’s always felt different from everyone around her, now she finally knows why: She is a drákon, a rare, enchanted being with astonishing magical abilities.

As war hits Britain’s shores, and Lora reels from an unimaginable loss, she finds that her powers come with grave and dangerous responsibilities. At the request of Armand Louis, the darkly mysterious boy whose father owns Iverson, Lora will spend her summer at his lavish estate. To help the war effort—and to keep Lora by his side—Armand turns his home into a military hospital, where Lora will serve as a nurse. For Armand is inescapably drawn to her—bound to her by heart-deep secrets and a supernatural connection that runs thicker than blood.

Yet while Lora tries to sort out her own feelings toward Armand, fate offers an unexpected surprise. Lora discovers there is another drákon, a prisoner of war being held in Germany. And that only she, with her newly honed Gifts, will be able to rescue him.

With Armand, Lora will cross enemy lines on an incredible mission—one that could bond her to Armand forever, or irrevocably tear them apart.

Beautifully written, deeply romantic, and filled with daring adventure and magic, The Deepest Night is a mesmerizing novel of the enduring pull of destiny, and the eternal strength of love.

In all honesty, not many books have made a major impact on me so far this year which has been kind of disappointing.  Thankfully a few have stood, one of them being the Sweetest Dark series which has cast its spell on me.

In The Deepest Night Lora and Armand are recovering from the tragic events of the previous book. With Armand’s father in the looney bin, Lora’s future at her school is uncertain as he is her benefactor. When the summer break rolls around, rather than being shipped off elsewhere, Armand arranges for Lora to stay at Iverson to assist with the recovering soldiers who are coming to Iverson to recuperate.  Nice to have friends in high places, right? Naturally all of this is a rouse for Armand to keep Lora close by and for them to work together to learn more about their dragon nature. Their adventure together also takes them across the channel into France and Germany. Despite these areas being war torn, their landscape provides a dramatic and beautiful backdrop to Lora's and Armand's complicated and growing friendship.

It’s hard for me to pinpoint exactly why I enjoy this series. I love the chemistry between Lora and Armand.  The sparks between them are constantly flying. Their mutual love of dry humor and quick retorts always make their conversations enjoyable. I love Armand’s vulnerability and his undying affection for Lora. He is so patient as he pines after her. The fact that he notices little things about her tugs at my heart. It will certainly win him a few fans. I have great admiration for Lora too. She’s a sharp young woman who knows her mind and makes no apologies for her circumstances. It's almost as if she doesn't belong in that generation. I also admire how Abé describes the physical changes that they both go through. Lora may be new to it but she is all Armand has and she has to be strong enough to help him through it. There is one scene in particular involving a dance on water that built such a stunning visual in my mind, I had to re-read it a few times to be fully satiated. 

But perhaps what really won me over is how Abé dared to take the plunge with Jesse’s character in the first book that seriously affected the dynamic between Armand and Lora in this one. Complicated is an understatement. And when the story shifts perspective briefly to either Armand or Jesse, I find myself almost squealing inside from all the romantic tension.

I definitely think The Deepest Night and the entire Sweetest Dark series is perfect for anyone looking for a touch of old-world romance. There are times when the mood feels so ethereal. And then the images of dragons against the horrors of World War I fighting machines stand in stark contrast to one another. But I think that is also why I like the series so much because these images, these worlds, when they collide into each other create such urgency and momentum. And Lora and Armand both so damaged and so beautiful are perfectly matched.

~ Bel

The Sweetest Dark (The Sweetest Dark #1) by Shana Abé

* * * 

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

With a description so lovely I just couldn’t resist picking this one up. I thought the setting of 1915 and the geography added allure to the story and I just fell for it.

Lora’s entrance into the elite boarding school is most definitely an eye opener for her. It’s very much like Mean Girls where she has to hold her head high and endure the invasive stares and cruel comments from the spoiled rich girls. If they've mistaken her for fragile, then they quickly learn their lesson. She's learned a thing or two at the orphanage from where she came so she's definitely up for a fight when pushed into a corner.

All of that though is secondary to Lora’s gradual immersion into the truth about her past and her powers. Thanks to her instant connection with Jesse, she’s able to develop them and become stronger. I initially doubted her quick acceptance of the truth but I guess when someone provides you a plausible reason for your gifts after living your whole life in complete ignorance and secretly wondering if you’re a bit mental, you’d go with it too.

Her interaction with Armand provides much humor as they match each other wit for wit. There is an obvious attraction between them and the fact that her very presence causes a stir within his family generates more tension.

The Sweetest Dark is simply enchanting. I succumbed to all of its magic and enjoyed reading how all the relationships played out. There are also some lovely passages that are quite moving especially when describing the emotional connection between the three main characters. Without giving anything away, I will say this: I was sad when the book ended - not just because of where the haunting storyline went - but also because I simply did not want it to end. 

The Sweetest Dark is out now and the second in the series, The Deepest Night will be out August 13.

~ Bel

New Girl by Paige Harbsion

* * * 1/2

You’ve got her room. You’ve got her boyfriend. Are you walking in a dead girl’s shoes?

I’m New Girl. Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed because of her. Becca Normandy – that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy.

And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault. Except for Max Holloway – the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken, At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend … but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be, And may be she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

Paige Harbison has created a very engrossing world in New Girl. Upon her arrival at Manderly, our heroine is immediately cast as the New Girl – the less than worthy replacement for Becca Normandy. Her new roommate (and Becca’s old roommate) is immediately hostile to her. Every one on campus is either cold towards her or suspicious of her. It appears that Becca had cast such a spell over the student body of Manderly that the New Girl is instantly reviled and treated as an imposter.

I like how Harbison has the chapters weave in and out from the New Girl’s first person perspective to Becca’s third person perspective. It's done so effectively and seamlessly that it wasn’t until close to the end of the book that I realized that I didn’t even know New Girl’s name! This particular ploy is brilliant because it allows you to truly feel the lack of identity and isolation she experiences at Manderly. It’s an overwhelming feeling especially when you read of Becca’s time at Manderly and wonder how she managed to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes for an entire year. If anything I grew to really despise Becca – there is nothing redeeming about this very narcissistic, manipulative and vengeful girl. I was hoping for someone to take her down. It's amazing with how much I hated her, she didn't ruin the story for me. Instead her storyline only solidified my empathy and high opinion of New Girl and I rooted for her throughout.

Seriously, reading New Girl is like watching a very twisted soap opera where you’re yelling at the screen (as if the actors can hear you), wondering why on earth no one has caught on to what’s happening. It’s addictive and suspenseful. Yep if you eat up the ridiculousness that is Gossip Girl, and are a fan of Veronica Mars (my personal favorite), you’ll definitely enjoy New Girl! … Oh and I was completely caught off guard when New Girl’s name was mentioned at the end!

~ Bel