Fallen by Lauren Kate

Synopsis:Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her?

"What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?"

My Review:
Wow, I mean wow! When I first opened this book and began reading the first few chapters I had no idea where the story was going. We meet Lucinda (Luce) who is plopped into reform school which was an interesting setting I thought. Then you meet the cast of colorful characters which I fell in love with because every one of them had a different quirk and personality and seemed confident and strong. Then we meet Daniel who, like the main character Luce, has you in the palm of his hand with the way he stares at Luce and the things he says to her. Then he suddenly acts cold and aloof sending you in the other direction wondering what you ever did wrong yet you still want to be with him. I felt like I connected to Luce and loved that Lauren Kate did not rush through the story to the action and has a gift for subtle build-up. After I finished I wanted to turn back to the beginning and start all over again because I did not want the story and the feeling I got when I read it to end.

There were many times I laughed out loud and found myself smiling like an idiot at some of the things the characters would say. The pacing was great and I loved the storyline and the fact that it’s about angels and mythology, forbidden love, and friendship. Angles will be the next heroes to emerge from the Vampire era, mark my words.

I read this book in 33 hours counting the five hours of restless sleep and all the other things I have to get accomplished during the day. I say restless sleep because I kept dreaming about this book and had to wake up early to continue reading. The fastest read I have ever completed a book was in 30 hours so that is saying something about “Fallen.” This is one of my all time favorite books and I can’t wait until the sequel “Torment” comes out later this year (Ironic title, right?)!!!

Smart On Crime by Kamala D. Harris

Synopsis: The old approaches to fighting crime just aren't working. Two thirds of people released from prison commit another crime within two years. In Smart on Crime, career prosecutor Kamala D. Harris shatters the old distinctions, rooted in false choices and myths, and offers a compelling argument for how to make the criminal justice system truly, not just rhetorically, tough. Harris spells out the necessary shifts that will increase public safety, reduce costs, and strengthen our communities when our politicians and law enforcement officials learn how to become tough and smart on crime.

My Review:
“Smart on Crime had three pillars: maintain a relentless and intense focus on violence and the prosecution of violent criminals; id key points in the lives of young offenders and stop them from continuing and escalating their criminal behavior; and support victims of crime and, in the process, foster crime prevention.”

The question is how can we successfully rehabilitate those who are or have been in prison? San Francisco’s District Attorney Kamala Harris has been asking that very same question. Kamala Harris along with Joan O’C. Hamilton discuss the myths about crime and on reforming our broken criminal justice system. Harris examines innovative ways of how our society can combat the issues facing both law abiders and law breakers. While this book only touches the tip of the iceberg concerning issues related to crime and its causes, Harris sheds light on the inconsistencies with the way the public views crime and the reality behind this problem.
As Ms. Harris points out non violent crime is the majority of the type of crimes our law enforcement officers are fighting everyday while we are spending the majority of our time, money, and resources on violent crimes which is the top tier of the pyramid and a much smaller piece of the pie as you might say. If we are going to fight crime in a smarter, more efficient way then we need to allocate more resources to non violent crime which seems to be the majority of the problem. In other words Harris explores how we can achieve the safety we demand in the most effective way and at the lowest monetary cost.

Ms. Harris states that one of the leading issues today is truancy and Harris goes further in making a correlation between truancy as one of the causes of crime. She believes that the more education you have, the less likely it is that you will committee a crime in the future or you will committee a lesser crime. As the old adage states “Knowledge is power” and with and education there are a number of opportunities that can be open to an individual that was not previously available.

I think this book gave the broad strokes on top issues today while making a connection with the reader through personal stories from both Harris and people who have been involved in crime. While statistics are used to illustrate a point you are not bogged down in the numbers. This woman is going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to being a D.A. and I think our country will benefit greatly from her continued efforts.

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Synopsis: Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held. The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes. The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

My Review:
I really loved this book! It had all the elements I think a great Paranormal YA book should have. Good pacing, great character development, an engaging and suspenseful plot, and romance. It had great characters in general with different personalities and a voice of their own. I loved the relationship between Grace and Daniel and it I liked that they knew each other in the past but had to rediscover old feelings and their friendship. I love it when that happens in real life. Something feels familiar but there is something new and mysterious about it-like smelling something well-known but you can’t quite place it.

I did not expect the spiritual aspect to it which was an interesting twist and not something you find in many YA Paranormal books. It impressed me that the author included that element knowing it is something that could be considered controversial but it is still something that is an aspect Christians and other faiths deal with-questions of life, death, and morality. It added depth to the story and to the complexities of the characters. It is one of the best books I have read this year and I will for sure be reading the next one!

Runaways: How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped Today's Practices And Policies by Karen M. Staller

Synopsis: During the 1960s and 1970s, runaways became a source of national concern in America. Countercultural activists provided support to runaway youth, and private agencies began developing innovative, sometimes controversial programs to serve them. In this multilayered history, Karen M. Staller examines the programs and policies that took shape during this period and the ways in which the ideas of the alternative-services movement continue to guide our responses to at-risk youth.Staller begins with the 1960s, when the mainstream media began to characterize the act of running away less as an opportunity for exciting adventure (as experienced by Huckleberry Finn) and more as a temptation with dangerous consequences. She then turns to the books, poems, broadsides, and songs produced by Beat writers and countercultural meccas like Haight Ashbury and New York City's East Village, which embraced runaways as kindred social revolutionaries. Adopting the ideology of the Beats, groups like the San Francisco-based Diggers established informal services utilized by runaway adolescents, including crash pads and helplines. Many of their ideas took root, and alternative providers began to bridge the gap between counterculture and mainstream institutions.Staller concludes with an analysis of how the legislative desire to decriminalize running away, coupled with the judicial system's growing discomfort with policing the moral and civic education of youths, led to an increase in the number of troubled children appearing on the streets. It also prompted the enactment of federal runaway youth legislation, including the Runaway Youth Act of 1974, which endorsed the alternative-service community's model.By looking at the history of runaways, Staller illuminates how the mainstream media and countercultural ideologies shaped the identity and perception of this social problem and how developments in service and social policy continue to evolve today.

My Review:
This was a book I had to read for my Social Welfare Policy class for Social Work. It was a very interesting read and I learned a lot about runaway youth since my knowledge of runaways before hand was non-existent. Staller discussed the evolution of the term runaway, where it came from, who was involved in both the development of the term and the problem, and how this problem came to be what it is today. She also discussed the culture of runaways and how various generations influenced our response to the issue. Staller brought a lot of valid points and perspectives to consider when trying finding the best way to respond to the problem of runaway youth because the answer is never simple. We must consider all the systems working in a runaway youth’s life whether it’s family, the police, service agencies, and legislation involved in the process. This book really got my wheels turning and helped me consider this issue from a holistic perspective.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl (Reading In Progress)

Synopsis:
There were no surprises in GatlinCounty.

We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.

At least, that's what I thought.

Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.

There was a curse.

There was a girl.

And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

My Review:
A southern gothic tale with a twist. Being born, raised, and still living in the south I was very interested to see how two women from California would depict southern culture and still make it fresh and interesting for young adult readers. The plot was original and unique mixing elements of the paranormal with small town southern life. When I was reading the southern dialect I could hear these characters so well it was like I was listening to my family and friends talk (I can say this because I hear these people talk everyday). I also liked that this present day story paralleled a similar story that took place during the Civil War.

One thing that surprised me was that the story was told from a guy’s perspective and in first-person no less. That was refreshing since there are SO many YA novels from a girl’s perspective and I think it is about time to give the boys a chance. With that said, I did not completely believe that the authors’ captured what a real guy would say and how they think. I realize it was necessary to describe the location and atmosphere in detail (which I am happy they did) because the author’s wanted you to smell the magnolia trees in a sense. If that were the case then they might had been better off telling this story from Lena’s perspective. But I think the story had to be told from Ethan’s point of view and I liked him as a character and I think his relationship with Lena felt genuine.

I have to say I think the pacing and the length was what it needed to be because there are way too many YA novels that rush having you feel like something is missing or incomplete. It fit the character of the story slowly building the relationship between Lena and Ethan the way I think relationships build in reality but not slow to bore you to death. I was not on the edge of my seat the entire time but I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens next.

The book was satisfying, a fun read, and enjoyable. I cannot wait for the second book, Beautiful Darkness, and find out where the story takes these two characters!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:
MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINY— ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home,

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

My Review:
This book had elements of Alice in Wonderland, Lament, and The Mortal Instruments Series all rolled into one. I enjoyed this book and thought it was entertaining and it provided an escape from reality. Was I completely engrossed putting off everything I should be doing until I finished? No, but I did look forward to picking it up and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens next. I really liked the way the author connected the actions we take in our world and our obsession with technology and how that affects the world of the Fey. I thought it was wonderful imagery when one of the characters was explaining the effects of technology and how human imagination and belief in The Fey keeps them alive and how there are ramifications for how humans think and behave. I enjoyed the twist with modern elements mixed with old themes of nature verses technology. The author did a great job describing the iron world which sounded hauntingly like a landfill of machines and waste along with the summer fey world which I pictured being beautiful and full of life.
While I really enjoyed the book I felt like there were some things missing. I wish there was a little more character development because I don’t think the author gave much insight as to who these characters were. I would like to have a better idea about who Meghan is and I just wanted her to have something unique about her. There were moments when I thought Meghan was too calm for the dangerous situations she was in but she did have some witty internal thoughts and external comments which made her very likeable. I also did not quite buy into the romance and relationship of Meghan and Ash because it felt like they fell for each other way too fast for two people who are suppose to be enemies and do not even know each other. To me it would make more sense for her to have a stronger connection (not necessarily romantic) with Robbie Goodfellow because she knew him much longer. I wish Meghan and Robbie’s history had been fleshed out a bit more. I also struggled when action scenes would come and go in the blink of an eye and my mind is trying to catch up and then we are on to the next moment of danger without any reprieve. There was not quite a steady progression of events, just a jump from one scene to the next.
This is only my 3rd book about faeries I have ever read so I know the place I am coming from is one of little experience with the world of faeries. I will say I am looking forward to the next one and I will be interested to see what happens to Meghan and Ash as well as the rest of the faery creatures.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Synopsis:
It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.
Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.
With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

My Review:
This was my very first Scott Westerfeld and Steampunk book so there was a lot of newness to get used to. I like the idea of a book about an alternate history of World War I and twisting history by making something in the past that is familiar brand new for the reader. This story was very Star Wars-esque to me because while it was set in the past there were very futuristic elements with all the war machines and morphed animals. I am torn about the pacing of this book because I felt Westerfeld sped through the description of the actions scenes and I had a hard time keeping up. On the other hand I am glad Westerfeld did not linger too long on details because the story would drag on forever and would lose momentum. I think what saved the pacing issue for me, honestly, was the artwork inside the book which I found really interesting and it illustrated what was happening in the scene.
I think Westerfeld does a good job of implementing the language and slang into the story which can very easily sound forced and fake. I love the fact that there are two strong female characters in this story who take on non-traditional roles namely Deryn Sharp who is a commoner girl posing as a soldier and Dr. Nora Barlow who is a Darwinists and top British scientist. Both women are quick, clever, and assertive which is so refreshing because so many times women are portrayed as damsels in distress types. At this point think the story lacks a true villain, someone we can truly hate and from what I can tell the Germans are the only ones that fill that role. The story ends with not so much a cliff hanger but a feeling of continuation so I will be interested to see what happens to the characters in the next book.