RAPID-FIRE BOOK REVIEWS II

I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest

It may be because I finished watching Veronica Mars before reading this book, but the story reminded me of Veronica Mars. The main character is May, who is trying to solve her friend Libby's murder/prove that Libby is alive. The former is essentially season 1 in a nutshell, but the book has less sarcasm and no romance. Her partner in crime is a computer whiz named Richard. Richard has Wallace's personality and Mac's skills. I miss the show, so I was happy to read something similar. I love the illustrations; the story is fun; the friendship aspect of the story is cute; it's also kinda meta. I can see people of different ages enjoying this book. 

Tone Deaf by Olivia Rivers

This story is cute, fluffy and lacks realism. If you're a teenager that likes fan fiction, punk-rock music, and "misunderstood bad boys," you'll probably like this. I enjoyed it, despite being fan fiction-like, because I thought it was entertaining and I loved the music appreciation. I'm just not a fan of the pacing. The ending was rushed and can be improved. The plot took its time rising to the climax but plummeted quickly when it peaked, the peak wasn't that exciting either. I love the amount of diversity in the book. The main character is deaf and there's a gay couple. I don't read a lot of YA books that feature physical disabilities, so it was nice to read some representation. The story has promise, but the writing and plot can be improved.

 

Every Day by David Levithan

Interesting concept, transferring your consciousness into someone new but it was ruined by romance. It had the makings of a cool science-fiction/urban fantasy novel, but it's a bore! The plot could have been about the main character seeking to find answers. Why can I do this? Are there others like me? Can I stop this? What are the limitations? How can I push the boundaries? BUT NO! The main character becomes a new person EVERY DAY and goes back to the girl he "loves" EVERY DAY. I know I'm shitting on this book, but I did enjoy one aspect of the story, the wide spectrum of diversity. The main character experiences being Caucasian, Asian, African American, Latino, gay, lesbian, and transgender. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I was bored when I started reading this book because it was progressing slowly. In retrospect, it's incredibly well-paced and intricate. It's an amazing book, and I don't really know how to accurately describe it. It's a novel you don't want to put down even when you read the unpleasant events in the story, and it's unpleasant alright. Larsson was an amazing writer that wrote dark stuff: Nazism [in Sweden,] abuse, rape, etc. (You can highlight the omission if you wish to read what the novel entails. I omitted it because it may trigger some people.) It's an exciting, complex mystery that has you absorbed and invested.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Great Gatsby (movie version) meets Riot Club, a crap movie. Richard pretends to be a posh bloke to fit into a bullshit elitist group. The book continues to rip off The Great Gatsby by saying with "old man," which is awfully similar to "old sport." I DNF'd this novel because it's too pretentious, even for me.