If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan ★★★★☆ Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light. So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they have been, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly. Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants, in the body she wants to be loved in, without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self? Farizan handles a smattering of tough topics eloquently and without hesitation. This tale of forbidden love serves to humanize many groups of people who shouldn’t need humanizing; gay, trans*, and even Middle Eastern people. Farizan expertly balances the feeling that Sahar is no different than a girl down the street with the dangers of her country - most importantly, to Sahar, the view of homosexuality as a crime. As I read, my heart ached for Sahar, and for Nasrin. Their story raises a lot of important questions, and is one willing to slap you in the face if that’s what it takes to wake you up.
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City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments #1) ★★★★☆ When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know… . I loved City of Bones. Not quite as much as I loved its predecessors, the books in the Infernal Devices trilogy, but still quite a lot. I thought that the variety of Downworlders, the mystery of Clary’s past, and rich details Clare puts into the story keep it interesting throughout. However, several scenes could have been shortened considerably and not done any harm to the story. I also didn’t like that this book and Clockwork Angel followed very similar formulas, but since City of Boneswas written first, I’ll forgive Clare. The thing that really got on my nerves was the love triangle. In TID, I was a big fan of the love triangle; it was executed perfectly and actually added a lot to the story. But in this book all I couldn't think of why Clare put the love triangle into play at all. Frankly, it was just annoying and cliche. But, I concede, overall City of Bones was a well-thought-out, beautifully detailed urban fantasy. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell ★★★★★ Set over the course of one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. I couldn’t put this book down. I mean that literally; every time I tried to put it down and go to sleep, I immediately had to pick it up again and keep reading. So I’m here at 3:36 in the morning, telling you that Eleanor & Park is the best book I have read in a long, long time. There were about a thousand times while I was reading that I had to put the book down and bite my lip and try not to melt or squee or some ridiculousness, because it’s just that adorable. But it’s also poignant and heart-racing and makes you think about everything. And I do mean everything. Eleanor’s home situation is a scary, all-too-real undercurrent to the love story, and Park’s family, seemingly the polar opposite, is a great testament to not judging a book by its cover. I don’t think there ever has been, or ever will be, another story quite like this one. I am going to shove this book into the hands of everyone I meet. Edit from 2020: It's been six years since I read Eleanor and Park, and a lot has changed about how I view the book. It's come to my attention that this book has deeply racist (anti-Asian and anti-Black), and fatphobic content. When I read it I wasn't able to fully understand the issues with the book, but I have a much better understanding of them now. There's a great thread by Naomi Giddings explaining some of the problems with this book, so if by some chance this review shows up when you google Eleanor and Park following the release of the movie, may I suggest reading that instead? Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson ★★★★☆ Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair… . Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn’t believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell. Peter is unlike anyone she’s ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland’s inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she’s always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter. With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it’s the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who’s everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart. We all know the story Disney told us. But what of the Neverland Wendy never saw and the Tiger Lily she never knew? Anderson tells Tiger Lily’s story enchantingly, sometimes poetically, sometimes simply, but always beautifully. She weaves a delightfully complex character in Tiger Lily. I admire Tiger Lily’s strength, silence, and bravery. I love that there are many sides to her, and to her story. She doesn’t have the luxury of easy choices, and sometimes she makes what seems like the wrong choice. But she is always Tiger Lily, and she is always brave. I love every bit of this book, from the characters to the setting - which Anderson did a wonderful job of expanding, to the Sky Eaters’ tribe and Tink. Finally we have a Tinker Bell who is not smiles and faerie dust. She’s spiteful and mischievous as well as caring and smart. Jodi Lynn Anderson has outdone herself with Tiger Lily. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices #2) ★★★★★ In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends. Clockwork Prince is, if possible, even better than its predecessor. While the Shadowhunters scramble to protect the Institute from Benedict Lightwood’s shady plans for it and catch Mortmain before he can build a terrifying clockwork army, Tessa is also struggling to come to terms with her own issues. The Jem-Will-Tessa love triangle comes to a head in Clockwork Prince; and as if that weren’t enough, Tessa is a key part of a madman’s plan to take over the world (or at least England), in which her traitorous brother also has a part. Clockwork Prince is a book that will rip your heart out and stomp on it, but the pain’s worth it. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green ★★★★★ Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten. Honestly, this is one of the best books I have ever read. John Green is a magnificent writer and he definitely knows his stuff. Hazel and Augustus’ story will make you laugh, melt, bite your nails, and sob into a pillow at two in the morning. TFIOS is wonderfully realistic, and each of its characters is perfectly crafted. They seem alive, like real people, and each one has something completely unique about them. Hazel and Augustus are two of my favorite literary characters, and their story is one I will never forget. I cannot fully convey my love for this book with words, it’s just too frigging amazing. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices #1) ★★★★★ When Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother in Victorian England, something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, who are members of a secret organization called the Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she has the power to transform into another person. The Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. She soon finds herself fascinated by - and torn between - two best friends: James and Will. As Tessa is drawn deep into a plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, she realizes she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world…and that love might be the most dangerous magic of all. Clockwork Angel is, in a word, incredible. Chock-full of dramatic irony, plot twists, and suspense, you won’t be able to put it down. Details like Jem’s illness, Henry’s eccentricity, and Tessa and Will’s shared love of books only add to the book and draw you in further. I have to say, before starting this book, I had a few reservations. A love triangle? A girl who doesn’t know her power? We’ve all been down those roads before, and I was worried that Clockwork Angelwould be a rehashing of them. But I had no reason to worry - Clockwork Angel completely blew me away; the ending was brilliant. Throughout the whole story I felt for the characters and couldn’t wait to see what came next. Definitely worth the read. Every Day by David Levithan ★★★★★ I wake up. Immediately, I have to figure out who I am. It’s not just the body - opening my eyes and discovering whether the skin on my arm is light or dark, whether my hair is long or short, whether I’m fat or thin, boy or girl, scarred or smooth. The body is the easiest thing to adjust to, if you’re used to waking up in a new one ech morning. It’s the life, the context of the body that can be hard to grasp. Every day I am someone else. I am myself - I know I am myself - but I am also someone else. It has always been this way. Some books pass the time. Some books make you wish you were a part of them. And some books just blow you away and leave you near speechless with how wonderful they were. Every Day is that sort of book. In order to read it, you have to let go. You can’t question why A’s body changes daily, or how it got to be that way. You have to just accept that it is. I wish that had been explained a little more, but since A didn't seem to know, either, it just added an air of mystery to the story. A is not a boy or a girl. A is not defined by sexuality or race. A simply takes on the gender of whatever body they're inhabiting. I really enjoyed that, not many books have a character who doesn't fit the gender binary/doesn't have a gender at all. A takes on the bodies and lives of many people. Each one is different, and that’s something to love, too. It almost made me wonder, what if there were people like A, and we just didn't know it? Even though it's completely impossible, Levithan makes you believe that it's real, which is the mark of a good writer. |
Once Upon a Time...As a longtime lover of stories and a believer in the power and magic of books, I've spent my life seeking out the best reads. This blog is dedicated to reviewing the books I read - good, bad, or magnificent - to help other readers find their next favorite books. Currently ReadingKing Zeno
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