Review: Hollow Beauty by Khristina Chess

Title: Hollow Beauty
Author: Khristina Chess
Format: Paperback, 225 pages
Pub. Date: September 13th 2014
Source: Goodreads First Reads


Book Description:

When tall, gorgeous Brody asks Olivia to the prom, she’s ecstatic—until he suggests that she use the two months before the dance to lose some weight. Does he think she’s fat? His comment sends Olivia on a spiral of insecurity and dangerously rapid weight loss that borders on anorexia.

As her pounds vanish, her friendship deepens with Ross, the new prep cook at the diner where she works. Despite his mysterious limp, he doesn’t suffer crippling low self-esteem like Olivia does; usually, she can’t even look at herself in the mirror anymore. But when she’s riding dirt bikes and searching for caves with Ross, she doesn’t feel ugly or fat, just herself again—hanging out and having fun.

With Brody, instead of finding the romance and true love she had hoped for, she feels like a terrified rabbit that he’s going to devour. She refuses to think about that. She’s almost thin enough to be beautiful for the prom.

And then the unthinkable happens.

Review:

★★

I'm always interested in realistic young adult books. The ones that address the tough stuff: eating disorders, self harm, conversion therapy, depression. Those are the books that helped me the most when I was that age, and I still look to them in adulthood. This isn't the first book on eating disorders that I've read, and it's something that I've dealt with in real life as well. Unfortunately, I didn't think that Hollow Beauty did a very good job with this topic.

What bothers me the most, I think, is how quickly the eating disorder issue presents itself. The boy she has a crush on tells her she needs to lose weight on page 4 of the book. And she just clings to this and the disorder starts. Did she have self-esteem issues before? Is weight something she's struggled with before? Was she already thinking about slimming down? I don't know. In the first few pages up to that point, she is happy with some fries after a sports meet. And then like lightning, out of nowhere, it begins. I wish that there was more about Olivia at the beginning, because it is so instantaneous that it comes off as odd.

I also don't really think her weight loss seemed realistic. People noticed the second she lost even a tiny bit of weight, and felt the need to comment on it. No one notices a pound or two, especially for athletes, who are always getting into shape. Not to mention that she's super rude to anyone who even shows a little of concern.

Her version of love just makes me sad. That you need to be all oogly eyed and lovey dovey and holding hands. Her judge of character at one point is that the jerk she likes doesn't open her car door, but the friend who zomg she can't POSSIBLY have feelings for, does. Such an odd little thing to use as a measurement, but whatever floats your boat I guess?

Another thing that bugged me is that while Jerk is talking about sex with her, and she's clearly uncomfortable with all of it, she has the bright idea that maybe she should just drink first so she'll like it. I'm sure that some girls out there really think like that but GOOD GOD, NO. In another moment of oddness, Olivia- who gets upset when she is even just a few calories off of where she thought and can't eat much without hating herself- slams a hard lemonade without thinking about it. Alcohol is terrible for you, weight loss wise, especially something as sugary as a Mike's.

I know I have a lot of problems with this book, but it wasn't ALL bad.

I liked that at the start of each chapter, it gave Olivia's current weight, and her goal weight. It was a good way to organize where she is in the journey and to keep track of what's going on.

I loved Ross, the friend she makes at the diner. He has a scar and a limp and is always kind to her. He's patient when she asks a million questions about his hobby, he shows concern for her weight loss, and I think it's cute that, as he's a cook, he just wants to feed her. If he was in this story more, I would have liked it more.

The book also does a good job of showing how toxic the internet/online groups can be. She joins a weight loss site called Blubber Busters which has a forum. She realizes quickly that support isn't always helpful, and that some of these girls take the weight obsession too far. While I'm not on eating disorder/weight loss apps, I am in other communities that definitely have some cesspools. I think it was a good thing to include.

There's also discussion questions in the back, if you're reading this for a club or class or something.

Overall, I found this book problematic and it wasn't for me. But it wasn't a total loss. There were some parts that were well represented, and enough interesting points that kept me reading until the end of the book. This might be a case of "it's not you, it's me", since other people seem to really like it. But, it just wasn't the book for me. Perhaps it'll be a better read for you.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Splintered by AG Howard

Title: Splintered
Series: Splintered #1
Author: AG Howard
Format: ARC
Pub. Date: January 1st 2013
Source: Won


Book Description:

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence.

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

Review:

★★★★★

Oh man, where do I even start with this book? I suppose the beginning is as good of a place as any. What first drew me to this book was, admittedly, the cover art. It's so gorgeous. And then I found out it was a reimagining of Alice in Wonderland and I was sold. Alice's adventures are one of my favorite stories.

But then after I got this book, I just didn't read it. For no reason. There was so much hype and stuff for it, and I wanted to read it so badly, but it just seemed like there was never the time.

So I made time, and I am kicking myself for having waited so long. This book is absolutely fantastic.

What I liked best about this book was the world building. Howard took familiar elements from the tales we know and love, such as tea parties, Cheshire cats, and an evil queen, but she completely twisted them and made them her own. I was surprised by how dark and kind of creepy the world building was, but I positively adored it. Dark and creepy is just my style. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, because I was so eager to see what new lands and scenes Howard would unveil in this new, strange world. It was both familiar and unfamiliar, and I kind of liked the mix of the known and the mysterious.

I also really liked the care that was taken to build up character descriptions. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew all them personally. That's not an experience I get often in books, and I'm always blown away when it does. My favorite character was Morpheus, who was equal parts dreamy (no pun intended), mischievous, and mysterious. More of him, please.

The only thing that I really didn't like about the book was the very obvious love triangle. I knew there was one going in, and I do think that in the realm of love triangles, this one was pretty well done. It just gets a bit old for me after awhile, the "who will she pick!?" business. I mean, I'm still giving this a high rating, so it didn't matter to me too much, but it's still worth mentioning.

I am very eager to read book two, Unhinged, which thankfully I already own. I have no idea why I waited so long to read this, but I'm glad I eventually did! If you enjoy Alice in Wonderland, fairy tale retellings, or dreamy men with accents or piercings, then this is a book I'd definitely recommend to you.

I won this book in a giant box of books giveaway. Thanks, Tt!

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Justice Buried

Title: Justice Buried
Author: Hilary Thompson
Release Date: January 15th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Blurb:
The people need Justice, but she's not listening. One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three cities. Now the community of Asphodel is trapped underground, waiting for the prophesied maiden of Justice to return and save them from their Fates.

Sixteen-year-old Astrea is supposed to be this savior - too bad for them she isn't a believer. Trea fights against her false destiny: she rebels against her family and friends, then refuses her arranged marriage to the charming but deceitful Lexan. Learning her life is in danger, Trea is forced to trust Lexan - until she discovers a power she never knew she had, and one he already knew he did.

As betrayal closes every door, Trea decides she must submit to her stars and accept her fate. Then a handsome stranger offers her an unexpected escape and the chance to create her own destiny.

*Click here to go to the Goodreads page!*

My review:

★★★★

I have to say, this book was a very pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed the way that the author combined elements of myth and astrology to create a new world. The setting and the characters were well described, and it was easy to lose myself in the story telling. I thought it was really cool how fate came into play to tie characters together, and Thompson did a good job expanding and creating the more fantastical elements to this dystopian novel. I also really liked both of the love interests....

That's right. Both. There's a love triangle. It was exceptionally painful for me since I didn't hate either of them (normally I love one and hate the other with a passion). The character that irked me the most was in fact the lead heroine, Astrea. She came off as a lot of other girls do in literature: whiny and immature. It got better as the book went on, but it was definitely something that caught my attention while reading.

All in all, fans of romances (with love triangles) and dystopian young adults would be well advised to give Justice Buried. It has a unique setting with mythical elements that make it a book that's easy to get into. While it wasn't perfect, I would definitely pick up the next book to see how the saga continues. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author:

Hilary Thompson is an independently-published author who released her debut Young Adult novel, Justice Buried, in January, 2014. Justice Buried is the first in a dystopian fantasy series incorporating mythology and astrology, with the second full-length title due later in 2014.
She also teaches high school English, which gives her some insight into her target audience, and helps her maintain a thick skin.
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Be sure to follow the rest of the tour here!

Giveaway:

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Review: Inhuman by Kat Falls

Title: Inhuman (Fetch #1)
Author: Kat Falls
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 24th 2013
Source: Netgalley and Scholastic

★★★

Three stars.

Inhuman is a dystopian novel in which a virus spreads across America. It causes those afflicted to develop animal-like traits, morphing them into feral half animal creatures. Sixteen year old Lane is sent on a mission to save her father, even if it means going into the Savage Zone. She risks it all in order to accomplish it, and meets a few characters who may be more dangerous than she'd ever imagined.

-----

Meh.

I give points to the author for her creativity when writing this book. I was very pleasantly surprised to see that there wasn't zombies in this book. It was a cool take on a spreading virus, having DNA altered and creating these savage animal-like people. Unfortunately, I just didn't really get the "creepy" factor that's needed for a dystopian novel to ring true. I know that this is a fiction book, but part of what makes dystopian or post-apocalyptic books so disturbing or powerful is the fact that they could very well happen. I didn't feel that connection to this book.

Another thing that made me disconnect from this story were the characters. The protagonist wasn't all too awful, but she definitely isn't a strong enough character to stand out in my mind. She just kind of... Exists. I was never really cheering her on, nor was I hating her so much that I wished her to fail. She was just there. It's hard to really explain. Now a character that I did have feelings for, though negatively, was Rafe. Rafe is one of the love interests- yes, one of. Because there's a triangle. Joy.

Rafe is a jerk. The fact that Lane is interested in him at all only furthered my disinterest in her story. The dialogue between them is blunt to the point of forced or fake. I just really didn't want to read more about them at parts. The more this interest/love triangle went on, the more that I just, didn't care.

This book did have positives though. The writing, forced dialogue aside, was actually pretty good. There were a lot of concepts and parts of the plot that I liked, and that held my attention well. I think that if the triangle were removed, this book would have had an entirely different rating for me. For me, that was the main reason why I didn't enjoy this book. Everything else was fine. I especially enjoyed the setting, which had a creepy hospital-like feeling, due to the medical/virus themes of the book.

I also love the cover. It'd definitely get my attention, and I'd pick it up if I saw it on a shelf. I love the color scheme.

All that being said, that book gets three star, average rating from me. I'm still not really sure how to feel about it, to be honest. I understand that this is the first book in a series. Despite my issues with this first book, I would pick up the next one to see how things progress and if my feelings for it improve.

If hot jerks who are inexplicably adored and love triangles are not your thing, Inhuman should be skipped. But, if the premise of a dystopian book free of zombies with a new twist on the virus intrigues you, this might be worth your time.

Thanks to Netgalley and Scholastic for my copy.