DARK TRIUMPH by Robin LaFevers

Dark Triumph
Robin LaFevers

Rating: B
Synopsis:
Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

My thoughts on the book:
Dark Triumph does not live up to the standards set by Grave Mercy; however, it is an enjoyable read. The leading characters are still well-developed and intriguing, and the plot held my interest, but there are some gaps. This is a good book, and I enjoyed it, but it doesn't stand out like Grave Mercy did. 

Sybella is an extremely complex and dark character. I really admire her because she doesn't fall apart constantly (and believe me she has plenty of reasons too). Also, she does what she has to do. Sometimes she's cowardly, but overall she's extremely strong. I liked learning about her, and I really enjoyed seeing the world through her eyes. It was also interesting to see Ismae through Sybella's perspective instead of her own. I loved Beast, but it was hard to warm up to him as a romantic interest because Sybella constantly calls him ugly. I mean saying it once so that we get that he's not the typical swoon-worthy beautiful hero would have been fine, but the constant insult to his looks I found to be a bit brash and also distracting. Some of the secondary characters are extremely well-developed, like Julian, whom I really had mixed feelings for. On the one hand he is just so messed up, and he has such a distorted view of things that I had to feel badly for him, but on the other hand he's a freaking incestuous pervert, which made me hate him. Other characters, such as Pierre, fell flat for me. 

The plot is interesting, and it's definitely all about Sybella's personal journey. I really felt like I was there, living through this with her, and I was rooting for her the entire time. It's impossible not to care what happens to her, and some of the situations will keep you on the edge of your seat. However, there seem to be some gaps in the storytelling. I'm not sure if that's just how Sybella thinks or if that was unintentional. The book is action-packed, but the fight scenes started running together after awhile. I don't think every fight scene needed to be detailed as much as it was. Also, the writing is wonderfully done, but there are uncorrected typos in the hardcover finished edition, which is not okay, in my opinion. The pacing is a bit slow in the beginning, as well. Also, I just could not buy the romance between Beast and Sybella. They are supposed to be in love after a few days of traveling together, but I never *saw* it happen. Supposedly the readers were witness to when this happened, but I just didn't see it at all. It could have been made a little more obvious instead of just magically appearing. The ending ties things up nicely for Sybella, but leaves things open for Annith, who is our next leading lady. I'm looking forward to her story. 

Overall, I really did enjoy this novel, even though this review doesn't really sound like I did. I also had issues with it, though, and wanted to share those as well. I'd recommend this novel to people who are looking for a good historical fiction novel and for those who loved Grave Mercy.

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FREAKS LIKE US by Susan Vaught

Freaks Like Us
Susan Vaught

Rating: B-
Release Date: 09/04/12
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
When Jason Milwaukee's best friend Sunshine vanishes, Jason knows that something is terribly wrong, but solving her disappearance will require pushing through all the voices in his head and then getting the world to listen to him. His schizophrenia is stopping him from remembering the events leading up to her disappearance, and often he discounts his own memories, and his own impressions. But his deep knowledge that he would never hurt his friend, plus the faith of his parents and a few others in the town bring him to the point of solving the mystery. In the end, it's Sunshine's own love for Jason (Freak) that persuades him of his own strength and goodness. By turns brilliantly witty and searingly honest, Susan Vaught's newest novel is a laugh-out-loud, tear-jerking, coming-of-age story. 

My thoughts on the book:
Freaks Like Us is a unique bildungsroman written from the first person POV of a schizophrenic boy named Jason. Vaught allows the reader a glimpse into a schizophrenic's mind as the medication slowly leaves his system. This look into schizophrenia is both heartbreaking and inspiring. It is heartbreaking because people have to live that way, but it is inspiring because there are people like Jason who can deal with this disease and actually function, to an extent, in society. The mysterious disappearance of Sunshine took a back seat, in my opinion, to Jason's battle for sanity. If nothing else, this novel shows that more work needs to be done in order to ease the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. 

For someone who is trapped inside his own head, Jason is incredibly selfless. He doesn't feel sorry for himself. He simply deals with his disease and carries on. He does the best he can for himself, those around him, and most of all, for Sunshine. His feelings for her make him a much more endearing character. It is clear from his jumbled thoughts that he would do anything for Sunshine and is willing to risk his own life to ensure her safety.

The voices in Jason's head were heartbreaking. They taunted him and called him names. As the medication left his system (he refused to take more because it'd make him sleep, and he didn't want to sleep, he wanted to find Sunshine), he also began seeing horrifying images, such as bleeding walls and people's faces melting. Even reading this first person account, I still can't imagine what someone with schizophrenia goes through on a daily basis. Those people are so much stronger than anyone gives them credit for. 

The mystery itself was pretty easy for me to figure out, but even though I knew what had been going on with Sunshine, I couldn't figure out where she went. I thought one thing had happened to her, and it was something else entirely. The fact that Jason was able to solve the mystery when no one else could is a statement to how intelligent and underestimated schizophrenic people really are. Vaught does a good job at making her case that mental illness does not equal a lack of intelligence, or a hopeless life  However, she does not preach about it. The story illustrates her point wonderfully. 

The writing style, of courses, is jumbled, and at times the story is hard to follow. This book is important and needs to be read, but it takes a certain reader to have the patience to make sense of what goes on in Jason's head. I feel like this novel could have offered more to the mental health community had it been an easier read.

Overall, I'd recommend this novel to anyone who wants to read something different. If you can make sense of Jason's thoughts, the story itself is beautiful, captivating, and heartbreaking. The treatment of people with mental illness is an important topic that needs to be addressed, and Vaught does a good job at opening a dialogue concerning this topic. I hope that more books dealing with mental illness will follow in this one's footsteps. 

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GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn

Rating: B
Release Date: 06/05/12
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
"'What are you thinking, Amy? The question I've asked most often during our marriage, if not out loud, if not to the person who could answer. I suppose these questions stormcloud over every marriage: What are you thinking? How are you feeling? Who are you? What have we done to each other? What will we do?'"

Just how well can you ever know the person you love? This is the question that Nick Dunne must ask himself on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police immediately suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they aren't his. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what did really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife? And what was left in that half-wrapped box left so casually on their marital bed? In this novel, marriage truly is the art of war...


My thoughts on the book:
Gone Girl is one of those novels that will mess with your head and stick with you long after you've finished it. The first half of the book lulls you into a false sense of familiarity. We've all heard the story a thousand times, a loving and devoted wife goes missing, this time on her fifth wedding anniversary. Who is to blame? Well the husband, of course. He's lied to the police, and come to find out their relationship wasn't doing so well. However, in Gone Girl, nothing is as it seems, and the second part of the novel will blow your mind. This story is told between Nick's present-day POV and Amy's diary entries from the past, so who can you trust? Flynn teaches the reader that sometimes you can't trust anyone... even the narrators.


The first half of the book made me feel bad for Amy, especially, but also Nick (in some parts). These characters really played on my sympathies by telling me only certain parts of the whole story. In the second part of the book, it becomes apparent rather quickly that both narrators are big liars. At first I was kind of angry about this. I mean I trusted these narrators, and for what? So they could lie to me? But after I thought about it, I realized that the story would not have been half as intriguing if Flynn had not written it in this manner. Being unable to trust the narrators made it hard for me to believe anything that happened, though. So I finished the novel feeling unsure about what was real and what wasn't. Basically, no one is innocent and everyone is guilty of something. It's insane. 


The story was quick-moving, and I never felt like it lagged at all. It also didn't feel rushed, which is a good thing. However, the pages flew by, and before I knew it, the book was over. I was left sitting there staring at it, trying to recover from the intensity. The plot is scary, dark, twisted, and captivating. Once you start this novel, you will not be able to put it down until the very last page. I'm going to end my review here before I spoil anything for future readers of this book.


Overall, I'd recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good mystery/suspense. The book is wonderfully written, and the story will draw you in. Gone Girl is a horrifyingly intense roller coaster that you do not want to miss. 


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BREAKING BEAUTIFUL by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Breaking Beautiful
Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Rating: A
Release Date: 4/24/12


Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.
 
When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness. 



My thoughts on the book:
Breaking Beautiful absolutely blew my mind. This novel will break your heart and give you hope all at the same time. This is definitely a book that every teenage girl and every mother of a girl needs to read. Wolf puts the reader into the mind of a girl who survived a car accident that killed her boyfriend. However, she can't remember the events of that night because they were too traumatic. As the story unfolds we learn that Allie is not only the survivor of the car accident, but she's also the survivor of an abusive relationship. Wolf does a wonderful job of showing the long-term effects of abuse while allowing the reader to see exactly why many abuse survivors become defensive once their abuser is finally out of their lives. This is a story that needed to be told, and apparently Wolf was just the person to tell it.

Allie used to be a fearless and happy teenager. She had to move around a lot, so she never got to make friends (other than Blake), but she wasn't miserable by any means. Once her father retires from the military, she and her family move to a small town where her mother grew up in order to settle down. Allie begins dating Trip, and that's when her life starts to fall apart. Trip is abusive and keeps her isolated from everyone and everything. He severely beats her, but she's afraid to tell anyone because she thinks no one will believe her. Trip is the richest guy in town, too, of course.

Allie's character may seem weak to some, but she's actually very strong. She's a survivor, and while she may not have made the best decisions, her reasoning for the decisions she made is understandable. She's flawed, but likable. Blake is a fantastic character, and he, too, is imperfect. However, he has a good heart, and I simply loved him. Andrew, Allie's twin brother is also another surprise. He isn't at all what he seems. He loves his sister immensely, and even though he's in a wheel chair, he still tries to protect her. Allie's parents are pretty stupid most of the time, and they kind of got on my nerves. The towns people, as a whole, pissed me off, but some of them were okay. Overall, all of the characters were unique and well-developed. There weren't any filler characters.

The plot was mysterious and suspenseful. I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book, and I could not put it down. I carried my Kindle around with me for a few days just so I could read in between classes. The pacing is pretty spot on, and other than the very beginning, I didn't find any parts that slow moving. I had a hard time pushing through for the first 10% or so because the dialogue was so choppy. I think that was done to show Allie's state of mind, though, since the narration is first person from her perspective. Once I got past the first little bit though, I was glad I pushed through. I usually don't like contemporary, but this one really grabbed me.

The topic of this novel is dark, but it's something that needs to be talked about. I truly believe that if a dialogue is opened up about things like this, then that will help put a stop to at least some of the cases of abuse. This is an important novel, and I'm glad that Wolf was brave enough to take on this topic. I applaud her for her bravery and amazing writing skills. You're an inspiration, Jennifer Shaw Wolf. Thank you for this novel.

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