ON MY MIND: Why Must Heroines Fight Bad Guys Half-Naked?

I have always scoffed at the ridiculousness of female ass-kicking apparel in movies, video games, and books (particularly Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance). More often than not, the heroine is stuck wearing one of the following revealing & impractical ensembles:

1. Armor that barely covers more than 10% of the body
2. Head-to-toe leather or vinyl resembling a dominatrix costume
3. Low-riding skintight jeans, a plunging neck tank top, and stiletto boots

Call me crazy, but if I decided to moonlight as a crime fighter, I'd wear something that protected all my vital arteries & organs and allowed me to give chase when need be without fear of flashing innocent bystanders, ripping the seam of my pants, or twisting both my ankles.

Now, despite my inner feminist desperately wanting to break out into an angry rant about the sexual objectification & exploitation of women in entertainment, I've decided to take a more lighthearted approach and share with you a really funny clip from CollegeHumor.com about the suckiness of female protective gear.

ON MY MIND: Top Five YA Fiction Pet Peeves

1. The Insta-Love Phenomenon

Listen, before I pledge my love & loyalty to someone, I'm first running a background check and requesting a blood & urine sample...and a set of fingerprints...maybe even a polygraph.

I'm kidding. Kinda. Not really. I have trust issues.

Anyways, the point is that falling in love with a total stranger seems ludicrous to me. Falling in lust, sure. Pheromones can be potent stuff. And your hormones can unexpectedly break out into dance and do the hoedown throwdown in your pants. It's simple biology. But claiming to love someone without knowing anything about them and not knowing if you even have anything in common is rather unrealistic.

And quite frankly, I don't find it romantic at all. What I do find romantic is the slow burn—the awakening attraction, increasing sexual tension, and growing affection—as the two characters share various experiences and gradually open up to one another. That's hottness on a stick right there.

2. The Love Triangle of Suck

I've always disliked geometry (Sorry Mr. Ellis!). Granted it was never nearly as torturous as all the advanced calculus & statistics I had to take in both high school & college, but it still often made me want to perform seppuku with a freshly sharpened pencil.

Unsurprisingly, when applied to romantic relationships, geometry earns that much more resentment from me.

Seriously, what the frak is so appealing about a love triangle? Let's get real, it's a trite plot device—a cheap, formulaic way to pander to the female ego while simultaneously forcing unnecessary, superficial, and utterly uncreative conflict into the story. Bleh!

Additionally, it's a bullshit double standard. Come on ladies, whenever a male jumps back and forth between the affections of two females, we're quick to label him a player or a womanizer. So, why is it acceptable for a female protagonist to flip-flop from one guy to another and then back again? And what the hell is so romantic about leading someone on and inevitably trampling all over their feelings? On top of that, it's never even a mystery/surprise who the wishy-washy, self-centered heroine is eventually going to pick.

Total dreck I say.

3. The Jekyll & Hyde Affair

I will admit, I do have a special place in my heart for the oh-so-deliciously-devilish bad boy archetype. I do like it when the male lead has a smidgen of broodiness and a bit of roughness to his well-toned exterior. HOWEVER, I do not think it's sexy when the love interest acts like a bipolar, manipulative bastard.

You all know what I'm talking about. This is the type of love interest that acts totally aloof, cold, and a bit assholish one moment (usually in public) and then in the next moment (usually in private) transforms into a touchy-feely softy with a heart of gold. These two extremes are then alternated repeatedly throughout the story, resulting in a lot of mixed messages and childish misunderstandings. Worst yet, the guy attempts to justify his douchey behavior by claiming that it's his way of protecting the girl.

Not cool. Not cool at all. In fact, this makes for a really unhealthy relationship. And if a guy ever tried to pull that shit on me, It'd be like, "Darlin', you betta check yo self, before you wreck yo self, and I'm forced to dropkick your ass."

4. The One Track Mind & Ultimatum

What the hell is up with YA heroines abandoning their friends, interests, and aspirations the second they "fall in love"? All of a sudden, the female lead's entire existence starts to revolve around some dude that pops into her life out of nowhere. As a female, I find that very insulting because it perpetuates the silly notion that us gals are all lovesick romantics who feel incomplete and whose lives have no meaning unless we have a guy to call our very own.

Furthermore, in several books the storyline involves the heroine having to choose between her family and her love interest. Why can't she have both? Why must she be forced to give up the people who've cared for and supported her all her life? I can't understand how this obligatory ultimatum could be viewed as romantic. I love my family more than anything in this world. They have sacrificed and struggled for my sake. And they have always stood by me no matter what (even when others have abandoned me). I could NEVER choose a guy over them. They come first in my life and if the guy who claims to love me doesn't understand that, then he's just not worth my time.

5. The Crybaby & Emo Boy

Nothing turns me off of a book faster than a whiny whiner who whines.

Look, I get it, angst is a rite of passage for a teenager. When you're in your teens you feel like no one truly understands you. Hell, you barely understand yourself. Adolescence is after all a time of exploration & self-discovery. Actually, come to think of it, a good portion of your 20's is too, just with lots more legal drinking (Note: what happens in Cancun, stays in Cancun).

Anyhoo, I can't stand when a heroine constantly bitches, moans, and cries about how much her sheltered life suffocates her or about the nerve-racking dilemma of choosing between Hot Guy #1 and Hot Guy #2.

And then there's her male counterpart the Emo Boy. Don't get me wrong , I like guys who are sensitive and in touch with their feelings, but the Emo Boy takes this to the extreme and chooses to wallow in the Woe Is Me territory. He may even end up writing some depressingly bad poetry or cheesy song lyrics while lamenting his painful existence.

Aye dios mio! Suck it up, people. Suck. It. Up!

BOOK VIEWFINDER: Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla

-The following future book release has caught my eye and stirred my interest-

Paperback: 336 pages
Release Date: December 6, 2011
ISBN-10: 0451235290
ISBN-13: 978-0451235299

Darian has lived alone for almost a century in the shadows of the night. Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind—an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing. With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin.

Darian finds herself struggling to keep her employer Tyler at arm’s length, especially since his seductive smile makes her want to break her rules about love. The work he offers is necessary to protect the innocent—and a welcome distraction.

But when Darian’s next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question. Darian begins to wonder if she’s taken on more than her conscience will allow, but a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished...

—Goodreads

BOOK REVIEW: Divergent by Veronica Roth

 
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 496 pages
Release Date: May 3, 2011
ISBN-10: 0062024027
ISBN-13: 978-0062024022
Source: purchased copy

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves...or it might destroy her.

—Goodreads

Book Review

Prior to reading Enclave, I had already set the bar of expectations pretty low for dystopian YA fiction. Afterwards, I reset it to about a foot off the ground. Therefore, all Divergent had to do in order to get into my good graces was a little hop right over to the other side. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, right? Obviously not, 'cos Divergent aimlessly stumbled about, tripped over its own feet, and then proceeded to face plant into the ground like a drunken frat boy at a keg party. I was not amused.

My book lovin' peeps, I'm warning you now. This review is going to be brutally honest. Why? Because Divergent frustrated the hell out of me and wasted several hours of my life. Tit for tat. And I know, I could have put the book down & never picked it up again, but like many of you, I hate not finishing a book, especially if it costs me $18 plus tax. Also, given the fact that Divergent is almost 500 pages long and has received rave reviews, I was hoping that at the very least about 200 of those would be made of awesome. Therefore, I kept reading and waiting, but the awesome never made an appearance.

Anyways, let's get this show on the road. Brace yourselves. This might get ugly.

The plot...hmm, well I would describe it in the following arithmetic terms: 2 + 2 = 5. In other words, it was painfully simplistic and more than a little logically handicapped. And here is why: (1) There was virtually no world-building and NOTHING was ever adequately explained, concretely defined, or sufficiently developed and (2) the logic behind the concepts in this book as well as several actions of its characters was so full of holes that it was basically Swiss cheese.

First of all, we are never told when and how the factions came into being. We are simply told that Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) were created to ensure that society functions efficiently and to prevent war. Well guess what? That makes no sense at all. Because by their very existence, structure, and way of living the factions promote things like segregation, discrimination, inequality, oppression, and competing belief systems. Sound familiar? They should. After all, they are the leading causes of discord & war among human civilizations throughout history. What a way to shoot yourself in the foot while simultaneously getting butted in the face by your gun's recoil. Bravo!

We are also told very little of what each faction actually does, and what we are told is fairly silly. Abnegation allegedly runs the government while being a complete pushover with no backbone. Erudite researches stuff, works on developing new technology, and arrogantly shuns & slanders other factions. Candor consists of human lie detectors who talk smack and openly insult everybody on a regular basis. Amity does nothing but smile and appear semi-catatonic half the time. And the Dauntless are supposed to serve as security, but in reality are just a bunch of reckless daredevils with borderline sociopathic tendencies. How this society manages to function at all or get anything done, I have no freakin' clue.

So what happens in Divergent? Nothing all that interesting or exciting until about the last 70 pages. The first 400+ are dedicated to Beatrice, aka Tris, being initiated into the Dauntless, undergoing completely asinine training (read: senseless brawling, death-defying acts of stupidity, contrived psychological torture), receiving a makeover, and repeatedly getting the snot beat out of her.

Oh, I almost forgot. Tris also ends up finding twu lurve. Her love interest of choice is an older guy who (surprise, surprise) she knows almost nothing about and who treats her like crap in public because apparently it's for her own good. Moreover, Tris is not even pretty and looks like a 12-year-old child, but Four, the hottest badass around who is perfect at everything he does, thinks she's the best thing since sliced bread. AND...wait for it...wait for it...he just so happens to be a virgin with a tragic past & a wounded heart (making him broody & tough but with a gentle, soft side that no one else but Tris gets to see). I kid you not. Man, the cookie cutters making the rounds in YA fiction seriously need to get confiscated ASAP. Amirite?

Speaking of Tris, she started off kinda robotic, turned into a hypocritical biatch, took up membership in the TSTL club, and then strapped on a red bandana and acted like Rambo. To say that I disliked her would be an understatement. She passed judgement on EVERYONE and for things she herself did. In my opinion, she was cocky, mean, self-centered, and immature. On top of that, despite a couple of different people putting themselves on the line to protect her secret and warning her that being found out would probably result in execution, Tris frequently did things that were the equivalent of stamping DIVERGENT on her forehead and yelling "Here I am!" while jumping up & down, pointing at herself.

The sad thing is I could probably go on for several more paragraphs listing all the examples of unrealistic, illogical plot points & nonsensical ideas as well as reasons why I didn't like this book (e.g. the idiotic train jumping, the shoddy definition/concept of being divergent, a teenager serving as faction leader, the miniscule adult involvement, the mind control bullshit, Tris suddenly transforming into an unstoppable human killing machine, etc.) But I won't because I'm tired of typing, and I'm sure you're tired of reading this review turned rant. Needless to say, I have no intention of picking up Insurgent (book #2).

Book Rating

BOOK REVIEW: Roil by Trent Jamieson

Paperback: 432 pages
Release Date: August 30, 2011
ISBN-10: 0857661841
ISBN-13: 978-0857661845
Source: review copy from publisher via NetGalley

Where once there were 12 metropolises, now only 4 remain, and their borders are being threatened by the growing cloud of darkness.

The only way to hold back the darkness and the horrific creatures that inhabit it are the cities huge ice canons. But one by one the defenses are failing. And the Roil continues to grow. With the land in chaos, it’s up to a drug addict, an old man and a woman intent on revenge to try to save their city–and the world.

—Goodreads

Book Review

I would describe Roil as being equal parts steampunk sci-fi and fantasy adventure (minus the Victorian era garb & stuffiness). The story takes place in a wildly imaginative world filled with massive industrial cities, cut-throat politics, and a vast array of creatures both monstrous & fascinating.

The thing I loved about this book and which I thought was its strongest quality was the creative & robust world-building. It made me wish that I was a much better artist than I am, so that I could sketch out the captivating scenery so painstakingly described throughout the book. I also enjoyed the technology that was put on display and which actually played a role in the story. Too often in steampunk-infused fiction, the tech is simply used as ornamentation—bells & whistles without much purpose or functionality. In Roil, the tech, which included endothermic weaponry, semi-organic aircrafts, and colossal steam-operated trains & vessels, took center stage right alongside the characters that continuously relied upon it.

Moreover, I appreciated the assortment of unique characters and the unusual, slightly ragtag team of heroes. I have to admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for unconventional protagonists who are rough around the edges and who start off without a single heroic bone in their body, but then end up doing heroic things much to their own surprise. And our three main protagonists (Margaret, David, and Cadell) definitely fit that bill.

Unfortunately, there were certain aspects of the book that did not appeal to me. My first complaint is based mostly on personal preference and that is the use of multiple character perspectives. I tend to be partial to stories told from a single character’s point-of-view. If done well (with clearly distinguishable voices), I will also enjoy dual points-of-view. However, if a book has more than two perspectives, I tend to find it distracting and at times even confusing. Roil incorporates multiple different perspectives of both major and minor characters. I could understand the purpose of this—a way to bolster & compliment the sprawling magnitude of the story and fantasy world—but I didn’t really like it. My dislike was compounded by the fact that I felt the transitions between those perspectives were often done too abruptly and not always very cohesively. Consequently, on several occasions, I found myself suddenly detached from the story and a bit disoriented.

Another complaint rests with Roil’s three main characters. Even though I found them interesting in their imperfections (and in Cadell's case, secrets), I never really connected with them emotionally. Surprisingly, I found them underdeveloped and rather two-dimensional, especially in the first half of the book before they started to fully interact with one another. I felt that more time & care was spent on developing the world of Roil than fleshing out the characters.

Finally, I thought the pacing was a bit uneven. The first half of the book was rather sluggish with a few bursts of action accompanied by lots of traveling between locations and talking without clear explanation. The second half of the book, on the other hand, was fast-paced and action-packed up until the very last page with quite a few entertaining twists & revelations.

Book Rating

90'S LOVE: Part 2 - Movies

I was born in the 80's, but my most unforgettable childhood memories come from the 90's. The 90's comprised a decade of perpetual change, innovation, and experimentation. Every couple of years there were new trends & fads in fashion, entertainment, and technology. It was all about trying something different and the desire to stand out and be noticed. Therefore, as an ode to the best decade of my youth, I’ve decided to make a series of posts highlighting some of my favorite things from the 90’s.

------------------------------------------------------------------

~Movies of the 90's~

Home Alone

"I took a shower washing every body part with actual soap; including all my major crevices; including in between my toes and in my belly button which I never did before but sort of enjoyed. I washed my hair with adult formula shampoo and used cream rinse for that just-washed shine. I can't seem to find my toothbrush, so I'll pick one up when I go out today. Other than that, I'm in good shape."

1. With the release of this movie, parental neglect suddenly didn't seem so bad.
2. Kids everywhere dreamed of being left home alone so that they could booby trap the house and engage in some crime-fighting shenanigans of their very own.
3. And I'm pretty sure countless pizza delivery guys were subjected to the phrase, "Keep the change you filthy animal" on a regular basis.

Sister Act

"Bless us, oh Lord, for these Thy gifts which we are about to receive. And yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of no food, I will fear no hunger. We want you to give us this day, our daily bread. And to the republic for which it stands, and by the power invested in me, I pronounce us ready to eat. Amen."

1. Kids at my Catholic school prayed to God to send us a nun as cool as Whoopi—a nun who'd share our love of hip-hop music and who'd shoot some hoops with us in the yard.
2. Unsurprisingly, our prayers went unanswered; instead, we got this cracked bunch:
3. Sister Elizabeth, who was about 90-years-old, 75% deaf, and legally blind in both eyes, to teach us Math.
4. Sister Richard, who looked like John Goodman in drag and who we suspected had narcolepsy since she repeatedly fell asleep in class, to teach us English.
5. And Sister Rosella, who hated everyone and who used public humiliation as both a form of discipline & a favorite pastime, to teach us Theology.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

"Okay, okay, I'll talk! I left a gift on the carpet. I let Sassy take the rap for when.I unrolled the toilet paper all over the house. I stole underwear on three occasions."

1. This movie made me cry like a newborn baby with colic.
2. It also had me utterly convinced that my dog and pet rabbit were talking about me behind my back.
3. And it taught me that stereotyping isn't only reserved for human beings.

Jurassic Park

"God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs. Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth."

1. Jurassic Park was effin' HUGE; everyone and their second cousin twice removed went to see it...together.
2. Seriously, entire family reunions took place at the showings of this movie, which when you think about it is actually rather brilliant since no one was allowed to talk to each other for a whole two hours.
3. Moreover, young paleontologist wannabes around the world were finally able to let their geek flags fly high without the risk of getting a wedgie.

The Crow

"People once believed that when someone dies, a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back to put the wrong things right."

1. Who knew Gothic clown face could be so damn cool & intimidating; I sure as hell was surprised.
2. This movie became an instant cult classic.
3. And why shouldn't it...after all, it not only stars Bruce freakin' Lee's son but it also has dark gritty imagery, violent martial arts action, and a tragic love story.

Leon: The Professional

"The rifle is the first weapon you learn how to use, because it lets you keep your distance from the client. The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn."

1. Another cult classic, this movie put Natalie Portman on the map.
2. Despite its mild Lolita undertones & violent subject matter, I thought the story was really quite heartwarming & cute.
3. It also made me realize that if I were to ever become an orphan, I'd like to be adopted by a professional assassin with a heart of gold...or Bill Cosby; either one would suffice.

Speed

"Pop quiz, hotshot. There's a bomb on a bus. Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If it drops below 50, it blows up. What do you do? What do you do?!"

1. I swear Keanu Reeves only has one facial expression throughout this entire movie, which coincidentally is the one you see in the poster above.
2. Keanu's limited acting range notwithstanding, Speed was a high-octane adventure that made people view public transportation in a whole new exciting light.
3. The exception to that being those of us who had to travel on SEPTA bus #15; we were already personally acquainted with the meaning of "holding on for dear life."

Clueless

"I would like to say this. Tardiness is not something you can do on your own. Many, many people contributed to my tardiness. I would like to thank my parents for never giving me a ride to school, the LA city bus driver who took a chance on an unknown kid and last but not least, the wonderful crew from McDonalds who spend hours making those egg McMuffins without which I might never be tardy."

1. I don't think any other movie expanded the English vernacular quite as much as Clueless did.
2. It gave us such gems as: "whatever", "as if", "I'm outtie", and "my bad"
3. I truly felt sorry for our English teachers; they just managed to get us to stop using double negatives and then Clueless shows up & gives them all the finger.

Hackers

"This is our world now. The world of the electron and the switch; the beauty of the baud. We exist without nationality, skin color, or religious bias. You wage wars, murder, cheat, lie to us and try to make us believe it's for our own good, yet we're the criminals. Yes, I am a criminal. My crime is that of curiosity. I am a hacker, and this is my manifesto."

1. Watching this movie resulted in my very first girl crush...as well as a rather unflattering haircut.
2. It also led me to spend numerous hours coming up with a cool hacker alias despite the fact that I didn't even own a computer and that all I knew how to hack were fruits & vegetables.

Bad Boys

"Bad boys bad boys whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?"

1. Like any Michael Bay movie, the lack of a substantial plot is overcompensated for by an endless string of gun fights, car chases, explosions, and half-naked women.
2. Nonetheless, the foulmouthed banter-filled bromance between Will Smith & Martin Lawrence is what makes Bad Boys totally awesome.
3. Plus, there's a scene in which Will Smith runs with his shirt ripped wide open & bare chest glistening in SLOW MOTION (grrrr!).

Romeo + Juliet

"If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking and you beat love down."

1. This contemporary version of Romeo & Juliet is filled with gun play, raging teenage hormones, and visual effects reminiscent of a bad Ecstasy trip.
2. I remember seeing this movie at the theater with my friend Edith, which resulted in the following actual, real life conversation:
3. Edith: "I liked it, but why did it have to have such a sad ending?"
4. Me: "What part of 'modern retelling of Shakespeare's tragic love story' did you not understand?"
5. Edith: "There you go, 'modern retelling'; that means they could have changed some more bits around."
6. Me: "Then it wouldn't be Romeo & Juliet anymore!"
7. Edith: "Well, I'm not saying to change their names. Just the ending. The ending!"
8. Me: "Sweet baby Jesus, I give up!"

The Fifth Element

"Whoa, lady, I only speak two languages, English and bad English."

1. The Fifth Element is like a Cheeze-It cracker topped with Cheez Whiz and sprinkled with shredded cheddar...it's that cheesy.
2. And yet, the movie is inexplicably awesome.
3. I suppose it helps that I love sci-fi and think Bruce Willis is one of the sexiest bald men on the planet...and Leeloo totally kicks ass.

Ever After

"If you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners corrupted from infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded, sire, but that you first make thieves and then punish them?"

1. Ever After took the classic story of Cinderella and gave it a bit of a twist by injecting it with a whole lot of serious girl power.
2. In this movie, the Damsel In Distress is a champion for the poor & an expert sword fighter, who not only carries Prince Charming away from harm on her back, but who also manages to single-handedly rescue herself.

The Matrix

"Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"

1. You know that Keanu facial expression from Speed?...well, it made a comeback in this movie...yep, Keanu brought his A game.
2. The Matrix came out of nowhere and opened a serious can of whoop ass.
3. With its revolutionary special effects and ridiculously cool martial arts, it became a pop culture icon overnight.
4. The downside, however, was that it gave already creepy loner kids the excuse to wear ankle-length black trench coats all year round, making them look even creepier.

BOOK REVIEW: Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

Paperback: 384 pages
Release Date: February 15, 2011
ISBN-10: 0373803362
ISBN-13: 978-0373803361
Source: borrowed from library

Someone once said that all apocalypses are experienced locally. In the case of Cass Dollar, the nightmare occurred with the violent abduction of two-year-old Ruthie, which she vividly remembers. Only later is young Cass assaulted also by the vague, twisting memories of a much wider conflagration that she herself only narrowly survived. A government experiment had turned the entire California landscape into the hunting grounds of zombie Beaters, but Cass can only think of the helpless toddler she is missing.

—Goodreads

Book Review

When the world falls apart and all you've ever known is taken away—your life turned upside down—how will you survive?

How will you adapt?

Will you change, and if so, who will you choose to become?

What beliefs will you hold on to?

What will you be willing to fight for?

Will you lead or will you follow?

These are the questions that I look for in dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction. It is the exploration of human nature & behavior that fascinates me.

One of the strongest of all animal instincts is the drive to survive. Unlike with other animals, however, the human struggle for survival is far more complex than just a hardwired fight or flight response. People are capable of awe-inspiring feats of bravery & ingenuity in the face of danger. They can be confronted with insurmountable odds and still refuse to give up. Some can even challenge that biological instinct for self-preservation and risk their own lives in order to protect, help, or save others. On the flip side, people are also capable of horrific acts of selfishness & brutality in order to preserve their own well-being. Some people will cheat, lie, steal, and kill—do whatever it takes, no mater who it hurts—so that they may live & prosper.

Then there are those who choose to survive through blind acceptance of a path set forth by others who assume leadership & control. They accept & adapt to whatever social structures, conditions, rules, and expectations are set before them no matter how unfair or outright wrong they may be. They do so because they don't feel that they have the strength to survive on their own. They do so because they are afraid to challenge the status quo. Thus, they adapt to things like militant law, unjust persecution/punishment, segregation, and oppression.

Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield addresses all of this and much more without any reservation. It does so by taking the reader on a fast-paced, action-packed journey through the eyes of a mother determined to be reunited with her daughter at whatever the cost.

Be forewarned, Aftertime is not a light read by any means. It is not for everyone; it's certainly not for the faint of heart. There is some heavy stuff dealt with in this book and some very graphic imagery. And both the very best and the very worst of humanity is put on display.

With that said, I will admit that I completely, unexpectedly fell in love with this book. Here are three most significant reasons why: (1) it made me think, (2) it made me experience a gamut of emotions, and (3) it gave me goosebumps.

Need more reasons? Okay, here we go.

I loved Cass. She was such a damaged, complicated, multilayered character and the epitome of a fighter. She reminded me of why I have such a deep respect & admiration for mothers. In fact, her unwavering determination and unmeasurable love for her daughter reminded me of my own mother. The combination of inner strength & selflessness that mothers possess is a painfully beautiful thing, and Cass continuously exuded it throughout this book. Despite her pain, fear and self-doubt, she never stopped pushing herself forward; never gave up on Ruthie. When I finished reading Aftertime, one of the first things I did was go over to my mom, give her a hug, and tell her that I love her. I was that moved by Cass's story.

Then there was Smoke. As his name implies, he was a very mysterious, intriguing character. At first, I didn't know how to feel about him. I was a bit suspicious actually. I was worried that he had a not-so-nice ulterior motive for helping Cass. My distrust & fascination with him was fueled by the fact that he was very secretive and had a hard, dangerous, alpha male edge to his personality. I also initially thought that he had a bit of a White Knight complex...and maybe he did. Nonetheless, the way he helped and took care of Cass totally made me fall for him. Plus, there were moments when he was damn sexy.

As for the writing, it was wonderfully descriptive; the imagery so vivid. Like I pointed out earlier, there were some gruesome, bone-chilling scenes in this book. There was blood, gore, and violence abound in Aftertime, but it wasn't simply for shock value. No, it was used in such a way as to make the reader experience the horror of Cass's dangerous reality; to make you feel her fear, panic, and disgust at what she witnessed & encountered throughout her journey.

The depiction of Beaters and the way they fed on their victims was especially well-detailed. And I appreciated the twist on zombie lore. In Aftertime, Beaters did not simply kill their prey. They would subdue victims and then bring them back to the nest, where they would feed as a pack. Another difference was that Beaters only ate their victims' skin; they would tear it off bit by bit with their teeth and leave the rest of the body mostly untouched. They would also have superhuman speed & strength when in a feeding frenzy. Furthermore, to the characters' dismay, it was slowly revealed that the Beaters were evolving & becoming smarter—organized and almost strategic in their hunting. This added to the level of danger & excitement in the story.

Finally, I'm sure Aftertime has its share of flaws and based on the Goodreads rating, there were quite a few people who didn't like this book, but I honestly find myself hard-pressed to pick out things I didn't like or felt were flawed. So there ya have it; different strokes for different folks.

Book Rating

BOOK VIEWFINDER: Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

-The following future book release has caught my eye and stirred my interest-

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Release Date: February 14th 2012   
ISBN-10: 0765329581 
ISBN-13: 978-0765329585

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested don’t usually come back.

17-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different.

In the three years since the war ended, Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And what’s worse, one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

—Goodreads

BOOK BLOG: The Bookish Brunette and Karissa's Reading Review Giveaways

The Bookish Brunette is holding a 500 Follower Giveaway. This contest is international. There will be two winners who will receive the prize pack of their choice. Contest ends on June 15th. For more info and to fill out the form to be entered into the contest, Click Here.

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BOOK REVIEW: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

 
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 272 pages
Release Date: April 12, 2011
ISBN-10: 0312650086
ISBN-13: 978-0312650087
Source: purchased copy

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy, but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.

—Goodreads

Book Review

Christ on a bike, this book was so damn difficult for me to rate & review. After a month-long on-and-off-again reading relationship with Enclave, I was left with such muddled feelings that I was kicking myself for not jotting down some notes to later help me decipher my tangled opinions. And then I had a light bulb moment and came up with a way to organize & summarize my thoughts: an emoticon flowchart. BAM!


I will say upfront that I found myself disappointed with Enclave. While reading, I kept waiting for the book to rock my world & blow my socks off, but my world remained perfectly grounded & my socks stayed firmly on my feet. That's not to say that I thought everything about the book was bad, but there were definitely quite a lot of shortcomings.

Let's start with a rundown of Enclave's positive attributes.

Firstly, I liked how descriptive the writing was. It helped get me more engaged in the story and allowed me to better understand & appreciate the differences between our world and the one Deuce was born into. Secondly, there was lots of action—gory, violent action—which totally appealed to my inner action junkie.

Plus, Deuce was a fairly kickass heroine. Girl had some serious lady balls. Furthermore, I enjoyed how she gradually started to open up to new ideas and different ways of thinking & feeling, and I liked that this didn't come easily to her or happen overnight.

I also liked Fade (at least for the first half of the book). Fade, like Deuce, was a hardcore badass, but he had a soft, gentle, caring side. He had a quiet but strong presence about him (initially). And I was wholeheartedly rooting for his budding romance with Deuce, which started off hesitantly, turned sweet, took a brief detour into sexy town and then...hit the breaks so damn hard I got whiplash.

This segues me into my problems with the book.

At times, Enclave was a total tease. Not in the neener-neener sort of way, but the kind in which it got me all excited and then left me unsatisfied & frustrated. Fade, for example, was shaping up to be a contender for Swoon-Worthy Fictional Boyfriend of the Year, and then he basically faded into the background and morphed into a wet blanket. Same goes for his romance with Deuce. Just as their bond began to skirt love territory, a completely contrived, nonsensical and VERY disturbing/disgusting love triangle was forcibly injected into the story (Note to authors: a sociopath/abuser/rapist should NEVER EVER under any circumstances be used as a contender for the heroine's heart. Not cool. And if you can't handle serious subjects like abuse & rape in a responsible manner, then don't write about them at all.)

Anyways, another tease moment came in the first half of the book when it was revealed that there's a rebel group within the enclave as well as a conspiracy involving innocent citizens being framed & punished for crimes they didn't commit. Right away I got excited thinking that Deuce & Fade would join the rebels and play some kind of role in fighting & exposing the corrupt officials, but nothing of the sort even came close to happening. Both intriguing concepts were discarded almost immediately after being introduced. This occurred again & again with other ideas & plot points (murder in the enclave, smarter freaks, topside gangs, etc.)

I found the last third of the book to be rather boring. It felt like filler with not much substance. To spice things up, a bit of melodrama & angst was thrown in towards the end, but it had absolutely no emotional impact on me whatsoever...zero, zilch.

As for the ending, well, my reaction to it can be summed up thusly: WTF? #$%^@#*!! For a second there, I seriously thought my copy of the book was missing pages. I can't remember the last time I came across such a haphazard cliffhanger. Describing it as anticlimactic would be a gross understatement.

Book Rating