Review: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young (A Need So Beautiful #1)

Title: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
Published: June 21, 2011 by Balzer & Bray
Source: Library
Grade Rate: A

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

Review

WOW! This book blew me away, the idea is so original and the concept so well carried out.  I don't think I can find a single bad thing to say about it, other than it's a series and now I have to wait a whole year to know what happens next.

Charlotte has always had a compulsion to help others, she calls it The Need, and it is a painful pull towards someone she needs to help.  The problem is that every time that she helps someone, she looses a little bit of herself and the memory of her disappears.  This concept by itself is so heartbreaking, knowing that in fulfilling your purpose you will loose everything you hold dear and be Forgotten. 

The characters in 'A Need So Beautiful' are beautifully written and developed.  You get to know Charlotte, Sarah, Harlin, Monroe and others characters well and identify with them.  What can I say about Harlin and Charlotte?  Their relationship felt so incredible and at the same time real, a love so intense that it was almost like a physical need by itself.  I laughed and I cried while reading this amazing page-turner.

Ms. Young's writing style in very down to earth and makes the reader identify themselves with the setting, the story and the characters.  A very enjoyable and easy novel to read.  Go run to the book store or the library right now and give it a try. It is, at the risk of being redundant, beautiful.

About the cover: Love the cover, its airy and full of light, which is a big part of the story.  I also like the style and position of the title and how the words kind of link together.

Feature and Follow Friday (#3)

 

 

Feature and Follow Friday is blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

 

This week's feature are from We Fancy Books and A Novella's Tale and the question is:

 

Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

 

1.  Jane Austen - I just think it would be amazing to have know her.  We would probably spend the time talking about Mr. Darcy.

 

2.  J.K. Rowling - I love the Harry Potter Series. I would like to ask her 'What happened in the nineteen years from the end of the battle to the epilogue'? 

 

3.  Julie Kagawa - The Iron Fey is one of my favorite series, I would enjoy talking about Ash (*sigh*) with Ms. Kagawa.

 

Who would you like to meet?

 

 

My Bookmark This Week (#5)

I don't know about you but I probably own a good number of bookmarks.  I think this might be the case of all bookish people, but the problem is that I can never find one when I need it.  I end up using whatever I can find - receipts, post-in notes, ribbon, take out menus - because I really don't like to bend the pages of my books (and I often borrow them from the library.)

I though it would be fun to share with you what exactly I am using as a bookmark every Friday. Today I am reading 'A Need so Beautiful' by Suzanne Young and my bookmark is an expired cupon from 7-11.

 

What are you using as a bookmark today?

Waiting on Wednesday: Perception (Clarity #2) by Kim Harrington

Title: Perception by Kim Harrington
Published by: Scholastic Point
Released date: March  2012

When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

Why I want to read it: I really liked Clarity and I want to know what happens between her and Justin and Gabriel. Hers is such an interesting family .  Too bad I have to wait until next year *sad face*

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Should Be Required Reading For Teens

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's Top Ten is kind of hard for me because I not always liked required reading when I was in school.  I completed high school in Puerto Rico, which means I had required reading both both Spanish and English classes.  Some books I liked and some, not that much, therefore this is a list of books that I would have loved to read back then (or even in college.)  This is my opinion (if you ask my hubby, he will probably say that physics and calculus *God forbid* should be on the list.)  So here it goes:

1. Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen - I think that everyone should have the joy of getting to know the wonderful Elizabeth Bennett and her Mr. Darcy.

2. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling - If you are familiar with the movies (if you're not, you may be living under a rock) I am here to tell you that the books are even better.  This will be a timeless classic.  A lesson about love, commitment, responsibility, friendship, trust, and so much more.

3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - I have always been a bookworm (as far as I remember anyway) and my dear mamá game this book as a gift since the staff at the bookstore recommended it.  I not only loved Little Women, but I read the whole series.  

4.  Willow by Julia Hoban - To my never ending surprise I loved this book.  Willow is a 'cutter', she feels relief from all her problems as she does harm to herself, and I didn't think that I would like a book about this topic.  I was wrong, to me this novel gets into the mind of a grieving teenager and finds a way for us to understand (not condone) her outlet.  It also is painful to see the lack of communication that exists between Willow and his brother, so many misunderstandings...  It also a great love story.

5.  The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson - What I probably liked the most about this book (besides the beautiful writing) is the way it portraits love.  Let me explain, the novel is about many things: pain, loss, grief, acceptance, confusion, but must of all this is a love story.  It describes that first all consuming love, when you seem to be floating, when The Sky is Everywhere, with such detail, that it comes alive in the pages of the book.

6.  The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins - I loved this dystopian series.  It's a lesson about oppression, abuse, dictatorship and the power of people with an ideal and the willingness to live and to change lives. 

7.  Just Listen by Sarah Dessen - Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors and her books deal with very series topics.  Just Listen is a novel about rape, there it be a lesson that it's never OK and that, no matter how hard it is to talk about certain things, it's always worst to be silent.

8.  A Blue so Dark by Holly Schindler - A beautifully written book about a difficult topic: mental problems.  This book gave me the impression of drowning, of trying to take on the world, of responsibility and love.

9.  Any Jules Verne book - This is my pick for young men, I read several of Verne's books and particularly liked 'Around the World in Eighty Days' and 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'

10.  Divergent by Veronica Roth - I just loved this dystopian, such strong characters, lessons in indoctrination, responsibility, strenght, and so much more.

Oh my gosh, that was hard!  What is on your list this week?

Review: Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Published: July 12th, 2011 by Scholastic Press
Source: Bought at Author's Event
Grade rate: A-

then.

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.

That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

Review

Endings and goodbyes are always bittersweet and often sad.   This is one of the books that I was eagerly expecting, the conclusion of the trilogy composed by 'Shiver' and 'Linger' that has been so endearing to me.  It was a great novel and a fitting conclusion, even if I was somewhat expecting it to be more.

I think that part of the magic of these books is the fact that apart Sam and Grace are somewhat normal young adults that have been trough their share of heartbreak.  But together they are something different, something more.  They are like two parts of a whole and the whole is a wonderful thing to witness.  Their relationship is so sweet, poignant, deep and real, that all around them can see it and feel how special this kind of love is. 

The novel has chapters that alternate from Grace, Sam, Cole and Isabel's point of view (the same format that we saw in 'Linger'.)  I have to say that when it was introduced in 'Linger' it seemed intrusive to have two other character's point of view, but now I felt I was more invested in Cole's story (sorry, but I can't make myself like Isabel.)  All the characters grow as individuals, with more responsibility and more insight into themselves.

We also have a better understanding of both wolf pack dynamics and of what makes them lose their humanity.  It must be horrible to know that little by little you will lose yourself, until there is nothing left, but an animal.  I can understand Sam's reluctance and how hard he fought to always remain human.

It is really hard for me to review this book without spoilers because I would love to know what others think out the ending (if you want to discuss, email me!)  I feel like ‘Forever’ left few untied ends, and I suppose it was Ms. Stiefvater's intention that we choose the ending that we would like.  If that it's the case, I believe that Sam and Grace found their happily ever after and that Cole found peace, and a purpose, and a cure for the wolves. 

Overall this book was a distinct pleasure to read.  Ms. Stiefvater's writing is so beautiful, that it feels like reading poetry.  Her descriptions of the different settings, including the forest makes these places come alive for you.  I think one of her biggest accomplishment is the clarity in which she can convey feelings.

About the cover:  Forever’s cover is beautiful, just as the covers for the previous books were.  This time we see Sam in the woods walking towards a wolf, presumably Grace.

In My Mailbox (#8)

IMM is a weekly meme inspired by Alea at the Pop Culture Junkie and hosted by the wonderful Kristi at The Story Siren.  All links are to Goodreads.

Sorry I haven't been able post any reviews this week, between the bake sale (and all the baking, ) my work, and the hubby going on a trip I have been extremly busy.  Promise I'll do better next week and also B has read  four books that he needs to review too.

I had a really good week, check it out:

Bought

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Hann - I have the first book in the series,but I haven't read it yet.

White Cat by Holly Black - Heard good thinks about this series.

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves -  Something creepy about the synopsis and the cover, should be interesting.

  

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater - The last book of the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy!  I was lucky enough to go to her signing event the day the novel came out.

 From the Library

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready - I loved 'Shade' so I can't wait to get started on this one.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - I follow Ms. White's tweets and blog and I love both, therefore this should be a good read.

A Need so Beautiful by Suzanne Young - I have been waiting for this book for a while.  I sound really good.

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly - Another book about angels and the cover is gorgeous.