Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created by Breaking The Spine to spotlight some pre-release books bloggers are itching to get their hands on!
I’ve decided to do things a bit differently here on the Mod Podge Bookshelf. As a penniless and raged college student, I can’t afford to just drop everything and buy a book at full price when it’s first released, sometimes there’s some waiting involved. So, not only will I spotlight pre-release books from my wishlist, but also books on my wishlist that have been released recently that are not in my possession.
Here we go!
Wishful Thinking by Alexandra Bullen
What an interesting concept!
Back When You Were Easier To Love by Emily Wing Smith
I love this title, I understand this title.
The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, June by Robin Benway
I loved Audrey, Wait! This book sounds so different from Benway’s first, I can’t wait to see what it’s about!
Read Time: 4 days (would have been less w/o Thanksgiving)
My Summary: Cassia has always trusted The Society to provide her with the best possible solution. An appropriate diet. A good year to die. The right house to live in. A perfect match. Xander is everything Cassia could have hoped for and more. He is her best friend, her best probable match. The first boy on the matching screen. Ky is an aberration, un-matched, un-loved holding onto the fragments of a story no one has ever heard. He is the second face to appear. How will Cassia’s life change when she dares to listen, who will she be once she is seen. Who best fits her heart?
My review:
This book is one of the most highly anticipated books of the year, and it comes out today! Go get it. Really, everything you’ve heard is true, the Society is well-formed, the imagery is gorgeous, the characters are well-rounded and the hope is strong.
Cassia is a fabulous heroine, she has now joined in the ranks of Tally Youngblood and Katniss Everdeen for me, I think she and Tally would be fast-friends; I can’t wait to see where this journey will take Cassia. She really wants to fight back, take control of things, choose correctly, she will not go gently and that is something to appreciate in the heroine of a dysopian series.
The Society is a well-played card in Condie’s hands. I began the book will complete faith in The Society. The children go to school, have jobs that suit them when they grow, people are provided for nutritionally and everyone ends up with their perfect match. I thought, wow, this Society is kind, they aren’t “big brother” they have an order. I began the story, like Cassia, blissfully unaware of the tightening fist. Page by page I watched the truth seep out, the invisible fences shocked me when I tried to cross a boundary, and like Cassia, I wanted to fight back, rebel, reform, and choose my own destiny. Condie’s writing took me on a journey with her characters. That is a rare feat and quite a treat. Rhyming, I know, I know.
I am team Ky, hear me roar. I love this kid. I wanted to love Xander too, but I don’t feel like a love-triangle is even the point of the book. One is a perfect match for Cassia and one is just perfect for Cassia. I will be surprised if anyone struggles with the “who is better for Cassia” in the Matched series. This isn’t to say that Xander isn’t a great character, but he wasn’t featured as prominently and he was a quiet resistor, he doesn’t attempt much action- which is how Ky lives his life. You can’t help but fall for Ky and all he believes in and the story he carries. Cassia and Ky’s chemistry was brilliantly woven, for all those who love subtly and hate the main characters basically jumping each other, Cassia and Ky’s slow build, but obvious adoration, will really speak to you.
The final bit I want to talk about is the thesis statement for the whole book, which is quite a mind-bender. We’ve all had ample time to think about what this book will be like, and I wonder if any of you considered this- if The Society picked both Xander and Ky as Cassia’s Matches, can she love either one on her own terms? I was considering that question well before the book got into my hands and I think that Condie’s air of mystery surrounding this topic will be the real kicker in both books two, and three. Maybe we will see a couple of tables-turned.
I am really looking forward to the next two books in the series. They will be released in 2011 and 2012, and are currently untitled. I’ve been trying to think of titles myself- Paired, Single, Fraction, Break-Out, New World, Gone Bubble Gone? Wow, I can’t wait to find out!
Notes on the Names: Cassia, Xander and Ky. Awesome, awesome names. They are futuristic in a really beautiful, classic way. I like that Cassia and Xander have the grander names, being from the City, or the Boroughs, while Ky is from the Outer Provinces. Xander means ‘defender of mankind,’ so maybe we will see a less-passive Xander to come. I would put money on Condie being a good enough author to make me switch teams several times. I can’t believe I have to wait so long to see! Cassia and Ky are both relateable to nature, Cassia possibly being a name derived from the Cinnamon Bark of the Cassia tree. I can see Molly, Cassia’s mother, loving this name! Ky refers to water. ..hmm…
Thoughts on the Cover: I appreciated it more once I read the book. I want to make some non-spoiler predictions for the next two covers. First of all, the next cover will have a blue element and the third will be red. I think that the next cover should have Ky standing looking up, just the one self, at the sky, catching the rain. The sky should be blue and where the raindrops touch Ky there should be color. Third book, red, hmm, maybe Cassia, Ky and Xander on one cover. What should be red? A red sky, should they all be holding the red pills? I can’t believe that after ‘Katniss-Girl-on-Fire’ Condie would try for a fire theme. Maybe it’s blood.
Tags: 2010 Debut, Dead Brother, Music, Guitars, Poetry, Male perspective
My Summary:
Jonathon is a poet, Telly was a guitarist. Jonathon writes, Telly led. Jonathon lives in darkness, Telly was the Sun. Jonathon was a twin, Telly is dead.
My review:
This book is going down as “Book I was most surprised to love.” Wow, I was sure this book was going to around music, but wait, male perspective. Oh, no. What furthered my freak-out about this book was reading an interview Wesselhoeft did on Holly Cupala’s blog where he wrote about how his son, and his son’s friends’ “lingo” gave him a lot of inspiration. Oh, no, I don’t want to be stuck in a boys brain, there are cooties in there, especially at that age!
Turns out, I liked being stuck in a boy’s head, even if I would never touch any of the “thicks” with a ten-foot pole, they were surprisingly awesome characters and a great character-study. The group dynamic was so interesting, the views on being “thick” friends was comical, and endearing; the way they made music leapt into my heart! I considered if I would have dated any of these boys back in high school, I think I would have considered Telly, but then, he’s dead, currently being idolized and can’t speak for himself, or speak at all, maybe that’s why he’s not as ‘icky.’
Jonathon is not a typical guy. He is artistic, a writer, a would-be singer, the guy who lost his dead twin, the guy whose mom has never had it together, they guy who really can rely on his friends. He is a poet, he digs for the meaning in life. My only problem with the book is that he never stopped digging, he never stopped and thought “Maybe I don’t need all the answers” or better yet, “Maybe I don’t know everything yet.” I was expecting David Cosgrove’s (David is the Veteran Jonathon is hired to interview) story to really impact Jonathon; make him see that there are bigger things than one year’s pain and sadness. I really wanted to see the man in Jonathon by the end of the book, but I guess that will happen in book two, when Katie gets her claws into him. Or breaks his heart.
I think fans of The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, and the movie How To Be starring Robert Pattinson might get a kick out of Adios, Nirvana!, I love them both.
Notes on the Names: Jonathon and Telamachus, doesn’t really go, does it? This was bothering me the entire book! I was going mad until I read the scene towards the end where Jonathon explain’s Telly’s name and why he had it, then I cried.
Thoughts on the Cover: Cool cover, testosterone fueled, but still “pretty” for all our feminine bookshelves. It gets funny after you read the book. I read this book through NetGalley and am so looking forward to owning my own copy!
This week I am going to let you in on a big secret, it’s called “Gabrielle.” This is me, even the number three, my lucky number; what do you think of me?
As much as I love a good YA read, or a fabulous name, this blog represents my love for photography. That is why I love Holly over at Good Golly Miss Holly, well, there are many reasons and I rec her blog to the moon and back, but her new meme is wonderful and I am glad to participate.
I think this is the best way to “get to know me.”
The best way to know someone is to know what they find beauty in. You’ll see snow, fireworks, foxes and polar bears. Books, of course, kisses and true love captured on film. I may be too pretentious for my own good, but there will be a deep and moving quote or two. Come with me to Paris, Capri and New York City. Who knows when I will be the one behind the camera, but I assure you, it’s one of the best places to find me.
How MPB’s DD works: I will never post pictures best classified as “porn.” I will not post quotes with filthy language and I am not going to be making political statements. However, you may see skin, just not anatomy, sarcasm is widely acceptable and God will be mentioned in a Holy light. I hope that none of that makes you uncomfortable. The first picture shown every week will be the theme. I hope the story is easy to understand and fun to look at.
All pictures are from the most amazing (addictive) site called We <3 It.
