Entangled: A Panoramic Review

 "Two months after dying, seventeen-year-old witch Graylee Perez wakes up in her twin sister Charlene’s body.

Until Gray finds a way back inside her own body, she’s stuck being Charlene every twenty-hour hours. Her sister has left precise instructions on how Gray should dress and behave. Looking like a prep isn’t half as bad as hanging out with Charlene’s snotty friends and gropey boyfriend.

The “normals” of McKinley High might be quick to write her behavior off as post-traumatic stress, but warlock Raj McKenna is the only person who suspects Gray has returned from the dead.

Now Gray has to solve the mystery of her death and resurrection and disentangle herself from Charlene’s body before she disappears for good." (from Goodreads)

Entangled by Nikki Jefford
 
My reaction: Entangled was surprisingly readable. The writing was actually pretty good for a self-published novel, although it was not without some flaws. I felt like the reader could have been guided through the plot points a little more; some things didn't seem to follow logically (or they leaped over the step of reasoning in the characters' heads) and I just wasn't on the same page as them, which was frustrating. This was especially true for the last half or so of the book, when it began feeling rushed, as though the author were trying to stick all the plot points she'd planned in there. Basically, it started missing out on anything that wasn't a big plot point, becoming more of a bare-boned outline than a story with fully fleshed-out characters.

Another problem I had with the writing is that it would sometimes flip perspectives in the middle of a scene, which I found a little weird. It's written in 3rd-person attached POV (to Gray and Raj) and I was fine with switching between the two perspectives as long as there were clear section or chapter breaks — but having it happen in the middle of a scene kinda threw me.

The whole magic system really wasn't explained at all, unfortunately. Covens and witches have been done many times before, and Entangled's treatment didn't feel very well thought-out or unique.

Best aspect: the concept of the sisters sharing one body, and having to deal with whatever had happened to the body the previous day. Because it had been a while since I'd read the book description, I basically just started into the book blind and totally did not see this coming (even though it is very clearly part of the premise if you read the blurb!). The two-people-sharing-one-body aspect was kind of like The Host by Stephenie Meyer, although one big difference is that they're not in the body at the same time. Instead, the sisters had to communicate by notebook (or just find things out the next day) and wouldn't actually know/remember what had happened. It was funny to watch Gray having to deal with and adapt to the situation.

If I could change something... I'd make the characters more consistent. I'm all right with the character change (or revelation) in Nolan — it was pretty much out of the blue, but I think it was supposed to be a surprise. He seemed really bland before, anyway, so at least this gave him a personality. 

I was less okay with how the characterization of Charlene and Raj was handled. Spoilers, highlight to read: I was a little confused by how much more evil Charlene actually turned out to be, although I liked that there wasn't a happy ending with the sisters. I was surprised the author decided to make their relationship deteriorate so badly.

Raj is portrayed as such a slimy creep at the beginning, who doesn't have any conscience or rules, and then as soon as he starts helping Gray and hanging out with her, he becomes good and starts lecturing her on using magic for evil purposes. Perhaps it's partly that the reader is given Gray's opinion of Raj, based on rumors or a false impression, but we actually see him acting like a jerk to her, so I can't excuse it away entirely. Frankly, "new" Raj just isn't as interesting as before; the original Raj was creepy, yeah, but he had more presence. We don't really get any explanation for why he starts acting like a decent guy, either — it just seems to be a consequence of him falling in love with Gray. 

Which brings me to another point: we aren't really shown either Raj or Gray falling in love. The chemistry and attraction is there, certainly, but there's not enough emotional explanation for the progression of their relationship. It's more a case of leaving it up to the reader to assume that "oh, they're kissing now, I guess that means they like each other." I actually preferred their interactions before they become friends, when there was more tension between them because they both seemed to dislike each other.

If you haven't read it: and you want to read something with the feel of The Ghost and the Goth series, Entangled might work for you. Just be prepared for somewhat inconsistent characterization and a rushed second half.

If you have read it: anyone else feel like Raj did a complete 180 partway through the story?

Just one more thing I want to mention: The idea that adults would see these teens as a threat was, well, a little unbelievable. I understand that they'd take the teens more seriously because they have powers, but while Raj and Gray are mature in some ways, they're immature in others (like in their focus on revenge). Of course, not all of the adults seemed very responsible either!

Quote: 

"Gray woke up with a start. She lifted her head a couple inches off the pillow and saw the two bedposts on either side of her—Charlene's bed. Gray threw back the covers. She was wearing a red and black silk, lace babydoll.

Not again.

Oh, god. What if her life was turning into the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day? At least in Bill Murray's version he got to be himself every day." 

Final verdict: 3 shooting stars. I feel like Entangled had potential that it didn't live up to. The first half showed promise, but then it seemed to get really far-fetched and even ludicrous towards the end.

Disclaimer: I received this e-book for review from the author.

 
This book counts towards my goal for the Debut Author reading challenge. 

Secret Letters: A Panoramic Review

"Inquisitive and observant, Dora dreams of escaping her aristocratic country life to solve mysteries alongside Sherlock Holmes. So when she learns that the legendary detective might be her biological father, Dora jumps on the opportunity to travel to London and enlist his help in solving the mystery of her cousin's ransomed love letters. But Dora arrives in London to devastating news: Sherlock Holmes is dead. Her dreams dashed, Dora is left to rely on her wits--and the assistance of an attractive yet enigmatic young detective--to save her cousin's reputation and help rescue a kidnapped heiress along the way. 

Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this gripping novel heralds the arrival of a fresh new voice in young adult literature." (from Goodreads)

Secret Letters by Leah Scheier
 
My reaction: 

I had a lot of issues with Secret Letters, but it was still an enjoyable, entertaining enough read. 

To start off with, you have to take the whole book with a grain (or perhaps several) of salt. The entire premise is somewhat far-fetched; even the idea that Dora would be assisting on a mystery case requires a suspension of disbelief. She's so overconfident in her abilities, especially in the first half of the story, and really manages to bungle things up sometimes. There was more than one occasion where I'd go, "Dora, you idiot! Why are you doing this???" in my head. This makes for some very cringe-worthy scenes where you're embarrassed for her because you know she's doing or saying something stupid and it's not going to end well. (During some of these I was quite tempted to skip ahead rather than sit there thinking, "Oh no, she didn't just say that...")

There were also some moments that just seemed too preposterous to be believable. For instance, some of the climactic scenes took on a comedic tone at times that I didn't feel was really appropriate. I wanted to be submerged in this dramatic setting, and instead the villains would be chuckling! Or there'd be people pointing guns all over the place and it just seemed farcical instead of full of tension, and I'd be going, "I just don't buy this, it's too ridiculous."

I will acknowledge that Dora did grow on me as the story progressed. Thankfully, I think she learns a bit of humility by the end (helped along by Peter Cartwright, who is only too willing to help her realize she can make mistakes), so that was good to see. I like that she was able to recognize her failings (to some extent, anyway). And she certainly doesn't lack curiosity or chutzpah. However, I thought — for a book set in 1891 — that she sounded a little too modern-minded; a bit much was made of the fact that she didn't do what everyone expected of her. It was kind of like these points were being thrust in the reader's face, as though to say, "You'll like Dora, because she's spunky and she doesn't conform to societal standards, and she enjoys solving mysteries just like her dad!"

In terms of side characters, some of them weren't very well fleshed-out at all, and I had trouble keeping track of the details — who was who, who knew what, who was related to whom, etc. Also, I found the characterization inconsistent at times. Peter has wild mood swings and is very unpredictable; in one scene, he'll be overly protective, in the next he'll be joking around. It's difficult to know how he's going to react to something. I liked him when he was teasing, but other times he seemed to be a completely different person, showing off his moody, broody side. I'm not sure if that's just his personality or if it's a reflection of the writing quality. Then there's Agatha, who is a young, pregnant girl who gives off a bit of a "lost sheep" sort of vibe. Towards the end, though, she starts sounding much older, saying things that don't seem authentic for her age and character.
 

Best aspect: the interactions between Cartwright and Dora, which were pretty darn adorable sometimes. They've got the whole bickering-but-secretly-we-kind-of-like-each-other thing going on. It didn't reach the level of "romance" but there were certainly hints in that direction. Cartwright was probably my favourite character — he gets most of the amusing lines!

I also really liked the personal stories of Cartwright and Dora that we find out towards the end, and thought they were handled quite sensitively and effectively.

If I could change something... I'd make the mystery itself a whole lot easier to follow. While I appreciate the fact that it wasn't easy to guess in its entirety, it ended up being very convoluted. I got mixed up in all of the details and forgot what the characters were actually trying to solve. When it comes to mysteries, a nudge from the author in one direction or another is often helpful, even if it turns out to be a red herring (as is frequently the case). Instead, I was mired down in all the complexities. 

This confusion was compounded by a writing technique the author employed a few times (especially towards the end, during the climactic scenes) in which information is conveniently withheld from the reader for a while, resulting in something like the "unreliable narrator" device. I find this incredibly frustrating, especially considering this book is written in 1st-person POV. In other words, we should be on the same page as the narrator — and in some scenes I was most definitely not. More than once the reader is not told ahead of time what the plan is, and then the characters go somewhere or do something and you have no idea what their motivations or intentions are. For instance, at one point several of the characters, including Dora, end up in the cemetery for no apparent good reason, and I was left going, "Why are they in the cemetery??? I DON'T UNDERSTAND." (To be perfectly fair, I'm not sure Dora really knew exactly why everyone was hanging out in the cemetery either, but unlike me, she didn't seem particularly concerned about that fact.) Sure, we find out later what they're doing there, but for several pages the reader is left in the dark! If you're going to confuse the reader, fine — but make sure the narrator is confused too. Otherwise it makes for this odd disconnect between the narrator's reaction and the reader's. 

Also, the full explanation for the mystery wasn't particularly satisfying either — it felt like several different secrets got connected together in a really implausible way, instead of having been thought out well at the beginning. The blackmailing storyline, which is one of the main reasons Dora goes to London in the first place, ends up taking a spot on the sidelines; I thought this was a shame since I would have liked to have gotten more of Adelaide's story, particularly about her (somewhat troubling, from the sound of it) relationship with her husband.

If you haven't read it: you're not missing that much. But sure, if you like books set in the Victorian era and couples who bicker, and you don't mind being unclear about what's going on at any given time, you might enjoy Secret Letters.

If you have read it: were you as confused as I was in trying to follow the plot?

Just one more thing I want to mention: It doesn't surprise me that this is a debut novel. It's pretty easy to read and some of the dialogue is quite charming, but overall the writing style is a little amateur-ish. Tell-tale signs like cliched expressions, overly dramatic metaphors, and an odd 3rd-person perspective that occasionally sneaks in there all point to the fact that this book could have used more editing, or — to be frank — a stronger, more experienced writer. Hopefully that will come with time and practice, and the next in the series (I'm assuming there will be one...) will have a higher quality of writing.

Quote: 

"Oh, and if, by chance, I haven't yet returned," he added with a little smile, "please try to wait for me in the study, or on the sofa, like a normal girl. Not beneath my bed, or inside the chimney, or hanging like a kitten from the curtains. Please."

 

Final verdict: 3 shooting stars. 

Disclaimer: I received this book for review from the publisher.

This book counts towards my goal for the Debut Author reading challenge.
 

 

Pushing the Limits: A Close-Up Review

"No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again." (from Goodreads)

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Characters:

Echo: she's obviously gone through a lot of trauma. It's been suppressed, but under the surface it's tearing her up inside. Since she doesn't know what happened, she's been blaming some people — and there are a couple of people to blame. Namely, her mom and dad, neither of whom really handled the situation well.

Noah: I wasn't crazy about Noah (for reasons which will be mentioned below). However, he has a lot of good qualities — despite his "stereotypical tough guy" facade, he actually really cares about his brothers and his friends. It's sad what he had to go through, but it's great to see how much family means to him. It's also rewarding to watch him opening up to Echo and letting himself love her, since he usually suppresses his emotions and/or covers them up with sex. I liked that he was willing to reach out to Echo and get to know her. He doesn't care very much about what other people think (for instance, what his friends think about him dating Echo), which is also admirable.

His voice occasionally lapses into the overly poetic, but for the most part he sounds fairly authentic for a teen guy (complete with swearing and a general ineloquence about expressing himself).

Echo & Noah: The romance worked on some levels for me, but not entirely. It's a slow-burn romance at first, and the sexual tension is done really well. In some ways their relationship is a lot like Alex's and Brittany's from Perfect Chemistry. However, the romance itself lost some of its appeal for me once they started dating, mainly because of Noah's Neanderthal-like "manly instincts." He's got a bit of a possessive streak, always thinking of Echo as "his girl" or "his siren," etc. Also, this is a personal preference, but I really didn't like the way he called her "baby." (I'm sorry, some people may find it sweet or affectionate or whatever, but it just makes me cringe and think feminist thoughts.)

In a way Noah and Echo balance each other out pretty well. For Echo, Noah is someone who can protect her, and also someone she feels she can count on. He's a bit rough around the edges, and he challenges her and sparks something inside her that guys like Luke never did. And she can stick up for herself with him. However, I think sometimes he pushes her a bit too hard, and doesn't realize how much his words can hurt her.

The friends: Grace bugged me — she cared way too much about status and reputation and wasn't really a friend at all to Echo. Both Grace and Natalie could have used some more dimension, but Lila I liked. She sticks with Echo through thick and thin, and I have to admire her for that. She's really focused on Echo's wellbeing, and she doesn't ever try to make it all about herself. Furthermore, she understands how much support Echo needs and how fragile Echo is. In essence, she's a great best friend.

I thought Noah's friends Isaiah and Beth were more distinctive characters than Natalie and Grace. Isaiah's a really good friend to have in a pinch, and even though Beth comes across as thorny and prickly at first, she's got a soft side (even if she doesn't want to admit it).

Echo's parents:

I didn't like her dad very much. Well, I really didn't like him at the beginning, and by the end I was feeling slightly more charitable towards him. He made some major mistakes, but he seemed to care about Echo and her wellbeing. He's not the greatest dad, but not the worst one either. (His wife Ashley, on the other hand, I didn't like from the start and it stayed that way.)

As for Echo's mom, I think she really has a lot to answer for. I feel like even though the mom has some excuse for her behaviour, what she did later when she met with Echo was not at all what a loving mother should have done. She should have taken more responsibility for her actions, especially considering that she had made what appears to be a selfish choice and it had serious repercussions for Echo. I ended up feeling quite mad at the mom; I don't know how someone could do that to their child. (Major spoilers, highlight to read: I know she was in a deep depression when this happened and she didn't really have control of her actions at that point but A) she shouldn't have gone off the meds and B) when she met up with Echo in the cemetery, she should have said something different. Instead she kept all her emotions at distance, didn't want to talk about what happened, and it wasn't what Echo needed at all for closure. You'd think the mom would have been devastated by what she'd done to her daughter, but instead she just wanted to blame it all on her mental illness and shrug it off. Perhaps her decision to go off the meds was influenced by her bipolar disorder, but you'd think if she'd been on them for a significant period of time, her symptoms would have been mostly under control. I think the only reason she stopped taking her medication is because she wanted her creativity back, and it sounds like this was not the first time she'd gone off them, so I suspect she knew full well what she was getting herself into.)

Premise:

Pushing the Limits provides an excellent portrayal of the difficulty of living with a bipolar parent. Echo feels so torn about her mother. In one way, she loves her and she has good memories of her mom (some of her best memories are of when her mom was in her manic phase), but then she's also scared of her mom, and confused about why her mom would try to hurt her. And that, too, she attributes to her mom's bipolar disorder. Plus, because she looks a lot like her mom and they share an artistic streak, she's worried that's going to translate into her being bipolar too.

I wish Echo could have been told more about her mom's bipolar, and we could have gotten a better glimpse into what her mom was going through, and why she acted the way she did. We don't really get Echo's mom's side of it — namely, because the mom isn't willing to tell it, which is one thing that really frustrated me about her character. Still, I think someone should have sat down with Echo and talked to her more about bipolar disorder. 

And then of course there's the matter of Echo's scars, and everyone judging her. I thought there might actually be more specifically about the scars than there was — she never actually describes them or stares at them herself, although perhaps she's gotten used to them.

The therapist, Mrs. Collins, is very non-thereotically-oriented. She asks a lot of questions, but doesn't really come off as any specific type of approach (like client-centered or CBT, etc.). Mostly she just wants to know how things are going with Echo and Noah. We also see a bit of hypnotism in here too, which is interesting. I'm kind of conflicted about them attempting to pull Echo's memories out. While I understand that Echo wants to know what happened, hypnotic retrieval of memories is really something you should approach with caution. Admittedly, the therapist does this for the most part; she tries to perform the hypnosis in a safe space and she's there with Echo while she's being confronted with all these memories. I have to wonder if maybe it would be better if Echo didn't remember anything at all, but obviously this suppression of memories (causing what feels like a "black hole" in her mind) isn't working for her. She's clearly got some post-traumatic stress disorder — not surprisingly, after what she endured.  

Plot:

This book is compelling in a surprising way. The romance is an essential element, but there are also a lot of "issues" that are handled well for the most part. The mystery of what happened to Echo that night she can't remember gives the story some direction, and keeps you wanting to read.

That said, there is a part in the book where the general plot lags, and there's not much going on besides the romance. There's also quite a bit of repetition in the kinds of conversations that Echo and Noah have — usually it's either "I need to find out what happened" or "I love my brothers" or "Let's make out." Since the book is fairly long, I think some of these conversations could have been condensed or eclipsed into each other.

I felt good about how things were resolved in the Noah-and-his-brothers storyline. He makes an important decision that allows him to do what he wants in the future. (Spoilers: I'm glad that he realized his brothers were better off with the foster parents. While I admired his tenacity in wanting to keep his promise of having his brothers live with him, ultimately he made the mature decision. His life is his own, he can go on to college, and he won't feel tied down to his brothers. I think he could have grown to resent them if he'd tried to get his brothers back, because they'd be preventing him from doing what he really wanted to with his life.)
 

Both Echo and Noah end up in a pretty good place, and I was pleased about that because they have both been through a lot and deserve some breaks for once. However, I thought it was just a little too much of a happy ending — almost everything gets resolved nicely, and it's rather drawn out. Spoilers: Echo's relationship with Ashley starts to get repaired, she's on much better terms with her dad, she and Noah both get scholarships to the same college, he can see his brothers whenever he wants, and they're going on a trip to Colorado. Basically, there are several conversations with some kinda cheesy emotional bonding going on. Also, it's a shame that we don't get a bit of closure with Mrs. Collins — it's like she drops out at the end.

Final verdict: 3.5 shooting stars. I thought it was overly stretched out, without enough substance (there was a heavy focus on the romance) and too much repetition in the conversations. But, on the whole I enjoyed reading it and found the psychology quite interesting.

Note: There is some mature language/content in this book.

Disclaimer: I received this as an e-book through Netgalley.

This book counts towards my goals for the Debut Author reading challenge and the Just Contemporary reading challenge.

 

Wicked Sweet: A Panoramic Review

"Chantal is a planner, and her summer-before-senior-year plan requires best friend Jillian, resumé updating, and studying for AP classes. Jillian wants something different and is afraid to leave introverted Chantal in the dust. All that changes, though, when popular classmates Parker and Will suspiciously start hanging out with the girls.

Chantal only sees one thing: Jillian ditching her for Parker—a guy who can’t even be trusted! Chantal hatches a new plan, one that will expose Parker and Will for what they truly are, and along the way, get her best friend back with the littlest lie and a lot of mouthwatering cake. After all, what are best friends for?" (from Goodreads)

Wicked Sweet by Mar'ce Merrell
 
My reaction: 

I wasn't that impressed with this one; in fact, I even skimmed towards the end. The main reason I kept reading was to see if Chantal and Will would end up together and if Will was a good guy underneath his misogynistic, chauvinistic pig attitude (spoiler, highlight if you want to know the answer: no, he isn't! He's just a jerkish sleazebag.) I also wanted to know what was going to happen with all the cakes and the final reveal, which was unfortunately a let-down.

I wasn't a big fan of any of the characters (it's told from 4 perspectives). Parker is a boring, clueless dope who is very self-absorbed in some ways. Things just tend to go right over his head. And yet, somehow he's the kind of guy that everyone loves — and he knows it. Jillian's a typical YA teenage girl, who's trying out something new by entering the world of dating and fashion. The story involving her mom and brothers was more interesting, but not exactly feel-good, and it meant that Jillian was stressed all the time because of what she had to deal with at home. Plus, she and Parker didn't have much chemistry, which meant a bland romance for the pair of them.

Chantal comes across as a little strange (intentionally, I'm sure), as she's not so adept socially and she's quite geeky. She's a pretty relatable character and I had to sympathize with her being the butt of all these jokes and getting bullied. Chantal feels scared and unsure a lot of the time, and has panic attacks, so there's definitely an element of anxiety that she struggles with. When she starts baking cakes, she starts losing weight and gains significant measure of self-esteem. It was neat to see that coordinated with a hobby like baking. But the only character I found really interesting was Will, and not in a good way! He was slimy-jerk kind of interesting — although he undeniably had personality.

The actual storyline was super implausible in terms of the whole cake-as-revenge scheme (who would really care if some guy was receiving cakes from a secret admirer?). It really wasn't logical and the whole celebrity aspect was just preposterous. Basically, the plot ended up being a bunch of build-up for something that wasn't particularly spectacular.

Best aspect: its portrayal of different kinds of families. Jillian's family is unusual — she has lots of brothers, a terrible mother, and "dads" who wander in and out of her life. Chantal has parents who pressure her to do well in school, presenting the image of a "perfect home" but not really being there for her emotionally. The only thing that makes Will sympathetic at all is that he has a really mean dad who is verbally abusive to him and his mom. Will's mom is a bit of a pushover and gives into his dad but really loves Will. Parker has rich, elitist parents who care a lot about status and want the same kind of lifestyle for their son.

Also, I liked the friendship that develops between Chantal and Anneliese. Anneliese appears at the start to be a stereotypical popular girl, but she ends up taking Chantal under her wing a little and helping her out. It was sweet to see that friendship grow between two such completely different personality types. 

 

If I could change something... Good grief, where do I start?

I'd:

a) come up with a better way for Chantal to get back at Will. Seriously, she can discover her love for baking on her own time.

b) bring Mitch into the picture as a potential love interest much earlier in the book, so we actually have a chance to get to know him and aren't left going, "Mitch? That guy who appeared in, like, one scene earlier? Huh?" Either that or make Will's character far more appealing, and axe Mitch entirely. 

c) Give some of the characters much-needed depth — for instance, Chantal's parents. Right now they're more like cardboard cut-outs.

d) Breathe some life into the Parker-Jillian romance! 

e) Wrap it up with an exciting finale. The ending here is all about how Chantal stands up for herself, demonstrating that she's gained confidence. I see the point, but it was just kind of cheesily cliche. More importantly, Will deserved greater humiliation! 

If you haven't read it: don't bother, unless this is the only book you've got at hand and you've run out of other options for filling your time.

If you have read it: agree with my assessment? Disagree?

Quote: 

Visions of Will laughing at me make me cough, as if I'm allergic to mere thoughts of him. I cough harder. I have to turn the mixer off because my coughing fit is becoming a panic attack.


I can't catch my breath. Past my kitchen windows is the darkest night and I'm under the lights. The shark is out there. I fly through the house pulling down blinds, shutting curtains, turning off lights, until it's only me again, in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. How could I have been so exposed?


I'm so desperate I consider calling my mother to ask for her advice. She'll say, with friends like that you don't need enemies. Next year, I'll be homeschooled.

Final verdict: 2.5 shooting stars. This book wasn't terrible, it was just a pretty boring, flat kind of read. I was quite into it at one point, but then it got so far-fetched and the characters weren't developing the way I wanted them to. In the end, it just didn't go in the direction I was hoping for.

Disclaimer: I received this as an ARC for review from the publisher.
 
This book counts towards my goals for the Just Contemporary reading challenge and the Debut Author reading challenge.

Something Like Normal: A Psychtember Review

Patient: Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Presentation (from Goodreads): "When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero."

Assessment:

Axis 1. Characters

The characterization in Something Like Normal is wonderful. Travis has one of the most authentic and yet still appealing guy voices I've read in quite a while — and this is coming from someone who doesn't typically like 1st-person teen guy POVs. It's difficult for me to find books with a male teen narrator where I'm interested in what they're saying and can connect to them on some level, and I feel like Trish Doller really accomplished that with Travis. He's a flawed character, to be sure; his behaviour's less than ethical at times, he shows spurts of temper, and though he recognizes he has some psychological issues, he's not quite ready yet to take the step of admitting he needs help. And yet despite these flaws, there's something very attractive about him. I like his honesty, and the way he doesn't take flack from people. 

I feel like he wants to be a better person, and he realizes that he's a better person when he's around Harper, so he wants to be with her. It's neat that we get to be inside Travis' head and see him starting to fall for Harper and care about someone in a way he hasn't before. As for Harper, I appreciated that she stood up for herself and didn't let him walk over her. I think they're good for each other — Travis is pretty bitter and jaded at the beginning, and as Harper softens him up he starts to become more hopeful. She seems like a steady girl who will keep him grounded. Paige provides a nice foil for Harper, since Travis feels very differently about each of them.


Travis' dad is a very generic, "All American" sports dude. He doesn't ever really venture out of cliche, but he's obviously intended to be disliked — and he certainly succeeds at serving that purpose. Basically, he's one of those really irritating dads who want to live vicariously through their kid, and want to see their kid do well so they can be hotshots. He reminded me a lot of the jock's dad in The Breakfast Club, who's pressuring his son all the time. In short, he's a jerk.

In contrast, Travis' mom actually cares about her son, and it's really sweet to see that. I like that he's standing up for his mom, and that they're getting to know each other better after so many years of her sitting on the sidelines while his dad railed at him. 

It's clear that Travis had a strong connection with Charlie (a fellow Marine and friend who was killed) and that their friendship was very important to him. We don't see that kind of emotional bond very often with male characters (at least, not in YA), so it was refreshing to see that level of connection here.

Axis 2. Premise/plot

There isn't much action happening here, but it's quite short and surprisingly readable — I breezed through it in just a couple of days. It could have been a little more dramatic in places (for instance, the PTSD could have been amped up) and I wish a few of the storylines had been more fleshed out. I never felt like we had a good grip on Travis' relationship with his brother Ryan, so I would have liked to have seen more of that (Ryan just seems to get dropped out of the story after a certain scene). More information about the political side of things in Afghanistan would also have been interesting, although obviously that isn't the point of this book. Rather, it's all about Travis' recovery and his emotional healing process, and that is done really well.

In terms of the ending, things wrapped up awfully fast, with a lot being resolved within just the last few chapters, and I think it could have been stretched out a bit more. It seemed too neat and easy a conclusion, with a couple of "heart-to-heart" conversations that dipped into cheesy/sappy. The closing letter was a nice touch, though. While the ending is hopeful, it left me feeling sad in some ways, too. Overall, it's a kind of bittersweet book, not entirely uplifting — Charlie's dead at the beginning and so obviously he's still dead at the end. I was glad that Travis winds up in a better place emotionally, though.

Axis 3. Writing Style

Trish Doller's ear for the male teen voice is impressive. A lot of female authors writing YA novels with male perspectives don't succeed at this aspect, but the way Travis talks and thinks seems quite "guy-like". Most of the dialogue is authentic, and Doller does not shy away from coarse language/references and distasteful jokes in some situations (for example, when Travis is hanging out with his Marine pals). While crude conversation isn't something I really enjoy, I can appreciate that it feels real.
 

Axis 4. Psychological Accuracy

Travis' main psychological problem is quite obvious: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He displays some of the classic symptoms, such as nightmares/difficulty sleeping, startling easily (gunshots set him off), flashbacks, and a dislike of talking about his time spent in Afghanistan. These symptoms fit quite neatly with the DSM-IV criteria. 

In addition to these, he exhibits signs of psychosis in the form of hallucinations — usually of Charlie. Apparently it's not unusual to experience psychotic symptoms along with PTSD, so this is also in line with research on trauma. 

It's interesting that we're shown a little of how another soldier has reacted differently. Kevlar turns to alcohol and thrill-seeking; he wants an adrenaline rush all the time, the kind that he got in Afghanistan and doesn't get anymore. Adrenaline seems to act similarly to an addictive substance for some individuals. I suspect these are also signs of PTSD — indeed, the upcoming DSM-V has added "reckless or self-destructive behavior" to the list. 

I would have liked to have seen the stigma of mental health issues, especially in the military, discussed a little more. It's touched on slightly (in particular, Travis states, "The evaluation is also supposed to gauge our mental wellness, but that's a joke. We say everything is okay because the fastest way to wreck your career is to admit it's not.") but not addressed in detail. I also wish we'd gotten a glimpse of Travis' therapy, but it's just mentioned at the very end in passing.

 
Validity Score: How psychologically accurate was Something Like Normal?

Axis 5. Miscellaneous

I liked that it's not too preachy, and that the author isn't taking a strong political stand here. As I mentioned earlier, politics don't play a big role, but when they do surface they aren't handled in a black-and-white kind of way. 

A couple of the blurbs on the back of the book use the word "unflinching," which makes it sound like it could be gritty and violent. It's emotionally tough and depressing, definitely, and feels like this is something that someone who's come back from Afghanistan would experience, but there's nothing really graphic in here at all. In fact, I think the "grit" factor could even have been raised a bit more (although I wouldn't want it to degenerate into gratuitous violence).
 

Patient shares symptoms with: BADD by Tim Tharp, The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt, Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick

Patient's statement:

I lift my beer cup for a drink. Dirt fills the lines of my hand, and my fingers are stained with blood. The cup slips from my grasp, splashing beer across the top of the table. Paige jumps off Ryan's lap, shrieking something at me, but I don't understand what she's saying. My chest is tight and I'm having trouble breathing.

I have to get out of here.
 

Diagnosis: 4 shooting stars. This is definitely a good book to check out if you're interested in PTSD or soldiers' reactions to war, or if you're looking for a distinctive and sympathetic male teen narrator. It doesn't bring anything really novel to the subjects of war and trauma, but it excels in characterization and relationships.

This book counts towards my goals for the Debut Author challenge, the Just Contemporary challenge and the New Adult reading challenge.

Note: This book contains some coarse language/references and sexual content. 

Also, I interviewed Trish Doller earlier this month! 

For more information about PTSD, see here.