Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
Grab the book you are currently reading and randomly post two non-spoiler sentences.
The Book
7 Souls by Barnabas Miller & Jordan Orlando
Pages: 300
Release date: March 28th 2011
Genre: YA, contemporary, paranormal, mystery
Ages: 15+
Synopsis: Mary expected her seventeenth birthday to be a blowout to remember, courtesy of her best friends, fellow New York City prepsters Amy and Joon, and her doting boyfriend, Trick.
Instead, the day starts badly and gets worse. After waking up in a mortifying place with a massive, unexplainable hangover, Mary soon discovers that nobody at school is even aware that it's her birthday. As evening approaches, paranoia sets in. Mary just can't shake the feeling that someone is out to get her—and, as it turns out, she's right. Before the night is over, she's been killed in cold blood.
But murder is just the beginning of Mary's ordeal. Her soul gets trapped in a strange limbo, and she must relive the day of her death through the eyes of seven people—each of whom, she finds, had plenty of reasons to hate her. As Mary explores the mysteries of her world, discovering secrets that were hidden in plain sight while she was alive, she clings desperately to the hope that she can solve her own murder, change the past, and—just maybe—save her own life.
With its blend of suspense, horror, fantasy, and realism, 7 Souls is an adrenaline rush of a thriller.
The Teaser
"There was the pain, first and last, that booming drumbeat of agony in her head--the kind of pain that made her want to curl up and die. It was woefully familiar. She recognized that pounding, that rhythm: her heartbeat, as slow and regular as a muffled bass drum from the worst band in the world, playing their worst song over and over."
(pg. 1 - first lines)
Mysterious, eh? Can't wait to delve into this book!!
Hope you enjoy this week's Teaser Tuesday!
This week's question:
What do you think of the title of this book: "7 Souls"? Fitting or disastrous?
Sixteen-year-old, music- and sound design-obsessed Drea doesn’t have friends. She has, as she’s often reminded, issues. Drea’s mom and a rotating band of psychiatrists have settled on “a touch of Asperger’s.”
Having just moved to the latest in a string of new towns, Drea meets two other outsiders. And Naomi and Justin seem to actually like Drea. The three of them form a band after an impromptu, Portishead-comparison-worthy jam after school. Justin swiftly challenges not only Drea’s preference for Poe over Black Lab but also her perceived inability to connect with another person. Justin, against all odds, may even like like Drea.
It’s obvious that Drea can’t hide behind her sound equipment anymore. But just when she’s found not one but two true friends, can she stand to lose one of them?
My thoughts:
Drea has never been good with people: always the "odd sock", the social misfit, the freak. She doesn't need her mother to remind her, and others, of her additional "disclaimer" -- that she has been admitted, by professionals, with a hint of Asperger's. Drea doesn't get why she's always had such a hard time understanding the unspoken language of being socially adept; she prefers to stick to her love of music over conforming along with all the "common denominators" anyway . . . . But along with her latest move with her mum, for the first time she finds people who seem to care about her.
That cover is perfect for the book. It really takes on a new meaning once you've read through it. Sure, one look at the cover and I knew I needed to read it, but now? Now, it's become more, a little bit more special. I've always loved this cover, and the presentation of the book in itself is lovely. The jacket flap has a sort of sheen to it. Not incredibly shiny (like Unearthly), but really smooth.
The characters are well-drawn out and have depth and complexities to them that I really appreciated and is really, really important in a contemporary novel. Drea is snarly and keeps to herself. I liked her character a whole lot, and I found it hard not to as Kelly so very easily gave Drea vulnerabilities that elicited sympathy towards her. Her neighbour and to-be best friend, Naomi, was a little bit different. She had that same love of music that Drea had, but she's airy and reckless and fun. Then there is Justin, who Drea meets on her, and his, first day of school. He's cool enough and I love their moments together. The interactions between these best friends seemed genuine and realistic.
The story is groundbreaking and chilled me to the bone. Kelly knows how to create a quiet story that slowly creeps up on you. You don't even realise that something has changed until something big has occurred. To me, a great contemporary novel is one that is quiet and full of precise little moments, and dramatic and life-altering scenes when the author has built the characters up with personalities and lives and you get them. There was a lot of head-shaking in this book, because drugs and smoking and booze play quite a big part in among all the music and friendship and boy-craziness. And that's fine, because it shapes the characters and gave the book a whole different edge, claiming a place in with the title, "older YA". This is one of those books I can see getting censored in the future, which would be a shame because it's powerful and is so much more than the partying and drugs.
At its core, Harmonic Feedback is about finding a place in the world: having friends for the first time in for ever; hiding inside a hobby or passion (e.g. music); not wanting to let a supposed mental disorder define who you are. Kelly understands this. She knows what it's like to be thrown into a box for being different. This book is quite a heavy read, but it's one I'd definitely read again, and I'll be looking out for Amplified, which is Kelly's second novel coming out in 2011.
Quotes:
First Line
"ONE IN THIRTY-EIGHT. Bet on a single number in roulette, and those are the odds of winning. Getting struck by lightning is a little more difficult--one in seven hundred thousand. Winning the lottery? Forget it."
After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the upcoming prom. Scholarship student, Lizzie Bennett, can neither afford nor is interested in designer dresses and shoes, but her best friend Jane is; especially as her crush, Charles Bingley, is returning from a semester in the UK.
Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles's friend Will Darcy, who'd snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn't seem to like Lizzie, either, and she assumes it is because her family has no money. But if Will Darcy is such a jerk, why does Lizzie find herself so drawn to him?
Will Lizzie's pride and Darcy's prejudice keep them apart, or will they overcome their mutual distrust and accept their attraction? Elizabeth Eulberg has created a delightful modern-day romp through the well known parlour rooms of Jane Austen's world, it is a love story to entertain and engage as much now as then.
My thoughts:
Not long ago, I read Eulberg's debut novel, The Lonely Hearts Club, which I was disappointed by. But after hearing so many good things about Prom and Prejudice, I was excited and very willing to give the author a second go. And I'm so glad I did, because this book was just amazing. I'll begin by admitting that I have not yet read all of Pride and Prejudice. I normally have a hard time sticking with long books, which is why I normally do not get to the end of classics. *ahem* Anyway, that's beside the point, because after having read this delicately written novel I cast it in my bucket list without hesitation.
Lizzie Bennett, the talented pianist that she is, scored herself a scholarship position in Longbourn Academy, where everyone is rich and hides behind their money. She struggles with her first semester, but she comes out of it alive and with a friend or two -- score! But the hottest event of the year, prom, is quickly approaching. And that means rich, spoiled girls chattering away in the restrooms about what dress they have picked out, who they're going with, and connections-over-connection. After a misfortunate few encounters with Will Darcy, she has him figured out, or so she thought . . . and what about this ex-scholarship student George “Wick” Wickham who seems to be completely charming and fun and so into Lizzie?
The main character, Lizzie, is a strong and exotic character, especially when compared to the 'regular', rich students at the Academy. Told from her perspective, she has been continuously ridiculed and isolated for being a scholarship student. I think that her actions were reasonable, that she made mistakes that were plausible and that any other person could have also done. With all of the pain and misery she had to go through during her time at the Academy, I could not help but feel sympathetic towards her, and the feeling of not belonging (all NSWs and VICs, shudder with me) is something that everyone can relate to. Her best friend at the Academy, Jane, is sweet and despite her lack of distinguished personality, she was loyal to Lizzie through to the end, and I was definitely rooting for her to be happy.
Darcy is a character all his own, and everyone is aware of Darcy and his lingering charm. I think without realising it, I'd fallen for Darcy. I'm sure hoping that he's this "dreamy", for lack of a better word, in the original. He has a withdrawn personality, especially towards scholarship students, and later we are privvy to the reasons as to why he (and possible also all other students at the Academy, to an extent at least) came about to this prejudice. Now that I've read this book, I finally see why people seem to fawn over him.
Prom and Prejudice centralises itself around Longbourn Academy and the social prejudices that come attached with the amount of money students' parents earn. Eulberg's story based on the original, Pride and Prejudice, is entertaining, engaging and will have readers flocking to the classics section.
Quotes:
First Line
"IT IS A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED, THAT A SINGLE girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date."
Favourite Quotes
A non-spoilery-but-still-favouritey-review.
"Darcy clenched his jaw. "You're certainly a harsh critic. Did you maybe even try to get to know us before you began judging?"
"When?" My voice cracked unexpectedly. "When there were food stamps shoved in my mailbox? When I had to scrub off the 'Hobos not wanted' that was scribbled all over my door? When people were throwing things in my face during my first week? Tell me, have you ever had a milkshake thrown in your face?"
Darcy looked embarrassed. He had no idea what I'd been through. And there he was, the King of the Elites, telling me that I was misjudging them."
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
Grab the book you are currently reading and randomly post two non-spoiler sentences.
The Book
The Vespertineby Saundra Mitchell
Pages: 290
Release date: March 7th 2011
Genre: YA, historical, paranormal
Ages: 14+
Synopsis: It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.
When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.
The Teaser
"At once, phantasmal music filled my ears. Strings sang sweetly, high and crying, calling these young sweethearts to sway closer."
(pg. 36)
Hey, look at that. Two, count 'em, two sentences! Only! I think that's a first, haha. Don't worry, it won't happen again. Yeah. This book is quite slow, but rich in lucid description.
Hope you enjoy this week's Teaser Tuesday!
This week's question:
What would you do if you could see into the future?
I don't like Kathryn Pease. I could pretend everything's fine between us. I could be nice to her face, then trash her behind her back. But I think it's better to be honest. I don't like Kathryn, and I'm not afraid to admit it.
KATHRYN
I saw a commercial where singers used their voices to shatter glass, but the whole thing is pretty much a myth. The human voice isn't that strong.
Human hatred is. Anybody who doubts that should feel the hate waves coming off of Brooke Dempsey. But I don't shatter; I'm not made of glass. Anyway, the parts that break aren't on the outside.
~~~
Brooke and Kathryn used to be best friends . . . until the night when Brooke ruthlessly turned on Kathryn in front of everyone. Suddenly Kathryn was an outcast and Brooke was Queen B. Now, as they prepare to face off one last time, each girl must come to terms with the fact that the person she hates most might just be the best friend she ever had.
My thoughts:
Whether you're an aspiring musician, choir member at some point or other, or just the average music appreciator, Sara Bennett Wealer caters to all with her debut novel Rival. With a whole lot of the high school drama that seems to always come with music geeks, as exemplified in the hit TV show Glee, Rival is one book that will keep readers engaged until its heartwarming conclusion.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
