Chopsticks
Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: February 2, 2012
Pages: 272
Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge

Rating: 4 stars

After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song “Chopsticks.”

But nothing is what it seems, and Glory’s reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it’s up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along…. 

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral was such a fun, neat book. It was a really fast read, and frankly was just cool.

Chopsticks is a picture book, with words on some of the pages to lead you along in the story. I loved being able to see their story, in addition to just read it. It gives you a lot of background that normal books don’t necessarily always give you. There were some really cool pictures, and most of the pages with pictures of Glory and Frank were just adorable.

The plot was really intriguing, though I was left unsure of a few things. I never quite understood how Glory and Frank’s relationship started, which made me not connect completely with that aspect of the story.  I thought there was a lot with Glory that made it really easy to connect with her.

This was a really fun break from typical reading, and fun venture into a new type of book. I would definitely read more from this dynamic duo!

Collision
Stefne Miller
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Pages: 333
Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge

Rating: 5 stars 

Cab Stone has it all—fame, fortune and the adoration of millions of women across the globe. When the constant attention from fans and expectations from his handlers becomes too much, he escapes the craziness of press junkets and movie sets and escapes to Asheville, North Carolina to hide away for the summer. 

He expects peace, quiet, and solitude. What he doesn’t expect is to meet a fiery redhead who changes everything he knows about the world. 

The daughter of missionaries, Kei Sallee lives a life of service to others. She has little, expects less, and helps heal the hearts of thousands in Uganda, where she grew up. When she finds herself staying in the same guesthouse as Cab Stone, she vows to ignore his Greek god good looks and spend the summer as she had planned—in peace, quiet, and solitude. 

Cab and Kei’s lives couldn’t be more different…or more the same. 

Despite, or perhaps because of, their vastly different yet startlingly similar backgrounds, Cab and Kei strike up an unlikely friendship that could possibly blossom into something more. But Kei fears that the truth about her past will prevent pretty-boy Cab, who is used to getting everything he wants, from fully committing to her. 

When two completely different worlds experience a Collision, can they exist as one?

Stefne Miller is one of those people who has this crazy amount of talent that I can’t even really fathom it. With each book, she just proves this more and more, and Collision, it was her best book yet. Collision was one of those books that just felt right. And I’m not really sure if that makes sense as a statement, but everything about Collision like it was just meant to be.

Collision‘s story was just beautiful. Beautiful and entrancing to a T.  I was smiling like a fool for a good portion of the book. The overall mood of the book was just contagious. The happy, light-hearted moments are definitely balanced with the more serious aspects of the book. There are some of the most adorable scenes ever – like the camping scene Kei and Cabot go on. I could have kept reading this one for many more pages, and was so sad when it ended.

The characters in Collision were fantastic. Millie was a total show stealer! I loved her. I almost fell out of my chair laughing from some of the scenes with her. Kei and Cabot were such an adorable and unlikely pair. I loved how both had their flaws, and it made them so much more likable.  There was something so special about the both of them.

Collision holds one of the top five heartbreaking endings in all of YA Lit I think. I still am thinking about it days after I finished. I had some severe emotions over it. It shows what kind of writer Stefne Miller is: One who isn’t afraid to really make an impact with an ending.

Now Collision is a christian fiction YA, but don’t let that scare you off. I’ve had a discussion with several people over this book, and several people have told me they wouldn’t read it solely because of that. I was completely baffled. I despise the stigma that surrounds anything with a Christian label on it. The Christian element is there, sure, Kei is a missionary, but it really is by no means a “shove it down your throat” part of the book or anything. I mean, it’s there, just make of it what you will. Collision holds an amazing story and I would hate for anyone to miss it for a simple reason such as that.

Collision by Stefne Miller is undoubtedly one of the best books of 2012. Stefne Miller is a rising star in YA, and it’s only a matter of time before she breaks big. I cannot wait to see what she will write next, whatever it is I will start counting down the days until it  releases. Don’t miss out on one amazing book, as the characters will charm you til tomorrow and the plot is absolutely entrancing.

Take a Bow
Elizabeth Eulberg
Publisher:  Point
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Pages: 278
Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge

Rating: 5 stars 

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it’s been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn’t sure how to admit that he’d rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg has been one of those books I have been excited about since the first day I heard about it. I have been acting, singing, and dancing for essentially as long as I can remember, so everything about Take a Bow was one of those books I just couldn’t wait for. Take a Bow was every bit as magical as I was hoping for. Elizabeth Eulberg has written another masterpiece, and I cannot wait to see what is next for her.

I love any books dealing with performing and music, but it was really neat how Elizabeth Eulberg incorporated four different points of views. That brought the story to another level, since I just love any book that does multiple point of views well. Following the stories of four teens at a performing arts school is about as cool of a story as one can get, and I loved following the drama and the ups and downs of their every day life.

Elizabeth Eulberg has an almost musical quality about her writing – it is just beautiful. I was instantly drawn in to the story – I could scarcely put it down. Take a Bow was one of those books that I carried with me everywhere, and finished it in one day. It’s that good.

Elizabeth Eulberg nailed all the characters. I have known way too many Sophie’s in my life, so it was really interesting to get inside her head. I just loved the rest of the characters. Ethan, Carter, Jack, and Ben were too awesome. They were some of the best friends you could ever ask for. Emme was such a well written character and was a character who I think everyone can relate to in some way. Emme has a lot of insecurities and I found myself relating to her a lot. And Ethan – I could not get enough of his point of view.

I just had no words upon finishing this one. I loved Take a Bow even more than Prom and Prejudice, which is saying a lot. Elizabeth Eulberg is one of those authors who I’m pretty sure who can write anything and it will be awesome. I was completely entranced by Take a Bow from page one, and was sad to have finished, as I know that means waiting another year for another Elizabeth Eulberg book. Take a Bow is one of the best books of the year, and one you will be sad to miss.