Me on Dreamland

Title: Dreamland
Author: Robert L. Anderson
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen (HarperCollins imprint)

Odea Donahue has been able to travel through people's dreams since she was six years old. Her mother taught her the three rules of walking: Never interfere. Never be seen. Never walk the same person's dream more than once. Dea has never questioned her mother, not about the rules, not about the clocks or the mirrors, not about moving from place to place to be one step ahead of the unseen monsters that Dea's mother is certain are right behind them. Then a mysterious new boy, Connor, comes to town and Dea finally starts to feel normal. As Connor breaks down the walls that she's had up for so long, he gets closer to learning her secret. For the first time she wonders if that's so bad. But when Dea breaks the rules, the boundary between worlds begins to deteriorate. How can she know what's real and what's not?

Dreamland is mysterious and dangerous, a story of rules and secrets, of hidden monsters, of ticking clocks and broken mirrors. Of the truth behind dreams.

Dea is an outsider, constantly on the move with her mother. Few of her peers treat her with respect, the rest falling back on stereotypical name-calling, nasty rumours told behind her back, or keeping their distance from her. Acting like she doesn't matter. But she does. Dea is tired of moving around so much, tired of not knowing the truth. Dea wants a normal teenage life, even though she has to walk in people's dreams in order to keep living. When Connor moves to town, when his bright and friendly personality draw her in, Dea feels normal. Finally. She feels like a real teenage girl with a crush. But there are still rules to the dream walking. And Connor's appeal to Dea is the breaking point. After that, after someone goes missing, what will Dea do next? How far will she have to run?

The dream walking is some intriguing world-building. The different ways they shift and move around Dea as she walks. The ways they let her in or attempt to keep her out. In this book it's not all about the dreams having meaning, dreams holding the secrets to our hopes and fears. There is some of that, Dea can't escape that with Connor, but there's a bigger picture to find in dreams. What if there was a world beyond dreams? What if Dea and her mother weren't the only walkers?

There are a number of layers here, a number of mysteries and secrets combined to make up the book as a whole. The secret past of Dea and her mother. The secrets of Connor. The broken mirrors. The monsters in the nightmares. The dream world. I can see where some might find it a bit clunky or confusing with so much going on, the book is part mystery/thriller part paranormal/magical realism, but stick with it. I found it interesting, I wanted to know what would happen to Dea, where she would go, what the secrets of the dream world were. It vaguely reminds me of Magonia, how there's an ending but it could very well continue into another book. For fans of paranormal mysteries with a twist.

(I downloaded an e-galley of this title from HarperCollins through Edelweiss.)

Me on This Week's Book Week (170)

This Week's Book Week is rather similar to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews only with far more rambling and a less witty title. ;)

It was nice and cool this week, but because of the rain the smell of wet dog filled everyone's noses. Also, because of the weekend wind storm, the power was knocked out and didn't come back on for 2 days. I think we would've fared better if we had a full propane tank in the BBQ. It ran out as we tried to cook Saturday evening, and because everything was closed due to the lack of power, we had to improvise terribly.

Now, you'd think I got a lot of reading done over those 2 days of no power. Well, I did... they just weren't all review books. *head-desk* I know, but I was in a mood. Sometimes I get in reading moods that tell review books to go away. I'm slowly getting back on track, though. (Very slowly.)

Reviews going up next week will feature Dreamland by Robert L. Anderson (Tuesday) and This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee (Friday). :)

Bought/borrowed/received:

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig (downloaded from HarperCollins/Edelweiss)
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine (downloaded from HarperCollins/Edelweiss)
A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (downloaded from HarperCollins/Edelweiss)

Me on Tonight the Streets Are Ours

Title: Tonight the Streets Are Ours
Author: Lelia Sales
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux (Macmillan imprint)

Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom. Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter. When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him. During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either.

Tonight the Streets Are Ours is insight into a teenage mind, into her thoughts and opinions, the way she sees the world and the people around her. It's a look at truth, that what's on the surface isn't the same as what's inside someone, that the line between truth and fiction can blur so well you can't tell one from the other.

Arden is kind and loyal to those she holds close. But there aren't as many people in her corner as corners she's in. Her family? Distant. Her best friend? Keeping secrets. Her boyfriend? Too focused on his dream. No one's really there for her 100%. They are there, but not as much. And she doesn't necessarily call them out on it. She just waits, hoping they'll get the picture, that they'll stop and listen to what she wants and needs, but they don't. She's a bit of a doormat when it comes to certain people. Which is why Peter's blog resonated with her. In him she sees someone who also isn't as appreciated or cared for. Like her. Or rather, in his stories posted online, she sees someone like her. When they meet, things aren't what Arden thought they'd be like, and Peter isn't the person she thought he was.

There's a line that separates truth and fiction. That line can be so easily blurred, for example, when it comes to blogging. How does the reader know that what's posted, what's claimed to be true, is actually true? Why do we trust so quickly, so easily? Can we be swayed so easily by words that sound heartfelt and honest when they could very easily be complete fabrications? We all choose what to believe in, who to believe, but perhaps we shouldn't be so quick with handing our trust over in some cases. Especially when it comes to people we 'meet' or 'know' online.

As a fan of the author's previous book This Song Will Save Your Life but not a big reader of contemporary YA, I was somewhat interested in this. I'm on the fence when it comes to this book. I liked Arden's journey, how she figured things out about herself as well as other people. I think what I didn't like is something that I imagine most are guilty of, and that is being self-centered as a teen. A number of chaaracters, like Arden and her friends, seem like they don't care about anything that doesn't involve them. Which is typical for many teens. I'm certainly guilty of caring more about what someone could do for me or what was happening to me than what was happening to a friend or classmate. Maybe it's because a number of side characters didn't seem, to me, to have much substance, and so I just wanted to know what happened to Arden. I don't think this book and I really got along well. But if you are a fan of contemporary YA books like this one, one that seems rather true to teens and their opinions, their ways of thinking and acting, then feel free to give this one a read.

(I received and e-galley of this title to review from Macmillan through Raincoast Books.)

Me on Waiting on Wednesday (242)

Waiting on Wednesday is a bunch of weekly fun hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. :)

Title: Behold the Bones
Author: Natalie C. Parker
Release Date: February 23, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen (HarperCollins imprint)

From Goodreads:

Candace “Candy” Pickens has been obsessed with the swamp lore of her tiny Louisiana town for . . . forever. Name any ghostly swamp figure and Candy will recite the entire tale in a way that will curl your toes and send chills up your spine.

That doesn’t mean Candy’s a believer, however. Even though she and her friends entered the swamp at the start of summer and left it changed, Candy’s the only one who can’t see or feel the magical swamp Shine. She’s also the only one who can’t see the ghosts that have been showing up and spooking everyone in town ever since. So Candy concentrates on other things—real things. Like fighting with her mother and plotting her escape from her crazy town.

But ghosts aren’t the only newcomers in Sticks, Louisiana. The King family arrives like a hurricane: in a blur and unwanted—at least by Candy. Mr. King is intent on filming the rumored ghostly activity for his hit TV show, Local Haunts. And while Candy can’t ignore how attracted she is to eighteen-year-old Gage King and how much his sister, Nova, wants to be friends, she’s still suspicious of the King family.

As Candy tries to figure out why the Kings are really in town and why the swamp that had previously cast her aside now seems to be invading every crack in her logical, cynical mind, she stumbles across the one piece of swamp lore she didn’t know. It’s a tale that’s more truth than myth, and may have all the answers . . . and its roots are in Candy’s own family tree.

I rather enjoyed Natalie's first book Beware the Wild. Very creepy, very swampy, very mysterious and secretive. And Candy was an interesting character. I'm intrigued to see how she'll carry this book as the main character and what ghosts will come up out of the swamp this time around.

Me on Storm

Title: Storm
Author: Amanda Sun
Release Date: June 30, 2015
Publisher: Harlequin Teen (Harlequin imprint)

After almost a year in Japan, Katie Greene has finally unearthed the terrible secret behind her boyfriend Tomohiro's deadly ability to bring drawings to life—not only is he descended from Kami, the ancient Japanese gods, but he is the heir to a tragedy that occurred long ago, a tragedy that is about to repeat. Even as the blood of a vengeful god rages inside Tomo, Katie is determined to put his dark powers to sleep. In order to do so, she and Tomo must journey to find the three Imperial Treasures of Japan. Gifts from the goddess Amaterasu herself, these treasures could unlock all of the secrets about Tomo's volatile ancestry and quell the ink's lust for destruction. But in order to complete their quest, Tomo and Katie must confront out-of-control Kami and former friend Jun, who has begun his own quest of revenge against those he believes have wronged him. To save the world, and themselves, Katie and Tomo will be up against one of the darkest Kami creations they've ever encountered—and they may not make it out alive.

Storm is weaving its way to a conclusion, one predicted to end in betrayal, heartbreak, and death. But will it? Or will the ink take hold, refusing to let go?

Katie's determination is at an all-time high here. She's focused on finding a way to save Tomo from the battle inside him, to quiet the raging ink running through his veins. He's not the only one suffering now, Katie's dreams are becoming more intense, more dangerous and important, but Tomo's definitely in more pain than Katie. Katie's ability is diluted, she isn't under a constant barrage of voices, urges, and ink dripping from her fingers. Because she has some ability, because she can see the goddess Amaterasu in her dreams, she's able to help Tomo search. But will she be the one to save him when those in previous lives never could?

I'd said that with the second book it felt like the romance took over in some spots. Here it all clicked for me. The romance, the searching, the danger the ink presents for Tomo's sanity and survival. There are moments of real life, moments of homework and school time, of Katie hanging out with Yuki, of kendo practice, but there are more pressing matters at hand.

This book goes even deeper into Japanese mythology, into the myth of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, Tsukiyomi, the god of the moon, and Susano, the god of storms and the sea. Into their origin, their relationships, and their tragedies. The stories are darker than I'd imagined, filled with betrayal, jealousy, love, rage, and twisted emotions. As Katie and Tomo travel to different shrines and temples looking for the three Imperial Treasures of Japan, I was intrigued by how spiritual Japanese people are, how it's something they continue to hold close in the 21st century. Their point of view is different to my own Western/North American one that isn't as spiritual or religious. This is something that books do well, then the author has done their due diligence with research. They portray/share lives, beliefs, and points of view that differ from those of the reader.

I've said before that I've enjoyed the books in this trilogy, that this darkly magical twist to Japanese mythology is something I've grabbed hold of with both hands and devoured. As always, I do hope the author's gotten everything right. The mythology, the sights and sounds of Japan, the language and the customs. For those looking for a now complete trilogy heavy with romance, teen angst and confusion, and Japan's rich history and mythology, give this a read.

(I won a copy of this title through Goodreads First Reads.)