YA ARC Review: The Summer Invitation by Charlotte Silver

The Summer Invitation
Author: Charlotte Silver
Publication: Roaring Brook Press (May 20, 2014)

Description: When Franny and her older sister, Valentine, are summoned by their aunt Theodora from foggy San Francisco to sunny New York City for one summer, they are taken to timeless locales like Bemelmans Bar and the Sherry-Netherland and instructed on how to be a lady by their chaperone, Clover, Aunt Theodora’s protégé. Franny is thrilled by all of the sophisticated outings, but Valentine has more pressing concerns. Boys! As they wander around New York City going lingerie shopping and learning about the simple elegance of a cucumber sandwich, they unearth secrets about Aunt Theo’s romantic past and even have a few romantic adventures of their own, in Charlotte Silver's The Summer Invitation.

My Thoughts: I have very mixed feelings about this story. It felt very nostalgic and yet it was a contemporary story. It was narrated by Franny Lord, age fourteen. Franny seemed both young for fourteen and much more mature, literate, and thoughtful than fourteen. She was the observer more than the participant in the summer that she and her sister had when they were invited to visit New York City and stay in their Aunt Theo's apartment with Clover for their chaperone.

Franny and her seventeen-year-old sister Valentine were both eager for adventures. Valentine was especially eager for romance. They have never met their Aunt Theo who was actually a friend of their mother's from her Paris days and not a relative at all. Aunt Theo is a figure of mystery throughout the story. We hear her opinions as expressed by Clover and by the friends of hers that we meet.

Largely, nothing really happens in this story. We do get lots of trips to nostalgic New York City places like the Sherry-Netherland Hotel, Bemelmans Bar, and the Frick Museum. We visit a few vintage clothing stores and even shop for lingerie. And in all those venues, we get Aunt Theo's opinions on the proper clothing and attitudes of young ladies.

One of the many problems I had with the story was the freedom that both Franny and Valentine had. Who really turns two young girls loose in New York City to explore and have adventures? In one part, Franny goes to a bar to meet one of Aunt Theo's old friends, or possibly lovers, - a complete stranger - by herself and with her chaperone's blessing. And 17-year-old Valentine's summer romance is with a 21-year-old Juilliard student. One at least one occasion, Valentine stays out all night with this young man and returns with grass stains on her dress. Really?

While Franny's observations were interesting, I'm not sure who the proper audience for this book would be. By length, it seems middle grade but the lack of action and the introspective viewpoint of the narrator doesn't seem middle grade or something that would attract middle graders. I think that this might be better for older readers who can understand Franny's viewpoint and observations.

Favorite Quote:

"A program," exclaimed Val. "A program! Who wants that? That's like being in school. We're going to have adventures. In New York City. We're going to Live!"

I hoped so. Oh, how I hoped so! When you're fourteen or even seventeen, it seems life you're just waiting for Life with a Capital L to happen.

I got this ARC from Macmillan. You can buy your copy here.

Teaser Tuesday: The Summer Invitation by Charlotte Silver

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

Valentine was born in Paris and nobody knows who her father is. She has copper curls and violet eyes. Mom says not to call them violet, just dark blue. But that's because Mom has the same eyes and she's too modest to call them violet, which sounds so dramatic. Violet is one of my favorite words.

This week my teaser comes from The Summer Invitation by Charlotte Silver. This young adult ARC came to me from Macmillan. Here is the description of this May 20 release:

When Franny and her older sister, Valentine, are summoned by their aunt Theodora from foggy San Francisco to sunny New York City for one summer, they are taken to timeless locales like Bemelmans Bar and the Sherry-Netherland and instructed on how to be a lady by their chaperone, Clover, Aunt Theodora’s protégé. Franny is thrilled by all of the sophisticated outings, but Valentine has more pressing concerns. Boys! As they wander around New York City going lingerie shopping and learning about the simple elegance of a cucumber sandwich, they unearth secrets about Aunt Theo’s romantic past and even have a few romantic adventures of their own, in Charlotte Silver's The Summer Invitation.

Get Your Sample of CAGED WARRIOR by Alan Sitomer

I recently read and reviewed Caged Warrior by Alan Sitomer. You can see my review here. Caged Warrior is a gritty, intense story. Here is the description:

McCutcheon Daniels' life is full of bone-cracking violence. As a star fighter in the gritty underground Mixed Martial Arts circuit in the poorest section of Detroit, McCutcheon fights under the tutelage of his volatile and violent father, not so much for himself but to survive as protector of his beloved five-year old sister, Gemma. We get to know McCutcheon as he battles opponents who are literally trying to kill him. Mr. Freedman, his science teacher, spots his intellectual potential, befriends him, and encourages him to enter the lottery for a scholarship to an elite charter school so he can obtain a first-class education. He is at first dead-set against the idea, and of course his tyrannical father forbids it. But the school's headmaster, Kaitlyn, a student assigned to be his guide, and Mr. Freedman continue to encourage him to consider it.

His father and the Priests, the local Mafia-like crew that run Detroit's organized crime, have other plans for McCutcheon. For them, he is simply a tool to make them money. And when that cash flow is threatened, his father hits McCutcheon where it hurts most-he hides Gemma and threatens his own son that he'll never see his beloved sister again if he doesn't play by the Priests' rules.

For the first time in his life, McCutcheon reaches out for help. Mr. Freedman turns out to have a very mysterious past and not only helps McCutcheon find his sister but also his mother who had simply disappeared on McCutcheon's 13th birthday. All seems well, but happy endings aren't really something McCutcheon feels he can rely on. And he may be right.

A ferocious novel, Caged Warrior is like a great fight movie, a tour-de-force of relentless conflict, but one that is leavened with rich characters and meaningful and loving relationships.

Mr. Sitomer saw the post and is giving my readers a change to get a free download the first chapter of this book which will be released on May 13. Click on the link below and read it. I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I did.

http://www.alanlawrencesitomer.com/chapter-one-download/

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 12, 2014)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Last week was a good one. I got lots of reading time and made a trip to The Red Balloon for an author signing. I came home with a signed copy of A Creature of Moonlight for my high school media center and an origami dragon that I made. It was fun.

This coming week looks pretty quiet too. We haven't quite got to the end of the year panic stage despite having only 18 student contact days left. Maybe it's just me but I'm not feeling any need to rush to complete anything yet. I hope I'm not forgetting to start some big project that needs to be done before the school year is over.

I have finished reading all of my May releases except the one I got on Friday which I will probably read this week.

Read Last Week

Blur by Steven James was a mystery that had some paranormal aspects. I enjoyed it and plan to read the rest of the series when they are published. My review will be posted on May 24.

The Girl with the Windup Heart by Kady Cross was a nice finish to that series. I loved the characters and all the steampunk gadgets. My review will be posted on May 24.

The Lost by Sarah Beth Durst was an intriguing contemporary fantasy. I liked it very much and will be looking for more in that series too. My review will be posted on May 29.

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu was a very compelling story about the power of gossip. It also painted an interesting picture of teenage life in a small Texas town. My review will be posted on May 29.

I re-read Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach this week. I have the third book in the series for review and needed to refresh my memory about what had gone on before. Here is my review from October 2013

Currently

I am reading Honor's Knight by Rachel Bach which is the second book in the Paradox trilogy. 

Next Week

It's back to review books for me this coming week.

Adult Books

Fatal Affair by Marie Force (Feb. 25)

 Heaven's Queen by Rachel Bach (April 22)

YA Review Books 1

Take Me On by Katie McGarry (May 27)

Vivian Divine is Dead by Lauren Sabel (June 3)

YA Review Books 2

Hexed by Michell Krys (June 10)

On the Road to Find Out by Rachel Toor (June 10)

Reviews Posted

• Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
• Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris
• Caged Warrior by Alan Sitomer
• We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

That was my week. Leave me a link so that I can check out your.

Stacking the Shelves (May 11, 2014)

Tynga of Team Tynga's Reviews has a meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Visit her site to check out the linky and see what everyone gets. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow.

This was a week to feed my Kindle.

I bought Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach this week because I had read the ARC but felt I needed to read it again before I read books two and three in the series. This is a great science fiction story with a kick-ass main character. 

A Shocking Delight by Jo Beverly was also added to my stack. I like her historical romances but haven't read any for a while and wanted to catch up.

The Hearts of the Anemoi bundle by Laura Kaye was a deal. I paid $.99 for it. 

East of Ecstasy by Laura Kaye wasn't included in the bundle. So I paid an extra $.99 to get it.

I also added a couple of books by Stephanie Laurens to my Kindle. The Peculiar Case of Lord Finsburg's Diamonds and The Masterful Mr. Montague are both part of the Casebooks of Barnably Adair series.

I also saw Indexing by Seanan McGuire when I was browsing Daily Deals. It was originally a Kindle Serial but has now been released as a whole book for $2.00. I was interested because I have heard about the author but not read her and I like the idea of fairy tale characters in contemporary times. 

Review Book: Memory Zero by Keri Arthur. I got this one at NetGalley. I am pretty sure that I read this one when it was in a previous incarnation. I won't know for sure until I start reading it again. It's okay, though. If this is the story I'm thinking of, I read it long before I was a blogger and welcome the chance to review it. This story will be released on Aug. 26.

What did you add to your stack this week?

YA ARC Review: Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Second Star
Author: Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Publication: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (May 13, 2014)

Description: A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward his nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of J. M. Barrie's classic tale, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up—and the troubled beauty trapped between them.

My Thoughts: This retelling of Peter Pan was an interesting story. Wendy Darling has just graduated from high school and embarks on a quest to try to find her younger twin brothers John and Michael who disappeared when school began. John and Michael were dedicated surfers who often skipped school to catch the waves. At first, the police think they just took off and that they would be returning. But as time goes on and there is no sign of them, the search ends leaving the family with no answers as to the boys' whereabouts. Then the police come and say that their boards have been found - broken and abandoned - and that the boys are dead despite the fact that their bodies haven't been found.

Wendy decides to use some of the summer before she goes off to Stanford to try to find the brothers that she is certain are still alive. She decides to check the beaches and to ask surfers if they have seen her brothers. She finds her way to an isolated and abandoned beachfront community called Kensington where she meets Pete, Belle, and a band of other young surfers who are squatting and stealing to live while surfing on the beach. There she also meets Jas who is Pete's former friend but current rival.

Jas is the local drug dealer pushing a drug called dust. When she learns that Pete has lied to her about her brothers, she flees to Jas but has to take the drug in order to be allowed to see him. She has a bad reaction but Jas nurses her through it and offers to help her find her brothers. Wendy falls for both boys in a a classic case of "insta-love" which, I felt, was the most unrealistic part of this whole story.

After a couple of close calls - of almost catching up to her brothers - Wendy decides to go home where things get really weird. Her best friend and her parents are sure that she has had some sort of bad drug dream and want to sent her to rehab. They don't believe that her brothers are still alive. She runs away again and comes home again.

The ending is open to interpretation and I'm not really sure which explanation I believe. I will be very eager to hear what other readers think about this very ambiguous story.

Favorite Quote:

I shake my head and look out at the beach in front of us, past the sunbathers and swimmers, to the spot where the water meets the sky. I never really understood how big the ocean was until the police said that the bodies of the two surfers went unrecovered; I'd always thought that things could be found, even in the ocean. Everything I'd ever lost had turned up if I just looked hard enough: keys, scarves, books. Maybe that's why I believe I can find my brothers. Nothing is ever really lost.

I got this ARC from Macmillan. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Second Star by Alyssa Scheinmel

Happy Friday everybody!!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This week I am spotlighting Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel. This Young Adult ARC came to me from Macmillan. Here is the description of this May 13 release:

A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward his nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of J. M. Barrie's classic tale, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up—and the troubled beauty trapped between them.

Beginning:

I can smell the bonfire before I even get out of the car. It's dusk, and the sun is low on the water.

Friday 56:

The house in front of me looks a lot like Pete's. It's the same house—the same design—except for the fact that it's not quite so run down.