Book Review: CONCEALED

This is actually going to be a really easy review for me to write because I basically have the words I need to say MEMORIZED. I've read lots of reviews on Sang Kromah's debut novel, and several of them have summed up the novel in a single word like "unique," "magical," or I even saw in one, "brilliant."

Me? I don't think I have a word or phrase that can quite describe it. Reading CONCEALED often made me feel like I was being whispered to, and though there is definitely room for improvement as the series develops, it's those lingering whispers that make me happy to have picked up this book. I like hearing good stories, and I think you do, too.

I think a HUGE factor in what makes or breaks a book for any particular reader is the reading experience itself. If I'm in the right mood for a particular book, at the right time, and it's by the right author, I find myself extremely forgiving, and eerily enthusiastic about any and every thing about it.

Such was the case with CONCEALED. I stumbled across this bijou at a time when I really needed something... I don't know... adventurous. I'd been looking over something for a friend of mine, and I wanted to read something that was already in print, but similar to the concept of the manuscript we were tug-of-warring with... And lo and behold... CONCEALED. And  I was excited! At first. But it was WEIRD because I could've SWORN that, the day before, there was nothing on the market like his story so I was spooked, but ready to roll.

That was the first time I read the book, but the second time was just over a week ago shortly after a package came from TLT Publishing. They'd sent over a copy of the book! I was ecstatic and freaking out about Finals and again--- perfect timing. I devoured this 370 something paged gem in three? Maybe four days if you count the amount of time I spent in the wee hours of the "fourth" morning...

So my experience with this story has always been pleasant and YES. This is why I was able to gloss over a lot of its misdemeanors. Truthfully, it could've gone through another round of edits not for content, but for technicalities. There were passages of dialogue I wish I could've altered. There were paragraphs that, if moved around, might've made a scene flow better and words that were made adverbs when they were meant to be adjectives... there were misprints and nuances that would be glimpsed over by careless readers, but caught by the close reader. And Elsewhere, you know I'm a close reader. I like to get the most out of every story I read--- consume every single character, even down to the punctuation...

And it wasn't clean. It wasn't MESSY, but chances are, some of the mistakes will jump out at you. But, Reader, don't let them deter you. I can say that the world in which the CONCEALED universe is set is actually pretty wonderful. It is reminiscent of the tales of old--- the ones you might imagine hearing around a fire in a tribal village, or over a hot cup of cocoa with an elderly storyteller as your sole source of entertainment on "a dark and stormy night..." It's not clean, but it's not messy. It is clear that Sang Kromah KNOWS what she wants from this series, from her characters, and that she wants to make a connection with her readers through the art that preserves the human race: the telling and exchanging of stories.

I'd like to think of CONCEALED as a gateway for Sang who is an obviously talented writer and a not-so-undercover romantic that thinks BIG. The ideas in this story... the characters she's crafted... the stories that work their way through the text in a skeletal manner, like bones... the relationships, both romantic, and unromantic... They're the things I'll be looking for again in the next installment of this series. But I also have hopes that the next story will be even BETTER both in form, in delivery, and of course, in terms of the stakes. Although wow. This book went from a fight for normalcy to a fight for--- Well, if I said for Narnia, would you believe me? Probably not. So I guess you'll have to read the book for yourself in order to know what for and to read the super cool ending that no... not even I saw coming. You can find it at your local Barnes and Nobles, now, so seriously, what are you waiting for? The sequel? Right... me too.

My hope is that you'll fall in love with Sykesville, Maryland and the mythology Sang has crafted around the Concealed. I recommend this to those of you looking for a mystery with a romantic and paranormal emphasis. Because, at its core, CONCEALED challenges us to ask the question who is Bijou? Who can she trust? And it also asks us to wonder if knowing where you come from can compensate for or give value to knowing who you are. Yes. This book has hidden gems, mon amies! Do yourselves a favor; go dig them out.

Blurb from Goodreads:


When 16-year-old Bijou Fitzroy and her nomadic grandmother leave New York City to live in a home in the sleepy town of Sykesville, Maryland, Bijou thinks she will finally be able to live a normal life and be like everyone else. Things soon take a turn for the worse when the stories of the mythical creatures from her mythology class begin to take shape in Bijou's life.

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Book Review: OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME

There are two types of people in this world: the type that believe there are only two types of everything and the type that don't. The problem with those of us human beings who belong in the first category is that we don't allow ourselves any room to be wrong. If we say there are only two options--- a right and a wrong--- then we're being ignorant because we're also saying that WE are right, and all who disagree are wrong. This is why I belong to Type Two: I believe that there isn't just black, and there isn't just white, but there is also gray. And blue. And pink, orange, yellow and green. And that there are shades of all of them. And that we have to be open to removing our blinders and seeing the world as a kaleidoscope of options.

I say this because I can explain exactly why OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME didn't wow me, but I need you to be patient and to understand. Understand that I DID like the story. That I DO love the series. That I think it was told EXACTLY the way it needed to be told. But alas, on its own merit, it is not the "bestest" book in the world.

Now be patient with me as I try to explain. I'm going to explain everything that put a damper on my enjoyment of the story and then I'm going to tell you that you MUST read this book. Why? Why would I go into depth about things I didn't like about a story and then turn around and tell you to read it? For three reasons:

1. Because I can.
2. Because the story itself IS GOOD and is an important--- and extremely vital!--- installment to a series I will be recommending to people until my dying breath.
3. And because you have to read it so that you can argue with me. If you don't read it but turn around and say, "But it's AMAZING!" I will regrettably have to punch you in the face. I hope you understand. But if you DO read it, you can point out passages, throw a hissy fit--- heck! You can even throw a hard copy through my window! I want to KNOW that I missed something--- that there was more to it than I received.

Here's the trouble I had with it (and like I said, be patient--- I had a lot of troubles not with the storyline but with the story itself): for a series that is getting progressively darker, the characters in this installment felt uncomfortably... stiff.

And as I write this, I realize that, in my mind, at least, THIS was my problem. Just this one. And it presented itself in many different areas--- in many different ways. The first and most obvious way was in Cammie. For a girl who had gone through so much in a summer, who had forgotten so much of her life... she got on my nerves. Aren't I supposed to be sympathizing for an amnesiac-slash-basket-case?

I am! to answer my own question. I AM supposed to feel SOMETHING for her--- especially after all she goes through throughout the story (kudos, Ally Carter, for having the plotting and pacing skills of a master). But all I could think about as I flipped through page after page was, "If she talks about her memory-loss one. more. time...." and "Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Woman! If you're doing all the pitying, what's left for me to feel sorry for?!?!" I don't know why I thought these things. I'm sure if I lost my memory, I would be sulking, whining, begging my brain to present answers, too. But... I'm sighing right now because I feel like this "realistic" element slowed the book down for me. Not that the book was slow. Trust me, I MEANT IT when I gave Ally that kudos up there. It's just... CAMMIE. I wish I counted the amount of times she mentioned her amnesia and made a scene about it. I wish I'd counted how many times she mentioned it and DIDN'T make a scene about it. Because there were a bunch and yes--- I GET that this is what the story is centered around. But I felt like there were other things--- more important things that she needed to be dwelling on. Things she could've been doing instead, you know? And it irked me. To the point where I just gave up on caring about her feelings because I knew how she felt. She was fine. That much was obvious. I had to stop myself from skimming because I knew I was getting upset for no reason. I realize, now, that I was getting upset because I'd set impossible expectations for a story that HAD TO HAPPEN in order to set us up for what's to come.

But still, I have to tell you, that it's not. just. Cammie. The team of operatives that surrounded Cammie (aka Bex, Liz, Macey, Zach, and... more...) I felt were just being used as pawns to fuel or justify Cammie's fits--- Cammie's need to talk about her amnesia and do the recap-of-everything-we've-just-heard-about-slash-time-to-feel-sorry-for-myself bit she pulls throughout the ENTIRE book (okay. Not entire. It KINDA stops around page 252). Let me say that, in all fairness, they weren't really needed for much more than that. This was--- IS--- Cammie's story, and she really needs to figure out everything on her own, but she can't do that without backup and I was just... SURPRISED at how little time I got to spend with the others and how most of that time was just like a game of chess... strategic moves of the pawns used to protect the Queen. And I wish I didn't notice it, but it felt like we were watching the same moves being played over and over again in different locations, under varying degrees of pressure... I don't know what else to say. I know these things are trivial, more on the nitpicky, technical side of the story, but what can I say? I'm a nitpicky, technical kinda girl.

All that said, I have to point out, as always, the things that made me realize that, although I may have been right about this not being the BEST book in the series, it's still a really good one:
-Rachel Morgan is awesome.
-Cammie Morgan kicks butt.
-Zach is still hot.
-Action speaks louder than words and this book brings it.
-The motives in this story are so twisted, ohmygosh.
-The characters may move to the beat of Cammie's drum, but they've been so well crafted that, despite their static nature, they still manage to make me feel like the Gallagher Academy is real and I might've seen them, and yes--- they are awesome. Somewhere in the universe, Macey and Bex and exchanging satisfied smirks.
-The story? It's SO good.
-We get answers.
-We ACTUALLY get answers.
-Although I see this story as a set-up for what's to come, I realize it's necessary and honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way. Well... I would have fewer mentions of the amnesia, let me tell you.

But Ally did an amazing job in plotting this story AS A WHOLE. I highly recommend OUT OF SIGHT to fans of the Gallagher Girls series, and I HIGHLY recommend the Gallagher Girl series to EVERYONE. As you can see, the pros outweigh the cons, but unfortunately for ME, the cons were enough to put a damper on the book.

Fortunately for you, though, you're not as crazy as I am. And you'll most likely be able to see the awesome in this book and ground that into your heart and mind as you await the next installment. In the meantime, talk to me. If you read this one, do tell me what you thought and tell me if I'm as ridiculous as I feel I must be.

Book Review: Ditched

There are two things I have to say about Robin Mellom's debut novel, DITCHED, before I begin this review. The first is that I liked it. And the second is that this book will not be the perfect match for everyone.

There are several reasons why I want to recommend this book to you guys and there are several other reasons why I know I can't do that without a few reservations. So in an attempt to explain both the good and the alright things about this story, and to be fair in my assessment of each, I'm just going to be honest. That's cool with you, right? Cool. Let's do this.

The first GOOD thing I noted while reading the book is that Robin Mellom really captures in-the-moment thoughts, reactions, and emotions well. EVEN, let me add, for the secondary characters. This was a first person narrative that alternated between past and present (more on this later) that felt almost omniscient because Justina Griffith was a very reliable narrator. She saw what other people were doing and called it as she saw it. And when she was being a little melodramatic, she always noted that or blamed it on her low blood sugar which made me trust her story to be true. You can't believe everything every narrator tells you, but I loved her honesty and this trait even translated into her character, her personality, which proves that, on top of impressive narration, Robin Mellom created full characters that I depended on to act or react a certain way, NOT because they were cardboard cut-outs, but because they were actually built like a real human beings.

That being said, the first EH thing I noted was that, although I could trust Justina with this tale and although I liked her to a certain extent, from the beginning I didn't really LIKE her. I felt sorry for her but couldn't sympathize. I felt like if I knew her I wouldn't ostracize her, but I knew we wouldn't be friends, either. And usually when this happens in a book, I can't even bring myself to finish it. BUT LISTEN! It's not a bad thing here. Actually, it's further proof that Robin Mellom has crafted her characters well because it's not often that you get characters that truly stand out.

Justina is the first character I've been introduced to in a long time that has this genuine personality. I sometimes saw her come off of the page, walk around my school with Ian right beside her, wave, and move on. I didn't connect with her because, in high school, she would've been the girl I saw in one of my classes, talked to a little bit, but never connected with because her priorities were nowhere near mine. Justina thinks about three things: kissing, her reputation, and food. She's in the moment, all the time and I'm more of a deep thinker so I connect with characters who have something more to talk about. Like Donna. Oh my. The way she analyzed the male-kind, I totally got that! Justina just wasn't my kind of girl.

But the GOOD thing about the book was that whether or not you like her, you can still enjoy the story. The EH thing is that, the order of telling might be bothersome for a little bit of the book. I had no problem with the switching when I was in the middle of the book. In fact, I started looking forward to the breaks in the present because that was when I'd take my breaks from reading. But when I was starting out and when I was trying to get to the end, the alternation between past, present, past, present was killing me. It took a while to get used to at first, and by the end, I just wanted to know what was going to happen in the "now" because I'm impatient like that. But if you can get over the alternating, if you like Justina as a character, and oh! If you can take the constant mentioning of Operation Lips Locked, Lip Lock Bliss, kissing, Ian in good and bad light, and Allyson Moore, you'll get to see that this story has a GREAT ending, one I could totally see on film with "Open Arms" playing in the background. And you might, like me, think it worth the momentary sighs and feelings of "eh." Some people think "the end justifies the means," and it's my opinion that the same might be true of DITCHED. You won't know until you try!

How was that for honest? I think I did okay, you know? I also think that if you're going to read this because you're in the mood for something slightly cheesy, slightly romantic, comedy of error-ish, typical teenager-ish, then YES! You have all your reasons to read it. This book is perfect for a weekend when your dog breaks your DVD player but you're in the mood for a romantic comedy. I didn't find it hilarious, but the comedy of errors trope is always in style.


From Goodreads: High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. 

Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first. 
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice. 
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom. 
And then ditched her. 

Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together – stain by stain on her thrift-store dress – exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag’s moving car… But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love.

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