Flashback of the Month V: The Pursuit of Happiness

For a short explanation and the first Flashback of the Month post, go here. And, yes, I'm getting this in just in time - August is just about over.

After long battle with cancer, Betsy loses her mother and is left feeling lost in Tara Altebrando’s The Pursuit of Happiness. After the funeral, Betsy’s boyfriend dumps her and her best friend disappears from her life. As if things aren’t miserable enough, her summer plans include dressing like an early American to work at a colonial village (all her father’s fault, of course) along with the class freak, Liza. What begins as work soon turns into an escape for Betsy – from her judgmental classmates, from her breakup, from her mother’s death, and from her uncomfortably quiet home. With the help of her co-workers Liza and James, Betsy learns to work her way through the stages of grief and discover hope for normalcy in the future. While she is taught many colonial crafts and means of cooking, it seems that cutting silhouettes out of paper combined with a certain surfer’s woodcarvings are the perfect recipe for beginning to mend a broken heart.

Though sometimes it’s hard to look past the MTV logo, The Pursuit of Happiness is hardly a fluff novel. So, looking past the cover (and the corny “Declare your independence.”), Tara Altebrando’s novel will appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, and Susane Colasanti. This is certainly one of the best young adult novels I’ve read that deals with overcoming grief. Betsy is easy to connect to as a reader (and respect, as she turns into a more proactive character), and Tara Altebrando truly succeeds in writing dialogue that sounds like it actually came out of a few teenagers’ mouths. I also love the setting, having always been fascinated by historical villages, and enjoyed this peak into what it could be like working at one. 9 out of 10.

Flashback of the Month IV: Legacy

For a short explanation and the first Flashback of the Month post, go here.

So this month I decided to go with a book that's sort of a flashback and flash-forward hybrid. The book I'm talking about is Cayla Kluver's Legacy - the self published paperback edition is out of print, but AmazonEncore will be releasing a hardcover edition this August. On to my review...

Set primarily in the world of Hytanica, Legacy by Cayla Kluver is a fantasy flushed with detail and full of romance. After years of war between the kingdoms of Cokyri and Hytanica, the Cokyrians draw away and cease fighting. Or so everyone thought. Instead, a total of forty-nine infant boys are abducted and returned dead by the Hytanica city gates as a final warning from the Cokyrians. Despite the following peace, one mystery remained – only forty-eight bodies were returned. Sixteen years after this ceasefire, while the dutiful Princess Alera of Hytanica is occupied balancing suitors (namely the man her father has in mind, Lord Steldor), a teenage Cokyrian is found within the walls of Hytanica. As Alera develops a kinship with this boy, Narian, she realizes that being a princess doesn’t just mean being a good, submissive wife. At the same time, Narian discovers the truth about his past and his nature and is forced to fight against everything he is accustomed to.

At the time Legacy was written, Cayla Kluver was only fourteen. I don’t care what anyone says, writing a nearly 500 page novel as a young teen is an incredibly impressive feat, so I respect Legacy just for that. As the first book in a trilogy, Legacy does a fantastic job capturing the reader’s attention and developing the kingdom of Hytanica without resolving. Cayla Kluver’s writing is full of elaborate descriptions that at times are a bit overdone, but generally help the reader create vivid images in his or her head. Legacy presents stereotypes and then creates characters that challenge them, a message that should certainly resonate with teens today. Despite its length, this book is fast-paced and difficult to put down once you’ve gotten into it. Legacy is full of action, well-developed kingdoms, mystery, and romance - everything I could hope for in a fantasy. Cayla Kluver’s Legacy leaves enough loose ends that I cannot wait until its sequel, Allegiance, is released. 8 out of 10.

P.S. Check out the FAQ with Cayla Kluver on her website.
P.P.S. If you’re in a gaming sort of mood, head over to Legacy’s page on Amazon, then scroll down to play the Legacy game.

Flashback of the Month III: Swollen

For a short explanation and the first Flashback of the Month post, go here. This month, I dug out an old review I did for BookDivas on Melissa Lion's Swollen (so if the writing style is a little different than my recent reviews, that should explain it).

Swollen by Melissa Lion tells a story about true love and discovering yourself told from the viewpoint of Samantha (Sam) Pallas. Sam is accustomed to running from everything. She even ran from her school’s golden boy right before his death. Then Farouk arrives and no longer is Sam running away, but towards someone. With Farouk, she can escape the problems and pressures of her family, friends, and running. Sam knows she can just be herself when she’s with him and she trusts him with almost all of her secrets while still exercising caution to an extent as she doesn’t want to be hurt from getting too close. Still, some things just can’t be helped.

Swollen is an incredible story about first love. There are so many books available to teens/young adults about love and sex, but this one stands out amongst them. Many of us can relate to Sam’s story, each in completely different ways, and it’s still enjoyable. Honestly, some parts of the story were a little creepy and made me shudder, but these made the book feel more realistic. The part of the story about Owen was probably my favorite as it tied another issue into an already complex novel. The ending will surprise you some, especially because at that point you’re so into the book, the emotions you feel double those of Sam. I would recommend Swollen to anyone because you can learn a lot about yourself through Sam’s strong story. 8 out of 10.

Flashback of the Month II: Sam's Letters to Jennifer

Sam’s Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson is a heartfelt book that connects Jennifer’s grandmother Sam’s love story to her own. Now as a grown woman, Jennifer returns to Lake Geneva where she spent her childhood summers. Her last living family member, her dear Sam, is in a coma. When she arrives at the lake house, she finds a collection of letters her grandmother wrote for her, telling her story. Jennifer knew little of Sam’s past, and became absorbed in her letters instantly. She is shocked when in the first letter she learns that Sam never did love her grandfather, but instead was passionately in love with another man. Over this summer, Jennifer continues to visit Sam in the hospital and reads her letters to learn the truth about her past. Early on, she meets Brendan whom she had spent her summer with when she was younger and who always seemed like a brother to her. It doesn’t take too long for her to notice similarities in Sam’s story and her own. Sam’s Letters to Jennifer is two stories of true love, discovery, and living life to the fullest.

At one point, Jennifer says to Brendan when crying, “I can’t help it. I’m not usually so sentimental.” I could say the same for my reaction to Sam’s Letters to Jennifer. It isn’t often that I cry while reading, but in this book I found myself choked up in two or three occasions. I love the duality between Sam and Jennifer’s stories. Both are very compelling and touching. I think you could really learn a lot from how Brendan was choosing to live his life. His opinion was to make the most of each day, “from the crack of dawn until you close your eyes,” and I think it’s a belief we all should make use of. With a glimpse into Brendan’s life, all of us see how life can be short, and you should cherish every moment. Patterson’s format, with quick chapters, made this book an easier read with plenty of places to take a break (not that I ever wanted to). I would recommend Sam’s Letters to Jennifer to everyone in search of a fascinating read that you’ll finish in no time. 9 out of 10.

P.S. See April's flashback of the month here.

Flashback of the Month I: The Key to the Golden Firebird

I've decided to introduce a new feature: the flashback of the month. I know that I tend to get caught up with anticipation for new releases, and I end up overlooking fantastic books that were written anytime from a few years ago to fifty. So, every month, I'll post a review of a book that isn't receiving a whole lot of attention anymore but still deserves to be read with excitement (and just think about how affordable these are - your library probably has it in stock, and if not, it's already been released in paperback). I'm also welcome to suggestions if there's a book you'd like for me to review for an upcoming month.


The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson was an incredible story of love, loss, friendship, and family. The three Gold sisters, Brooks, May, and Palm, have suffered through the loss of their father and have each responded in completely different ways. Johnson focuses on May’s side of the story, but with hers you learn a lot about Brooks, the older sister who has become wild, and Palm, the younger sister who has become a very intense pitcher.

Ever since her father’s death, everything in May’s life seems to be falling apart. And to add to it all, with Brooks’ lack of concern, May is stuck watching over Palmer and caring for her most of the time. So she is dragged into learning to drive, especially with the offer of her neighbor Pete. Meanwhile, their father’s old car, the Golden Firebird sits uselessly in the garage, not touched since he passed away. As to May’s driving, let’s just say she’s not exactly great and she’s overcautious while in the driver’s seat. With Pete’s help, she starts to slowly overcome some of this. At the same time, she’s beginning to realize Pete may not still be the immature, rotten little kid she remembers.

I was blown away with the power of this book. It was not just some story about girls after their father died and how they coped. There was just so much more to the story than that and I don’t really know how to put it. Each sister really came to life with their individual personalities and you couldn’t help but fall for Pete. I thought the ending was perfect and it really brought the entire book to a conclusion, tying all “loose ends” up well. As well, it was well written and simply realistic, with tiny details that people observe but normally don’t bother to write about. If Maureen Johnson were to write another story about the Gold sisters, I’d be sure to read it. I recommend The Key to the Golden Firebird to anyone looking for a truly touching and enjoyable read this summer. 9 out of 10.