One Lonely Degree by C. K. Kelly Martin (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Finn has always felt out of place, but suddenly her world is unraveling. It all started with The Party. And Adam Porter. And the night in September that changed everything. The only person who knows about that night is Audrey—Finn's best friend, her witness to everything and the only person (under thirty) Finn trusts implicitly. So when Finn's childhood friend Jersy moves back into town—reckless, beautiful boy Jersy, all lips and eyes and hair so soft you'd want to dip your fingers into it if you weren't careful—Finn gives her blessing for Audrey to date him. After all, how could she possibly say no to Audrey?

With Audrey gone for the summer, though, Finn finds herself spending more and more time with Jersy, and for the first time since September, for the first time in her life maybe, something feels right—absolutely, stunningly right. But Finn can't be the girl who does this to her best friend...can she?

Review:
One of the first things I must note about C. K. Kelly Martin’s One Lonely Degree is that the whole concept of Finn stealing her best friend’s boyfriend is WRONG. However, it is also the most admirable thing to take into consideration. As a reader, I couldn’t help but take Finn’s side, despite the wrong-ness, and hope that she and Jersy eventually do end up together. Not only is it easy to identify with the narrator, but it is also very easy to sympathize. Her whole world is crumbling around her, and the only comfort she has is the love of her best (and only) friend’s boyfriend.

Despite the novel’s emotional control over the reader, there were many things that, as a picky reader, I was annoyed about. For about 150 pages I, for the life of me, had no idea what “HMV” (what I later found out is the title of the music store in the mall) was. It was probably just an error of an unobservant reader, however it must be noted that something so small distracted me from the actual plot. That is not to say that the book was boring, but that I expected what was happening next. Having read the back of the book, I knew that Finn would eventually fall for Jersy and vice versa, but what I did not know is how long that would take. The only thing the synopsis left for the reader to discover is what happens after they fall for each other. But, because it isn’t until the end that they do eventually betray Audrey, there is little information and plot that the reader is surprised about.

Even with my over-analyzation of the plot’s format, what was left for the reader to discover was very interesting and an enjoyable read. One Lonely Degree shows the reader that even though the world as you know it can completely change, it’s still possible to find happiness, even if it seems as though happiness is impossible.

I had a difficult choice between two songs to describe C. K. Kelly Martin’s One Lonely Degree. Although I made my decision, there is a quote from the song that didn’t make the cut. “Oh, instincts are misleading; you shouldn’t think what you’re feeling.” As much as Death Cab For Cutie’s line from “Lightness” captures the plot of the novel, the winner, “Run” by Snow Patrol (one of my all-time favorite songs!), I feel suits the feel of One Lonely Degree better.

Despite the negativity of the majority of my review, I truly did enjoy reading One Lonely Degree, and I can’t wait to read more from C. K. Kelly Martin. I hoped you enjoyed my review and that you get the chance to read One Lonely Degree.


Sincerely,
Karilee




One Lonely Degree by C. K. Kelly Martin can be purchased HERE.

Uninvited by Justine Musk (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:

Kelly Ruland's world fell apart when her brother Jasper walked away the sole survivor of a car accident...and kept walking right out of town. She doesn't want to believe that Jasper was at fault - but then why did he run away? How could he abandon Kelly and her parents? Now, former star student and athlete Kelly struggles to care about anything anymore, sleepwalking through school and experimenting with dangerous behavior as she tries to fill the void inside her.

Then one night, Jaspers returns...but he's not alone. Someone has followed him home. Someone who hides in the space behind the truth, who hovers in the shadows between the known and the unknown. His name is Archie, and he is the stranger they never asked to know, the guest they never invited. And he's about to challenge Kelly and Jasper to a game that demands a price they may not be willing to pay...

Review:
I must confess that I cracked the spine of Justine Musk’s Uninvited with a GREAT deal of skepticism. The sci-fi feeling of the synopsis in addition to the “MTV Books” label both led me to believe that no matter how it turned out, it just wasn’t going to be something I’d read on my own. But, to my pleasure and surprise, Uninvited quickly contradicted my initial assumptions. It was unbelievably captivating and I found myself incapable of putting it down. The plot, the characters, and the setting were all fully developed and as a reader it was easy to visualize the novel, even in the parts that were sci-fi-ish.

It is very easy for a mystery novel to have many unsolved mysteries at the start that remain unsolved, even when the book comes to a close. Uninvited, however, pieced together every question posed earlier in the novel while still maintaining an original resolution that the reader could never predict.

Unlike previous novels I’ve had the joy of reviewing, there was nothing that was absolutely, positively, and obnoxiously wrong with it. There were some parts that dragged on for a bit, but were promptly followed by edge-of-your-seat parts. If there was one thing I had to find wrong with it, it would definitely be the resolution of the main character, Kelly’s, love life. However, for the sake of not giving anything away and not over-analyzing a miniscule aspect of the novel, I will not get into that.

All in all, I was thoroughly impressed, and, as always, I look forward to reading more from Justine Musk, and maybe more from “MTV Books.” I highly recommend Uninvited to anyone who loves a captivating mystery.

The song for Justine Musk’s Uninvited is “For Real” by Okkervil River.
Although lyrically it doesn’t necessarily fit Uninvited, I feel as if the tone and feel of it can easily be associated with the novel.

I hope you found my review helpful and that you decide to read Justine Musk’s Uninvited.

Sincerely,
Karilee

Uninvited by Justine Musk can be purchased HERE.

Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:

It is a longing and search for love that motivates three girls living in the Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage renowned for its extraordinary musical program. But for Rosalba, Anetta, and Luisa, the love they seek is not where they expect to find it. Set in the early 1700s in the heart of Venice, this remarkable novel deftly weaves the history of Antonio Vivaldi’s early musical career into the lives of three young women who excel in voice and instrument. Under the composer’s tutelage and care, the orphans find expression, sustenance, and passion. But can the sheltered life of the orphanage prepare them for the unthinkable dangers outside its walls?

Review:

Although Hidden Voices is somewhat boring at the start, as the novel progresses it becomes very consuming. Each chapter is narrated by one of three main characters. At first, they are very indistinct, and I easily found myself doubling back to see who was narrating. However, as the reader learns more and more about the thoughts, actions, and lives of the three musicians their differences become apparent.

One of the most captivating aspects of the plot is how geographical separation is eventually the very thing that brings them all closer together. Annoyance, foolishness, and jealousy all turn into the true love and nurturing of undying friendships (and yes I know how cheesy that sounds, but it was all quite moving). Although the eventual outcomes are not ideal and “they-all-lived-happily-ever-after,” they are comforting in the sense that they are realistic, despite the fact that they are bittersweet.

Moving on to the critical portion of the review, there really isn’t much to be said. The slow start may turn off a wide variety of readers who lack the patience to read through the slow parts of Hidden Voices, but eventually the plot is captivating, thus making up for the semi-boring start. Another aspect of Hidden Voices to take into consideration is the musical jargon. Having been a dedicated musician for most of my life, it was easy for me to pick up on the instruments, voices, styles of pieces, and Italian words dealing with music. However, it would be fair to say that many would probably get lost in pages of words and phrases about the music of which they know nothing. So, in can simply be put that this book is well-suited for musicians just as there are girly books for girls and boyish books for boys.

To any musician, especially those who love the works of Vivaldi, I whole-heartedly recommend reading Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins. And to people who know little of music, I still suggest trying to read it for the life-lessons it contains. I thoroughly enjoyed Collins’ style and use of language and I am looking forward to reading some of her other works.

As is my tradition I have chosen a song that I love and that I feel fits the attitude and plot of Hidden Voices. However, before revealing it, I must say that I had a very difficult time actually picking. I was torn between picking a song for each of the characters or avoiding excess and only choosing one; torn between being utterly cheesy and picking a piece by Vivaldi or “keepin-it-real” and finding a modern song with heart-felt lyrics. Eventually I went with the latter of both debates, deciding upon “All Will Be Well” by the Gabe Dixon Band.
I hope you enjoyed the review and that you get a chance to read Pat Lowry Collins’ Hidden Voices.

Sincerely,
Karilee

Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins can be purchased HERE.

What Happened to You?

Wow. It has been a while since I've posted. When I left two weeks ago, I forgot that I had another back to back trip following the first trip (I met someone very interesting to country music fans on the first trip- details after I've caught up). I returned yesterday with a pretty extreme sinus infection. But it's getting better...I think.

So the deal: this week I will be catching up on everything. I have a lot of April reviews that need to be posted and a ton of emails that need responses. I will be getting to that.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I haven't abandoned the site. And now I think I'll go take a nap. I feel like my head is going to explode.

NOTE: NameGame Contest announcements will be made tomorrow.

always,
~bella aire~

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:
Meet Will Carter, but feel free to call him Carter. (Yes, he knows it's a lazy nickname, but he didn't have much say in the matter.)
Here are five things you should know about him:

1. He has a stuttering problem, particularly around boobs and belly buttons.

2. He battles Attention Deficit Disorder every minute of every day...unless he gets distracted.

3. He's a virgin, mostly because he's no good at talking to girls (see number 1).

4. He's about to start high school.

5. He's totally not ready.

Join Carter for his freshman year, where he'll search for sex, love, and acceptance anywhere he can find it. In the process, he'll almost kill a trombone player, face off with his greatest nemesis, suffer a lot of blood loss, narrowly escape death, run from the cops (not once, but twice), get caught up in a messy love triangle, meet his match in the form of a curvy drill teamer, and surprise the hell out of everyone, including himself.

Review:
I decided to mix it up for this review and post my chosen songs for this book before reviewing it. I usually only have one, however I felt it necessary to have two. Firstly is “Missed the Boat” by Modest Mouse, because I think the feel of it fits in perfectly with the attitude of Carter Finally Gets It. Second is “Revelry” by the Kings of Leon because in addition to the horribly ironic opening lines, the lyrics partially coincide with certain aspects of the book.

Now on to the review: Ooooh where to begin???? How about with a story.

I’m sitting in history class, so naturally I’m reading. I’m perfectly fine, thoroughly enjoying Carter when I get to IT. It being one of the abundant laugh-out-loud-hysterically-so-everyone-thinks-you’re-crazy parts (and yes I am aware that the last sentence is probably the least grammatically correct phrasing possible. But I love it. So ha.)

Point of my story: don’t ever, and I mean EVER, allow yourself to read Carter in the presence of others.

Other than that, Carter is by far one of the best books I have ever had the joy of reading. It was funny, but it had its moments of morality. (Those would occur after he fled the police, of course.) I loved everything: the plot, the main character (whose name is, shockingly enough, Carter), and I especially enjoyed seeing the change of Carter over time. Despite the fact that the book ended geographically where it began, a lot had happened in between, making the beginning feel as though it had actually been an entire school year away.

Crawford’s language is also something to rave about. It’s not just the *EPIC FAILS* and the humorous plot line. The slang words, and even some of the nicknames, are noteworthy. Although I never did fully understand what he meant by “horn dog”, I still chuckled to myself every time I read it. I'm impressed with Crawford's first book, and I just can't wait to read what he writes next!

The only real thing about Carter that I ever questioned was the thought process of little 14-year-old Carter. Because I, myself, am not and never have been a 14 year old boy, I was left wondering if they were actually as sex-driven and knowledgeable on said subject as Crawford made them out to be. (However, upon questioning of a friend, I ceased all doubts as far as that topic was concerned…)

As if you couldn’t already guess this from my review, I would highly recommend this book for anyone who might even consider reading a book. It’s full of laughs, cringes (as I reader I felt that one poor boy could only suffer but so much embarrassment), and most importantly, it still has a moral and a story line that goes somewhere. I hope you enjoyed my review and that you plan on reading Brent Crawford’s Carter Finally Gets It.

Sincerely,
Karilee



And here is a short note from Bella Aire, who insisted on having a say in this review:
Brilliant in it's humor, Carter Finally Gets It is an absolute delight. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much. Crawford's wit, peppered with hilarious thoughts that scream teenage boy, is unsurpassable. Booklist wrote: "Occasionally poignant and frequently hilarious, this will amuse scads of male readers. Grades 7-10." I, for one, believe Booklist seriously underestimated the groups of readers Carter will appeal to. I am neither a male reader nor in grades 7-10, but I loved this book. The same goes for Karilee. If Carter appeals to guys as much as it does to girls like us, I think it will gather many fans.

always,
~bella aire~



Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford can be purchased here.

Everything is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:
Stuck at home caring for her severely depressed mother and abandoned by her father, Mazzy has only the day-to-day dramas of her neighborhood to keep her busy. But between flirting with the boy next door and worrying about the fact that she's flat-chested, Mazzy has to face the fact that her mom is emotionally paralyzed by a family tragedy. As readers delve into the story, they'll eventually discover what it was that tore Mazzy's family apart, and they'll see what it takes to put it back together.

Despite its serious subject matter, Mazzy brings humor to the trying age of adolescence and gives readers just the kind of awkward, troubled, and endearing character they will gladly embrace.


Review:
Everything Is Fine is weird. That is neither a bad thing nor a good thing, rather an observation I have made as a reviewer. Rather than being divided into chapters, it is a series of what can loosely be called free-style poems. It is a relatively short read, however, in the hour or so it took to read, it delves deeply into the disastrously dysfunctional family of the main character Mazzy. (I hope you enjoyed my alliteration.)


The situations of Mazzy’s entire life are very depressing, without any hopes for a light at the end of the tunnel. She is caring for her mother who barely even wakes up, trying to push away people who keep trying to help, trying to ignore her father, and pining for the boy across the street. As the story progresses and Mazzy allows the reader further into her innermost thoughts, the events that brought her to where she is now are revealed. Everything is Fine’s Mazzy is not the kind of character that you silently weep for whilst reading about her. Instead of crying, the reader is left with this very depressed feeling in the pit of their stomach. Despite the depressing mood of the majority of the book, her life comes together just slightly in the end, leaving the reader to hope that everything will eventually be fine.


To an extent, I thoroughly enjoyed Everything is Fine. But I must admit that, typically, it is not my kind of book. However, it is very different from any book I have ever read, and I would definitely recommend reading it merely for the odd experience, if not for the heart-breaking story.

My Song for Everything is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis is “Stay Golden” by Au Revoir Simone.

Sincerely,
Karilee

Everything is Fine can be purchased here.

Confessions of a Dabbler in All Things Geek by Karilee

Karilee is the newest NSCG reviewer. Below, learn what makes her a true Not So Closet Geek.

1. I enjoy, I may even thrive on, my title as geek.

2. I tell myself (and naturally believe), that people who consider the label “geek” to be license for them to mock us are merely jealous of our undeniable coolness.

3. I am, and probably always be, a member of both band and orchestra. Not only do I get the endearing title of Band Geek, but also the exceedingly awesome title Orch Dork.

4. Despite my uncontrollable love for listening and playing music, I have yet to be able to conquer and string instruments. Believe you me, I have tried. I have also failed miserably. I am what you may call string challenged.

5. I listen to classical music. I enjoy classical music. And I have also been known to “break-it-down” to said classical music.

6. I often use the word “said” when commenting on things that I had previously mentioned.

7. I also use lovely words/word combinations such as dapper, come hither, go thither, and (my personal favorite) FMaj7. The latter I used a replacement for the word face. Get it??? (an F major seventh chord is spelled F-A-C-E)

8. I am the master of all jokes, cheesy. For example: What do you call cheese that isn’t yours??? NACHO CHEESE!!! (No pun was intended when the cheesy joke I used for an example happened to be pertaining to cheese.)

9. I like to consider myself a cheese connoisseur. In other words, I am one of those rare cheese geeks. If ever I were to move to a different state, my number one choice would be Wisconsin.

10. I have a funky hat collection. I have an oh-so-lovely lobster hat, a hat covered in sequins, a smiley-face hat, a pharaoh hat, an Elmo beanie, and a knitted hat with tassels and a yarn puff on top. All I really need now is a cheese wedge hat…

11. I enjoy school just as much, if not more than, I love not being in school.

12. In school I particularly enjoy the math and sciences, therefore dubbing me a science/math geek.

13. I practically go nuts every time I learn to do something new and cool on my calculator. (I’m not even talking about the games on the calculator!)

14. I currently possess (and plan to acquire more) two science humor shirts. One says “Carol never wore her safety goggles…………now she doesn’t need them” and the other has a wonderful stick figure holding an Erlenmeyer flask and a calculator and says “STAND BACK. I’m going to try SCIENCE!”

15. I love math so much that I took two math classes last year. Both were taught by the same teacher. That teacher is now very nearly my favorite person EVER. My fellow geeks and I bought her a TI N-spire last year for her birthday. (For those of you who do not know, a TI N-spire is like the calculator of all calculators.)

16. Despite my lack of multi-cultural-ness I am a devout member of the multi-cultural diversity club at school. There’s just something about watching foreign films with all my closest geek friends.

17. I am trying to struggle my way through as many of the essential classics as possible. Too bad these darn young-adult books keep distracting me!

18. I have a very strong obsession for music. Not really rap or hip hop or R&B, but I’m a sucker for oldies, classic rock, alternative, and for weird stuff that people other than me rarely listen to. (such as screamo, hard-core techno) This obsession is so strong that, upon hearing merely the first tidbits of a bass line or the sound of the guitar or the singer, I can pretty much identify most songs by either: artist, album, title, or sometimes even year.

19. I actually have an album by the Carpenters on my ipod.

20. I enjoy musical theater, opera, and movies. I love it even more when movies become musicals or vice versa (for example: Sweeny Todd became a movie, and the lovely 80s movie 9 to 5 starring Dolly Pardon, is on its way to becoming a musical)

21. I have a great, great love and appreciation for the wonderful music of Mr. Andrew Bird. I have all of his albums (including the instrumental ones, and the Bowl of Fire albums) and my number one goal as of now is to one day see him in concert. (My love for his music isn’t necessarily geeky, but it does assert my former statement about liking music most of which most people have never heard.

22. I have a thing for leather-bound books. I don’t necessarily like to read them; rather I prefer to bask in their beauty.

23. I prefer to root for the under-dog. Maybe that could be because I’m always the under-dog...

24. I don’t actually need glasses (oh the joys of having 20-20 vision), but I would love to get a pair without actual lenses because I think they would make me look smarter.

25. It sincerely bothers me when people speak or write incorrect grammar. However, I often times make the very mistakes I criticize others for making.

26. Just in case you haven't noticed from my first review and from the rest of this post, I have been known to use and create some spectacular hyphenated-modifiers.

While I have many other geeky quirks, listing 26 is enough for Geekfest. So, to all you fellow Geeks out there, don’t ever let anyone make you feel like being a geek is a bad thing, and continue to flaunt your glorious geeky ways!



Sincerely,



Karilee (a well-rounded geek)

Getting the Girl by Susan Juby (Review by Karilee)

Susan Juby's blog is going up later today, so make sure to stop by!

Synopsis:
Meet Sherman Mack. Short. Nerdy. An Amateur P.I. who’s prepared to do anything for Dini Trioli.

Nobody knows who began it, but every girl at Harewood Tech fears being D-listed, a ritual that would wipe her off the social map forever. When Sherman believes Dini is in danger of being D-listed, he launches a full-scale investigation to uncover who is responsible. One thing is for sure: Sherman Mack is on the case. And he’s not giving up.

Part comedy, part mystery, and with all of Juby’s trademark tongue-in-cheek humor, Getting the Girl takes on one of the cruelest aspects of high school – how easy it is for an entire school to turn on someone, and how hard it is being the only one to fight back.

Review:
Getting the Girl, first and foremost, has a fantastic central character. He’s a chivalrous, wannabe lady’s man who will stop at nothing to defend a girl’s honor. (Did I mention he’s an aspiring chef?) However, despite his valiant efforts, he often finds himself in need of being rescued by the very females he tries to defend. As if the nerdy (and completely lovable) protagonist isn’t enough to keep the reader’s attention, the book is, at some points, laugh-out-loud funny, while it easily becomes serious, addressing the stupidity and effect of the social atmosphere of high school on girls and guys both. While it lacks the certain “edge-of-your-seat-excitement” many mystery novels have, it easily kept my attention and had me trying to figure out exactly who was responsible for the “defiling.”

Although I thoroughly enjoyed Getting the Girl I was slightly disappointed with the solving of the mystery. By the time the novel comes to a close, the reader still doesn’t have sufficient evidence to even begin to guess who is guilty. Instead, the main suspects have been ruled out.

While the eventual uncovering of the defiler is interesting and in no way compromised the overall attitude I have towards the book, I felt as though the book wasn’t really a “mystery.” Rather it was just a comedy of errors and feeble attempts at private investigation. (As a fair statement, I must nearly always find something I don’t like in a book. Therefore, the fact that the only thing that stuck out was that it didn’t really stay in keeping with the genre means something.)

All in all I had a great time reading Getting the Girl and I especially enjoyed Juby's witty humor. I would definitely recommend reading Getting the Girl and I can't wait to read more of Juby's work!

Thanks for reading,
Karilee

P.S. – Seeing as I have an odd obsession with music, for every book I read I usually find a song that either reminds me of the book or that I just listened to frequently while I was reading it. I’d like to share them with you by putting them in my reviews. For Getting the Girl, the song was “The Great Beyond” by R.E.M. From now on I’ll just put them right before my signature, listing title then artist.

To purchase Getting the Girl by Susan Juby, click here.