Review: This is Where it Ends

Title: This is Where it Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads | Book Depository 

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

This book gutted me in a quiet and unexpected way.

           

            The actual story is told over the span of 54 minutes, yet there is so much history encompassed in these pages; the kind of history that speaks to what kind fo town Opportunity is, the legacy of its families, and, of course, the intimate lives of the narrators of this event. There are multiple POVs but it was never confusing and I felt like I was not only able to get to know each character but really connect with them. By the end of the book, felt regret, mournful, and relief alongside them- a rare feat for any author to accomplish, especially in such a short amount of pages. I’ll be honest, I’m usually quite picky about books that have a lot of flashbacks but this one pulled it off amazingly well.

I really enjoyed this story, not only because it was gripping in a horrifying can’t-look-away kind of way. The author did a great job fleshing out all of the characters and I wanted to applaud the different representations she included to give a true multifaceted view of how all of this came to happen.

There are tough themes in the book like bullying, abuse, and sexual assault and by the end there is so much regret and heartbreak. This book is dark, diverse, maybe controversial, and hauntingly real. A powerful debut by Marieke Nijkamp, and one that has me looking forward to her future works. 

Let's Talk Love Triangles

Love triangles are so prevalent in YA literature nowadays. And, let’s face it; it’s usually two boys vying over the affections of one girl.

Some people love them, splitting into the Team X vs. Team Y, ardently defending their OTPs with the protectiveness of a mama bear… on steroids.

Some people hate them with a fiery passion powered by the solar energy of a thousand suns…

I will admit that there are some “Teams” that reduce me to a giggly, blubbering fangirl. However, I’m actually not a huge fan of the love triangle.

As a literary device, I can see why the love triangle would be very popular. It’s a good way to develop a main character—each love interest represents one prospective path/future for the main character, and in deciding who to ride off into the sunset with, the main character gain more depth and development.  And, let’s face it, if there wasn’t some relationship drama in a novel, books would probably be a lot shorter. I mean, there’s only so many chapters that can be filled with action and thoughts and happy-couple feelings…

There just wouldn’t be that zest.

BUT. (There’s always a “but…”)

The love triangle has become such a common occurrence, so… typically expected that I sometimes cringe whenever I realize that the book I’m reading contains one. This is especially true when the two love interests (usually boys) are portrayed as the good-boy archetype versus the bad-boy archetype.

I KNOW you know what I’m talking about—there’s the nice, “safe,” boy, the kind that any girl in reality would be pretty darn lucky to snag, but who lacks that edge of danger and chemistry, so the girl usually picks the dark, alluring, mysterious bad boy. Who, let’s face it, is usually the more swoon-worthy one. The first couple of times, this was… nice. But when this particular case is used over and over and OVER again, I’m just like, “Puh-lease just put me out of my misery!” I already KNOW who’s going to end up with the girl. And then, of course, there’s the “First Come” rule… actually, it’s not called that at all. I’ve no idea what it’s called, but this is when the girl falls in love with one boy in book 1, and the second love interest isn’t even really introduced until book 2. In this case, 9 times out of 10, the girl WILL end up with the first boy. I don’t know why, it’s just the way of the YA world.  

I’m not saying there aren’t exceptions to this “rule,” but I can only count on one hand instances where it’s the 2^nd love interest, the one who came later, that got the girl.

And believe me, I’m definitely not saying that I hate all love triangles. In fact, there are some that I ADORE. There are definitely YA authors out there who write amazing love triangles—really good, well-written differing love interests. For example, I love the Christian-Clara-Tucker love triangle—one of the best I’ve read—and there’s the Will-Tessa-Jem triangle that is extremely well-written… even though that particular love triangle has torn my heart to shreds. Let’s just say I’m a little bitter about a particular scene in Clockwork Prince.

I especially love it when a love triangle constantly has you guessing; you think the girl’s going to pick one guy one moment, but then something happens and then you fear for your OTP as you think she’s going to pick the other bloke (such was the case in the Christophe-Dru-Graves triangle from Strange Angels). The especially good, but SO tormenting love triangles are the ones where I love both of the guys, I want them both to get a happy ending. A prime example of this would be the Ash-Meghan-Puck love triangle…and the Dimitri-Rose-Adrian love triangle.

While I’m sure I could probably go on ranting about the love square…love rectangle? Love QUADRILATERAL thing in the House of Night books, I feel like this post has gone on for a lot longer than I really meant for it too! But let’s just say that my short answer would be NO. Just no. 

Luckily, I’ve never come across a Love Polygon… and I earnestly hope that I never do. While it certainly might be… interesting to read about, I’m almost certain I would be very annoyed with the characters, very soon.

Well, there ends my little rant, rambling, musing, whatever-you-want-to-call-it on the ever-popular love triangle. Feel free to leave a comment telling me what you think of this literary device/trend. Do you like it? Hate it? Oooh and I’d love to know some of your favorite (or least favorite) love triangles and Teams!!!

OH! FYI, in case you were wondering about my stance on the Team Edward or Team Jacob question… well, I’m rather conflicted because, you see, Edward was more romantic and swoon-worthy in the book…. But, come on, Jacob was waaaaay hotter in the movie. Just saying. 

New Sarah Dessen Covers

After many years of fantastic sales, Sarah Dessen's books are finally getting a new look! A lot of people are not exactly huge fans of the signature faceless girl on Dessen's covers.... so they changed them! In favor of a cover where the the author's name takes up half the cover. *face palm* (that's kind of a pet peeve of mine...)
Since I am a huge Dessen fan, I just had to compile them and give my thoughts in a cover battle of new vs. old...















I like the old one. For sure. Nothing against the new cover or anything--I adore the purples! But... at the same time, I just think the new cover is a little too... cutesy? Cheesy? Dang, I cannot think of the right word at the moment... I think the heart-shaped pick and and guitar are great with regards to the story, but the combination on the cover just looks really commercial-y. Maybe the guitar just looks too fake.

Hands down, I LOVE the new cover. The colors, the fireworks, the setting, the silhouettes, I love it all! It doesn't even faze me that "Sarah Dessen" covers nearly half of the cover! Yeah. That's real cover love right there.
~ahhhh I can't stop looking at it!   >w<

Hrmm... darn. This one's hard. While I think the dark blues of the old cover set a better vibe for the story-line of Dreamland, my own personal tastes like the new cover a teensy bit more. It's artsy and a tad whimsical.

Oooh. Another hard one. I like the handstand on the old cover... but I think the colors of the new one are better. Especially for summer. The old one looks a little too faded and doesn't have that spark that's associated with the excitement of summer.

Easy peasy. The original cover is probably my all-time favorite Dessen cover and the new one just can't match up--at least, not in my head. Although, the shopoholic in me would definitely buy that bracelet if it was ever marketed. However, I just really really like the whole faceless-girl-plucking-the-pretty-flower-petals thing that the old cover has going on. I personally don't mind the whole faceless girl thing. 



















Again: the faceless girl doesn't really bother me.... wait, but in this case they're both faceless...Meh. I still like the first one better. The new one, while pretty and pink, which I like, strikes me as a little too commercial-y and fluffy, which, if you've read Just Listen, you know it is anything but a light, fluffy read. 

THANK YOU publishers/designers/whoever-decided-to-redo-the-covers for finally giving this one a makeover! Of all the original Sarah Dessen covers, this one would probably be my least favorite. And thankyouthankyouthankyou for making the new one super pretty! I just LOVE it! It's artsy and still retains that signature Sarah Dessen vibe!

Ohhhhh.... can this one please be a tie??? I honestly can't really decide! I like both of them! I love the idea of the butterflies escaping the jars--but at the same time, there is this unbreakable internal connection between Someone Like You and the old cover. I just can't separate them! 
Yup. I'm forced to announce a tie in this case. 



















*starts thinking I maybe should have save the tie for this one*
Hommina hommina hommina...
Okay. I think the new cover wins--mainly because the background actually looks like it's a real beach. The old one, while I loved the presence of the guy (Eli), looked plastic-y and fake-ish. And although I can't really see the girl in the new cover as being Auden (she looks a little too beach-chick...) I will let that go.   

YA for Adults: Yes or No?

Recently, I came across a pretty interesting article by Time columnist, Joel Stein titled "Adults Should Read Adult Books."     

You can find the original article HERE, but in case you don't feel like opening another window, here's what the article said....

"The only thing more embarrassing than catching a guy on the plane looking at pornography on his computer is seeing a guy on the plane reading “The Hunger Games.” Or a Twilight book. Or Harry Potter. The only time I’m O.K. with an adult holding a children’s book is if he’s moving his mouth as he reads.

I’m sure all those books are well written. So is “Horton Hatches the Egg.” But Horton doesn’t have the depth of language and character as literature written for people who have stopped physically growing.

I’ll read “The Hunger Games” when I finish the previous 3,000 years of fiction written for adults.

I appreciate that adults occasionally watch Pixar movies or play video games. That’s fine. Those media don’t require much of your brains. Books are one of our few chances to learn. There’s a reason my teachers didn’t assign me to go home and play three hours of Donkey Kong.

I have no idea what “The Hunger Games” is like. Maybe there are complicated shades of good and evil in each character. Maybe there are Pynchonesque turns of phrase. Maybe it delves into issues of identity, self-justification and anomie that would make David Foster Wallace proud. I don’t know because it’s a book for kids. I’ll read “The Hunger Games” when I finish the previous 3,000 years of fiction written for adults.

Let’s have the decency to let tween girls have their own little world of vampires and child wizards and games you play when hungry. Let’s not pump Justin Bieber in our Saabs and get engaged at Cinderella’s Castle at Disneyland. Because it’s embarrassing. You can’t take an adult seriously when he’s debating you over why Twilight vampires are O.K. with sunlight. If my parents had read “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” at the same time as I did, I would have looked into boarding school."


My own personal thoughts on the matter? While I do occasionally find it strange to see some adults I know reading the hottest YA novels, I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with it. I mean, just because a YA novel is marketed towards teens, doesn't mean adults shouldn't read it. Nor does it mean that some YA novels can't be exceptionally well-written and though-provoking. It's also unfair to simply assume that those who do read YA neglect all other genres.

And on another note, why is it OK to watch Pixar movies but not read YA novels? Who says that reading has to be solely for the purpose of learning? I read for fun. God knows there are school-assigned books that I dread reading, famous or not.

I am a great lover of YA. Will I still love it as much when I grow older? Or will I suddenly develop the urge to go out and discover the works of Tolstoy and Lao Tzu? Maybe. Probably not. Honestly, in all likelihood, I will probably be one of those middle-aged people reading the future incarnation of Twilight or Hunger Games.

So how about YOU? Do you think adults should read YA? Or should they stick to esoteric, "sophisticated" novels?