Review: Life is but a Dream by Brian James

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Alec and Sabrina are crazy in love. Problem is: Sabrina's really crazy.

Sabrina, an artist, is diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her parents check her into the Wellness Center. There she meets Alec, who is convinced it's the world that's crazy, not the two of them. They are meant to be together; they are special. But when Alec starts to convince Sabrina that her treatment will wipe out everything that makes her creative, she worries that she'll lose hold of her dreams and herself. Should she listen to her doctor? her decision may have fatal consequences.

Review: 

As soon as I first saw the beautiful cover of this one, I automatically added it to my wishlist. It also didn't hurt that it sounded unique and one of a kind. I mean, two crazy people falling in love? What's not intriguing about that? Luckily, Life is But a Dream ended up blowing me away, because not only was the story within its pages startling yet spellbinding but also the writing was simply GORGEOUS! There was so much I just loved about this one to tell the truth.

Life is But a Dream begins the story of Sabrina just as she's in the middle of getting treated for schizophrenia much to her utter dismay. Sabrina has always argued that her unique way of seeing the world as well as her dreams were her own "special" way of seeing the world. Her parents and the people at the Wellness Center don't agree with this. However, everything changes when she meets Alec, a boy at the Wellness Center for his own reasons. Alec believes Sabrina and everything she says she sees, but as they begin to fall more and more love, everything begins to spin even more out of control. Sabrina stops taking her medicine, and takes her problems into her own hands, but will this build her up or break her down? Better yet, will everything be salvaged before it's too late? Only time and more pages can tell in this imaginative new addition to YA.

From the first page, I was utterly captivated by Sabrina's character and her way of seeing the world. It was easy to see that she was indeed crazy, but to see things from her point of view, really helped me to understand her character as well as to see why she didn't think she was "crazy" as her doctors said. I felt Brian really just did a fabulous job with bringing her character to life overall, because not only was she likable, but it was easy to root for her to get better. Alec, on the other hand, was a character I felt a variety of mixed emotions about, because while in some ways he truly helped Sabrina, in others he left her down in some big ways. However, this allowed the book to become one tension filled ride, one that I couldn't imagine any other way to say the least.

The best part of this book, though, was the writing. The descriptions of what Sabrina saw were hauntingly beautiful, and as mentioned before, they really allowed me to get into her head and understand what she did. I also enjoyed the development James put into the Wellness Center as well as its inhabitants. From the nurses to the doctors to the patients, each played their part perfectly.

The plot in this was another high point! I don't think I've ever read a book about schizophrenia before so to say this book was unique to me would be a serious understatement. I especially loved the level of tension as well as twists and turns Brian put into this book. For the majority Life is But a Dream, I truly had no idea how it was going to end, especially in the last handful of pages were everything truly begin to spiral out of control. Lastly, the conclusion was lovely. It was everything I wanted it to be, especially since it contained the perfect mixture of closure/openness.

Haunting, gorgeously written, and romantic, Life is But a Dream is one book I can't suggest highly enough! I know it's not going to be for everyone, but I still urge you to give a try, because hopefully you'll be just as blown away by it as I was. I can't wait to read more by Brian!

Grade: A+

Life is But a Dream (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Publisher via Netgalley 

Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

She sees through the eyes of a killer 

Vee Bell hates having narcolepsy. But collapsing at school is nowhere near as bad as the truth. When Vee passes out she slides randomly into other’s people’s heads and ends up seeing through their eyes. So when Vee finds herself in the head of a killer, standing over the body of a cheerleader, she’s beyond freaked.Vee knows that this was no suicide. And when another cheerleader turns up dead, everyone is a suspect. Struggling to understand her terrifying and unwanted ‘gift’, Vee is tangled in a web of secrets, lies and danger…

Review:

Slide is yet another one of those 2012 books I have been dying to read because the plot and premise sound amazing. Mystery with a touch of paranormal? Count me in for sure! Luckily, Slide by Jill Hathaway was a rock star debut, because not only did it provide an electrifying and nail-biting mystery, but it also introduced characters I came to love and writing that truly captured the feelings of the story and the characters.

When Vee first started fainting during class, the doctors as well as her family and friends summed it up as narcolepsy. However, Vee knows it is more than just that, because when she faints, she ends up sliding into other people’s minds and feeling their emotions and thoughts. She cannot tell anyone this, though, or they will think she is crazy or worse yet, she will end up in a mental ward. Everything changes when Vee slides into the mind of a murder and sees one of sister’s best friends be murdered. Not knowing what to do, Vee embarks on a mission to find out who the murder is. Nevertheless, will she find out before he or she strikes again? Only time and more pages can tell!

Vee was a character I liked from the start. She was unique and sarcastic. Sometimes I did wish she would be more open about her “sliding” but I could understand why she was that way. In addition, it ended up adding a lot more drama to the story that way. One of my favorite parts of her character, though, was seeing her discover more about her abilities, because it provided some internal drama and character development. I also enjoyed seeing more about her friends and family. Rollins was probably my favorite secondary character, though. It was easy to see how much he cared for Vee, and given the development that occurred with his character throughout the book, I am looking forward to seeing more of him in the sequel.

It is no secret that I love a good mystery, and as it happens, Slide contained just that. From the first time the murder was introduced, I was instantly hooked. All the twists and turns that arose constantly kept me on the edge of my seat, trying to form my own conclusion of who did and what their motives were. However, I always managed to be surprised. I also enjoyed how Jill Hathaway also introduced some family drama in this one as well. It added more to the story, and truly made it even more suspenseful and addicting.

Lastly, I have to add that I really enjoyed Jill’s writing in this one! She managed to present a fresh and vivid mystery as well as really dig into her characters and their feelings. Moreover, it did not hurt that she made this one creepy yet in a way that really managed to hook me to the story.

Fast paced, enthralling, and shocking, Slide by Jill Hathaway is well worth a read!

Grade: A-

Slide (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) will be released March 27, 2012! 

Source: Publisher via Netgalley (Thanks HarperTeen!)

More about the book/author: blog/twitter

Galahad Legacy Blog Tour (Excerpt and Giveaway!)

Today, as part of the Galahad Legacy blog tour, I have not only an excerpt from The Galahad Legacy, book number six in the series, but also an incredible giveaway. To find out more, read on!

Triana nodded. “Yeah, I expect that will be Question 1A, followed closely by ‘where were you?’ as 1B.”

“Can’t wait to hear the answers,” Roc said.

“Well, I’m tempted to answer ‘I don’t know’ for both, but I’ll come up with something.” Triana tapped open the vidscreen and accessed her personal folder. For the next few minutes she munched on energy bars and scanned the reports. Occasionally she scowled, particularly as she came up to speed on the devastating effects of the space bruise that Hannah had suggested.

“Incredible,” she murmured. “Can this be true? Damage at a molecular level?”

“If it’s any consolation, I feel great,” Roc said. “But yes, you might end up resembling a gob of toothpaste.”

“Lovely.”

As for the giveaway, TOR has provided me with the complete set of the Galahad series. There are 6 books in the series, The Galahad Legacy being the sixth and final book. To enter this giveway, just fill out the form below.

Official Giveaway Rules:

~Must be 13 years or older
~Must have a US or Candian mailing address
~This giveaway will end on March 31, 2012!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Other News:

~ Dom will be making several public appearances in April after the blog tour wraps up. These public appearances include:

• Saturday, April 14th: Murder by the Book, Houston, TX;  11am
• Wednesday, April 18th and Thursday, April 19th: Texas Library Association Annual Conference, Houston, TX; various times
• Friday, April 20th: Barnes & Noble, 1000 Research Drive, Austin, TX; 7:00 pm
• Saturday, April 21st: Barnes & Noble, 15900 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX; 2:00 pm

~ You can purchase The Galahad Legacy and any of the other 5 books in the series here.

~ The next stop on the blog tour will be at the The Paperback Princesses. There she will have the next excerpt from the second chapter of The Galahad Legacy. You can find the rest of the tour stops (past and present) here. 

Review: Dark Eyes by William Richter

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Wally was adopted from a Russian orphanage as a child and grew up in a wealthy New York City family. At fifteen, her obsessive need to rebel led her to life on the streets.

Now the sixteen-year-old is beautiful and hardened, and she's just stumbled across the possibility of discovering who she really is. She'll stop at nothing to find her birth mother before Klesko - her darkeyed father - finds her. Because Klesko will stop at nothing to reclaim the fortune Wally's mother stole from him long ago. Even if that means murdering his own blood. But Wally's had her own killer training, and she's hungry for justice.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for teens, this debut thriller introduces our next big series heroine!

Review:

Dark Eyes is yet another one of those books I've been dying to read ever since I first heard about it. The fact that it was being marketed as the teen version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo caught my eye from the start, and I have to admit, the actual story sounded pretty darn amazing as well. As it turns, Dark Eyes was an enthralling and staggering read, and while I had a few tiny problems with it, it's definitely worth a read.

Dark Eyes begins the story of Wally, a girl who lives on the streets with her best friends, Ella, Tevin, and Jake, three other kids running from their pasts.Wally, however, doesn't fit the typical definition of a street kid. She comes from a wealthy family. Her mother adores her, and while her dad's always been distant, he's always seemed to care a little as well. However, due to the fact that Wally was adopted from Russia, she's constantly on the lookout for the feelings of belonging, something she thinks she will discover on the streets of New York City. Everything changes, though, when a piece of her past falls right into her lap, but is the piece she's been dying for, the one that will change everything for good this time, or something that will kill her as well as well her loved ones in due time? Only time and more pages can tell in this stellar start to the Dark Eyes series!

Wally was a character I had mixed feelings about from the start. I could understand why she was the way she was- distant, cold, and even a bit troubled- based on her past alone. However, I never could really find a common ground with her. She was an interesting character, though, one who was always there for her friends in good times and bad, and I feel that any adoptive child who's ever wondered about their parents will be able to relate to Wally's desire to find her birth mother, even though I doubt similar events would ever follow them. The characters I really enjoyed in this book, though, were the side characters, such as Wally's mother Claire, her friends, especially Tevin. They all managed to add a great little edge to the book. The bad characters in this one such as Klesko and his son also added some great fright to the read, and I also found it interesting to see just what they were looking for.

The plot in this was the high point of the novel though. It contained so many exciting twists and turns, one that I barley saw coming at times. I especially enjoyed how Dark Eyes featured POVs from various characters. It really gave me as the reader an insider look to everyone, which helped all the characters really grow in my eyes. The ending in this one was also KILLER. It wasn't what I was expecting, and while I found it to be bittersweet, it has be excited to see what's next for Wally and her friends.

In all, Dark Eyes by William Richter is an exciting addition to the YA thriller genre...a read I specifically suggest to fans of read that keep them on the edge of their seats!

Grade: B

Dark Eyes (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Publisher- thanks Penguin!  

Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Are you a Global Vagabond? 

No, but 18-year-old Bria wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists are hardly the key to self-rediscovery.

So when Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspoken sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path. Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel through Mayan villages and remote Belizean islands, they discover they're both seeking to leave behind the old versions of themselves. The secret to escaping the past, Rowan's found, is to keep moving forward. But Bria realizes she can't run forever. At some point, you have to look back.

Review:

As soon as I first heard about Wanderlove, Kristen Hubbard's new book, I knew I had to read it, because not only did it sound incredible, but it also involved something I especially love: traveling. Just as my luck would have it, Wanderlove was absolutely, one hundred percent incredible. Not only because it included a distinctive voice as well as a slow building yet swoon worthy romance but also because its descriptions of Central America as well as Kristen's drawings were beyond superb!

Wanderlove had so many amazing things going for it, and one was without a doubt the scenery as well as descriptions that followed. Traveling is something I love, and while I haven't had the chance to do much of it myself so far, I love to live vicariously through the adventures of others, especially when they are as well as developed as Bria's. It was always amazing seeing Central America through Bria's eyes, especially when her drawings involved!

Talking about Bria, I simply adored her! From the very page, she managed to fully capture my attention with her distinctive and sweet yet somewhat sarcastic voice. I especially loved seeing her fully bloom into her own person throughout the book. As the story first opens, Bria is someone who is completely lost. She doesn't know where she's going. She doesn't know why she's fallen so out of touch with herself as well as her art, but with some hoping, she wishes this trip will be able to get her back on track. Does it? Does it not? You'll have to read to find out!

In addition to Bria, I loved the secondary characters in this one, specifically Starling and Rowan, two outspoken and mysterious siblings who invite Bria to travel with them instead of her group. Starling and Rowan were what truly made this story fly with their adventures as well as their interactions with Bria. However, what I loved most about the siblings, though, was how different they were from each other. Starling was someone who lived by the seat of her pants. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind or do what she wanted. Rowan, on the other hand, was always a mysterious throughout the book. However, he was sarcastic and sweet as well as sown worthy. I especially loved seeing Rowan and Bria interact because it always managed to bring out a laugh or two to say the least!

The plot in this was also lots of fun. I loved seeing their adventures unfold as well as seeing what made Rowan, Starling, and Bria the way they were, because not only did it cause for more understanding, but it also provided some twists and turns. I also especially loved the ending! It was the perfect amount of closure yet openness to say the least!

In all, Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard is an amazing book, one that has quickly become an absolute favorite of mine! I seriously can't wait to read Hubbard's upcoming as wells her first one, which I've heard is pretty incredible as well.

Grade: A+

Wanderlove (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) will be released March 13, 2012!

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Loss Blog Tour (Guest Post & Giveaway!)

Jackie Morse Kessler, author of the Riders of the Apocalypse series, recently embarked on the tour for Loss, the latest addition in the series. Today, she's here on Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf to talk about how Alzheimer's was involved in the book as well as to offer up a giveaway. Read on to find out more...

Alzheimer’s and LOSS 

By Jackie Morse Kessler'

The books in the Riders of the Apocalypse series have themes—Hunger focused on eating disorders, and Rage looked at self-injury. LOSS predominantly tackles bullying, and the anxiety that being perpetually bullied can cause. But there’s a secondary focus in LOSS, one that’s near and dear to my heart: Alzheimer’s. Specifically, coping with a loved one’s struggle with Alzheimer’s.

This is a fear of mine, even more so than drowning (almost happened when I was a kid) or realizing you’ve come to class naked and forgot to study for that math test (never happened, I swear). Alzheimer’s runs in my family. It’s terrifying to watch—and I never had to be a caregiver to someone suffering with the disease. I just saw it on the periphery, when I’d visit my grandmother, who slowly faded away. She’d been this shining star, this loving if beleaguered presence, and I watched her hollow out until she was just a shell of herself. I remember visiting her older sister a few months before I got married, remember listening in fascinated horror as, in the space of one sentence, she’d go from present to past to extremely past and back to present. It was all flow of thought and impossible to follow. And she meant every damn word.

Alzheimer’s is scary. And that’s coming from someone who wrote an adult series about demons.

So when I originally set out to write LOSS, I was going to have the issue be Alzheimer’s. Because it was aimed at the YA market, it was going to be focused on the teen caregiver of a grandparent. It was going to be personal, and touch on a fear that makes me sweat every time I forget what I was about to do. (I read somewhere that forgetting where you put your keys is fine; not so fine is when you forget what a key is. Good to know. Hope I don’t forget it!) 

But when I started writing LOSS, the protagonist, Billy, slowly transformed from being a teen who is treated horribly by his grandfather, who is in the throes of the disease, to being a teen who is horribly bullied—at school as well as at home by his grandfather. The bullying by his grandfather is unintentional; Alzheimer’s and dementia sucks, plain and simple, and sometimes the most gentle person can become horrifically violent. The bullying at school, however, was very intentional. And as I kept writing, the story turned into a young man’s struggle with crippling anxiety from not knowing when the next blow is going to strike.

I’m glad the book turned out that way; there was so much more to the protagonist than only being his grandfather’s caregiver. But conquering Alzheimer’s remains an important cause. And that’s why I’m donating a portion of LOSS proceeds to the Alzheimer’s Association.

So if you decide to buy a copy of LOSS, thank you for helping to make a difference. :)

LOSS by Jackie Morse Kessler comes out March 20, 2012! Here's some more info about the book:

Fifteen-year-old Billy Ballard is the kid that everyone picks on. But things change drastically when Death tells Billy he must stand in as Pestilence, the White Rider of the Apocalypse. Now armed with a Bow that allows him to strike with disease from a distance, Billy lashes out at his tormentors...and accidentally causes an outbreak of meningitis. Horrified by his actions, Billy begs Death to take back the Bow. For that to happen, says Death, Billy must track down the real White Rider, and stop him from unleashing something awful on humanity—something that could make the Black Plague look like a summer cold. Does one bullied teenager have the strength to stand his ground—and the courage to save the world?

You can pre-order LOSS at Amazon, your indie bookstore, Book Depository, and Barnes and Noble. Also lookout for my review, which will be posted later this week! 

GIVEAWAY: One lucky commenter below (please include email address with comment!!) will win a small cover poster of LOSS—and will be entered in the grand prize drawing! The grand prize winner will receive signed copies of HUNGER, RAGE, and LOSS—and will get to name a character in BREATH, the fourth book in the Riders of the Apocalypse series. The grand prize winner will be picked on Sunday, April 1, 2012. No foolin’.

The winner of the small cover poster will be picked on March 17, 2012! Good luck! :)

Want to know where future (and past) tour stops are? Head on over here to see the full list! 

Cover Reveal for My Super Sweet 16th Century by Rachel Harris!

I as well as a bunch of other bloggers are part of the cover reveal for the My Super Sweet 16th Century, which will be released on September 11, 2012! So without a further ado, here's the cover as well as the summary...

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Isn't the cover AMAZING?! I just love it. The dress is stunning. I love the fan, and the font for the title as well as author name works so well.

And I also have a exclusive excerpt for you all today:

Alessandra jerks back like I just suggested she prance around the square naked or something. “No! I believe I understand your meaning, and Lorenzo is certainly not my suitor. He is like a brother to me—the three of us grew up together.”

She resumes walking and I fall in step beside her, understanding there has to be more to the story. And as we near the end of the row, I finally ask, “If you’re not into the guy, then what’s the problem?”

At that same moment, a rich, deep chuckle hits my ears. My stomach involuntarily clenches and my gaze sharpens on the back of this mysterious Lorenzo.

Alessandra sighs. “That is the problem.” She places her hand on my arm and solemnly looks me in the eyes. “You must be careful. Lorenzo is beautiful, and it is not uncommon for a girl to walk away from meeting him with a piece of her heart left behind. But he is just eighteen, and not yet ready for marriage.”

I roll my eyes and laugh, then realize she’s serious. “Yeah, I assure you, there’s no danger on my end. I’m not exactly looking for marriage myself.” Because that would be crazy-town.

Alessandra wrinkles her nose as if she doesn’t believe me, but she removes her hand. We close the distance and Cipriano flashes me an open, honest to goodness, lighthearted smile.

“Lorenzo, this is the cousin I was telling you about.”

Slowly the guy turns and I fall head first into the richest chocolate-brown eyes I’ve ever seen. He blinks and long, luscious lashes feather across his bronzed cheeks. I can feel myself gawking, but I physically can’t drag my eyes away. Lorenzo doesn’t smirk or act all conceited, either. He simply stares back, his eyes casually skimming over me, causing my skin to warm and break out in a whole body tingle.

Time seems to stop, and the sounds of the market mute. Alessandra was right. This boy is beautiful.

And he’s looking at me.

So how about you? Do you love the cover? Hate it? How about the excerpt? Let me know below! :) 

My Super Sweet 16th Century, by Rachel Harris is available for pre-order on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble Be sure to add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads!

Be sure to connect with Rachel at:

www.RachelHarrisWrites.com

www.twitter.com/@RachelHarrisYA

www.facebook.com/RachelHarrisYA

www.goodreads.com/RachelHarris

Mini Reviews: The House of Tomorrow, Hooked, and Gil Marsh

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Sebastian Prendergast lives with his eccentric grandmother in a geodesic dome. His homeschooling has taught him much-but he's learned little about girls, junk food, or loud, angry music.

Then fate casts Sebastian out of the dome, and he finds a different kind of tutor in Jared Whitcomb: a chain-smoking sixteen-year-old heart transplant recipient who teaches him the ways of rebellion. Together they form a punk band and plan to take the local church talent show by storm. But when his grandmother calls him back to the futurist life she has planned for him, he must decide whether to answer the call-or start a future of his own.

Review:

Have you ever read a book that you just ADORED but you don't have that much to say about? Well, that's what happened with me and The House of Tomorrow. Going into this book, I didn't expect to love it nearly as much as I did, but by the end, I wanted nothing but for it to go on and on forever simply because it was just THAT good. I can't exactly put my finger on what made this book so good, but I'd probably say it had something to do with the characters (amazing!), world building (ditto!), and writing (superb!). Before I start rambling and can't stop, all I have to say is this: you need to read this book ASAP. Adult, teen, it doesn't matter!

Grade: A+

The House of Tomorrow (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) is now out in paperback!

Source: Publicist at Penguin

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.

Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for. When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.

This smart, touching first novel brims with realistic, beautifully drawn characters, and reminds us that love is never as easy or predictable as we might like it to be.

Review:

I read Hooked by Catherine Greenman a while ago as well, because just like with, The House of Tomorrow, I didn't really know what to say about it. However, while I loved The House of Tomorrow to pieces, Hooked by Catherine Greenman was just okay. Don't get me wrong, it was a readable story, something that I enjoyed reading and got through quite fast, but it just left me wanting something more. Maybe it's because I've read better teen pregnancy books, or because I just couldn't fully relate to the characters on hand, but either way, this book just didn't contain the sparkle I was looking for. However, I still suggest to fans of YA contemp...hopefully you'll enjoy this book more than I did!

Grade: C+

Hooked (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Publicist- thanks Meg!

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Good looking, athletic, and smart, Gill Marsh is the most popular kid at Uruk High School, even though he is only a junior. When Enko, a new kid from Montreal, shows up, Gil is wary. Yet Enko is easy going and matches Gil's athletic prowess without being a threat. Soon, the two become inseparable friends, practicing, studying, and double-dating.

Then suddenly, to everyone's shock, Enko succombs to an aggressive cancer.

When Enko's parents take his body and return to Canada, Gil is unable to even say good bye. He is inconsolable. Determined to find Enko's grave, Gil sneaks away and heads north.

Closely based on the ancient story of Gilgamesh, the Sumerian King from 3000 BC, A. C. E. Bauer has carefully woven the classic elements of myth to follow Gil's quest and explore the grief and growth of a young man.

Review:

When I first heard about Gil Marsh by A.C.E. Bauer I was instantly intrigued. It sounded really interesting- an emotional and bittersweet contemporary read that I would just adore. However, as it turns out, Gil Marsh was just not for me, sadly enough. Gil Marsh tells the story of Gil Marsh and Enko, two best friends at Uruk High School. However, everything changes when Enko suddenly dies and Gil falls apart following this death. First, let me talk about the things I did enjoy about this book. One was the friendship between Gil and Enko. It was a little confusing at times (I could never tell if they were just friends or something more...) but it was still nice seeing such a strong male friendship in a YA book to say the least. I also enjoyed how A.C.E. Bauer brought to life the story of Gilgamesh in this one...it didn't turn out just as I expected but it was still interesting to see it twisted and turned to fit the modern world. The parts about this one that I just didn't love included how confusing this book could get at time (everything was so jumbled at times) to the fact that I never really could relate to Gil, which is always a bad sign in my book. Plus I also felt like this book was missing something... development, a plot line, I'm not sure....Anyhow, Gil Marsh was just not the book for me, and to be honest, it's not something I really suggest. However, if you think you may enjoy it, give it a try...hopefully you'll see something I couldn't.

Grade: C

Gil Marsh (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Publisher via Netgalley