Girl on a Plane by Miriam Moss // Thrilling and Unique

Girl on a Plane, by Miriam Moss
Publication: September 12, 2017, by HMH Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Bahrain, 1970. After a summer spent with her family, fifteen-year-old Anna is flying back to boarding school in England when her plane is hijacked by Palestinian terrorists and taken to the Jordanian desert. Demands are issued. If they are not met, the terrorists will blow up the plane, killing all hostages. The heat becomes unbearable; food and water supplies dwindle. All alone, Anna begins to face the possibility that she may never see her family again. Inspired by true events, this is a story about real people facing horror with courage and resilience.

My Thoughts:

Girl on a Plane has been on my radar for over a year now - I feel so bad that I haven't given it a chance yet and allowed myself to become aware of the gorgeous writing Miriam Moss provides. This is my first time reading a story about a hijacking, and let me just say that this seems so real. It's actually based on the true story of Miriam's, who actually experienced a hijacking in her own life. Obviously, the two stories do differ, as the protagonist in this story is not Miriam, but a fifteen-year-old girl named Anna, who is returning home to England after spending time in Bahrain, where her father works for the military. I can easily admit that this was one of the most heartbreaking stories I have ever read. To read about a young character who is forced to experience such a traumatizing experience without her loved ones really did it for me. I was on the verge of shedding many tears as I read Anna's story, and saw her struggle for strength.

This story is actually historical, taking place in 1970. The setting actually played a huge role in shaping the way the novel progressed, and showed the culture of the times. Characters in the book, such as David, had an Etch-a-Sketch, which made me remind myself of the time period in which this story took place, and I found it quite interesting. This was seriously one of the most emotional stories I've read. We definitely have the ability to see growth in each of the characters, including Anna and her family, who are forced to live in the unknown by not knowing what is happening to their daughter. Additionally, this book showed a different take on hijackings, as Anna's plane was steered towards a vacant desert in Jordan, ruled by Palestinian rebels. I was able to learn more about the struggles endured by these people and learn about their reasoning for doing what they did. Obviously, it is unacceptable for these events to occur, but Moss clearly showcased the perspectives of both sides.

One of the major themes highlighted in this novel was innocence. Having a protagonist who is so young made the story so special and important. I loved reading about this through a teenager's experience instead of an adult's, as Anna's innocence showed that she did not know much about what was happening and didn't know how to deal with the situation. It just made the story steer away from fiction and caused it to become real. 

Girl on a Plane was entertaining, thrilling, and SO SO SO different than anything I've ever read before. If you're seeking a story that will change your life and cause you to appreciate what you have, read this. 

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What are some other YA books based on true stories?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald // A Lovely American Classic

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Publication: May 27, 2003, by Scribner
Genre: Fiction, Historical
Pages: 184
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 

Jay Gatsby is the man who has everything. But one thing will always be out of his reach. Everybody who is anybody is seen at his glittering parties. Day and night his Long Island mansion buzzes with bright young things drinking, dancing, and debating his mysterious character. For Gatsby---young, handsome, and fabulously rich---always seems alone in the crowd, watching and waiting, though no one knows what for. Beneath the shimmering surface of his life he is hiding a secret: a silent longing that can never be fulfilled. And soon this destructive obsession will force his world to unravel.

My Thoughts:

The Great Gatsby has been on my to-read list on Goodreads for years. YEARS. I bet that I first added it when I opened my account... when I turned thirteen. I always had that fantasy that I would read the BEST books in high school, so I waited until this past semester of school where I discovered that I would be reading it. F. Scott Fitzgerald has created a literal masterpiece that I recommend TO EVERYONE. If you want to see beauty in terms of greed, corruption, forbidden love, and the famous American Dream. This is a quick read, however, the amount of events that occur in between the lines ARE IMMENSE. 

This is the kind of book that hooks you midway. It's not something that you'll start adoring as you begin reading, or even after two chapters. Gatsby's story develops very slowly, like a metamorphosis (do you see my attempt to sound lyrical over there?). And after I watched the movie with Leo DiCaprio, I felt a greater connection to the novel as all became clear and I was truly able to appreciate the era in which it was written... an era I would love to travel back in time to: the Roaring Twenties. I would want to see what it was like to be a flapper, to attend extravagant parties with jazz music playing in the background... all of that. Since I cannot gain that experience, Fitzgerald did that for me; he created a gorgeous experience and setting for all readers.

The setting of the story is what continues to draw me in to this day. New York City is the most important from them all; even though it appears to be so luxurious and full of glitz and glamour, it is really corrupt. It's where crime and bootlegging happened... where some of the characters took their positions out of hand, where infidelity occurred. Then, we also had a division in Long Island, between West Egg and East Egg. Although both parts of the island contained individuals who you may describe as "filthy rich," they were practically polar opposites. West Egg contained the "new rich," including Gatsby and Nick Carraway, our novel's protagonist. The East Egg, on the other hand, contained the "old rich," those who are careless and didn't have to work for their money. This was made up of Tom and Daisy Buchanan, major characters of the novel. 

AGH. There are many things I would do to receive some sort of sequel for this novel. It is a pure American classic that highlights the fact that money doesn't buy happiness; that humans are always striving for something more. And, in a way, this is a corrupt love story.

  

The Great Gatsby is a novel every human being must pick up at some point in their lives. Whether you're a teenager, or a middle-aged person, this book will formulate some kind of emotion in your heart. You'll get easily attached to Gatsby's world, and the rest will be history. You'll be talking about this gorgeous piece of literature for ages.

Have you read TGG? What is your impression of it?

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig // Time-Traveling Awesomeness

The Girl From Everywhere (The Girl From Everywhere #1), by Heidi Heilig
Publication: February 16, 2016, by Greenwillow Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical, Fantasy, Time-Traveling, Romance
Pages: 443
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed
Rating: ½

Nix has spent her entire life aboard her father’s ship, sailing across the centuries, across the world, across myth and imagination.
As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenth-century China, the land from One Thousand and One Nights, a mythic version of Africa. Along the way they have found crewmates and friends, and even a disarming thief who could come to mean much more to Nix.
But the end to it all looms closer every day.
Her father is obsessed with obtaining the one map, 1868 Honolulu, that could take him back to his lost love, Nix’s mother. Even though getting it—and going there—could erase Nix’s very existence.
For the first time, Nix is entering unknown waters.
She could find herself, find her family, find her own fantastical ability, her own epic love.
Or she could disappear.

My Thoughts:

This four point five star rating I am handing Heidi Heilig's debut time-traveling adventure romance (add in whatever genre you can think of and this book has it) is not exactly what it seems like. Honestly? Forget about that four point five and picture this book as a perfect ten. The Girl From Everywhere was mystical, dashing, magical, stunning and just oh-so-good, unlike my initial expectations. PEOPLE. I find that it's better to expect the worst than the best, even in reality. I initially expected a boring, un-understandable read for me with this one, but I flew through it in a sitting, and after it was over, I picked up my library copy and held it against my heart. (I get a little cheesy when I like a book so much). Oh, and why should you treat this as a perfect rating? Because the book was practically perfect. I will touch on a minor thing that set me off from granting this five stars, but it barely affected me in any manner. By the way, I just noticed the girl in the water on the cover of this book after reading. I LOVE THOSE SURPRISES. That's mega-cool.

The Girl From Everywhere has such a perfect title for the 443 pages that are stamped inside of this beautiful cover. It explains our heroine, Nix, so well. I'm so giddy with this book that I don't even know where my review should really begin. This is definitely one of the best books I've read this year, and perhaps ever. I cannot fangirl about it more than I already have and will.

For some reason, I expected this to be bad. Why? Because in the past, I have never enjoyed books about time-traveling mixed with historical events and myths. Okay, first of all, myths are rarely incorporated into YA these days, so that's a first... or second. Heidi Heilig writes about something that's deep in her heart, and I bet that she is seriously passionate about: Hawaiian culture. HOLY LEIS AND PINEAPPLES. I love Hawaii, I want to go there so bad. I mean, I always wanted to fly to the island of Oahu, be lei-ed (or whatever they call it), yell "Ohana means family" and say Aloha to every person I meet there. But now? This book introduced Hawaiian culture to me and it was so interesting to read about the most gorgeous islands in the world... back in the day, specifically in the nineteenth century. 

HOW DOES HEIDI DO EVERYTHING PERFECTLY? There's so much diversity in The Girl From Everywhere that I cannot stop squealing. We have Kashmir (HOLY I LOVE HIM, I'LL GET TO HIM SOON), who is from Persia when Nix and her father, Slate, find him, and there's also Bee, who is African. Bee's a crew member on The Temptation, the ship that Nix and her father time-travel or Navigate with. She's lesbian too, which shows us how DEDICATED this book is. I loved reading about each and every place that Nix Navigated to, including New York City and how she retold events from the past when they went to Scandia and how they saw dragons in the Baltic Sea.

"It was only the nervous shifting of his eyes that hinted at discomfort, but not with the city, nor with being on land. With his own skin. No matter where we went, he never felt at home. I recognized that feeling. I'd inherited it" (35).

Basically, The Girl From Everywhere is about our heroine, Nix, whose mother died when she gave birth to her. Her father, who is the captain of the ship that they, among others, time-travel, or Navigate with, called The Temptation, has never gotten over the fact that his true love is gone. He and Nix travel through time using maps that they find, going back centuries or millenniums into the past. Now, they are on the search for Nix's mother back in the past in Honolulu, Hawaii. That scares Nix, because she knows that she could possibly disappear if they do find her.

I was on the edge of my seat for the whole novel. Although it's about five hundred pages long, I couldn't stop reading from the moment I began the story. Heidi Heilig writes so casually, yet absolutely lyrically and different, perhaps more poetic than I would've expected. I loved everything about this story, how it teaches readers about culture, myth and the beautiful parts of loving life. I wish that I could GRAB ALL OF THE MAPS AND NAVIGATE MYSELF. It's a different twist on time-travel, and it's for a good reason.

You see, I always need some kind of description of the gears of time-traveling in a book I read. That's so important for me. Heilig did not info-dump on us, making up some weird explanations for why what Nix and her father do works. It was brief, yet unimaginable because no author has ever explored a bookish world like Heidi had. 

I don't understand the issues people had with this glorious story. It was racing, perfectly paced, and now? My life depends on the sequel. Honestly, a sequel isn't needed because the story ended off perfectly and we readers could imagine a continuing ending that works, but THERE IS ONE COMING AND DAMN, I NEED IT. I NEED HARPERCOLLINS TO SEND ME A COPY ASAP. I'LL TAKE A MANUSCRIPT THAT'S ALL WRITTEN OVER, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES. Or, I could ask my favourite couple, Nix and Kashmir, to personally deliver it. *twiddles eyebrows*

Nix is your dream definition of a heroine. I loved her personality, and how she dealt with the situation she was in. She had every right to be confused and feel discomfort with her life, because she was taken away from what was supposed to be her future. It was interesting for us to get a first-hand look at the life she would've had if her father hadn't began Navigating for Nix's mother in the past, in nineteenth century Hawaii. She wasn't one of those protagonists who hated everyone around her for unexplainable reasons, you know? I found myself totally relating to her wanderlust, and NOW I WANT TO TRAVEL. People with severe wanderlust, this book is for you to take a trip with.

"Paradise is a promise no god bothers to keep. There's only now, and tomorrow nothing will be the same, whether we like it or not" (390).

KASHMIR AND BLAKE. Guys, we have a slight love triangle here, but unless you're really affected by them, you'll be fine. Blake is a character we are introduced to halfway through the novel, and he is living in the Hawaii that Nix visits with The Temptation. He hides this secret that he is also a mapmaker, and Nix is immediately drawn to his mysteriousness. I would be, too. I loved Blake and his mysterious character, but honestly? My heart is for the gorgeous Kashmir. Kashmir is Nix's best friend, and they have known each other for a long time. He is also a thief, and helps Nix's father to all of the deeds that Nix herself would never want to do. AGH. My heart flutters like hell when he's in a chapter. I need them to be together. She's kind of torn between the two, and I wonder how the next book will patch things up. AND GUYS. THE ENDING? Nix is well... *SPOILER* stuck with them both. Hah. *SPOILER ENDS*

So what I had a slight issue with was the ending itself. That was just chaotic and I found that it happened so fast that I didn't know what exactly happened. I still don't even know. I don't know how Nix's father made the decision that he did, and I had to go over the last chapter or so a few times, but it still was foggy. I need a greater explanation, PLEASE. But that's cool, fine. I LOVE THIS BOOK, OH EM GEE. 

The Girl From Everywhere is one of the most stunning debuts I have ever read. WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE (who cares about the love triangle? It works!), a heroine who is one of a kind, and a plot slash story that I cannot get out of my head. This book seems like a dream, I can't believe I was so fortunate to read it, because it's unlike anything that my brain would ever come up with in a million years. Who knows? Maybe I could Navigate into 2017 and grab a copy from the amazing Heidi herself. THAT WOULD BE THE BEST.

What is the best debut you have read recently? What have you heard about this amazing story?

Sweet Madness by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie // A Sad DNF For Me

Sweet Madness, by Trisha Leaver
Publication: September 15, 2015, by Merit Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical, Mystery
Pages: 223
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Seventeen-year-old Bridget Sullivan is alone in Fall River, a city that sees Irish immigrants as nothing more than a drunken drain on society. To make matters worse, she's taken employment with the city’s most peculiar and gossip-laden family—the Bordens. But Bridget can’t afford to be picky—the pay surpasses any other job Bridget could ever secure and she desperately needs the money to buy her little sister, Cara, passage to the states. It doesn’t hurt that the job location is also close to her beau, Liam. As she enters the disturbing inner workings of the Borden household, Bridget clings to these advantages.
However, what seemed like a straightforward situation soon turns into one that is untenable. Of course Bridget has heard the gossip around town about the Bordens, but what she encounters is far more unsettling. The erratic, paranoid behavior of Mr. Borden, the fearful silence of his wife, and worse still…the nightly whisperings Bridget hears that seem to come from the walls themselves.
The unexpected bright spot of the position is that Lizzie Borden is so friendly. At first, Bridget is surprised at how Lizzie seems to look out for her, how she takes a strong interest in Bridget’s life. Over time, a friendship grows between them. But when Mr. Borden’s behavior goes from paranoid to cruel, and the eerie occurrences in the house seem to be building momentum, Bridget makes the tough decision that she must leave the house—even if it means leaving behind Lizzie, her closest friend, alone with the madness. Something she swore she would not do.
But when Bridget makes a horrifying discovery in the home, all that she thought she knew about the Bordens is called into question…including if Lizzie is dangerous. And the choice she must make about Lizzie’s character could mean Bridget’s life or death.
SWEET MADNESS is a retelling of the infamous Borden murders from the point of view of Lizzie’s Irish maid, Bridget Sullivan.

My Thoughts:

DNF @ 150 pages

I like to be a nice person when I read books. I like to read historical novels, especially those that are mixed with romance and mystery. Speaking of historical-romance, I recently read Jennifer Donnelly's These Shallow Graves, and that is actually the best book I have read (so far) this year. I had high hopes for Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie's new YA novel that has been constantly raved about. I sadly had to DNF it, and that kind of broke my heart because I was 100% sure that I would give this at least a 3.5 star rating. I was prepping myself to write a nice, positive review, and make the whole world happy with my review. I was so wrong. The two authors have written a nice novel, I'm sure, for some people, but this was focused on a mystery that I couldn't care less about. It seemed like I had to have had some kind of background information on the Borden murders, and I didn't know anything about it. It was extremely boring and bland, and eerie.

I get that mystery novels are supposed to have that eerie, mystic feel in them when readers are reading and are trying to figure out the secret behind all of the murders. This was just too weird. I like novels that are well-researched if the author(s) is/are exploring a subject matter that many do not know about. I can tell that Leaver and Currie certainly did do their research on Fall River and everything that occurred in it back in the day. I just wasn't interested. 

I was stuck with this book for an entire day, and it felt like a chore to read. There was no enjoyment whatsoever. This reminds me of a similar situation with Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows, another really-loved-and-admired story, but not my type. I just cannot appreciate these two authors' writing style.

I like that the story is written from the perspective of Lizzie Borden's maid, Bridget. We readers usually get to read the first-hand perspective of a victim of a family murder (someone who lost their whole family or some members). This was an unique take on that stereotypical formatting of YA historical murder mysteries. This story is very old-fashioned, and I just didn't like the time-frame that this was set in. 

I DNFed this because I was too bored. I didn't want to waste my time, you know? I feel like I'm DNFing and hating too many books lately. Meh.

You see, I could have kept reading this one until it was over, but I wouldn't enjoy it anyway, and I sadly didn't really want to know the ending. Sweet Madness wasn't really sweet, from my viewpoint, but it sure was mad.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is your favourite historical novel? Have you read The Secrets We Keep by Trisha? What were your thoughts?

The Yearbook by Carol Masciola // Meh.

The Yearbook, by Carol Masciola
Publication: October 2, 2015, by Merit Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical, Time-Traveling
Pages: 224
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

Misfit teen Lola Lundy has every right to her anger and her misery. She’s failing in school, living in a group home, and social workers keep watching her like hawks, waiting for her to show signs of the horrible mental illness that cost Lola’s mother her life. Then, one night, she falls asleep in a storage room in her high school library, where she’s seen an old yearbook—from the days when the place was an upscale academy for young scholars instead of a dump. When Lola wakes, it’s to a scene that is nothing short of impossible.
Lola quickly determines that she’s gone back to the past—eighty years in the past, to be exact. The Fall Frolic dance is going full blast in the gym, and there she makes an instant connection with the brainy and provocative Peter Hemmings, class of ’24. His face is familiar, because she’s seen his senior portrait in the yearbook. By night’s end, Lola thinks she sees hope for her disastrous present: She’ll make a new future for herself in the past. But is it real? Or has the major mental illness in Lola’s family background finally claimed her? Has she slipped through a crack in time, or into a romantic hallucination she created in her own mind, wishing on the ragged pages of a yearbook from a more graceful time long ago?

My Thoughts:

With so much insta-love that it hurts (well, there's only a case of it and I didn't like it) and the fact that the main idea that the plot is centred around, time-traveling, is not explained, as well as the absolute boredom I experienced, The Yearbook by Carol Masciola was not a good read that I could recommend to others. I received this book in return for a review a while ago, and the fact that the cover is extremely bland and how it pushes me away from reading it made me un-intrigued. To be perfectly honest, there were some good aspects of this whole story, like the fact that the protagonist, Lola, was exactly like I would want her to be, and how the whole story began.

I wanted to like this one, a lot. I have heard of many similar stories, except this is even COOLER. When I first read the summary, I was instantly intrigued because the protagonist time travels after seeing a yearbook in her high school library, of the class of 1924. Who wouldn't want to go back almost a hundred years back in time and get to see how life was back then? Knowing everything that occurred after that year, it's interesting to see what life was like for the many people who didn't see what was coming. But then, of course, there were dark, dumb moments that didn't work out for me. I swear, Lola spent almost a whole chapter searching for things that she obviously knew weren't around in the States during 1924, like pizza. I mean, she went searching for pizza. That was definitely a low for me.

So as I mentioned, the plot is basically very self-explanatory here. A girl takes a blast to the past, but she goes crazy. Carol Masciola does have a good idea by turning this into a story about mental illness as well, but it kind of didn't make sense as it occurred. I have no idea how this time-traveling idea came to be. Usually, even if the story is mostly contemporary or historical, we readers get to see the reasons why the time-traveling happens. Here? Nada. And it makes sense that we do get something, a little something. I usually don't really like science-fiction mixed in with a story that is supposed to be talking about something else, but it was needed in this novel, no doubt about it. That was my biggest complaint.

Lola Lundy is your teenage example of a rebellious girl. She undergoes this character development who makes her someone who doesn't care about anything to someone who does care and falls in love. I really liked that cutesy aspect added in. But there were too many plot holes, plot pieces of boringness that made me just want to rip my hair out. Except I didn't. I actually ended up finishing this book because I have definitely seen worse. I felt like the story moved like molasses, though.

I hate reading bad books. The Yearbook wasn't horrible at all, but there were points where I just wanted to stop reading and wasting my time. It was boring, and things didn't click together and make sense. You had to guess and see if you're correct the whole time while reading. Don't even get me started about Peter (although he was cute and made me squirm of joy). WHY DID LOLA HAVE TO GO HEAD OVER HEELS FOR HIM RIGHT AWAY. Guys—love at first sight doesn't have to occur in every YA book, okay? There are a few exceptions, but this wasn't one of them.

The Yearbook is a time-traveling, mystery kind of historical read (yes, I'm mixing all of the genres together here) that some will really enjoy, and some will not. I have read many better time-traveling stories, like Claudia Gray's A Thousand Pieces of You, which mixed in romance and a more scientific feel all together. If you enjoy those kinds of stories where you have to keep guessing and making these theories so you don't get confused in the midst of it, then this story is most definitely for you. Don't get me wrong, fellas—I enjoyed the characters!

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is the latest time-traveling book you have read? Do you enjoy time-traveling as a subject in YA?

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly // My Favourite Book of 2016

These Shallow Graves, by Jennifer Donnelly
Publication: October 27, 2015, by Delacorte Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Pages: 488
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon—like all the girls in her class—she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo secretly dreams of becoming a writer—a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.
Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.
The more Jo uncovers about her father’s death, the more her suspicions grow. There are too many secrets. And they all seem to be buried in plain sight. Then she meets Eddie—a young, brash, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper—and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. Only now it might be too late to stop.
The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and the truth is the dirtiest part of all.

My Thoughts:

It's been a few weeks since I last finished reading this novel and its last beautiful pages (every single page was honestly beautiful), but I still feel like I'm living in 1890's New York City with Jo Montfort and her family, grieving over the loss of her father and exploring the city. I cannot get over how amazing These Shallow Graves is and was. Easily, I would like to classify this as my most favourite book of the year, and perhaps, one of the best books out of my whole life. This is perfect, beautiful, and I am blessed to have a review copy of it and have gotten it signed by the ah-mazing author who started it all. Jennifer Donnelly, this is your best work yet, and I have read a few books by you. Keep writing historical fiction, and I would ADORE IT if you continued this series and if you let me read more about Eddie and Jo's future in the city where the American dream really began. Agh.

I cannot stop fangirling and freaking out over how amazing this was. From the smooth, precious cover that screams out "mystery" and "beauty," to the fact that Krista Marino, Jennifer's editor, has written a letter inserted in the novel explaining how she loved editing this story and loves everything about it, there is nothing that you cannot love about the story... besides the deaths that occur. I finished this in a day, slowly devouring it all and being unable to put it down. To be honest, I normally finish books in a few hours, but this took me like 10, because I just wanted to enjoy the writing and didn't want to let it go, because I knew, from the start, that this is a standalone novel.

These Shallow Graves began with a boom. We are immediately thrown into Jo Montfort's rich, spoiled world where everything she has ever desired is given to her. Most especially, we are immediately thrown into the world of Jo's thoughts, and how she is a happy feminist, trying to hide her thoughts from her family, because she knows they wouldn't approve. Jennifer Donnelly expresses the theme of feminism throughout, and most especially, the theme of achievement. Jo, our lovely heroine, had huge dreams, and alongside the fact that she is trying to solve the mystery behind her father's death throughout the story, she is finding her place in the world, in the city where these dreams are granted to those who seek them.

The pacing was fabulous. It seemed as if it was completely natural, but I knew that deep down, Donnelly planned the whole story out, planning out Jo's character development and how she would spend time with Eddie to fight crime in New York City. The plot was exceptional, and I was never bored—ever. It was racing and I legitimately wanted to bite my nail-beds off. I was that anxious throughout, because I felt that something could happen to Jo and her family at any moment.

"Eddie flooded her senses. He made her giddy. He made her ache. He filled her a hunger that was new and deep and dangerous" (124).

This story takes place in the glorious city of New York, where the Montforts are rich and live a luxurious life. Out of nowhere, her father is killed, and at first—it looks like a suicide. Seeking out information, Jo meets Eddie, a young journalist who works at the newspaper agency that her father owned, alongside her uncle. They go out into the dangerous parts of the city, even though Eddie warns Jo not to, and she eventually discovers that she'd rather live poorly and happily, than rich and unhappy with the life that her parents have planned out for her, like marrying a man who she has known for her whole life, but barely feels anything for, except for friendship.

Jo is my most favourite heroine. HOLY GRAVES (that was an intended pun), SHE HAD SO MUCH INDEPENDENCE AND A PERSONALITY THAT NO ONE CAN BEAT. I love reading about girls who take a stand in their lives, and this takes place in an era that I have never read about before, but have always wanted to read about. Jo feels that other journalists are such inspirations for her, and that is something new and improved in YA fiction, because instead of a mother or sister, Jo looks up to someone in the same profession field that she would like to work in. 

I have been putting off this review ever since I finished it because I knew that I would write until the world ended. The characters, the plot, the setting, the timeframe, everything was so magnificent. Yay for the minor characters like Fay who surprise us, initially looking like people who Eddie and Jo shouldn't trust, later impressing us with their kindness and love for helping people out. Now, let's move on to Eddie. HOLY HOLY HOLY HOLY HOLY. This guy makes me blush every time he speaks and I just cannot help but fall in love with him. I have realized that I have a thing for journalists right now. Eddie is the perfect companion for Jo and oh my gosh, I just adored him and her together. The romance wasn't everything, but it was something so powerful that was specially created to fit the story. 

This is historical fiction created with so many interesting tweaks about setting and society—I was addicted. I loved the way society worked at the time of this story, I honestly feel like I was so connected to the posh lifestyle of Jo. We see a jump from place to place, learning about the area of SoHo that Jo and her family live in, and even landmarks that we currently know of today in the city that never sleeps. Adding moments where we learn about prostitution and crime at the time, I couldn't help but want to read more online afterwards.

"He pulled her close and kissed her again. In his arms, she no longer knew where she was or who she was, only what she wanted—him. The strength of her feelings frightened her. This passion was the wind that would push her off the cliff and leave her broken on the rocks" (179).

I would like to warn future readers of a love triangle. That did not bother me at all, and honestly? It clicked and worked. Jo is torn between a man who she doesn't love, but who could provide her with all of the luxuries that her life currently has been giving her, as well as a good reputation for her family, the Montforts, or a man who makes her so happy, shares the same passions as her, but who isn't rich at all. I think we all know who the winner here truly is.

GOSH AND THAT ENDING? THAT WAS ACTION-PACKED AND EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED. I was seriously shocked because Donnelly kept fooling us. On one page, we were sure that Jo would choose her life to go one way, but then things change suddenly and she ended up choosing the best thing of all. Jennifer ends up leaving us off with an open ending, leaving us to dream about Jo's future and what would happen next. Sometimes, those are the endings that work. 

These Shallow Graves deserves all of the possible book awards, and I just wish that it got more publicity, all of the publicity ever. Everything is beautiful about it and I am so grateful that I cherished my experience of reading it slowly and wonderfully. This is a time-traveling experience for every teen reader—an experience where we are thrown into the best setting possible, in the best time era, with an electrifying romance, with the best ending, and a plot twist that will practically blow your brains out. I am not giving you any other choice but to go and pick it up right now. This is #1 for everything. CAN I REREAD IT NOW? I am undergoing a severe case of post-book depression.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for  a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is the best book you have read (so far) this year? Do you know of any historical YA books taken place in the late 1800s?