Elizabeth Valchar's life is just beginning. Rich and pretty and popular -- she has it all. But it's all cut tragically short on the night of her 18th birthday, when Liz awakens to find her own body floating in the frigid water beside her family's yacht. Liz has no idea how she died -- or even how she lived -- until Alex Berg, a boy she barely knew in life until his own tragic death just a year before, arrives to be her guide. As they piece together what cruel twist of fate cut her perfect life short, Liz begins to discover that nothing is what it seems in the tiny town of Noank -- and something unspeakable had been eating her alive long before that fateful night.
In
Between,
Jessica Warman writes a scandalous tale of tragedy and betrayal, death and ruined lives. A foreboding air hangs over the novel, an atmosphere heavy with secrets and pain. It is clear from page one that something terrible has been a long time coming in the sleepy town of Noank; the only question is what tragic chain of events led them here. The ultimate mystery of how Liz died tickles at the reader's mind from start to finish -- the nagging sensation of suspicion with no proof. However, though the mystery of Liz's death is shadowy, the other big mystery of the novel is fairly obvious from the beginning.
Warman's take on the afterlife is intriguing, and an effective narrative technique for introducing readers to Liz before her death, and the childhood traumas that made her what she is. Liz and her afterlife tour guide Alex merely have to blink to go back in time, to watch their own memories from the outside -- seeing things they may have missed or been too young to understand the first time around. The ability to distance themselves from their own lives is a thought-provoking concept, and provides many heartbreaking revelations for Liz throughout the novel.
The afterlife connection between Liz and her lifelong (living) boyfriend Richie is also an unusual -- almost paranormal -- addition, and gives the novel its only real emotional depth. Liz and Richie's relationship wasn't perfect (far from it), but it had withstood the test of time despite their young age, and made it painfully clear that the two teens were meant to be. They made stupid mistakes, as humans are wont to do, but they had an air of innocence and devotion about them that was endearing to witness, and made Liz's loss more profound.
With this one exception, however, the characters are horribly off-putting. They all feel so flat, their little intrigues and ugly secrets sordid -- like a soap opera. It was hard to relate to either them or their behavior. The town is populated with the rich and privileged, and the adults behave as badly as their spoiled children. Liz and her crew are the top of the totem pole -- obsessed with makeup and weight loss and popularity. Their teachers would never dare to question this elite group of miscreants, and they generally get away with being nightmarish human beings. It's unfathomable that anyone, no matter their age, could be so insipid and shallow. All their drama seems overwrought and superficial, their affairs and betrayals trite.
Thankfully, the secrets that finally begin to surface near the end of the novel carry more weight, giving Liz some much-needed humanity and making her a more sympathetic character. Though this kind of afterlife journey is nothing new in young adult fiction,
Between adds the extra flair of a murder mystery to keep readers turning the page.
Rating:
Erin Blackwell left behind a life of comfort in Kentucky for a life of dreams in New York City. Unfortunately, that decision meant that her inheritance went to her grandmother's stable boy, Hunter Allen. But the past is the past, and Erin's just trying to move on -- or so she thought. For her first creative writing assignment, Erin writes the love story she wishes she'd had with Hunter, before everything fell apart -- never imagining in her wildest dreams that he would see it. When an unfortunate twist of fate makes Hunter the newest student in Erin's class, it sets off a story of longing, heartbreak and betrayal that will change Erin's future and show her the past in a devastating new light.
In
Love Story,
Jennifer Echols crafts a sexy tale of star-crossed love and forbidden romance. The class assignments sprinkled throughout the text are an innovative and enjoyable way of recounting Erin and Hunter's shared history, showing readers how they arrived at this complicated juncture. Though the salacious elements in the initial assignments seem a little gratuitous for an intro level college course, the stories improve drastically over the course of the novel. The most powerful stories are the truest ones, showing the tragedy and loss that made them who they are today and revealing insightful parallels between Erin's own story and that of her mother. The Kentucky horse racing lifestyle also comes alive through these stories, though most of the novel is set in New York City, and is crucial to understanding the complex dynamic between the former heiress and her stable boy.
Still, at times it was difficult to connect with Erin. She began the novel seeming proud and judgmental, then digressed into insecurity about her relationship with Hunter and the future of her writing career. Her tendency to jump to the worst conclusion and then act impulsively on that assumption quickly became exasperating. However, her willingness to strike out on her own was admirable, and her relationship with her grandmother will hit home for anyone who's fought their family for control of their own life. Hunter, on the other hand, is a much more compelling character. He possesses that classic southern charm which is so hard to resist, though he can sometimes be a little too controlling in his drive to rescue the damsel in distress -- coming off more macho than gentlemanly. Nonetheless, the mystery of his true nature and motivations will intrigue readers as they puzzle out how the smitten little boy became the aloof young man.
Unfortunately, the stories -- while steamy -- are an immature way to work out deep-rooted problems. Things begin to look promising when Erin and Hunter finally assess their relationship, rather than toying with each other, but an unfortunate twist sends them spiraling off course again. They refuse to confront or even acknowledge the issue, and their failure to communicate and willingness to manipulate one another feels more like lust than love, making it difficult to believe in a happy ending. Despite the magnitude of the situation, Erin fails to have a believable emotional response, instead making self-destructive and irrational decisions that are never acknowledged by her or the novel itself -- ultimately leaving me uncomfortable about their entire relationship.
Rating: 
Disclosure: I received an advance copy of
The darkness is growing in Finley Jayne. When the lowly lady's maid is attacked by the spoiled and dangerous Lord Felix, her story should end as tragically as those who came before her -- yet it doesn't. Finley is special. Dangerous. Deadly. The incredible strength and wild ferocity that overtake her in moments of crisis are terrifying, even as they save her life. Fortunately, her encounter with Lord Felix throws her into the path of Duke Griffin King -- the one man in Victorian London who may be able to save Finley from herself.
In
The Girl in the Steel Corset,
Kady Cross builds her own rich, vibrant version of Victorian London. The unusual flow of the narration befits the beautiful cadence of the period and immerses readers in this alternate world. Though the history is rather different from the one with which we're all familiar, some recognizable names trickle into conversation and ground the novel in our reality. Cross weaves the paranormal into this multifaceted world, combining the spiritual plane with her steampunk history and piquing readers' imaginations with the bizarre technology that populates this universe -- from automatons to velocycles to aether engines. I would have liked to see some of the steampunk tech treated in more detail, helping readers to envision these fascinating foreign objects.
Unfortunately, the characters fall a little flat. Though Finley is fierce and could be fabulous, she despises the part of her that makes her strong -- villainzing half of her personality and trying hard to stamp out her combative nature. She is also a little elusive as a character. The novel is written in third person, alternating perspectives, and though it initially seems as though this is Finley's story, by the end I felt as though I didn't really know her at all. She still outshines the rest of the cast, however. Sam, the muscle of the group, wallows in self-pity and self-loathing for most of the novel, behaving selfishly and hatefully toward his long-suffering friends. Griffin, the leader of the pack and hero of the piece, is appallingly self-satisfied and entitled. He treats his friends like servants and frequently reflects on his status and intelligence.
Thankfully there is Emily, the true brains of the operation. Emily is sweet but fiesty, never hesitating to put her self-righteous male friends in their place. If only the men didn't insist on trivializing her indignation as the kittenish temper of an "annoyed pixie"!* Then there's Jack Dandy, the antihero who haunts the dark and deadly places. His enigmatic mix of intelligence and swagger is captivating from the start, and I would gladly read an entire novel devoted solely to his exploits. Cross skillfully evokes his assumed Cockney accent so powerfully that readers will think they hear it whispering in their ears. His involvement in the love triangle fortunately saves the fizzling embers from dying out.
Ultimately, though the story is innovative and the world-building is luscious, the lackluster characters sadly distract from the novel's immense potential.
Rating: 
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this novel at BEA. This did not affect my review in any way.This novel is available in stores now!
7 Comments on Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross, last added: 6/23/2011
Aww, sad that the characters seemed flat! I was kinda excited for this one. But great honest review! You justified your points. Love that. :)
Haha, I agree that the antics in Between seemed very much like a soap opera. Being somewhat shallow, I totally ate it up! :P Overall, though, I enjoyed Between. It's a bummer that it wasn't totally enjoyable for you. Wonderful review!
Great review! I am not sure how I feel about murder mysteries (not a big fan of thriller) but add a paranormal element and I think I'll give it a shot. Thanks for this recommendation.
Oh this is new. And sounds like a good read. Thanks for sharing this new book!
This is the third review of this book I've read today. And the other two were 5 stars. I'm glad to have your opinion to throw into the mix and it's helped tone down my excitement (definitely a good thing since I'm on a book buying ban). I know we all have different opinions of books but characters are extremely important to me, and I've been a bit picky lately on them. So I'm thinking that I could lean toward not loving them, like you did. We'll see if I ever get my hands on it. But for now I'm glad to not feel so obsessed about reading it. Maybe I'll get it from the library in the future.
sounds like the romance is nice. i am going to start reading this one soon.
this one is next on my tbr pile. i'm eager to see how i'll feel about it.