Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Letter V ~ Book Spotlight: ABANDON

"Anything can happen in the blink of an eye. Anything at all. One. Two. Three. Blink." Those were the first words I encountered at the onset of reading my next book for review.

I'm totally cheating, today, using the letter 'V' for a YA book review, but I must get this review in before the book release which is today!! :) Also, I need to announce the WINNERS of Author C.Lee McKenzie's book/1st five page critique as well as my Easter Hop Book WINNERS!! *Don't peek until the end. :)* AND, with today Tuesday, I'm supposed to do my ROW80 progress report with Susan, Margo, and now C. Lee!! (Click on the links to see their progress.)


So quickly, I'll report on goal #1, seeing how that's what I've been working on: Just took a turn into the heart of Act II in my rewrites of Marked Beauty. Weaving in my added plot twist with caution, and it's enhancing the inner depth of my two leads so nicely. Loving it!! Received a great crit back which will help me tighten the first chapter even more. :)

Let's move to my A-Z post and go with V for Vendettas. I can think of a few characters who've had vendettas. One in particular and quite appropriate for today's letter: Voldemort. Yeah, we all know him. But what about Death. What character could have more of an ax to grind than Death himself?

Title: Abandon
Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Release Date: April 26, 2011
Pages: 304

I'd like to thank Scholastic Point for supplying me with an ARC of this book to review.

Favorite Line/Passage: He looked down at my pajamas and frowned a little. "Wear that dress you had on last night, the ones with all the buttons." *But there were so any passages I loved.*

Description:

The Myth of Persephone, Darkly Reimagined
— Book One: Abandon —

She didn't fall into his world. She was taken.
Seventeen-year-old Pierce knows what happens to us when we die.
That's how she met John Hayden, the mysterious stranger who's made returning to normal life—or at least life as Pierce knew it before the accident—next to impossible.
Though she thought she escaped him—starting a new school in a whole new place—it turns out she was wrong. He finds her.
What does John want from her? Pierce thinks she knows... just like she knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven. But she can't stay away from him, either, especially since he's always there when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she might find herself back in the place she fears the most.
And when Pierce discovers the shocking truth, that’s exactly where John sweeps her:
The Underworld.

COVETED: A MUST HAVE READ

My Splats: ~ A timeless Greek myth brought to modern times with a unique slant that titillates the heart. Cabot has masterfully cast Death as one of many (thought of) death deities, who's been hardened by his circumstances. The reader slowly watches his heart open wide as he, like Hades, finds what he's lacking in a human girl. And in this case, she's just a little tweaked-side of normal. ~

On the outside, the story itself has typical teen nuances as well as struggles: the girl who doesn't quite fit it, a family that is all but normal, a move of location, and a secret--the girl has a near-death experience only she's not just near Death; she chats with Him. What's even more unique is that Death is a main character--and he's hot. Eventually, the reader even discovers that he's sensitive and has a conscious.  

There's a bit of a historical twist threaded within the plot, giving it depth and a natural verve. The story simply isn't a modern remake of Hades (the reigning king of the underworld) and Persephone (his love interest). It's so much more.

Cabot does a wonderful job of taking that story from Greek mythology and implanting it in today's teen society. The MC, Pierce, is authentic, as she's not only trying to normal--with a death deity longing for your loins, that's not all that easy--but fit into a new school with the typical high school cliques and head games.

The initial element I always notices about a book is its cover. The first words are so important in a story, but in reality the initial impression is in the dressing--the cover. Abandon's artwork is beautiful, simple, and elegant. I usually make a mental note of the cover while I'm reading, trying to find the relation between the coating of the book and the story itself. And within this cover...here lies a message.

After I'd finished reading, I realized that the title does have a more symbolic meaning them anything else. Many people have felt Abandoned in some for or another and at some point in their life. Many of Cabot's characters in ABANDON have experienced the lost of being abandoned or at least the feeling of such emotion.

I would recommend this book to any paranormal and/or romance enthusiast, as well as those interested in Greek mythology. 

What is your favorite book/story based on Greek mythology? What about a character with a sweet Vendetta??

WINNERS...
Author C.Lee McKenzie's Book, PRINCESS of Las PULGAS ~ Shannon O'Donnell!! 
1st Five Page Critique ~ Talei!!

Easter Hop Book-of-Choice Books go to...
#2 ~ Ronyka7 

CONGRATS!! I'll be in touch!
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28 comments:

  1. I loved your review. The more YA books I'm finding and reading, the more I'm drawn to YA fiction. Thank you!

    Congratulations to the winners.

    Ellie Garratt

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  2. Congrats to the winners! And thanks for the review. This sounds awesome.

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  3. Congrats to the winners...and I think that review just WON me over. OK, it totally did.

    *scrambles to add Abandon to Goodreads list*

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  4. I've been looking forward to this book, and your review just makes me want to read it more!

    Congrats to the winners!

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  5. Congrats to the winners. Congrats to loving your revision!

    I'll have to check out this book--it looks FAB!!!

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  6. Congrats to the winners. Great review. Oh, Meg is popular with the YA's in my area. Can't wait to check out the book. :)

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  7. Wow - totally have to read this book like right now!! So glad that it comes out today. (Off to go order it for my Kindle.)

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  8. Interesting premise. If anyone wants to know what Death might sound like, he's the narrator in Markus Zusak's acclaimed novel, The Book Thief.

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  9. I'm not a huge fan of Greek Myth revisited (or classic lit revisited, for that matter) BUT if there were an author I'd trust to make it work, it'd be Cabot. She's one of my favs and it sounds like this is a great read.

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  10. That books sounds amazing!

    And you're making great progress! Keep it up!!

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  11. Oh, that sounds like a great story! Sounds like it's done well, too. I have always found Hades a little sympathetic... I mean he doesn't do anything any worse than the other gods, do, but there he is, stuck in the underworld. The only Greek myth based stuff I've read is the Percy Jackson series (which I love) and then Gods Behaving Badly, which is gods in the modern day, getting up to their modern equivalents--totally tongue in cheek funny stuff, rather than trying to seriously retell anything.

    And thanks for the reminder to update for ROW tomorrow--totally would have forgotten!

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  12. So excited for my win. And looking forward to reading Meg's book, especially considering my YA is steeped in mythology. I just sent the first five chapters to my agent. We'll see if she thinks it's marketable...

    Are gods the new black???

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  13. Woo hoo! I love Meg Cabot. I'll have to try out her book.

    Sweet!

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  14. That's exactly what I've been doing too - weaving in a new plot twist! So I wrote my ROW80 update yesterday afternoon and scheduled it to post this morning, feeling pretty blue about my progress.

    Then, last evening as I sat down to write, I got an inspiration for how to work the twist in earlier in the story, which had been really BUGGING me for a while. So there's the plot twist that you hide or only hint at until the end, but then there's the sort of high concept twist that you have to work in early to deliver a promise to your readers - that was what I got stuck on. Anyway, sorry to ramble, but just so excited to have FINALLY made this breakthrough!!!

    Oh my goodness, Abandon sounds right up my alley. I love myth re-tellings and esp. Greek mythology and bonus with the dangerous attraction. I just finished Falling Under, by Gwen Hayes, which also deals with the underworld, it was AMAZING.

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  15. Sounds like a fantastic book. I'll have to check it out.

    Congrats to the winner! :)

    Rosie
    East for Green Eyes

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  16. Excellent review! I'm going to have to put this one on my to-read list. Also, congrats on your own writing progress.

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  17. I loved your review. I just ordered this book today and now I'm even more excited to get it!

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  18. ooo... I've always thought the story of Hades + Persephone was haunting and chilling and wow. Go Meg Cabot! This sounds like a great book.

    Thanks, Sheri! :o) <3

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  19. I totally have to read that! Not only do I love the whole mythical angle, it counts as research since I'm sorta writing something similar.

    OOOH! And I just found out Meg Cabot is coming to town in July! BOTH my daughters want to go with me on account of the whole Princess Diaries thing. Can't wait!!!

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  20. Oh, this book sounds amazing! I haven't read anything by Cabot, if you can believe it. I know, I know, I need to get on that STAT! My favorite book based on Greek mythology is HUNGER GAMES. Loved it.

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  21. Congrats winners! That book sounds wonderful! I love Greek mythologies. I've written one, too! Only time will see it on shelves. Thanks for the review, I can't wait to read it!

    ♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

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  22. sounds like a fabulous book and I love a good myth retold.

    as for Death, he's an interesting fellow in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, likeable even :)

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  23. Wow, after reading your review, I'll definitely be picking this one up! I fit into all of those categories you mentioned: lover of paranormal, romance and mythology.

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  24. Great review! I purchased "Abandon" this morning after I was emailed the trailer. I can't wait to ead it!

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  25. This sounds really good! I love Greek mythology! Adding this one to the list of must buys.

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  26. Yay! You are awesome, Sheri. Thanks bunches! :-)

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  27. Sheri and Lee, thank you both, so very much! I can't believe a won the 5 page critique - I'm very, very, VERY excited about it. Thank you!!

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  28. I enjoyed this book. I didn't love it, but I liked it enough to read the next one in the series :)

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