Book Review: Secrets In The Shadows by T.L. Haddix

Secrets In The Shadows by T.L. Haddix

Streetlight Graphics Publishing © 2010

Kindle Edition

Contemporary Graphic Fiction

Reviewed by Leah

Secrets In The Shadows on Amazon

This book contains graphic material in the form of incest and sexual assault, with a direct focus on the victims as opposed to the actual abuse.  Reader discretion is advised.

Also, this review contains untagged SPOILERS.  You are forewarned.

Summary:

Lauren Taylor Grant has not had it easy.  An incident at the age of sixteen has helped set the groundwork for the rest of her life decisions, but she does not allow it to rule her anymore.  After a failed marriage at a young age, Lauren is blessed with a wonderful little girl and an ex-husband who she was glad to rekindle a friendship with.  Her parents are present and a vital part of her life and support system, as well as her many friends and coworkers in the small town of Leroy, Indiana.

But the past has a way of coming back to haunt.  When an old nightmare resurfaces in the area, it is all Lauren can do to cling to her sanity, and the life she has made.  Her parents' new neighbor, Charlie Clark, adds a new kind of support in this situation.  Just when Lauren thinks might just pass her by, her business is vandalized and another local woman winds up murdered.

It doesn't take long for everyone to realize that this is personal, and it all revolves around two girls and one summer thirteen years ago.  The summer Margie Vernon disappeared.

Characters:

Margie Vernon was a seventeen year old with the most perverted chip on her shoulder ever: she was her daddy's plaything.  As a girl with a dream of becoming a teacher, she knew to keep quiet about her ambitions and not make waves, since her parents didn't think a daughter was worth anything other than wife material.  Those ambitions were all ripped to shreds a few months after she turned sixteen and Carl Vernon decided he'd waited long enough to have her.  It left the young teenager with one ambition left: escape.  And she was willing to do any heinous thing that allowed her the chance to run.  Even betray her best friend.

Lauren Taylor Grant is a grown woman with a nice business, beautiful daughter, friendly ex-husband, incredibly supportive parents, and a dark mark in her past that she just can't escape.  The night Margie Vernon stole her car and money was the night her uncle, Carl, tried to rape her.  And all she has to thank for saving herself from that fate is the laced milkshake she poured down the drain.  But the memories are still there, and her confidence in herself isn't always what she hopes it was.

Despite that, Lauren has a good life for herself.  She has a wonderful support group of friends and family, and a life she truly enjoys.  Of course, the entire town is still under the impression that she is missing a man to complete the perfect picture.  And while she's none too short of admirers, it's her parents' new neighbor, Charlie Clark, who evokes the lust that has long been wanting in her relationships.  And when his kindness, patience, and understanding are revealed, it doesn't take long for it to grow into a steady, heady kind of love.  They just … spark.

To be real, Lauren has her demons, but she deals with them.  This is a woman who has been through some rough shit and gets back on her feet every time.  She's strong-willed, but is perfectly willing to accept the help she needs.  Not too proud, but not a doormat, she is a decent enough character to hang around with.  (I still liked her parents better.)

*Not going into a lot of characters here, because there was just too damn many.  Suffice it to say: everyone has their scars, their vices, and a lot of virtues to go around.  And believe me, all of the Leroy town gossip will give you plenty to know about everyone.  Now, how much you actually get to know them…  That's a different story.*

Plot & Setting:

Small town in Indiana.  Yep, I can believe it.  Why?  Because all these people do is gossip and try to play match-maker.  Are you freaking serious?  Since I've never been to Indiana, I can't even tell if this is an accurate portrayal.  But I really hope not, for the sake of people living in small towns anywhere.

The plot--what there was of it--was all over the damn place.  This is mostly due to the free-hand head-hopping that goes on.  So that several characters literally take you all over the damn place.

From the publisher-provided blurb, a reader might deduce that there is a murder mystery within this book and that is the focus of the story.  The blurb is lying.  What you get in this novel is nothing short of some personal demons and the activities of a small town.  That's it.  There is also a slow-moving romance that I was fairly okay with, but was so obvious in its occurrence that you have literally no surprises here.  And I mean that.  In this entire book, the reader is given a snapshot into everything through the various forms of narration that you are not at all surprised when things happen.  Which, for me, did not lead to an enjoyable reading experience.

Writing Style:

I hated it.  And I should have loved it.

My favorite style to read is Third Person Limited.  This means you are outside of the heads of the characters, but you sort of get one narrator at a time.  Unlike when you get what everyone is doing at once, it focuses on one person.

Well, technically speaking, that's exactly what this book was: Third Person Limited.  Well, I guess that means I should define the narrative style I love to Third Person Intimate, because TPL in this book did not allow me to connect to a single character.

It felt like all telling and no showing to me.  We didn't see anything through any of the characters' eyes, only were told how they interacted with their environment.  And that made for a jarring reading experience that I really didn't like.

Of course, what really got me as far as the writing was the head-hopping.  Too many narrators!  Every time I turned around, it seemed like, another insignificant person was taking the lead and taking us around on a daily routine that was both pointless and uninformative.  (Especially when the entire bloody town is more concerned with playing match-maker over everything else--including a murder.)  There was a lot of filler in here that just irritated.  Granted, I can see why some scenes were done that way, but all in all, there were several other ways to do it without introducing us to three more narrators that we couldn't give a crap about.

End rant.

Overall Opinion:

There are some books and readers who just do not gel.  This book and I did not gel.  Whether because of the head-hopping or the characters themselves, I'm not sure.  Neither did themselves any favors and the writing was very 'tell, not show' for me.  While I found it a solid 'okay' read, it wasn't anything that I'd like to reread.

But there were a few aspects of it that I liked, and this is probably going to be a bit of a spoiler (you're forewarned): Charity/Margie turned her life around.  Knowing what this type of abuse does to a person--especially in a private setting--I really loved that it showed the victim coming out of the experience more aware, with her own goals and dreams, and becoming an independent individual who is relatively normal, given the circumstances.  Charity is a far cry from the victim she once was, and that makes all the difference to someone who knows what incest/assault can do to the psyche of someone you love.

Another thing I have to admire this book for is that it doesn't shy away from giving you the cold hard facts.  Judging on my own small pool of knowledge, I'm sickened to say that I believe assault by family members happens a lot more often than society believes or even wants to admit.  But it does happen, and it is harmful.  It causes a lifetime of self-percieved inadequacies to build up in an individual, yet that doesn't mean they can't go on to have a completely normal life.  Which, perhaps, is why it does shock most people when they learn someone they've known for years was molested as a child, because they don't appear to be a stereotypical victim.  The weight of their experience, while lending heavily to the person they've become, has not controlled every aspect of their life.  People do break free of the 'victim stigma' and go on to lead lives that are relatively normal--even without therapy.

The thing this book does, though, is give you a look at only two separate possibilities as far reactions to this type of thing.  And I'm glad it did.  I'm glad that it shows you that certain people handle this in certain ways, and a lot of that has to do with the support system the victim experiences.  Whether their call for help is met with denial--which, sadly, it so often is--or whether they have the support of those around them and they get the help they need.  It is surprising how even the smallest things can have the biggest effect on a person, and sometimes the best help they receive occurs years after the abuse has stopped.  Basically, the realism of the subject matter are what really made me respect this book.

*Fun fact, I wrote all of this from end to beginning.*

Book Review: Invisible by DelSheree Gladden

Invisible by DelSheree Gladden

Amazon Digital Services © 2013

Wattpad and Kindle Edition

Paranormal Fiction

Reviewed by Leah

Invisible on Amazon

Awesome concept.

Summary:

Olivia's best friend is not imaginary.  He's not a ghost, either.  And she's pretty sure he's not a hallucination.  He's just Mason.

Just Mason.  If only there were anything 'just' about him.  At five years old, Olivia spotted a little boy on her front porch.  He was alone and crying.  And she was the only person who could see him.

Mason is invisible.

It took the rest of her family a few years to realize Mason was more than an imaginary friend--aided by a few flying objects and/or people to bring them around to the idea--but now he is a legitimate part of her family.  One Olivia could never imagine being apart from.  After all, she's taken care of Mason since she was five.  Who else could do it better?

Everything seemed set in stone to the two teenagers … until new girl Robin bumps into them.  When she introduces herself to Mason, time seems to stop.

Though Mason is happy to make a new friend--someone outside of his family circle--Olivia is not as welcoming.  With Robin's arrival, she learns a little bit more about jealousy than she had ever had to deal with before.  Again, she's never had to share Mason before.

Her suspicions are kicked into full overtime, however, when a mysterious car appears outside of her house.  Now, it's high time that Robin does some talking.  Or else Mason may not be the only one at risk.

Characters:

Olivia is a happy teenager.  She's okay with being the 'weird' girl at school and the nightly comforter of a traumatized Mason.  Despite the quirks her family has, she wouldn't change one bit of it.  Especially Mason.  From the age of five years old, they have hardly ever been apart.  Olivia prefers to keep it that way.  Even when her dad asks the surprising question, "What will Mason do when you go to college?" Olivia has only one answer, "Come with me."  There was never a doubt in her mind that she and Mason would stay best friends forever.

Things change.  Threats abound and Olivia has to learn to roll with the (several) punches.  Between her jealousy over Robin and her worry for Mason's safety, Olivia edges into darker territory from the happy teen she was in just the beginning.

As far as her personality, I have to say that she's a little bland.  One of the other characters makes a remark about her in the book that I think actually pretty much sums her up.  To paraphrase: she was always just happy being left to herself.

This, of course, meaning she was always happy by herself only because she always had Mason.  She didn't need anyone else.  And that pretty much sums it up.  Without Mason, Olivia doesn't even know who she is, really.  She is his protector.  His family.  His caretaker.  Nothing else matters, except for Mason.  And that's before she realizes she's in love with him.

Mason is the moodier one of the two.  His whole life he has had to be hidden without contact outside of Olivia's family.  With no one other than Olivia able to hear or see him from across a room, it's a life that could lead to a lot of frustration.  Lately, for him, it's been piling up.  Especially since Olivia is so oblivious as to how desperately he loves her, and there are other guys trying to slide in and make their move.

With nightmares from the past meshing with fears of the future, Mason is constantly plagued with bad dreams.  Some of which prove to be more prophetic than he could hope for.  And all of which can be explained by the pretty new girl whom Olivia seems determined to hate.

This book being a dual narrative of both Mason and Olivia, I have to say that their voices were so similar, it was very hard to tell his from hers.  What I admired most about Mason, though, was the fact that there was no 'maybe I like her, maybe I don't' with him.  Right away, the reader knows how Mason feels about her, and it's actually Olivia who doesn't even think about him in that way.  It's refreshing, really.

Robin was irritating.  She's vague on the details she gives, a chatterbox on the ones that don't matter, and a downright pain in the arse for most of the book.  But she belongs.  Typically, the role of informant is given to a more sage-like character with all the wisdom and knowledge of their age.  This is not so in Invisible.  Here, you get Robin.  That's it.  No one brilliant, smart, witty, or wise.  Just Robin.

And it actually makes the story work.  It's believable.  She's the one that puts Mason in danger, but she's also the only one that can give them answers about what Mason is.  Despite her own past mistakes, she's doing everything in her power to help Mason.  Not just because she thinks he's hot, but because it is her duty as a Caretaker.  This is her last chance to get it right, and she's not about to fail again.

Evie was great.  At three years old, Evie was the first to admit that Mason was more than her sister's imaginary friend.  Growing up with Mason for the past twelve years, now she admits that he is the epitome of the perfect man--and makes a point to open her sister's eyes to that fact.  Evie is spunky and passionate, with a fiery temper to match.  She has no problems with confrontation, and she's willing to take on anyone to protect her family.  This girl was a lot of fun to read about, though sometimes I kept thinking she was younger than fifteen.

Mr. and Mrs. Mallory (aka the Parents) were an incredible addition to the story.  Now, a lot of YA novels suffer from quite a few things: lack of parents, lack of realistic responses to life-threatening situations, and a general lack of common sense in general.  This book breaks all of the barriers.  For one: the parents are involved.  In everything.  From schoolwork, to family meals, to calling the cops when shit hits the fan.  They do everything they can to protect their kids, making them some of the best parents (and sometimes only) to grace YA fiction.  Plus, you get a genuine connection between them and the kids.  It's not that they exist just to exist.  There are real and realistic conversation that take place and there is a legitimate respect for them as responsible adults.

Plot & Setting:

I have no idea where this story took place.  Nor do I care.  Despite the lack of details: I can see Mason's bedroom perfectly.  I can see Olivia's bedroom perfectly.  The house, the yard, the front porch, the park, the neighborhood…  Nothing in this book was described.  Yet I saw it all as clear as day.  How the hell does that even happen?

The plot was one of the best parts of the whole book.  For Olivia and her family, life with an invisible boy in the house has been normal for twelve years.  Only now, when the great threat of college looms on the horizon, do things start to go downhill.  One girl brings them all the answers, and all of the problems as a cost.

I truly enjoyed the entire concept of the plot.  Granted, there were some things that felt contrived, a little forced, or served as fluff material, but none of it truly detracted from the reading experience and it all somehow worked well together to form an original and enjoyable book.

Writing Style:

Again, first person narration between Mason and Olivia was hard to differentiate between.  They were both clever, independent, and worried young teenagers.  If it weren't for what they experienced while apart, you might never know that this was a dual narration novel.  So there is that fact.

There were enough errors to notice in the book, but not enough to make you care.  With a good editor and maybe a strong rewrite, this novel could easily be fantastic.

The overall tone here was light, despite the content; meaning there weren't too many darker nuances here.  I'm not sure how to describe it really, but it's almost as if the scenes where your adrenaline should be going just fall flat.  For the feel of it, this is almost more of a contemporary romance as opposed to a paranormal thriller.  Which is why I say that, with a stronger rewrite, it could maybe have found a more perfect balance between the two, which is what I think the book was trying to do.

Overall Opinion:

I enjoyed this book.  I do plan on continuing the series.  There are pretty much no complaints from me as this had an incredible concept and I'm curious to see how it expands into the next two books.

Here's the Deal on Delta Characters

So, when broken down, all characters can essentially fall into two categories (which Leah kindly covered for us): Alphas and Betas.  To recap, Alphas are the strong, independent ones who will go for the things the want.  In contrast, Betas are the sidekick characters who are a bit quieter and think more of the consequences.  But there are so many more types of characterization than just independent versus sidekick.  Which brings us to today's topic: Deltas.

When compared to the idea that all characters fall into either the Alpha or Beta categories, Deltas fall into the Alphas.  So, what exactly are they?  What sets them apart from just being a flat-out Alpha, but instead gives them an entire sub-category of their own?  Well, to put it plainly, Alphas are inherently heroic, and Deltas and inherently villainous.  Obviously, there are shades of gray.  No good story/character would be complete without the realistic shades of gray that paint the every day world.  Making things black and white is boring, easy to see through, and just unrelatable.  Everyone, everything, everywhere has shades of gray.  Nothing and no one is full-on black or full-on white.  We're not 100% pure or 100% evil.  Both imply perfection, whether it be perfectly good or perfectly evil.  But shades of gray (not to reference that horrendous scum that is a shit stain on the literary and sexual world) are another topic for another day.

Thinking about some villains many of us may know, there's one sentence that makes or breaks whether a character is a Delta.  What is that sentence?  "They're just misunderstood."  Honestly, sometimes someone's motives can be seen as villainous, when truly, they are just misunderstood.  Best example I can think of?  Prince Zuko from the Avatar: The Last Airbender series.  Throughout the series, he has an incredible character arc.  Originally, the viewer is lead to believe that Zuko is a pretty dickish dude, whose only goal is to capture the avatar.  But then you realize it's not because he's Fire Nation scum, but because in trying to do the right thing, he was disfigured and banished by his own father, and all he wants to do is earn back the honor and love of his father and his nation.  It's not that he's a villain who wants to fuck shit up for other people.  He wants back what he lost for standing up for what was right.

On the other end of the spectrum is where we have a true Delta (and feel free to shudder with me when I mention her name): Delores Umbridge.  Honestly, what could she possibly gain for any of the shit she is doing?  She's fucked in the head.  She is literally the epitome of evil, skin-crawling, horrible bitches that even the most pure of heart person would probably want to set ablaze and then piss on her ashes.  True Delta material right there.  What the hell kind of justification does she even have?  She just goes around making everyone miserable for no fucking reason.  Nothing that she does to anyone seems to make any sense, and really only makes everyone want to buy tickets to watch her horrible, suffering death for all the money to their names.

And don't even get me started on the Lich from Adventure Time.  If you want the purest form of Delta, there you have it.  The Lich is literally the purest form of evil.  No wasting time, no putting on anything for show to be some glitzy, glamorous villain.  His goal is simple: the extinction of all life.  He will stop at nothing to get it, and doesn't waste time explaining plans or putting on these big, theatrical fights.  He goes to the basics of his plans and does what he needs to do in order to fuck everything up for everyone.  No good.  No redeeming qualities.  Literally the purest, most condensed form of evil.

Doing bad things doesn't necessarily make a Delta.  Everyone has flaws, and everyone makes mistakes.  Just because someone does something that seems like it could be villainous does not automatically make them a Delta.  Not every story has a Delta.

Deltas don't seem to have much reason behind some of their actions.  They aren't doing it for some greater reason (think characters such as the Robinhood-type, who might do some shitty things in order to good for others.  Those are not Deltas), and they kind of just seem to be a dick.  There's no greater understanding behind their motives.  Even if they have some redeeming qualities (because, let's face it, no villain is a good villain unless they have some sort of redeeming quality that adds some form of humanity to them) they are still generally an asshole overall, and you can't help but love to hate them.

That's what separates Deltas from generally dickish Alphas.  The dickish Alphas have some form of justification or greater good behind their asshole actions.  Whether it be to give to the poor or earn back something they lost, there is still some form of heroic inclination behind their choices.  The Deltas just seem to get some form of pleasure from being a genuine asshole.

Book Review: Queen of Tomorrow by Sherry D. Ficklin

Queen of Tomorrow by Sherry D. Ficklin

Clean Teen Publishing © 2015

Kindle ARC

Historical Fiction

Reviewed by Leah

Queen of Tomorrow on Amazon

Goodbye Sophie.  Hello Catherine.


Summary:

Duke Peter and Duchess Catherine have set up court at Oranienbaum Palace, far from the influence of Empress Elizabeth.  As plague and disease rage across Russia, Catherine is often given a free hand in controlling their court as her husband secludes himself in the hope of escaping contamination.  Each night, however, they are locked in their bedchamber with the express order to produce an heir.  A goal Catherine has found other means to ensure its success.

If things only remained so simple.  Yet, the disturbing revelation that Russia's alliance with Prussia may be passed over in favor of another alliance has the young couple worried.  And so they travel back into the lion's den, where new discoveries of varying degrees await them.  Not the least of which is Catherine's own mother involving herself in a conspiracy to depose Empress Elizabeth and place her nephew, Prince Ivan, on the throne of Russia.

In the midst of this political turmoil, Catherine finds a tenuous respect for her husband's keen political mind.  It is almost enough to form an attachment on.  But is it too great a risk to cultivate the hope of a happy marriage?

As war brews and allegiances are tested, no conflict becomes as deadly as the one between the Duchess and Empress.  When lines are drawn and crossed, there is no love lost between the two women.  At last, Catherine will learn what it means to be a Queen.  And she will kill for that chance.


Initial Thoughts:

The shift from Sophie to Catherine was evident right away.  And it was refreshing to watch all of that naivety be stripped away to reveal a much harder woman underneath.


Characters:

Catherine has not earned a rant this time.  Why?  Because kitty's got claws this round!  In ruling over her court in Oranienbaum, she now has a great sense of what her future will be.  And she no longer regrets her marriage to Peter.  Because Peter will bring her a crown, and if he works with her, she will bring him Russia.

In the first book, Queen of Someday, Catherine was advised not to win the heart of Peter, but the love of Russia.  Advice she takes to heart as she works daily to establish the lords' allegiance to herself--and none other.  And when the worst of it pushes her down, she fights back with the power of one beloved.  Of one with the support of an Empire.  Her enemies are many, but her ranks of supporters grows with each passing day.  A fact realized by many.

Catherine is not Sophie.  She does not bend to the will of others, and while she still seeks the favor of the Empress, it is no longer out of general liking for the woman, but out of a need to survive.  Yet, some lines should not be crossed.  Especially since Catherine's ethics sink further into the shadows as necessity provides.


Peter is a puzzle.  At times, he is a tyrannical toddler who cannot share his toys or control his temper.  During others, he is a political mastermind who knows that the future of Russia is in his hands.  Yet, his ineptitude as a ruler is known to many.  Including the Empress.  Which is why his paranoia leads to extreme measures of cruelty.

Of course, this makes him a very decided villain and I will always be happy to hate him.


Sergei is still here, folks.  And he's still touching her.  At least he has permission this time.  Though if her husband found out the ways he was using those hands and the extent of that permission…  To be honest, in this book, Sergei is kind of forgettable.  He lacks passion as far as politics, but makes up for it in several other areas. *hint, hint*  Yet, he seems distant from all of the action.  As often as Catherine pines for him, it still isn't worth remembering so much as the other events in her life, and I was glad of that.  It means this girl's finally got her priorities straight.


Empress Elizabeth was set out as a villain in this book, and she did her part.  And yet, I still get her.  I still understand everything she does except allowing the men in her bed to influence her decisions.  Excuse me, screw them all you like, but leave them out of the political arena.  Pillow talk is all fun and games, until they try to manipulate an Empress.  Then that shit becomes unacceptable.  Even in her interactions with Catherine, I understand her desperation (though I wish it was made more evident that she truly was desperate).  She needs an heir.  One she knows will be raised to carry on Russian traditions and convey Russia into a new era, instead of bowing to Prussian influence.  What I didn't like about this book was that Elizabeth's character didn't have much development.  She was a caricature villain and I felt as if she could be so much more than that.


Plot & Setting:

Catherine is just as unreliable in descriptions here as she was in the last book.  No worries.  While you don't get a truly authentic Russian feel from the book, you do get the heavy suspense of intrigue to run over your skin.

As far as the plot goes, there is no real plot arc here.  Rather, this reads somewhat like a series of events and how one leads into the other.  Since it spans such a length of time, I can understand why this had to happen.  It's not like a generic YA where everything happens within a few weeks and you have all of the rising action, climax, and resolution packed into five hundred pages.

There are several plots intertwined in this novel, but the court intrigue is by far the most interesting aspect of it.  Though the strange dynamics of Peter and Catherine's relationship are mentioned, they don't make up enough of the book's central theme.  Really, the whole point of this novel is to showcase the growth of Catherine as she becomes the woman she needs to be.  And it does a great job of doing that.


Writing Style:

I'm weird.  When I read a book by a good author, I get my hands on almost everything else they have ever written … and hold off on reading it.  I don't know exactly why this is, but I do have theories.

Suffice it to say, I whined for this ARC immediately after finishing Queen of Someday.  And I got it!  But I held off on reading it for who knows what bloody reason.

This is why: it is a time commitment.  As in: I need to make sure I have at least 2 days set aside for reading and recovery.  With a good author, their books should be given due consideration.  You can't rush through lovely prose or wise-cracking dialogue.  You just can't.

Sherry D. Ficklin is a good author, in my not so humble opinion.  Therefore, I will probably poke and prod and whine and complain about the third book in the series until it is 100% finished … and I will be one of the lasts in the ARC circle to read it.  Just the way it goes, folks.  Can't count on me for nothing, lol.


Overall Opinion:

I really enjoyed Queen of Tomorrow.  The change in Catherine's character from Sophie's was distinct and enjoyable.  The drama that occurs is just the sort you would expect in royal court.  For the first time in the history of its existence (okay, so I've only had it since December), my Kindle has been used to highlight particularly poignant lines that I loved.  (And would have shared with you had this not been a gifted copy that may or may not change between now and the time it is published.  Also, if my Kindle's battery wasn't dead, barring me from looking up said highlighted lines, hehehe.)

Much like its predecessor, it has such an ending as to leave your mouth watering for more, and an indescribable yearning to discover what happens next.  How will Catherine proceed?  What will Peter do now?  Empress Elizabeth?  Sergei?  Russia?  Prussia?  The questions all pile up, and we all have to wait for book three before we get any kind of answers.

Settle in folks, it's going to be a wait...

Beta Characters: Where Would Our Alphas Be Without Them?

The title says it all.  Where would our Alphas be without their Betas?  These are the wonderful characters that support or chastise those spirited creatures which need it.  It is these beloved individuals that provide comic relief or direly needed reality checks when the situations call for it.  Most of all, they are there when you need them to be, for whatever reason.

As with our Alphas, Betas can also be done well … or not.  So there's a few things I require each Beta to be infused with before I crown them a worthy sidekick (or love interest, if the story leans that way).

*  The number one thing all Betas need to be sure of hitting that ultimate status is loyalty.  The kind of steadfast link to another individual that nothing in the world can come between.  It's the ultimate embodiment of open trust and honesty in another human being.  And it is the highest compliment one human can pay to another; to be so loyal that words or deeds would have to be of the fatal variety to break that bond.

*  This does not mean, however, that our Betas are blind to the faults of Alphas.  In fact, they are often the only ones honest enough to keep them in check.  While we love our Alphas for shamelessly spouting the truth to open someone else's eyes, sometimes they've got their own rose-colored glasses.  It is a Beta's duty to smash the glasses and peel back their eyelids.  Gently or not, as the situation requires.  A good Beta knows the needs of their Alpha and acts accordingly.

*  Which, of course, does mean that they sometimes lie when that is what is needed.  Sometimes an Alpha simply cannot accept the truth at a certain time.  It could break them, if it means that much.  Or, worse, it could confuse them enough to make a wrong decision.  Either way, a Beta is sometimes required to withhold pertinent information.  (My references in this post will be less obvious, so you are forgiven for not latching onto my sporadic train of thought.)

*  Most of all, a Beta needs to prove that s/he is trustworthy.  Alphas tend to keep their own counsel, this is true.  Yet, only a Beta can work their way into an Alpha's life with the surefire understanding that they will not screw anything up.  Each of our Alphas contain a dark cavern full of secrets (note the metaphor), and it is the job of Betas to keep said secrets when entrusted with them.

*  Of course, when chasing around a willful Alpha, it is also important for these characters to have their own determined set of boundaries.  There are some lines, after all, that should not be crossed.  And it is up to these beings to remind their Alphas of that when they become so passionate/obsessed that they overlook the most damning of things.

*  Which brings us to how honorable Betas are.  While I adore that Alphas will do whatever is necessary for their purpose, that is not the way of a good Beta.  These are the individuals that proceed with a keen eye on which images are portrayed to society.  They have their morals and ethics to guide them, even where such things fail an Alpha.  It is this type of behavior that sometimes saves them from succumbing to the same eccentricity of their friends and/or colleagues.

*  Now, there is one trait that I know is required of every Beta, though I don't like it much, and that is insecurity.  It's true.  As much as I would love to mentions some truly confident Betas, there is always at least one moment where they are insecure.  And it all boils down to one question for them: Am I worthy?  This, of course, can mean many things.  Are they worthy of their significant other?  The Alpha partner who has entrusted them with their darkest secrets?  Success?  Happiness?  Anything at all, really.  Betas have this humility that does not allow for them to rate themselves above others too highly--if at all.  And so they are often some of the most insecure individuals you will encounter.

*  Equally as prevalent in Betas is their tendency to be quiet individuals.  They do not need constant, superficial attention.  In fact, they'd rather do without.  The concentrated, sincere conversation of someone whose opinions and friendship they truly value are all they will ever need.  Other than that, attention is unnecessary.

*  None of this is as important as what a Beta is, however.  Combining each of these traits, it typically makes Betas awesome and invaluable partners.  That's what being a Beta is.  They are partners.  Supportive people who will do everything in their power to ensure success.  And that is why Alphas would be nothing without their Betas.


Well, I think that sums up most of what I think it takes to provide us with a good Beta.  Now we're going to wade into the thicker waters of something I'd like to dub the Beta Bitch.

*  The name says it all.  When done wrong, it is almost with the universal consistency of turning Betas into bitches.  You know exactly what I mean if you have ever accused a friend of being 'whipped' or seen another get shuffled into the Friend Zone.  These are the people that will literally do anything asked of them and allow themselves to be walked all over in an attempt to garner attention, gratitude, or appreciation of any kind.  These individuals are not real Betas, though they are desperately trying to be.

*  Also, Beta Bitches tend to be whine asses.  It's one thing to be friendzoned, it's quite another to go on bitching about it as if you have no reason for being there.  To a Beta Bitch, they don't seem to understand that concept.  These are the individuals that gripe on and on about 'nice guys finishing last'.  No, nice guys do not finish last.  They finish second.  (Hence the Beta part.)  If at any time, a person strikes up a melodrama about being too nice or too helpful and never being given a shot, chances are that it's not a real Beta.  It's just a Beta Bitch.

*  Beta Bitches are also wimps.  People have feelings.  People sometimes have contradictory feelings.  People express these feelings.  Unless you're a Beta Bitch.  In which case, you keep nodding, smiling, and holding it all in.  A good Beta knows to address an issue.  Beta Bitches go on to pretend there isn't one.

*  There is also the known fact that they are emotionally and physically weak in comparison to actual Betas.  These characters are emotionally stinted and are often portrayed as physically inept individuals (often by using a sports example/trope to exhibit their lack).  A sad but true fact for all the Beta Bitches out there: no one values weakness.  Which means, if you're too nice, whiny, or wimpy, you will have no one's respect.  (Yes, there is such a thing as being too nice.  Anyone who says different is lying to you.  Everyone is always suspicious about the 'too nice person' until they are satisfied that they have an ulterior motive, or become disgusted because they are clearly genuine and that bothers everyone who is not.  Sad but true fact here.)


So I don't really have more points here.  While good betas do exist, they are very hard to weed out when confronted with their awful doppelgängers.  Which is sad, because a decent lady or gentleman is exactly the arm-candy some Alphas need, or the partner a similar Beta is looking for.  Yet, for all those Beta Bitches whining about being in the Friend Zone, I have one more honest truth for you: Alphas don't often settle for Betas.  If you're being a whiny prick about a guy/girl not being into you despite all you do for them, chances are they're of the Alpha strain and you are not.  Which makes you unappealing.  Accept that fact and change your ways, so that you earn real Beta status and get yourself someone who appreciates that.

Now, to give you two brilliant examples of some true Betas.  The first of these is someone most people probably don't give due credit, but he was the first I thought of when it came to making this post.  And that is…

Alfred Pennyworth, the trusted butler and caretaker of the Wayne Estate in The Dark Knight Trilogy.  Again, my post has not been clear if you cannot draw direct parallels between every Beta thing that Alfred does for Bruce.  (Especially that lying where needed part, since that's what made me think of him in the first place.)  Despite the dangerous things Batman does in his spare time, he always comes home to a waiting and supportive Alfred--who isn't afraid to tell him when he's screwing up.  Which is what makes Alfred a superb and dignified Beta.

The other Beta I wish to list has been based off of Dr. Watson of the Sherlock Holmes novels.  Just as his Alpha best friend has been based off of the infamous detective himself.  This person is none other than Doctor James Wilson of the series House, M.D.  If you have never seen this particular series, then you will just have to take my word for it that Wilson is the most epic Beta in existence.  While he follows House's lead most of the time, he's quite adept at playing him at his own games.  (I can't say 'beating' since House will inevitably win in some unexpected but poignant way.)  Here is a Beta who isn't afraid to tell off his Alpha friend, because he knows it will help him eventually.  And that is the goal of most Betas: to leave those that come into their lives a better person when they leave.  For James Wilson, this is considered his supreme downfall by his best friend, but is that exact mentality that keeps them together for so long.  Because House proves to be the perfect pet project for any determined Beta.

Book Review: The Wanted by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

The Wanted by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

Clean Teen Publishing © 2014

Kindle Edition

Dystopian

Reviewed by Leah

The Wanted on Amazon

I paid for a book I already owned because my Kindle is an asshole.  I.  Regret.  Nothing.

Summary:

Everything is falling apart.

After a failed mission, Joseph and Deshi are forced to leave Rosa behind in the healing machine.  With them, they carry the haunting questions, What have we done?  Will she survive?  Will we ever see each other again?

Rosa is determined to answer at least one.  Waking up in the machine, she realizes that she has come back from the dead … and she's about to face a whole new nightmare.  After all, wheelchair-bound Superior Grant isn't about to let her forget that he has the power to kill her.  And it will take everything in her to stay alive long enough to prove that he can't break her.

Without Rosa at his side, Joseph is falling apart.  Between trying to stay strong for Orry and not knowing how to live with what he had to do to survive, he is no longer the same man that Rosa fell in love with.  He's just as broken.  Just as frail.  And somehow he has to find his own way to keep going.

And when everything falls apart, they have to ask themselves if what they want is worth it to keep going.

Initial Thoughts:

I went into this as emotionally prepared as possible.  I still almost ended up as pummeled as before.  Were this not the actual ending to the series, I might have been.  And in some ways, it was worse.

Characters:

Rosa, Rosa, Rosa…  From the first book, we are introduced to this impulsive, defiant, strong young woman.  She is angry but hopeful in the beginning.  Though she doesn't fit in the perfect world the Superiors have created, she has some hope that she might one day form a niche.  A hope that is ripped away at the Classes and forms a whole new Rosa.  A Rosa that has gone past angry and straight to enraged.  No longer hopeful, Rosa of The Woodlands becomes desperate as everything begins to change her … and threatens to break her.

In The Wall Rosa is just as desperate.  For Joseph.  For Orry.  For herself.  For her new, and old, family.  She is not only desperate, but determined.  As she grows into her roles as partner and mother, she has to revisit an old role that never seemed to fit right: daughter.

A role that feels even more ill-fitting in The Wounded.  With the sadness looming overhead, it isn't enough that her family has survived if they are no longer able to live.  As the horrors of their lives erupt in one single blow, Rosa is far from backing down.  This is a mother ready to fight.  For every life.

When it comes to her own life, however, she has to learn the meaning of the phrase "bide your time."  Entrapped in the world of The Wanted, Rosa embodies exactly what it means to love another.  To protect them, no matter the cost.  And to survive every ounce of torment forced unto her so that she could see her son again.

As a person, Rosa does this wonderful thing where she grows and matures … without losing any of the qualities that make her the Rosa we fell in love with in the beginning.  Still strong, impulsive, and defiant, she now adds forgiving, clever, and courageous to her list of attributes.  A very convincing heroine.

Joseph has managed a few leaps and bounds, but this book sent him down the rabbit hole.  To a place I was ashamed to find him, sometimes.  Without Rosa by his side, he just sort-of disintegrated as an individual.  The guilt of his necessary actions ate away at him.  From the violence needed to save his life to the guilt of leaving Rosa behind, both actions drove him into a despair so deep that all he wanted was to forget.  And he almost didn't remember in time.

I'll be honest, I was highly disappointed in Joseph.  But he needed this.  He was too perfect by far in the first three books, and his downward spiral made him more human than anything else could.  Though I didn't like him for pretty much any part of The Wanted, I at least understood him.  And that's enough.

Deshi is honestly the character I think I related to the most in the terms of doing what is necessary.  (Spoiler alert for everyone who hasn't read the books yet…)  When he admitted to not regretting killing Superior Este, I knew I had found a kindred spirit.  Where Joseph suffers from his guilt and Rosa can't bring herself to do it, Deshi identified Este as a severe threat to his family and he took her out.  As he should.  No need to feel guilty over defending the lives of yourself and those you love.  This boy right here knows what it means to survive and keep his family safe.

Rash is an awesome answer to those who think men and women cannot be friends without wanting to be romantically involved.  As he tells Joseph: he loves Rosa, but he's not in love with her.  I wouldn't say it affects him more than anyone that Rosa isn't there, but he's the most open with his animosity.  Which I loved.  There are no filters when it comes to Rash.  Happy, sad, or angry, he will show it.  And you will know it.

Elise is the role-reversal of that jerk that keeps hitting on you after you already friendzoned his ass.  Not even kidding.  Despite Joseph wanting to be alone … she shows up.  Joseph is clearly in love with someone else and tells her so.  Her response?  "Just fun.  Nothing serious."  Excuse me?  Bitch say what?  He says "just friends" and she takes that as "not right now".  People, if a man had done this to a woman, she'd be calling harassment on him so fast, there would be a crowd of feminists with pitchforks and torches lighting up his ass before he had time to blink.  But because she's a woman and he's polite enough not to completely tell her off, she gets away with this?  No.  Hell no.  OH HELL FUCKING NO!!

Her role, for me, actually serves a purpose.  She reminds me that there are actual women who do get away with this kind of shit.  These types of women are the reason, when a guy cheats, his girl will typically go after the other woman, instead of blaming him.  (Which Rosa doesn't exactly do, since she knows Joseph is responsible for his own actions.)  The point I'm making is: feminism is about gender equality.  If it's not okay for a man to constantly keep coming onto a woman who has clearly shut him down, it sure as hell is not okay for a woman to do the same damn thing.

Plot & Setting:

With Rosa being left behind, we all know where this plot is going.  The poor girl is going to be tortured.  Which means that the torment she suffers is just as horrific for the reader as it is for Rosa.  There's no escaping it.  Only enduring through it.

Consistent with its predecessors, this book is character-based.  It's all about the feels and the triumph, here.  (Though why that opening when none of those characters were relevant sort of bugs me now…)

Writing Style:

I'm just going to paste my Amazon review here for you.  Just so you get the proper idea of how I feel about Lauren's writing.

Lauren Nicolle Taylor does not know the meaning of moderation. She hits hard, fast, and earnestly. Opening one of her books is akin to waiting on an active volcano to erupt. Because there will be an eruption. There is no doubt. It is only the 'when' that has you worried as you proceed with caution into The Woodlands Series. You will not emerge the same. Ashes will cover you from head to toe. Tear stains will create black streaks down your face. And you will hold your arms tight across your chest as you try to protect yourself from feeling more, and to keep yourself from exposing just how much you have already felt.

The Wanted is the final book in the series, and I loved and hated it for that fact. Much like its predecessors, it will make you FEEL. Anger, pain, heartache, loss… There is no escaping it. These books are all emotional, but this one is even more so for being the end to a truly fantastic story.


Will it appeal to everyone? No. Is it for meant for mature young adults, rather than those just entering their teen years? Yes. Does that mean it should be avoided by anyone? Not at all.
This is a remarkable experience, reading the entire series. I just hope more people will continue to enjoy Rosa's journey.


Overall Opinion:

This series will devastate you.  And it will be worth every heartbreaking minute.

Movie Review: Jupiter Ascending

Jupiter Ascending

Presented by: Warner Bros Pictures

Directors/Writers: Andy and Lana Wachowski

2015

Prominent Cast: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne

Genre: Action, Science Fiction

Reviewed by Leah

This is not a rage-review.  Nor is it a positive one.  The post you are about to read pertains nothing more than a review of a movie that was trying to do too many things at once, and failed at every turn.  Proceed with that knowledge fully ingrained.


Summary/Commentary:

Jupiter Jones is a nobody.  She cleans houses for a living while living with a loud, raucous family that wakes up at four in the morning every day.  (No thank you, not bloody likely!)  This is a girl with daddy issues and a 'I hate my life' complex.  (Can't blame her, she scrubs toilets for a living and wakes up at 4AM to do it.)

Desperate to come up with a lot of money in a short amount of time, Jupiter agrees to her idiot cousin's 'brilliant' idea of selling her eggs under a pseudonym.  (You know, those things used to create human life; often stored in ovaries?  Yeah, those eggs.)  It is during this procedure that she learns not everything in the universe is as she thought.  Namely: alien creatures ordered to ID her before euthanizing her.

Enter Channing Tatum (because I can't be bothered to remember what his character's name is, we're not using it).  The lycan-gene-spliced man on … flying jet boots.  (Really?  You actually thought this was a cool concept?)  As per usual in this sort of situation, he saves the girl in the hopes of taking her to the man who hired him.  (Mercenary turns hero, how classic.  Side note: how about a mercenary who loves their job and just acts like a mercenary?)

This is where we get some backstory--shortly followed by some Sean Bean.  About the three Abrasax heirs that own planets, some 'harvesting' process that everyone remains a little vague on, and about the extraordinary ability of bees to identify royalty.  (Or Abrasax royalty, at any rate.)

As it turns out, Jupiter Nobody Jones is the reincarnation of the murdered Abrasax queen, and therefore owns the entire planet of Earth.  This creates what we'll just call political tension within the Abrasax dynasty.  Especially with Balem Abrasax, who is the current title-holder of Earth.  As you can imagine, with a planet so rich in resources (Ha!  Not the kind you're thinking of.) there is a very lethal approach to how everyone handles Jupiter.  Good thing Channing Tatum is always there to save the day…


Review:

Okay, I am clearly not in the right mood to do this.  (Hence the commentary throughout my usually very 'professional' summaries.)  So I'm going to just leave this as the joke it is, and show you the notes I compiled in this very post about everything I wanted to talk about.  After perusing said list, I'm not sure there's actually much I need to elaborate on here.  But you be the judge:


Notes:

*  Insta-love that had no basis

*  Guy literally swooping in and saving girl all the fucking time

*  Naive as fuck girl

*  Unbelievable characters

*  Lots of potential, failed execution

*  Bad casting (really just Channing Tatum … maybe Mila Kunis)

*  Confusing plot

*  Unending action sequences; got to the point of redundancy

*  Damsel in fucking distress bullshittery

*  Awful dialogue



Granted, this is all the 'bad' things I could think about for the movie.  So let's look at a few good things, shall we?

*  Badass villains (Eddie Redmayne is absolutely convincing as an evil SOB, despite the awful lack of fleshing out of his character.)

*  Awesome graphics.  (It's space.  If there weren't good graphics to cover most of the rest of this mediocrity, no one would have bothered making this movie.)


Okay, that's a lot shorter than I even intended it.  (No, Channing Tatum being shirtless for a few scenes does not even make the cut.)

Moving on…  There are a few things that I actually do want to elaborate on, as I feel like this could actually have been a decent movie.  If some things were done differently.

Number one: trying to do too much, and failing at all of it.  What I mean by this is: this movie had an identity crisis from hell.  It wanted to be an action movie.  As a result, they drew out fight scenes so long I actually spaced out because all of my available fucks to give had run dry--we already know how it's going to turn out.  Then it wanted to be an adventure movie, with Jupiter Jones having to travel to other worlds and reclaim her birthright … blah, blah, blah.  Their failure in this regard was to give us irritating scenes that didn't even need to be in there, and add encounters with other characters that we don't even see the rest of the movie.  Of course this movie also tried to be a sci-fi as well.  How did they accomplish this?  Space + advanced technology + putting the entire planet in danger = sci-fi movie.  Well okay then…  And, of course, we can't forget the bloody fucking romance aspect.  Which, by the way, had the most ridiculous fucking dialogue of the entire damn plot.  It came out of nowhere and perpetuated into this ridiculous culmination of him always saving her and her falling in love with him.  Over the span of only a couple of days, mind you.  Not to mention he even told her that he only kept saving her life because he was a mercenary looking to cash in on her safe delivery.  *Shaking my head.*  Again: tried to do so much.  And failed.

Not really going into much more because I feel a lot of that is pretty self-explanatory.  So onto…


Character Portrayals:

Mila Kunis … I guess for the script she actually played the part of Jupiter Jones to perfection.  As a young woman with a boisterous family and lousy job … it was very believable.  When it got further along as the action progressed, however, she fell into the familiar DID trope.  Which, again, was all due to the writing and not her acting.  (For everyone who wants to point out her character's minimal chances of saving/helping herself, I will forever point out the fact that she pussed out and shot Balem in the leg.  While her life and family were in danger.  Uh-huh.  Not a standard Mary-Sue … how?)  As for the romance, it was 100% not believable.  There was no chemistry with her co-star and really no need for the romance at all.  So this felt incredibly forced as far as her performance went.

Eddie Redmayne was absolutely fantastic as Balem Abrasax.  Though his character was also written as nothing more than a caricature of a space-villain, he brought his absolute beastliness to the table and was the only person it was a pleasure watching for the duration of the movie.  I would have liked for his character to have more of a motive for his actions, but since greed is such a huge motivator, he was never an unrealistic character.  He is a businessman who knows how to get shit done … and will not tolerate failure.  Magnificent performance.

Channing Tatum … oi vey.  Wrong movie, dude.  Way wrong role.  Though I don't think his character could have been salvaged by anyone (again: romance ruined this movie) he just was not right for this part.  There was a severe lack of emotion for someone supposedly torn apart by a guilty conscience and a loneliness that mentally destroys others like him.  Not to mention that bullshit romance that didn't feel genuine in the slightest.  If CT's goal was in portraying his character as an emotionless soldier, that's about all he did right.  Of course, the writers didn't give him a lot to work with as far as development.  With all of the awful dialogue and just boring script, they really were banking on the action shots to win the audience over.  (See above to know just how that failed.)


Final Thoughts:

Mediocre.  Some good acting.  Redundant action scenes.  Some bad acting.  Cool graphics.  Failure at sustaining a stable plot arc.  Truth be told, I think I was more disappointed in this rather than outright disliking it.  It had so much potential … and then it had its identity crisis and it all went to shit.  Oh well, I never have to see it again.