The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab

Review:
Caro Mitchell considers herself an only child—and she likes it that way. After all, her much older sister, Hannah, left home eight years ago, and Caro barely remembers her. So when Caro’s parents drop the bombshell news that Hannah is returning to live with them, Caro feels as if an interloper is crashing her family. To her, Hannah’s a total stranger, someone who haunts their home with her meek and withdrawn presence, and who refuses to talk about her life and why she went away. Caro can’t understand why her parents cut her sister so much slack, and why they’re not pushing for answers.

Unable to understand Hannah, Caro resorts to telling lies about her mysterious reappearance. But when those lies alienate Caro’s new boyfriend and put her on the outs with her friends and her parents, she seeks solace from an unexpected source. And when she unearths a clue about Hannah’s past—one that could save Hannah from the dark secret that possesses her—Caro begins to see her sister in a whole new light. (from GoodReads)

Summary:
I was really curious to read The Opposite of Hallelujah because I read Anna Jarzab's first novel (All Unquiet Things) and enjoyed it a lot. The books are totally different but I absolutely loved The Opposite of Hallejuah, which shows how good of an author she is!

Even though The Opposite of Hallelujah isn't a straight mystery like All Unquiet Things, there are still some mysterious aspects. I wanted to get the backstory on Hannah and find out why she decided to go in and then why she left. Lucky for me, Caro has the same goal.

The relationship between Caro and Hannah is interesting because even though they are sisters, they barely know each other. Hannah is eleven years older than Caro, which means Caro was only eight when Hannah left. My siblings and I are really close in age, so the dynamic in Caro's family was completely different. What was nice was seeing the girls become closer in their relationship even though they are so far apart in age.

Religion plays a huge role in The Opposite of Hallelujah, obviously because Hannah was a nun. But Caro becomes even more interested in her faith and questioning aspects of Catholocism. Previously Caro was a Christmas and Easter church-goer so it was interesting to see that change once Hannah comes home. Since I'm not religious at all, I liked that the author wrote the book with an open mind and didn't become preachy.

There were so many things going on in The Opposite of Hallelujah, but all the themes were woven together seamlessly. There was the religion part, family dynamics, sister relationships, friends, school, Caro's love interest, science, grief, forgiveness, and healing. It sounds like a lot but the author did a great job of incorporating all these aspects in one book. The Opposite of Hallelujah is a pretty deep book, but I also found myself laughing at parts. I literally couldn't put it down even though I had to go to sleep. I would recommend it to anyone that likes to read because I can't see someone not liking it.

Rating: 10 out of 10.
FTC: received from LitPick

2012/Delacorte/464 pages

Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

Summary:

One of America's most thought-provoking novelists, New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult brilliantly examines belief, miracles, and the complex core of family.

When the marriage of Mariah White and her cheating husband, Colin, turns ugly and disintegrates, their seven-year-old daughter, Faith, is there to witness it all. In the aftermath of a rapid divorce, Mariah falls into a deep depression - and suddenly Faith, a child with no religious background whatsoever, hears divine voices, starts reciting biblical passages, and develops stigmata. And when the miraculous healings begin, mother and daughter are thrust into the volatile center of controversy and into the heat of a custody battle - trapped in a mad media circus that threatens what little stability the family has left. (from back cover)

Review:

By now everyone should know that I absolutely adore Jodi Picoult and her novels so I'm sure you will not be surprised when I say that I thought Keeping Faith was an amazing book. I'm sure there will be some Picoult books that I don't like that much, but out of the several I have read, I have loved all of them.

I picked up Keeping Faith even though, like Faith, I do not come from a religious background. Since Picoult is such a seasoned writer, I knew she wouldn't be preachy, but instead would just examine and discuss the story. I liked that there was room for interpretation in Faith's case, even though it heavily leans toward the divine intervention interpretation. Another connection I felt with Faith was that even though she was seven years old in the book, the novel takes place in 1999, so I would have been the same exact age then. Which is pretty awesome, in my opinion.

Keeping Faith has many themes: faith, belief vs. non-belief, broken families, Christianity vs. Judaism (this comes into play because technically Faith is Jewish, but she exhibits Christian visions, like stigmata), depression and mental health, some romance, the love of a mother. Even though there is a lot going on, including flashbacks and different points-of-view, everything is still seamlessly weaved together to create a convincing story. All of the characters are completely fleshed out and have many complexities. Mariah, for example, has a history of suicide and depression, however by the end of the novel she is strong and loving and a great mother to Faith. I loved watching her progession and seeing the changes that people can achieve. Another awesome character was Millie, who was Mariah's mother. She was the grandmother you always want - tough, but funny and also very kind and loving. She reminded me a little of my grandmother, but Millie has much more spunk and sass, which I love.

Overall, I think Keeping Faith accomplished a lot - it was a story about faith and belief, and I think people of all religions or non-religions will enjoy this book. Jodi Picoult picked a tough topic but she did a wonderful job and Keeping Faith turned out to be a very thought-provoking book.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

FTC: borrowed from library.

1999/Harper Perennial/432 pages

Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

Your best friend hates you. The guy you liked hates you. Your entire group of friends hates you. All because you did the right thing.

Welcome to life for Mena Reece, whose year is starting off in the worst way possible. She's been kicked out of her church group and no one will talk to her - not even her own parents. No one except for Casey, her supersmart lab partner in science class, who's pretty funny for the most brilliant guy on earth.

And when Ms. Shepherd begins the unit on evolution, school becomes more dramatic than Mena could ever imagine as she is caught up in a controversy involving science, religion, freedom - and a heart-racing, blush-inducing, can't-stop-thinking-about-him crush.

Now Mena's own life is about to evolve in some amazing and unexpected ways.... (Taken from back cover)

I loved this book! It based on such an interesting topic and it was fascinating to watch this tale unravel. The debate on evolution vs. intelligent design and what should be taught in school is always a heated one but I think it was handled very gracefully. Obviously I agree with the book's opinion, so if you have a differing opinion you might not like this book. But I think Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature is an important book for anyone to read because it somewhat reconciles science and religon. The protagonist, Mena, is very rooted in her faith, but she still believes in evolution. My favorite line from the book is "I believe in evolution, and I believe in God. I just haven't worked out the details yet." As you can see, Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature gets kind of deep for a young adult novel (which is a very good thing). But there are also a lot of light-hearted parts. Mena's crush, Casey, is extremely funny and is able to make this novel humorous as well as serious. I think Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature is just a great novel all around and anyone can enjoy it.

9 out of 10.

FTC: I received this book through Random House's Random Buzzers.

This Gorgeous Game by Donna Freitas

Seventeen-year-old Olivia Peters has long dreamed of becoming a writer. So she's absolutely over the moon when her literary idol, the celebrated novelist and much-adored local priest Mark D. Brendan, selects her from hundreds of other applicants as the winner of the Emerging Writers High School Fiction Prize. Now she gets to spend her summer evenings in a college fiction seminar at the nearby university, where dreamy college boys abound and Father Mark acts as her personal mentor.

But when Father Mark's enthusiasm for Olivia's writing develops into something more, Olivia quickly finds her emotions shifting from wonder to confusion to despair. And as her wide-eyed innocence deteroriates, Olivia can't help but ask - exactly what game is Father Mark playing, and how on earth can she get out of it?

This remarkable second novel by the author of The Possibilities of Sainthood, about overcoming the isolation that stems from victimization, is powerful, luminous, and impossible to put down. (Taken from inside flap)

Wow, this book was so good! I could not put it down; I had to keep reading so I could find out what happened. What I liked about This Gorgeous Game is the originality of the story. We see in the news all the time Catholic priests molesting children, which is a tragedy, but it rarely occurs in books. I think the issue of abuse (mental, emotional, and physical) is a topic some authors are afraid to cover. This story is a little different, and though it's not as violent as the things in the news, you still feel emotionally and mentally traumatized right along with Olivia. I loved how the author was able to write Olivia and her emotions so well.

Speaking of Olivia, I liked her character a lot. I was afraid she would be passive and not take control of the situation, but I was able to sympathize with her and understood why she was hesitant to accuse Father Mark of anything. If I was her, I probably would have told someone right away, but I liked that I could understand her motives, even if I didn't completely agree with them. And Father Mark: man, he was creepy. Once again, he was another character written extremely well.

All in all, I think Donna Freitas took a subject that is rarely written about and breathed new life into it. Her writing was simple, beautiful and just felt true, like she was revealing secrets of the world. Olivia could have been a real person with real feelings. This Gorgeous Game explores an interesting topic but is also a page-turner. Read it if you get a chance!

9 out of 10.

Release Date: May 25, 2010

FTC: This book was provided to me through the Henry Holt InGroup.

The Circle of Friends: Book IV - Mike by L. Diane Wolfe

Mike Taylor is the epitome of stability. His family is proud of his academic and athletic achievements at Georgia Tech, and despite the temptations of college life, he has maintained his moral standards. Yet beneath the peaceful surface, Mike is consumed with guilt, fearing condemnation and rejection. A former girlfriend's abortion and the intense love he feels for his roommate's wife constantly remind Mike of his failures. Unable to forget and full of shame, he refuses to forgive himself. When Danielle enters his life, he realizes he can no longer hide the past. Will she be able to reach him or is Mike past the point of redemption? (Taken from back cover)

The Circle of Friends was different than books I have previously read. It's categorized as young adult fiction, but the main character Mike is graduating from college at the beginning of the book, so he is technically an adult. It's one of those books that kind of overlaps genres and can appeal to different ages.

Mike was an okay protagonist. I liked that he wasn't perfect and still had flaws like any normal person. What I didn't like was the hopelessness that surrounded him as a character. As stated in the book synopsis, Mike is unable to forgive himself for a past girlfriend's abortion. Abortions are big deals, but I felt that Mike dwelt too much on it and it started to get annoying. However when another girl enters his life, he grows as a person and begins to feel better about himself. Speaking of Danielle, she was a character I really liked. She was a vibrant person and was just really outgoing. She brought Mike out of his shell, and helped him to forgive himself. I liked that the book had a hopeful ending and I think fans of the previous Circle of Friends books will enjoy this new addition to the series.

Release Date: October 6, 2009

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Growing up as the pastor's kid, Samara Taylor has been used to living the perfect life: a happy family, a community within their congregation, and a loving God. But when Sam's mother is arrested for a DUI and has to go into rehab, Sam starts doubting everything she once believed. With an absent father who has more time for church than his daughter, Sam's faith is hanging on by a thread. But when a local girl is kidnapped in their small town, all the emotions that Sam has been holding in start to emerge. During this tragedy, Sam must decide for herself if she believes in miracles, her family, and most importantly, herself.

I really enjoyed reading Once Was Lost. I felt like I could relate really well to Sam, even though we're totally different people. In any normal circumstance, I would be bothered by Sam's antics. She is a actually an annoying character. Sam is the epitome of the "acting out" teenager and acts childish on many occasions. But I felt like she was a real person, and (this sounds cheesy) I felt like I connected with her.

Obviously, this is a book about religion, and since I'm not religious at all, I usually don't like these kind of books. But the religion in Once Was Lost was subtle, if that's even possible when it plays such a big part. A lot of books sound preach-y, like they're telling you how to act and what to believe in. But Sara Zarr did a good job with minimizing the narrative sermons and made it a book about Sam's faith, rather than trying to convert the reader.

One of the most interesting aspects of Once Was Lost was the kidnapping of a thirteen-year old girl who belongs to Sam's church. It added an element of mystery to the story and definitely made me want to keep reading. I had no idea how it would end and I liked the suspensefulness of the story. In addition to the kidnapping, I really liked the relationship between Sam and Nick, who is also the brother of the kidnapped girl. I liked how they could talk to each other and become closer during this tragedy. All in all, I thought Once Was Lost was a good book with an original plot, and I can't wait to read more of Sara Zarr's work. Plus I love the title and cover!

9 out of 10.

Release Date: Today!

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Owen Meany, the only child of a New Hampshire granite quarrier, believes he is God's instrument. He is. This is John Irving's most comic novel; yet Owen Meany is Mr. Irving's most heartbreaking character. (Taken from back of book)

I absolutely loved A Prayer for Owen Meany. I think it was the best required summer reading book I have ever had to read. And I know that the summary is vague, but I couldn't really think of anything better. For those of you who have never heard of Owen Meany, you might recognize the movie Simon Birch, which is based off of this book. I have never seen the movie, so I can't compare the two. But onto the review!

This book was perfect. It has some hilarious moments where I was literally laughing out loud, but at the same time it is so sad. It's a good mix of the two emotions. John, the protagonist, is a good narrator, who provides a ton of information to the reader. I like how the story wasn't exactly linear, but would go back in time and forward in time. If I was writing this book, I would be totally confused, but Irving has somehow skillfully crafted this book to make sense. There was a lot of interesting (and smart) discussion on religion that fascinated me. There were some important religious issues present, such as fate vs. free will and faith vs. doubt. I also liked how the book focused on the intellectual side of religion and never preached about Christianity. When I finished Owen Meany, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It was so heartbreaking, but at the same time it was a fun novel to read. If you want to read something that changes your outlook on things, I would definitely recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany.

9 out of 10.