Book Review: The Lucy Variations

Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.

That was all before she turned fourteen.

Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. It's about finding joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.

I was counting down the days until The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr hit the shelves. I'd read and loved her previous four books, so I had high expectations for this one. And she did not disappoint.

Lucy comes from a well-off family. She and her brother play the piano. And I don't mean just a few times a week, with lessons one day, and a year-end recital. It's almost their entire lives. But Lucy quits and tries to take control of her life. Her grandfather is a music lover, and her mother grew up playing. So the pressure Lucy and Gus face to not only play, but play perfectly, is high. The book picks up after some time has passed since Lucy quit, and she's considering maybe, possibly playing again.

As with the last several releases by Sara Zarr, I went into it without knowing what it was about. I find that to be a lot of fun. I didn't know what to expect except a girl named Lucy and a piano in there somewhere. Her writing is fantastic, and her story-telling really sucked me in. The Lucy Variations was very different from her previous releases. I think this is due to her growth as a writer, considering this is her fifth YA contemporary published.

Lucy's book is not my favorite of Zarr's, but it was definitely an enjoyable read. (All of her books are worth picking up. It's some of the best contemporary YA out there, in my opinion.) Beware, it will make you cry. But it will also make you laugh. I have a love/hate relationship with Lucy. Sometimes I felt like I really understood her, and sometimes I wanted to smack her. But, for me, that's the perfect kind of book. Pick it up. You won't be disappointed.

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Rookie Magazine

a.k.a. my new favorite thing.

I first learned about Rookie Magazine from Stephanie Kuehnert's blog. And I try every weekday to log on and read the selections. There are three selections posted each day, at roughly 3, 7, and 11.

*picture from Rookie Mag welcome letter*

Rookie Magazine, while targeted at teen girls, is fun for any age. I'm 28, and it looks like a lot of the contributors are close to my age. So when they talk about their high school years, it's about the same time I was in high school.

There's fiction, real stories, pictures and photos, playlists, and fantastic art. Definitely check it out and look out for your opportunity to get involved with this online magazine!

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Book Review: Shade

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready sat on my shelf - signed - for over a year. I had met Jeri a few times, and as another signing came up, I decided I had to read something of hers before then. So... I finally picked up Shade.

I realized as I started it, I hadn't even read the synopsis. I knew it was about ghosts and teens who can see them. But the bit about our main character losing her boyfriend, Logan, surprised me. Yeah, clearly I hadn't read the synopsis. But one thing that shows me is how much I value the opinions of my friends that read and book bloggers. I had picked it up, solely based on hearing others say how good it was.

And I have to agree. It was good. Well... amazing probably fits better. I loved it. I didn't want to put it down. The world Jeri's created, a world where the "shift" has made it so that everyone born after it can see ghosts is complex and interesting. Aura was the first born post-shift, so she can ghosts. In the dark, they shine violet. In the sun, their glow hides them. This is the first time I've ever read a book in which ghosts had rules.

I'm very excited to read book two in the series, Shift. But I'm going to wait a bit closer to the release of book three, Shine, so there is less wait. In the meantime, I'll be checking out Jeri Smith-Ready's other series.

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