"All These Things I've Done" by Gabrielle Zevin

The Balanchine family doesn't really follow the laws of 2083. They have chocolate in the safe and Anya goes to back rooms to enjoy coffee. Their world isn't too different from the one we live in now, just with different laws about what is and isn't illegal. At the start of the novel, Anya breaks up with her boyfriend Gable which in turn causes a lot of problems for her. She soon meets a boy named Win and of course we know that he is going to become the romantic interest of this novel. Too bad he is the son of the new assistant D.A. When Gable shows up at Anya's apartment begging for chocolate, she has no idea that it has been poisoned and that she will soon be a suspect of his near death.  She then spends that rest of the novel struggling with following the path set for her because of the family she was born into or following her heart's desires. There is quite a bit going on in this novel- suspense, family drama, illegal doings and decent amount of action. 

This book is one that has intrigued me for quite some time. The cover has a heart dripping chocolate on it, of course it caught my interest. It wasn't really what I expected, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a world that's not super familiar to me where family is often corrupt (as are those you're not related to), where family members close to you may get killed and where you have to be aware of your every action. Though these are concepts that aren't that unique, this is one of the few books I have read that has dealt with such topics. It is very interesting to see how in Anya's world many things are extremely different from the way things are now, so many many others shows how events can repeat themselves through history.  I am glad that I have read so many books this year that don't feel like books I have already read. This is yet another plot that feels like it is telling it's own story and not just retelling something that has already been told over and over again. I think that Zevin has created a very interesting story and I can't wait to read past All These Things I've Done.



Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Dad is Fat" by Jim Gaffigan

My favorite thing about this book is that it didn't feel like I was merely reading a transcript of one of Gaffigan's shows.  Many books like this tend to just be a rehashing of stories that we are already familiar with (though it is very possible that I just haven't heard these particular stories.  Feel free to correct me in the comments).

Dad is Fat tells Jim's story of what it is like to be a father of five, with a comical twist.  Ever wonder how a family of seven shares a tiny apartment in NYC?  Curious what it's like to shuffle kids from to various schools and events?  Heck, just curious about the title?  Then this is the book for you.  While I didn't enjoy this book as much as Beyond the Pale (I think I prefer Gaffigan's verbal delivery over written), this book is a lot of laughs and is a must read for any fan of Gaffigan's work (it's also clean humor, for those that are interested).



Happy Reading!
-Melly

"The Steps" by Rachel Cohn

I think this was the least heavy book I have read so far this year, both in content and in weight (only 144 pages).

Annabelle lives in New York City with her mother Angelina and her Bubbe.  Her father, Jack, lives in Australia with his wife, Penny, and her two children, Lucy and Angus.  Jack and Penny also have a daughter, Beatrice.  Confused yet?  Throw in Angelina's boyfriend Harvey and his son Wheaties, as well as Penny's ex Patrick and his son Ben.  Now are you confused?  Try being Annabelle.

The Steps by Rachel Cohn is the funny story of Annabelle's visit to Australia to meet the new half of her family.  She has little interest in meeting her new step-siblings and is infurriated to find out that they are calling Jack, Dad.  Even she doesn't do that!  Readers can go into this book somewhat knowing what to expect.  Annabelle is very angsty and doesn't like change.  Over the course of the book she begins to realize that she has a lot to learn about what really makes a family.  It isn't a revolutionary book or one that touches on topics never before seen in the young adult world either.  But it's the kind of book you can pick up and read anytime, anyplace, and sometimes you just need a book that will make you laugh.

Find Rachel on Twitter and Facebook!

Happy Reading!
-Melly