Title: When You Were Here
Author: Daisy Whitney (Twitter)
Publisher: Little, Brown
Publish Date: June 4, 2013
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 257
Source: Publisher

Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see. Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.

When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died.

Danny is adrift. He just lost his mother, his life is spinning into a world that is darker, harder to emotionally process and, frankly, he's completely overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done. When a letter arrives from his mother's treatment facility in Tokyo, it's his chance to step away from it all, process what has happened and maybe, just maybe find out how to cope with his mother's death and how to take the first steps in moving on. But first, he needs to set forth on a journey of self-discovery.

When I look for contemporary fiction to read, I look for something that will actually tug at my heartstrings and make me feel something. There is something to be said for a book that can coax you to the brink of tears, and then ever-so-carefully walk you back off that ledge and help heal you through its pages. I've read some of Daisy Whitney's work before, and I have to say that When You Were Here is a standout among not only her titles, but many books on the shelves today. Intricately weaving the arduous process of grieving with an incredible journey of self-discovery, When You Were Here not only tugs at your heartstrings, but will help you heal and find a sense of peace.

So often in YA books, we're presented with a male narrator whose voice is far less than authentic, disingenuous and, frankly, a mere shade of what we might consider a teenage boy to truly sound and act like. When You Were Here, however, gives us an eighteen-year-old boy in Danny, and we can sense the authenticity of his voice from the start. Rather than simply telling us how he feels in the wake of extraordinary loss, we watch as he expresses his pain through his actions and interactions with others, breathing life into what could have been a very shallow and lifeless story. Throughout the story, we're presented secondary characters such as Kana, who helped care for his mother's apartment during her treatment. I was so worried we'd be offered a cloying and false relationship for instant gratification and momentary comfort, but instead we're offered a powerful character who offers Danny friendship when he needs it most. One of the most powerful elements for me, however, was the introduction of Holland, Danny's ex, and how her storyline was ultimately ingrained within his own. We learn that appearances and pretenses can be deceiving, and there is much more to her story and, because of this, Danny's story, as well. Through it all, When You Were Here breaks us down to our barest emotions, then helps us slowly and gently piece ourselves and our emotions back together with great humility, which is an incredibly powerful thing to do.

I know that I'm writing a dissertation here, but When You Were Here was such a beautifully-crafted book that I could sing its praises all day. With a true and genuine voice and endless heart, this book is pure magic. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction. I do want to advice readers of tasteful sexual situations, so this might be for an upper YA audience.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Title: Variant
Author: Robison Wells
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: October 4, 2011
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Thriller
Pages: 356
Source: Publisher

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life. He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive. Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

When Benson is accepted into Maxfield Academy, he's elated. This is his chance to get out. This is his opportunity to become something bigger and better than he would otherwise be. At least, that's what the academy looks like from the outside. Once inside the walls of the prep school he was so honoured to attend, Benson realizes that he now lives within a veritable petri dish. There are no adults. The school is locked tight, and the students trust no one. But Benson soon realizes that there are two choices in Maxfield Academy. Follow the rules and suffer the consequences, or break the rules and pay the ultimate price. When the choice is death or eternal suffering, which would you choose?

It's safe to say that Variant takes the dystopian genre, throws in a twisted core and makes for a tumltuous and entirely destructive novel that's a thrill ride from start to finish. Author Robison Wells has created a masterpiece in Variant that blends the best of horror, dystopian and character-driven novels into a rich, frightening and utterly original world. With a powerful cast and an equally potent premise, Variant presents a dark and terrifying world that is easy to become lost in. Trust me when I say that you want to be lost in the world of Variant, but you will be truly glad to escape it in the end. Mind-bending and haunting, it will leave you spellbound.

Before I say anything else, I have to say how refreshing it was to read a book with a male MC that is first-person narrated. In a genre dominated by female protagonists, it was such a breath of fresh air to hear how the world looked from Benson, a teenage boy's, point of view. Plus, his voice was truthful and real, lending to the carefully crafted lunacy of Variant. There's a beauty in the despair of a true dystopian novel, which Variant embodies. You're given the bleakness, you're given true darkness and you're driven towards a lack of hope that lends to desperation. Variant gave us a unique spin, however, presenting a carefully controlled environment in this dystopia, but allowing that environment to twist into utter chaos within its chains. Watching the world of youth turn in on itself was bone-chilling, and the author crafted it carefully in order to keep us riveted. The beauty of Variant is that it makes you question everyone, without fail. The tagline, "trust no one," was entirely accurate, and I could never have guessed the end, which left me reeling. The writing is solid, and the plot is phenomenal, so without giving anything away, allow me to say that Variant breaks the mold and gives us a fresh new take on the genre.

All in all, Variant blew me away. I was expecting a good read, but I got an amazing read, and that is a true pleasure. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I highly recommend this book to all fans of YA fiction, especially those who enjoy dystopian and thrillers.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.