Title: Wonderland
Author: Joanna Nadin
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: February 22, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 224
Source: Publisher

Sixteen-year-old Jude has to get out of tiny Churchtown. She has to escape her outcast status and her pathetic dad, who hasn’t gotten past her mother’s death. The one bright light is drama, her way out, if only she can get into the Lab, a prestigious program in London. Then Stella, Jude’s childhood best friend, swaggers in after years away.

With bold and magnetic Stella by her side, Jude knows she’s capable of anything. But Stella’s influence extends well beyond the theater. Soon Stella’s wild and dangerous streak begins to cause trouble for Jude -- yet Jude can’t bring herself to abandon Stella and the attention she’s always craved. And besides, now that Stella’s back, there’s no stopping her.

Jude is your everyday girl next door. She’s lonely, she’s an outcast, and she’s desperate to escape the stigma she deals with only a daily basis in her tiny hometown. Her hope is to escape to a prestigious program in London and rid herself of Churchtown forever, but someone throws a wrench in her plans. When Stella, Jude’s childhood friend, returns, Jude is introduced to a stunning new Stella. She’s charismatic, enigmatic, and just a touch dangerous. She’s everything Jude wants to be. Stella takes her under her wing, and suddenly Jude isn’t so lonely anymore, but when Stella goes from unique to untamed, Jude begins to watch everything around her unravel, and she has to decide how much their friendship is worth.

Wonderland is the US debut of UK author, Joanna Nadin, a talent in her own right. Known for stories like My So-Called Life, The Meaning of Life and The Life of Riley, Nadin is no stranger to contemporary fiction – a genre I usually avoid like the plague. Weaving a dark and haunting plot, characters with ulterior motives, and a storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Wonderland is a fantastic addition to the world of contemporary fiction. Complicated and messy, twisted and compelling, this is the story of a teenage girl that finds herself when everything around her begins to unravel and fall apart.

I was actually really surprised by Wonderland. When I committed to reading more contemporary fiction in 2011, I was a bit wary because I keep saying time and again that I don’t find too many deviations to the normal contemporary plot on the market today. Wonderland is darkly compelling. Jude was a character I could relate to from the start – a bit of a loner, a touch awkward, and desperate to escape her cramped hometown to find herself. Her character development through the downward spiral of Stella was intriguing to watch and engaging throughout. Even as a secondary character, Stella propels the story forward, adding that touch of darkness to an otherwise sweet story. I was captivated by the characters and they, in turn, fueled every plot point, keeping it moving at a nice, steady pace.

All in all, Wonderland was a fantastic read and really gave me hope for contemporary fiction. While the terminology was a bit English at times (and therefore confused my very blonde brain), the story was beautiful. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to all fans of YA who enjoy coming of age stories and contemporary fiction. This would probably also be ideal for adults looking for a slim, fast-paced read.

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.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. As always, there are some amazing upcoming books, but this week I'm particularly excited for...

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Kids
Published: September 27, 2011
Pages: 372
Genre: YA, Contemporary Fiction

Mara Dyer believes life can’t get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she has been through she can fall in love. She's wrong.

Holy cover lust! We all know that contemps aren't usually my thing because I find them flat and formulaic (yes, I'm generalizing, I apologize). Anyway, the premise of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is endlessly fascinating to me. It's darker than a lot of contemps, it sounds a bit mysterious, and frankly, a bit edgy. I like edgy. It works for me. Anyway, I hope this lives up to the amazing cover and plot synopsis because this has the makings of a real winner for me...especially if it's all dark and twisty! What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Talk to Me Tuesday is a brand new weekly meme where we will discuss anything (and everything) literary-related in an open forum of honesty. Questions for the next week will be posted one week prior to the post on the Features page. If you'd like to participate in this weekly feature, simply create your post, link back to me, and add your post to the wonderful Mr. Linky below. Have fun, and have at it!

This week's question: Do you prefer series or stand-alone novels and why?

It seems to me that there's a trend in the YA market today for authors to start series, rather than stand-alone novels, and I've been wondering a lot about this lately. Seriously, what is the last stand-alone fantasy or paranormal book that I've read? While I don't read too many contemps these days, even the ones I do read seem to be jumping on the bandwagon. Take, for example, Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles. I loved that book. The characterization, the plot, every little point led up to a tumultuous and climactic end. Granted, the end made me want to kill myself pull my hair out, but it made me think, and even more - it made me feel. Now, enter the sequel, Return to Paradise. Can I just say...disappointment much? No, the writing isn't bad, but we lost everything we gained from Maggie and Caleb in book one. Suddenly, we're on this new path that feels rushed and overbearing. I really wish I hadn't picked up the sequel.

Then there are series like Harry Potter, which we all know I'm clinically obsessed with. Seriously. I want to live in Hogwarts. But there is a reason to my madness, or insanity, if you will. In creating the first book, J.K. Rowling proposed a series and a chance for us to journey with her characters. She gave us the opportunity to grow up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, allowing us to know every detail of their lives so we could grow up in this imaginary world with them (I know, I wish it was real, too.) Each book had a clear purpose - show us Harry's progression, give us more of the background, and lead up to the final and ultimate battle of good vs. evil. That, in a nutshell, is pretty much the epitome of a series for me. Other series that worked for me were Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Mortal Instruments series. Obviously, there are more, but those are the ones that immediately spring to mind.

Some of your fellow book bloggers weighed in on the issue, too, saying what they thought of series and standalone novels.

Ginger from GReads says, "I like both, but I prefer series because I get more from the characters and the story. Everything isn't wrapped up so nicely."

Sarah from That Bookish Girl says, "I think it really depends on the book. Sometimes books work better with a clear, quick start and finish and sometimes they are better drawn out."

Misha from My Love Affair With Books says, "It depends on the book. If I loved the book, I like to see more of the characters and the story. But to be honest, I lack the patience to wait. Waiting for the next book in the HP series used to drive me insane!

Linds from Bibliophile Brouhaha says, "It honestly doesn't matter so long as the story is solid, whether it is a story throughout the series or a stand alone. I will say that I hate when a book originally is a stand alone, and it feels like the characters have come full circle, only to have a publishers/author later make it into a series. It messes with the story and distorts the message of the book."

And therein lies the main issue for me. I think there is such a pressure to create a series these days that we lose sight of the characters and plot that were originally created. Whether it's a series or a stand-alone novel, I don't want to feel like I'm being pulled unwillingly along. Shiver is a prime example for me. I think that book one could have been it. I feel no need to read past that. Basically, I want the same thing if it's a series or a stand-alone book. I want great characters, a fantastic adventure, and I want to feel like I went somewhere and came full circle. 

Want to weigh in and do your own Talk to Me Tuesday post for this week? Go ahead and link up!