Saturday Read: Abandon, by Meg Cabot [Giveaway]

June 4, 2011 11:30 am     Posted in Cool Stuff  Alex K. g+ page

Summer is here (or almost here for some of you!) and that means breaking out the fun, beachy reads. You know – chick lit, young adult, etc. Who can focus on a tough read when they’re at the beach and there is so much scenery to take in? And by scenery, I mean half-naked men playing beach volleyball and rolling around in the sand. For days like this, I turn to my favorite YA and chick lit authors, and lucky for me, Meg Cabot has just released a new book that totally fits the bill.


By Alex K.

Abandon is the story of Pierce Oliviera, a 17-year-old girl who has been moved to Isla Huesos, her mother’s hometown off the coast of Florida. She’s had some issues at her previous school and her mother has decided that the best thing for her is a fresh start. However, Pierce’s past and one mysterious boy, John, seem to be following her to Isla Huesos and making the whole “starting over” thing a little bit impossible.

Pierce met John the day the she died. Yes, you read that right, Pierce has died before. She was eventually revived and lived to tell the tale, but her run-in with John forever changed her life. Like the myth of Hades and Persephone that this novel was loosely based on, John wants Pierce to live with him, in the underworld. I know, it seems kind of cheesy and weird if you’re not familiar with the myth, but I appreciate Cabot’s efforts to pave a new way in the bogged down genre of paranormal young adult fiction. It’s not about vampires (thank god), but instead draws on ancient Greek religion (really interesting stuff) and I really respect her effort.

One thing that initially annoyed me about this book BUT that I ended up really appreciating as I got further into it was the coyness of the narration. Pierce keeps referring to things that happened to her before she moved, but reveals details surrounding the events very, very slowly. Like, painfully slowly. I’ve never seen an author do this and at times it made me crazy, but it really keeps the reader intrigued, especially the teen crowd that this was written for. I was really impressed by Cabot’s use of subtlety and think it’s what makes this one stand out in the sea of YA fiction.

Overall, this was a quick, fun read and I highly recommend it for a day at the beach or on your sunny dock. You’ll be entertained and maybe even spurred on to brush up on your Greek mythology!

And we’re so excited to get you reading Abandon that we’re doing a GIVEAWAY! Yep that’s right, one lucky CollegeCandy reader is going home with a copy of Abandon AND a crystal necklace (check out the awesome custom necklace here)! Say what? No, it’s true. We are really giving all this crazy shiz away. Here’s how to win!

1. Tell us what book you want Alex to review for Saturday Read. That’s it. You’re automatically entered to win this amazing prize.  Oh, and make sure to use your real e-mail address so we can contact you if you win.

2. Contest closes at 11:59 PM on June, 4 2011.

3. Please note this giveaway is only open to US  residents. For official rules and more legal mumbo-jumbo, click here.

4. Not required, but do feel free to check out Meg Cabot’s Facebook page

34 Comments on "Saturday Read: Abandon, by Meg Cabot [Giveaway]"

  1. Breeze says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201111:54 am 

    She should review Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer because its the summer Reading for every incoming freshmen at UNC. Which means I’m reading it either way. Sigh

  2. Ashley says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201112:05 pm 

    Hey College Candy (and CC lovers)!

    The next book Alex should read is definitely "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. As a dog lover, this book had me from chapter one. Told in the perspective of Enzo, a dog, this story goes through love, heart break, losing someone, growing old, and keeping faith. It definitely tugs on the heart strings! Ultimately, it is a feel good novel- You might even look at your dog differently in the end!

    Hope you enjoy it as much as I did,
    Ashley

  3. Jessica S says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201112:17 pm 

    She should review Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. Bray is really funny and awesome and the book is about a group of teen beauty pageant contestants whose plane crashes onto a desert island. It sounds perfect, right?

  4. Skyler says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201112:21 pm 

    She should review Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. Or if she hasn't already, definitely The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Or Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me?.
    I know that's three books to recommend, but once you get me started recommending, it's hard to stop… :)

  5. Brittany says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201112:21 pm 

    I think the next book Alex should review is the new book by Sara Shepard (who wrote Pretty Little Liars). I believe it is called The Lying Games. Or something similar. I just picked it up a few days ago and haven’t had a chance to start it yet.

  6. Sydney Mae Bickford says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201112:39 pm 

    Alex should review Snow Flower and The Secret Fan by Lisa See. It's a great read and there is a movie based on this book coming out in July!

  7. Kim says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201112:43 pm 

    I have two suggestions; one on the chic lit side, which would be sophie kinsella's book "Twenties Girl." It's a fun read that I devoured during a 25 hour road trip last summer.
    The other is a book called "The Female Brain" which is non-fiction and is about how a woman's brain works through infancy to old age. its very fascinating and surprisingly fun to read.

  8. Briana says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201112:52 pm 

    Alex should review Being by Kevin Books. It's a science fiction thriller about a boy named Robert Smith who discovers his dark past and raises questions about what it means to be "normal."

  9. Nakoya says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20111:39 pm 

    I think Alex should read The DUFF by Kody Keplinger. It's definitely a fun, beachy read and the author is a 19-year-old college student.

  10. amy says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20111:56 pm 

    She should read & review Star Island by Carl Hiaasen… it's a great summer read

  11. Alyson says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20112:18 pm 

    For the next Saturday read, you should check out Siren by Tricia Rayburn. It is definitely a good read. A lot of young adult books that are trending right now are about fairies, vampires, or all of the above; but Siren is about an old tale from the sea come to life.

  12. That Girl says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20113:31 pm 

    You should check out "Rampant" by Diana Peterfreund (and it's sequel "Ascendant").

    Rampant is a phenomenal YA Fantasy book that centers on Astrid who descends from a long line of unicorn hunters. Except, since the killer unicorns have been extinct to centuries she's never been informed of her past, that is until a unicorn surfaces in the woods ear her house.

    This is a great book with strong female characters, set in Italy and featuring killer unicorns. What's not to love?!

  13. Lesley says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20114:32 pm 

    Alex should read Are you there Vodka by Chelsea Handler. It's hilarious!

  14. Claire says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20114:45 pm 

    She should review One Day by David Nicholls. It's romantic, heartfelt, and a bit sad but well worth reading.

  15. D.Fuentes says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20115:22 pm 

    I think Alex should review Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella it's funny, smart and perfect for the summer. I read it last summer and I love it.

  16. Kelsey says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20115:37 pm 

    Alex should review The Art of Racing in the Rain next! It's a little heavier than this book, but such a fantastic book…especially if you are a dog lover with a sense of humor. ;-)

  17. Vicki says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20115:57 pm 

    You should check out Jennifer Government by Max Barry. I just started reading it on a recommendation from my sister, and am loving it.

  18. Danielle says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20116:02 pm 

    Alex should review the full Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty. I had read the first three of the series and loved them. There are a total of five.

  19. blair says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20116:03 pm 

    Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

  20. Heather says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20116:27 pm 

    I think that Alex should read any of Nicholas Sparks novels. They are great summer reads and are absolutely amazing! :)

  21. Esther says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20116:43 pm 

    Sabriel (and the rest of the trilogy) written by Garth Nix

  22. Kelly says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20116:46 pm 

    The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

  23. Cassandra F says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20116:50 pm 

    If you haven't already, I think you should read "The Hunger Games". I really like the whole series and since it is being brought to the big screen you should get ahead of the game (ha ha, no pun intended (: ) and read the books!!

  24. @jaminewong says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20118:15 pm 

    YA: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
    Chick-lit: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
    Fiction: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
    Non-fiction: Bossypants by Tina Fey

    I love books, and I can't wait until my finals (silly quarter system) are over so I can start some fun summer reading!!

  25. Erica Mckenney says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20118:38 pm 

    The pact by Jodi Picoult is a good read! :)

  26. Dana says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20119:00 pm 

    I recommend Divergent by Veronica Roth because it's a quick read, yet interesting and perfect to read on the beach. ;)

    It's about a 16-year-old girl who lives in a future dystopian Chicago, where everyone is belongs to one 5 categories/factions. On a certain day every year, all 16-year-olds choose the faction they want to belong in, and it will define their identities and lifestyles for the rest of their lives. After she takes a test, she finds out that she doesn't perfectly fit into any group (really rare) and finds out that the society she lives in isn't as perfect as she thought it was.

  27. Laura says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 20119:33 pm 

    I also love YA fiction in the summer (whenever people comment, I just say I'm keeping up with what my future students are going to be reading!), and I just finished Sarah Dessen's new novel, 'What Happened to Goodbye'. Definitely a good poolside read worthy of review!

  28. Amy says:
    Sat, 4th Jun 201110:44 pm 

    I'd love for her to review Bossypants by Tina Fey. :)

  29. Jenna says:
    Sun, 5th Jun 20111:16 am 

    'The Bronze Horseman' by Paullina Simons! It's the most heartbreakingly romantic book I've ever read set in world war two Russia!

  30. Delacy says:
    Sun, 5th Jun 201110:41 am 

    Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher. :)

  31. Brittany says:
    Sun, 5th Jun 20111:46 pm 

    I read this last summer and it has become my absolute favorite novel!!!!!!!!!!

  32. Brittany says:
    Sun, 5th Jun 20111:50 pm 

    I would recommend The Art of Racing in the Rain like a few others have. I read it in one sitting and as a dog lover it became one of my all time favorite novels.
    However, since a couple have already offered that one, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is amazing. It is a young adult novel that carries a heavy yet uplifting story.

  33. Rae says:
    Sun, 5th Jun 201111:23 pm 

    You should check out The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It's a memoir about the author and her siblings childhood growing up in poverty throughout the US, traveling from various trailer parks and mining towns. Although it may not sound like it, it's an amazing read.

  34. rebecca says:
    Wed, 8th Jun 201110:36 pm 

    Albatross by Josie Bloss. Emotionally deep, current, and recommended by Meg Cabot herself.

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