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

Emma sets out to write a biography of Dr. R, but along the way she weaves in her story and discovers herself. She takes the reader through her life as a teenage journalist in Britain, her struggle with mental illness and recovery through Dr. R in New York and, of course, relationships along the way, including falling in love with one of the world’s biggest movie stars (who she calls her Gypsy Husband). All make for not only an interesting and engaging read, but one that really pulls at the heartstrings.

There aren’t enough positive words in the English language to describe this book. Staggering, beautiful, a true work of art. Every time I picked Your Voice in My Head up, I felt like I was catching up with up with an old friend. When she told about funny things, I laughed. And I cried when I shared in her sorrows. The candidness with which Emma wrote the memoir really makes it so wonderful and easy to get attached to. It’s not often that I’m genuinely sad when I finish a book, but I was when I had to put Your Voice in My Head on my bookshelf.

Everyone should read this book. I think college-age girls (or people of any age, really) will gain tremendous insight and perspective into the important things in life. Emma is wise beyond her years and so strong, and I think we can all learn some from this exemplary woman!

I was lucky enough to interview the lovely Brit about the book and her interesting life. Check it out!

Alex: I found your book to be spectacular. Almost every time I picked it up, I teared up a bit and a few times, openly weeped. I honestly felt like I was hanging out with my best friend and she was telling me about her life. As creepy as it may sound, I feel like we’re old friends now! How has the response been to it?

Emma: Oh thank you! Well you know, it varies culturally. The English response was really divided generationally. I think journalists who are old enough to remember me from my other life when I was a teenage journalist were pretty harsh on it, while younger people in England who are just discovering me have loved it. So that’s a good response! And we’ll see when it comes out here in America on May 3^rd.  Actually, the first reviews have been really good, so I think it’s sort of classic that the toughest reviews have been England because it’s English to not like whining and people who complain. There’s a sense of  “you should keep that stuff to yourself.”

A: So you started out as a bit of a teen prodigy in the journalism world. Can you tell me what that was like?

E: So, I was earning my wages from 15 and I was celebrated for being young, but that’s dangerous because you always know in the back of your mind that one day you’re not going to be a teenager and will they still want to publish me? Very consciously, at 17, after three years of being the “teen prodigy” I went to work at another newspaper where they paid me much less, but at least my work didn’t say my age. I knew that, as with Hollywood, once I aged they would have thrown me away and found someone even younger, so it was good to force myself to transition to the adult role earlier.

A: You talk about struggling with mental illness from a very young age. When did you first realize that what you were feeling may not be normal?

E: To be honest, only when I was diagnosed in New York. You just don’t know what’s inside other people’s heads. Especially when you’re 12 or 13, you don’t say to other kids, “Hey, do you do this? Do you think this?” So really, it was a long time.

A: You credit much of your recovery to Dr. R. What was so special about him and your relationship with him?

E: I think that he never thought things were as bad as I thought they were. He always thought that I was going to be fine. And that sounds simplistic but that’s really it. I liked him and I liked the way that he saw me. I had come to think that I was such a terrible person and to see myself as he saw me, such a great person, was a hell of a start.

A: Let’s move on to your ‘Gypsy Husband.’ You were a bit of a celebrity in your own right in the UK, but what was it like to being with someone so high-profile in the states?

E: It was challenging. The best place in the world to be was in his house, which was huge, so you could just sort of seclude yourself there and be completely normal and relate to each other in a very healthy way. But then, if we even went to the drugstore for a toothbrush, everything changed. So that, I think, would be a challenge for anybody, let alone someone who has this sort of fragile history. I think it was a challenge for him as well because he had a fragile history.

A: After reading the book, I wasn’t a fan of GH. I don’t think you portrayed him as particularly “evil,” but I felt so connected to this book that it was like my best girlfriend was telling me about her life and I wanted to defend her.  Did you let him read it before it went to press?

E: Yes, I asked him to. He went back and forth about whether or not he wanted to. We certainly sent him a copy and I don’t know if he did. I imagine it would have been hard for him, primarily to see how much pain I was in. He did love me and does care, but I certainly didn’t mean to portray him as the bad guy because I know the truth. I wasn’t trying to portray that this person did terrible things. So, no, I really, really didn’t mean to have any type of villain portrayal. And I don’t think that’s the way life is; people are complicated and there are bad people who do really good things and good people can do really bad things. It’s not good guys and bad guys.

A: Do you think that if you stayed with GH you would have ended up in a good place?

E: I think if I had learned to be stronger, maybe. I don’t think I was helping myself or helping him with how spooked I was by aspects of it. I don’t think we would have stayed together forever; it’s pretty rare that people stay together forever, especially with that many challenges. I will say that it was a very, very healthy relationship for both of us and an unhealthy breakup. People are relating to the book because everyone has been through a terrible breakup where they couldn’t let go, but very few people have been through that and seen it chronicled in the National Enquirer.

A: I interpreted the voice in your head to be Dr. R’s. Whose voice is in your head now?

E: Mine, but funny enough, I just had an incredibly stressful 48 hours to deal with a really, really big work decision that was hard and meant losing someone I love deeply from my life. I navigated it as best I could and my mom told me that she thinks Dr. R would have been really proud and I’m doing what he would have told me to do. Hopefully, at this point, it’s sub-conscious that he has some influence. Because of him and because of getting well, I definitely have a sense of perspective. When you’re in the depths of it, you think, “Oh I have the worst problems in the history of the world!” Now that’s just all bullsh*t. It’s hard and it’s not a great time in your own life, but on a scale of world pain, what I’ve been through is pretty minimal.

A: Because this is for CollegeCandy, do you have any advice you could give to college-age girls? Girls in their early to mid-twenties, just kind of finding themselves?

E: Stay alive, stay eyes on the prize because in my experience, and in the experience of a lot of my girlfriends, 25 onwards, life just gets better every year. I think early twenties are really, really hard – like harder than being a teenager, harder than your thirties. You know there’s Saturn Return (the first real life change) from 27-30 and it’s good times! It gets better and better and you like yourself more and know yourself more and you become more attractive to other people. So just get to 25 and it gets easier!

“Nicholas and Alexandra” is a whopping non-fiction history book, totaling 640 pages (including appendices, so it’s a bit shorter!). If you aren’t interested in history, Nicholas was the last Tsar of Russia. Okay, hopefully that triggered something in your subconscious. You’re thinking of Anastasia? The princess who is rumored to have survived the tragedy? Or perhaps Rasputin, the mystic who essentially dissolved the monarchy? And if this is all sounding Greek, let me back up a bit.

Long story short, Nicholas was the last Tsar and a Romanov. The Romanov’s ruled Russia for around 300 years when Nicholas took the throne. He was married to Alexandra, a princess of Hesse and Rhine. They had 5 children: daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, and then finally, a son, Alexis. Because of the Pauline Laws imposed in Russia, only a male could be heir to the throne. This made Alexis essentially the prized possession of not only his family, but all of Russia. If Nicholas and Alexandra had not produced a son, Russia could have fallen into the hands of many greedy countries who believed they had a rightful claim.

However, there was one problem: Alexis was a hemophiliac, meaning that his blood didn’t clot properly, along with a slew of other symptoms.

Nowadays, hemophilia isn’t as life-threatening as it was back in the beginning of the 20th century. Every time Alexis so much as tripped, it could mean death. Empress Alexandra was constantly worried about Alexis, but on one particular occasion that worry was somewhat settled. Alexis had an accident and was basically on the brink of death when Alexandra’s friend, Anna, suggested that she call in a man named Gregory Rasputin. Eventually, Rasputin had such an effect on Alexis that Alexandra believed him to be the only thing keeping her son alive. She truly believed him to be a direct conduit to God.

And that is the beginning of the end for the Romanovs.

Doesn’t that read just like a fiction?! I mean, a mysterious Russian peasant, who has been said to hypnotize people with his eyes, becomes BFF of the Empress and basically brings down an empire that is 3 centuries old?! Seriously, the more I dig into history, the more I am amazed at the crazy stuff that happened. Because of this amazing story, I was hooked from the first page. Massie made history completely come alive and I was just as enthralled as I am when reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (admit it, you were too). One of my favorite chapters was when he traced the prevalence of hemophilia through the royal bloodlines of Europe. There was a lot of marrying cousins and the sort going on back then (to preserve the bloodline), so diseases that were genetic had a tendency to pop up even more often that they would in the general population, which is the case for hemophilia. I was also captivated by basically everything to do with Rasputin. I remember my mom playing the “Ra Ra Rasputin” song by Boney M when I was little (if you’ve not heard it, head straight to Youtube, do not pass Go) and to actually learn about the man behind that song was pretty neat.

As you can tell, I am absolutely smitten with this book. It looks intimidating and the subject matter may appear dry on the surface, but if you have a lazy day this holiday season, get yourself “Nicholas and Alexandra”, some hot chocolate or tea and snuggle up because you won’t be able to pull yourself away!

Got some free time? Need something to read over break? Check out Alex’s other book reviews!

And now, onto the book!

“Clockwork Angel” by Cassandra Clare is the first in her new trilogy, titled “The Infernal Devices.” However, the setting and paranormal world that she incorporates into this novel is actually from her first trilogy “The Mortal Instruments.” I’ve never read any of her work before, but apparently fans will recognize family names from the original books in this new one and also some characters. However, the best part is that you don’t need to read “The Mortal Instruments” before you read “Clockwork Angel”; they are complimentary series, but not about the same stories. With these novels, Clare has created an entire world, referred to as the Downworld, in which demons, vampires and the like all exist. The Downworld is common between the two trilogies and is essentially what ties them together.

The book starts out in1878, with our main character, Tessa Gray, a 16-year old American girl who has traveled by ship to London, England in search of her brother. He was working in London and invited her to come live with him. However, when she arrives she is kidnapped by two women who call themselves the Dark Sisters who are associated with the mysterious Pandemonium Club. They trap her in their home and teach her that she herself is a Downworlder with a very curious ability - she can change into another person. They make her practice this skill in preparation for her marriage to a man who is only referred to as the Magister. Just before the wedding, Will Herondale, a Shadowhunter, rescues Tessa and takes her to the London Institute, where he lives with other Shadowhunters. Using Tessa’s ability, they begin to investigate both her brother’s disappearance and a strange series of murders related to the Pandemonium Club.

Yeah, that’s a lot to take in, but it grips you right from the beginning. Clare wasted no time getting right to the action of this novel and with 478 pages, it’s a whole lot of action. As complicated as the short synposis may seem, with all the new terms, an understanding of the Downworld comes quite quickly to the reader and really enhances the experience. The mystery is completely riveting and I really found this one hard to put down! I also really liked the historical aspect. Even though it was seldom referred to, I just really enjoyed reading a book about a bunch of Victorian paranormal-fighters!

Clare is a great writer, which really makes this one accessible to all ages. She doesn’t dumb anything down and doesn’t stray away from subjects that may be too PG. I really forgot that this one was YA and I definitely want to go back and read her original trilogy!

This one is a great read to pick up over Thanksgiving weekend. It’s exciting, it’s quick and it goes perfectly with leftover pumpkin pie. Just prepare to be completely enthralled and possibly miss out on shopping with mom time because your nose is buried in a book!

Got some free time? Need a good book to take your mind off of class? Check out Alex’s other book reviews!

“Change of Heart” starts out sad. So sad, in fact, that I actually debated even reading it. June’s husband Jack passes away in a car accident and she is left all alone with their two-year-old, Elizabeth. Yes, that is how the book starts.  But I’m not surprised because, after all, I’m reading Jodi Picoult. Begrudgingly, I continued on. June falls in love with the police officer who broke the bad news of Jack’s death to her, Kurt Nealon, and they marry. Then June becomes pregnant. And then Kurt and Elizabeth are murdered by a handyman June hired to help out around the house.

Yes, it does come out of nowhere. And yes, three of the main characters die within the first 25 pages.

When I got to this point, I once again considered putting the book back on my bookshelf for good, but decided that Jodi Picoult would have to revive the story and it was probably worth reading. And luckily, I was right!

The handyman who killed June’s family is suddenly at the forefront of the novel. His name is Shay Bourne and he is definitely simple-minded. He is tried and sentenced, where we meet another character in the novel, Michael. He is on the jury that decides to invoke the rarely-used New Hampshire death penalty sentence and is so upset over the whole ordeal that he joins the seminary and emerges as “Father Michael.”

Now we’ve fast-forwarded the story eleven years, and June’s daughter, Claire, who was a baby at the time of the murders, is in need of a heart transplant. Shay has decided that he wants to donate his heart to Claire, but that complicates things with his execution as the chemicals used to stop his heart would render it useless. Our last character, Maggie, an ACLU attorney, joins the story when she decides to take on Shay’s case.

Now, this would still be a very dramatic novel, but Picoult has added one more element to the story: it seems Shay can perform miracles. Not only that, but some people, including Father Michael, begin questioning whether or not he may be the second coming of Christ.

Okay, it probably seems like I’ve given away the entire novel, but that all unfolds in the first itsy, bisty part. And what comes next is thrilling, fast-paced and impossible to stop reading. Even if parts make you want to cry.

This book was definitely on par with Picoult’s others. A fast-paced legal drama mixed with a heart-wrenching back story tends to be her formula, but it is totally working for her. Like I said, “Change of Heart” and all her other books, are just plain entertaining. They keep you interested and don’t make you feel like you’re doing homework. Reading a Jodi Picoult novel is like watching your favorite TV show: it’s comfortable and familiar, yet still engaging and interesting.

If you’re looking for just a nice, good old fashioned novel (especially for the upcoming holiday weekend!), then “Change of Heart” is a great choice!

Got some free time? Need a good book to take your mind off of class? Check out Alex’s other book reviews!

My boyfriend actually bought “We Were Here” for me last Christmas. I know, it’s terrible of me to let a gifted book sit on my shelf for so long, but I wasn’t feeling it until recently (sorry, bf!). The main character of “We Were Here” is Miguel. We meet him just as he is being sent to a group home for nine months for a crime. He is very tight-lipped about the crime, which gives the whole novel a bit of suspense that I really enjoyed. Another part of his sentence requires Miguel to keep a journal of his time in the group home, which gives us the narration of the story.

While incarcerated, Miguel meets Rondell, an African-American teen who suffers from extremely violent outbursts and some mental delays, and Mong, a mysterious Asian boy who Miguel really can’t get a handle on. One evening, Mong tells Miguel that he plans to escape from the group home and head for Mexico and invites Miguel along. Rondell overhears this and, soon enough, they plan to break out. The escape is actually successful and after it, you get into the real “meat” of the story, as the teens travel up and down the California coast.

Perhaps it’s because I’m a psychology major, with a particular interest in forensic psychology (study of criminals, basically), but I was hooked on this one right from the get-go. Learning about the group home residents and their individual crimes was totally fascinating and fairly accurate. I also really liked the “journal perspective” style of writing. It allowed the reader to get a good grasp on Miguel and his demons and also allowed me to play psychologist and analyze him a bit! But, trust me, you don’t have to be a psych fanatic to enjoy this one.

Miguel is a great narrator and really doesn’t hold back. You get to know him fully, which makes the mystery of his crime all the more interesting. There are enough clues by the end that you can guess who the crime involves, but it really was tragic and shocking. I’m even tempted to go back and re-read “We Were Here” with the hindsight of his crime, as I think I might evaluate the story a bit differently with new perspective. Rondell and Mong are also endearing characters and are both so interesting. De la Pena worked hard to craft intricate stories for them, which fit perfectly with their crimes, actions, personality, etc. Again, things a psychology student would appreciate…

Just like all good teen fiction books, “We Were Here” was just plain honest. Miguel wrote everything down; no sugar-coating, no nothing. I find these kinds of books really make me feel something. There was a lot of “quotable” moments as well and I felt a bit wiser after every read.

“We Were Here” is a different type of a young adult fiction, but a truly great book for breaking up the monotony of midterms (nice alliteration!). Enjoy!

Got some free time? Need a good book to take your mind off of class? Check out Alex’s other book reviews!

Which brings me to my current position curled up in bed, my latest read lying next to me (which is next to an empty pudding container): “Water for Elephants.” Since this book was published in 2006, I’ve yet to hear a bad comment about it. Somehow, I managed to avoid it for the past 4 years but with it being turned into a movie (with RPatz!), I thought it was time to give it a whirl.

“Water for Elephants” tells the story of Jacob Jankowski. It flips back and forth between the present when Jacob is ninety or ninety-three (he is a little unsure and doesn’t really care) and when he was 23. The modern-day Jacob lives in a nursing home, where he is far from happy and very aware of his gradual, but inevitable demise. One day, the circus comes to town and sets up close to the home. This triggers memories in Jacob that he has tried to suppress and so begins the switching between the 1930′s and modern day.

In 1931, Jacob is just finishing up his training at Cornell Veterinary School when his parents perish in a car accident. Distraught and broke, Jacob leaves in the middle of finals examinations and eventually finds himself on a the train of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus. Initially, the members of the circus aren’t too happy to have a stowaway, but when they find out he is essentially a vet, they are thrilled and he is hired. Jacob works hard at caring for the animals and through his work, meets Marlena, the beautiful star of the show. Of course, she is already married, to August, the horrible and unpredictable Equestrian Director. Along with Uncle Al, the deranged head-honcho, Rosie, the elephant, and a few other characters, the cast is rounded out.

“Water for Elephants” is truly a great read from the very first page to the very last. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s true! The book grabs you right from the get-go. Part of the entertainment is the fact that Gruen seamlessly switches between the two eras. This keeps the reader on their toes and always surprised. She also meticulously researched both the era and the business of the circus, down to the correct lingo and typical acts of the time. As a history buff, I found it an interesting peek into Depression-era America and really appreciated her efforts. Reading this, I felt like I learned a lot while also being entertained, and that is something I always appreciate in a good book. Also, Jacob is a truly lovable narrator and you really grow to care for him. The nursing home portions reinforce that, so much so that I can say I’m emotionally attached to this one.

“Water for Elephants” was a beautiful story. It one won’t make you re-evaluate your priorities, but it was genuinely entertaining and a wonderful book that’s from the heart.

Got some free time? Need a good book to take your mind off of class? Check out Alex’s other book reviews!

Oh, who am I kidding? I have always gravitated towards the paranormal and downright weird.

Lately, I’ve noticed a stream of novels based on reincarnation, two of which I’ve already reviewed (The Reincarnationist & My Name is Memory). Just like vampires dominated the fiction landscape a few years ago (thanks, Twilight), I think bookstores are soon to be chock-full of reincarnation. “The Eternal Ones” by Kirsten Miller is the latest in this flood and I was eager to get my hands on it.

The protagonist of the novel is Haven Moore, a teenage girl who longs for New York City. Growing up in Snope City, Tennessee, she’s always been an outcast, especially after the other children found out about her visions. Haven’s been having visions of New York and a boy named Ethan since she was young. These visions aren’t received well by the local, Christian folk, including Haven’s strict grandmother, and she is sent to see the local preacher, Dr. Tidmore, to get them under control. After years of peace, when she is just about to graduate from high school and finally escape Tennessee, she begins having visions again. However, this time Haven’s mother decides to help her daughter and tells her that her father believed that she was reincarnated. Haven also learns of something called the Ouroboros Society, which is also in New York, and aims to bring together those who remember their past lives. Once Haven learns this, there is no stopping her and the adventure begins as she sets out to find Ethan.

Firstly, let me say that “The Eternal Ones” is very much a young adult fiction book and if you can’t handle the immature conversations of teenagers, then don’t even bother. Luckily, I’m still in touch with my inner fourteen-year-old and had no trouble recalling her when I picked this one up. Just a disclaimer for those of you who consider yourselves very mature.

“The Eternal Ones” was a surprisingly super entertaining book that I had trouble putting down. I say surprisingly because I’ve read loads of reincarnation novels and didn’t expect anything new from this. However, I’ll wholeheartedly admit that I was wrong! This one literally kept me up until the wee hours of the morning, because I just HAD to find out the next chapter in Haven’s adventure. I plowed through it in only 3 days and with the onslaught of psychology papers I’m also working on, that’s impressive.

This novel is totally enthralling and captivating. It has a little bit of romance mixed in with a whole lot of adventure and mystery and really grabs you. I really, really enjoyed “The Eternal Ones” by Kirsten Miller and hope you do too!

Got some free time? Need a good book to take your mind off of class? Check out Alex’s other book reviews!

‘The Hunger Games’ trilogy consists of ‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘Catching Fire’ and, the latest and most-anticipated installment, ‘Mockingjay.’ The story is set in a dystopian North America known as Panem, divided into 12 districts (formerly 13) and controlled by the Capitol. The citizens of Panem are extremely hard-done-by; the Capitol provides them with just enough to barely get by and constantly reminds them who is in charge. District 13 doesn’t exist because long ago, the districts decided to rebel against the Capitol and as retribution, 13 was destroyed.

Another event that came to be as a result of this failed rebellion is the Hunger Games. Every year, 2 “tributes,” a boy and a girl, from each district are sent into an arena and must battle to the death. Only one survivor remains. It’s horribly brutal, but serves as a great reminder that the Capitol is in total control and can choose to do with its citizens what it pleases. Our heroine, Katniss Everdeen, is a headstrong 16-year-old. Ever since her father perished in the coal mines of District 12, she has had to illegally hunt and sell game to feed her mother and sister. However, her life changes when her sister, Prim, is called to compete in the Hunger Games. Without blinking an eye, Katniss volunteers to take Prim’s place and is thrown into the world of the Hunger Games. Along with Peeta, the other District 12 tribute, she navigates the games and begins to unravel the mysteries of the Capitol. Throughout the other two books, Katniss works with the cast of characters in discovering the truth about the Capitol and Panem in general, all while working towards the greater good.

I’m not going to say any more than that on the content of the trilogy. The books are great and I don’t want to spoil anything!

These books are so so wonderful and it’s a struggle every time I have to put one down. Collins has woven a complex plot that twists and turns, but never seems unrealistic. She easily draws the reader into the intricate world of Panem and writes so convincingly that you have no problem believing any of it. I found myself not only getting attached to the story, but also the characters themselves. By the end of the first book, you have a real grasp on the characters, their motives and personality and these hold true right until the end of Mockingjay. However, because you develop these deep attachments, these books can be emotionally draining. I know it sounds silly, but I’ve found myself being slightly upset over a death for a couple days. And, trust me, the ‘Hunger Games Trilogy’ has its fair share of deaths. Collins doesn’t back down in any respect and I really think that’s why this YA series is appealing to everyone.

If you’re looking for a series to really sink your teeth into, look no further. Even though this is technically considered YA, the series is enjoyable for every age. I could see this one really taking off like ‘Twilight’ has! Even if you’re not traditionally a fan of dystopian novels, consider ‘The Hunger Games’ your introduction to a diverse and captivating genre.

Please read them – these are truly some of the best books I’ve read all year!

Like her other 3 books, “Packing for Mars” focuses on one realm of science. This time, it’s outer space. Of course, Roach doesn’t actually get to fly like an astronaut, but she goes through many components of training and testing that real astronauts endure. She delves into not only the hardcore physical science, but also the politics and psychology of space travel. As a psych major, I was beyond thrilled with the chapter on Space Psychology and spent a bit of time researching it afterward. There are even college programs dedicated to it! I also loved the chapter on motion sickness as I am a sufferer and found the physical causes fascinating (your eyes and inner ears aren’t perceiving the same thing). Roach is a meticulous researcher and always includes fun anecdotes along with hard facts. Almost every page has a hilarious footnote to further explain a point!

What I love most about Roach’s books is her ability to make science fun! I know it sounds totally cheesy, but it’s true. She is the Bill Nye the Science Guy for adults. Her narration is charming and she almost has an innocent quality to her curiosity about the world of science. Her books never fail to put a smile on my face, all while I’m learning. To be honest, I’ve always been terrified by space and space travel and the only reason I even picked this up is because Mary Roach wrote it. After reading, I have such a new found respect and admiration for the men and women that work at NASA and all other space organizations. They are risking so much to further science and it was nice to gain a new perspective on the subject.

If you’re looking for a warm-up for the impending school year, pick up “Packing for Mars” by Mary Roach. Not only will it jump start your brain, you’ll totally enjoy it. I recommend this and all of her books to everyone!