ARC Reviews: None of The Above by I.W. Gregorio & Invincible by Amy Reed

Title: None of the Above
Author: I.W. Gregorio 
Genere: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
Source: Edelweiss
Publisher: Balzer + Bray / HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Add it to Goodreads / Pre-order it on Amazon 

Summary: 

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant? When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She’s a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she’s madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she’s decided that she’s ready to take things to the next level with him.  But Kristin’s first time isn’t the perfect moment she’s planned—something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy “parts.” Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin’s world completely unravels. With everything she thought she knew thrown into question, can she come to terms with her new self? Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between.

Review:


I don't know where to begin with this review. None of the Above was beautiful, and deserves more then what I can say for it. We all have books that have changed us in some way, for me this is that book. None of the Above is written by a surgeon who treated an intersex patient, which inspired this novel. I can throw around a million words to describe this book: real, brilliant, diverse. But in reality it is, something different. We need more books like this in the YA genre to show real life issues. I'll admit, when ever I think of gender it has always been Female or Male to me. Never "other." This book opened my eyes and realizing there is some people out there that their gender isn't exactly defined. Sure, they may look like one gender, but on the inside they could be or feel like a whole other gender. 

Krissy's story broke my heart. She had so much in life, and in a matter of days lost it all. This book shows how cruel people are, and how not everyone has the same rights. She is one of the strongest characters I have ever read about, sure she has her moments and I really can't blame her for that. The ending though made the whole book for me. I was so content that she is going to have happiness, and that there will be people there for her that except her for who she is. 

Rating:






Title: Invincible (Invincible #1)

Author: Amy Reed
Genre: Contemporary 
Source: Edelweiss
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: April 28th, 2015


Summary: 
Evie is living on borrowed time. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer several months ago and told that by now she’d be dead. Evie is grateful for every extra day she gets, but she knows that soon this disease will kill her. Until, miraculously, she may have a second chance to live. All Evie had wanted was her life back, but now that she has it, she feels like there’s no place for her in it—at least, not for the girl she is now. Her friends and her parents still see her as Cancer Girl, and her boyfriend’s constant, doting attention is suddenly nothing short of suffocating. Then Evie meets Marcus. She knows that he’s trouble, but she can’t help falling for him. Being near him makes her feel truly, fully alive. It’s better than a drug. His kiss makes her feel invincible—but she may be at the beginning of the biggest free fall of her life.

Review:


I saw that this was a cancer story and I automatically thought this was going to have a The Fault in Our Stars vibe to it. It didn't, thank goodness. But Invincible isn't your average cancer story. Reed created a beautiful story about a girl who now has to learn how to live her life, after she was told it was over.

Invincible is split up into two parts. Now and Then. Then was my favorite part. Evie was so sweet and caring then. She loved her friends and her boyfriend and was grateful for what ever time she had left. Now was after Evie is released from the hospital after the cancer had gone away. I hate Evie in Now. She became addicted to drugs, treated the people who loved her the most like crap. It was hard to get through the book at that point. But Evie is also such a complex character that I can understand why the changed happened. I do hope that Evie will become bearable in the next book because I did enjoy this book other then the fact of her transformation.


Some parts of this book were really deep and hard to get through. Especially in the Then part. I was up at 3 in the morning sobbing as I read certain parts. I really felt bad for what Evie was going through. Then everything surrounding Stella's death happened and it broke my heart. This book was a major tear jerker for me. I cried through at least half of it. I was disappointed in the romance part though, but I can see that this book was more about Evie then her falling in love. Which was actually quite refreshing.


Overall I really liked Invincible. If I didn't find Evie to be so unbearable in the Now part I would have given it five stars instead of four. I am excited that there is another book. Hopefully Evie will grow more in it. 

Rating:





5 comments

  1. Both of these books look like the ones which would bring me to tears! I love how None Of The Above addresses an issue which isn't talked much about and I think writing a book about it would make people more aware and not look down on those people. I like the idea in Invicible of having a Then and Now, it is like a way to reflect.
    Naomi @The Perks Of Being A Bookworm

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    1. None of the Above is something I highly recommend to everyone. It is just a book everyone needs to read. Invincible had the TFiOS feel to it, but it was still pretty good

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  2. Hmmm, I think None of the Above will be a book I'm adding to the TBR pile as soon as I can!! As you say, a very necessary book for all of us that have never felt like we aren't the gender we were born with to help us understand that struggle!
    As for Invincible... cancer books, not something I usually read.. I get plenty of those stories at work, and I need a break in my books!
    Great reviews!

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    1. I believe I recommended None Of The Above to you when you were looking for books to preorder. Cancer books I typically avoid for the most part. I requested this one because of its cover. Thanks Pili! :)

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  3. None of The Above sounds like a really unique read, it's already on my TBR xD I think I'm going to request it now seeing so many positive reviews on it! Lovely reviews x
    <3 Benish | Feminist Reflections

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