Ariel Kaplan

Love love loved this book - as did my 12yo, who (I later discovered when my pages were never where left off) was reading the story when I put the kindle down.

Ariel Kaplan does a great job building the plot - when you find yourself railing at the characters in the book like they are standing right in front of you, you know you've found a winner. She also does a great job with voice - Misha's is loud and clear and you will be rooting for her. Smart, snappy dialogue and great supporting show more characters.

Mischa Abramavicius is an over-achiever who has done EVERYTHING she should to get into college, so when the college rejections start pouring in, you feel her shock. And she doesn't sit back and woe-is-me, she takes action with a delightfully clever group of teen hackers. The anxiety and stress she feels is tangible, and I think readers will relate.

I was surprised this was listed as children's fiction, and think it's more geared to the younger end of YA in terms of being relatable to the situation. I love the book and will be looking forward to more from the author. show less

Mischa Abramavicius is a scholarship student at Blanchard, an expensive private school in the Northern Virginia area, and like everyone else in her senior class, she's waiting on pins and needles for college acceptance letters. Mischa has done everything right - grades, test scores, extracurriculars (as she describes herself, I grabbed every brass ring someone put in front of me, and I was good at it), but on Admissions Day, she is rejected from school after school, even her safety school. show more Something must be wrong - and something is.

As Mischa figures out what went wrong and what to do about it - with the help of The Ophelia Syndicate, three hackers who make up the all-girl STEM club - she allows her mom, a lawyer, to believe she DID get into her safety school, and tries to figure out who she is if she isn't brass-ring Mischa. Who is she really, what does she want, what does she care about - and what can she do, now that following the rules hasn't gotten her the promised results?

See also: Accelerated by Bronwen Hruska (adult), 90 Days of Different by Eric Walters (YA)

Quotes

Four wasted years. I could have done anything. I could have been happy. (45)

"Think about it this way. Any any point in your life, you are two people. There's the Mischa you think you are, and then there's the Mischa everybody else sees." (Emily, 92)

"Opportunity is responsibility!" (Mischa's mom, quoting her mom, 115)

I'd never been anywhere or done anything, because I'd kind of thought those were things you did after high school. Like being interesting was some kind of a payoff. (171)

You go up a mile or two, you look out at the horizon, and you can see what all our struggles are worth. They have exactly as much meaning as we give them, and not one bit more. (217)

"And the stuff that can't be ranked doesn't matter." (Nate to Mischa, 237) show less

Under an order for all Jews to convert, Toba and Naftaly flee their homes. Toba becomes separated from the refugee caravan and finds a strange pomegranate grove. Through it, she ends up in the magical realm of the Maziks where her survival is not guaranteed. Naftaly is determined to rescue Toba but remains on the opposite side of the gate. The Inquisition rages on in both worlds. Can Toba and Naftaly figure out what links the two realms?

Full of magic, myth, folklore, and history, THE show more POMEGRANATE GATE was an absolutely epic fantasy read. The fantastic world-building began right away and pulled me into the captivating story. Both Toba and Naftaly were compelling and well-developed characters. I loved the historical fiction exploration of the Inquisition and Jewish history. The fantasy world was complex and very well-written. I had a hard time putting the book down. Though a decently large page count, the pace kept me turning pages so it didn’t feel like a long read overall.

I’d highly recommend THE POMEGRANATE GATE to fantasy fans. This is the first book of Ariel Kaplan’s The Mirror Realm Cycle trilogy. I eagerly await further installments.

Thank you to Erewhon Books/Kensington and Between the Chapters for the gifted copy. show less

4.5 stars

“My heart always timidly hides itself behind my mind. I set out to bring down stars from the sky; then for fear of ridicule, I stop and pick little flowers of eloquence.” - Edmond Rastand, Cyrano de Bergerac

I had so much fun reading this book. I physically laughed out loud like 3 times in the first chapter. We are the Perfect Girl is a retelling of 19th century play, Cyrano de Bergerac, all about body dysmorphia and personal acceptance. We Are the Perfect Girl is a hilarious show more and impactful story about self acceptance and friendship.

Things I Liked
Bethany and Aphra’s friendship is the greatest thing in the world to me. They felt like genuine friends. I got their history and special quirks that make their relationship unique. And while they do go through some trials, I just loved seeing them together. Aphra’s vibrant personality perfectly complemented Bethany’s more reserved nature.

Aphra’s journey is so well done. She really has trouble recognizing all the wonderful parts of herself, and loves to diminish her worth and accomplishments to let others shine brighter. But I loved her therapy sessions and seeing her work though these issues to try and grow.

I did really love most of the family relationships in the story. Aphra’s parents are wonderful, even if they struggle to find a work-life balance sometimes. Aphra’s little brother is an angel and I love him dearly - as does Aphra. I did have some mixed thoughts about Delia, APhra’s older sister, but I warmed up to her as the story progressed.

Things I Didn’t Like
I’m torn on my thoughts about the ending of the story - I simultaneously liked it and thought it felt a little rushed. But I didn’t need more to make the story feel complete, but more would have added to the story.

Overall this was just suck a wildly enjoyable book that I can’t help but think happy little thoughts about it. The platonic relationships were there, the romantic relationships were there (and they brought the drama). We Are the Perfect Girl manages to impart a powerful and important message without feeling preachy or stifled. It’s truly a well balanced story that will keep you engaged from page one.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. show less