R. J. Anderson (1) (1970–)

4 1/2
You know all those young adult books that feature the stereotypical blonde, popular and bitchy high-schooler? And the movies with the same? Usually there's a girl-next-door kind of heroine who is supposed to look so much better beside Ms Blonde & Popular? I know you all know what I'm talking about. Well, this is the book that kicks apart and destroys all those old stereotypes and brings to you the story of that popular girl everyone thinks they know but no one really does. There are a show more whole bunch of secrets hiding behind that pretty face and Anderson expertly uses them to tell a story interwoven with the exploration of sexism, racism, sexuality and mental illness.

I was unsure about my feelings on the first book - [b:Ultraviolet|8843789|Ultraviolet (Ultraviolet, #1)|R.J. Anderson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338688532s/8843789.jpg|13718670] - and my enjoyment was occasionally threatened by the purple prose which was a product of Alison's synesthesia and unusual abilities. However, this book is an entirely different breed of novel. With Tori Beaugrand, no time is wasted waxing poetic about letters and numbers, we get straight into a fast-paced, well-structured action story that never slows for a second. Anderson pulls out twists that this time actually came as a huge surprise and she introduces new sides to her old characters that make them so much more well-rounded.

Tori is so many things all at once and the author even does something entirely new (to me, anyway) with her character here and explores an area I have never seen touched upon in any novel. Tori is the perfect balance of strong and flawed, she manages to be brave but struggles with normal human fears that make her someone the reader can relate to but also cheer on. The author even pauses to look at what it's like to be female in one of the most male-dominated professions of all - engineering. It's amazing how many social issues Anderson incorporates into this novel without making the novel about them or taking anything away from the main plot.

One of the other things I really appreciate in Anderson's novels is that she doesn't concern herself with writing the story the reader wants to happen; she isn't fuelled by a need to find a happy ending or to resolve every character's problems. And I like this. It means that her stories will always be unpredictable because anything could happen, bad stuff happens to the good people and not every relationship will end with hand-holding as they walk off into the sunset. This is an element that can make even the most unrealistic paranormal novel seem somewhat real.

I am deliberately avoiding saying anything about the plot itself because it's very easy to spoil the first book. But I would highly recommend these novels so much to everyone, I'm even willing to say now that it's worth making it through the first book even if you aren't keen just so you can read [b:Quicksilver|13149420|Quicksilver (Ultraviolet, #2)|R.J. Anderson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328591713s/13149420.jpg|18327258]. My only hope is that this isn't the last we hear from Tori, Alison and Sebastian, the questions opened by these two books are just too delicious to go unanswered. show less

I remember reading the first book in this series and thinking that it reminded me of something. As I finished this book, it suddenly came to me. Now I know the book is fantasy but it so resembles an anime type story. There is one in particular that my son had me hooked on. This series however is much better than that show because beneath the surface of the story lies lessons of faith. The author allows us to soar away with Ivy as she gets ready for her new mission.

Ivy is a bit stronger and show more more assured of herself. I kept hoping she wouldn’t let her guard down and allow herself to become used by an enemy that is very crafty. I really liked that Ivy could shift into another form. Oh how the imagination in this story is so entertaining. I’m thrilled that Martin is back with us . I adore him and think he has become someone to be reckon with. His ability to heal others is quite intriguing and makes me wonder if it zaps his strength when he uses his power. My mind just goes crazy reading this book because it has so many intricate parts that help readers keep their attention glued to the story.

I’m amazed that an author can deliver a story that stretches the imagination yet gives a story that teaches valuable lessons. There is a passage in the story that made me stop and really think. “And if you are comfortable in one form, it’s not easy to adjust to another.” Do we sometimes feel so content where we are at, that we don’t want to step out of our comfort zone? Does sin make us feel so comfy, that we don’t want to fight off the enemy? That one little section in the story really impacted me. I now understood why Ivy was so determined to fight.

I loved this book even more than the first maybe because I witnessed the maturity of the characters and the way they are able to forgive. The author does an amazing job of showing us what it is like to face our fears and allow ourselves to overcome them. I’m not there with my fears yet, but each day I become a little more determined like Ivy did in the story.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. show less

Wow, a second top-rated book in less than a month! I hadn't thought I'd encounter another one of those for at least another year! I must have won the "great reads for you" lottery, because this book completely blew me away.

Using superb writing and astonishing characters, Rachel Anderson has crafted a Young Adult novel which is intelligent, consuming and enthralling. I couldn't put this book down and read through the night to finish it with tears in my eyes and a song in my heart. Honestly, I show more don't know how I'll find the words to do this book justice, but I will try.

Alison experiences the word differently from everyone else she had ever met. She sees the shapes of sounds, she hears the light of the stars, she physically feels sounds. Since her early childhood, she believed that this meant that she was crazy and she had been working very, very hard to hide not only how different she is but how she reacts to events - which serves to make her seem even more psychotic to the psychiatrists who have to evaluate her when she lands up in a mental institution, which is where the book starts.

The thin line between psychosis and the supernatural/paranormal is one which I had always found fascinating and almost hypnotic, and Alison's rigid control over her emotions and reactions as well as her constant questioning of her sanity and whether she could trust her own thoughts and feelings was something I may even have over-related to, which may have coloured my entire view of the book. Fair warning!

Anderson's writing skill is simply astounding. Her use of language to explain Alison's perceptions is incredibly well done and I would not hesitate to rank her as one of the best stylistic writers I have ever read. The writing was just that good, so even if the plot or character hold no interest for you (which I find hard to imagine!), Ultraviolet would be well worth the read for the exceptional writing alone.

That said, I found everything else about the book to be admirable. I have seldomly identified so strongly with a character as I did with Alison, despite the fact that I do not experience the world as she does. Her character is amazingly sympathetic and fully developed. The secondary characters are also vibrant and authentic although the reader's perceptions of them are heavily reliant on Alison's first-person narrative.

The plot is absolutely astounding. It hooks you from the first page and takes you on a roller coaster-ride through Alison's mind and life at a mental hospital. The final piece of the puzzle was totally unexpected even though it was clearly foreshadowed, once you knew what to look for - even this veteran of mysteries was fooled!

Ultraviolet is, in one word, fantastic, and I can't recommend it strong enough.

Who would like this book? To be honest, it's hard for me to imagine who wouldn't! It's just so well done! That said, this is a YA book with elements of sci-fi, the paranormal and an exploration into the nature of mental illness. There is also a sexual assault, which may upset and/or trigger. The ending may not fall into everyone's comfort zone, either.

Disclosure: I received a pre-release electronic copy from Netgalley with no obligation to rate the book or even review it, so everything in the review is my own, personal and honest opinion. show less

Isaveth is offered a scholarship to attend Tarreton College. She’s excited about studying magic but worried about fitting in with her wealthy classmates, especially if they discover she’s a poor Moshite whose father was recently and infamously accused of murder.

Meanwhile she and her friend Quiz are still investigating unresolved matters from A Pocket Full of Murder, their efforts frustratingly curtailed by Quiz’s family.

I enjoyed this, at first in a gentle sort of way and then -- as show more the stakes are raised -- with a greater sense of urgency. It continues the story from the first book while allowing Isaveth to explore new territory, namely: magic school, and new friendships.

I particularly liked how the story handled relationships between female characters. There were a couple of occasions when I was hoping something wasn’t heading in a certain direction, and each time what I’d worried about not only didn’t come to pass, but what did happen was even better than I’d hoped. There was also one moment when I thought I like this but I’d like it more if there was more of Isaveth’s sisters and then I literally turned one page to find just that.

(I was a little amused to notice that on the back cover it says, in small font in a corner, “Ages 9-12”, because I am quite a bit older. But I can imagine that, as a twelve year old, I’d have been delighted to have Isaveth for a fictional friend.)

Besides, she wanted this. Inside her, beneath the worries and doubts, lay a simmering excitement ready to bubble over at any moment. To face the odds and defy them, to bravely march into danger instead of shying away - wasn’t that what her favourite talkie-play heroine, Auradia Champion, would do? show less