Posts Tagged: Farrar

YA ARC Review- Crewel

02 Aug, 2012 by in Straus and Giroux 1 comment

Crewel
by Gennifer Albin
Paperback, 357 pages
Expected Publication Date: October 16th 2012
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN 0374316414
Book Source: publisher
5 Stars 
Summary from Goodreads: Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Crystal’s Review: This book absolutely blew me away! The cover drew me in as it was unlike any cover I had ever seen. I loved the mix of colors and the ethereal feel they gave the cover. The story behind the cover is just as great. It is not often that I come across a book that I feel has a storyline that is fresh and new and not just another version of a storyline done a thousand times. This book gave me exactly that.
The premise of the book is intricate and interesting. The characters were written very well, I found myself instantly connected with the main character Adelice. I am a sucker for a strong female lead in a book and she is the definition of strong. The accompanying characters are equally as interesting. Jost and Erik both have their faults but they also both have compassionate sides that leave me wanting to know more. The world building was wonderful as the author was descriptive and I had no trouble imagining what I felt the world of the story would look like. I am really excited about this book and I will be eagerly awaiting the next one. 
Content: Drinking, some scenes of violence, sexual tension. 
Crystal

Author Bio:  I like coffee. A lot. Writing gives me time to go get a cup without my kids. I like books as much as I like coffee, but it is easier to read with children hanging on you than drink coffee due to the threat of third degree burns. That’s why coffee gets top billing in my intro: its unattainability.

I hold a Masters in English with a specialization in 18th century women’s studies. While this is a highly marketable area of expertise, I stay home with my kids, which means my 3 year-old son uses correct grammar and doesn’t burn down the house.

I have a ridiculously supportive husband who dreams of being included on a book jacket: “The author lives in Kansas with her husband, two children, and a Tuesday cat.”

I’m represented by Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media.

Learn more on Goodreads/ Author website