The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Release Date: January 2, 2012
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 256
Series: n/a
Review Source: For review from Hachette Book Group Canada (@HBGCanada)

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

My Thoughts:
This book was so cute, and so different from what I expected. Based on the title and the reviews I had read, I expected it to be all about the romance and connection between Hadley and Oliver. Well, Hadley and Oliver were adorable, but to me the relationship that stood out was between Hadley and her father. Hadley is traveling to England for her father’s wedding, and she feels pretty bitter about it. As you read the book you see what Hadley’s relationship (or lack thereof) with her father has been like, with him teaching in England after leaving their family. The emotions Hadley feels toward her father really tugged at my heartstrings, and they felt very real and true. For personal reasons I could identify a lot with the situation, and I think Jennifer E. Smith did a great job of presenting it. Hadley was bitter and a bit childish, approaching the situation with just the right amount of unreasonableness. What I mean by that is that as a reader, removed from the situation, you can see what the best way to act might be, but you also understand Hadley’s feelings and reactions when you know how abandoned she feels.

So while I felt like Hadley and her family issues were the stars of this book, the romance aspect with Oliver was adorable and well done. The only problem is that I want to read more about Hadley and Oliver! Their interactions in the airport and on the plane are so sweet. You can just imagine two people meeting like that and forming a connection straightaway. It’s a romantic fantasy, for sure, but it’s a plausible one all the same. And the way Hadley and Oliver meet back up isn’t some missed connection/picking someone out of a crowd unlikely situation; instead it’s a situation that could easily happen.

This book is sweet, with the beginning of a lovely romantic relationship, and the end of a silence between father and daughter. Despite the book being written in third person I felt very connected to Hadley’s narrative voice and the other various characters. If anything I wish we could see what happens further down the line, both with Hadley and her family, and with Hadley and Oliver, but I think the author leaves us in a great place to sit back with a smile on our faces and imagine what might happen next.

The Cover:
Pretty awesome!

Rating:
[4/5]

Find The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

Indie Spotlight (3)

Welcome to the "Writers Exchange" Edition of...

Indie Spotlight posts are an opportunity for me to feature indie press or self-published books that might not normally get much attention in the blogging world. I hope you'll find a title below that piques your interest.

The Tenth Ghost by Jennifer St. Clair

When ten-year old Jacob Lane's parents mysteriously vanish, she is sent to Darkbrook, the only school of magic in the United States. While there, she stumbles upon a series of mysterious deaths. Nine students have died in the past one hundred years. Nine ghosts haunt the halls of Darkbrook. Will Jacob be the tenth ghost, or will she be able to stop a witch's reign of terror with the help of her friends?

Find it on Writers Exchange.

Sunsinger by Michelle Levigne

Bain Kern wanted to crew a starship and explore the galaxies. But an orphan on a colony world in the path of an alien invasion had no real hope of his dreams ever coming true. Then he met Captain Lin Fieran of "Sunsinger". The other orphans stepped aboard to flee to safety, but Bain started on the adventure for the rest of his life.

Find it on Writers Exchange.

The Triskelion by JennaKay Francis

When the balance of power is threatened in the land of Glede, the powerful Triskelion calls for its master. The only problem is - the master is a 14 year old elf, who knows nothing of either the Triskelion or the power that he will ultimately command. He is joined in a dangerous quest to secure the Triskelion by the young, newly orphaned King of Odora Dava, the other half of the magic needed to free the magic that will restore peace in Glede.

Find it on Writers Exchange.

Dawn Memories by Michelle Levigne

Dawn has been alone for six years, growing up in an orphanage, waiting for her family to show up. Waiting for Stayn, her betrothed, her best friend. But a crime boss who thinks Dawn has information stolen from him might just stop her quest before it has a chance to start.

Find it on Writers Exchange.

The Mystery of the Third Seal by Margaret Pearce

James Tadworthy lives in a post holocaust society. It is an ideal society. Everyone lives in perfect harmony with their tamed environment, with all knowledge controlled by the Shepherds, a group selflessly dedicated to humanity's welfare and best interests. Tadworthy discovers the Shepherds' horrific and closely guarded secret and uncovers a world of violence and intrigue. He desperately launches on a quest through the dark and dangerous underground to discover what really waits beyond the third seal.

Find it on Writers Exchange.

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Release Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 384
Series: Article 5 #1
Review Source: ARC from Raincoast Books

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

My Thoughts:
I was completely intrigued by this book since I first read the description of it, and as I started reading it I was equally enthralled by the book itself. I feel like the world that Ember, our main character, is living in requires a bit of suspension of disbelief, partially because none of the technology indicates that the book is set in the future, yet there have been wars and destruction and a whole upheaval of society based on fundamentalist morals. I would have liked a better idea of how this society came about and who actually is in charge, but if you can ignore that aspect and just go with the story I think this book is fabulous. I started reading and did not want to put it down.

Ember is very sheltered from the reality going on around her, and I felt like she was very naive about some situations and downright obtuse about others. Ember is also fiercely protective of her mother, and she’s a good person caught up in a terrible situation, so you do feel for her. I think another reason you can connect with Ember is her relationship with Chase. It’s not a spoiler to say that Chase, the boy she loved, took part in the arrest of her mother, but things are very complicated in that regard. As a reader you can figure things out about Chase that Ember hasn’t or doesn’t want to face. You can tell that Chase is the best type of boy, fiercely loyal to and in love with Ember, and this relationship shows of all of Ember’s best qualities. Basically I was completely in love with Ember and Chase’s relationship, as angsty and distant as it was at times. This was real, long blooming love trying to rekindle, and it was completely amazing to watch.

The interesting thing about this book is that I completely called the “plot twist” right from the very beginning. It just seemed obvious, and I suppose it was Ember’s hope and naivete that led her to not even consider that particular aspect. However my guessing two very important facts about the book didn’t ruin it for me. In a way it made it more exciting, wondering when Ember would figure it out, and how it would all go down. And getting to that point in the book? Crazy exciting, with tons of emotion and action along the way.

I really liked this book, partially because no one felt like a stock character to me. The characters were interesting and well developed, there was tons of action, and the book was well paced, keeping me interested throughout. Though, as I said, I would have liked some more background information on the world these characters are living in, what was described was interesting and plausible. I also adored the fact that despite the fact this is a series book it could totally stand on its own. Concrete beginning, middle, and end, with just enough promise for the future that will make you want to read on. This book is my favourite dystopian since I don’t even know when. ‘Article 5’ stands out amongst shelves of other dystopian books because of its characters and its heart.

The Cover:
I really like it!

Rating:
[5/5]

Find Article 5 by Kristen Simmons on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.