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

****

         Though it might seem suspicious, Hadley Sullivan didn't mean to miss the flight to her father's second wedding, where she will be a bridesmaid for a woman she's never met.  While she waits for the next flight to London, Hadley meets a charming British boy named Oliver.  By some twist of fate, the two end up sitting together on the flight.  Hadley and Oliver discuss everything from their favorite colors (blue and green) to their beliefs on love.  When they part ways in London, Hadley knows she has feelings for Oliver.  Unfortunately, she doesn't know if she'll ever see him again.  He never even told her his last name.

          The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was a cute, quick read.  I was intrigued as soon as I saw the title, and I'm glad I picked it up.  I enjoyed the plot and the characters, especially Oliver and Hadley.  I even found myself laughing a little, which doesn't usually happen when I'm reading.  The book was light over all, but it wasn't so cheerful that it got boring.  Though it was pretty obvious how the book was going to end (check out the title!) I was glad that there were twists that made me question how everything would turn out.  This sweet story would be a great read if you're looking for a good plot with a positive ending.

Rating: 4/5
Completed: January 21, 2012

The Vespertine (Saundra Mitchell)

***

         Amelia van den Broek is ready for romance in the summer of 1889.  She's traveling from her home in Broken Tooth, Maine, to visit relatives and find a future husband in fashionable Baltimore.   One evening shortly after Amelia arrives, she sees a vision of her second cousin Zora dancing with a handsome young man.  When Amelia's prediction comes true, word spreads quickly.  Soon every young person in the city is calling on her in hopes of seeing the future.  Amelia and Zora relish in their newfound popularity within the social circles of Baltimore until her seemingly innocent talent turns into a  burden.  

         As she tries to understand her gift - and decide what to do with it - Amelia becomes close to Nathaniel, a mysterious man who seems to appear out of thin air whenever she needs him.  Unfortunately, he's not really a part of her social class.  But their romance is turning out to be one of the only things going well for Amelia this summer.  Her predictions have taken a dark turn - and no matter how hard she tries to prevent it, they're all coming true.  

         The Vespertine was a fairly enjoyable book.  I liked the spiritualist aspect combined with the historical fiction a lot.  It would have been great to get more details about Amelia's talent (how it works, where it came from, etc).  I also wish there had been some kind of conflict that forced Amelia to make choices or take action.  The characters in this book were somewhat under-developed, especially Amelia. She was a stereotypically weak female character from the start.  That would have been fine as long as she underwent some kind of transformation.  Unfortunately, that didn't happen.  On the other hand, this book did offer a nice picture of historical society and offer (at least for me) a somewhat unexpected happy ending.  This would be worth reading if you're looking for a supernatural storyline that's not too dark.  

Rating: 3/5

The Compound (S.A. Bodeen)

****

As far as 15-year-old Eli Yanakakis knows, the world has ended.  Having spent the past six years in the Compound, an underground mansion his billionaire father designed to protect their family from nuclear war, he can only believe something awful has happened.  What Eli knows for sure is that the door to the Compound is sealed for another nine years, shutting out most of the world - including Eli's grandmother and his twin brother, Eddy.  

         In the meantime, supplies are running low in the Compound.  Eli's tense relationship with his family is getting worse as his father implements disturbing plans for a new food source.  On top of everything else, Eli begins to suspect that some things in the Compound aren't as they seem.  A little digging reveals more secrets than he ever bargained for.  And when the pieces fall into place, Eli realizes that he was wrong: nothing in the Compound is as it seems.  

         

         There was nothing slow about The Compound.  Though I never got the explosive action that part of me was hoping for, Eli's revelations came regularly enough that I was always engaged.  I was kept on my toes by a unique plot and the suspense that only life-on-the-line stories can bring.  The basic outline of Eli's discoveries was a little predictable, but happily that didn't stop the book from being exciting.  If you're a fan of dystopian books but looking for something less mainstream, this is definitely worth a shot.

Rating: 4/5