Tag Archives: Kate Jarvik Birch

Apr 13 2018
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Book Review: Unraveled by Kate Jarvik Birch [and Blog Tour!]

Title: Unraveled

Author: Kate Jarvik Birch

Series: Perfected #3

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Ella isn’t anyone’s pet anymore, but she’s certainly not free. After exposing the dark secrets about NuPet’s breeding program, forcing them to repeal the law that allowed genetically modified girls to be kept as pets, she thought girls like her would finally be free. She never dreamed that it would backfire. NuPet may have convinced the public of their intentions to assimilate pets back into society, but Ella knows it’s a lie. They aren’t planning mass rehabilitation…they’re planning a mass extermination.  Now, with the help of a small group of rebels, Ella and Penn, the boy she’d give up her life for, set out to bring down NuPet for good. But when her group gets implicated in a string of bombings, no one is safe. If she can’t untangle the web of blackmail and lies that extends far beyond NuPet’s reach, she won’t just lose her chance at freedom, she’ll lose everyone she loves.

The Review:

I’m a fan of this series. Kate Jarvik Birch is such a lovely writer, and Ella’s story is one I won’t soon forget.

The beauty of the Perfected series was Ella’s inner story. I’ll always hold Perfected (book 1) on a pedestal for how much the innocent love story within touched me. It’s where Ella learned to see herself as a person, and a person of worth at that. Tarnished (book 2) will stick with me for the pit it put in my stomach. It’s where Ella learned the ugly cruelty of the world, but used those experiences to find and shape her convictions. More poignantly, it’s where those convictions blossomed into hope for a better world, and turned into determination to make her vision reality.

Unraveled, this final book of the trilogy, is where Ella, molded by her experiences of love and hardship, stands strong on her own and fights for vindication. Because it’s her choice.

I fully loved the journey and appreciated what each installment brought to the story. Admittedly, some of the events and dynamics in Unraveled required some suspended belief, but because the strength of the series is in the beautifully conveyed concept, I was able to put aside the need for super-realistic and just enjoy the action-packed ride to the end. This is one of those series where delivery makes a difference, and the author’s lovely writing always had me on board. Overall, these beautiful hardcovers get a permanent home on my shelves. :)

Recommendations: Perfected was a trilogy of unforgettably poignant moments that fits snugly into what I’m calling the “elegant dystopia” genre, where pretty dresses and fancy lifestyles are underscored by ugly realities (you know what I mean if you’ve read any… it’s one of my favorite weird sub-genres). Each book offers something different, the first of which landed in my conservative list of all-time favorites.

I’d like to thank Entangled Teen and Kate Jarvik Birch for the chance to read and review an early copy of Unraveled. :)

About Kate Jarvik Birch:  Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist, author, playwright, daydreamer, and professional procrastinator. As a child, she wanted to grow up to be either a unicorn or mermaid. Luckily, being a writer turned out to be just as magical. Her essays and short stories have been published in literary journals including Indiana Review and Saint Ann’s Review. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids. Author Website: katejarvikbirch.com Author Twitter: @katejarvikbirch Author Facebook Author Goodreads Author Instagram 
Buylinks: https://entangledpublishing.com/unraveled.html

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 20 2018
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Coming Soon: Unraveled by Kate Jarvik Birch (+COVER REVEAL!)

Let us know what you think of the cover for Unraveled (Perfected, #3) by Kate Jarvik Birch, which releases April 3, 2018!

This cover reveal is brought to you by Entangled Teen.

Nik’s Notes: I am soooo excited for the conclusion to one of my favorite YA series (Perfected even made my top 10). I signed up for a cover reveal and blog tour because I’m incredibly passionate about this series (it’s weird, and I like weird). I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy, and I think the publisher did an awesome job on the cover! That vibrant green will look beautiful on my shelves next to the other two. :)

About Unraveled:

Ella isn’t anyone’s pet anymore, but she’s certainly not free.

After exposing the dark secrets about NuPet’s breeding program, forcing them to repeal the law that allowed genetically modified girls to be kept as pets, she thought girls like her would finally be free. She never dreamed that it would backfire. NuPet may have convinced the public of their intentions to assimilate pets back into society, but Ella knows it’s a lie.

They aren’t planning mass rehabilitation…they’re planning a mass extermination.

Now, with the help of a small group of rebels, Ella and Penn, the boy she’d give up her life for, set out to bring down NuPet for good. But when her group gets implicated in a string of bombings, no one is safe. If she can’t untangle the web of blackmail and lies that extends far beyond NuPet’s reach, she won’t just lose her chance at freedom, she’ll lose everyone she loves.

Want to read more? Pre-order your copy of Unraveled (Perfected, #3) by Kate Jarvik Birch today!

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About Kate Jarvik Birch:

Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist, author, playwright, daydreamer, and professional procrastinator. As a child, she wanted to grow up to be either a unicorn or mermaid. Luckily, being a writer turned out to be just as magical. Her essays and short stories have been published in literary journals, including: Indiana Review and Saint Ann’s Review. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids.

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by Niki Hawkes

Feb 26 2016
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Book Review: Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch

Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch

Title: Tarnished

Author: Kate Jarvik Birch

Series: Perfected #2

Genre: Teen Fiction

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Ella was genetically engineered to be the perfect pet—graceful, demure…and kept. In a daring move, she escaped her captivity and took refuge in Canada. But while she can think and act as she pleases, the life of a liberated pet is just as confining as the Congressman’s gilded cage. Her escape triggered a backlash, and now no one’s safe, least of all the other pets. But she’s trapped, unable to get back to Penn—the boy she loves—or help the girls who need her. Back in the United States, pets are turning up dead. With help from a very unexpected source, Ella slips deep into the dangerous black market, posing as a tarnished pet available to buy or sell. If she’s lucky, she’ll be able to rescue Penn and expose the truth about the breeding program. If she fails, Ella will pay not only with her life, but the lives of everyone she’s tried to save…

The Review:

If you haven’t heard my constant ravings about Perfected over the last year, I’ll sum them up: I fricken loved it. It presented the disturbing concept of human “pets” in a way that acknowledged the darker connotations without dwelling on them, therefore allowing the story to focus on the sweet love story. Tarnished is where all of that darkness and grit comes to the forefront, and it was every bit as compelling as it was heart-wrenching.

I really feel as though this is where the story needed to go. Perfected felt innocent because the main character, Ella, was innocent. One of the things I love about this author is her ability to totally immerse you in the character’s point of view. In Perfected, Ella had quite a sheltered view of the world. In Tarnished, any delusions of safety and security Ella may have had are completely stripped away as she faces the harsh (and disturbing) realities of how human pets are treated in the real world. It showcased an excellent growth of character, which is easily my favorite elements to this book. Ella had to come to terms with the darker nature of humanity, and it was inspiring to watch her convictions and sense of self grow throughout the book. Like the love story, it felt organic, and that’s another part of why I love these books so much. There are so many subtleties adding up to profound moments that you almost don’t see them coming.

While Perfected spoke to my heart, Tarnished spoke to my mind. I hope the third book will tie together the best of both. The only thing I didn’t get out of this novel was a clear motive for Missy, a fellow pet who offers to help Ella at what I’d call extreme sacrifice to herself. I kept waiting for her motives to be revealed, good or bad, but was perplexed to note it wasn’t addressed anywhere throughout the entire book. That alone kept me from fully getting behind that part of the plot as plausible and also kept me from really immersing myself in the story. All I’m saying is, some sort of hint or minor indication early on would have gone a long way. Other than that, everything else about this book was superb!

As you can see, I am a huge fan of this series and recommended most often to YA readers who loved Destefano’s Chemical Garden Trilogy and Oliver’s Delirium Trilogy – both of which I thought were beautifully written and evoking stories. If you’re in the market for a teen read without all the fluff, Perfected is the series for you. I definitely limit myself to recommending it to older teens and adults due to the darker subject matter, even though it’s all handled tastefully.

I’d like to thank Entangled Publishing, LLC, Kate Jarvik Birch, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review a reviewer copy of Tarnished.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Jan 20 2016
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Book Review: Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch

perfectedTitle: Perfected

Author: Kate Jarvik Birch

Series: Perfected #1

Genre: Teen Dystopian [ish]

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Perfection comes at a price. As soon as the government passed legislation allowing humans to be genetically engineered and sold as pets, the rich and powerful rushed to own beautiful girls like Ella. Trained from birth to be graceful, demure, and above all, perfect, these “family companions” enter their masters’ homes prepared to live a life of idle luxury.

Ella is happy with her new role as playmate for a congressman’s bubbly young daughter, but she doesn’t expect Penn, the congressman’s handsome and rebellious son. He’s the only person who sees beyond the perfect exterior to the girl within. Falling for him goes against every rule she knows… and the freedom she finds with him is intoxicating. But when Ella is kidnapped and thrust into the dark underworld lurking beneath her pampered life, she’s faced with an unthinkable choice. Because the only thing more dangerous than staying with Penn’s family is leaving… and if she’s unsuccessful, she’ll face a fate far worse than death.

The Review:

Perfected was my FAVORITE read of 2014. That’s right, 20-frigging-14! And I loved it so much that I hadn’t felt ready to compose a review for it up until this point (which is really stupid considering how often I find myself talking about it, even over a year later). Have you ever enjoyed something so much that no matter how much you gush about it in a review, it never seems to do it justice? That’s how I feel about Perfected – it was such an experience!

I’m a self-proclaimed addict of the sub genre “girls wearing pretty dresses in a slightly dystopic era” and Perfected is right up there alongside Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden Trilogy. Birch created an intriguing fraction of society that puts on a glamorous, prestigious face to hide some pretty messed up practices. I mean, breeding and selling tiny, genetically engineered girls as pets?? That’s pretty disturbing, and it comes along with a whole host of nasty issues that Birch does an excellent job of acknowledging without dwelling on it (until the second book, which expands on many of these dark issues in a way that breaks your heart while at the same time giving the main character insights and epiphanies she needed to grow in strength and determination… more to come on that in my upcoming review of Tarnished).

Despite all this grit surrounding a fascinating main character, Birch found a way to tell a beautifully innocent love story, and do so with writing that was beautiful and poetic without ever becoming flowery or overdone. It struck a chord with me, which is why I can still vividly remember every bit of Perfected over a year later, and I’m already feeling the itch for a reread.

Overall, Perfected has landed itself as one of my all-time favorites, and I find myself talking about it often and passionately. It was just so well done and unique! If you enjoyed any of my recommends below, I suspect (and hope) you’ll love Perfected just as much!

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

 

Jun 24 2015
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Coming Soon: Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch

December 1, 2015

Title: Tarnished

Author: Kate Jarvik Birch

Series: Perfected #2

Genre: Teen Dystopian [sort of]

Release Date: December 1, 2015

The Overview: Ella may have escaped to Canada, but she’s hardly free. Stuck in refugee housing for liberated pets, she’s just as trapped as she was at the congressman’s house—only now she has to live without Penn. But she’s determined to get out. And to make matters worse, there are rumors circulating that pets like Ella are turning up dead all over the U.S., not to mention that she might be to blame. When her old acquaintance, Missy, shows up in Canada, the two of them set off together, thrusting them back into the dangerous life they just left behind. Now, they must navigate the seedy world of the black markets to uncover the dark secrets that the Kennels have been hiding, and rescue the boy she loves.

Waiting on Wednesday
Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Perfected was my favorite YA read of 2014, and I loved it so much that I haven’t even been able to compose a review for it yet. Have you ever enjoyed something so much that no matter how much you gush about it in a review it won’t do it justice? That’s how I feel about Perfected – it was such an experience! The best comparison I can make is to DeStefano’s Chemical Garden Trilogy – a slightly dystopic society with a lot of messed up, somewhat dark practices; fascinating female protagonists who find themselves at the center of it all; and beautiful, poetic writing that never seems flowery or overdone. Perfected was one of the few books I will definitely be rereading, and I hope to say the same about Tarnished. December can’t come too soon!

What book are you waiting on? :-)

by Niki Hawkes