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Twisted Lit #2
Exposure
Double, double, toil and trouble. Sometimes, the quest for high school royalty can be deadly! In this emotionally-charged twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a self-conscious shutterbug named Skye Kingston navigates a treacherous school year in Alaska fraught with unspoken secrets and tragic twists of fate. Along the way she encounters three strangely prophetic BFFs; one social-climbing, sociopathic cheerleader; and a heart-stopping hottie named Craig McKenzie: the man who would be Prom King. Can Skye save the boy she loves — and herself — before they get caught in the crosshairs?
223 pages, Hardcover
First published December 18, 2012
8 people are currently reading
2161 people want to read
About the author
Kim Askew
10 books134 followersKim Askew is co-author of the Twisted Lit novels, critically-acclaimed, Shakespeare inspired young adult fiction, published by Simon & Schuster.
Kim's writing has appeared in newspapers, literary journals, and other publications, including the Wall Street Journal, SoMa Literary Review, and Elle Magazine, as well as the anthology The May Queen.
She wrote her Master's thesis, on Henry James, at Mount St. Mary's University, Los Angeles, and she's also a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused and neglected children in Los Angeles county.
Kim and her co-author, Amy Helmes, are managed by Jennifer Au of Untitled Entertainment and represented by Hannah Brown Gordon of Foundry Literary + Media.
Kim's writing has appeared in newspapers, literary journals, and other publications, including the Wall Street Journal, SoMa Literary Review, and Elle Magazine, as well as the anthology The May Queen.
She wrote her Master's thesis, on Henry James, at Mount St. Mary's University, Los Angeles, and she's also a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused and neglected children in Los Angeles county.
Kim and her co-author, Amy Helmes, are managed by Jennifer Au of Untitled Entertainment and represented by Hannah Brown Gordon of Foundry Literary + Media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
August 24, 2017
This is a really enjoyable young adult book. It starts with Skye overhearing her new college roommates talking about her. So she tells them the real story instead of having them speculate on what happened. This is also about the guy Skye loves, Craig and his girlfriend Beth who may or may not have murdered their friend Duncan. Sadness, heartache, love, and lessons learned throughout this book. Very well written. I pretty much read this in 24 hours. Couldn't put it down and it's a very fast read.
I won this from the Goodreads Giveaway and I think the authors for the signed copy.
I won this from the Goodreads Giveaway and I think the authors for the signed copy.
January 19, 2013
Skye Kingston tends to stay in the background with her camera. She is a photographer. If Skye wants to grab the attention of her crush, Craig, then she will have to shift from the background to the forefront. Skye will also have to get past Craig’s girlfriend, Beth.
While I like the idea of the books in the Twisted Lit series, the books just are not connecting with me. No matter how much I want them to. Exposure is the second book I have read in this series. However, I do have to say that I did get into this story line better then the first one. Not because I am a history buff fan of literature but because there was a murder of I should say there was a dead body. I enjoy a good story with mystery. While the story was fine it was the characters that got to me. They were catty and weak.
I could not see what Skye saw in Craig. I found him to be insensitive and he did watched out for his own back. I appreciate the authors trying to get me to like Beth but it would take more than finding out Beth was part of the working class for me to like her. In the end this book ended up not being for me. A tragic ending like MacBeth.
While I like the idea of the books in the Twisted Lit series, the books just are not connecting with me. No matter how much I want them to. Exposure is the second book I have read in this series. However, I do have to say that I did get into this story line better then the first one. Not because I am a history buff fan of literature but because there was a murder of I should say there was a dead body. I enjoy a good story with mystery. While the story was fine it was the characters that got to me. They were catty and weak.
I could not see what Skye saw in Craig. I found him to be insensitive and he did watched out for his own back. I appreciate the authors trying to get me to like Beth but it would take more than finding out Beth was part of the working class for me to like her. In the end this book ended up not being for me. A tragic ending like MacBeth.
January 19, 2013
I am a huge fan of retellings, especially Shakespeare (or other classics). I just love how a good retelling can make an otherwise intimidating book more accessible to younger readers. However, Exposure just didn't work for me.
As far as things that I like, I was highly impressed with the vocabulary used throughout this book. I am thankful I read this on my Kindle because I had to use the dictionary feature several times. (I really hate admitting that too.) I get giddy when my brain is challenged. What can I say? Total word nerd.
But you aren't reading this to hear me gush about SAT quality vocab words. You want to know what I didn't like about this Macbeth retelling. Well, I can say it was just about everything. (dun dun dun)
This was loosely based on Macbeth-- and when I say loosely, think about a 5 year-old's ability to keep a secret. Loose lips baby. About the only thing that was easily recognized as being from the original tale were the "three witches." It was easy to pick up on their role from the beginning. Ok, I guess Craig's role was easy to figure out too. BUT... how those prophesies panned out-- mmm, not so much.
I guess I was expecting more similarities to the original. Because it didn't deliver in that department, I was disappointed. But to be fair to the book, if a reader was not familiar with Macbeth, then they would probably really enjoy Exposure. It was a nice story that I probably would have enjoyed more if I didn't know it was supposed to be a retelling of Shakespeare play.
January 1, 2013
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Double, double, toil and trouble." Wow! This twisted modern version of Shakespeare's play, Macbeth uncovered the hidden hierarchy present in high school. Who would have thought that it was possible to integrate an everyday high school into one of Shakespeare's tragic plays. Askew stepped up to the plate and delivered another well written twist to one of the most well known plays.
I was surprised at how well the characters in the book was so closely related to the characters in Macbeth, although some characters took time to develop. Askew took time as she slowly peeled away the secrets and insecurities of the "higher ranking" teenagers. It goes to show that perhaps gaining something like fame and popularity requires a sacrifice. In this case, the sad love story of two friends who obviously loved each other were separated by a cruel twist of faith. Craig was the very personification of Macbeth. The way he was lead astray by Beth and blinded by the power he gained, he soon tried to hide from his guilty deed. The difference between these two stories is that Craig finds his soul and realizes his mistake.
This book was impossible to put down as soon as I started. I would recommend this book to any lovers of Shakespeare out there.
"Double, double, toil and trouble." Wow! This twisted modern version of Shakespeare's play, Macbeth uncovered the hidden hierarchy present in high school. Who would have thought that it was possible to integrate an everyday high school into one of Shakespeare's tragic plays. Askew stepped up to the plate and delivered another well written twist to one of the most well known plays.
I was surprised at how well the characters in the book was so closely related to the characters in Macbeth, although some characters took time to develop. Askew took time as she slowly peeled away the secrets and insecurities of the "higher ranking" teenagers. It goes to show that perhaps gaining something like fame and popularity requires a sacrifice. In this case, the sad love story of two friends who obviously loved each other were separated by a cruel twist of faith. Craig was the very personification of Macbeth. The way he was lead astray by Beth and blinded by the power he gained, he soon tried to hide from his guilty deed. The difference between these two stories is that Craig finds his soul and realizes his mistake.
This book was impossible to put down as soon as I started. I would recommend this book to any lovers of Shakespeare out there.
January 18, 2013
EXPOSURE is a contemporary young adult novel inspired by Shakespeare's Macbeth. Craig Mackenzie, our Macbeth, is on the local hockey team along with Duncan, and his girlfriend Bree Matthews is a cheerleader. The narrator, Skye Kingston, has been friends with Craig since he moved to Alaska and had a crush on him for just as long. When Duncan dies of exposure after a party in the woods, Skye remembers a cryptic conversation she overheard between Craig and Bree. Almost instinctively, she protects her friend, but starts to ask questions.
TEMPESTUOUS, the first Twisted Lit novel, had very little in common with The Tempest aside from character names. EXPOSURE hews a bit more closely to Macbeth, but it's often its own thing. Which is fine, because it's a good story. I noticed a few editing errors, unlike TEMPESTUOUS, but I'll chalk that up to reading an ARC and assume it was cleaned up in the final copy.
Skye's motives were hard to understand at times. I can see why she didn't immediately turn Craig in, just on the basis of a half-heard conversation, but I'm not entirely sure why she sticks by him when he treats her terribly in the throes of his guilt. At the same time, it's hard to fault a character for being loyal. Plus, I loved the scene where they finally talked to each other about the things they hadn't discussed with each other before, such as why he dated the ambitious Bree in the first place.
Plus, I have to recommend EXPOSURE for its take on the witches. Cat, Kaya, and Tess are three arty girls who crack jokes and see pretty deeply into their classmates. They're wicked fun. Actually, a lot of the characters who populate the novel are pretty fun, such as the guy who wants to go to prom with Skye and never catches on that she's trying to let him down gently.
I recommend EXPOSURE to Shakespeare fans looking for something lighter than tragedies, as well as contemporary fans looking for a bit of mystery and a hint of romance. I hope Kim Askew and Amy Helmes have more modern takes on Shakespeare on the way, because I found their first two outings very enjoyable.
TEMPESTUOUS, the first Twisted Lit novel, had very little in common with The Tempest aside from character names. EXPOSURE hews a bit more closely to Macbeth, but it's often its own thing. Which is fine, because it's a good story. I noticed a few editing errors, unlike TEMPESTUOUS, but I'll chalk that up to reading an ARC and assume it was cleaned up in the final copy.
Skye's motives were hard to understand at times. I can see why she didn't immediately turn Craig in, just on the basis of a half-heard conversation, but I'm not entirely sure why she sticks by him when he treats her terribly in the throes of his guilt. At the same time, it's hard to fault a character for being loyal. Plus, I loved the scene where they finally talked to each other about the things they hadn't discussed with each other before, such as why he dated the ambitious Bree in the first place.
Plus, I have to recommend EXPOSURE for its take on the witches. Cat, Kaya, and Tess are three arty girls who crack jokes and see pretty deeply into their classmates. They're wicked fun. Actually, a lot of the characters who populate the novel are pretty fun, such as the guy who wants to go to prom with Skye and never catches on that she's trying to let him down gently.
I recommend EXPOSURE to Shakespeare fans looking for something lighter than tragedies, as well as contemporary fans looking for a bit of mystery and a hint of romance. I hope Kim Askew and Amy Helmes have more modern takes on Shakespeare on the way, because I found their first two outings very enjoyable.
June 26, 2017
I would like to thank the author for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review. Besides having a few editing errors, I found this book to be well written and entertaining.
Skye is the voice of this book. At the beginning she has started college, and there are many rumors flying around about her past. So for a bedtime story she finally decides to tell her story to her roommates to shut up the rumor mill. Then she tells the story of the boy she's loved forever, and a high school tragedy that tears lives apart. This story is written as a modern day Macbeth, which I haven't read since high school, but I thoroughly enjoyed this interpretation. Skye's one true friend Craig, who also hasn't really admitted in public about their frienship, has been dating an awful girl named Beth for most of high school. One night at a weekend party, events transpire that disrupt all their lives. All three of them carry a secret that tears them apart in different ways. This is a story with manipulation, lying, guilt, and inner torture, with a little love sprinkled in.
A few things I got from this story are: guilt will eat you up from the inside, and can make you crazy, and that telling the truth can set you free. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to future books by Kim Askew. Recommend to teenagers and up.
Skye is the voice of this book. At the beginning she has started college, and there are many rumors flying around about her past. So for a bedtime story she finally decides to tell her story to her roommates to shut up the rumor mill. Then she tells the story of the boy she's loved forever, and a high school tragedy that tears lives apart. This story is written as a modern day Macbeth, which I haven't read since high school, but I thoroughly enjoyed this interpretation. Skye's one true friend Craig, who also hasn't really admitted in public about their frienship, has been dating an awful girl named Beth for most of high school. One night at a weekend party, events transpire that disrupt all their lives. All three of them carry a secret that tears them apart in different ways. This is a story with manipulation, lying, guilt, and inner torture, with a little love sprinkled in.
A few things I got from this story are: guilt will eat you up from the inside, and can make you crazy, and that telling the truth can set you free. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to future books by Kim Askew. Recommend to teenagers and up.
February 6, 2013
Making Shakespeare less intimidating to readers is a great idea! This modern day take on MacBeth is no exception. There is tragedy, remorse, guilt, romance, and lessons learned.
The story opens with Skye, a new college student from Alaska, telling her story to her new room mates in an effort to quash the rumor mill about her. She tells a painful story in her own way.
The high school jock, Craig, (MacBeth) has been Skye's secret crush since she first met him. He has a girlfriend though, Beth, a cheerleader, of course! One night, at a party, Skye overhears a tense and cryptic conversation between Craig and Beth. The next day, Craig's best friend is found dead. He was last seen alive at this same party. Skye realizes there is a connection between what she heard and Duncan's death. Automatically she decides to protect Craig at all costs, because he sounds like he may be responsible.
The story revolves around Craig devolving with guilt, Skye's loyalty to him, her guilt over not coming forward and where this leads them.
There is a dark and mysterious feel to the story that matches the setting and the intense plot! The authors' take on Shakespeare was well done, loosely speaking!
This copy was provided by NetGalley and Merit Press in exchange for an honest review!
The story opens with Skye, a new college student from Alaska, telling her story to her new room mates in an effort to quash the rumor mill about her. She tells a painful story in her own way.
The high school jock, Craig, (MacBeth) has been Skye's secret crush since she first met him. He has a girlfriend though, Beth, a cheerleader, of course! One night, at a party, Skye overhears a tense and cryptic conversation between Craig and Beth. The next day, Craig's best friend is found dead. He was last seen alive at this same party. Skye realizes there is a connection between what she heard and Duncan's death. Automatically she decides to protect Craig at all costs, because he sounds like he may be responsible.
The story revolves around Craig devolving with guilt, Skye's loyalty to him, her guilt over not coming forward and where this leads them.
There is a dark and mysterious feel to the story that matches the setting and the intense plot! The authors' take on Shakespeare was well done, loosely speaking!
This copy was provided by NetGalley and Merit Press in exchange for an honest review!
July 21, 2021
I did a Masters degree focused on YA Shakespeare retellings, so I am always looking for a new one to tempt me. Exposure is one I hadn't heard of before but I am glad that I found it in the school library. One of my favourite things about it was that it was well written and intelligent - the characters were articulate and the vocabulary was more sophisticated than your average YA book, which is a good nod to the works of Shakespeare himself - he man knows language so it's good to see a book for young people that doesn't dumb down the dialogue - even the jocks were well spoken! The novel is a retelling of Macbeth, and the reinterpretation of this play in a high school setting is a unique choice, and uses the concept of power politics between cliques as the focus for it's exploration of the themes present within the play. There were obvious links to the play present, with each chapter title being a familiar quote, there were recognisable character names and characteristics, key scenes were reinterpreted and these references were well done, and would appeal to fans of the Bard without scaring away those who might see Shakespeare as a challenge. One of the strongest references made is that of the three witches, with Cat, Tess and Kaya being ethereal and weird, popping up at odd times to prophesise, and also linking their own cultural heritage to the story. The novel is set in small town Alaska, and there are lots of lovely reminders of place and people within the writing. The description of the setting, from the isolation and eerie woodlands, to the emergence of the Northern Lights and the chill that wafts across the pages all add to the atmosphere of the story, and modernises the supernatural themes of the play. Another good scene is riff on the banquet when Banquo appears in the original, this time taking place at the crowning of the prom king and queen, when the ghosts of kings past appear in a sporting way. The marching woods at the end of the novel are a clever addition too. There are some real strengths and attention to detail within the book that put it ahead of others in the genre. There is a balance too between the Macbeth features and the high school experience of Skye, who is the narrator of the book, who is on the periphery of events and guides the reader through. Not all of it is perfect though, for example, her family dramas and the romance, which are total YA tropes to keep keen readers of the genre engaged no doubt. I also felt the whole photography metaphor and exposure was a bit naff - maybe too obvious for me as a grown up but maybe not as jarring for the intended audience! Overall, this is one of the better Shakespeare inspired YA novels out there, smart, strange and sometimes unnerving, a reflection on traditional themes in a modern setting. The added Alaskan setting was a definite plus as well!
January 19, 2013
It takes a lot of guts to take on such a well known Shakespearian play like Macbeth and I don't know any people who've taken it on. Macbeth is a complex story all by itself, so I have a lot of respect for someone who can take on such a difficult story. Sure, you can distill the story down but it's hard to capture its intricacies. Kim Askew and Amy Helmes did a wonderful job of taking a huge project and making it seem so easy.
Exposure is a beautiful novel, all on it's own. It tells the story of Skye, a girl who would rather hide behind her camera than stand out, and what becomes of her life once a tragic accident occurs. The problem she faces is whether to tell the truth and hurt her best friend, Craig, or remain silent and deal with the consequences of her actions. She, along with the other people involved, faces the question of what really makes someone guilty. Is it the person who led up to the accident, the person who initiated it, or the person that kept it a secret? What really makes a person guilty?
The story was introduced beautifully through the prologue, moving forward in time beyond what happened and really starting with the end. I gained a lot of interest in the story due to how Skye was described by everyone else and the third person perspective added something different to what I had assumed would be a first person story. And it was, after the prologue and before the epilogue. I've met people who would've fit into the category that Skye fit into so I can see why people took such an interest in her. There is a mystery about her that is set up in the beginning and well, once the story really starts, you begin to understand what she really was like.
Skye reminds me a lot of me. The way she acts throughout the book would definitely be my response to the whole situation she is faced with. I admired her strengths and hated her weaknesses because I could see a lot of them in myself. She is a relatable character without coming off too ordinary or boring. From the first page, she captures your attention and she keeps it for long after the book is finished. Her character jumps out from the page as a worthwhile person to admire, an attainable dream I suppose. I love that despite all of the drama and all of the problems thrown her way, she is able to stay true to herself. She doesn't lose herself in any part of the book, she doesn't give up photography, she doesn't start an 'I hate the world' campaign although she rightfully could have, and she refuses to stand for anyone's bad treatment of her. At least most of the time. I would've slapped Craig long before she did anything about their friendship.
Craig is wonderfully written character -- a modernized Macbeth. It's hard to not sympathize with him and just love him because he's basically great. Other than being self-obsorbed and occasionally a jerk. But even with all his bad qualities, there is something innately likable about him. He comes off like a typical cocky jerk in the beginning which made me question Skye's huge crush on him and it isn't until she explains their friendship -- or should be relationship in my mind -- a little more clearly. Perhaps he isn't an all around douche most of the time, she seems to say throughout the beginning, or at least he used to be a decent person. It's after a little bit that I grew attached to Craig but it was a slow start in that department. Just to let you know, I would've slapped him and probably hurt him in various ways if he did to me what he did to Skye. Want to know what he did? You should really check out the book.
Crazy girlfriend of Craig, check. Her name was Beth and she was a... not very nice person. I wanted to know more about her than I really got to. Most of the time, nay all of the time she came off like this evil person that I just wanted to send to Siberia or as far away from me as I could get her. Her backstory wasn't as well developed as I would've liked or at least, it wasn't very well explored. I really would've loved to understand whom I have come to consider the bad guy of the story. She had so much to offer.
Again, there was a great cast of characters that played both large and small roles. They were all important and each of them played some key part to the story as it continued on. I really love that none of them are ever really forgotten or tossed to the wayside as the story goes on. Even the characters that are a little crazy made multiple debuts throughout the novel. Yeah, I can recall some characters just because of how well written they were and they didn't even have a big part to play.
Y'know what I think would be awesome? Entwining the characters from both novels which are of course standalone and making some epic book about how their stories intertwine. Just saying. It would be cool. Think of it as the Shakespeare plays collide into one fantastic novel that entangles the intense storyline of each story and somehow pulls together all of the different pieces to make a uniquely beautiful tale of love, betrayal, mystery, and just plain epic-ness.
Anyway, I am getting off topic. This story is amazing. I really enjoyed it. You should read because it was so great.
Exposure is a beautiful novel, all on it's own. It tells the story of Skye, a girl who would rather hide behind her camera than stand out, and what becomes of her life once a tragic accident occurs. The problem she faces is whether to tell the truth and hurt her best friend, Craig, or remain silent and deal with the consequences of her actions. She, along with the other people involved, faces the question of what really makes someone guilty. Is it the person who led up to the accident, the person who initiated it, or the person that kept it a secret? What really makes a person guilty?
The story was introduced beautifully through the prologue, moving forward in time beyond what happened and really starting with the end. I gained a lot of interest in the story due to how Skye was described by everyone else and the third person perspective added something different to what I had assumed would be a first person story. And it was, after the prologue and before the epilogue. I've met people who would've fit into the category that Skye fit into so I can see why people took such an interest in her. There is a mystery about her that is set up in the beginning and well, once the story really starts, you begin to understand what she really was like.
Skye reminds me a lot of me. The way she acts throughout the book would definitely be my response to the whole situation she is faced with. I admired her strengths and hated her weaknesses because I could see a lot of them in myself. She is a relatable character without coming off too ordinary or boring. From the first page, she captures your attention and she keeps it for long after the book is finished. Her character jumps out from the page as a worthwhile person to admire, an attainable dream I suppose. I love that despite all of the drama and all of the problems thrown her way, she is able to stay true to herself. She doesn't lose herself in any part of the book, she doesn't give up photography, she doesn't start an 'I hate the world' campaign although she rightfully could have, and she refuses to stand for anyone's bad treatment of her. At least most of the time. I would've slapped Craig long before she did anything about their friendship.
Craig is wonderfully written character -- a modernized Macbeth. It's hard to not sympathize with him and just love him because he's basically great. Other than being self-obsorbed and occasionally a jerk. But even with all his bad qualities, there is something innately likable about him. He comes off like a typical cocky jerk in the beginning which made me question Skye's huge crush on him and it isn't until she explains their friendship -- or should be relationship in my mind -- a little more clearly. Perhaps he isn't an all around douche most of the time, she seems to say throughout the beginning, or at least he used to be a decent person. It's after a little bit that I grew attached to Craig but it was a slow start in that department. Just to let you know, I would've slapped him and probably hurt him in various ways if he did to me what he did to Skye. Want to know what he did? You should really check out the book.
Crazy girlfriend of Craig, check. Her name was Beth and she was a... not very nice person. I wanted to know more about her than I really got to. Most of the time, nay all of the time she came off like this evil person that I just wanted to send to Siberia or as far away from me as I could get her. Her backstory wasn't as well developed as I would've liked or at least, it wasn't very well explored. I really would've loved to understand whom I have come to consider the bad guy of the story. She had so much to offer.
Again, there was a great cast of characters that played both large and small roles. They were all important and each of them played some key part to the story as it continued on. I really love that none of them are ever really forgotten or tossed to the wayside as the story goes on. Even the characters that are a little crazy made multiple debuts throughout the novel. Yeah, I can recall some characters just because of how well written they were and they didn't even have a big part to play.
Y'know what I think would be awesome? Entwining the characters from both novels which are of course standalone and making some epic book about how their stories intertwine. Just saying. It would be cool. Think of it as the Shakespeare plays collide into one fantastic novel that entangles the intense storyline of each story and somehow pulls together all of the different pieces to make a uniquely beautiful tale of love, betrayal, mystery, and just plain epic-ness.
Anyway, I am getting off topic. This story is amazing. I really enjoyed it. You should read because it was so great.
March 21, 2017
Exposure is a modern day retelling of the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. I have read the play but it was a while ago so my memory is really hazy.
Kim has created a fresh new take on the play, she has stayed true to the story while giving it a ya spin. I thought the story was okay, I have a feeling that I would have liked it better if I wasn't in a weird mood about reading the book. I mean it was Shakespeare, so of course eerie, but it wasn't a supernatural tale and I guess I wasn't in the mood to read a book out of my norm. I do like Shakespeare so I do plan on giving it another shot at some point.
Kim has created a fresh new take on the play, she has stayed true to the story while giving it a ya spin. I thought the story was okay, I have a feeling that I would have liked it better if I wasn't in a weird mood about reading the book. I mean it was Shakespeare, so of course eerie, but it wasn't a supernatural tale and I guess I wasn't in the mood to read a book out of my norm. I do like Shakespeare so I do plan on giving it another shot at some point.
July 14, 2021
I thought that this was a very well written book. Mystery but also ya. I thought that it definitely kept my attention for the whole book and I would read it again.
March 13, 2013
Read other book reviews at Book Junkie Joint.
Exposure is an engaging young adult story about self-discovery and courage to own up to one’s mistakes.
This is book 2 of the Twisted Lit series by Amy Helmes and Kim Askew, and is actually a modern take on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. However, you don’t really need to have read Macbeth beforehand to understand the whole story. Just imagine Macbeth being set in a modern high school setting and you pretty much get Exposure.
This is the second book from the Twisted Lit series that I’ve read and I’m pretty much a happy camper of the series already. Although I would have to say that I liked the first book better than this one. This could be attributed to the fact that this book has a slightly darker theme than the first one.
Now, unto the story…
The female lead, Skye Kingston, is a shy and quiet girl who minds her own business and keeps to herself. It would be safe to say that she’s an introvert and would rather witness a scene rather than partake in it.
I love the fact that there was contrast between the Skye at the beginning of the story and the Skye at the end. I think that she really did turn over a new leaf and became a better person. She learned to put herself out there and actually experience the things that she just witnessed before.
Also, I loved Skye’s photography exhibit at the end of the story. It signified her transformation into a new person. She went from being the girl behind the camera to being the girl in front of the camera, being brave enough to go and be herself.
As for Craig, well, at first I really was hesitant about liking him because he seemed the sort of person who can’t even distinguish what is it that he really wanted. Personally, I don’t like people who are indecisive and Craig was a little bit like that when it came to Skye and his popular friends.
Basically, he’s torn between his popularity and his real self, which only comes out when he’s with Skye. At first, I didn’t understand the indecisiveness, but as the story progressed, there was a justification why Craig was like that. And really, you can’t blame the guy.
Also, I love the fact that even though he could have walked away from it all and be with Skye without telling the truth, he chose to own up to his mistake and take responsibility. I would have hated him if he didn’t tell the truth just for the sake of having a happy ending with Skye, but he did, and I really think that his choice made a better happy ending for the story.
Then, there’s Beth, the super villainess that cuts everything down her path. She’s got serious issues all on her own. However, at the heart of it all, I think she just wants someone who can love her for who she really is. And maybe she mistook popularity as love and acceptance so everything went downhill from there.
Aside from the young adult aspect, this story has enough mystery and drama that kept me reading. It’s well-written, well-planned and each of the character has their distinct personality that it wasn’t hard to imagine them inside my head as I read.
For fans of Shakespeare who are looking to read new twists to his classic works, I highly recommend reading the Twisted Lit Series by Amy Helmes and Kim Askew.
Exposure is an engaging young adult story about self-discovery and courage to own up to one’s mistakes.
This is book 2 of the Twisted Lit series by Amy Helmes and Kim Askew, and is actually a modern take on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. However, you don’t really need to have read Macbeth beforehand to understand the whole story. Just imagine Macbeth being set in a modern high school setting and you pretty much get Exposure.
This is the second book from the Twisted Lit series that I’ve read and I’m pretty much a happy camper of the series already. Although I would have to say that I liked the first book better than this one. This could be attributed to the fact that this book has a slightly darker theme than the first one.
Now, unto the story…
The female lead, Skye Kingston, is a shy and quiet girl who minds her own business and keeps to herself. It would be safe to say that she’s an introvert and would rather witness a scene rather than partake in it.
I love the fact that there was contrast between the Skye at the beginning of the story and the Skye at the end. I think that she really did turn over a new leaf and became a better person. She learned to put herself out there and actually experience the things that she just witnessed before.
Also, I loved Skye’s photography exhibit at the end of the story. It signified her transformation into a new person. She went from being the girl behind the camera to being the girl in front of the camera, being brave enough to go and be herself.
As for Craig, well, at first I really was hesitant about liking him because he seemed the sort of person who can’t even distinguish what is it that he really wanted. Personally, I don’t like people who are indecisive and Craig was a little bit like that when it came to Skye and his popular friends.
Basically, he’s torn between his popularity and his real self, which only comes out when he’s with Skye. At first, I didn’t understand the indecisiveness, but as the story progressed, there was a justification why Craig was like that. And really, you can’t blame the guy.
Also, I love the fact that even though he could have walked away from it all and be with Skye without telling the truth, he chose to own up to his mistake and take responsibility. I would have hated him if he didn’t tell the truth just for the sake of having a happy ending with Skye, but he did, and I really think that his choice made a better happy ending for the story.
Then, there’s Beth, the super villainess that cuts everything down her path. She’s got serious issues all on her own. However, at the heart of it all, I think she just wants someone who can love her for who she really is. And maybe she mistook popularity as love and acceptance so everything went downhill from there.
Aside from the young adult aspect, this story has enough mystery and drama that kept me reading. It’s well-written, well-planned and each of the character has their distinct personality that it wasn’t hard to imagine them inside my head as I read.
For fans of Shakespeare who are looking to read new twists to his classic works, I highly recommend reading the Twisted Lit Series by Amy Helmes and Kim Askew.
August 22, 2013
(This review will be available on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl at the end of September).
First off, I just want to say that although this is the second book in the series, this book can be read as a standalone since it involves a whole new cast of characters, plot, and setting. Saying that, this book is a retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth. To be honest, it's been about 11 or 12 years (maybe longer) since I read Macbeth, so I won't be comparing this to the original. Now that that's all said, I really enjoyed this book!
Skye's been in love with Craig forever. However, he's part of the popular crowd and Skye is not. There's also the problem of Craig's super mean girlfriend, Beth. When one of the popular boys die in what appears to be an accident, things start spiraling out of control.
I didn't really know what to expect with the title. However, after reading this book, it makes sense in more ways then just Skye being a photographer.
The cover is rather plain, but I actually like its plainness. I think anything else would've made this cover look too cluttered. I also think the cover is rather cute!
I enjoyed the world building, and I felt that it was written rather well. The only thing that bothered me was the outcome when it came to the ending. I can't really say to much, but it just didn't feel like it followed procedure. That's your only hint. I did enjoy the setting of Alaska though especially since I don't really read any books set in Alaska.
I loved the pacing! The prologue definitely caught my attention and kept it until the very end. If I would've had more time, I would've finished this book in one setting. It was paced that good!
I enjoyed the plot! I don't remember Macbeth all that well as I said before, so I can't comment on how much the plot of this book was like that of Macbeth. There's not really any mystery I enjoyed the whole playing on conscience thing and what was done about it. I even enjoyed Skye's endless pursuit of Craig!
I enjoyed the characters more than anything! I loved how mature Skye was especially when it came to how mean Beth was to her at some points during the story. I loved how friendly she was and how vulnerable she could be. Even though Craig was a bit of a tool when it came to Beth, I still enjoyed how much of a friend he could be to Skye when he really wanted to be. However, at times he could be a little bit insensitive and selfish, but perhaps that's just a teenage thing (and even some adults)! My most favorite characters were Kaya, Cat, and Tess. I loved their sarcasm, wit, and humor they brought to the story. In fact, I wanted to be friends with those girls.
I enjoyed the dialogue very much, and I felt like it was set in high school, which it was. It was also very easy to understand, but it wasn't dumbed down or anything. My favorite dialogue was when it involved Kaya, Cat, and Tess. There are only a few swear words in this book.
Overall, Exposure is a book that is fun to read as well as having fantastic characters and great dialogue!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who would like some fun literature to read!
First off, I just want to say that although this is the second book in the series, this book can be read as a standalone since it involves a whole new cast of characters, plot, and setting. Saying that, this book is a retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth. To be honest, it's been about 11 or 12 years (maybe longer) since I read Macbeth, so I won't be comparing this to the original. Now that that's all said, I really enjoyed this book!
Skye's been in love with Craig forever. However, he's part of the popular crowd and Skye is not. There's also the problem of Craig's super mean girlfriend, Beth. When one of the popular boys die in what appears to be an accident, things start spiraling out of control.
I didn't really know what to expect with the title. However, after reading this book, it makes sense in more ways then just Skye being a photographer.
The cover is rather plain, but I actually like its plainness. I think anything else would've made this cover look too cluttered. I also think the cover is rather cute!
I enjoyed the world building, and I felt that it was written rather well. The only thing that bothered me was the outcome when it came to the ending. I can't really say to much, but it just didn't feel like it followed procedure. That's your only hint. I did enjoy the setting of Alaska though especially since I don't really read any books set in Alaska.
I loved the pacing! The prologue definitely caught my attention and kept it until the very end. If I would've had more time, I would've finished this book in one setting. It was paced that good!
I enjoyed the plot! I don't remember Macbeth all that well as I said before, so I can't comment on how much the plot of this book was like that of Macbeth. There's not really any mystery I enjoyed the whole playing on conscience thing and what was done about it. I even enjoyed Skye's endless pursuit of Craig!
I enjoyed the characters more than anything! I loved how mature Skye was especially when it came to how mean Beth was to her at some points during the story. I loved how friendly she was and how vulnerable she could be. Even though Craig was a bit of a tool when it came to Beth, I still enjoyed how much of a friend he could be to Skye when he really wanted to be. However, at times he could be a little bit insensitive and selfish, but perhaps that's just a teenage thing (and even some adults)! My most favorite characters were Kaya, Cat, and Tess. I loved their sarcasm, wit, and humor they brought to the story. In fact, I wanted to be friends with those girls.
I enjoyed the dialogue very much, and I felt like it was set in high school, which it was. It was also very easy to understand, but it wasn't dumbed down or anything. My favorite dialogue was when it involved Kaya, Cat, and Tess. There are only a few swear words in this book.
Overall, Exposure is a book that is fun to read as well as having fantastic characters and great dialogue!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who would like some fun literature to read!
February 26, 2015
Read this and other reviews at my blog.
Skye is a bit of a wallflower, a shutterbug who prefers to see life through the lens of her camera instead of from the center of the action. When a student is found dead at a party Skye attends and she knows who might be involved, she has to deal with the idea of being an accessory to murder. As relationships shift and change around her, Skye starts to really take a look at her life, and she doesn't like what she sees. Can she really change herself now, or will harboring her secret destroy her first?
While not as good as Tempestuous was, Exposure was another great retelling of an old classic. Macbeth is probably one of Shakespeare's more difficult stories to try to modernize. While subtle, the homages to Macbeth were cleverly woven into each page. If you go looking for a flashy retelling, then you might be disappointed. Exposure was written in such a way to make a Shakespeare buff smile without alienating someone who has never read Macbeth. I believe that it was done well enough to make it easier to understand if you can match these new characters to their old counterparts.
The characters weren't as nice as I wanted them to be. Skye felt unlikable to me. For her to be "stunning" and not know it, and for her to be so tall and people to just overlook her, it didn't feel realistic. If you are "stunning" and tall and have model potential with a little bit of makeup, then how do people not notice you? Skye actually asks this same question in the book at their Prom. Everyone kept telling her how she was so beautiful and how they didn't recognize her, but what, she was ugly the day before? It's one thing to be withdrawn, but she just didn't feel as realistic as I wanted her to. She was also really hard to like. It wasn't until well into the story that I started to like her at all. I didn't understand what she saw in Craig. Not once. From A to B, I never saw Craig's appeal. Beth was seriously unbalanced. The rest of the characters were just alright. They didn't hold enough importance for me.
The story was nice. It held mystery and did well at capturing the essence of Macbeth as it went along, but the plot was lacking. Or maybe it just fell for me. I feel like most of the elements in the story served very little purpose, and yet I enjoyed every page. I loved the whole story and everything that happened. I just couldn't see the point of many things that happened and it left me uninvested in the story. It all wraps up in the end. The ending is unsettling. It isn't tragic by any means, but it is a bit of a downer. There is promise for joy again, but it's left on enough of a downer to leave you upset with things. Not enough to rage or cry, but enough that you might be disappointed.
While not as great as it's predecessor, it was still a good read and I did enjoy it. But if you are looking for warm fuzzies, look elsewhere.
Skye is a bit of a wallflower, a shutterbug who prefers to see life through the lens of her camera instead of from the center of the action. When a student is found dead at a party Skye attends and she knows who might be involved, she has to deal with the idea of being an accessory to murder. As relationships shift and change around her, Skye starts to really take a look at her life, and she doesn't like what she sees. Can she really change herself now, or will harboring her secret destroy her first?
While not as good as Tempestuous was, Exposure was another great retelling of an old classic. Macbeth is probably one of Shakespeare's more difficult stories to try to modernize. While subtle, the homages to Macbeth were cleverly woven into each page. If you go looking for a flashy retelling, then you might be disappointed. Exposure was written in such a way to make a Shakespeare buff smile without alienating someone who has never read Macbeth. I believe that it was done well enough to make it easier to understand if you can match these new characters to their old counterparts.
The characters weren't as nice as I wanted them to be. Skye felt unlikable to me. For her to be "stunning" and not know it, and for her to be so tall and people to just overlook her, it didn't feel realistic. If you are "stunning" and tall and have model potential with a little bit of makeup, then how do people not notice you? Skye actually asks this same question in the book at their Prom. Everyone kept telling her how she was so beautiful and how they didn't recognize her, but what, she was ugly the day before? It's one thing to be withdrawn, but she just didn't feel as realistic as I wanted her to. She was also really hard to like. It wasn't until well into the story that I started to like her at all. I didn't understand what she saw in Craig. Not once. From A to B, I never saw Craig's appeal. Beth was seriously unbalanced. The rest of the characters were just alright. They didn't hold enough importance for me.
The story was nice. It held mystery and did well at capturing the essence of Macbeth as it went along, but the plot was lacking. Or maybe it just fell for me. I feel like most of the elements in the story served very little purpose, and yet I enjoyed every page. I loved the whole story and everything that happened. I just couldn't see the point of many things that happened and it left me uninvested in the story. It all wraps up in the end. The ending is unsettling. It isn't tragic by any means, but it is a bit of a downer. There is promise for joy again, but it's left on enough of a downer to leave you upset with things. Not enough to rage or cry, but enough that you might be disappointed.
While not as great as it's predecessor, it was still a good read and I did enjoy it. But if you are looking for warm fuzzies, look elsewhere.
November 22, 2014
Review Posted on Reading Lark 1/17/13: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2013/...
Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare pieces so I have been so excited to read this novel. I was happy to see that Askew and Helmes stayed true to play and still managed to create characters that were all their own. Exposure focuses on greed, redemption, and the high school gauntlet. I love that way that these authors are able to take such timeless stories and place them in the realm of the teenager. Not only does this make it more accessible to readers who otherwise wouldn't give Shakespeare a chance, but it also provides a modern context for the Bard's tales.
The characters in this one are just as memorable as the ones I met in the first novel, Tempestuous. However, this installment has a much darker mood. The death of a popular athlete in a small Alaskan town has everyone reeling, but as the tale unfolds it seems that mischief most foul is at work. Exposure comes complete with a trio of native soothsayers, a likable yet wallflowerish main character who hides behind her camera lens, several hot boys, girl drama galore, and that damn spot that can't be removed. I enjoyed being able to pick out the elements that were directly inspired by Macbeth as I read.
Skye, the main character, is an interesting girl who doesn't always see herself clearly. I saw a lot of my high school self in her. High school, while usually a lot of fun, was an awkward phase for me. I wasn't quite sure who I was or how I fit into the high school social structure. Skye finds herself in the same situation. Rather than learning to navigate the social current, she chooses to focus on her family and her photography. I liked how down to earth Skye was and I know that her "realness" will appeal to many readers.
The plot of this one follows Macbeth pretty closely. Again, I enjoy seeing how Askew and Helmes will use the original piece, but still make the story something all their own. Macbeth is a much darker play than The Tempest so this one did not have the light hearted feel to it that the first novel did. This one felt much more like a winter read to me - I read it over several dark, rainy nights which set the mood perfectly. I also did have a little trouble settling into this one at first, but once I got to know Skye better I was hooked; I loved her voice and presence throughout the novel.
I'm really enjoying this series and I hope that there will be many more editions in the future. I've got my fingers crossed for novels inspired by Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Two Last Gripes: It bothered me that Skye was so willing to keep such a huge secret. I also was frustrated that we never found out for sure where Skye's mom was the night Skye went to the theater.
My Favorite Thing About This Book: I liked watching some of the main players struggle with their choices and tracking their path to redemption
First Sentence: Four girls in one dorm room.
Favorite Character: Skye
Least Favorite Character: Beth
Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare pieces so I have been so excited to read this novel. I was happy to see that Askew and Helmes stayed true to play and still managed to create characters that were all their own. Exposure focuses on greed, redemption, and the high school gauntlet. I love that way that these authors are able to take such timeless stories and place them in the realm of the teenager. Not only does this make it more accessible to readers who otherwise wouldn't give Shakespeare a chance, but it also provides a modern context for the Bard's tales.
The characters in this one are just as memorable as the ones I met in the first novel, Tempestuous. However, this installment has a much darker mood. The death of a popular athlete in a small Alaskan town has everyone reeling, but as the tale unfolds it seems that mischief most foul is at work. Exposure comes complete with a trio of native soothsayers, a likable yet wallflowerish main character who hides behind her camera lens, several hot boys, girl drama galore, and that damn spot that can't be removed. I enjoyed being able to pick out the elements that were directly inspired by Macbeth as I read.
Skye, the main character, is an interesting girl who doesn't always see herself clearly. I saw a lot of my high school self in her. High school, while usually a lot of fun, was an awkward phase for me. I wasn't quite sure who I was or how I fit into the high school social structure. Skye finds herself in the same situation. Rather than learning to navigate the social current, she chooses to focus on her family and her photography. I liked how down to earth Skye was and I know that her "realness" will appeal to many readers.
The plot of this one follows Macbeth pretty closely. Again, I enjoy seeing how Askew and Helmes will use the original piece, but still make the story something all their own. Macbeth is a much darker play than The Tempest so this one did not have the light hearted feel to it that the first novel did. This one felt much more like a winter read to me - I read it over several dark, rainy nights which set the mood perfectly. I also did have a little trouble settling into this one at first, but once I got to know Skye better I was hooked; I loved her voice and presence throughout the novel.
I'm really enjoying this series and I hope that there will be many more editions in the future. I've got my fingers crossed for novels inspired by Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Two Last Gripes: It bothered me that Skye was so willing to keep such a huge secret. I also was frustrated that we never found out for sure where Skye's mom was the night Skye went to the theater.
My Favorite Thing About This Book: I liked watching some of the main players struggle with their choices and tracking their path to redemption
First Sentence: Four girls in one dorm room.
Favorite Character: Skye
Least Favorite Character: Beth
March 16, 2013
Exposure is the second book in the Twisted Lit Series (see my review of Tempestuous, the first book in the series, here). It’s a retelling of sorts of Shakespeare’s Macbeth which is truly the only one of Shakespeare’s tragedies I enjoyed, so I had high hopes for this novel. While I did enjoy Exposure, I didn’t quite like it as much as Tempestuous. Here’s why.
What I liked:
This is one of the rare times where I liked secondary characters better than main characters. I really LOVED the interpretation of the three witches. Tess, Cat, and Kaya are absolutely perfect. Totally loved them. Lenny was hilarious. Jillian was a perfect newspaper editor. Beth is a really great Lady Macbeth. Duff was a great Macduff. Duncan=perfect, er, Duncan. You get my point. Even the secondary characters who were added to simply add depth to the story were fun.
The setting. Alaska was absolutely perfect as a substitute for the remoteness and ruggedness present in Macbeth, and what better setting than high school for an aspiring king and queen?
The voice. Helmes and Askew have mastered the way teenagers think and speak. I really loved the way certain very teen issues were handled. It made for a very believable tone to the book.
The Shout-Outs. Each chapter title is a line from the original play so things like “Out damned spot” made an appearance without seeming out of place. The invading forest makes a fitting appearance. Little things sprinkled throughout made this story a great tribute to a classic.
What I didn’t like:
It really wasn’t a retelling of Macbeth. The story on its own was enjoyable but though there were similarities to the classic play and some fun shout outs to the original, Macbeth is dark and twisted. The descent to madness, the murders to cover up murders, the lies upon lies, the epic intrigues and final downfalls…Exposure holds little of this. Perhaps it’s unfair to compare the two but since it is marketed as a retelling, I feel like comparison is unavoidable. It felt like the whole time we were skating around the dark undertones of Macbeth. We would almost get there and then the story would run away at the last second. It sort of frustrated me because I really think the characters and story could have handled it. It would have really added depth and given the characters a chance to shine.
Consequences. I’m not going to spend a lot of time here because I don’t want to spoil things but I had serious issues here. Some crazy shizzle goes down at the beginning of this book and honestly…I can’t go into it without spoiling the book. So, I won’t.
I also felt Skye and Craig could have used more development. I really didn’t feel connected to Skye. I wanted to. I tried to. However, in the end, I just couldn’t muster a lot of empathy or understanding for her and the decisions she made.
Overall: Though I do believe Tempestuous was better executed than Exposure, it was an enjoyable read and was an interesting, though divergent from the original, twist on Macbeth.
What I liked:
This is one of the rare times where I liked secondary characters better than main characters. I really LOVED the interpretation of the three witches. Tess, Cat, and Kaya are absolutely perfect. Totally loved them. Lenny was hilarious. Jillian was a perfect newspaper editor. Beth is a really great Lady Macbeth. Duff was a great Macduff. Duncan=perfect, er, Duncan. You get my point. Even the secondary characters who were added to simply add depth to the story were fun.
The setting. Alaska was absolutely perfect as a substitute for the remoteness and ruggedness present in Macbeth, and what better setting than high school for an aspiring king and queen?
The voice. Helmes and Askew have mastered the way teenagers think and speak. I really loved the way certain very teen issues were handled. It made for a very believable tone to the book.
The Shout-Outs. Each chapter title is a line from the original play so things like “Out damned spot” made an appearance without seeming out of place. The invading forest makes a fitting appearance. Little things sprinkled throughout made this story a great tribute to a classic.
What I didn’t like:
It really wasn’t a retelling of Macbeth. The story on its own was enjoyable but though there were similarities to the classic play and some fun shout outs to the original, Macbeth is dark and twisted. The descent to madness, the murders to cover up murders, the lies upon lies, the epic intrigues and final downfalls…Exposure holds little of this. Perhaps it’s unfair to compare the two but since it is marketed as a retelling, I feel like comparison is unavoidable. It felt like the whole time we were skating around the dark undertones of Macbeth. We would almost get there and then the story would run away at the last second. It sort of frustrated me because I really think the characters and story could have handled it. It would have really added depth and given the characters a chance to shine.
Consequences. I’m not going to spend a lot of time here because I don’t want to spoil things but I had serious issues here. Some crazy shizzle goes down at the beginning of this book and honestly…I can’t go into it without spoiling the book. So, I won’t.
I also felt Skye and Craig could have used more development. I really didn’t feel connected to Skye. I wanted to. I tried to. However, in the end, I just couldn’t muster a lot of empathy or understanding for her and the decisions she made.
Overall: Though I do believe Tempestuous was better executed than Exposure, it was an enjoyable read and was an interesting, though divergent from the original, twist on Macbeth.
December 5, 2012
Article first published as Book Review: Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes on Blogcritics.
Review also appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
I received a copy for review
Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes is the second installment in the Twisted Lit series. It is also an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The prologue offers a unique introduction into the story, while the protagonist is a smart twist to Shakespeare’s most tragic play. Set in Alaska, Askew and Helmes pull the reader into a world as new and unique as their story line.
Skye Kingston, the protagonist, is a wallflower. She would rather take pictures than participate with her classmates. But as the school year progresses, Skye encounters situations that influence her growth as a character. What makes this adaptation so refreshing is that Skye is given a greater role in the novel than Shakespeare’s protagonists.
Skye is also a very special character because she gives the reader a voice in Macbeth. She witnesses the change the characters representing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Craig and Beth, go through. Skye is aware of their slow descent into madness, and as a result, she becomes the character that has the power to say something. The reader soon realizes that she is the hero that Macbeth never met.
The romantic side of Exposure is very interesting. The reader witnesses the poisonous relationship between Craig and Beth, but Askew and Helmes juxtapose this with a promising connection between Craig and Skye. This new perspective is intriguing because it hints that Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a limited story.
Askew and Helmes captivate their modern readers by offering more depth to the story of Macbeth. Only these co-authors can take a morbid and seemingly hopeless play, and make it into a story full of moral lessons about growing up and accepting consequences.
Exposure’s plot also raises questions about its origins, such as: what was Macbeth like before meeting his wife? What was his life like beyond his relationship with his wife? Was there ever an opportunity for Macbeth to redeem himself?
Askew and Helmes' adaptation adds a certain zest to the original play. Through well-paced writing, complicated romance, and a relatable protagonist, the reader has the ability to view a literary classic in a new and enjoyable way.
I would recommend Exposure to readers that are interested in modern adaptations of Shakespearean plays in the young adult age group.
The title Exposure hints at the dangers within the novel, and Skye’s love of photography. Most importantly, however, it represents the act of exposing oneself when s/he appears lost, or hidden.
Review also appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
I received a copy for review
Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes is the second installment in the Twisted Lit series. It is also an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The prologue offers a unique introduction into the story, while the protagonist is a smart twist to Shakespeare’s most tragic play. Set in Alaska, Askew and Helmes pull the reader into a world as new and unique as their story line.
Skye Kingston, the protagonist, is a wallflower. She would rather take pictures than participate with her classmates. But as the school year progresses, Skye encounters situations that influence her growth as a character. What makes this adaptation so refreshing is that Skye is given a greater role in the novel than Shakespeare’s protagonists.
Skye is also a very special character because she gives the reader a voice in Macbeth. She witnesses the change the characters representing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Craig and Beth, go through. Skye is aware of their slow descent into madness, and as a result, she becomes the character that has the power to say something. The reader soon realizes that she is the hero that Macbeth never met.
The romantic side of Exposure is very interesting. The reader witnesses the poisonous relationship between Craig and Beth, but Askew and Helmes juxtapose this with a promising connection between Craig and Skye. This new perspective is intriguing because it hints that Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a limited story.
Askew and Helmes captivate their modern readers by offering more depth to the story of Macbeth. Only these co-authors can take a morbid and seemingly hopeless play, and make it into a story full of moral lessons about growing up and accepting consequences.
Exposure’s plot also raises questions about its origins, such as: what was Macbeth like before meeting his wife? What was his life like beyond his relationship with his wife? Was there ever an opportunity for Macbeth to redeem himself?
Askew and Helmes' adaptation adds a certain zest to the original play. Through well-paced writing, complicated romance, and a relatable protagonist, the reader has the ability to view a literary classic in a new and enjoyable way.
I would recommend Exposure to readers that are interested in modern adaptations of Shakespearean plays in the young adult age group.
The title Exposure hints at the dangers within the novel, and Skye’s love of photography. Most importantly, however, it represents the act of exposing oneself when s/he appears lost, or hidden.
January 16, 2013
When I was contacted about reviewing Exposure it was with a request for Tempestuous too. As soon as I finished reading Tempestuous I immediately started reading Exposure. The writing by both Kim and Amy had me hooked and wanting more of their work. The protagonist for Exposure is a photographer Skye, who works for the school news paper. While Skye has a friend, Craig, high up on the social ladder, she herself is at the bottom.
When I began reading Exposure I instantly liked Skye, she felt like a real person and not just a character. She has to deal with every issue that we face in school, and I certainly experienced some of them myself, yet she keeps on going and finds her own friends who accept her for who and what she is, and don't judge her for her interests. When we are first introduced to Craig and get to see how he acts towards Skye I disliked him, a lot. To stand by and watch your girlfriend hurl insults at someone who used to be your best friend and make their life a misery is just wrong, and I felt like he could have tried a bit harder.
The mystery in the story had me trying to guess who was the culprit and what their reasons were, and while we get a sneaky listen in along with Skye, the whole truth isn't revealed. Although Skye omits part of the truth when the school is questioned, she does it for good reasons, and I think if it was me in her shoes I certainly would not have done it, especially for how she is treated (yes its very vague but I don't want to reveal the secrets ;)).
I enjoyed reading Exposure, there were a lot of elements that blended together really well to make a great read. One thing I particularly liked was Skye. She is a pretty girl, yet due to her likes she is an outcast in school and her friends aren't exactly climbing up the social ladder themselves. I loved how they all stuck together and helped each other out when needed. Exposure shows how cruel school can be if you don't fit the mould, but also how great friendships can be when you make the right ones. One thing that I missed was getting a chance to see some of the photographs described in the book that were taken by Skye, especially the ones for her final project, but that is just me wanting to see some scenery of Anchorage and some hot boys.
Overall Exposure was a quick read, but one that had me hooked, and I am looking forward to future books from these great authors.
When I began reading Exposure I instantly liked Skye, she felt like a real person and not just a character. She has to deal with every issue that we face in school, and I certainly experienced some of them myself, yet she keeps on going and finds her own friends who accept her for who and what she is, and don't judge her for her interests. When we are first introduced to Craig and get to see how he acts towards Skye I disliked him, a lot. To stand by and watch your girlfriend hurl insults at someone who used to be your best friend and make their life a misery is just wrong, and I felt like he could have tried a bit harder.
The mystery in the story had me trying to guess who was the culprit and what their reasons were, and while we get a sneaky listen in along with Skye, the whole truth isn't revealed. Although Skye omits part of the truth when the school is questioned, she does it for good reasons, and I think if it was me in her shoes I certainly would not have done it, especially for how she is treated (yes its very vague but I don't want to reveal the secrets ;)).
I enjoyed reading Exposure, there were a lot of elements that blended together really well to make a great read. One thing I particularly liked was Skye. She is a pretty girl, yet due to her likes she is an outcast in school and her friends aren't exactly climbing up the social ladder themselves. I loved how they all stuck together and helped each other out when needed. Exposure shows how cruel school can be if you don't fit the mould, but also how great friendships can be when you make the right ones. One thing that I missed was getting a chance to see some of the photographs described in the book that were taken by Skye, especially the ones for her final project, but that is just me wanting to see some scenery of Anchorage and some hot boys.
Overall Exposure was a quick read, but one that had me hooked, and I am looking forward to future books from these great authors.
January 7, 2013
This review and more at Sab The Book
Eater
In the second book of the Twisted Lit series, Kim Askew and Amy Helmes brings an interesting adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. I'm not much of a Shakespeare fan; I don't know much about most of his work. When I read Exposure I tried to do my homework by reading at least a summary of Macbeth. To be fair though, I read their first book and I can say reading Shakespeare isn't really a prerequisite. I just wanted to know if it would have an effect on my reading experience. Turns out, it was even better. Now I'm not sure if it's because I read a plot summary or I really just happened to enjoy Exposure more than Tempestuous. Okay let's get down to it.
I like how enjoyable Exposure is despite the tragic events. Don't tell me I spoiled it for you! The synopsis says, "tragic twists of fate" and well... it's Shakespeare. Some sort of tragedy is to be expected. Anyway, what captivated me from the onset was the mystery injected in the story early in the Prologue. From there, the story was told beautifully in a mixture of constant suspense and drama. It's the typical highschool story wherein the cool kids fight over the "coveted" (it's in quotes because I never really believed in all that LOL) title of Prom King and Queen only more interesting because there's so much more involved. Aside from that, I like that the story didn't lose its YA touch because the teen romance was still there along with all the drama that comes with it - without giving readers the unnecessary stress that a lot of teen dramas give. (tee hee)
Since I only read Macbeth's plot summary, the only similarities I saw between the characters in Macbeth and in Exposure are their names. It's fun though, to actually get the play on names (play on words?). It was interesting to read how incredibly diverse the characters were and how they developed throughout the story. I liked Skye and Craig's chemistry in particular. I liked them so much that even if things ended that way, I was okay with it. In fact, I liked how everything turned out. I really liked how Askew and Helmes wrote the (inevitable, slightly tragic) ending.
Lastly, and this is rare, I love the cover of the book. I don't usually take the cover into account when I rate/review a book but this is really something. I don't know about you but I don't usually see/read books that have meaningful covers. Exposure's cover ties the whole story together and it's really cool that it made sense when I looked at it again after reading it. Snaps for that! *snaps haha*
Overall Exposure is a great read. It says so much about ambition, guilt, betrayal, and love in an enjoyable well-paced story that'll definitely leave you satisfied. ;-)
Eater
In the second book of the Twisted Lit series, Kim Askew and Amy Helmes brings an interesting adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. I'm not much of a Shakespeare fan; I don't know much about most of his work. When I read Exposure I tried to do my homework by reading at least a summary of Macbeth. To be fair though, I read their first book and I can say reading Shakespeare isn't really a prerequisite. I just wanted to know if it would have an effect on my reading experience. Turns out, it was even better. Now I'm not sure if it's because I read a plot summary or I really just happened to enjoy Exposure more than Tempestuous. Okay let's get down to it.
I like how enjoyable Exposure is despite the tragic events. Don't tell me I spoiled it for you! The synopsis says, "tragic twists of fate" and well... it's Shakespeare. Some sort of tragedy is to be expected. Anyway, what captivated me from the onset was the mystery injected in the story early in the Prologue. From there, the story was told beautifully in a mixture of constant suspense and drama. It's the typical highschool story wherein the cool kids fight over the "coveted" (it's in quotes because I never really believed in all that LOL) title of Prom King and Queen only more interesting because there's so much more involved. Aside from that, I like that the story didn't lose its YA touch because the teen romance was still there along with all the drama that comes with it - without giving readers the unnecessary stress that a lot of teen dramas give. (tee hee)
Since I only read Macbeth's plot summary, the only similarities I saw between the characters in Macbeth and in Exposure are their names. It's fun though, to actually get the play on names (play on words?). It was interesting to read how incredibly diverse the characters were and how they developed throughout the story. I liked Skye and Craig's chemistry in particular. I liked them so much that even if things ended that way, I was okay with it. In fact, I liked how everything turned out. I really liked how Askew and Helmes wrote the (inevitable, slightly tragic) ending.
Lastly, and this is rare, I love the cover of the book. I don't usually take the cover into account when I rate/review a book but this is really something. I don't know about you but I don't usually see/read books that have meaningful covers. Exposure's cover ties the whole story together and it's really cool that it made sense when I looked at it again after reading it. Snaps for that! *snaps haha*
Overall Exposure is a great read. It says so much about ambition, guilt, betrayal, and love in an enjoyable well-paced story that'll definitely leave you satisfied. ;-)
January 18, 2013
Okay, so here's the truth, I don't remember MacBeth. I remember something about "Bubble, Bubble toil and trouble" and I recognized the three witches but they weren't anywhere near the mean ugly witches in Shakespeare's story. But, that's the thing about this story, it's a big switch up on the original tale. Skye is a very tall, creative and pretty, though she doesn't know it, red head. She takes pictures for the school newspaper, her favorite subject being the star of the hockey team, Craig McKenzie. They are friends only when no one else is around, when his popular friends can't harass him about it. His girlfriend, of course, is a cheerleader and a typical mean girl. Or maybe not so typical. Beth seems to be even meaner than most mean girls needing not only Craig's attention, but the attention of anyone else she can get as well. Skye has spent most of her high school career avoiding Beth, but she has been caught a time or two talking to Craig, a huge mistake in Beth's eyes. She gets reamed for it so she tries not to be noticed. Most of her school experience has been from behind a camera lens, so when Craig issues an invitation to an in crowd party out in the woods at a hunting shack, Skye, in a fit of anger or craziness or something accepts and she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, or maybe the right place at the right time. She hears and sees things she's never heard before, things that make her question herself and everything she believes in.
Skye also has an unusual home life. She has an infant brother and a father who stays home most of the time with him while mom goes back to school to get a degree in medicine. She wants to be a doctor. And just when Skye thinks her mother and father are getting a divorce, they snuggle up to each other at Christmas and seem even more close than they ever have been. Things seem better with them than ever.
It's really hard to review this story other than to say, I remember bits of MacBeth and I thought the twists on it were very good for a contemporary twist on Shakespeare. I really enjoyed the story and could have actually done with a much longer epilogue! But I really loved this story all the twisted minds and social politics. Damn high school is rough!
I highly recommend this novel for lovers of Shakespeare, contemporary YA fiction and anyone that loves a good story. It's light on romance and heavy on the drama. It's a really great story told very well with a lot of dialogue and action. It's a lot of fun!
Thanks to the authors for contacting me about their Twisted Lit novels I enjoyed both that I read, but I think this was my favorite. I did receive a free E-ARC for review through NetGalley. This in no way influenced my opinions.
Heather
Skye also has an unusual home life. She has an infant brother and a father who stays home most of the time with him while mom goes back to school to get a degree in medicine. She wants to be a doctor. And just when Skye thinks her mother and father are getting a divorce, they snuggle up to each other at Christmas and seem even more close than they ever have been. Things seem better with them than ever.
It's really hard to review this story other than to say, I remember bits of MacBeth and I thought the twists on it were very good for a contemporary twist on Shakespeare. I really enjoyed the story and could have actually done with a much longer epilogue! But I really loved this story all the twisted minds and social politics. Damn high school is rough!
I highly recommend this novel for lovers of Shakespeare, contemporary YA fiction and anyone that loves a good story. It's light on romance and heavy on the drama. It's a really great story told very well with a lot of dialogue and action. It's a lot of fun!
Thanks to the authors for contacting me about their Twisted Lit novels I enjoyed both that I read, but I think this was my favorite. I did receive a free E-ARC for review through NetGalley. This in no way influenced my opinions.
Heather
January 18, 2013
After I finished reading Tempestuous by the same authors, I just couldn’t wait to read Exposure. I was immensely impressed by the writing style of these two ladies with their first Twisted Lit novel, so naturally I had high expectations of Exposure, and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Admittedly, I haven’t read Shakespeare’s Macbeth, so I can’t draw any comparisons to his novel, but on its own, Exposure is – in my opinion - a literary masterpiece. There were so many things I loved about this book I hardly know where to begin.
What instantly drew me into the story was Skye’s character. I liked that she wasn’t the stereotypical, rich-kid beauty queen with a bevy of followers who ruled the school with an iron fist. Her introverted, behind-the-scenes nature made it easy for me to connect with her, and her daily struggles will strike a chord with many readers. Surprisingly, even though I didn’t like her at all, I also felt sympathy for Skye’s nemesis, Beth. I appreciated that the authors took the time to develop her character not as a cold-hearted antagonist, but as one with weaknesses and teenage angst, and one who is also a victim of circumstance. Overall I found all the main and supporting characters to be three-dimensional and written with depth in such a skilful manner which allows readers to effortlessly establish that connection on an emotional level, and thus draw them deeper into the story.
Although the blurb may be interpreted as this being a murder mystery, there really is so much more to this multilayered novel than what I originally thought it would be. Skye and Craig go through such transformation in the space of a year, that by the end of the book they aren’t the same characters as the ones we meet at the beginning. Taking the journey with them through their final year in high school, I often laughed, cried, and at one point experienced absolute fear. From a soulmate found and lost, parting ways with new friends and old, dealing with separation, having to leave home, breaking out of her shell, learning to trust, to growing up and moving on; this novel without a doubt has something for every reader.
In short, Exposure is an exceptional read and it left me with so much to think about. The ending is perfect and the title sums up in one word the gist of this story. A solid, fast-moving plot with realistic characters and true-to-life situations, written in a voice for today’s young adult, makes this an unforgettable read that will leave you begging for more from what is looking to be the literary world’s newest power duo.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
What instantly drew me into the story was Skye’s character. I liked that she wasn’t the stereotypical, rich-kid beauty queen with a bevy of followers who ruled the school with an iron fist. Her introverted, behind-the-scenes nature made it easy for me to connect with her, and her daily struggles will strike a chord with many readers. Surprisingly, even though I didn’t like her at all, I also felt sympathy for Skye’s nemesis, Beth. I appreciated that the authors took the time to develop her character not as a cold-hearted antagonist, but as one with weaknesses and teenage angst, and one who is also a victim of circumstance. Overall I found all the main and supporting characters to be three-dimensional and written with depth in such a skilful manner which allows readers to effortlessly establish that connection on an emotional level, and thus draw them deeper into the story.
Although the blurb may be interpreted as this being a murder mystery, there really is so much more to this multilayered novel than what I originally thought it would be. Skye and Craig go through such transformation in the space of a year, that by the end of the book they aren’t the same characters as the ones we meet at the beginning. Taking the journey with them through their final year in high school, I often laughed, cried, and at one point experienced absolute fear. From a soulmate found and lost, parting ways with new friends and old, dealing with separation, having to leave home, breaking out of her shell, learning to trust, to growing up and moving on; this novel without a doubt has something for every reader.
In short, Exposure is an exceptional read and it left me with so much to think about. The ending is perfect and the title sums up in one word the gist of this story. A solid, fast-moving plot with realistic characters and true-to-life situations, written in a voice for today’s young adult, makes this an unforgettable read that will leave you begging for more from what is looking to be the literary world’s newest power duo.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2013
Exposure. Too little, and you’re overlooked. Too much, and you’re vulnerable. Skye Kingston belongs in the “too little” category. With her old-school camera, she records the history being made at her high school without being a part of it. Unbeknownst to her, though, her senior year was going to put her more front and center than she ever expected.
Based loosely on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, this is the story of a boy, Craig MacKenzie, a relative newcomer who dates a power-hungry hockey cheerleader named Beth Morgan. Beth’s best friend, Kristy Winters, goes out with Duff Wallace, who plays on the hockey team with Craig. At least he did, before he got sent off suddenly to Scotland as part of a student exchange program. The star of the team is the senior captain, Duncan Shaw. If you’ve read Macbeth, you know nothing good is going to happen. There are even three "witches" who prophesy about what's to come.
The story is equally about Skye and her feelings toward Craig. Craig’s family moved to Alaska one summer, and he met Skye. They became great friends, but when school started, he got sucked into the popular crowd vortex by the queen bee, Beth. Skye and Craig stay friends, which does not sit well with Beth. As the story develops, Skye unwittingly (and unbeknownst to the others) becomes privy to information that can sink several people.
This story is a morality play, dealing with guilt, being courageous, needing power, staying true to yourself, when to be honest and when to reveal all. For the most part, it stays true to the mark. The tale starts with a prologue, and the only reason it seems to exist is so that a little something can happen at the end. (It seems that the answers we get at the end about Skye didn’t make it to the prologue?) Otherwise, it seems unneeded and clunky. Also awkward is the character of Margot. She seems to be there only to spout wisdom like a mechanical therapy machine. Her contribution to the story feels out of place.
The title is so perfect; there’s a lot of exposing (of one’s self and others) and exposure (both physical and photographic) going on here. It’s very interesting that this is the second book that I have read this year that is based on the story or characters of Macbeth. This story stays very close to that original story, and it makes for engaging reading.
3.5 of 5 Stars (Based on Ink and Page’s Rating System)
Genres: Young Adult Fiction Contemporary Romance
Ages: 14 and up
You might want to know: Some profanity. Underage drinking, drug use
Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes was published today by Merit Press. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review.
Based loosely on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, this is the story of a boy, Craig MacKenzie, a relative newcomer who dates a power-hungry hockey cheerleader named Beth Morgan. Beth’s best friend, Kristy Winters, goes out with Duff Wallace, who plays on the hockey team with Craig. At least he did, before he got sent off suddenly to Scotland as part of a student exchange program. The star of the team is the senior captain, Duncan Shaw. If you’ve read Macbeth, you know nothing good is going to happen. There are even three "witches" who prophesy about what's to come.
The story is equally about Skye and her feelings toward Craig. Craig’s family moved to Alaska one summer, and he met Skye. They became great friends, but when school started, he got sucked into the popular crowd vortex by the queen bee, Beth. Skye and Craig stay friends, which does not sit well with Beth. As the story develops, Skye unwittingly (and unbeknownst to the others) becomes privy to information that can sink several people.
This story is a morality play, dealing with guilt, being courageous, needing power, staying true to yourself, when to be honest and when to reveal all. For the most part, it stays true to the mark. The tale starts with a prologue, and the only reason it seems to exist is so that a little something can happen at the end. (It seems that the answers we get at the end about Skye didn’t make it to the prologue?) Otherwise, it seems unneeded and clunky. Also awkward is the character of Margot. She seems to be there only to spout wisdom like a mechanical therapy machine. Her contribution to the story feels out of place.
The title is so perfect; there’s a lot of exposing (of one’s self and others) and exposure (both physical and photographic) going on here. It’s very interesting that this is the second book that I have read this year that is based on the story or characters of Macbeth. This story stays very close to that original story, and it makes for engaging reading.
3.5 of 5 Stars (Based on Ink and Page’s Rating System)
Genres: Young Adult Fiction Contemporary Romance
Ages: 14 and up
You might want to know: Some profanity. Underage drinking, drug use
Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes was published today by Merit Press. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review.
February 2, 2013
All of my reviews can be found here: http://www.chicksgetlit.com/
Exposure is the second book in the Twisted Lit series. This time they're taking on Macbeth. If you missed the point of the series - it's to totally shake up a Shakespeare tale, twist it into something youthful and modern ending up with something only very loosely based on the original.
Skye is pretty, tall, and popular enough amongst her own crowd. The problem is that her crowd isn't very popular in the wilds of Alaska. She'd much rather be getting the perfect shot with a classic 35mm camera than making a shot with a hockey stick or cheering on the hockey team. Still, one summer a guy shows up who turns into her best friend. Craig is everything she dreams about. He likes going to classic movies with her. He's smart and funny and cute and rich. Summer ends and Skye realizes her time may be up - he'll realize he's above her. Her nightmares quickly come reality. Craig is absorbed into the popular crowd, he becomes a star hockey player. Beth, the queen bee of the school, becomes his girlfriend petitioning for them to be prom queen and king from the day they met.
Craig doesn't totally forget Skye. An occasional nod. A friendly invite here or there all the while knowing she's not friendly with his group of friends so will politely decline - until the one time she doesn't, just to see what happens. What happens turns out to be a disaster. Craig's fellow hockey player is never seen alive again.
Rumors and overheard conversations cause Skye to wonder just how connected Craig is to the death. Still no one who knows what happens to Duncan, or thinks they know comes forward. Instead secrets start eating at everyone involved -- while trying dealing with the pressures of college applications, family drama, prom prep, and senior projects. Sooner or later one or more of them is bound to snap and the truth with come with spilling out.
I felt the first was a solid 4 out of 5 stars for young readers though it was almost too cheery even during the darkest of times (not a bad message but unrealistic at times). This one too is 4 stars but when times got gloomy, these teens at least managed to show some actual angst, there probably could have been more of that to make it 5 stars. Given what these kids are going through, I'd expect them to be more broody. Still overall, a fast fun read in the teen category.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like so as not to waste my time.
Exposure is the second book in the Twisted Lit series. This time they're taking on Macbeth. If you missed the point of the series - it's to totally shake up a Shakespeare tale, twist it into something youthful and modern ending up with something only very loosely based on the original.
Skye is pretty, tall, and popular enough amongst her own crowd. The problem is that her crowd isn't very popular in the wilds of Alaska. She'd much rather be getting the perfect shot with a classic 35mm camera than making a shot with a hockey stick or cheering on the hockey team. Still, one summer a guy shows up who turns into her best friend. Craig is everything she dreams about. He likes going to classic movies with her. He's smart and funny and cute and rich. Summer ends and Skye realizes her time may be up - he'll realize he's above her. Her nightmares quickly come reality. Craig is absorbed into the popular crowd, he becomes a star hockey player. Beth, the queen bee of the school, becomes his girlfriend petitioning for them to be prom queen and king from the day they met.
Craig doesn't totally forget Skye. An occasional nod. A friendly invite here or there all the while knowing she's not friendly with his group of friends so will politely decline - until the one time she doesn't, just to see what happens. What happens turns out to be a disaster. Craig's fellow hockey player is never seen alive again.
Rumors and overheard conversations cause Skye to wonder just how connected Craig is to the death. Still no one who knows what happens to Duncan, or thinks they know comes forward. Instead secrets start eating at everyone involved -- while trying dealing with the pressures of college applications, family drama, prom prep, and senior projects. Sooner or later one or more of them is bound to snap and the truth with come with spilling out.
I felt the first was a solid 4 out of 5 stars for young readers though it was almost too cheery even during the darkest of times (not a bad message but unrealistic at times). This one too is 4 stars but when times got gloomy, these teens at least managed to show some actual angst, there probably could have been more of that to make it 5 stars. Given what these kids are going through, I'd expect them to be more broody. Still overall, a fast fun read in the teen category.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like so as not to waste my time.
February 8, 2013
My Thoughts:
I was really interested in reading this book after reading the first book in this series, I really enjoyed it and thought it was just a plain fun read. But, unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, it had some great and unique aspects to it but, it just felt like not a lot happened in this one. I have not read Shakespeare's Macbeth but, I had an idea of what happens in it and it was definitely fun to look up stuff about it and see how it compared to the book.
Skye is your normal teenage girl, she loves photography and the feeling of being behind a camera, she works for the school paper and she doesn't stand out much. Growing up in Alaska, the sport to play is hockey. That's where Craig McKenzie comes in, he transferred to their high school and the first person that he met was Skye, over the summer they spent a lot of time together and became close friends. But, once school began and Craig was initiated into the popular crowd, Skye felt like she didn't exist. She had a crush on Craig, but knew their wasn't anything she could do about it, Craig was dating the most popular girl in school and they were destined to become Prom King and Queen, but after a party one night everything is not as it seems and Skye may be the only one who knows the truth.
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the setting, I have never read a book that takes place in Alaska and it was definitely refreshing while unfortunately there was as much talk about the setting as I would have liked there was a bit that definitely made me happy. I loved Skye because she seemed like such a genuine person, I felt like I knew her immediately and after all of the time you spend in her head, I knew that in real life I would want her as one of my friends.
Craig on the other hand was a character that I didn't love until almost the end of the book, he was friends with Skye before he knew everyone else but, once he was popular he kind of let her go. He would invite her do things with him and his girlfriend but, he didn't ever actually expect her to go. It really felt like he knew she wouldn't say yes so he had no problem asking and that kind of made me dislike him a bit.
Overall, this book wasn't a hit for me, not as fun as Tempestuous but still interesting in its own right. The book took off in the beginning with a big twist and then fell in the middle until towards the end wh
I was really interested in reading this book after reading the first book in this series, I really enjoyed it and thought it was just a plain fun read. But, unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, it had some great and unique aspects to it but, it just felt like not a lot happened in this one. I have not read Shakespeare's Macbeth but, I had an idea of what happens in it and it was definitely fun to look up stuff about it and see how it compared to the book.
Skye is your normal teenage girl, she loves photography and the feeling of being behind a camera, she works for the school paper and she doesn't stand out much. Growing up in Alaska, the sport to play is hockey. That's where Craig McKenzie comes in, he transferred to their high school and the first person that he met was Skye, over the summer they spent a lot of time together and became close friends. But, once school began and Craig was initiated into the popular crowd, Skye felt like she didn't exist. She had a crush on Craig, but knew their wasn't anything she could do about it, Craig was dating the most popular girl in school and they were destined to become Prom King and Queen, but after a party one night everything is not as it seems and Skye may be the only one who knows the truth.
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the setting, I have never read a book that takes place in Alaska and it was definitely refreshing while unfortunately there was as much talk about the setting as I would have liked there was a bit that definitely made me happy. I loved Skye because she seemed like such a genuine person, I felt like I knew her immediately and after all of the time you spend in her head, I knew that in real life I would want her as one of my friends.
Craig on the other hand was a character that I didn't love until almost the end of the book, he was friends with Skye before he knew everyone else but, once he was popular he kind of let her go. He would invite her do things with him and his girlfriend but, he didn't ever actually expect her to go. It really felt like he knew she wouldn't say yes so he had no problem asking and that kind of made me dislike him a bit.
Overall, this book wasn't a hit for me, not as fun as Tempestuous but still interesting in its own right. The book took off in the beginning with a big twist and then fell in the middle until towards the end wh
December 21, 2012
Skye Kingston has had one hell of a year. It has been filled with murder, intrigue, family issues and romance. She just wants to put it all behind her now that she's at USC studying photography like she always dreamed of. But after her roommates start spreading rumors about her and talking about her while she's there like she's invisible, Skye decides to set the record straight once and for all. So she tells them the tale of Craig, the boy she secretly loved, and his psychopathic ex-girlfriend Beth covering up the accidental homicide of Duncan, captain of the hockey team and how it almost destroys them all. Who is really to blame and will Skye and Craig ever get their happy ending? This has all the set-up of a Macbeth re-telling and the lines are clear cut as to who represents what character from the original play. The only one without any real place in things is Skye, a shy photographer for the school newspaper, who is secretly in love with hockey heartthrob Craig (a.k.a Macbeth). Honestly, Skye came across very pathetically to me. When Duncan dies, she overhears Beth telling Craig that they need to cover up their part in it. Even after they find out that he died of exposure and didn't drown, still neither of them comes forward to confess what really happened. And yet Skye is still making excuses for him and blames everything on Beth. Oh yeah, she also doesn't tell the authorities that her classmate was probably MURDERED and she knows who did it!!! All because she 'lurves' Craig so much and he's really a good person. Honest, he is! *Gags* I thought that I would like this as much as the first book in the Twisted Lit series, but by the end I was so disgusted with all of the main characters that I hoped they all would get locked up in prison. Overall, a very good book if you enjoy abusive relationships, where the female has no sense of self-worth. It does get a star for the fact that it managed to keep me reading just to see if anyone would even get punished - they didn't, at least to my satisfaction! :(
VERDICT: 1/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is January 18th, 2013.*
VERDICT: 1/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is January 18th, 2013.*
December 9, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads.com giveaway.
eral
Picture it: Scotland, the late 1500s to the early 160os. A brave Scottish general receives a prophecy from a threesome of witches that one day he will become king of Scotland. Consumed by greed and desperation, and urged to act on it by his wife, this general kills the King of Scotland and take the Scottish throne for himself. He becomes paranoid; thinking that other will find out what he did. The guilt wracks him. He is forced to commit more murders to throw the suspicion from himself. He start to rule as a Tyrant. The bloodbath and civil war take the king and his lady into the depths of madness and death.
Now you're probably thinking, "this just sounds like Shakespeare's 'MacBeth.'" You're right, it is Shakespeare's "MacBeth." But when you read Kim Askew's and Amy Helmes' "Exposure," you'll notice a similarity in their book.
Askew and Helmes took a page out of history, updated and set it in a high school in present day Alaska. Of all places, Alaska! And if you know anything about Alaska, you would just be as surprised as I was. But the fact of the matter is, Askew and Helmes writing is so wonderful, that it actually pulls you into the book and the plot.
Skye Kingston, an Introvert, enjoys watching life through the lens of her camera. She plays ignorant to the fact that she is pretty and is faced to play the game of life because of the horrorful events of one bad school year. A young man is killed, and his death may or may not be an accident; her three "new friends" can eerily predict the future; her parents decide to divorce; she is falling for the high school hunk, and he is now in the cross hairs of the investigation of the young man's death, and Skye doesn't know if she can save him, as well as herself.
The authors use of "MacBeth"'s plot was spot on. The story flowed beautifully and the characters were very well developed. I was able to follow the dialogue between the characters and took notice to a change in scenes. The way that Kin Askew and Amy Helmes used the plot was very creative and the story read like Shakespeare.
I am now looking for more of their books through my library.
If you want to get caught up in a twisted plot, then read "Exposure."
eral
Picture it: Scotland, the late 1500s to the early 160os. A brave Scottish general receives a prophecy from a threesome of witches that one day he will become king of Scotland. Consumed by greed and desperation, and urged to act on it by his wife, this general kills the King of Scotland and take the Scottish throne for himself. He becomes paranoid; thinking that other will find out what he did. The guilt wracks him. He is forced to commit more murders to throw the suspicion from himself. He start to rule as a Tyrant. The bloodbath and civil war take the king and his lady into the depths of madness and death.
Now you're probably thinking, "this just sounds like Shakespeare's 'MacBeth.'" You're right, it is Shakespeare's "MacBeth." But when you read Kim Askew's and Amy Helmes' "Exposure," you'll notice a similarity in their book.
Askew and Helmes took a page out of history, updated and set it in a high school in present day Alaska. Of all places, Alaska! And if you know anything about Alaska, you would just be as surprised as I was. But the fact of the matter is, Askew and Helmes writing is so wonderful, that it actually pulls you into the book and the plot.
Skye Kingston, an Introvert, enjoys watching life through the lens of her camera. She plays ignorant to the fact that she is pretty and is faced to play the game of life because of the horrorful events of one bad school year. A young man is killed, and his death may or may not be an accident; her three "new friends" can eerily predict the future; her parents decide to divorce; she is falling for the high school hunk, and he is now in the cross hairs of the investigation of the young man's death, and Skye doesn't know if she can save him, as well as herself.
The authors use of "MacBeth"'s plot was spot on. The story flowed beautifully and the characters were very well developed. I was able to follow the dialogue between the characters and took notice to a change in scenes. The way that Kin Askew and Amy Helmes used the plot was very creative and the story read like Shakespeare.
I am now looking for more of their books through my library.
If you want to get caught up in a twisted plot, then read "Exposure."
June 10, 2013
Skye has mostly coasted through high school on the fringe of every social group. She knows who to talk to & who to avoid in order to make as few waves as possible. Having spent the majority of her high school years in the art room's darkroom developing photos the "old way" while pining after her could-have-been-her-boyfriend acquaintance Craig, Skye never really got to know much about anything outside of her own little world.
All of that changes when she is suddenly thrust into the middle of a tragic accident. While not directly involved, she knows the truth about what happened that night at the party. Even worse, she knows that she should do something about it, but her paralyzing fear of doing the wrong thing prevents her from not only doing what's right, but doing what could have saved them all.
We all know I am a big fan of retellings. See my previous love of Jackson Pearce or Stacey Jay's work. This one is another great book to add to that list. While it says "Twisted Lit #2" that's just a loose relation for the other books. Kind of like Jackson Pearce's. If you've read the other books, great, you'll have a more in depth understanding of the relationships. If you haven't read the other books, no biggie, it's not necessary at all!
These women have done a fabulous job in updating the story of Macbeth for the new generation. They seamlessly blended the language of Shakespeare with modern vocabulary. This book strikes a fine balance between the story we all know (and some of us love) and the one that they are presently telling.
The characters are terrific updates to the classical characters. My personal favorites are the three native Alaskan girls as the three witches. I also loved how these characters seemed to embody the original characters not just in their behavior, but in their speech and physicality as well.
The tempo of the book is just right so that you can fully appreciate the work that went into creating this multifaceted dream of a Shakespearean retelling. I never felt like it was too wordy or that not enough was going on, so it was a fairly quick and enjoyable read.
All of that changes when she is suddenly thrust into the middle of a tragic accident. While not directly involved, she knows the truth about what happened that night at the party. Even worse, she knows that she should do something about it, but her paralyzing fear of doing the wrong thing prevents her from not only doing what's right, but doing what could have saved them all.
We all know I am a big fan of retellings. See my previous love of Jackson Pearce or Stacey Jay's work. This one is another great book to add to that list. While it says "Twisted Lit #2" that's just a loose relation for the other books. Kind of like Jackson Pearce's. If you've read the other books, great, you'll have a more in depth understanding of the relationships. If you haven't read the other books, no biggie, it's not necessary at all!
These women have done a fabulous job in updating the story of Macbeth for the new generation. They seamlessly blended the language of Shakespeare with modern vocabulary. This book strikes a fine balance between the story we all know (and some of us love) and the one that they are presently telling.
The characters are terrific updates to the classical characters. My personal favorites are the three native Alaskan girls as the three witches. I also loved how these characters seemed to embody the original characters not just in their behavior, but in their speech and physicality as well.
The tempo of the book is just right so that you can fully appreciate the work that went into creating this multifaceted dream of a Shakespearean retelling. I never felt like it was too wordy or that not enough was going on, so it was a fairly quick and enjoyable read.
January 10, 2013
Another humor-filled Shakespearean retelling from Kim and Amy!
Frankly, if I found out the guy I'm crushing on was involved in an accident that resulted in someone's death and didn't tell the proper authorities, I would fall out of love right there. I'd also go tell the authorities. Because I'm a goody goody like that. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't be crushing on the guy who lets his bitchy girlfriend boss him around. Skye has a bigger heart than me here. She wants to save Craig from the mess that he's dragged himself into, and she stays quiet about what she knows for his sake, waiting for the right moment to help him. Craig isn't a bad guy at heart, and he's lucky to have a good girl like Skye by his side.
Past the small detail of Craig's wimpiness, I enjoyed reading this story. I'm not familiar with Macbeth, as it wasn't on my high school reading list and I never got around to reading it on my own time. Nevertheless, I do know that Craig's girlfriend really fits the role of a modern-day Lady Macbeth. She'll do anything to climb the social ladder--even murder. She's psycho, and I'm not sorry about what happens to her in the end. Just that Skye had to get involved with her to protect Craig.
Like Tempestuous, Exposure is filled with stereotypical characters. From cheerleaders who see Halloween as an opportunity to show off as much skin as possible to dumb jocks with equally dumb senses of humor to strange artists with unique personalities and the crazy, daring environmentalist, this book has them all. Normally, I like to think that stereotypes shouldn't exist and that all people have different sides to them--like Craig, the jock and artist. However, that would be a perfect world, and such stereotypes do exists. And playing with stereotypes leaves a lot of room for humor to come out.
This is a quick and highly entertaining addition to the Twisted Lit series. If you enjoyed Tempestuous, you'll love this one as well. I hope to see more twisted lit books from Kim and Amy!
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For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.
Frankly, if I found out the guy I'm crushing on was involved in an accident that resulted in someone's death and didn't tell the proper authorities, I would fall out of love right there. I'd also go tell the authorities. Because I'm a goody goody like that. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't be crushing on the guy who lets his bitchy girlfriend boss him around. Skye has a bigger heart than me here. She wants to save Craig from the mess that he's dragged himself into, and she stays quiet about what she knows for his sake, waiting for the right moment to help him. Craig isn't a bad guy at heart, and he's lucky to have a good girl like Skye by his side.
Past the small detail of Craig's wimpiness, I enjoyed reading this story. I'm not familiar with Macbeth, as it wasn't on my high school reading list and I never got around to reading it on my own time. Nevertheless, I do know that Craig's girlfriend really fits the role of a modern-day Lady Macbeth. She'll do anything to climb the social ladder--even murder. She's psycho, and I'm not sorry about what happens to her in the end. Just that Skye had to get involved with her to protect Craig.
Like Tempestuous, Exposure is filled with stereotypical characters. From cheerleaders who see Halloween as an opportunity to show off as much skin as possible to dumb jocks with equally dumb senses of humor to strange artists with unique personalities and the crazy, daring environmentalist, this book has them all. Normally, I like to think that stereotypes shouldn't exist and that all people have different sides to them--like Craig, the jock and artist. However, that would be a perfect world, and such stereotypes do exists. And playing with stereotypes leaves a lot of room for humor to come out.
This is a quick and highly entertaining addition to the Twisted Lit series. If you enjoyed Tempestuous, you'll love this one as well. I hope to see more twisted lit books from Kim and Amy!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.
January 10, 2013
Once again, Kim Askew and Amy Helmes have taken one of Shakespeare’s plays and turned it on its head, making it their own. The authors of Tempestuous have tackled the “Bard of Avon’s” Macbeth, or as we suspicious folks in the theatre community like to refer to it, “the Scottish play”.
The book begins with shutterbug, Skye Kingston trying to put a tumultuous senior year behind her as she starts college at USC. But then the rumors begin to fly about her and she decides if she’s ever going to get any peace and move on, she’ll have to tell her college friends the truth about what really happened that last year of high school. The tale is filed with murder, betrayal and a fight to become prom royalty.
The main story is set in Alaska. It’s cold and isolated which fits the the tone and the story perfectly. It’s also a setting that isn’t used often, so it was a nice change of pace.
I loved how the authors infused bits of Shakespeare’s characters into the characters in this book. Craig, Skye’s best friend and the boy she has been crushing on for years, is the perfect high school equivalent of Macbeth. Psycho Beth is her own version of Lady Macbeth, and I really got a kick out of Skye’s friends who represent the three witch’s from Shakespeare’s play.
As far as Skye goes, I liked her enough, but she felt a little weak to me. I understood her loyalty to Craig, but I wanted her to buck up and get past the hearts in her eyes to do the logical thing without her heart getting in the way.
I really enjoy the writing in this series. The authors definitely get teens and write with authentic teen voices. There was a good sense of pace and nothing seemed to drag out. They were also very creative in recreating Shakespeare’s story. Who would have thought that high school royalty could be as dysfunctional as the royal family in Macbeth? They even managed to work in “out damned spot” effectively.
While I enjoyed Tempestuous more, Exposure is a nice addition to the Twisted Lit series. Dark and funny, I think teens will really enjoy this modern spin on one of Shakespeare’s more famous works.
The book begins with shutterbug, Skye Kingston trying to put a tumultuous senior year behind her as she starts college at USC. But then the rumors begin to fly about her and she decides if she’s ever going to get any peace and move on, she’ll have to tell her college friends the truth about what really happened that last year of high school. The tale is filed with murder, betrayal and a fight to become prom royalty.
The main story is set in Alaska. It’s cold and isolated which fits the the tone and the story perfectly. It’s also a setting that isn’t used often, so it was a nice change of pace.
I loved how the authors infused bits of Shakespeare’s characters into the characters in this book. Craig, Skye’s best friend and the boy she has been crushing on for years, is the perfect high school equivalent of Macbeth. Psycho Beth is her own version of Lady Macbeth, and I really got a kick out of Skye’s friends who represent the three witch’s from Shakespeare’s play.
As far as Skye goes, I liked her enough, but she felt a little weak to me. I understood her loyalty to Craig, but I wanted her to buck up and get past the hearts in her eyes to do the logical thing without her heart getting in the way.
I really enjoy the writing in this series. The authors definitely get teens and write with authentic teen voices. There was a good sense of pace and nothing seemed to drag out. They were also very creative in recreating Shakespeare’s story. Who would have thought that high school royalty could be as dysfunctional as the royal family in Macbeth? They even managed to work in “out damned spot” effectively.
While I enjoyed Tempestuous more, Exposure is a nice addition to the Twisted Lit series. Dark and funny, I think teens will really enjoy this modern spin on one of Shakespeare’s more famous works.
January 17, 2013
Skye Kingston is a phenomenal photographer, even though she is only a high school Senior in a small Alaskan town. She’s smart and initially not a popular gal, but she’s made a good friend in Craig. Soon Craig has moved into the popular group of students as a result of his superb hockey skills. Beth latches onto Craig and definitely views Skye as an unwelcome addition to their group; in fact, she is just plain nasty to Skye. As Skye is a serious student and spends a great deal of time on developing her own pictures, she’s annoyed but doesn’t allow herself to fall apart over such a nasty gal. Well, that’s what she says while her thoughts and emotions keep swirling!
Home isn’t much better, with Skye’s parents barely speaking and her mother appearing to avoid being home whenever possible. Skye suspect a divorce is a distinct future possibility but says nothing, thinking if unsaid perhaps it will never happen. Still, it’s another bump that could definitely affect her future. How could Skye go away to college, knowing her father will need help with her sibling and how can her parents afford her tuition if they might not be together?
Then one night Skye is invited to a party. Craig invited her, never realizing she for a change just might accept the invitation instead of refusing in her normal response. Drinking begins and soon after a game begins which resembles a teenage version of hide-and-seek but which ends in total disaster, the death of Duncan and some whispered words Skye accidentally overhears.
How these teens deal with the tragic death of one of their own and their reactions as the investigation very slowly unfolds is tension-ridden reading. Many secrets will also slowly be revealed. The discovery process of the Hamlet-style murder mystery, as well as the unfolding of Skye’s family and future life, makes for a terrific read that isn’t predictable at all. Riddled with tension and some poignant and potent moments, Exposure is a terrific teen read. These authors know their audience and have told a riveting read guaranteed to make readers want more like it in The Twisted Lit collection. Highly recommended!
Home isn’t much better, with Skye’s parents barely speaking and her mother appearing to avoid being home whenever possible. Skye suspect a divorce is a distinct future possibility but says nothing, thinking if unsaid perhaps it will never happen. Still, it’s another bump that could definitely affect her future. How could Skye go away to college, knowing her father will need help with her sibling and how can her parents afford her tuition if they might not be together?
Then one night Skye is invited to a party. Craig invited her, never realizing she for a change just might accept the invitation instead of refusing in her normal response. Drinking begins and soon after a game begins which resembles a teenage version of hide-and-seek but which ends in total disaster, the death of Duncan and some whispered words Skye accidentally overhears.
How these teens deal with the tragic death of one of their own and their reactions as the investigation very slowly unfolds is tension-ridden reading. Many secrets will also slowly be revealed. The discovery process of the Hamlet-style murder mystery, as well as the unfolding of Skye’s family and future life, makes for a terrific read that isn’t predictable at all. Riddled with tension and some poignant and potent moments, Exposure is a terrific teen read. These authors know their audience and have told a riveting read guaranteed to make readers want more like it in The Twisted Lit collection. Highly recommended!
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