Book Review: Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: EgmontUSA (January 22, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606843214
ISBN-13: 978-1606843215
Series: No
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Cover: I think the cover is okay. If I saw it on the shelf, I would definitely pick it up and it really works having read the book. I think the blue eye is gorgeous and I like the smoke on the bottom right hand side. So not amazing but definitely not the worst cover I've seen.
First Sentence: Nine letters. Two words.

Mini-Review: This novel maybe about forgettable characters but you won't be likely to forget them!

Summary:

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.

That’s why they make the perfect assassins. 

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated. 

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.

Review:

Nobody combines a very interesting premise, awesome characters, high stakes and an intense plot that suffers from some pacing problems. I'm always going to love a book that makes me want to talk to people about it and in this regard, Nobody is truly a success. I keep thinking about this concept even several weeks later but I realize that this book isn't without its faults.

I really enjoyed Claire and Nix. I know some people have felt Claire was weird just for the sake of being weird but I thought she was a very fleshed out character. See, Claire's a Nobody, as in she's genetically forgettable. People can't help but overlook her. But she has no idea about this and tries to figure out ways to get noticed. I love that she made up situations in her mind because we all do this to some extent. We always think what would happen if... and Claire just takes the fantasies further, allows herself to dwell in them. I know that when I'm feeling down, I often do the same thing. The entire first half of the novel was tricky from her point of view. There was a delicate balance that had to be struck between Claire trying to be strong by not falling for her assassin (thus doing something dumb) and having feelings for him anyway because he notices her. I'm not sure how much this worked, especially in the cabin scene, but for the most part I thought it was handled well.

Nix was something all on his own. I'm not sure I've ever read another character like him but I think that's what made me look forward to his point of view more. At first, I wasn't impressed because he was a cutter and so dramatic about everything. But as I continued on with him, I found it interesting how he related everything outside from himself. His narration of his own life, even when things were happening to him, made sense and made for a really great angle. Scenes follow him were my favorite.

At first, their romance didn't really work for me because it happens fast and because they go from assassin/target to lovers in a snap. But as the story wore on and considering their circumstances, I definitely started to get their attraction to each other. I did wonder though if falling in love with the only other person in the world that can see you is romantic or kind of just convenient. However, I did love them together and I felt their bond deepen more as the book wore on. I just wish it had deepened slowly instead of starting too quick and then trying to back off.

My favorite thing about the novel was all the science that went behind Nobodies and Null because I believed it. Energy pushing energy has a direct reaction but if someone is lacking energy then a reaction would lack as well. This is the explanation for the nobody and it really worked for me. I loved learning about how these characters had their magic and how they could use it. I also really admired the simplicity of the writing. Nix's voice especially, was so unique and felt truly special while still very plain.

The first 100 pages blending together and I rushed past them in a blur. I couldn't stop reading. But I found that the middle felt a bit heavy. I think my biggest problem with pacing was that I couldn't figure out the scale of the novel. How far did the Society reach? The way it was portrayed made it seem small even though it was supposed to be big and Nix and Claire trying to find out did seem to lag just a little. However, as soon as I saw the end game, as soon as the stakes were set up again, I found that I couldn't put the book down. The ending is exciting and while it is fulfilling, I liked that it was also a little unsettling. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or uneasy which has made the novel have a lasting impression on me.

As you can see from the review, there were some things about Nobody that really worked for me and others that were lacking. While I go back and forth on a few things, I can honestly say that I haven't been able to stop thinking about this novel since I finished it. The science behind nobodies and Claire and Nix's sweet romance definitely made this an enjoyable read.

Rating:

Favorite Lines:

Claire Ryan was a ghost, a nothing, a nobody. Invisible would have been an upgrade.

-Pg. 5 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Even as children, Nulls' hugs were empty. They were unmoved when Mommy accidentally sliced open her finger. Instead of reaching for the Band-Aids, they leaned forward to get a better look.

-Pg. 36 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The resurrection of a dream was almost as hard as watching it die.

-Pg. 107 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Nix shook his head. The movement hypnotized Claire, and it took her a moment to decode its meaning as something other than his dance to her song.

-Pg. 173 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

If she closed her her eyes, he might disappear. Not because he chose to--he'd said he wouldn't leave, and she believed him--but because Happily Ever After didn't happen to girls like Claire.

-Pg. 250 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Emotions? Useless in a fight. The biochemical jolt that came with them? Gold.

-Pg. 276 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Book Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 563 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (December 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316042676
ISBN-13: 978-0316042673
Series: Beautiful Creatures #1
Source: Bought at Books-A-Million
Cover: This is cover love for me. Ever since I saw this first cover, I've been smitten with these novels, especially since they work so well for the Gothic Southern feel of the books. However, I wish the font were purple since this is narrated by a boy and yellow and green are so important to the story. But those angry grey tree silhouette are a little slice of heaven!
First Sentence: There were only two kinds of people in our town.

Mini-Review: A delightfully Southern Gothic read that is intensely romantic and hard to put down

Summary:

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. 

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. 

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Review:

Beautiful Creatures is a delightfully Southern Gothic read that is intensely romantic and hard to put down. I didn't expect to write that a book told solely in a male's point of view would be romantic but by the end, I was a complete believer. With a setting that oozes mood and charm, a cast of finely tuned and wildly interesting characters and a plot that keeps plenty of twists in its pages, it is one hard book to put down.

I've read other reviews that have had a real problem with the main character Ethan. They state that he just isn't believable because of how crazy he is for Lena, how polite he is to grown ups, how interested he is in what Lena wears and how he spends his Saturdays helping out with his trio of crazy old Aunts. I can understand this point of view, I just don't agree with it. Boys don't have to just like sports and not notice what a girl is wearing. They come in a variety of flavors and I loved that Ethan was so varied. He was a pretty good basketball player though he wasn't in love with the game but he also liked to read classic books. Yeah, he noticed what Lena was wearing sometimes but he also realized that she dressed to match her mood. I think that these things made him special and allowed girls to relate to him as easily as men. So I had no problems with him. He was from the South and he was bred to be a well mannered Southern boy who respects his elders and says "ma'am".

I thought Lena was just as good of a character though I did have a few problems with her. I understood that she'd been bullied her entire life but a lot of the time, she got mad or upset and I had NO clue why, I was just as baffled as Ethan. I just had a hard time understanding her motivations. I did love all of her corky characteristics though. I thought her necklace full of junk and the way she loved to play with the clouds was brilliant.

The authors did an awesome job really making Gatlin seem like a character in the book. It felt alive and breathing to me. Sometimes it was way too small with its one stop shop and how everybody knew everyone else's business but then we'd get a little chapter about the scenery and I'd be blown away but just how beautiful and mysterious it was. It really was the perfect setting to add mood to the book. I could picture all the hanging moss and Ravenwood as if I drove past it every single day. All of the Southern food and customs  really helped bring it to life. How everyone knew their family tree, referred to the Civil War as the War of Northern Aggression and were more interested in how the North was unfair than what really happened in history. I felt like I lived there with Ethan.

That's why finding out about Lena and her families' power felt so magical. People often criticism Twilight for being long and showing mundane things about Bella's life but without knowing those, we wouldn't fully appreciate how amazing and magical The Cullen's existence was. This goes the same for the setting in Beautiful Creatures. We saw the Gatlin Ethan grew up in and felt as it shattered away into something all together magical when he met Lena. We saw that right below the streets and houses was a vast Caster library. We saw that Ravenwood may look like a dump but that it's really enchanted. And we were just as enchanted with everything else as Ethan.

The entire Casters system was pretty neat. I read a lot of paranormal so it wasn't completely unique but it was fun. What made it really special and stand out for me was the curse on Lena's family. You get no say whether you go Light or Dark. The power just takes you on your sixteenth birthday. I loved the idea that one day, someone could be as sweet as pie and the next they went black. It made for such an interesting concept and it was for that reason I kept reading so intently.

I think the plot was really well done. I wasn't expecting the ending AT ALL so that really shocked me. What I was expecting was a re-incarnation story. With all the flashback to the past, I was sure that was the way this book was going and I kind of wish it was. The flashbacks were revealed to be important but I'm not sure they were important enough to warrant so much intention. Having it be a re-incarnation story would have really made those flashbacks vital. This is just a personal preference though. I liked how the past and present and even the future never felt too far away. They all sort of blended into one thing. For me, that is a lot like the South so it was perfect.

I was also really impressed that this novel was written by two authors. I can't tell where one started and the other took off. Their voices blended perfectly to create Ethan and I never noticed the writing getting too different. I thought I might and I really did try but it never got to that. I will say that I did think this novel could have been cut down. There were places that really drug for me. I know it's nice to know that they spent a lot of time looking for answers but right before it got to Lena's birthday, I almost lost interest. I felt it could have been trimmed there and a few other places to help with pacing but by the time I got to the end, that didn't really matter for me.

Beautiful Creatures really does weave the magic the South offers into one hell of a debut. Blending the past, present and future into the novel really creates a sense that anything can happen and the sweet romance between Ethan and Lena is guaranteed to make you smile. Dripping with charm and chills around every page, Beautiful Creatures is one book you won't mind if it "ma'am"'s you!

Rating:

Favorite Sentences:

When she was in one of these moods, my mom used to call it going dark--religion and superstition all mixed up, like it can only be in the South.

--Pg. 8 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

I felt a steamroller plow into my back. and Emily pushed through the doorway as if I wasn't standing there, which was her way of saying hello and expecting me to follow her to the back of the room...

--Pg. 34 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

When I looked at her, I was farther away from Gatlin than I'd ever been.

--Pg. 53 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

I tried not to look surprised , but I'm pretty sure it gave me away when I almost jumped out of my skin.

--Pg. 120 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

"You can't jump  off a cliff when you've already fallen off a bigger one." (Ethan)

--Pg. 183 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Old paper, which my mom used to say was the smell of time itself.

--Pg. 224 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Darkness, real darkness, was something more than just a lack of light.

--Pg. 295 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

It felt like the Book was stealing a little bit of my breath each time I inhaled.

--Pg. 350 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

It wasn't my mother's smile, but it was one of my mother's favorite smiles.

--Pg. 423 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

"I have never loved you any less than I do, right this second. And I'll never love you any less then I do, right this second." (Ethan)

--Pg. 561 of "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

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Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Speak; Reprint edition (April 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0142420891
ISBN-13: 978-0142420898
Series: If I Stay #2
Source: Purchased from Books-A-Million
Cover: Is it just more or does this girl look like Lacey from Flyleaf? (*see image below). I mean, that's all I can see in this cover. Even so, I think this is beautiful. I wasn't a fan of the cover redesign for the re-release of If I Stay but I thought this cover was infinitely more beautiful and even looking at it here, I can see I'm not wrong. I love the softness of her long hair and white shirt behind the vivid light blue background.
First Sentence: Every morning I wake up and I tell myself this: It's just one day, one twenty four-hour period to get yourself through.

Mini-Review: A beautiful and touching study of what happens after grief.

Summary:

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever. 

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other. 

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Review:

If I Stay is one of my favorite YA books I've ever read, so this sequel had huge shoes to fill. While it maintained the beauty of the first novel, it fell just shy of my expectations. This isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it immensely--I was stuck in Adam's rock star world, riveted trying to find out what happened and crying out for an ending I could live with. In that aspect, I got exactly what I needed. I guess Where She Went just didn't touch me in the same way as the first one but it did succeed in sprouting new questions.

Adam was perfect in If I Stay. In my mind, there was this capsule of a boy willing to do everything, even let the girl he loves go, if only she'd choose to live. This was how I saw him. He was glowing. And then we met this slightly cowardly, kind of a dick rock star that he's become in a few short years and I have to readjust everything I thought. The truth was, if he'd been exactly how he was in the first novel, there would have been no place for this story to go. He didn't need to change in the first book but he certainly did in this one. I thought everything about the boy we met in Where She Went was sort of a ghost. He was terrified of fame, not thankful for the chances he got and unable to communicate any of these feelings with anyone. It hurt me to see him that way. But this also gave his character an incredible chance to grow.

We get caught in these moments of brilliance throughout this one night with Mia. Forman is a master at capturing moments that we all want to freeze in. Her novel is filled with these little moments strung together like white Christmas lights. These are enhanced by the beauty of her writing, the way Adam sees things just a little differently than everyone else. I liked how his voice was a little poetic while also still feeling like a guy. It told us what made him special enough to have made it to rock star status.

I wasn't crazy with how internal the whole book was. I'm sort of torn on this point. On one hand, I understand because it's a mate to If I Stay and that was all internal since the main character was in a coma the entire time. However, I think keeping this one so much in his head slowed down the pacing just slightly. Not enough to make me want to put the book down and every time I went to pick it up, I didn't dread it but it did make some of the chapters feel a little bit slow.

Mostly I just really wanted the question that the title poses answered. What happened to make Mia and Adam drift apart when they just got a second chance to be together? It let me know how much I cared about Adam that even though he showed us he had turned into kind of an ass, I was still as angry with Mia as he was. But what I loved even more was that when everything came to light, I didn't blame either of them. Forman did such an amazing job showing us how their relationship looked from both sides that it forced me to get out of Adam's head and see it like Mia did. I like that it made them equals again.

I also think that Where She Went did such an amazing job of exploring the after-effects of grief on everyone involved. If I Stay was sort of an immediate testimony to grieving but Where She Went is what happens after the loss of someone you love doesn't mean as much to other people. It explores those feelings of whether or not we think we deserve to grieve. I loved this because these are feelings I've experienced myself. It's great to see them addressed.

Where She Went might not have been the same as the first novel but it was never meant to be that way. It's the consequences of exactly what staying means...that life has to go on and sometimes it goes in directions we don't like. While I wasn't fond of who Adam became, I was so glad to take this final journey with him and Mia. Beautifully written and completely absorbing, Where She Went is a testament to the after. And it makes one hell of a statement.

Rating:

Favorite Lines:

But then, as we got bigger, people began to dissect the songs, like a frog from biology class until there was nothing left but guts--tiny parts, so much less than the sum.

--Pg. 13 of "Where She Went" by Gayle Forman

...But instead of hunching over her cello, her body seemed to expand, to bloom, and the music filled the open spaces around it like a flowering vine.

--Pg. 49 of "Where She Went" by Gayle Forman

All of us in the band tried to keep it in check, but it was hard not to inhale their stardust.

--Pg. 109 of "Where She Went" by Gayle Forman

"Can we just stay like this for a while?" (Mia)/ "All night long if you want. We'll tell our secrets to the dark." (Adam)

--Pg. 174 of "Where She Went" by Gayle Forman

That's the thing you never expect about grieving, what a competition it is. Because no matter how important they'd been to me, no matter how sorry people told me they were, Denny and Kat and Teddy weren't my family, and suddenly that distinction had mattered.

--Pg. 185 of "Where She Went" by Gayle Forman

*Now double take this:

Book Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 544 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (October 23, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442421797
ISBN-13: 978-1442421790
Series: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer #2
Source: Purchased from Books-A-Million
Cover: I don't think this cover is as beautiful as the first but it is pretty darn close. It works well for the essence of the story and I love the vivd blue color. The only thing I can't stand is the matte type of paper it is printed on. While it looks amazing, I can't stand the touch of it. So beautiful cover but I don't like to touch it.
First Sentence: You will love him to ruins.

Mini-Review: A sexy stunner that is even more unforgettable than the first!

Summary:

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past. 

She can’t. 

She used to think her problems were all in her head. 

They aren’t. 

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets. 

She’s wrong. 

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Review:

I was worried about this second novel mostly because of my intense surprise and love of the first Mara Dyer book. There was so much build up and tension in the first novel that I wasn't sure if this one could live up to it. I found myself about halfway and suddenly I had more questions than when I started and I realized that every worry I had was unfounded.

I think I went through the natural progression with this novel. At first, I was really frustrated with it. Frustrated with the characters, with where the story was going and with all the things I didn't understand. But as it kept moving, I realized I was supposed to be. I was supposed to be as anger as Mara was with her family for not believing her and I was also supposed to be as frustrated as Mara was with herself for not knowing what was real and what she might be hallucinating. For understanding that something awful was happening to her on top of something else awful happening to her and she has no answers. I think Mara definitely became my favorite character in here because she made the most sense to me. She was coping with so much internally as well as externally and the fact that she held it together, that she had  to hold it together, was incredible.

I also liked that she didn't keep any secrets from Noah. A lot of the time the main character likes to withhold things from their love interest for the sake of tension but I was glad that Mara was smart enough to know that she could rely on Noah. Even if he didn't always go along with exactly what she believed, he did believe that she was experiencing the things she told him and I'm glad that this bond they built in the first novel didn't get torn apart in the second one.

It was actually Noah who frustrated me more this time around. I think we were supposed to and I understood his reasoning but I still wish he'd been a little more open the way Mara was. I guess their relationship felt a little one sided. However, as the novel kept going, it felt wonderful to get into Noah's head a little bit with that journal Mara found. Hearing his thoughts and finally having him say his wishes made it a lot easier to connect with him again and made it more believable for Mara to lean on him. I was kind of angry in the beginning when neither Mara or Noah would cherish the moments they have together so I was glad when that barrier was finally removed. I also think that will make them stronger in the final novel (regardless of what the ending was).

The flashbacks and the plot had me very confused basically the entire time. But not confused because of the writing. Confused because of the narrator. At the heart of this novel, we have an unstable narrator. Mara wants to know the truth, to find the answers, but there is also something taking over her. Whether its a demon or a "gift" or a gene that runs in her family, she is changing. And those changes are making her more unreliable. So things that we think happen, that she believes happened sometimes haven't and sometimes the things that seemed the most unbelievable are the things that actually have happened. This ambiguity, this not knowing, is what makes the story so unputdownable. By the time I got about 200 pages from the ending I was killing myself to race to the end and figure out what the heck is happening. This isn't to say that the first 300 pages weren't interesting. The book just picked up and rocketed to a conclusion by the second half of the book.

As before, sometimes I would just stop and marvel in the beauty of Hodkin's prose which explains the long list of favorite lines at the bottom. I know this is an odd sort of thing to think about but I thought that where one chapter ended and the second began was placed well. It kept me reading "just one more" when I should have gone to bed. I did miss Mara's bond with her family who took a backseat to the plot this time so I hope we get to see more of them in the next novel. I also hope that if they ever find out Jude is alive they give Mara a huge hug and sob at her feet for being so right.

With the mystery of what is happening to Mara, Noah and the rest of the kids deepening as well as the dangerous situations they are finding themselves in, I found that this novel was even better than the first one. Mara definitely became one of my favorite characters ever because of how fiercely she loves her family and how strong she's become. Thanks to a plot that has more twist and turns than a dance floor and characters I'm completely invested in, The Evolution of Mara Dyer is one heck of a thrill ride from page one until the shocking conclusion.

Rating:  

Favorite Lines:

So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, like I was preparing to launch myself off of a cliff. In a way, I guess I was.

--Pg. 18 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

"Sometimes, Noah, I feel an overwhelming urge to punch you in the face."

--Pg. 57 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

"The people we care about are always worth more to us than the people we don't."

--Pg. 58 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

Time was supposed to heal all wounds, but how could it when Jude kept picking the scab?

--Pg. 127 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

Daniel shook his head sadly. "I hate that I never managed to persuade you to watch Buffy. It's a flaw in you, Mara."

--Pg. 141 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

I felt and probably looked like a wild thing while Noah kneeled there like an arrogant price. Like the world was his, should he choose to reach out and take it.

--Pg. 226 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

I'll walk forever with stories inside me that the people I love the most can never hear.

--Pg. 258 of "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

"...I would rather die with the taste of you on my tongue than live and never touch you again. I'm in love with you, Mara. I love you. No matter what you do."

--Pg. of 348 "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

Book Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (August 28, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062117181
ISBN-13: 978-0062117182
Series: Defiance #1
Source: Finished copy provided by publisher
Cover: I think this cover is absolutely stunning because there is so much to look at. My eye is drawn to her red hair first but as I keep looking I see the gadget on her arm, the way her cape flairs out around her feet and the beautiful landscape that is ghosted above the title. I love the pose of the model and how fierce she looks. There is no way I would snatch this one off the shelf.
First Sentence: The weight of their pity is a stone tied around my neck.

Mini Review: An enchanting and vibrant story inhabited by intelligent characters you can't help but fall in love with page after page.

Summary:

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Review:

Defiance is a fast paced, dual point of view read that will keep the reader on the edge until the last page. The two main characters have a chemistry that is electric and with a cast of supporting characters to fall in love with or love to hate, it makes for one heck of a captivating YA fantasy.

My favorite thing about this novel is most definitely the two main characters. I immediately identified with Rachel's sorrow over her missing father and found her spirit refreshing, especially since she lives in a world where she isn't suppose to have any. It's nice to find a female character who didn't feel like a tomboy but who I also felt could take care of herself in tough situations. She felt capable without having to always be so tough that she comes across as unlikable. I really appreciated that about her and though her refusal to listen to Logan or confide him at times made me anger, the author did an excellent job of giving them a past that would make it hard for Rachel to trust him.

Logan felt even more interesting to me than Rachel. While I loved Rachel for being sort of a normal girl with a spirit, I thought that the way Logan thought was so different. My thought process is much more like Rachel so seeing how Logan saw the world--all moving parts and how things work and fit together--made a very interesting read for me. He always surprised me with the things he did. When he would lose his cool, I would be as surprised as Rachel even though I was just in his head and knew he would because he is often so good at keeping himself calm. His tinkering and his way of thinking to solve problems truly impressed me and always kept the read fresh and interesting.

Another thing I love about this book is hat I kept guessing where it was going to go and being completely wrong. When I started reading it, I thought "okay, Rachel, Oliver and Logan are going to take a long journey and find Rachel's dad". Then something happened to prevent this. I kept correcting the scenario in my mind but I kept getting it wrong. That made the plot feel exciting. There was always one more twist right around the corner that I couldn't predict.

I also loved all the side characters. There aren't many characters I take an instant liking to without rolling my eyes because the author tries so hard to make me like them. But I loved Oliver the way Rachel did from the second he appeared on the page. I believed in their bond and trusted him. The author is particularly adept at making the reader remember that these characters had pasts and lives before we were dropped down in the story and I felt their history in this novel. I also loved to hate the Commander and I have a feeling there is a lot more than meets the eye to that man. I'll be interested to see him again for sure.

While the setting didn't exactly feel fantastical, I liked how it felt different than a lot of the other stuff I've read. For me, it was more the creatures and people roaming this land than the settings themselves. It was the rules Rachel's society set out, the tricks of the trade her father left her with and The Cursed One that breathed life into the trees and rocks and quaint medieval town that Rachel and Logan are from. For me, this really worked and it made Logan's little cabin and her father's stop house interesting. The writing was also quite beautiful. I kept finding spots to mark, little phrases that were so insightful and clear action scenes that I wanted to mark up my copy.

My favorite thing about this book though was Rachel and Logan's relationship. At the heart, that is what this book was about. I loved that they had a really complicated past that came into play from the beginning. It explained to me why they couldn't trust each other. I love that they found each other slowly like grasping out blindly in the dark. They each had to change in order to finally fit together and when they did it was absolutely electric.

Falling in love with Defiance isn't like Rachel and Logan's relationship. It's like the pacing--fast and effortless. Through an unique society, riveting characters and a place that felt full of history before you ever opened the book, Defiance is a stand out in the YA fantasy genre. It definitely ranks as one of my favorite reads this year. Give it a try and watch as it, like Rachel, defies all your expectations.

Favorite Lines:

The memory burn within me, a bed of live coals I swear I'll stop walking across.

--Pg. 20 of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Lower Market is laid out like a man's back. The main road forms the spine and leads toward the North Tower, while smaller roads and alleys branch off like ribs...

--Pg. 31 of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

...I learned that true family is found in those who choose you.

--Pg. 70 of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

His words felt like a gift I want to keep reopening when no one else is looking.

--Pg. 127 of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

"And one day, I'll make him pay for it in full."

--Pg. 184 of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

I don't actually have proof that Peter Carmine is stupid, but he looks like he could be, and that's enough in my book.

--Pg. 175 of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

I silently promise myself I'll...deliver justice before the Commander realizes the girl whose loyalty he purchased in blood will be his final undoing.

--Pg. 190 of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

I wear armor on the inside, a metal forged of fury and silence, cutting me off from myself.

--Pg. 295 of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Book Review: Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen; First Edition edition (August 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765328666
ISBN-13: 978-0765328663
Series: Anna Dressed in Blood #2
Source: Finished copy provided by publisher
Cover: I think this cover is just as striking as the first novel. It's different from all the other YA covers out there and for that reason alone I would have picked up the book. While I don't think this one is quite as interesting as the first, I think it does look great together and the creepy ghosts reaching out from the lava to grab her legs is super creepy.
First Sentence: I think I killed a girl who looked like this once.

Mini-Review: Every bit as scary good as the first!

Summary:

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.

Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Review:

If you had any worries that Girl of Nightmares might not be as good as Anna Dressed In Blood, Kendare Blake puts those to rest as easily as Cas dispatches a bad ghostie.Cas and his gang are back for one more scary good time as they try to figure out where Anna went and whether they can really ever let her go. Combining characters you already know you love with some of the big questions in life and some lingering feelings, Girl of Nightmares knocks the proverbial ball out of the ballpark.

One of the main reasons I loved the first novel is because of Cas's sharp tongue, ability to take care of himself and no bullshit attitude. I mention loudly and often that he is my favorite aspects of the Winchester brothers (Supernatural) rolled up into one helluva fun character. I'm glad to see that his spirit wasn't broken by the first novel and he was back for more action and even bigger haunts this time around. The only thing that bothered me a little was Cas's inability to act sometimes in the face of danger because of his preoccupation with Anna or his fear. He didn't falter as much in the first novel so I was surprised with this. I guess it's good that he was affected from the previous events and when the time came down to it, he went above and beyond to right his mistakes. Plus, his sharp tongue had me giggling well into the night.

It would have been nice to have a little more of the Anna we got to know in the first novel in this one. Since she wasn't around, it felt that a lot of the time we were relying on the stuff we loved about her in the first book to get us through this one when she wasn't in it at all. We did get introduced to a new character Jestine who I loved. I wouldn't mind getting an entire novel in her perspective following these events. She's totally the type of character I could get into and I want her to break hold of some of the strings she's on. Thomas was yet again the perfect best friend. He's definitely the type of guy you want hanging around not only because he's smart and a great witch but also because he's so loyal. He stood with Cas even when no one else would. Carmel has some demons to struggle with on her own which causes her to make quite a few mistakes. I loved her when she was there and hated her when she wasn't which is a testament to the author's writing.

Though the plot isn't as straightforward and sometimes feels a little unwound in this one, there are still plenty of scares. Anna showing up around Cas as something completely different than the first novel was wonderfully horrifying and seeing her torture herself in front of Cas was a fresh new horror. There was also this scene in a place called the Suicide Forest (located around England in the book but it is an actual place in Japan) that was beyond creepy. I don't handle things that move when you can't see them well so that was particularly horrifying for me. The ending Hellscape that Cas and Jestine go through is disturbing and strange and haunting. The author does an awesome job of describing it and I find myself going back there often even though I finished the book some time ago.

The ending of this novel doesn't really leave room for another story and I'm not sure there should be one. This ending is so poignant and bittersweet, the perfect ending for a boy meant to send ghosts away thataccidentally falls in love with one. I'm not sure there could have been another way and I'm not sure I would love this book as much if there had been any other ending. There are very few instances where anything is every perfect and this ending was just that. Blake's writing was just as engaging as I remember it and her mastery of description and Cas's voice is truly exemplary. Please Ms. Blake, feel free to rip out my still beating heart again any time you want to if you're going to give me more of this.

Girl of Nightmares is everything it promises to be. It's scary and heartwarming and witty and funny and the perfect read for October. If you're worried you won't like it as much as the first, crack it open and let Cas put those worries to bed. Girl of Nightmares is scary wonderful!

Rating:

Favorite Lines:

There's a cat-shaped hole where Tybalt used to be, floating in her footsteps.

--Pg. 17 of "Girl of Nightmares" by Kendare Blake

Watching her blink is like watching an alligator cut through thick, brackish water.

--Pg. 50 of "Girl of Nightmares" by Kendare Blake

It's the Monday of the last week of the year, and if I have to sign one more yearbook I'm going to sign it in the owner's blood.

--Pg. 104 of "Girl of Nightmares" by Kendare Blake

This scream is a meat cleaver to the ears...

--Pg. 116 of "Girl of Nightmares" by Kendare Blake

To my left, Carmel is channeling her inner Warrior Princess, using the club to pretty good effect with one arm.

--Pg. 246 of "Girl of Nightmares" by Kendare Blake

Book Review: The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Strange Chemistry (October 2, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1908844019
ISBN-13: 978-1908844019

Series: The Assassin's Curse

Source: ARC provided by publisher

Cover: I am so in love with this cover. I love that you can look at it and think it's pretty but every time you start to really look, you notice more detail. I'd always seen the ship but I never registered the moon behind it and the buildings shapes and the pattern in the design. For being only a few colors, it's so detailed and beautiful. It fits perfectly with the story it's covering!

First Sentence: I ain't never been one to trust beautiful people, and Tarrin of the Hariri was the most beautiful man I ever saw.

Mini-Review: The Assasin's Curse is like nothing you've ever read and awesome for it!

Summary:

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

Review:

If you're looking for a book exactly like everything else then do not pick up The Assassin's Curse because this book is truly like nothing else out there right now. Exotic, intoxicating and completely unputdownable, The Assassin's Curse blends unique locations, larger than life characters and heart stopping adventures on every page.

The Assassin's Curse reads like it's right out of a child's head in the sense that it truly feels like anything can happen. It breaks all the rules of the genre it's in by adding whatever it wants into the story and pushing the limits of magic into something interesting and fresh. I loved that it felt like literally anything could happen on every page and that was really refreshing because I never knew what to expect and when I tried, I was usually wrong.

Besides the plot being completely surprising (and yet simple), Ananna is unapologetically like no character you've ever met. Growing up around pirates has made her brash, morally ambigious and rough around the edges. For me, those things made her a little hard to embrace at first. I was thrown off by the accent because I aint never used to reading very much stuff like that before. But it made her voice so much clearer in my head and I found that I missed her voice when I went on to a different book. I love that even though Ananna isn't educationed, she is smart and The Assassin's Curse went a long way to show this. Ananna's roughness made her unpredictable and I loved seeing how she was going to react to everything that was happening to her. She felt so capable and I liked knowing that whatever situation she got into she could handle.

Her counterpart Naji was equally interesting. Where Ananna was uneducated, Naji was well learned. Where Ananna used the brash approach, Naj was much more sneaky. I became obsessed with learning all the secrets Naji possessed with his blood magic and like Ananna I was cautiously interested and partly horrified by what Naji could do. His dark powers coupled with his noble personality made for a great mix and a lot of inner turmoil in his character. I also loved that he was scarred. So many YA heros or love interests are usually pretty. I thought it was a bold move to make half of Naji's face scarred so that he had to rely on other things and it gave him a lot to wrestle with. Plus, it allowed Ananna to see him vunerable sometimes which really helped to shape his character.

I was completely encahnted with the exotic setting and magic system in The Assassin's Curse too. From Naji's dark blood magic that can be used to protect Ananna to the way hebecomes shadows to the curse that bind he and Anna together to the water magic Ananna and her mother possess, it was hard to not to be interested. I liked that there were really no rules. Don't confuse this with their being no cost because there was but it wasn't overly complicated. A lot of fantasy feel heavy because they are so loaded with cans and can'ts but The Assassin's Curse doesn't fall pray to this. On top of that we get so many amazing places to adventure with Ananna and Naji. I loved the quaint desert town we star out with that is half green land by the sea and half dry desert. But I equally loved the pirate ships and island of magic. It all felt reinvented and fresh and exhilirating.

To say I loved this book is probably an understatement. It's got pirates traveling with ninjas and magic and a feeling that anything could happen. From charming characters to surprising places, I don't think The Assassin's Curse will disappoint. You get the feeling that the moment you pick this book up you are reading something different and it's so well done that you don't want it to stop.

Rating:

Favorite Lines:

There are three ways of bettering yourself, Mama told me once: murder, mutiny, and marriage. Figures the Hariri clan would be the sort to choose the most outwardly respectable of three.

--Pg. 12 of an ARC of "The Assassin's Curse" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

...he spat out a word in a language like dead flowers, beautiful and terrible at once.

--Pg. 33 of an ARC of "The Assassin's Curse" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

"Don't feel the need to defend my good reputation," Naji said as we made our way up the stairs to the room, out of earshot of the innkeep. "I don't have one."

--Pg. 60 of an ARC of "The Assassin's Curse" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

We took off, me and the camel marching through the streets like we were important, Naji creeping through the dark places like a ghoul in a story.

--Pg. 85 of an ARC of "The Assassin's Curse" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Naji stared at me. I stared back as long as I could but Naji was always gonna win a staring contest.

--Pg. 174 of an ARC of "The Assassin's Curse" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

"Well, look who's on my front porch," he said, speaking Empire with this odd hissing accent. "A murder and a cross-dressing pirate."

--Pg. 252 of an ARC of "The Assassin's Curse" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Book Review: Envy by Elizabeth Miles

Envy by Elizabeth Miles

Reading Level : Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse (September 4, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442422211
ISBN-13: 978-1442422216
Series: Fury #2
Source: ARC provided by Paper Lit Lantern
Cover: There is nothing wrong with this cover. It's pretty and I love the stormy background but it's just not as stunning as the original cover (I think it is the cover for the UK verison). I loved how strange the girl on Fury looked and the girl the UK version of Envy looks just as beautiful and strange. This one sort of reminds me of a skin care ad for a beauty spa. Like I said, it's nice but not half as strinking at the UK version.
First Sentence: "You say you want to play with the other boys."  

Mini-Review: Envy is devious good fun!

Summary:  

The Furies are back in the second book of a chilling paranormal trilogy where revenge rules the day—and “sorry” isn’t going to cut it. Spring is coming, and the ice is slowly melting in Ascension…revealing the secrets buried beneath. 

Emily Winters knows the Furies have roots in Ascension, Maine—but she’s about to discover that they’re deeper than she ever imagined. With the help of her new friend Drea, she vows to dig them out. But it’s hard to focus when she’s desperate to make up with JD, and to figure out why Crow, a mysterious Ascension High dropout, seems to be shadowing her. 

Meanwhile, new girl Skylar McVoy is determined to leave her own dark past behind. So she’s thrilled when popular Gabby takes her under her wing, and the stunning and sophisticated Meg offers to give her a major makeover. But everyone knows what happens to the vainest girl of all… 

It’s tempting to be naughty. But beware: the Furies are always watching, and their power grows stronger by the day.

Review:

Envy mixes every deliciously bad thing that the girls in Mean Girls did to each other with supernatural beings hellbent on revenge, a girl hellbent on getting the supernatural out of her town and just a touch of the trainwreck known as Toddlers and Tiaras into one. And you know what? It really, really works!

I know that fury received a lot of mixed views. And it is the opinion of this blogger that it did because the characters were almost too flawed to like. Both Em and Chase screwed up royally in Fury and it was hard to figure out if you should be rooting for them or not. Luckily, Envy does not give the reader the same moral dilemma. Yes, some of the characters are clearly bad but I think they are sympathic enough to be likable and if you don't, at least they get what's coming to them.

Em is back but this time, she is on a holy mission and it is a good one. After dealing with the Furies in Fury, Em has no tolerance for their games in this one and she lets her intentions be known. I loved watching Em become a stronger character in her right and her journey to redeem herself (by kicking the Furies out of her home) is a pleasure to see unfold. You get a much more likable character because this one is all about Em caring for other people instead of solely for herself. That isn't to say that her mistakes of the past are gone and forgotten but she is really working to make up for them and it's nice to see that she is way more accepting of other people.

To replace Chase, we've got a character named Skylar. Even though I knew *spoiler highlight to read* she was going to be the Furies plaything in this book, I still find her a lot easier to identify with than Chase. I think it probably had something to do with her being a girl and just wanting to find a place to fit in. *end spoiler* It's in Skylar's chapters that we get an extra big does of the Mean Girl with a side of Toddlers and Tiaras. I liked how Skaylar constantly warred with herself about her feelings about Gabby. She wanted to love her and be her best friend so badly and sitting right next to that need was her intense jealousy because Gabby made it look easily. I really loved that the author made it a point for Gabby to tell Skylar that it was not easy for her, that she was so tired of working at it all the time, and then having Skylar still choose to believe that it was easy for Gabby. I think, in the end, Skylar's reasonings for doing the things she did made sense to me so it was hard to hate her. I mostly just felt pity.

Envy is fueled by a a diverse cast that wasn't so big as to make everyone feel like a stereotype but small enough to capture that small town feel. As in the last book, I really loved Gabby. It was nice to see a popular girl that was mostly nice to everyone. Gabby had a way of making the room light up and you felt that every time she was on the page. I also loved the addition of Crow. We'd heard about him in the first novel but it was cool to see Em hanging out with him and he really confused my feelings as to who Em should end up with. I loved her sweet charming best friend JD in the first book but Crow sort of took the place of JD in this novel. The nice thing is that Em still seems to know who she wants so it didn't feel like the stereotypical love triangle. I'm interested to see where his character is going in the future.

What I kept noticing about this book was just how good the writing was. Miles has a way of capture little sensations, of pointing out things in everyday life that are intangible or back music and bringing them into Envy to make it feel real. You'll notice that most of my favorite sentences are things that feel familiar but are never seen in novels like the idea of headlights punctuating a conversation in the car. So many times, I marveled at the words strewn togehter like perfectl ittle pearls on a necklace that brought home the mood. I read one review that said this book seemed more shallow than the last one and lacked the creepy factor of the first. I've got to completely disagree. I got chills every time the Furies decided to show their faces or laugh into the night. At one point, Em and Drea go into the woods and every hair on my neck stood straight up on edge. Envy is bursting with the creepy factor and I love how its sandwiched between the creampuff girlyness of Skylar and Gabby.

My only compliant would be that the plot felt a little straight forward. I guessed pretty early on what the big reveal was going to be with both girls which made the novel feel just a little long during some parts. However, I really enjoyed getting to the end and going on the journey with the characters even if I already knew how it was going to end.

If your looking for a read that one part creepy to every two parts Mean Girl than I think Envy is perfect. If you're having doubts because you didn't like the first one, I think you might want to consider Envy anyway because it has a very different tone than Fury and the characters are a little softer. I'm glad I took the berries with Em in Fury and came back to find out what they meant in Envy!

Rating:

Favorite Lines:

Their faces were illuminated every time an oncoming car drove by; it gave their conversation an erratic rhythm.

--Pg. 15 of an ARC of "Envy" by Elizabeth Miles

She could have been wearing an invisible cloak and she still would have felt like she was being trailed by a spotlight.

--Pg. 31 of an ARC of "Envy" by Elizabeth Miles 

The night was suddenly filled with silent space, like black holes.

--Pg. 178 of an ARC of "Envy" by Elizabeth Miles

"Relax," Crow said with a smirk. "I understand that members of the female species wear bras."

--Pg. 224 of an ARC of "Envy" by Elizabeth Miles 

Skylar thought that if guilt had a smell, it would be of cheap air fresheners or drugstore body oil...

--Pg. 323 of an ARC of "Envy" by Elizabeth Miles 

Book Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Wake by Amanda Hocking

Reading Level: Young adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (August 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250008123
ISBN-13: 978-1250008121
Series: Watersong #1
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Cover: This cover just makes me want to read this book. If I saw it on the shelf, I'd have to pick it up and see what it's about. I think it's the bright colored water with the white text and then that top part that looks just a little off with the lighthouse and full moon. Love it!
First Sentence: Even over the sea, Thea could smell the blood on her.

Mini-Review: The perfect summer read!

Summary:

Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong. 

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group. 

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different. 

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Review:

Wake weaves an enchanting tale of water and family and friendship and love amidst a vivid little town that you'd totally want to live in. Following both sisters, Harper and Gemma, gave a well rounded point of view and really worked to add intrigue, answers and tension into every chapter. It feels like the perfect summer read!

The first thing I have to talk about is Hocking's writing. I've read the first book in her Trylle series which was pretty good but I felt that the writing was lacking. Picking up this book, it felt like I was reading from a completely different author. The pages are filled with beautiful prose, complex characters and descriptions so vivid you'll be craving a pool. It's one of those books that made me want to be better which is the only reason it took me a while to read it. I wanted to work on my own book because I was so excited and inspired with how much growth Hocking showed.

I was a little weary that it was third person following two different narrators but after the first few chapters, the decision became clear. Both girls have such different personalities that I can't imagine not knowing both of them. At first, I thought I'd really like Gemma and be a little annoyed with responsible, predictable Harper. Gemma is spontaneous and she loves the water which is totally a character I can get into. Plus, it looked like Harper was always on Gemma's back. But then it switched perspectives on me and suddenly, I started to understand why Harper acted the way she did and that while she might not be funky, she loved fiercely and she spent late night's reading. Their personalities worked so well that it made the story feel whole. Plus, I loved that I was able to see the supernatural plot points through Gemma and still feel very much in the human world from Harper. It worked to really even out the story.

Speaking of evening out, the rest of the cast really turned this from a black and white and blue story to full technicolor. Every person felt real including their lovable but worrying father and Harper's anti-social librarian co-worker. And the boys in this story are both to die for! I thought it'd be Gemma's love interest, Alex, that'd I'd clearly like better. He's that nerdy, geeky guy that got hot over the summer and still doesn't know it so he's perfect for me. But then I met Daniel and saw how witty he was and the fire he brought out of Harper and fell head over heels for him too. Like the sister, both boys are different enough to feel unique.

A cast of such colorful and realistic characters needs a setting to go with it and Wake doesn't disappoint here. The descriptions of the bright blue bay with its rocky shore and tiny tourist town make Wake feel alive. I just wanted to be at Pearl's diner. The supernatural element worked but there wasn't much in the plot that surprised me. That isn't to say that it felt stale or old because it really doesn't, it's just not particularly suspenseful. I think this might be what makes it such a good beach read because you aren't so busy looking for clues or figuring out what's going on to miss how fun the characters and setting is.

I also want to mention that the family dynamic in Wake is another standout feature. You can tell that the family is a little bit broken but I love how they still rely on each other. The girl's father Brian cares deeply for his girls and we get plenty of car fixing and heart to hearts to believe it without being cheesy. Also, the sisters dynamic was perfect. I loved how these two could hate each other but still lean on each other whenever either of them needed it. I'm looking forward to more of that!

Bring Wake to the beach or out on a picnic. It deserves to be read in the sunlight and thanks to its lovable characters and vivid setting, you're going to have a hard time putting it down. Definitely one to pick up and check out, whether you've liked Hocking's book in the past or not.

Rating:

Check out the trailer:


And here's a song that totally reminded me of the book:

Book Review: Once by Anna Carey

Once by Anna Carey

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (July 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062048546
ISBN-13: 978-0062048547

Series: Eve #2

Source: ARC provided by publisher

Cover: This is a cover that I'm not wild about on its own but I've discovered that when it is paired with Eve actually looks really good. I get why the cover is the way it is, I'm just not as in love as I was with Eve's cover.

First Sentence: "I started over the rocks, clutching a knife in one hand."

Mini-Review: Once combines splendid settings, high stakes and a story full of twists.

Summary:

When you're being hunted, who can you trust? 

For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America. 

But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America. 

Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever. 

In this breathless sequel to "Eve," Anna Carey returns to her tale of romance, adventure, and sacrifice in a world that is both wonderfully strange and chillingly familiar.

Review:

Once proves that all the glitters is definitely not gold in the City of Sand. Combining splendid settings, high stakes and a story full of twists, it is an easy read that will keep its audience glued to the last page.

I like to think of Eve as a fairy tale gone wrong. It's an epic love story set against a decayed background that shows the worst of people. I'd mentioned in my review of Eve that the Americas truly felt like a character on their own and Once stays true to this form, only it is in reverse. We've got the fairy tale setting with lush gardens, glittering building and pretty dresses but it is a story of love being splintered apart and crammed back together all wrong. While Eve and Caleb feel in love amongst the rotting shambles of forgotten homes and crashed helicopters in Eve, Eve is trying to be forced into an unwanted marriage amongst gorgeous flowers and lavish feasts in Once. It reminded me a lot of one of Fitzgerald's stories since glitter among trash was one of his favorite themes.

While I enjoyed the setting immensely, I did have a minor problem with Eve. After being forced through so much in the first novel and growing leaps and bounds from the girl who was frightened of boys, I expected a stronger Eve. She was seasoned, she'd been touched by love and had it ripped away from her once. So I didn't understand why she was so passive when reasoning with the king. She kept reminding herself about her friends stuck in the birthing houses and kids like Caleb being forced to work for nothing but she never really pushed the king to do anything about it. Even when she was at her most desperate, she didn't even fight and I wanted to see that so much. Eve had so much spirit in the first novel but I feel like she was weakened in this one for no apparent reason. However, I was glad to see that she was still very clever and bold when it came to sneaking around.

I'd have loved to see more interaction between Eve and Caleb, especially since I really love them together. I did understand that the plot didn't allow it but I'd have welcomed a few more embraces. The time they did have together wasn't wasted and I believed in them as a couple which gave me enough to hold on to for now. However, in the novel Eve bargains for Caleb's life by agreeing to marry another but I wish I would have had more push from the king before she went and offered. I mean, I knew the king wanted her to marry the other guy but it was only mentioned in passing one time and I wish it had been mentioned a lot more before she makes the bargain. It sort of felt out of the blue the way it was put in the book now.

As far as secondary characters, the City of Sand offers an entire new cast of players. I enjoyed exploring the city with Eve's charmingly bratty cousin Clara and those tender moments with Eve's new maid Beatrice. Charles was a little predictable in his being there but I like that there is more to him than meets the eye and I'm interested to see where his loyalties are going to lie when the time truly comes. The king is a larger than life character and the author did a good job crafting him as a complexly emotional character but giving us glimpses of who he really is.

It's the plot that is the real star of this book. There is a turn about 80 pages in that I really didn't see coming but that I loved. The entire book is full of enough twists and turns that it's hard to see where it is all going until the very end. And speaking of endings, Ms. Carey, what the heck are you doing to us? Seriously, I am dying (and so is someone else possibly) to figure out what is going to happen to these characters and I am not at all certain of their futures at this point.

Due to Once's engrossing plot and vivid setting, I'm definitely recommending this sequel. I feel like it excels in places Eve might have fell a little short but it isn't without it's minor shortcomings. Overall, it is such an easy and pleasant read, I can't imagine many not enjoying it. And Once truly does glitter.

Rating:

Check back later today for a giveaway of ONCE!

DNF: Fated by Alyson Noel

Fated by Alyson Noel

I'm not going to go into too much detail with this but I did want to talk a little bit about why I didn't finish this book. The thing I want to get across is that there was nothing really wrong with it. The writing was good, the characters and concept were interesting and the setting was vivid.

My biggest problem with this novel was that I just couldn't get into it. The writing was beautiful but it felt thick to me. Every paragraph seemed to take a lot of time to sift through and I was having a hard time connecting with the main character even though I was interested in what was happening to her.

I just couldn't get into this one though I'm not even sure why. I've been having trouble focusing and this book wasn't helping matters so I put it down. I may try it again later but for now this one is a "did not finished" for me.

If you are a fan of Noel's other work, I'd definitely say to go for this one. I'm just not sure it was right for me.

Book Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (July 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062003259
ISBN-13: 978-0062003256

Series: No

Source: ARC provided by the publisher

Cover: I'm not sure what type of cover would fit this novel. I'm not sure if this is the one though. I think there should have been elements of a crow here since that plays a symbolic part. Regardless, I would have picked this one up because I'd recognize the name from Peter Pan. And I'd have been right to grab it too!

First Sentence: She stands on the cliffs, near the old crumbling stone house.

Mini-Review: Completely unforgettable.

Summary:

15 year old Tiger Lily, proud and fierce, wild and misunderstood, doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland, and immediately falls under his spell. Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, big-hearted but hard to reach, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything - her family, her future - to be with the haunted, hunted, courageous boy who loves her. When - as a punishment for her rebellious ways - she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter. With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

Review:

I had a lot of expectations when I picked up this book because the story of Peter Pan is one tale that I keep close to my heart. But this novel blew every single one of them out of the water in the best possible way. Bittersweet and wild, Tiger Lily has everything in a story that will make it stick to your heart like drying mud.

Being a huge fan of the Peter Pan fairytale, I wasn't sure how a Tiger Lily and Peter Pan love story was going to work. I mean, it's always been Peter and Wendy. They're perfect for each other. Now, I've always liked Tiger Lily but not as a love interest for Peter. What Anderson did was completely recreate Tiger Lily into this complex girl that you can't help but love. Tiger Lily's cold exterior is formed from years of teasing and a quiet but unyielding persistence to get through it. As her legend in the little Indian community grows, so does her solitude and her restless feet. At first, I wasn't sure it was possible to like such a cold and calculating character. Tiger Lily cared deeply for certain people though she would never admit to anyone--including herself. But as she ventures out more and lets her curious feet explore, you start to see cracks in that venire. And because she is so calm and strong, it feels special. You feel special for starting to see how deeply she cares, how trapped she is in her body and routines and before you know it, you care so much for the girl with the raven feathers in her hair that you ache when she aches.

But Anderson doesn't stop with just recreating Tiger Lily. She breathes new life into every well known character. You know Captain Hook? The guy who is scared of crocs and seems completely okay with his hook of a hand? Yeah, not in this version. He's an extremely intelligent man when he's sober and a roaring angry and paranoid guy when he's drunk. The Lost Boys as a group of cuddling little kids who are just looking for a mom? Well yeah, sort of. But they are also known to be the most vicious and terrifying people on the island of Neverland. Whether this is just a rumor will be up to you to discover. And then there is the man himself, Peter Pan. As Tiger Lily grew close to him, I held my breath because I felt like I was standing next to a legend. How Anderson was able to create and animate such a complex character who is simultaneously so full of life and completely empty at the same time will never cease to amaze me. The care with which the author took to make all of these well known characters seem just enough like their legendary counterparts while making them something completely new is one of the best parts about this novel.

Going beyond the recreation of beloved characters, the author is also able to explain away all the problems that go along with putting a fictional land where people don't grow old in the real world. People just don't grow old on Neverland and the Englanders that come to the island just have an "aging disease". I liked thinking of this story in two ways--part old world exploration story and part magic fairytale. It sounds odd but the two blend almost effortlessly.

I think the blending of these two works so well because of the prose. The story is told with the storybook-esque narrative. We are told things are going to happen before they do but by the time the events fold out, it still comes as a surprise. The simple narrative combined with beautiful prose and a sort of jovial "I-told-you-so" that one finds in fairytales makes Tiger Lily unique onto it's own and so very special. I was all ready to dive into Tiger Lily's consciousness so it was a complete surprise when Tink ended up taking the story over. I liked that we got to see her feelings and thoughts about what was going on and she was the perfect narrator since she couldn't speak to the other characters and interfere with how the story was going to play out. We saw how all sides were crashing into the conclusion and how it all would end but we could do nothing (besides the odd bite and ear pull) to stop it.

Tiger Lily is as bittersweet for me as the tale of Peter and Wendy. Their love is doomed from the beginning yet you still see them running in head first though you know what's coming. Watching Tiger Lily grow, come to terms with what love means (not just with Peter but with the other members of her tribe too) and having her heart broken will tear you up in the best way possible. This story grips onto those things you loved as a child, those ideas that you still hold sacred today and shreds them so it can makes something all new. I have a hard time finding words for how much this book affected me. All I can say is it's getting a special place in my bookshelf just like it carved a special place in my heart.

Rating:

Favorite Lines:

The forest would eat him alive, even his bones.

--Pg. 7 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

They'd brought their language with them and given it out as a gift...

--Pg. 10 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

"But you have to be careful who you meet," he said, stroking a pipe thoughtfully. "You can't unmeet them."

--Pg. 11 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

She guarded herself like a secret.

--Pg. 21 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

If there had been one symbol to define the mind and hearts of London of that time, it would have been a question mark.

--Pg. 59 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

"You're just a piece of yourself right now that you don't like."

--Pg. 69 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

I liked the way they looked together. They both kept one ear on each other, an one on the forest around them. And yet, there was something almost peaceful about them standing there. Maybe the way he seemed to vibrate made her stillness less glaring, and Peter seemed calmer.

--Pg. 86 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

His [Peter's] mouth settled firmly in a frown. "But you'll be back. I know you will. You won't be able to let us go now."

--Pg. 103 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

It was her freedom and silence sewn into a dress.

--Pg. 157 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

But sometimes, when she sat there watching him, she recognized that he was wearing someone else's face.

--Pg. 229 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson

...This is the picture that is most stamped into my soul. It's the two of them, jumbled up and broken apart into confused pieces, and not really understanding themselves, what they are doing.

--Pg. 278 of an ARC of "Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson