Review: Burned

Burned (House of Night, #7) by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: Ebook
Pages: 336
Source: Purchased
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★★

When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames….

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampire High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.

As with all House of Night books, I was nervous starting this one. Surprisingly, there is little I can complain about… I think I might even say that Burned is the best of the series! While the female characters still speak like valley girls,  this book features little guy related drama (my biggest pet peeve with the other books). Zoey isn’t going back and forth from guy to guy through the whole book! She actually sticks with one! Thank god.

Burned offers a great opportunity for character growth and exploration; namely Stark, Zoey, Stevie-Rae, and Rephaim. The best part about this series is that we get to read from all the main character’s point-of-views! The alternate POVs add an entirely new dimension to the story. I really enjoyed watching Rephaim and Stevie-Rae explore their imprint through their POVs.I’m developing quite the soft spot for the evil birdman <3! He is very intriguing and a more complex character than I originally thought. Each character’s perspective was interesting enough that I wasn’t skimming through one to find out what happens to the other. I think that shows some skill on the authors’ parts.

There is something that keeps me coming back to this series every time! Burned was worth suffering through the previous books! I’m hoping that Awakened continues this move in the right direction.

Best Books of 2011

As this year comes to a close, I’ve realized just how many wonderful books I’ve had the opportunity to read this year! There were so many great stories, so many amazing characters, and some very memorable moments. I want to take a second to recognize these amazing books. Please note that some of these books may have been published in earlier years. All of these books below receive my HIGHEST recommendations:

10.		Unwind by Neil Shusterman Unwind earns its place on this list due to the “chill” factor. Shocking. Disturbing. Thought Provoking. A great dystopian read!
9.		joust by Mercedes lackey Been looking for a book like this for a long time… Reminiscent of The Pit Dragons series by Jane Yolen.
8.		Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry Amazing character development and great world building. If you are looking to get into zombie books, Maberry is your man!
7.		Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier Never EVER thought I would find a book with time travel that I would like. This one won me over so quickly. Cannot wait for Sapphire Blue.
6.		Divergent by veronica roth Ahh, so many great things about this book. Need I say more than Four?
5.		Daughter of smoke and bone by laini taylor Definitely the most original story I’ve read this year. Love the mythology and unforgettable characters.
4.		forbidden by tabitha suzuma Heart-wrenching. Tough topic. Beautiful. Thought Provoking.
3.		the iron queen by julie kagawa Epic YA fantasy. I will never get enough of this series.
2.		The Hunger games by suzanne collins My first dystopian read! Classic.
1.		The iron knight by julie kagawa Ash <3 (Sorry for going all fan girl). I love what Julie did with this book! It was really interesting to get in Ash’s head and read from his point of view. This series will forever remain one of my favorites. The Iron Knight was definitely my most anticipated book of 2011!

Do you guys agree with any of my choices!?! Are there any books that you read this year that aren’t on my list?

Review: A Beautiful Friendship

A Beautiful Friendship (Stephanie Harrington, #1) by David Weber
Publisher: Baen Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 361
Source: Publisher
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★☆☆

Stephanie Harrington always expected to be a forest ranger on her homeworld of Meyerdahl until her parents relocated to the frontier planet of Sphinx in the far distant Star Kingdom of Manticore. It should have been the perfect new home --- a virgin wilderness full of new species of every sort, just waiting to be discovered. But Sphinx is a far more dangerous place than ultra-civilized Meyerdahl, and Stephanie’s explorations come to a sudden halt when her parents lay down the law: no trips into the bush without adult supervision!

Yet Stephanie is a young woman determined to make discoveries, and the biggest one of all awaits her: an intelligent alien species.

The forest-dwelling treecats are small, cute, smart, and have a pronounced taste for celery. And they are also very, very deadly when they or their friends are threatened as Stephanie discovers when she comes face-to-face with Sphinx’s most lethal predator after a hang-gliding accident.

But her discoveries are only beginning, for the treecats are also telepathic and able to bond with certain humans, and Stephanie’s find --- and her first-of-its kind bond with the treecat Climbs Quickly --- land both of them in a fresh torrent of danger. Galactic-sized wealth is at stake, and Stephanie and the treecats are squarely in the path of highly-placed enemies determined to make sure the planet Sphinx remains entirely in human hands, even if that means the extermination of another thinking species.

Unfortunately for those enemies, the treecats have saved Stephanie Harrington’s life. She owes them and Stephanie is a young woman who stands by her friends.

Which means things are about to get very interesting on Sphinx.

A Beautiful Friendship is a solid YA Science Fiction novel. The story is definitely tailored toward the younger YA audience, but the reading/apprehension level is quite high for the younger YA crowd… It appears as though Weber was unsure as to what age group he wanted to target with this book. Not only was it wordy at times, but A Beautiful Friendship was also overly descriptive of certain elements. For this reason, I found myself skimming a few times as much of the description didn’t seem to add to the story. I also found there to be some issues with pacing. I would have liked to see this split up into a couple books versus having one big climax at the beginning and one at the end.

What saved this book for me was the wonderful world building. Weber managed to create a completely original, complex, and dangerous setting for A Beautiful Friendship. The humans were fairly flat characters, but the treecats were well thought out and interesting. As a reader, you get a deeper look into their minds than you do the humans.

I would recommend this for more skilled YA readers. As both a Sci-Fi and YA reader, I found this book to be a bit confusing. It doesn’t know exactly what it wants to be. Overall, it was an interesting read, but I think I’ll check out Weber’s non-YA Sci-Fi books next time.

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1) by Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 418
Source: Purchased 
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★★★

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

I started reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone not knowing anything about the storyline. I had, however, heard many people say that it was one of the best books of the year. That it is a statement I can wholeheartedly agree with now having read it. I found it to be a completely original, compelling, and exciting read.

The premise of this book is a hard one to describe without actually giving away any spoilers. And trust me, you want to go into this plot-blind! Originally, I pictured Daughter of Smoke and Bone as being a very close range, personal book, but I could never have imagined the vastness and epic-ness (yes I just made that up) of it all. Contained within the 418 pages there is a beautiful, transcendent romance, some very unforgettable characters, and lush, thought-provoking mythology! I was very impressed by Taylor's ability to provide a full back story without having it feel long-winded, or it being too short, which can make readers feel cheated. Despite the books length, I was never bored! In fact, I was amazed because, what I thought was a good story in the beginning, grew to be even better - something I didn't think was possible! I devoured the last quarter of the book, and the ending (ahhh the ending!!!) was so perfect! I absolutely cannot wait to see where this series goes!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a story of fates intertwined, transcendent romance, and adventure. I believe that this is a book that should grace everyone's shelves! Not only does it have a gorgeous cover (one of my favorites of the year) but it is filled with an action-packed, epic story that promises to please readers across genres. As many have said before me: Daughter of Smoke and Bone is easily one of the best books of the year, so don't pass it up!

Review: Dangerously Placed

Dangerously Placed by Nansi Kunze
Publisher: Random House Australia
Format: Paperback
Pages: 274
Source: NetGalley
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★☆☆

A fantastic romantic sci-fi thriller for teens featuring virtual reality, simulated environments, and just the right mix of mystery and first love

He lay on the ground, his eyes open but unseeing, his pinstriped body blinking in and out of existence like the picture on a fault television.

Alex Thaler can't wait to start her dream work experience placement at Virk, where staff from all over the world mingle in an astonishing virtual office. But when an employee is found murdered, the dream becomes a nightmare—because Alex is the prime suspect. Fortunately, Alex's friends are willing to brave shark tanks, disgusting pathology specimens, and even a nude beach in order to clear her name. Can a hippie chick, a goth girl in a lab coat, and two guys with a taste for  blowing things up really help solve the mystery before Alex becomes the next victim?

Dangerously Placed was quite a thrill ride. I was blown away by how developed and realistic Nansi’s virtual reality technologies were! They were extremely well thought out. So much that I could definitely see us using similar technologies in the future. I also enjoyed how the book was physically broken up: Each chapter takes place over one day. This made it easy to keep track of how time progressed. Sometimes, for me, it is easy to lose track of how much time has passed in novels. Unfortunately, I did find Dangerously Placed lacking in character development initially… BUT by the end the flatness I felt at first was gone and I had a chance to see the intricacies of the secondary characters.

Though this was an interesting, developed story, it did not grab me like the many sci-fi books I have read before. Perhaps the timing was off, but I just wasn’t “feeling it.” I do however feel that this book definitely has a place in the YA sci-fi genre!

Dangerously Placed finished as a strong sci-fi adventure! At 274 pages, this qualifies as a quick read. I definitely recommend this to fans of the sci-fi and adventure genres. I’m very curious to see what Nansi has in store for us next!

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I’m the last stop on the Dangerously Placed blog tour!! Cheers to an good book and some awesome bloggers. Thank you to NetGalley, Nansi Kunze, and Shara Zaval for allowing me to be part of this tour!  Don’t forget to enter my giveaway of Dangerously Placed HERE and watch out for a guest post by Nansi this Sunday!
 Goodreads | Amazon | Author Site

Review: Geek Girl

Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
Publisher: Cedar Fort Publishing
Release Date: December 8th, 2011 
Format: Kindle Ebook 
Source: NetGalley  
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★☆☆ (3.5 stars)

"Think I can turn that boy bad?" 17-year-old Jen turns her life upside down when, out of boredom, she makes a bet that she can turn school geek Trevor into someone like her. Instead, the goth girl finds herself sucked into his world of sci-fi movies, charity work, and even-ugh!-bowling. To truly belong with him-and with her new foster family-she must first come to terms with her violent past.

First off, Geek Girl is one to own simply for it’s stunning cover!! The original cover was ok…. but this immediately made me want to grab it from NetGalley. If you weren't sold on the cover, let me tell you there is quite a good story found within it. I was so happy to finally see a NICE guy as the love interest. I’m getting so tired of the YA genre with all of the love interests who are just plain assholes.  

Geek Girl was a refreshing change for me. Not only is there a nice love interest, but there is also a completely refreshing main character! Jen is nothing like the usual insecure, boring, dependent,  YA females. Not that I mind those types… I not only found her story intriguing, but her character was extremely complex. I’m a sucker for complex characters… I love that Cindy was able to make me hate Jen for playing with Trevor’s emotions in the beginning, but then have my mind completely changed by the very end. I really enjoyed watching Jen discover that Trevor wasn't exactly what she thought he would be like. Definitely a book with a "Don't judge a book by it's cover" theme.

For me, there were definitely some issues with pacing, but overall this was a very enjoyable read! Geek Girl would be great for readers looking for a light, quick read that they can finish in one sitting (at least I did). It will leave you smiling and laughing throughout! Though this book may have its flaws, there is a wonderful story to be found here and it is most definitely worth checking out!

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This review is featured as part of the Geek Girl Blog Tour

 

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Review: City of Ashes

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2) by Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: Paperback
Pages: 464
Source: Purchased 
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★★★

A murderer is loose in New York City ...

... and the victims are Downworlder children. Clary Fray and her fellow Shadowhunters have a strong suspicion that Valentine, Clary's father, may be behind the killings. But if he is the murderer, then what's his true motive? To make matters worse, the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, has been stolen, and the mysterious Inquisitor has arrived to investigate, with his eyes vigilantly targeted on Clary's brother, Jace.

Clary will need to face some terrifying demons and even more terrifying family decisions. No one said that the life of a Shadowhunter would be easy.

There is something about this series that keeps me coming back. It could be the mystery, the tension, the great world building or any of the other wonderful elements present in this story. The more I read this series, the more intrigued I become. City of Bones was a bit slow for me, but City of Ashes was an unexpectedly fast, gripping read: an extremely hard book to put down.

I really loved the mystery aspect of this book. There were so many unknowns, so many truths to uncover, and so many plot twists; Many of which still remained unsolved at the conclusion of this book. The pacing was great! Never once was I bored with a scene or felt the need to skip pages. There was more than enough action to keep me interested!

City of Ashes allowed me to feel a much needed connection with the characters. It provided what City of Bones, was missing for me. In this book, I could see that Clare's characters are flawed. Flaws are what make characters real for me. They allow me to feel a connection and relate to the characters. I was happy that they all weren't perfect. I also liked the fact that Clary was not some helpless girl. There are so many young adult books with helpless damsels in distress. What happened to the badass chicks? While Clary was definitely unsure of herself at times, it was refreshing to see a girl who isn't afraid to try to do things herself.

I'm beginning to see why so much hype surrounds this series... I'll admit that I was disappointed in the first book, but City of Ashes was a definite page turner.

Review: The Initiation

The Initiation (The Secret Circle, #1) by L.J. Smith
Publisher: HarperPrism
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Source: Purchased 
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★☆☆

The author of the bestselling The Vampire Diaries presents a suspenseful new trilogy. Seduced by the Secret Circle, Cassie is initiated into the mysterious "in-crowd, " a coven of young witches whose power has controlled New Salem for 300 years--and risks falling prey to the dark powers in order to have the coven leader's boyfriend.

After seeing the TV show, The Secret Circle, I had to give this series a try. I really enjoyed the characters and tension from the show. Sadly, The Initiation was quite different from the TV series. It was a super quick read for me but I found it lacking substance and plot. I really loved the concept of this book, but it really failed for me in the delivery department. When I look back... not much happened throughout the course of the book. I feel like there were things that could have been expanded on that weren’t.

I would have liked to see much more in the way of character development as well. Watch out if you aren’t a fan of insta-love because it is really terrible in this book. As in: this is the third time I’ve met you but “I love you..” I just don’t understand why Smith would have the characters commited in that way so early. Why not give the tension some time to develop? Why not give some mystery to the reader or doubt in the character's minds? Not only is there insta-love with the guy, there is also friendly insta-love between Cassie and her newfound best friend Diana.They meet and are like sisters immediately.

What kept me moving through the bad relationship development and cheesy lines was the great writing style. L.J. Smith’s words flow seamlessly. I believe most readers can definitely appreciate that. This was my first encounter with her writing, and I will definitely be continuing this series for this reason. I truly think that there is potential for this series to turn into something good! If you are looking for a quick, mildly entertaining read then I would suggest checking this out. If you are like me and looking for something to complement the TV series, don't get your hopes up.

Review: Rot & Ruin

Rot & Ruin (Benny Imura, #1) by Jonathan Maberry
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Format: Hardcover 
Pages: 458
Source: Purchased 
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★★★

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

After reading Maberry’s Patient Zero earlier this year, I knew I would love Rot & Ruin. Once again, he did not disappoint. He has such a great writing style and true talent for keeping readers’ eyes on the page. It was incredibly hard not to finish this in one sitting..

At the start, I found the main character, Benny, to be naïve, ignorant, and a bit obnoxious. He frustrated me so much initially… But I later found that the beauty of this book was seeing Benny grow from that ignorant child into someone to be respected and proud of. I really enjoyed watching the change in the relationship between Benny and his brother Tom as well. Benny had originally thought Tom was a coward, but slowly learned that he was actually quite the opposite! Tom was easily my favorite character in Rot & Ruin. His wisdom and compassion were awe-inspiring. I personally think that the character and relationship development in this book is what truly makes it shine. There is so much emotional substance to this story.

Rot & Ruin is not your everyday zombie book! It is an action packed read that will make you reflect on what it is to be human. I cannot wait to get started on Dust & Decay to see where this adventure leads next!

Review: Linger

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Format: Audiobook
Narrator(s): Dan Bittner, Pierce Cravens, Emma Galvin, Jenna Lamia
Length: 10 hrs 43 min 
Source: Audible
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★★★

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

Linger, the second installment of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, was simply amazing! All of the voice actors were cast so well that I can’t imagine actually reading it. I wouldn’t want to read this… Listening to their narration brought so much dimension to an already great story. Believe me… this audiobook is worth every penny. The thing I really loved about Linger was that not only do you get Sam and Grace’s point-of-views but also Isabelle and Cole’s. They each have their own little side stories that really add to the mix.

Speaking of Cole, at first I didn’t like his character. I found him to be selfish and annoying. But I must say that he really grew on me. If you are looking for some amazing, to-die-for male lead characters then you MUST read this. Sam was great as usual, but what I really enjoyed was the opportunity to learn more about Cole and explore his dark past.

Things really blow up in this book and get very intense in Linger. I was on edge for much of the time… Not only was there the desperation and love between Sam and Grace, but there was also murder, secrets revealed, parental issues, and more. There was so much tension that lets just say I didn’t want to get out of my car to go to work…

I cannot express how great the voice-acting is in this audiobook…. All of the narrators were cast to perfection. I honestly cannot imagine a better team. Even if you are not interested in this series, this audiobook exemplifies excellent voice-acting. I cannot wait to see what else comes from this narration team in the future! Linger is an unstoppable force with its top of the line narration and beautiful love story.

Review: Thin Air

Thin Air (Thin Air, #1) by Lynn Seresin
Publisher: Self Published 
Format: Kindle Ebook 
Pages: 452
Source: Author 
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★☆☆ (3.5 stars) 

Alice Ayre is no ordinary teenager. She took her first name from a statue in Central Park, pulled her last name out of the air (literally), and she’s actually almost a thousand years old. In fact, the only “ordinary” thing about Alice is that she’s in love.

Alice was a sylphid—a winged air spirit—when she spotted Daniel Field camping in the Adirondacks and lost her heart to the handsome NYU student. Intangible to the human senses, her only hope of winning his heart resides in becoming mortal, even though transmutation is forbidden by Paralda, ruler of the air. Risking punishment, however, seems a small price to pay for a chance at true happiness.

This is one of those indie books that makes me wonder why it hasn’t already been picked up by a publisher. I feel that with further editing and a few other changes, This Air could be a young adult hit!

The elemental world was fleshed out  so well in Thin Air! I was hooked on the beautiful descriptions from the start. Seresin has a poetic writing style that I absolutely fell in love with. This style really showed through when she was writing about emotion and love. For example, I think she did a wonderful job expressing Aeris’ desperate longing for Daniel. Seresin managed to make Aeris’ love for Daniel believable, even if initially seemed out of place.

As far as the plot goes, I found it to be quite predictable. Being predictable however, did not take away from my enjoyment of the story and of the writing. I found that the story’s strongest points were the beginning and the end. In the beginning, I just loved reading about the naiveté and innocence that Aeris possessed once she became human. Seresin did a great job making Aeris’ transformation to a human realistic.  It was reminiscent of the 1984 mermaid film, Splash, starring Tom Hanks. Unfortunately, Thin Air did hit some dry spells in the middle for me. During that time, some circumstances and events seemed forced to push the story along. Overall I found the story to be enjoyable, but predictable.

I found the romance between Alice (Aeris’ human name) and Daniel to be cute and sultry (if that makes sense). They had some great chemistry from the start. Despite my love for Daniel, I secretly hoped for a love triangle between Alice, Daniel, and Terra. I would like to see Terra make an appearance in the second book! *crosses fingers*

It’s not often that you see books about elementals. This would be my first, but I don’t think it will be my last. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the second installment in the Thin Air Saga! Thin Air had a strong ending and left me wanting to find out what happens next!

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This review is featured as part of the Thin Air Book Tour

 

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As a grand prize, Lynn's giving away a signed paperback copy of Thin Air, and a gorgeous pair of earrings to one lucky, randomly chosen entrant! Here's how you can enter for this amazing prize: Visit the blogs listed on the main tour site and collect all of the letters. The letters are only featured on some of the blogs, not all of them. Once you have collected the letters, they should form two words that you can enter in THIS FORM to win!

Next Tour Stop (10/5): Everything To Do With Books (Giveaway)

Review: Wanderlove

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard 
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Format: Kindle Ebook 
Pages: 335
Source: NetGalley 
Release Date: March 13, 2012 
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★★☆

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.
But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story

Wanderlove is easily one of the most funny and adventurous stories I have had the privilege of reading this year. Three things in particular stood out about this book to me: (1) Kristen Hubbard’s writing style=hilarious, (2) The characters are so relatable and realistic, (3) There is a ton of wisdom packed into this quick read.

As far as writing styles go, Kirsten Hubbard has one of the most funny ones that I have ever seen! I was constantly giggling and smiling. If you read Wanderlove, expect to be thoroughly entertained from page one!

“At last, a woman excuses herself from the group and approaches me. She’s got knobby knuckles and pearly, lacquered nails. She reminds me of a velociraptor.” – Wanderlove

Bria, the main character of this story, is extremely easy to relate to. Describing herself as an “introverted hanger-back,” all I was thinking was “THAT’S SO ME!” I felt like I was on this journey with her, growing and learning. The newness and wonder of it all was beautiful to me.

As far as scenery goes, I’ve never been to the places in the book, but they sure seemed authentic to me. I’ll admit I even looked up Laughingbird Caye, and guess what!? It’s real! It is clear that Hubbard did some research (maybe even first hand?) for this one. Authenticity in travel fiction is a must!

The ending was left open, but very satisfying. Quite honestly, it was exactly how I wanted it to end. Wanderlove is a simple, yet beautiful adventure of self-discovery, love, and healing. Think Eat, Pray, Love for teenagers! I fell in love with this book from page one.

Review: City of Bones

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) by Cassandra Clare 
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 485
Source: Borders 
Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
★★★★☆

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

This is one of those situations where I’m upset that I read reviews for this book before reading it myself… Being one of the last people on the planet to actually pick up this series didn’t help! Unfortunately, The City of Bones just didn’t live up to the hype for me! Was it a great book? Yes, most definitely. It just moved very slow for me, whether it was the pacing of the story or my own issues, I’m not sure.

Clare created an innovative, dangerous, and beautiful world in The City of Bones. It’s a world where so much happens behind the scenes: Where demons, shadowhunters, and downworlders exist without the notice of mundanes. She must have put enormous thought into developing this expansive world! And that, I can definitely appreciate.

I found the story and characters engaging and the ending satisfying. I do, however, hope that the relationship twist at the end is falsified in The City of Ashes! Overall this was a great read and I would recommend this to any YA paranormal fans!

Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 372
Source: Borders 
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★★★

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Anna and the French Kiss has defied all of my expectations! I knew it would be good, but I didn’t know It’d be this good! Honestly, this book started pretty slow for me… Well, slower than I expected at least. Once things between Anna and St. Clair started picking up I was hooked and flew through it within hours!

I would refer to this as chick-lit for sure… I usually don’t like contemporary YA and chick-lit quite this much. I liked the fact that there was drama, but it was not overdone. I found the constant back and forth from St. Clair frustrating but he did have very viable reasons as to why he was acting the way he did. I empathized with both Anna and St.Clair for they were definitely victims of circumstance. The tension that grew between the two was unbearable and heartbreaking at times.

All of the characters were extremely likeable and the plot was wonderful!! Check out Anna and the French Kiss if you are looking for a quick, cute, and sweet read with some great protagonists.

Review: Mistborn

Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Tor Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 643
Source: Borders 
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★★★

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

If you are looking for an innovative, epic fantasy, Mistborn is it! This book is so much more than your typical lord of the rings type fantasy. It contains one of the most original and innovative magic systems I have ever seen. I love the way that Sanderson managed to thoroughly describe the world, politics, and magic system without ever making me bored. Trust me, politics in books normally bores the crap out of me! That is a feat in itself.

To start, Brandon Sanderson writes some amazing characters! Not only are they believable and consistent, but they are just plain likeable. And I’m not just talking about the main characters! Some of the most entertaining and heartbreaking scenes involved the secondary characters. There was something about Kelsier and Vin that I just fell in love with. Their relationship was like that of father and daughter. Kelsier, though he could be egotistical and manipulative at times, maintained hope in even the most grim of situations. Seeing Vin go from a scrawny, insecure, abused girl to a confident and trusting woman was incredibly rewarding and inspiring. She certainly grew throughout the story, thanks to the incredible cast of characters.  I could go on and on about how much I love them all… I’m just happy I should have another couple books to get to know them better!

The plot of Mistborn was extremely well thought out. Sanderson constantly had me on edge thinking that the crew might give up or fail. I don’t want to go in depth with the plot and give something away though. I can, however, tell you that the fight scenes throughout the book were amazing and well choreographed. What a treat!

I was excited to find a developing romance in this book as well! I honestly did not expect one but it was a most definitely a pleasant discovery. Once again, you won’t squeeze the details out of me! Just know that the relationship is cute and awesome.

If you are a fantasy fan like me, then I can pretty much guarantee that you will love this book. It was refreshing and original like no other fantasy I have read. I already have the next two books and will hopefully get around to reading them before the end of the year! What was originally supposed to be a trilogy will have a new addition, The Alloy of Law (Mistborn, #4) on November 12th, 2011!




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Review: Firelight

 Firelight (Firelight, #1) by Sophie Jordan
Publisher: Audible, Inc.
Format: Audiobook
Narrator(s): Therese Plummer
Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
Source: Audible
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★★★

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

In the beginning, I did not like this book. The idea of Draki was not attractive whatsoever to me and I found the narrator to be extremely annoying. After getting past the narrator and learning more about the Draki, this has become one of my favorite books!

Firelight was a refreshing and highly original read! The characters, especially Will, Jacinda, and Tamara, were beautifully written and realistic. The way that Jordan writes emotion is fantastic. If you are looking for some really great kissing scenes, look no further! Firelight has it all: mystery, intrigue, family, forbidden romance, and adventure. I’m hooked to this series! The end of Firelight was well written and VERY heart-wrenching. Talk about a cliffhanger! Jordan sure knows how to guarantee I’ll come back to read Vanish.

Unfortunately, this is one of those rare cases where I would recommend reading the book vs. listening to the audiobook. It was really hard for me to adjust to Therese Plummer’s voice. I’m not sure exactly why I was so put off by it. She was really wonderful at embracing the emotion of the characters, but she was inconsistent. All the male voices she did sounded the same to me. This made it very hard to keep track of who was talking at a particular time.

Overall, I loved this book! I would definitely recommend this to fans of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Check this out if you are looking for a refreshing twist on shapeshifter lore.

Review: Ruby Red

Ruby Red (Edelstein-Trilogie #1) by Kerstin Gier (translated by Anthea Bell)
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. 
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 324
Source: Zeitghost Media/Publisher 
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★★★

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Ruby Red is absolutely fantastic!! I kept putting it off because, usually, I’m not a fan of books involving time travel. I. WAS. SO. WRONG! I devoured this book. Ruby Red alone has changed how I view the time travel genre!

What really surprised me is that there is so little romance, but this book still demanded my attention. I feel that sometimes I rely on the romantic side of a book to get me through a mediocre plot; but definitely not in this case!  In my mind, that is the sign of a truly special book. I definitely foresee a budding romance in Sapphire Blue, the next in the series. I’m super excited to see how that plays out!

Kerstin Gier manages to weave history, time travel, and secret societies together seamlessly. Ruby Red felt so authentic! She included excerpts of secret writings, letters, and maps that give readers a deeper look into the secret society that plays such a large role in this book. Throughout the Ruby Red I couldn’t help but feel that there was much more going on behind the scenes with that society. The air of mystery was ever-present. Not much of the mystery is actually revealed in this book. Ruby Red left me craving for more!

On another note: I’m amazed at how beautifully this book flows. Anthea bell did a really great job with this one; the translation was perfect! With consistent characters and a wonderful, gripping, and mysterious plot, Ruby Red delivers!!  My only problem now is that I have to wait to get Sapphire Blue! I NEED it!

Review: Solid

Solid (Solid, #1) by Shelley Workinger
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: Kindle eBook 
Pages: 221
Source: Author
Buy It!? Paperback | Kindle
★★★☆☆

Teens who discover they were secretly genetically altered before birth are
brought together at a classified site where they develop
"super-abilities", while at the same time forging new friendships,
finding love and unearthing a conspiracy.

 

I was so excited to finally get around to reading this. Unfortunately, Solid just didn’t live up to my expectations…  Would I recommend it to others? Yes. I think it depends on what you’re looking for. I expected this to be an epic story, not the quick, light adventure that it was. It was a super fast read for me: slow at parts, but it was definitely entertaining.

I found this to be lacking in the plot department. I liked the characters, but felt I didn’t have enough time with them. Some parts of the story were a little unrealistic. For example: Government offices were left unlocked? What happened to security? I would think it would have to be a bit more in this sort of operation.

If you are looking for a fast, solid (no pun intended!), and entertaining read, then this is for you! I enjoyed it, but I wanted more depth. Will I still be reading the next in the series? Yes, most definitely. I’m just really hoping that Settling, book 2, will give me the depth and expansion I was looking for in Solid.

Review: Forgive My Fins

Forgive My Fins (Fins, #1) by Tera Lynn Childs
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 
Format: Paperback
Pages: 293
Source: Borders
Buy It!? Amazon
★★★★☆

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

What a cute book!! Forgive My Fins was exactly what I was looking for in a beach read! It was a quick, sweet, and easy read. I’ll be honest: I’ve never read a mermaid book before, but this has left me craving more, more, MORE!

Lily was a pretty cool character! I think most girls can relate to her in some way. She did have a tendency to be incredibly shallow at times; especially in thinking that her infatuation with a guy she didn’t know was love. Her naiveté amazed me. I also found her childish and stubborn at parts. But, In her defense, she did grow up quite a bit in this book. Quince, on the other hand, was such a sincere character!! Quince = bad boy meets boy next door. He was patient, sweet, and comfortable in his own skin; the ideal male lead. The relationship between Lily and Quince was quite dynamic. It was a constant back and forth. I was never truly sure how it would end up.

I thoroughly enjoyed Child’s writing. She had a very light and humorous tone that had me smiling throughout the story. I also thought that she was extremely creative with her take on mermaid mythology. Overall, this was a great read! You will definitely want to pick up if you are a fan of mermaid tales or are looking for a cute and romantic summer read!

Review: Shiver

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Format: Audiobook
Narrator(s): Jenna Lamia and David LeDoux
Length: 10 hrs 43 min 
Source: Audible
Buy It!? Paperback | Kindle
★★★★★

the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

At first glance, I thought this was going to be yet another YA insta-love romance. I was incredibly wrong… Never once have I loved a werewolf story this much! The combination of this great story with some amazing narrators made this experience unforgettable. And when I say amazing narrators, I mean it. Jenna Lamia and David LeDoux are so freakin’ talented! Not once do I think I have been so wrapped up in an audiobook.

I definitely was a little turned off at first by what seemed to be “insta-love” but upon further examination, I realized that it was more of a mutual curiosity/fascination between the two. That curiosity developed into a deep love: one that I found both believable and interesting. Not only did Sam and Grace have a very cute relationship, it was also extremely sexy at times. Maggie did a wonderful job making Sam a super sweet, sexy, and loyal male lead. It was easy to fall for him right along with Grace. Their struggle to be together really amped up the tension in this book, and at times I just felt so sorry for their situation… It was a combination of this struggle and Maggie’s writing that made this book so stunning.

Maggie’s graceful writing made it easy to savor every moment… For example:

"As the hours crept by, the afternoon sunlight bleached all the books on the shelves to pale, gilded versions of themselves and warmed the paper and ink inside the covers so that the smell of unread words hung in the air." – Maggie Stiefvater

There were bits like that in every chapter. Maggie’s writing is very emotionally-charged, but not once did I ever tire of it.

Overall, this was a great book! If you are a fan of werewolves and YA romance then reading this is a must! I highly recommend this audiobook. Nothing beats listening to Maggie’s poetic writing. I cannot wait to listen to Linger and continue this great love story!!