"Brightest Kind of Darkness" by P.T. Michelle

From Goodreads: "Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past."

While this isn't the first book I have read with this sort of storyline it is by far the most well executed and enjoyable one that I have read to date. Why this book was so successful compared to those others ones is because it is understandable- what you see is what you get, there is no convoluted storyline that leaves you still confused hours after finishing it- when you think you this book hours after finishing it (because I guarantee that you will) you are left with a feeling of satisfaction- at the plot, the characters, and most of all the author herself for penning such a well rounded book.

Individually Ethan and Nara are amazing characters, being extremely developed and just plain likeable, but together they are explosive (or doubly awesome). Furthermore, there is more to their story than just  "boy and girl meet, fall for one another, and live happily ever after", which seems to predominant YA literature today- there is a darker (and more gripping) side to their romance- how much are you willing to sacrifice to be with the one that you love? Are you willing to change the person that you have always thought of yourself to be, to be with them?

All in all, this book will truly keep with on the edge of your seat the entire time that you are reading it- because of both the swoon-worthy romance and the thrilling paranormal element. It is safe for me to say that this is not the first and only P.T. Michelle book I will read- I am truly hooked!

Rating: 8.5/10

I received this book from the author to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.  

 

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating...
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Title: "Pandemonium"
Author: Lauren Oliver
Release Date: March 6th, 2012

From Goodreads: "Lauren Oliver captivated readers with Delirium, the first book in a thrilling dystopian trilogy in which Lena Haloway dared to fall in love with Alex and escape the cure, the government-mandated procedure that renders a person immune to the disease of love. Lena and Alex staked their lives on leaving their oppressive society, but only Lena broke free.

Pandemonium continues Lena’s gripping story. After escaping from Portland, Maine, Lena makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community, where she transforms herself into a warrior for the resistance. A future without Alex is unimaginable, but Lena pushes forward and fights, both for him and for a world in which love is no longer considered a disease. Swept up in a volatile mix of revolutionaries and counterinsurgents, Lena struggles to survive—and wonders if she may be falling in love again.

Full of danger, forbidden romance, and exquisite writing, Lauren Oliver’s sequel to Delirium races forward at a breathtaking pace and is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes action of The Hunger Games and the bittersweet love story of Romeo & Juliet."

Top 100 YA List

So this has been floating around the blogisphere for a while and I had yet to try it out for myself- so here it is (I should make note that I got it from Fitkshun's Ramblings, who got it from Novel Thoughts, who probably got it from someone else, you get the idea)! 

I bolded all of the books/ series that I have read... Many of the series where I have only read the first couple of books in is because I just couldn't force myself to continue reading them (ie. Alyson Noel's "The Immortals" series or Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl  "Caster Chronicles").

All in all I have read 35 of the top 100. I was so glad to see a lot of my childhood favs on this list- like all of Meg Cabot's most noteworthy series, "The Princess Diaries", "The Mediator series", and "All American Girl"- AND I learned quite a bit from this list (ie. Suzanne Collins HAS 2 BOOK SERIES? Is her other one as good as the "Hunger Games")? 

Top 100 YA books

1. Alex Finn – Beastly
2. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
3. Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)
4. Ally Condie – Matched
5. Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
6. Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
7. Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
8. Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)
9. Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)
10. Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
11. Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)
12. Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2)
13. Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
14. Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret
15. Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)
16. Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)
17. Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3)
18. Christopher Paolini – Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)
19. Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
20. Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)
21. Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)
22. Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
23. Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
24. Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
25. Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)
26. Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
27. Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
28. Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)
29. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
30. James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)
31. James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
32. Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
33. Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)
34. Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
35. John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
36. John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
37. John Green – Looking for Alaska
38. John Green – Paper Towns
39. Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)
40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2)
41. Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)
42. Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)
43. Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)
44. Lemony Snicket – Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
45. Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)
46. Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)
47. Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
48. M.T. Anderson – Feed
49. Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)
50. Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
51. Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)
52. Markus Zusak – The Book Thief
53. Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
54. Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
55. Mary Ting – Crossroads
56. Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)
57. Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)
58. Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
59. Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
60. Meg Rosoff – How I live now
61. Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
62. Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)
63. Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
64. Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
65. Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
66. Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)
67. Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
68. Neal Shusterman – Unwind
69. Neil Gaiman – Coraline
70. Neil Gaiman – Stardust
71. Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
73. Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)
74. Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick; Norah’s Infinite Playlist
76. Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
77. Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
78. Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks
79. S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)
80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
81. Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
82. Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
83. Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
84. Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
85. Scott Westerfeld – Leviathan (1, 2)
86. Scott Westerfeld – Uglies (1, 2, 3)
87. Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
88. Shannon Hale – Princess Academy
89. Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)
90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
91. Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)
92. Stephanie Meyer – The Host
93. Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)
94. Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
95. Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)
96. Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)
97. Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
98. Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)
99. Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)
100. Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

How many books have you read on this list?

"Lorelei and the Sirens" by Aaronni Miller

From Goodreads: "Lorelei Twila Adams is from the McAdams line of sirens in Ireland and as the second generation in America Lorelei must never fall in love, never let her beauty mark burn (a means of surveillance), and she must practice perfect restraint at all times; to her great chagrin. Lorelei abhors the stifling gaze of her over-protective mother and gets a breath of fresh air when Ellis Latif McMillan, the new boy, shows up at Harry P. Strange High School. With hypnotic, crystal-blue eyes Lorelei stumbles into talking to Ellis at school, trips when he writes a poem about her, and falls in love with him when she sneaks out to meet him late one night, but her days are numbered soon after. Lorelei's family finds out about Ellis and her; they call for her immediate trial to determine her guilt. Lorelei runs away with Ellis; she knows the outcome if her family finds her. Lorelei's first taste of love will either set her free from the lies of her family or it will kill her and the boy she loves."

I rarely ever comment on spelling and grammar in a book- I understand that a few spelling mistakes or a missed comma here or there is bound to occur in a book, from books published by some of the largest publishers, to self published books. However, I must comment on the spelling and grammar in this book- frankly speaking, it is quite terrible. BUT what I think is perhaps the most frustrating thing about the editing job is that all of the corrections can be easily fixed/ all of the mistakes were glaringly obvious (in fact, I am quite surprised that the authors typing program didn't pick up the spelling mistakes, underlining everything with the little red squiggly line). 

Lorelei, the main character, shoked a lot- seriously, not once in the 330 page book did the author correctly write "shook"- and she used it A LOT, at least 50 times I think- ie. "I ran the past week through my head and shoke my head no" (pg. 12). And not only was shook misspelled through the book, but words such as "shocked" were as well, "I said as I pulled my books into my sternum and tried to move around him; he blocked my escape with a fast hand. I almost laughed as I stared at him, but I was shoke as his baking hotness radiated towards me" (pg. 83). Furthermore, there were countless times that the author meant to say "he" but said "she" (and vice versa) and where a character would have a conversation with themselves (ie. Lorelei and Ellis would be having a conversation and the author would incorrectly use one of the characters names, they would reply to one of their own responses). Also, there were numerous times that the same line was essentially written, one right after another (almost as if the author had thought of a better way of writing something, but forgot to delete the original line)- for instance, Lorelei was constantly licking her lips.

Spelling and grammar aside, I did think that overall the premise of the story was quite interesting, though very repetitive for a good three-quarters of the book- Lorelei and her sisters woke up, drove to school in their car, walked the hallways of school (not talking to anyone, aside from themselves), sat at a cafeteria table (not talking to anyone, aside from themselves), got in their car and drove home, got home and was lectured by one of their mothers, got ready for bed (dressed themselves in all silk for the night), went to bed, woke up, drove to school in their car, walked the hallways of school... Well, you get the idea. The end of the book did become far more exciting than the beginning/ middle of the book (albeit a bit too "Twilighty" for me), but it almost felt like a 'little too late'.

All in all, I think that if this book were to receive a thorough editing job (both in spelling/ grammar and in cutting down some of its repetitiveness) the author could very well have a masterpiece on her hands- but until that time comes, I don't believe I will be reading the next book in the series.

Rating: 5.5/10

I received this book from the author to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kirsti at The Story Siren as a chance to share the books we've bought or received over the past week.
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Seriously, how many times did I say, "I am excited", in this video?

For Review
"Where You Go" by Heather Davis (Thanks to Thomas Allen and Sons!)
"Blood Wounds" by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Thanks to Thomas Allen and Sons!)
"Dark of the Moon" by Tracy Barrett (Thanks to Thomas Allen and Sons!)
"The Fate of the Muse" by Derrolyn Anderson
"Savor" by Megan Duncan
"Radiant Desire" by Inara Scott

Bought
"Sisterhood Everlasting" by Ann Brashares
"Matched" by Ally Condie
"Soul Thief" by Jana Oliver
"Some Girls Bite" by Chloe Neill
"Friday Night Bites" by Chloe Neill
"Twice Bitten" by Chloe Neill
"Hard Bitten" by Chloe Neill

What did you get in your mailbox?

On My Wishlist

 

On My Wishlist is a great event that Book Chick City runs every Saturday. It's where you list all of the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. I thought that this was a fantabulous idea so I thought I would join in!
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"Silence" by Becca Fitpatrick 

From Goodreads: "The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever."

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating...
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Title: "Obsidian"
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: December 6th, 2011

From Goodreads: "Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is."

"Cold Kiss" by Amy Garvey

From Goodreads: "It seemed so right. Danny was mine, I was his, and that wasn’t going to work if he was dead. So I would make him not dead, not anymore. I didn’t think any further than what it would feel like to kiss him again, to wrap my arms around him and bury my head against his shoulder. That was my first mistake. It also turned out to be the biggest.

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned."

Stories of resurrected romance have been told over and over again (heck, just watch the cartoon of the Peverell brothers in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 or check out the "Prom Dates From Hell" or "Vacations From Hell" anthologies), however, this book had a wholly unique spin on it, as unlike many of those other resurrected romance stories, this one constituted an entire book, rather than mere pages of an anthology or a small portion of a larger tale. As such, the characters were so much more developed in this book than they ever have been in the shorter tales, as was the plot and the overall feel of the book.

However, I do think that the short resurrected romance stories had one thing over this book- their endings (in many of the short stories I have read the resurrected partner begins to become mentally unstable and wrecks havoc everywhere that they go). I think that the ending of this book would have been much more interesting and creepy had Danny done more than yelled at a tree and hugged Wren too tight (for instance, with the cat. Now this may sound a bit morbid and shocking coming from me as I am a certified cat-lady-in-the-making, but I think that had Danny done something to the cat when it was lost, ie. killed it or whatevs, as opposed to petting it on its head and sending it on its merry way with a note attached to it). At times, I couldn't understand why Gabriel and Wren were getting so worked up and frantic about Danny when he rarely did anything aside from sleep and draw in the attic- had he actually done something MAJOR I think that their reactions would have been more justified.  

The earlier romance between Danny and Wren was so sweet and amazingly written (seriously, Amy's prose in this book was breathtaking) that I think it near impossible for the reader to not fall for them. And then when Gabriel came along and tried to sweep Wren off of her feet, as much as I wanted to, I couldn't not like him- mainly because he was so open-minded and non-judgmental when it came to Wren (and her selfishness).    

All in all, this is a perfect book for YA readers who love a book that has more emphasis on romantic elements than paranormal elements (Twi-hards will gobble this book up in no time and ask for seconds) and I am quite excited to see what Amy has in store for us next! 

Rating: 8/10

I received this book from the publisher/ NetGalley to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

"Thin Air" by Lynn Seresin

From Goodreads: "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.

Tracking down Daniel in New York City ends up being surprisingly easy. Getting noticed by him for all the right reasons is another story, especially when the human world keeps tossing challenges in Alice’s path. Just when she’s mastered zippers and buttons, she catches herself dropping a sugar packet into her coffee and mistaking a photo of John Lennon for one of Daniel’s relatives. Her eccentricities raise the occasional eyebrow with Daniel and his friends, but her quirky charm, sweetness, and sincerity win out. Before long, she lands a job, begins a relationship with Daniel, and starts settling into her new life—until her past comes after her.

Enraged over Alice’s departure, Paralda has sent transmuted assassins to pursue her into the human world. A near-fatal fire on a camping trip and the murder of a look-alike employee at the club where Alice works convince her they are closing in fast. Alone with her secret–who would believe her?—Alice must elude a nameless, faceless enemy sworn to destroy the happy, new life she’s risked so much to achieve."

When I first started reading this book and learning of the world of Elementals I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by its cuteness (sylphids, faerie-like creatures, flying about day in and day out, making clouds, rainbows, and the likes of)- there were countless times I literally "Awwww"ed out loud while reading the book. But then I was quite taken aback by something that happened in the book. Sex. 

Now don't get me wrong, I am not a prude when it comes to sex in books whatsoever- I think that there is a time and place for it/ for it to be successfully done but I don't think that it was entirely successful in this book and I think that it didn't fit the overall feel of the book. The cutesy-ness/ innocence of the book and its characters- elements which had completely defined the first bit of the book were gone, replaced by a borderline obsessive feel (basically Alice, as a sylphid, stumbles across Daniel, the boy that she falls in love with, having sex with his girlfriend. Being invisible Alice is able to watch the entire dealio and is able to position herself in a way that she feels/ thinks she is the one having sex with Daniel and not his girlfriend. I just found it all to be very awkward and borderline voyeuristic). 

*I should make note that the sex in the book wasn't overly graphic, like you would find in an adult PNR/ UF book, but I personally felt that it was more graphic than the large majority of YA books that do contain sex- ie. "Desires of the Dead" by Kimberly Derting or the "Vampire Academy" series by Richelle Mead AND I should make note that I am in no means getting involved in the 'should there be sex in YA books?' debate.*

Somewhat awkward sex scene set aside, I did quite enjoy the book overall because of it originality (it was unlike anything I have ever read before) and its characters. Alice was generally a very sweet, albeit naive, character, while Daniel was a true knight in shining armor- putting her safety before his own in every single instance. Furthermore, Dante, Wren, and Shane were the most well developed and likeable secondary characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading before.  

Rating: 8/10

I received this book from the author to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

In My Mailbox (First Vlog Ever)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kirsti at The Story Siren as a chance to share the books we've bought or received over the past week.
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 So, as I mention in the Vlog, I finally figured out how to use the webcam on my computer. I don't know if I will regularly Vlog my IMM from this point forward, but I do know that I did have quite a bit of fun doing this one (oh, and please don't mind the stuffy nose, darn you back-to-school-cold!)! 

BTW... I have no idea how to make the books not backwards? (*grumbles about being technologically challenged).

Bought

"Bone Crossed" by Patricia Briggs 

"Dreamfever" by Karen Marie Moning 

"Fragile Eternity" by Melissa Marr

"Jane" by April Linder 

"The Poison Eaters" by Holly Black

"The Demon Trapper's Daughter" by Jana Oliver 

"Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins 

For Review 

"Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi (Special thanks to Shannon and HarperCollins Canada)

"If I Die" by Rachel Vincent (Special thanks to HarlequinTeen)

What did you get in your mailbox?

PS. Don't forget to enter my 21st Birthday/ 1 Year Blogiversary GIVEAWAY! 

On My Wishlist

 

On My Wishlist is a great event that Book Chick City runs every Saturday. It's where you list all of the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. I thought that this was a fantabulous idea so I thought I would join in!
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"Darkfever" by Karen Marie Moning 

From Goodreads: "MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman.

Or so she thinks…until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae….

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands…."

PS. Don't forget to check out my 21st Birthday/ 1 Year Blogiversary GIVEAWAY! 

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating...
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Title: "Incarnate"
Author: Jodi Meadows
Release Date: January 31st, 2012

From Goodreads: "NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life."

"The Space Between" by Alexandra Sokoloff

From Goodreads: "Sixteen-year old Anna Sullivan is having terrible dreams of a massacre at her school. Anna’s father is a mentally unstable veteran, her mother vanished when Anna was five, and Anna might just chalk the dreams up to a reflection of her crazy waking life — except that Tyler Marsh, the most popular guy at the school and Anna’s secret crush, is having the exact same dream.

Despite the gulf between them in social status, Anna and Tyler connect, first in the dream and then in reality. As the dreams reveal more, with clues from the school social structure, quantum physics, probability, and Anna's own past, Anna becomes convinced that they are being shown the future so they can prevent the shooting…

If they can survive the shooter — and the dream.

Based on the short story "The Edge of Seventeen," winner of the ITW Thriller award."

When I started this book I was quite taken aback with the way it was written- I personally feel that the writing was quite choppy and awkward, almost to the point of sounding robotic (ie. "There is not a class on her schedule this semester that she likes. Next up, second period Chem which she understands not at all." pg. 10)- as such, I had a very difficult time connecting to everything that was occurring within it. 

Furthermore, I feel that the book was unnecessarily convoluted- there were countless times while reading the book that I set it down so that I could process everything that was going on (and after every time I did this I was still no closer to understanding the book) and there were countless times while reading the book that I had to pull up the dictionary feature on my Kindle so that I could understand what exactly the author was trying to say- it almost felt like the author used a thesaurus to change every couple of words in the story to make it sound more intelligent (ie. "The dark second-floor chem lab is soporific as always, Litwack spacing out behind his desk, mug of coffee well-laced with vodka. As the class practices titration Anna can see more than the assignment bubbling at the back table: Darren and a couple other football guys are huddling too industriously over a beaker." pg. 10). 

If anything the book reads more like a screenplay than an actual book, which I suppose makes sense as the author "made an interesting living writing novel adaptations and original suspense and horror scripts for numerous Hollywood studios (Sony, Fox, Disney, Miramax), for producers such as Michael Bay, David Heyman, Laura Ziskin and Neal Moritz" (http://www.alexandrasokoloff.com/alex.html). After reading the book I am left feeling similar to how I did after watching films such as "Inception" and "Shutter Island"- basically I am confused beyond belief, but know that what I just experienced is very likely a work of genius.

All in all, I think that this is one of the rare cases where, if this book were to be made into a film, the film would actually be better than the book. While I personally did not enjoy the book as much as I had hoped to, I can see fans of thrillers eating it up and asking for seconds.

Rating: 6/10

I received this book from the author to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

On My Wishlist...

 

On My Wishlist is a great event that Book Chick City runs every Saturday. It's where you list all of the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. I thought that this was a fantabulous idea so I thought I would join in!
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"The Vincent Boys" by Abbi Glines

From Goodreads: "Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from. 

Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah."

"Fangs For Nothing" by Adrianne Ambrose

From Goodreads: "Grab some garlic and start sharpening your mother's wooden spoons because there are vampires living in the most unlikely of places.

I’ve always wanted to meet a vampire. Not to stake some poor bloodsucker as he sleeps in his coffin or have some sexy vampires bite me on the neck, but just to see a creature so rare and infamous. What can I say? Some people want to sail to Easter Island, others want to fling themselves out of an airplane, I want to shake hands with a vampire. Well, maybe I should prioritize getting a girlfriend first, but a vampire sighting is pretty high up on the list. Trust me, a lot of kids my age dream about it. Like my two best friends, Rini and Xander. We spent half the summer searching the most notorious cities in the United States for the undead, but so far, no luck.

That’s why it came as a total shock to discover a living, breathing vampire in our hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. (Okay, so he’s more undead and not breathing, but you get the picture.) At first we were kind of excited, but then pretty freaked because it turns out our new fanged friend has a hold on the city's teenage population and a specific thirst for their blood. Which, in a word—bites."

I must admit after having struggled with the last couple of vampire books I have read, I was not entirely looking forward to reading this book. I thought that, like those other vampire books, this book would be entirely cliched, full of characters that were so contradictory all you could do was shake your head at their antics, and the likes of, however it was anything but.

This book was such a pleasure to read- it was legitimately funny, the characters were all so likeable/ relateable (from Grandma with her snappy remarks and concern about Sherbie's lack of girlfriends, to Xander's complete selflessness when he could be a total rich prick, to Lana with her inconceivable self-consciousness) and it kept me entertained the entire time.

The only complaint I have about the book is the ending- this book definitely has a moral ending and I feel that it was too 'in-your-face'. I personally don't feel that a moral at the end of a book is necessary, I enjoy the book just as much, if not more, if it doesn't have one (sometimes I feel that moral endings border on being cheesy... Like back in the day when every episode of the Power Rangers had a moral ending). 

All in all, I think that this book is the most successful vampire book I have read in some time and I cannot wait to see what Adrianne has in store for us next! 

Rating: 8/10

I received this book from the author to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review. 


Memorable lines from the books: 

"A couple of times I thought I heard the shriek of teenage girls, but it might also have been cars with bad breaks or something" (29%).

"It's Twilight... It's like the book. Hot vampire guy manipulates a vulnerable teenage girl. No matter how many times he puts her in danger or almost accidentally kills her or whatever, she still keeps going back to him. That chick in the book would rather off herself than be without him. I mean, I know the guy is suppose d to be hot and all, but if you think about it, that's pretty screwed up" (73%).

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating...
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Title: "The Last Echo"
Author: Kimberly Derting
Release Date: April 17th 2012

From Goodreads: "In the end, all that’s left is an echo.

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice.

When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye..."

"Sweet Venom" by Tera Lynn Childs

From Goodreads: "Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight."

 I must admit that after having read a few other YA books that reworked Greek mythology this year I was a bit hesitant to read this, primarily because every single one of the other modern-day Greek mythology books that I had read didn't live up to my expectations- I was expecting to be blown away with their creativity, characters, and the likes of, and I wasn't and therefore I assumed that that would also be the case with this book. But it wasn't whatsoever. This book, unlike those others, was really creative, had characters with personalities, and was a book that I literally couldn't put down (while those other books? In all honesty I struggled to finish them).

Each of the girls in the book were so well defined- while reading the book you definitely notice a difference in their voices, Greer had a more sophisticated and refined way of speaking, Grace a more innocent and positive voice, while Gretchen obviously had the 'bad-ass'/ tell-it-like-it-is vibe going on and as such, it was easy to relate to them/ ingrain yourself into their lives. Furthermore, the boys of the book were also extremely well defined and were swoon-worthy- I seriously cannot chose a favourite between Milo, Nick, and Thane!

However, I personally wasn't entirely satisfied with the book. I felt that the ending of the book was somewhat reminiscent of Sophie Jordan's "Firelight"- that the book really ended at the most action-packed/ critical moment. It didn't feel like we got an entire story- with a beginning, middle, and end.

All in all, this book and its characters are definitely going to stick with me for quite some time and despite my complaints, I am excited to see what happens in book 2! Furthermore, after having read this book I now wanna go check out Tera Lynn's other series' "Forgive My Fins", "Oh.My.Gods", and "City Chicks"!

Rating: 3/5

I received this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was not compensated in any way for said review.

Special thanks to HarperCollins Canada and Shannon! 

Take Two: "Last Sacrifice" by Richelle Mead

We all do it, we read a book and we make an initial impression of it, whether it is a positive or negative impression it doesn't matter- just the fact that we make one matters. And sometimes the impression that we make can very well be impacted by factors outside of the book (ie. our mood while reading the book, other books we were reading at the time, etc.). We then reread the book (which I don't know about y'all, but I am totally a rereader) and notice things we didn't see the first time around, come to understand those characters who bothered us the first time around or just come away from the book with a totally different idea of how we feel about it. As mentioned, I am a re-reader sort of person, whether I reread a book right after my initial time reading it, or months, if not years later, well, I don't think that really matters, what I think matters is that with time something about that book hooks us, reels us in, and forces us to once again pick it up. I thought that it would be interesting if I were to reread some books that I have previously read and/or reviewed to see if my initial impression of the book has changed, hence this new little feature I like to call "Take Two" (or in the case of this book Take Three or Four).

My original review of "Last Sacrifice" can be found HERE. 

From Goodreads: "They come first.

My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw (Avery edit- took this part out because it would tell you which guy she picked) face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.

The dead could finally have me.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Valdimir's Academy with her best friend and surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputations to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back... and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?"

When I first read this book I thought that it was one of the most perfect series finales I had ever read before- everything that I wanted to happen did, all of the characters that I had come to love over the previous five books played a role, and the likes of. However, after rereading this book I see that it isn't quite as perfect as I had originally thought it to be.  

I just feel like something is missing in this book. Is it that I feel that the characters had such an 'easy' time in this book when compared to the others (ie. everything was almost handed to the characters. Rose had to fight like what, one Strigoi? And in the book the only injury that she wracked up was a sprained ankle and a banged up head?)? Or is it that I feel that the characters weren't as true to themselves as they were in previous books (In Rose only having to fight one Strigori in this book I felt that she lost a bit of her badass-ness. Or Dimitri being so happy-go-lucky in this book and not his typical stoic self? Or Adrian becoming an extremely vicious character- forgetting his laid-back/ class-clown behavior?)? Or it is that there was almost too much humor included in this book, where the others were a lot more serious? I don't know what is missing from this book, just that there is something and that reading this book for the second time was unfortunately not as satisfying as reading it the first time. 

Memorable lines from the book: 

"So, you could imagine my surprise when the statues blew up" (pg. 47). 

"Rose," chastised Dimitri, with a pointed look at the door, "Be careful. And besides, we only saw one person in overalls" (pg. 148).  

"So that's how you're going to fix the family problem. Little Dragomirs. Good idea" (pg. 313). 

"I looked back and forth at them in amazement. I didn't know if I was witnessing a fight or foreplay. I wasn't thrilled with either option" (pg. 587).  

On My Wishlist...

 

On My Wishlist is a great event that Book Chick City runs every Saturday. It's where you list all of the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. I thought that this was a fantabulous idea so I thought I would join in!
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"Unnatural" by Michael Griffo

From Goodreads: "In the town of Eden in northwestern England stands the exclusive boarding school known as Archangel Academy. Ancient and imposing, it’s a place filled with secrets. Just like its students…

For Michael Howard, being plucked from his Nebraska hometown and sent thousands of miles away is as close as he’s ever come to a miracle. In Weeping Water, he felt trapped, alone. At Archangel Academy, Michael belongs. And in Ciaran, Penry, and especially Ciaran’s enigmatic half-brother Ronan, Michael finds friendship deeper than he’s ever known.

But Michael’s only beginning to understand what makes the Academy so special. Ronan is a vampire—part of a hybrid clan who are outcasts even among other vampires. Within the Academy’s confines exists a ruthless world of deadly rivalries and shifting alliances, of clandestine love and forbidden temptations. And soon Michael will confront the destiny that brought him here—and a danger more powerful than he can imagine…"