Review: Luminaire

Title: Luminaire (Florence Waverly #2)
Author: Ciye Cho
Publication date: November 28, 2012
Source: author

Rating: 4.5 stars

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Being the only human in a world of merfolk... isn't easy. Florence Waverley chose to stay in Niemela, but things have gone awry. Secrets have risen and the prince she cares about has pulled away. All the while, dark dreams warn her of a tragedy that only she can stop. But in order to save the merman she loves, Florence will have to enter the Life Path tournament: a brutal test of fear and madness.

The tournament is a rite of passage--a maze where young mermaids and mermen battle to find their purpose. It is also a place where Florence will face grave danger: mermaids with evil magic, tunnels filled with sea fire, and guardians who wish to use her as a pawn in their secret plans. But will Florence be strong enough to survive the tournament... or will she perish inside it?

Everything hangs in the balance: her life, her world, and her love.

The great thing about a sequel novel- if done right- is that all the basic introduction stuff is out of the way and you can get into the really good stuff: the action. This was the case with Luminaire.

I really really enjoyed Florence, the first book in the series. In fact, it may even be my favorite mermaid book. Luminaire, on the other hand, kind of blew me away with its sheer awesomeness. The story continues with Florence deciding to stay in Niemela and, in an effort to find her place in the mer society while simultaneously helping out Princess Yolee, she enters the Life Path tournament (read as "giant maze filled with lots of dangerous stuff"). This tournament is a big deal. Huge. Whether or not a Niemelan comes out of the maze determines their role in the kingdom. Oh, and there's also the possibility that they just don't make it out at all...

Anyways. Loved the maze. So much action and fighting and craftiness happens in the maze (and I suspect I'm just a total sucker for anything that's set in maze).Through the ordeal, Florence really grew as a character. She's no longer the awkward outsider in Niemela- she literally battles for a place in this world she has come to consider home. Florence is a pretty quiet character, a bit of a wallflower, but always with a silent strength hidden away in her. I thought I had seen the extent of that strength in the first book, but only after reading Luminaire did I realize that what I saw was only a fraction of what Florence had in her.

Rolan's character had me a bit peeved because he acted so standoff-ish and cold towards Florence in the beginning. But no worries, by the end of the book, he more than redeemed himself. I would tell you guys how but I wouldn't want to spoil any of the good stuff for you. ;)

In addition to Florence and Rolan, a few new characters are introduced in this book as allies and foes.  I am usually picky about characters who make their grand debut later in a series, but I ended up loving them (not the bad guys, obviously). Marilenna and Wynn were my favorites; they made the character dynamics and plot much more interesting. Plus there's definitely some chemistry between the two of them and I'm dying to see more!

The plot was a tad slow at first, but once the tournament was set in motion, I was completely hooked. Yet even amidst a fast-moving plot, the author is able to interweave beautiful descriptions of another facet of the underwater world. The imagery is vivid and colorful and a bit magical.... while also managing to be somewhat creepy at times.

All in all:
If you loved Florence then I highly recommend reading Luminaire because everything that was wonderful about the first book has basically been elevated. The ending, which is a bit of a cliffhanger, promises much more intrigue to come in the next book and I cannot wait.

Review: Florence

Title: Florence  (Florence Waverly #1)
Author: Ciye Cho
Publication date: June 28, 2012
Source: author

Rating: 4 stars

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Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.

Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.

Ever since I read a rather poorly written mermaid book a couple of years ago, I've been avoiding the whole mer-people subgenre. Yeah, it was that traumatizing. But after reading an excerpt of Florence, I just couldn't stop. I needed to read the entire book.

And I'm so glad that I did because this story totally restored my faith in mermaid books.

First off, let's talk about Florence. I loved Florence. She was such a strong and brave character, but her strength didn't come from charging into the unknown and doing crazy, dangerous things. It was a quiet strength that wasn't very apparent at first, but as she is tested again and again by the reality of a mermaid civilization, it is impossible not to see how strong Florence is as she adjusts to being away from everything she's known and doesn't let it break her. Florence is a wallflower, but she's also loyal and insanely brave.  I really enjoyed seeing those latter qualities manifest over the course of this novel.

As for Rolan and Kiren. Sigh. HOW do I even begin to describe these two mermen who have both stolen a piece of my heart?? I think what I loved most about them was their character development, their various layers, and how they both had story arcs independent of Florence's. There is a lot more to the princes than meets the eye. Rolan is stoic and cold, but underneath all that you discover his protective and gentle nature. Kiren is the golden boy, seemingly care-free and always cheerful, but underneath that is a guy with his own troubles. Reading the synopsis, I had expected the princes to each be one side of a love triangle so I was very pleasantly surprised when I discovered that the relationships between the three was much more complex.

I don't want to give too much information about Niemela away, but the world building in this book was phenomenal. Ciye Cho's writing has created this vivid and colorful underwater civilization that is just beautiful!

All in all: This was such a good story! Florence's narration pulled me in from the first chapter and Rolan and Kiren the merfolk of Niemela kept me enraptured for the rest of the book. The ending just about killed me and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Review: Power

Title: Power (The Descendant Trilogy #1)
Author: Theresa M. Jones
Publication date: February 2013
Source: author

Rating: 3 stars

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Thousands of years after the battle between the angels, when Lucifer was defeated by Michael in the Heavens, the war is still being fought on Earth by the humans who have their Power, the Angel’s Power. 

Allison Stevens is a 21 year old single mother who gets thrown into the middle of this battle when Damien, the Leader of the Rising, decides to hunt her down and kill her because he fears she is the descendant prophesied to save the world. 

David, a member of the Order, takes Allison under his wing in order to show her the ropes, and hopefully groom her into being the one they have been waiting for. The only problem is that they start to grow more attached than a teacher/student relationship should allow.

But that isn’t all. Damien wants to open the Seven Seals and bring about the apocalypse and it’s up to Allison to not only save herself and her family, but save the world, all while trying to keep her heart from breaking.

No problem… right?

Power follows the story of Allison, a 21-year-old single mother who, after a series of nightmares and painful power outbreaks, learns that she is gifted with power from the archangel Michael.

Now there have been quite a few Good vs. Evil (or Angels vs. Demons) types of books out there these past few years, but the concept of Power was surprisingly refreshing and kept me glued to the pages. Without a doubt, my favorite part about this book was learning about all the different abilities that these descendants of the Primitus had. What's more, I loved reading about how these descendants came to be about, how they became gifted with these special powers--not just them, I also enjoyed learning about how the bad guys, the leaders of the Rising, came to be. In this story, Jones has deftly weaved together elements of known Biblical stories with a touch of the supernatural to create a story that makes me want to jump into its pages and experience it for myself.

This book is written in shifting POVs, mainly between Allison, the main character, and David, the love interest, however there are also chapters told from the perspective of the bad guys. Normally, changing POVs really aren't my cup of tea, but somehow Jones has really made it work, made it into one of the books' strengths. I liked seeing the story unfold from multiple viewpoints and it also gave me more insight into each character's mind. Strangely enough, I ended up really liking reading from the villains' POV.......

Allison was a character that I don't often get to read about, mainly because I don't find many YA-ish books centering around a single mother. This facet of her character made her a lot more mature than I expected her to be. Overall, I thought she was a pretty strong character, though I couldn't help but think she had a few Mary-Sue characteristics.

Personally, I felt a little disconnected from the characters. As if I were watching everything unfold from an observable distance instead of actually experiencing it through the characters' hearts and minds. This disconnection might be attributed to the, at time, stiff and formal dialogue and an edge of instalove in the romance.

All in all: this was a good story! The plot was fast-paced, the supernatural element was really interesting to learn about, and the ending left me very curious to find out more about the world of the descendants.

Review: Splintered

Title: Splintered
Author: A.G. Howard
Publication date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Amulet Books (Abrams)
Source: Netgalley

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

The description of this book, like a delicious cake you might find at the Mad Hatter's tea party, was utterly irresistible. But here's the thing: appearances can be deceiving. Reading this book was like salivating over a delicious dessert only to find, when eating it, that the icing was too sweet and the cake too crumbly.

Splintered is the story of Alyssa Gardner, a descendant of Alice Liddell, who suffers from a family curse of spiraling into Wonderland-esque insanity. But events unfold, realizations happen, and Alyssa learns that Wonderland is absolutely real, but much dangerous and twisted than the Lewis Carroll story.

While in theory this book sounded like the coolest thing since nutella, the actual read was less riveting than I'd imagined. I think the author tried to include too many aspects, trying to afford each one equal attention that, in the end, the story was smothered by it. The descriptions of the Wonderland creatures, though brilliantly envisioned, were too detailed and lenghthy and were overwhelming to process. The overemphasized love triangle distracted from the plot and led to ill-timed frisky moments just for the sake of romantic development.

As for the characters, I couldn't connect with any of them. Not even the heroine despite being in her head for  nearly 400 pages. Here's the thing: I felt like Alyssa could have been such an epic character. The girl loves to skate, wears colorful dreadlock extensions in her hair, has electric eels for pets, and makes beautiful mosaics out of dead bugs. HOW COOL IS THAT? But unfortunately, my reaction to Alyssa ended up being rather MEH. Didn't love her but didn't completely hate her either. So many of her thoughts were taken up by her unrequited love for Jeb and hatred of his girlfriend and it was just annoying to read about!

I know this book is advertised as having a love triangle, however, despite Alyssa's attraction to Morpheus, it was obvious that Jeb was always the main love interest... And oh how I wished he wasn't!! No offense to the Jeb fans out there, but he was by far my least favorite character in the whole book. I found him to be way too controlling and overprotective (in a whether-you-like-it-or-not kind of way). And at times even douchey. I tried to like him, I really did! But nope. Just couldn't do it. Every time he showed up in a scene, I would mentally groan.

You know when you're reading a book and the main character and love interest have a Moment? Their eyes meet, there's romantic tension, and the whole time you're like:

And when they finally do...

Ye-ah, that wasn't the case with this book. Each time Jeb and Alyssa had romantic moments, it was just awkward to read about. I can't really explain it but it was almost like watching PDA in the real world.

What's more, there is a time and a place for making googly eyes at your crush. And that time, dear Alyssa and Jeb, is not while you are worrying for your survival with crazy creatures trying to hunt you down!

Personally, I much preferred Morpheus's character. The guy was twisted, mysterious, morally questionable.... and I kind of loved it! (Le sigh. I suppose I've always had a thing for the bad boys).

I will say that the world-building was probably the shining gem of this book. This Wonderland that Howard has crafted is so different from that of the original story... and I absolutely loved it! The sheer creativity and imagination that went into creating this twisted land with bizarre customs and grotesque creatures is truly laudable. From the wacky traditions to the Wonderland afterlife, I was fascinated and I dearly hope that there might be another book in the future exploring more of Wonderland.

All in all: I know most of this review has been me talking about the negatives of this book, but I really did enjoy reading this. Yes, the love triangle really wasn't my cup of tea, but I am really glad I read this book because the adventure was action-packed and the world-building was mind-blowingly fantastic.
If you're into Alice retellings, or just retellings in general, then I definitely recommend this book.

Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer

Title: The Evolution of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publication Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

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Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

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

They aren’t.

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

She’s wrong.

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

The unfortunate byproduct of being a high school senior is that I don't have much time to read. Not as much as I used to, anyway. Before, I was able to finish a book in less than a week, and now, quite frankly, I'm lucky if I make it through half of the book in that time.

This book took me three days to finish.

Three days.

GUYS. THREE DAYS.

Insanity. I don't even remember the last time I finished a book so quickly.

So here's how it all went down....

Me before reading:

Beyond excited. In fact, I may (or may not have) done a happy dance when I finally had the book in my hands. And this happy dance may or may not have been incredibly embarrassing and performed in public...

Me while reading:

This book was an addiction. It's fast-paced and full of creepiness, revelations, and sexy times with Noah, and if you think you can just stop after one chapter, you are lying to yourself.

The stakes, suspense, and mystery are all elevated in Evolution. More than ever, you see Mara's sanity being put in question, to the point where she doesn't even know whether or not she's experiencing reality or a delusion. Reading this story was akin to playing a mind game  Half the time I was trying to figure out who to believe, what the truth really was, and the other half, I was questioning everything I thought.

Unlike many YA books, Evolution really included Mara's family into what was going on. Her parents aren't absentees or idle spectators. They see their daughter in trouble and they act. And don't even get me started on the sibling relationship in the Dyer family because I won't be able to stop gushing! Mara's relationship with her brothers, Daniel especially, was just incredibly realistic and SO sweet. It definitely made me wish I had an older brother like Daniel.

My favorite part of this book, though, was seeing more of Mara and Noah's relationship. At the beginning of the series, it seemed like the only thing really tying the two of them together was their inexplicable abilities.  In this book, however, it becomes so much more apparent that these two are perfect for each other!  I think it's safe to say that they are both quite screwed up as a result of their respective powers, but when they're together, they make each other better (which sounds cheesy, I know, but there's really no way to describe it!) They keep each other grounded when everything around them is questionable.

I especially enjoyed seeing more of Noah's character. He wasn't exactly a flat character in Unbecoming, but I definitely didn't get to know him as much as I wanted to. Evolution did a great job of showing me more of Noah Elliot Simon Shaw and I loved it.

Eep.

Help.

I'm swooning.


Me after reading:

In Unbecoming, I was full of questions, wondering just what the heck Mara was and how it was possible that she could do the things she did. In Evolution, it feels like Michelle Hodkin is finally letting you in on the big secret.... but it's all a big. Fat. Lie!!! It's like she's dangling this delicious-looking carrot of truth in front of you, making you read page after page after page, but in the end, all you are left with is a blown mind and more questions. Oh, and frustration. Heaps of that. Well played Ms. Hodkin, well played. 

Rating: 5 stars

Dear Ms. Hodkin,

Book three....

Pretty please?

Review: The Raven Boys

Title: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publication date: September 18th, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Synopsis:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Let me just start off by making this clear: the synopsis of this book does not do the actual story justice. Not by a long shot.
Yes, Blue is apparently destined to kill her true love with her kiss, and yes, she meets four Raven Boys.

More than that, though, this book is about an eccentric family of secretive psychics and a non-psychic daughter, a journey to find a magical ley line, the legend of the Welsh king, Glendower, and the fierce friendship between four boys that is complex and heart-breakingly beautiful.

The best part of this book, for me, is definitely the friendship between the four Raven Boys.

You've got Gansey who is born with unimaginable privilege and harbors an obsession for finding the legendary Glendower. I loved the dichotomy of Gansey's character! On the surface he is the cookie-cutter rich boy, but beneath that there is this inexplicably complex nature, from his deep insatiable yearning for Glendower to his love and protectiveness of his friends. I wish I knew the right words to describe Gansey, but all I can tell you is that he is a truly unforgettable character. 

"In the end, he was nobody to Adam, he was nobody to Ronan. Adam spit his words back at him and Ronan squandered however many second chances he gave him. Gansey was just a guy with a lot of stuff and a hole inside him that chewed away more of his heart every year.

They were always walking away from him. But he never seemed able to walk away from them."

Then you've got Adam, sweet and endearing Adam. He's a tortured hero who has been able to retain this rare kindness and gentleness about him despite the hell he grew up in. Adam comes from nothing and, like Gansey, yearns for something more, but he won't accept anything unless he's earned it himself.

"It means I never get to be my own person. If I let you cover for me, then I'm yours. I'm his now, and then I'll be yours."

Ronan is the bad-boy of the bunch; angry, intimidating, and downright dangerous. However, there is a concealed softer side of him, a side that may not be described as "kind," but definitely shows that he cares more about people than he seems to. His past is shrouded in mystery and I really cannot wait for the sequel to find out more about him!

"Gansey had once told Adam that he was afraid most people didn't know how to handle Ronan. What he meant by this was that he was worried that one day someone would fall on Ronan and cut themselves." 

Last, but certainly not least, is Noah, the most mysterious of the four--but just as endearing. Noah harbors a dark secret which plays an integral part in this novel, both in the the mystery of the book and in the relationships between the Raven Boys.

"Noah was a good bellwether for people. He was so shy and awkward and invisible that he could be easily ignored or made fun of."

These four boys are as different as could be, but they fit together like jigsaw pieces falling into place, balancing each other and keeping each other in check. Their relationship is complicated, but so compelling to read about, and before I could help it, I'd fallen in love with each of them.

I've read Stiefvater's Shiver trilogy and part of her Scorpio Race, and in The Raven Boys, her writing is still effortlessly gorgeous! Her descriptions are so vivid it's really like I'm in Henrietta, Virginia with its hot days, cold nights, and mountain air.

The only frustrating part of this book, for me, was the romance. Or lack thereof. As a romanceaholic, I crave that bit of romance in books and as I was reading this, I was constantly anticipating the emegence of the romantic element....but it never came! Not really. There was a slight blossoming of feelings, but for a story that emphasized how Blue was going to kill her true love, there really wasn't a whole lot of love present.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

Let me repeat: It's okay that there wasn't much romance. I still loved this book regardless. The story, the mystery, and especially the characters drew me in and kept me a willful prisoner for 408 pages.

Rating: 4.5 stars*

All in all: I. Need. The. Sequel.
I need it now! This book captivated me while I read and even when I finished, I could not get the story or the characters out of my head. So the question now is, how many "reallys" do I have to put before "recommend" to get you to read this?


*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for review purposes. All opinions are my own

Review: The Lure of Shapinsay

 Title: The Lure of Shapinsay
Author: Krista Holle
Date of Publication: December 16th, 2011
Publisher: Sweet River Romance

Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the selkies. They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant. 

Unexpectedly, Kait is awoken by a beautiful, selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure. 

Kait obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder—is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?

First off, let me ask you this: how often have you seen a book about Selkies as you browsed through your local book store?
Not often, am I right?

There are so many paranormal and supernatural creatures in YA these days that I honestly thought nothing could surprise me, but then I saw that this book was about Selkie folklore.
Selkies are creatures that live as seals in the water but can take the form of man on land by "taking off their skin"--I swear it's not as gruesome as it sounds!! Both male and female selkies are extraordinarily beautiful and have a long history of tempting humans. The humans of Shapinsay, a small island near Scotland, are fearful of selkies because many women have been lured to a watery death by male selkies.

 Holle's simplistic, yet beautiful descriptions of the land and sea made it super easy to picture Shapinsay in my head. The Scottish accent/dialogue also helped bring setting alive. I loved the olden-days vibe of the story--and, believe me, that is not something I say very often!

Kait, the main character, was a great heroine--strong and stubborn and independent. She and Eamon, the Selkie, have a rather interesting relationship because the lines between being Lured and actual Love are so blurred I couldn't really tell which one was in play at times. This gave their love story an insta-love vibe which I wasn't too crazy about, but nevertheless, I rooted for them because there were some seriously sweet scenes between them.

Rating: 3.5 stars*

All in all: I really liked the fact that Holle explored selkie folkore in her novel, the concept is very original and fresh. I wasn't a huge fan of the instalove-bordering-on-obsession relationship between Kait and Eamon, but I found the book enjoyable nonetheless.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review. 

Review: Unspoken

Title: Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1)
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Adults
Publication Date: September 11, 2012

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

Rating: 5 stars*

What do I like about this book? Hmm....

I think the better question is what DON'T like about this book?

Because that list is virtually non-existent.

I just cannot get over how fabulously the author tackled every aspect of this book that could have made it just another typical, clichéd  YA novel!

Just the fact that Kami has been able to talk to this "imaginary" boy in her head for her entire life, this imaginary boy she's in love with, only to suddenly discover that he's real and they now go to the same school! Oh yes, the boy she's told everything to--every secret, thought, insecurity--this boy is not a figment of her imagination. I feel like this set-up could have easily turned into a major case of insta-love, but THANK YOU GODS OF LITERATURE for giving Sarah Rees Brennan a much more brilliant idea! 

Kami and Jared are pretty freaked out at discovering the other is 100% real--understandably so, I might add--They're not sure whether they should be friends, girlfriend-boyfriend, or enemies. They spend a fair bit of time resenting the fact that the other person isn't imaginary and I LOVED IT. 

Their relationship is just so unique in the world of YA--confusing, strained, frustrating, yet at the same time, their chemistry is undeniable. It's just crafted wonderfully and very realistically. 

Now let's just take a moment to appreciate the sheer awesomeness of Brennan's characters. Seriously. They. Are. Magnificent. Not only are they all very distinct, personality-wise, but they're all gifted with impressive wit. I wish I could be funny like Kami and Angela--no actually, can I just be BFFs with them??? Angela was a personal favorite of mine. I mean, how often do you meet a character who loves naps, is super lazy, can seriously kick butt, and hates people? I was like, "let me love you!" Kami was sassy and super witty, very much like Veronica Mars. I fell in love with Kami's character from the moment she made her first joke. Another thing about these characters that was so refreshing was how sensible they all were! Especially Kami! She thought things through, was courageous but not stupid, and didn't let her emotions take over! The best way to describe her would be this quote:

"She didn't want to be the girl who just believed in the guy she liked, no matter what extenuating mind-reading circumstances existed. She didn't want her feelings to blind her. She didn't want anything to blind her. She did not know what her feelings were, or what his were, or how to separate the two. She did not want to drown in what was between them and lose control, or lose who she was." 
If you hated Bella, I think you're going to love Kami. Heck, even if you liked Bella, you'll still probably love Kami because she is just made of awesomesauce. 

All in all: This. Book. Is. Freaking. Amazing. There is a supernatural element present in the book--which I won't spoil for you--but I can honestly say that Brennan's take on this is quite unique and honestly? I did not see it coming. At all. 

*I was provided a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publishers in return for an honest review.

Review: The Last Echo

The Last Echo (The Body Finder #3)
By Kimberly Derting
Published April 17th, 2012 by HarperCollins

"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...."
-goodreads

Rating: 4 stars

As is the case with many other series, The Body Finder series debuted with a strong, gripping first book, an okay-but-not-as-good second book, and then a third book that made readers remember why they started this series in the first place.

In many aspects, The Last Echo has upped the ante and is way more intense that the other two books have been. In terms of mystery, this one might be my favorite. Be warned, it is a heck of a lot creepier, but goodness gracious, it will keep you hooked. Especially the last half of the book. Time flew by while I was reading, and I knew I should’ve gone to bed, but I just kept telling myself, “one more chapter!” Yeah. Right. I couldn’t put it down till five chapters later!

The storyline of The Last Echo focuses more on Violet in relation to Sara Priest’s kick-butt team of psychics who hunt down bad guys, which was neat because I got to meet more characters with super cool abilities and learn more about Sara and the mysterious Rafe—who definitely became one of my favorite characters in the series.

The downside to this is that I didn’t get to see as much of Jay as I wanted to. Violet and Jay’s relationship made book 1 my favorite in the whole series and, unfortunately, he was relegated to a more minor role in The Last Echo. I guess that’s because Kimberly Derting used this book to focus more on Rafe as another possible love interest….

For me, this is rather conflicting because I was totally Team Violet and Jay… but now… I can’t help but really like Rafe!

With regards to Violet’s character, I, surprisingly didn’t really like her that much in the first half of the book—surprising because in the past two books, I’ve always really liked her—it’s just that there were some instances where  I found her to be a tad annoying and insensitive to other people worries. Also, I just had a hard time really connecting with her as a character because of the third-person narration. I’m normally not a fan of third-person—though there are some authors that have been exceptions—and in this case, the narration just made me feel like…meh.

However, in the second half of the book, Vi totally kicked some major creeper butt!! I was super impressed; in the face of danger, she totally stepped up to the plate, and I wanted to applaud her bravery! So…in short, I started this novel slightly peeved with Violet, but by the end, I ended up liking her again. Let’s see where this goes in book 4.

All in all: I loved the mystery aspect of this book--very chilling, but in a good way--and I love where Kimberly Derting is taking the story. I am most definitely anxious to read book 4!

Review: Hemlock

Hemlock
by Kathleen Peacock
Published May 8th, 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends.
Since then, Mac's life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac's hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy's killer:
A white werewolf.
Lupine syndrome--also known as the werewolf virus--is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.
Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy's murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy's boy-friend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.


Rating: 3.75 stars

Hemlock is a book that, from what I’ve seen, has received some mixed reviews. Some people gush about how amazing it is and absolutely love what the author’s done with the whole concept of werewolves. Others, on the other hand, have deemed this book to be a stereotypical YA paranormal romance, with nothing new to offer.

My position? Well, I’m somewhere in the middle.

Not terribly helpful, I know… but here, let me explain:

I’m not an avid werewolf book reader, but out of the ones I have read, I can honestly say that Hemlock’s take on werewolves is very unique in YA. It was fresh and new and very interesting to read about. In the world of Hemlock, the existence of werewolves is common knowledge, and because of people’s fear of them, those who are infected with the Lupine disease  is sent into these awful camps where they’re treated as sub-humans. There’s a civilian organization called the Trackers who enforce all the “rules” regarding werewolves. These people are brutal. Like a you-want-to-kick-them-where-the-sun-don’t-shine kind of brutal.

The biggest hook for me, the thing that kept me flipping page after page, was definitely the mystery. That aspect of the book was really good! I love a good who-done-it kind of mystery that generates so much suspense that I’m half tempted to just flip to the end and find the answers!  The urge to find out who the murderer was and what secrets were being kept will keep you glued to this book!

As for the characters, I think Kathleen Peacock gave a good variety of personalities to tell her story. With regards to Mac, the main character, I liked her, but I didn’t really love her. Or, I guess to be more specific, I just didn’t really connect with her like I wanted to. It’s not that she was annoying or poorly written, but sometimes, she did things that I didn’t particularly agree with and couldn’t help but think that she just didn’t think things through.

*SLIGHT spoilers in the next paragraph, so read at your own risk!*

Mac’s two best friends, Kyle and Jason were good characters that made up the other sides of the love triangle, providing a nice contrast to one another. Oh yes, did I forget to mention that there’s a love triangle in this book? To be honest, I was not crazy about the love triangle—I mean, I could see each boy’s appeal, but I just didn’t get what made them both so enamored with Mac, so willing to risk everything for her. And I already have a feeling that there’s going to be a lot of relationship angst in the next book. *Sigh* Upchuck.

Strangely enough, Amy, despite being deceased, was a character that really interested me. I almost wish that the author could write a prequel focusing on Amy’s story because I would LOVE to read about her relationships. Especially the one with a boy that, to me, could give Kyle and Jason a good run for their money on the swoon-worthy scale. I honestly think her love story would make a better book thank more love triangle angst.

*END OF SPOILER section*

All in all, I liked this book. Didn’t really fall out of my chair over how amazing it was. But I didn’t despise it either. Will I be reading the sequel? Yes. I’m definitely anxious to see where Kathleen Peacock takes us in this world of werewolves and Trackers. 

Review: City of Lost Souls

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5)

by Cassandra Clare

Published May 8th, 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry 

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace freed from captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing, so is the boy she hates: her brother Sebastian, who is determined to bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.
The Clave's magic cannot locate either boy, but Jace can't stay away from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith's magic has wrought - Jace and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other.
Only a few people believe that Jace can still be saved. Together, Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle bargain with the sinister Seelie Queen, contemplate deals with demons, and turn at last to the merciless, weapon-making Iron Sisters, who might be able to forge a weapon that can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. If the Iron Sisters can't help, their only hope is to challenge Heaven and Hell - a risk that could claim their lives.
And they must do it without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing not just her own life, but Jace's soul. She's willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?
Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Ahhhh where to begin???

SO MUCH happens in this book, I’m not even sure where to start this review! Frankly, I’m surprised Cassandra Clare could even fit all in one book!

City of Lost Souls isn’t really my favorite TMI book, but I loved it all the same. The strange thing is that the Jace parts of the books are usually my favorite… because, I mean, come on, it’s JACE. ‘Nuff said. However, in this book, that wasn’t the case. If anything, the Jace-Clary scene were probably my least favorite parts because there was a lot of relationship angst… and IT WASN’T EVEN JACE!

I mean, it was Jace, physically speaking, but any TMI-lover/Jace-lover would be able to tell you that the Jace that was present for the majority of the novel was not the Jace Lightwood-Herondale-Wayland that we all know and love! He wasn’t even that witty…*grumble grumble*

Clary was still her ever-fearless and reckless self, trying to save Jace from the evil clutches of Sebastian, but I’m not gonna lie, there were some times that her angst kinda got on my nerves.

My favorite parts of this book were actually the chapters that focused on the other relationships. In previous books, characters like Isabelle and Alec and Jordan and Maia kind of took a backseat—but in COLS, they all played a more prominent role and I LOVED reading about their romantic relationships. Isabelle became one of my new favorite characters because I got to know more about her and I really REALLY liked her. I was also became…invested in her relationship with Simon—like, I REALLY wanted them to finally get together! And the two of them are just SO darn cute together! (Also: was it just me or did Simon get A LOT… hotter and more swoon-worthy in this book?!)

Surprisingly, Jordan and Maia also became one of my new favorite pairings. I adored reading scenes centering around them because they’re both also very cute together and… just… I just like them together! A lot.  

The Alec-Magnus relationship… began to really unravel in this book, which made me super sad. I loved them together, but that whole my-boyfriend’s-immortal-but-I’m-not thing was a big issue for Alec and led him to make some not so smart choices—which pretty much had me yelling at the book…

Aaaaaand then we have Sebastian…. Oh, Sebastian. You invoke such conflicting emotions in me… He’ll show this lonely side of himself and I’ll go, “AWW,” but then he’ll do something evil and I’ll be like, “GRRR,” but then he’ll be all nice and… quite frankly, kind of hot, and I’ll go back to being “AWW” again. But then the evilness emerges and makes me go “GRRR” again! It’s a never-ending cycle!

Sigh, it would be a heck of a lot easier if he could just be full-on evil all the time. But goshdarnit Cassie Clare just has to make me sympathize with him!

Without a doubt, the most exciting parts for me, the part that had me absolutely giggling with glee and jumping up and down with excitement, were the little references to The Infernal Devices! Oh. My. Gosh. Did anyone else unleash a fangirlish squeal when Jace had that copy of A Tale of Two Cities with WILL’s inscription?!?! I am not ashamed to say that I certainly did.

ALSO…. Brother Zachariah.

By. The. Angel. WHO IS HE?!?!?! I MUST KNOW!

From the way he acts, I have a pretty good guess, but I’m quite sure Cassandra Clare is too smart to make it THAT obvious for us… or else she pretty much just spoiled what’ll happen in Clockwork Princess…

And now, more than ever, I want to know who the heck Magnus’s dad is!

There are SO many twists and turns and interesting subplots and revelations and dramatic happenings in COLS, but goodness gracious, I am left with so many questions!!! Cassandra Clare, WHYYYYY must you leave me hanging like this?!?! 

Review: Everneath

Everneath (Everneath #1)
by Brodi Ashton

Published January 24th 2012 by HarperCollins / Balzer + Bray

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...
-goodreads

Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Review:

The Hades and Persephone myth is probably my favorite myth of all time---is that weird?
I was super excited for this book after finding out it was a Hades/Persephone retelling and let's just say that it was waaay better than I anticipated!

The creative and unique twist that Ashton put on the myth retelling blew my mind. I loved the history of the everliving and how Hades and Persephone factor into the Everneath. It was a greek myth retelling, but also a supernatural story of its own category. I loved how they also incorporated the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (another of my favorite myths.)

I thought the whole concept was great, but at the same time, I felt like the book could've had some more oomph. I didn't particularly connect with the characters, despite the fact that I really did like them. Same for the whole love-triangle-thing. Jack was a sweetheart, but I don't know, his and Nikki's realtionship, while pretty inspirational and beautiful in theory, lacked that spark on paper. I could see the appeal of badboy Cole, but again, no real spark or connection. However, I loved Nikki's journey of redemption and her general goodness as a person. She knows that what she's done has hurt a lot of people, but she trying to make up for that, to try and make amends.

For the most part, I felt like the book was a little slow--not much action happening anywhere, just switching between the present and the past. BUT part that really grabbed me about this book was the ending. That was just..... wow. It was, without a doubt, the most powerful part of the novel and what saved this book from a plain old 3 star rating.

The good thing is that I think this storyline still has lots of untapped potential, so I will be reading the sequel when it comes out.

Review: Spell Bound

Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3)
by Rachel Hawkins
Published March 13th 2012 by Hyperion Book CH

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?



Rating: 4.5 sparkling stars
Review:
To quote a certain gal we all adore, Holy Hell Weasel. 
This book was flippin' amazing!!! Aaaah! I cannot believe this series is over already! Why Rachel Hawkins, WHY?! 


Let me just start off by saying that I am absolutely in LOVE with this series! Literally, the weekend after this book came out, I rushed to the nearest Barnes and Noble, grabbed the book, and just sat down in the store and read it. In one sitting! Goodness gracious, I couldn't put this book down!


Spell Bound picks up immediately after Demonglass and believe me, it will grab your attention hook, line, and sinker! Seriously, you will be speeding through the book without even realizing it. There were quite a few twists and turns and surprises in this book--some I anticipated, and some I totally didn't! This book was fast-paced and flowed so smoothly. The ONE thing that prevented this book from being a full-blown 5 stars was that Last Battle. It was pretty much the climax, the culmination of all the things that's happened to Sophie, but it ended way too soon! I wanted more fighting, more action, more bad guy butt-kicking! 


But luckily, the characters more than made up for any shortcomings. Sophie Mercer is, without a doubt, one of my favorite YA characters EVER! She is so loyal and compassionate and snarky as heck! You gotta love a girl with a sense of humor like her. So much bad stuff has happened to her throughout the entire series, but she emerges tough as ever and still manages to retain her enviable sarcasm.

And of course I must mention the boys! I was so glad/excited to finally see how Cal and Archer actually interact when the whole love triangle is actually in the same room! It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I think Hawkins handled her love triangle a lot better than some of the other authors out there. Archer was just.... gosh, pure perfection! Definitely one of my all time favorite Book Boyfriends. He and Sophie are the perfect sarcastic couple extraordinaire! At the same time, Cal was pretty awesome too. I am a devoted Team Archer kind of gal, but Cal, he was just such a good, selfless guy... and that major stunt he pulled at the end! UGH! Heart-wrenching! I feel like Hawkins resolved the love triangle as best as it could've been resolved.... but still! It kinda broker my heart a little...

The Brannicks were an interesting addition---and OMG I had my suspicions about how they fit into Sophie's life, and I was so right!!!--- Contrary to the blurb, the Brannicks didn't actually play a super huge part in the novel..... But good golly miss molly, I heard Hawkins is writing a spin-off and I just KNOW it's gonna feature some Brannicks.... like, say, Isolde and Torin! I definitely see more happening there! 


Good Lord, please oh please oh PLEASE let there be more adventures in the world of Hex Hall! (Possibly with some cameo appearances???)

 

Series Review: Strange Angels

Strange Angels, Betrayals, Jealousy, Defiance, Reckoning
by Lili St. Crow

Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 

This is my first time reviewing a series as a whole, rather than each book individually. My reason for doing so it because, well, in this case, it's rather hard to simply review one book at a time; each book provides the perfect segway into the next and  the entire storyline and everything is just much easier to review and talk about once I finished the entire series. I'll try not to spoil too much for those who haven't read/finished the entire series, but beware because I probably will have to disclose some spoilery info....

So, quick summary time: this series is about a girl named Dru, who, for a long time now, has been moving from place to place with her dad. And what do they do when the get to these new towns? They exterminate otherworldly pests pretty much. Whether it's a bad case of voodoo or hex, they show up and take care of it. But all changes one day when Dru's father doesn't come home one night..... Oh, don't worry, he does return, but just as a zombie. Yeah, that's right, people can be turned into zombies. From that moment, Dru's pretty much on her own--and to top it off, she find out she's not completely human either! She's actually part-supernatural, half of one of the creatures she and her father spent years hunting. 

From there, she, along with the help of Graves and Christophe (who are also not exactly human...) escapes perilous dangers and creatures who want her dead, and finds her way to the Schola, a place for half-vampires and wulfen. (Spoiler!) Dru is a svetocha--a female half-vampire (note: half-vampires aka djampir and svetocha are good, full suckers= super duper bad!) and it just so happens that svetochas are extremely rare because they've been hunted religiously by full vampires because there's something in their natural make up that's toxic to full-on suckers. 

      Now, you'd think everything would be just peachy right? WRONG. All the suckers, especially the King, Sergej, himself wants her dead. To top it off, there are traitors and backstabbers within the Schola itself who are willing to give Dru up to be killed.

      Oh, and, of course, there is something of a love triangle involving her, Christophe (a super powerful, but rogue djampir) and Graves (a human-turned-loup-garou) 

DO NOT THINK TWILIGHT! Yes, okay, I know there's a vampire-werewolf love triangle, but believe me, Strange Angels could not be more different than Twilight. For one, this series is so freaking kicka$$ it's actually kinda ridiculous! Dru Anderson is, by far, one of the toughest heroines I've ever met! That girl knows her stuff when it comes to hexing, wards, guns, and survival. Again and again, Dru's world is turned upside down as she learns more about her own role in the supernatural world, all the while dealing with doubt, betrayal, confusion, unknown family history, and a little anger at the fact that she's part sucker. Yet despite all of the things thrown her way, she is tough as nails, and always picks herself back up. Even if she doesn't want to do it, she does because she knows people are depending on her. 

The love triangle was..... just all-around really great! For the first time, as I was reading, I had absolutely no clue just who Dru was going to end up with! I was a total Team Graves person myself, but good God, there were so many times I thought to myself: "Dang it! She's totally gonna end up with Christophe!" because she would talk about how, with Graves, she felt safer, whereas Christophe was pure danger and electricity, and of course, in YA novels, the girl always picks the dangerous bad boy! But surprisingly, the series ending that Lili St. Crow wrote was..... kinda highly refreshing. Without giving anything away, the ending totally wasn't what I was expecting, yet at the same time, I felt like it was the best possible ending for the series. And.... it does set it up for a follow-up book or spin-off..... FINGERS CROSSED! 

Another thing, though, is that, while there is definitely a romantic element to this series, it doesn't dominate the plot line. It was there, but it wasn't like Dru's biggest dilemma and mindset was "oh, which guy will I choose???" Puh-leaze, she's too busy trying to stay alive for that kind of thinking.

 As for the plot itself, I really liked it, but again, the plot is more of an overarching kind of thing, that in order to have the complete storyline, you really have to read the whole series. Though, that being said, I also felt like the books could've been, I don't know, a little shorter maybe? It's just that after finishing each book, I realized not much actually happened. I mean, yes, there were super intense moments, but that was basically the climax of the book; it was just one (maybe 2) moment(s). 

Also, another thing that was a little... annoying, to me personally, was this sense of a "gap" between conversations in the book. Literally, Dru will be talking to someone and then, bam! For the next couple of paragraphs, you're either reading the rather long thoughts running through her head, or reliving some of her past memories. It kind of got on my nerves because there would just be this huge gap in the conversations, and sometimes, I'd have to go back and re-read the last part of the dialogue! 

Another reason why this book wasn't a gull 5 stars was because I felt like St. Crow never really explained everything about the "Real World." Seriously, just what the heck is the "aspect" or the "Other" or Dru's personal special senses??? Don't get me wrong, I like it when the author doesn't bombard you with information at the very beginning, telling you all this background info at once, but the thing is, when the series ended, she still hadn't actually explained it!!! Also, WHAT THE HECK IS DRU SHORT FOR?!?! Sigh, either St. Crow wants to leave us in the dark about some things, or expects us to fill in the blanks for ourselves, or she is just (again, fingers crossed) is planning for a spin-off/follow-up novel. But either way, this little fact frustrated me quite a bit!

BUT all in all, I think this series was freaking fantastic! My personal favorites out of all the books would probably be book #1, 2, and 5. Strong beginning and strong finish. It's not your typical run-of-the-mill YA supernatural series. In some ways, it's a little mature because St. Crow tells it like it is---she doesn't romanticize the situation or descriptions, and I liked how it made the storyline more real. Also, just warning you, there is kind of a lot of cursing in these books, so, probably not the best choice for young kids. But seriously, this series is pretty darn amazing, and I highly recommend it.